British Literature Course Syllabus

Instructor: Ms. Trujillo

Room: 207 Office hours: by appointment

Email:

Website:

Course Description
The aim of this course is to study British literature and the historical periods from which they evolved. This course will ask you to:

  • Read and respond to a variety of genres of British literature
  • Understand and make connections between British history and literature
  • Evaluate themes, styles, and techniques used by authors
  • Analyze, compare, and criticize various works of literature
  • Demonstrate the ability to think critically and creatively about literature
  • Understand, identify, and use a variety of literary terms
  • Conduct literary research using MLA guidelines
  • Complete a variety of writing assignments using specific assertions, evidence, and explanations
  • Develop writing skills by using the various steps of the writing process including self-editing and peer-editing
  • Learn and apply the conventions of grammar and language usage
  • Prepare for the SAT
  • Enhance vocabulary knowledge and usage
  • Develop collaborative skills through group work
  • Make technology-assisted oral presentations

Required Materials

  • Textbook (will be provided in class)
  • Major Works (Tentative list: Macbeth, Frankenstein, Jekyll & Hyde, and 1984)- No electronic books
  • Folder (for handouts and returned assignments)
  • Three subject college-ruled notebook (for bell ringers, notes, journals/reading response)
  • White college-ruled loose leaf paper
  • White 3 x 5 lined index cards
  • Black or blue pen, No. 2 pencil, highlighter, and colored pen other than black or blue
  • School planner
  • Access to dictionary and thesaurus
  • USB flash drive

All materials are due in class on Monday, September11th, and you are expected to have materials with you at all times.

Grading Policies

  • Attendance- Students are expected to have 100% attendance. Therefore, any absences require written documentation. Five unexcused absences per semester will result in lowering the student’s semester grade by one letter grade. Students with more than 9 unexcused absences per semester will not receive higher than a “C” in the course. More than 18 unexcused absences per semester will result in a failing the course. No makeup work will be given for unexcused absences. The easiest way to lose credit for this course is to have poor attendance. As juniors, you should know how to have an absence excused officially by the school, so it is YOUR responsibility to provide me with an absence note if your parents do not submit notification electronically.
  • Make-Up Policy- You may ONLY make up work for excused absences. You are responsible for getting all missing work. You may do this by asking a classmate, checking he website, or by emailing me . All work assigned the last day you attended class is due the day you return with a note explaining your absence. This includes taking any test given during your absence. All missed tests and quizzes can only be made up before school or during lunch, as scheduling permits. If the absence was unexcused, no work will be accepted nor can you make up tests or quizzes.
  • Academic Honesty- Acts of academic dishonesty such as plagiarism, cheating, and fabrication of information on any assignment or assessment will NOT be tolerated and will result in a zero for the assignment and parent notification. Identical or nearly identical work will result in loss of credit for both students. If necessary, academic dishonesty can also be referred to the deans or administration.
  • Tardy- Students are expected to be in class on time. This means INSIDE the classroom and in your seat when the bell rings. Excessive tardiness will result in loss of participation points, parent notification, and, if necessary, disciplinary write up. If you are late, you may not make up what you missed during class (e.g., quizzes, bell ringers, or collected work).
  • Homework is an extension of what we learn in class and in many cases necessary for what we will do in class. It is important to your learning and grade to complete all assignments on time with an honest effort. Therefore:
  • Homework is due when I collect it (usually at the beginning of class)
  • Late assignments will NOT be accepted, as work completed after its due date loses relevance
  • Incomplete assignments will NOT be accepted
  • Participation and Classroom/School Expectations- Each student is assessed using the following criteria:
  • Attendance
  • Arriving on time (this means in the classroom and in your seat by the time the bell rings)
  • Prepared with required materials (this includes your school ID visible on lanyard around your neck)
  • Actively participating in class discussion and activities
  • Meeting all other classroom expectations (e.g., no phones or food)
  • Evaluation- The following will be used to determine your grades throughout the course of the year:
  • Homework (annotationsand other assignments)
  • Assessments (projects, compositions, exams, and quizzes)
  • Participation and Classroom/School Expectations (see list above)
  • Classwork(group work, assignments, notebooks [bell ringers, notes, reading response], and in-class projects)
  • Grading scale:

