SYLLABUS
HUMNS 205 – Contemporary Literature: Cultural Perspectives
Course Description
Students examine selected readings of fiction, essays, and novels by important contemporary writers with an emphasis on social and cultural issues. The course takes a humanities approach in the exploration of culture and its origins, values, and changing status. Discussions, essays, group projects, presentations, and peer critiques assist students in developing the skills to present sensitive and controversial topics to an audience. Students write a minimum of 5,000 words in essays, response papers, and a final research project. 4 units
Prerequisite
ENGL 155 College Composition and Research
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:
1. Analyze cultural aspects of various types of literature including prose, poetry, music, film, and drama.
2. Identify analogies, metaphors, and symbols within written and visual texts.
3. Write coherent analyses of literature in academic essays.
4. Analyze issues raised in literature for both discussion and academic essays.
Instructor Information
Teri Tosspon
Oct 2011 – Jan 2012
Email:
Class website: http://ttosspon.wikispaces.com/HUMN205
Personal Phone: (949) 682-8374
Office hours: afternoons and by appointment
Topics Covered
· Understanding Literature
· Poetry
· Contemporary Media
· Fictional short stories and novel(s)
· Drama and film
· Oral communication
·
Textbook(s)
Bundle ISBN: 1111348839
This bundle consists of:
· Kirszner, L.G., & Mandell, S.R. (2012). LIT, Instructor Edition. Boston: Wadsworth Cengage Learning. ISBN: 13-978- 1-11134883-0.
Novel – Hunger Games Suzanne Collins (required by 2nd class meeting)
Grading
Exams 15%
Projects and Assignments 75%
Participation 10%
A grade of 89.50% percent or higher earns an A grade; 79.50% to 89.49% percent earns a B grade; 69.50% to 79.49% percent earns a C grade; 59.50% to 69.49% percent earns a D grade. A minimum grade of C is required in major courses or courses that are prerequisites for advanced courses.
Topic/Chapters for Discussion / & Reading AssignmentsWeek1:
10/20 / Course Introduction
History and Culture through Literature & Film / Buy Hunger Games (HG)
· Hunger Games Chpts 1-3
Week 2: 10/27 / Finish Film
Film Analysis
HG presentation Chpts 1-3 / Hunger Games Chpts 4-6
“The Lottery” pg 442-449
Week 3: 11/03 / HG presentation Chpts 4-6
“The Lottery”
Select Play(s)/ Play analysis / Hunger Games Chpts 7-9
Assigned play(s). Be prepared to deliver a dramatic reading.
Chapter 33: Understanding Drama (pg 1076-1105)
Week 4: 11/10 / HG presentation Chpts 7-9
Play / Hunger Games Chpts 10-12
Assigned play(s). Be prepared to deliver a dramatic reading.
Week 5: 11/17 / HG presentation Chpts 10-12
Play
/ Hunger Games Chpts 13-15
Song Lyric Project
Week 6: 11/24 / Holiday – Thanksgiving, No class
Week 7: 12/01 / HG presentation Chpts 13-15 Song Lyric Presentations / Hunger Games Chpts 16-18
· “Understanding Poetry” (pp. 710-720)
· “Papi Working” pg 995
· “We Real Cool.” pg 792
· “Nani” pg 877-879
· “On Being Brought from Africa to America” pg 1066-1067
Week 8: 12/08 / HG presentation Chpts 16-18
/ Hunger Games Chpts 19-21
· “Do not go gentle...” pg 930-931,
· “The Road Not Taken” pg 1024-1025,
· “Because I could not stop...” pg 1012-1013,
· “We Wear the Mask” pg 1017
Cultural Poems Presentation
Week 9: 12/15 / HG presentation Chpts 19-21
Cultural Poems Presentation / Hunger Games Chpts 22-24
Benchmark (draft due meeting10)/ Final Project (due meeting 10)
12/22 / Winter Break – no class
12/29 / Winter Break – no class
Week 10: 01/04/12 / HG presentation Chpts 22-24
Peer Revisions
Final Presentations / Hunger Games Chpts 25-27
Week 11: 01/11/12 / HG presentation Chpts 25-27
Final Presentations
Final Exam
Class “The Hunger Games” Presentations
The class will be divided into groups, each of which will be assigned specific chapters of our novel to present to the rest of the class.
