HONORS ADVANCED COMPOSITION SYLLABUS
Teacher: Irese Moxley
Course Description
The Honors Advanced Composition course is designed to prepare students for academic writing at the college level. Students will evaluate information from a variety of sources, including but not limited to, newspaper articles, speeches, expository texts, poetry and literature in order to interpret what is accurate and valuable. Students will synthesize the information learned to produce a coherent well developed essay.
Action Steps
Through the critical analysis of assigned material, students will be able to:
•synthesize data to form a hypothesis or claim
•establish grounds or evidence that supports their claim
•analyze and expound on the grounds or evidence
•draw a conclusion based on the evidence
Student Results:
Students will know how to write: a persuasive argument to support a given claim using precise knowledge and specific rhetorical devices; informative texts to convey complex ideas; and narratives of personal or imagined experiences. They will use valid, detailed evidence to support their claim (or theme) in essay writing as well as use descriptive details in personal narratives.
Student Product:
Juvenile Justice Essay
Fast Food Essay
Racial TensionEssay
Bibliography
Personal Statement
Assessments:
Essays for a specific purpose
Bibliography
Personal Statement essay
PowerPoint Presentation
Guiding Questions:
How does the text of a historical period or current social issue reflect the government, economy and technology of the era?
How does the written word influence society’s perception of the government, economy, and technology?
Are you strengthening your writing through planning, revising and editing?
Are you able to use technology to help you produce writing that uses MLA format?
TEXTBOOKS:
Patterns For College Writing by Kirszner and Mandell
50 Essays- A Portable Anthology by Samuel Cohen
ASSIGNED AND INDEPENDENT READING:
As determined and provided by the teacher.
HOMEWORK:
Homework will be assigned weekly. Homework is due on its designated date when students arrive to their designated class. If an absence is planned,students should submit homework assignments before the absence. If an absence is unplanned, homework is due on the day the student returns to school. (Please check sylmarhs.org for homework assignments.) Late work will be accepted at teacher discretion only with substantial point reduction.
- Reading Logs are due every Friday (Reading Logs for assigned novels)
- Editorials are due every Thursday
- Vocabulary is due every other Wednesday
GRADING:
25% of the grade consists of assessments.
25% of the grade consists of class work.
25% of the grade consists of homework and projects.
25% of the grade consists of the final.
A= 90% TO 100%
B= 80% TO 89%
C= 70% TO 79%
D= 60% TO 69%
F= 59% AND BELOW
CLASSROOM EXPECTATIONS
Be respectful. Respect yourself and others by listening and being courteous.
Be prepared. Engage in academic discussions and designated assignments.
Be on task. Participate in all activities.
CLASSROOM RULES
No cell phones are to be used in class unless specified for research.
No eating in class.
No profanity.
Student Signature______Date______
Parent Signature ______Date______