Honors World Literature: Syllabus
2015-2016
Ms. Morris
(email me anytime)
Course Description:
This is course is designed to address Standard Six: “Students will analyze a cultural experience reflected in works of literature from outside the United States, drawing on a wide reading of world literature.” Therefore, students will read the major epics and novels of major world regions. We will begin with the oldest epics produced by Ancient Civilizations and end with contemporary novels featuring major political events. The texts are chosen to correspond with regions, political movements, and influential people students are learning about in their AP World History course.
As we read, we will write narrative, argumentative, and informative papers. In addition, we will create multi-media projects to demonstrate our understanding of the material.
Goals:
I will use a combination of lecture, powerpoints, youtube videos, music, kahoots, games, group work, individual practice and a great deal of humor to ensure that you master the following objectives:
· Comprehend and analyze texts at the 10th grade level (Reading Standards 1-10)
· Write arguments, narratives, and information texts (Writing Standards 1-3)
· Conduct short and sustained research projects using technology (Writing Standard 6-8)
· Deomonstrate knowledge of English grammar and usage (Langauge Standard 1)
· Determine the meaning of unknown words at the 10th grade level (Langauge Standard 4)
· Demonstrate knowledge of figurative language (Language Standard 5)
At the end of the this course, students will be able to declare:
Make Up Work:
Make up work is located in a box labelled “While You Are Out,” located beside my desk. This box contains one folder for each class period. In your class’s folder, you wil find the assignments you have missed. It is your responsibility to get the work out of the folder, complete it, and return it to me within three days.
*Late Work: If your absence was not excused by the office, or you simply did not do your homework, then there will be a ten point deduction for every day an assignment is late.
Tardies, Hall Passes, and Absences:
I define tardy as this: not being in your seat working on the bellringer when the bell rings. If you are walking around the room, not workin on the bellringer, sitting in someone else’s lap or on the toilet when the bell rings, you are tardy. As per school policy, you will automatically be written up after three tardies.
Whenever you leave the room, you must sign the clipbaord by the door and take a hallpass. As per school policy, you have two free hallpasses a semester. Your third and fourth hallpass will result in a written assignment. Your fifth hall pass is an automatic write up.
Absences are handled by the office. Remember to turn your excuses into the office in a timely manner, and the office will inform me if the absence is excused.
Cell Phones & IPODS: FOLLOW THE STUDENT HANDBOOK
As per school policy, phones, earphones, and musical devices are not allowed out in class. As per school policy, phones should be out of sight in a bag or your pocket. As per school policy, if I see a phone on your desk, in your lap, or in your lap, I can take it and give it to the office regardless of whether you are using it. As per school policy, if you refuse to handover a phone, it is an automatic write up.
My Rules:
1. Mutual Respect: You must show respect for me, fellow students, this classroom, and our time together. You show respect by:
a) Being in your seat ready to work when the bell rings
b) Being quiet while I am talking or your classmates are presenting.
c) Keeping your phones in your bag
d) Staying in the classroom and not lining up at the door
e) Cleaning up after yourself
2. Do your work: on time, with a smile, without cheating, and trying as hard as you can.
Consequences: Rewards
1. Warning Bonus Bucks—When I catch you
2. Incident Report / Student conference doing something right, I give you
3. Parent Contact / After School Detention a coupon you can cash in for prizes:
4. Office Referrel homework pass, test points, listening
*Severe offenses will result in immediate referral to music, candy, or baked goods.
Grading System:
Summative Assignments—40%
Every 9 weeks there will be four summative assignments: one in-class essay, one revised essay, one unit test, and one multimedia project. The average of these assignments will be 50% of your grade.
Announced Quizzes—30%
You will have a quiz every Friday over the vocabulary words, grammar concept, and literary concepts learned during the week. The average of these quizzes is 30% of your grade.
Pop Quizzes and Daily Assignments –30%
Every Friday, I will check your notebooks for: M-F grammar practice & M-F daily vocabulary words. I will also take up some class work as daily grades and will occasionally quiz over homework reading. The average of these assignments is 20% of your grade.
Extra credit: To earn extra credit, you can read additional novels from either the AP or young adult independent reading list and present them in a report. This can count as a replacement quiz grade or plus 20 points on a test. I will offer smaller extra credit opportunities during the semester.
Final Grade
There is a Milestone exam for this course. As per school policy, your score on the Milestone, as determined by state, will count for 20% of your final grade for this class.
Parental Involvement:
I will use Remind 101 to text you and your child homework reminders. This is a voluntary service that you use if you provide me with your telephone number and download the app on your phone (instructions and a sign up sheet are provided in a separate handout).
In addition, you can use parent portal & infinite campus to check your child’s grades and attendance daily. If you have questions about any assignment or grade, feel free to email me anytime. If it is an emergency, you can call my number. (My email and number are listed at the top). You can also schedule an appointment with me afterschool to discuss your child’s performance in the classroom.
Student Signature ______Date ______
Parent Signture ______Date ______