Grading Rubric (Note: Students will receive a grade on their individual performance & contribution)
Graded Component / Points PossibleSummary: Students have thoroughly summarized their assigned section of the novel / 10
Analysis: Students have thoroughly discussed the themes and actions in their assigned reading. They gave their interpretation by adding an analysis with their summary / 30
Activity: The group presented an activity related to their section. The activity involved all students. Activities can include crossword puzzles, art projects, word searches, questionnaires, etc. / 10
Presentation: Students used proper eye contact posture, and spoke clearly and audibly. / 10
Assessment: The group gave the rest of the class a “test.” Each group will “test” their classmates either by asking specific oral questions about the reading or by giving an actual quiz. / 20
Professionalism and Creativity: The group met all requirement of the project and presented it in a creative and professional manner. All students participated as part of the team. / 20
Total / 100
Presentation will be submitted via email or in person (in the classroom) to Teri Tosspon () by 5pm on presentation day.
Schedule: Sign up for presentations will take place in the 1st week of class and begin in the 2nd week of class.
Chpts 4-6 / 11/3 / Chpts 19-21 / 12/15
Chpts 7-9 / 11/10 / Chpts 22-24 / 01/05
Chpts 10-12 / 11/17 / Chpts 25-27 / 01/12
Chpts 13-15 / 12/01
My Group Information Presenting on (date): ______
Name: ______Phone #: ______
Name: ______Phone #:______
Name: ______Phone #: ______
Instructor’s Biography
Teri Lynn Tosspon grew up on a farm in the middle of Nebraska. Daughter of a farmer and an elementary school teacher, she fell in love with books, language, and literature. After a study-abroad program at Oxford University (Mansfield College), Teri acquired two masters degrees: in English from the University of Nebraska and in History from University of California Irvine. She also has extensive coursework in Teaching English as a Second Language from UC Irvine. Her research interests were in the cultural influences of North Africa on early-modern (15th – 18th Century) England. Teri Tosspon has given lectures on this topic at conferences around the country and has had pieces of creative writing published. Her teaching methods focus on student-centered classrooms, interactive strategies, and application to promote retention. In her free time, she writes, manages websites, bakes and paints. Heald provides Teri with an opportunity to directly assist students in a caring, compassionate environment. At Heald, she has taught Success, Humanities, and all levels of English. Teri can be reached at or via phone at (949) 682-8374 (between the hours of 6am and 11pm).
Heald Policy Reminders
Heald College policies can be found in the Heald Academic Catalog. Please review the reminders below and, if needed, refer to the Academic Catalog for complete policy details.
· Attendance Policy
Students are expected to attend all classes as scheduled, to arrive on time, and to remain until the end of each class. Absences should occur only in the event of illness or unforeseen and unavoidable situations or emergencies. Students should inform their instructors of planned absences in advance via email and/or telephone. Students may be subject to additional attendance monitoring requirements and conditions as needed to promote good attendance and academic success.
This section applies only to residential courses offered on campus. Courses offered online have a separate attendance policy.
All students are expected to attend classes beginning with the first day of each quarter. Students who have not posted attendance by their first class after the Add/Drop period will be withdrawn from school and will need to apply for re-entry if they wish to return in another term.
Once they have posted attendance in a term, students who do not post attendance in all scheduled classes for 14 consecutive calendar days will be withdrawn from school. In instances where the 14th consecutive calendar day is not a scheduled class meeting for that student, the student will be allowed the opportunity to post attendance at his/her next regularly scheduled class meeting. Please reference the "Attendance Appeals" section in the catalog for information on appealing potential withdrawal from school. Once a student has been withdrawn from school, the student may not be reinstated in the current quarter and will have to apply to re-enter in a future quarter. For example, a student withdrawn in the April quarter may not re-enter until the July quarter.
Students who are absent 14 consecutive calendar days in an individual course will be withdrawn from the course. If the course in question does not meet on the 14th consecutive calendar day students will be allowed the opportunity to post attendance at the next regularly scheduled meeting of that course. Students wishing to be reinstated to an individual course from which they have been dropped must petition for instructor approval.
Students who never attend a course are cancelled, and a grade of NS (No Show) is assigned.
