Calhoun’s English IV Course Syllabus
Mrs. Brianne Calhoun
English Teacher
Pressly School
222 Knox Street
Statesville, NC 28677
Phone: (704) 872-7606
E-mail:
As a qualification for graduation, North Carolina requires all students to complete and earn credit for English I-IV. This syllabus includes an outline of what is required by Common Core State Standards for students to receive credit for English IV.
English IV students will be focusing on British literature. They will be reading and analyzing texts; applying standard English grammar to the spoken language; writing clearly to effectively communicate in print; acquiring new vocabulary that is found in assigned texts; and participating in and presenting collaborative work.
English IV students will also be completing a graduation project over the course of their junior and senior years. More information will be provided about this throughout the semester.
This class will meet in room 16 Monday-Friday throughout the day depending on your student’s schedule. My planning time is during 3rd Block (12:30-1:30). I can be contacted by phone in the morning from 7:30 am to 8:15 am, during my planning period, or after school from 2:45 to 3:00. I check my email several times throughout the day with the last check around 8:00 pm. If you need a same-day response, please contact me by phone during the times mentioned above or by email before 8:00 pm.
I) Course Description and Outcomes: taken from Common Core State Standards
(http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/)
A) Reading
1) Literature- Students will be able to read and analyze various literature with a
focus on the following:
(a) Key Ideas and Details
(b) Craft and Structure
(c) Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
2) Informational Texts- Students will be able to read and analyze informational texts
with a focus on the following:
(a) Key Ideas and Details
(b) Craft and Structure
(c) Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
B) Writing- Students will be able to write with a focus on the following:
1) Text Types
(a) Arguments
(b) Informative/Explanatory Texts
(c) Narratives
2) Production and Distribution of Writing
3) Research to Build and Present Knowledge
4) Range of Writing (formal and informal)
(a) Extended periods of time
(i) Research
(ii) Reflection
(iii) Revision
(b) Shorter periods
(i) Journal entries
(ii) Short Essays
(iii) Narratives
C) Speaking & Listening- Students will be able to listen to and participate in conversations
with a focus on the following:
1) Comprehension and Collaboration
2) Presentation of Knowledge and Skills
D) Language- Students will demonstrate knowledge of Standard English with a focus on
the following:
1) Conventions of Standard English (Grammar)
2) Knowledge of Language
3) Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
II) Textsused- Links will be provided on my website to online versions of each text used in
class.
A) Literature
1)The Epic of Gilgamesh
2) Things Fall Apart (Chinua Achebe)
3) Midsummer Night’s Dream (William Shakespeare)
4) Various poems/sonnets
5) Various nonfiction articles/speeches
6) Various short stories
B) Grammar: Various online and print versions will be used
III) Course Outline
A) Unit 1: Culture and Society (Anglo-Saxons and The Middle Ages)
B) Unit 2: Darkness and Light (Renaissance)
C) Unit 3: Human Reason and Emotion
D) Unit 4: The Unpredictable Human Experience
E) Unit 5: Contradiction, Conflict and Culture
F) Unit 6: The “Age of Anxiety” and the Meaning of Beauty
IV) Assignments/exams Grading Value
A)Quarter 1 (40%) & Quarter 2 (40%)
1) Daily Participation (40%):
(a) Participation includes coming to class on time, staying on task and being
actively engaged throughout the entire class. Grades earned for participating in class (without disrupting others' ability to learn) for the percentage of class time as follows:
100-75%= 100 / 74-50%= 90 / 49-25%= 80 / 24-10%= 70 / 9-0%= 60(b) If a student is disruptive and prohibits or interferes with others’ learning,
he or she will automatically receive a “0” participation grade for the day;
No Exceptions
(c) If a student is absent and makes up all the assignments for the day he or
she can still earn 90% for participating.
2) Unit Tests/Projects (25%): at the end of each unit, students apply and demonstrate their knowledge of the content through projects or unit tests
3) Vocabulary Quizzes (15%): aligned with grade-level literature and terminology
4) Forums/Bellringers (10%): read and respond to online forum discussions and/or bellringer assignments on a daily basis
5) Reading Quizzes (10%): pop quizzes; usually open note, as long as notes are handwritten
B) Final Exam (20%): North Carolina End of Course Exam (EOC)
Grading scheme and weights (taken from http://www.ncpublicschools.org/docs/sbe-archives/meetings/2012/03/gcs/03gcs01attach01.pdf
10-point grading scale and associated letter grade
100-90=A / 89-80= B / 79-70= C / 69-60= D / 59-0=F / No Credit Due to Absences=FF / Incomplete=INC
GPA (augmented scale)
100-96= 4.0 / 95= 3.875 / 94= 3.75 / 93= 3.625 / 92= 3.5 / 91= 3.375 / 90= 3.2589= 3.125 / 88= 3.0 / 87= 2.875 / 86= 2.75 / 85= 2.625 / 84= 2.5 / 83= 2.375
82= 2.25 / 81= 2.125 / 80= 2.0 / 79= / 78= 1.750 / 77= 1.625 / 76= 1.5
75= 1.375 / 74= 1.25 / 73= 1.125 / 72-70= 1.0 / 69-0= 0.0