American Literature & Composition

Mrs. Brookshire

Email:

Phone: (706) 602-0320

Course of Study: The 11th grade English course is designed to help students become more effective readers, writers, and speakers. Students will be encouraged to work interactively with the texts to create meaning. Much of the class time will be devoted to reading and discussing texts. The goal is for the students to become more sophisticated readers who are attentive to voice, style, and language which will help them become more skilled at inferring meanings and making links between texts and their own lives. Students should come to class each day ready to participate in daily activities and discussions.

Reading: As the students read each text, they will be learning a number of new literary terms and literary analysis techniques. One to three outside novels will be assigned during the semester in addition to the work done in class. The assignments/projects for these novels will be done in coordination with unit assignments.

Writing/Grammar: Students in this class will build upon previous knowledge of narrative, informational, and argumentative writing styles and learn to incorporate clearly defined thesis statements, smooth transition sentences, correct structure, grammar, and various organizational strategies to their writing. Students will work to improve their skills by focusing on improvement in specific areas for each assignment.

Semester Time Frame: The 18 week semester for this class will be broken into threemajor units of study. Each major unit will cover a time period of approximately 6 weeks in length. Students will be asked to read, analyze, discuss, and complete various assignments pertaining to various literary periods pertaining to the unit theme. Students will be responsible for mastering the vocabulary and literary concepts discussed during the units.

Assessment: A variety of assessments will be used during this semester including, but not limited to, quizzes, tests, writing assignments, projects, presentations, class work, etc. These will be graded on a points system with each assignment being given a points value. Benchmark assessments will be given at intervals of 6 weeks. These cumulative assessments will be used to monitor the students’ progress and retention of key concepts that have been covered as the semester progresses.

Units to Be Covered

Semester Theme: The Progression American Dream

Unit 1: Rebellion vs. Conformity (Extended text: Walden andThe Crucible)

Unit 2: Identity and the Inner-Struggle (Extended text: The Great Gatsby)

Unit 3: Innocence to Reality (Extended text: To Kill a Mockingbird)

Unit 4: Moral Struggle (Extended text: Of Mice and Men)

Grading Scheme:

18 Weeks

60%- Formal assessments (tests, writing assignments, projects, presentations, etc.)

20%- Benchmark exams (6-weeks and 12-weeks)

20% - Informal assessments (quizzes, short writings, daily assignments, homework, etc.)

Semester Grade Calculation:

80% - 18 week semester average (see above)

20% - Final Exam (Georgia MilestonesTest)

Exemption:

Exemption is a privilege earned by students who meet the following criteria:

  1. 80 or higher in the class.
  2. 3 or fewer absences in the class.
  3. No PASS or OSS
  4. No unclear obligations

Absences in terms of exemption:

  • An accumulation of 3 unexcused tardies and/or early dismissals will constitute a one day absence as it relates to exemption (not perfect attendance.)
  • Any student who misses 30 minutes or more will be counted absent for the block.
  • No difference is made between "excused" or "unexcused" absences in determining exemption status. All absences, regardless of the reason, are counted.

Absences and Makeup Work (Per Gordon County Board of Education Policy):

  1. Students with an excused absence have three days in order to make arrangements with the teacher in order to make up the missing grade.
  2. Long periods for make-up work are granted only in the event of prolonged illness or extenuating circumstances. In such cases, definite deadlines must be established.
  3. Long-range assignments due in the dates of an excused absence shall be due immediately upon the student’s return. In the case of a pre-arranged absence, the student must complete and turn in all work prior to the planned absence(s) unless otherwise arranged with teacher(s).
  4. With the exception of benchmark exams, final exams, and projects (including essays), students may not make up any assignment which was missed due to an unexcused absence. Out-of-school suspension (OSS) is treated as an unexcused absence.
  5. Please note that tests and quizzes do not fall under the exam category: if missed due to an unexcused absence, they are automatic zeroes.
  6. Students who are “truant” may not make-up any assignment including exams and projects.
  7. Credit recovery cannot be provided for assignments missed due to an unexcused absence.
  8. For any formal assessment in which a student scores a 69 or below, a re-take is allowed within ten days of receiving the original graded work.After 10 days, no student will be allowed to revise a formal assessment.
  9. No work may be made up or revised during the last two weeks of the semester.
  10. You may not re-take a benchmark exam.
  11. Additionally, there are no make-up opportunities for missing daily grades. If a student is absent on the day such work is completed in class or due as homework, then he or she is exempted from this work. Late homework will not be accepted.

Tardies

Students are expected to be in the room and ready to work before the tardy bell stops ringing. Per SHS tardy plocy, any student who is late to class must report to Student Services in order to receive a pass to class.

Class Rules

Students are expected to be responsible, on time, prepared, respectful and follow all school policies. Consequences for breaking these rules may include, but are not limited to: a verbal warning, parent contact or discipline referral.

Plagiarism

Students will submit their own work or give credit to sources of information that are not original in content; they must do so using the standards established by the Modern Language Association (MLA). Students who copy the work of another, without giving credit to the source, have committed plagiarism. Work that contains plagiarism will be recorded as a zero. Depending on the type, degree, and severity of the plagiarism, the student may receive a zero for the assignment without any opportunity for revision and without opportunity for replacement of the grade with an alternate assignment.

Materials required for this course

Pens or mechanical pencils – In order to eliminate unnecessary distractions -- sharpening in this case -- pencils are not recommended. If pencils are required for standardized tests, then the pencils will be provided to the student by the teacher.

One inch, 3-ring binder with a sturdy vinyl cover – students will receive various handouts throughout the course and will be responsible for placing these in their own binders.

Lined, hole-punched paper – this should be placed in the binder, and will be used for taking notes.

Personal tutoring or assistance

Students who wish to schedule time before or after school must provide me with one day’s notification. I will gladly make myself available for whatever help is required.

This syllabus is subject to change at the teacher’s discretion.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I have read and understand the rules and requirements for 11th Grade American Literature and Composition. I understand the consequences of failing to meet expectations and how grades will be calculated. I have taken this syllabus home and had my parents/ guardians read and sign it.

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