Saturdays and Sundays are included in the consecutive absence count. Holiday and break days are excluded. The 14 consecutive calendar day count restarts on the first day of each term in which the student is enrolled.
· Tardy or Early Departure from Class
There may be occasions when students enter after a class has started or may have reason to leave before the end of a class. Students are expected to inform their instructor in advance and enter or leave class quietly, minimizing any disruption. Heald College has established a maximum number of times a student may be tardy or depart from a course early. Attendance monitoring may be required when students reach the maximum number of times tardy or early departures.
· Makeup Policy
Each student has the opportunity to make up one missed major in-class graded event. Your instructor will inform you of which graded events fall into this category in this course.
· Homework
One credit hour is equivalent to approximately 30 hours of academic activities over the duration of an academic quarter. Such academic activities include class time, homework, lab activities, and/or internship/externship hours. Generally, students should expect to spend two hours on class related activities for every one hour spent in class.
· Grading
Some courses require a minimum grade of C because they are prerequisites to other courses or are considered “major” courses. When a D grade is earned in one of these courses, it needs to be retaken and passed with a minimum C grade. Only a single repetition of the course may be counted toward qualifying enrollment status for Title IV Financial Aid funding eligibility.
· Professional Appearance
At Heald College, student appearance standards have been established to be at or above those normally required in a professional business, industry, or healthcare workplace. The dress standard helps prepare a student for the workplace and fosters a professional appearance, which is a positive factor in job placement. The professional appearance policy is discussed in the enrollment process and is available in the Academic Affairs office. Following medical or dental professional dress practices, healthcare students are required to wear appropriate medical or dental uniforms.
Instructor’s Classroom Policies
All FINAL DRAFTS will be emailed to before class on the day they are due. All assignments will be submitted using the MLA format.
The fundamental guideline for this class is the ever popular golden rule: treat others as you would like to be treated. Translated to our policies this means Respect. I require that all students respect me, each other, and our classroom. This general principle guarantees a pleasant and safe environment that promotes learning and the sharing of ideas. In addition to this general rule we have 5 specific policies:
1. Be courteous and respectful of everyone and everything
2. Be prepared for class and actively participate (This includes completing assignments and having required materials)
3. Raise hand to speak when others are speaking.
4. Electronic devices are not allowed in class unless they are specially needed and approved by the instructor.
5. Food or drinks other than water in a re-sealable water bottle are not allowed.
A note about Late Work:
1. Any work turned in late will be graded down 10% for each day late. Thus, If an assignment is due Thursday at 6pm and is turned in Friday at 6pm, the maximum grade for that assignment will be 90%. ABSENCES ARE NOT AN EXCUSE. The technology today allows you to email the work. You will still be docked for turning in work late.
2. Work must be turned in within one week (7 calendar days of the original due date), or it will receive a 0.
3. Work that is submitted before or on the day it is due in class or via e-mail is not considered late.
4. Late work should be submitted via email or to the LRC.
5. Work conducted during class that is missed cannot be made up under any circumstances (except in the case of tests).
6. No assignments will be accepted after the 10th week of class.
Resubmission of assignments. If a student is displeased with his/her grade on a project or homework assignment, the student may request to re-do the assignment. It MUST be an assignment the student turned in on time. Late work is not eligible for resubmission. The student must follow the procedures below:
1. Contact the instructor via phone, text message, email, or web post about the assignment
2. Make corrections to the assignment as suggested, instructed, or researched
3. Resubmit corrected work within 1 week.
Instructor Errors – I am human and will, therefore, make mistakes from time to time. If you feel that I have made an error on grading, or failed to input the grade into the Online Gradebook (myportal.heald.edu), then please write a note on the assignment in question and place it back into the “Turn In Here” folder. If I make an error on a power point, please let me know in a polite way (perhaps at a class break).
Portfolio
A portfolio represents the assembly of – and reflection upon – the depth and breadth of learning that has taken place at Heald College during your program of study. It can be used during the job interview process to highlight the skills and knowledge gained throughout your education.
You should start saving key assignments from each class in your first quarter at Heald College. You will select those documents that best highlight your skill development throughout your time at Heald. In general, the portfolio should contain evidence of learning related to your program’s outcomes including written communication, business, computer and keyboarding skills, as well as interpersonal skills and teamwork. Consult with your instructor on strategies for collecting evidence.