KAMEHAMEHA SECONDARY SCHOOL
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
COURSE SUMMARY FOR HONORS ENGLISH TEN
FOR: Dawn Woolsey
SCHOOL YEAR 2012-2013
OVERVIEW
This course is designed for students who enjoy reading and writing and have developed good skills in those areas. Students will leave the course with a better understanding of how literature works, of grammar usage, of vocabulary, and of effective writing. The course helps prepare students for the Advanced Placement test and counts toward the Honors Diploma. Because the work is more challenging and expectations for students in honors classes are higher, the grades are weighted. An extra .5 is added to the grade for calculating GPA.
COURSE GOALS
The student will:
- identify and define the elements of the short story and novel such as plot, setting, characterization, foreshadowing, conflict, point of view, theme, symbolism, and irony
- identify and analyze literary elements of drama
- identify various poetic devices and respond to the poet's intent
- identify and analyze the author's style in a nonfiction selection
- write effective description, literary analysis, persuasion and cause and effect essays
- have opportunities for creative expression both in written and oral formats
- develop an appropriate topic for research, locate credible sources of information, take notes, formulate a thesis, and create a correctly formatted MLA works cited
- examine multicultural themes in literature
- improve grammar, mechanics, and sentence structure in writing
- improve knowledge and use of vocabulary words
- participate in literary discussion
Integration of Technology
Kamehameha Schools provides access to many technological tools to enhance the teaching and learning process such as laptops, online resources, Black Board, Edmodo, probes, etc. We support the integration of technology as a critical component in preparing students to thrive in our global society. As appropriate to each course, teachers will provide further classroom expectations and guidelines as to the extent technology (e.g. laptops, websites, Black Board, etc) will be utilized for research, instruction, assessment, and communication purposes.
COURSE MATERIALS
Anderson, Robert, et al., eds. Elements of Literature, Fourth Course New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 1989. (Issued on loan. Must be returned in an acceptable condition or replacement cost will be charged.)
Grace, Patricia. Potiki. (Issued on loan. Must be returned in an acceptable condition or a
replacement cost will be charged.)
Hale’ole, S.N. Läÿieikawai. (Issued on loan. Must be returned in an acceptable condition or a
replacement cost will be charged.)
).
Ibsen, Henrik. The Doll’s House. (to be issued to the student)
Kneubuhl, Victoria Nalani. The Conversion of Ka`ahumanu. (to be issued to the student)
Markandaya, Kamala. Nectar in a Sieve (to be purchased by the student for third quarter)
McCullers, Carson. The Heart is a Lonely Hunter (to be purchased by the student for fourth quarter)
Shakespeare, William. Macbeth. (Issued on loan. Must be returned in an acceptable condition or a replacement cost will be charged.)
Sophocles. Antigone (to be issued to student)
Thiong’o, Ngugi wa. The River Between. (Issued on loan. Must be returned in an acceptable
condition or a replacement cost will be charged.)
STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES
1. You must come to class with the book we are studying, standard folder paper and a pen and pencil, and a highlighter. We will also utilize your laptops, so be sure to bring them to class and keep them charged. You will need a thumb drive/flash drive to save work.
2. All essays must be completed on a computer. (Double spaced, 1 inch margins, 12 point font) SAVE A COPY OF EVERY WRITING ASSIGNMENT ON YOUR thumb drive/flash drive.
3. Homework/daily assignments are collected or checked at the beginning of each period. Late homework is half credit the next day and a zero on the third day and may not be turned in for points at a later time. The next day is not the next class period. It is the next day. Students may turn in their late work through an email attachment to the teacher, through the teacher’s box in Paki (time stamped), through the period tray in the classroom or by handing it to the teacher in the classroom when she is not teaching.
Major papers and projects are lowered a full letter grade for each day late. This means each day late, not each class period late. The student does have the opportunity to turn the paper or project in for half credit up until the Friday before the quarter ends.
4. If you have questions about an assignment or have difficulty with class work, it is your responsibility to ask for clarification or for study help before the assignment is due.
5. A readmit slip must be submitted for any absence other than an excused school activity. Inform the teacher beforehand if you have a planned absence or field trip. If you are in school for part of the day but miss class, your homework must be turned in to the teacher the day it is due. You will not be excused from turning in your homework if you were in school and went to see the counselor. Please feel free to email me your assignment, if you are not going to be in class. dawoolse@ksbe.,edu
6. You are expected to be in your seat when the bell rings and be recording the homework assignment at the beginning of the period.
7. Plagiarism will result in a zero for the assignment. Parents, your counselor and the Vice Principal may be contacted if any of your work is copied.
8. Come to class prepared by reading the text and not the Spark Notes or other study guides.
9. Cell phones and MP3 players must be put away before you enter the classroom and remain away for the duration of the class, unless instructed to use these items.
GRADING PROCEDURES
Homework and class-work will generally count 10 points. Quizzes, tests, compositions and projects will be graded on a percentage basis and will range from 10 to 100 points each.
The semester grade will be computed by adding the quarter average (45% each) and the final exam (10%).
If you want to find out your current grade:
Grades will be posted on KS Connect weekly. If your grade falls to a “D” average or below, a progress report will be issued.
Policy on make-up work:
You must obtain information on work missed from the teacher on the day you return from an absence. The due date for make up work will depend on the number of school days you have missed. Please feel free to email me, and I will do my best to send you assignments via email if you are absent.
Study Help:
I am in my classroom during study help times and can arrange to meet with you on any of
my free periods.
I am convinced that it is of primordial importance to learn more every year than the year before. After all, what is education but a process by which a person begins to learn how to learn?
Peter Ustinov 1921-
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