100-90%=A, 89-80%=B, 79-70%=C, 69-60%=D

Classroom Expectations

In addition to adhering to the school code of conduct, the following are expectations of students in the classroom:

  • Be Productive
  • Participate in class discussion, class work, and group work
  • Attentive to class instructions and actively participate in class
  • Exhibit Appropriate and Respectful Behavior
  • Prompt, in uniform with ID properly displayed, and prepared with materials
  • Polite, patient, and wait for your turn to speak
  • No food or drinks (except for water)
  • No cell phones or electronic devices
  • Disruptive behavior, swearing, destruction of school property, inappropriately touching another person, or any form of misbehavior will not be tolerated. You know the difference between appropriate and inappropriate behavior. Make good decisions.
  • Be Responsible
  • This includes being present and on time, handing in assignments on time, preparing for exams, and being accountable for academic work and social interaction.
  • Bathroom Passes
  • Please take care of personal business before school, during passing periods, during lunch, or after school. Bathroom passes (not during the first ten or last ten minutes of class) will only be issued during class time if it is an emergency.

Students who do not comply with classroom policies will receive:

  1. Warning (verbal or non-verbal)
  2. Final warning (verbal or non-verbal) and student/teacher conference
  3. Call home
  4. Parent/teacher conference
  5. Dean referral

I reserve the right to skip any of these steps if I find it necessary.

I expect great things from you and am here to help you succeed. By working together, we will learn and have a great school year. Please never hesitate to see me if you need assistance.

Parent/Guardian and Student Agreement

Student Name: ______ID #: ______

Course: ______Period: ______

Teacher: Ms. Lizzette TrujilloTeacher Contact: and (Please copy for your home records.)

September 5, 2017

Dear Parent/Guardian,

I am looking forward to being your child’s English teacher this year. It is an honor and privilege to work along side the most talented and brightest students in our city. My goals are to help your child develop their reading, writing, and critical thinking skills,to encourage them to develop into responsible young adults, and to deepen their appreciation for literature.

While I expect to have a wonderful school year, I also recognize that for various reasons it will likely be one of his/her most challenging years. From an academic standpoint, this year he/she will take the SAT, and the subject matter’s language is one with which students struggle.From a personal standpoint, your child will be transitioning from adolescence to adulthood, which can be a tricky time as students are given more freedoms and responsibilities to aid them in the transition to adulthood. While it is important to give students the space to adapt to these responsibilities, they still need you to monitor their progress. Please be sure to access important course information and homework on my website and to regularlycheck grades and attendance on Gradebook. There is a great feature on Gradebook that allows you to get notifications about attendance and grades. It is important that you use these resources to help your child succeed.

If any issues arise, please speak to your child and have them address it directly with me. This is the best way to teach students to become more independent and responsible. If you need to contact me at any time during the school year, please e-mail at . I check my e-mails every morning and will respond in a timely manner. If you do not have Internet access, send a note with your child, and I will call you as soon as possible. Please do not send messages via the parent portal.

Pleasereview the syllabus with your child, discuss the course expectations, complete the bottom portion of this letter and return it to me with your son/daughter. By signing and returning this letter you and your child are stating that you have read, understood, and agree to the rules/guidelines, procedures, and materials necessary for success in this course. You are agreeing to be an active part of the student’s educational success and that you have the information necessary to contact me for any reason.

Thank you for your time. I look forward to meeting you soon.

Sincerely,

Lizzette Trujillo

Parent/Guardian Contact Information (please print clearly)

Name:______Relationship to student: ______

Home Phone: ______Work Phone:______

Cell Phone: ______E-mail: ______

Preferred language: ______

What can you tell me about your child that will help me better teach him/her?

Parent Signature: ______Date: ______

Student Signature: ______Date: ______