Ms. Elizabeth Ferrell Room 318

Ms. Elizabeth Ferrell Room 318

http://msferrellatlindblom.pbworks.com/

Honors Survey of Literature

Course Guidelines and Expectations

This year we will be concentrating on important reading and writing skills through a variety of texts from all over the world. The works we will study were chosen to broaden your understanding of written texts and to work in conjunction with necessary English skills that will help students succeed in high school and beyond. There will be a range of assignments throughout the year which will expose students to different types of reading, writing and sharing information. The following are basic expectations that must be upheld to succeed in Honors Survey of Literature:

·  Attendance: Students are expected to be present during each class period. One block period is equivalent to 2.5 regular periods! Extenuating circumstances should be shared with me (in addition to the Counseling staff) so that I may prepare work for that student to complete (via e-mail or hard copies that can be picked up in the main office). Students with unexcused absences must get missed work from their peers and my website, including class notes and assignments, and return to class ready to move forward.

Note: If a student is absent, he or she is responsible for catching up with the class; students are invited to set up meetings with me via e-mail. Excessive unexcused absences or tardies will result in a House conference with counselors and parents and will greatly affect a student’s grade, as it will subsequently affect the quality of his or her assignments.

·  Class Participation: In addition to being physically present, students should arrive to class with their assignments already completed, and in the right mindset to discuss the topic at hand – i.e. mental presence is expected as well. Lack of participation will also impact a student’s grade and will be discussed with a parent or guardian.

·  Assignments: Students will receive monthly calendars mapping out the due dates of reading and written assignments; although calendars are subject to change, they will provide expectations of work for that given month. Students are expected to turn in their work on time. ***If a student is absent he or she must turn in that assignment on the day that he or she returns to school, regardless of whether or not he or she has my class that day.

Late work will be accepted for half credit one period following its due date. Any work that is turned in after the class period when it was collected (even if this occurs on the same day as class), will still count for half of its graded score. Due dates and times are incredibly important.

·  Plagiarism: This is a topic that we take very seriously at LMSA and it applies to all work turned into me (vocabulary quizzes, in-class assignments, essays, projects, et cetera). Work that is suspected to be plagiarized in any way will first be discussed in a conference with the student and his or her parent(s)/guardian(s), and then brought to the attention of administrators and counselors. The student will fail that assignment and might encounter greater disciplinary consequences that could affect his or her high school career and college opportunities. In other words, if your work is not original, do not turn it in.

Please refer to the section on plagiarism in your student handbook for clarification.

Food and Electronics: Other than bottled beverages (water, juice), you may not have food, iPods, cell phones or any other electronic devices in class. See your handbook for school policies.

Overall, all students are expected to be respectful of others and of the classroom itself. Any issues that arise with the curriculum or the classroom environment should be brought to my attention as soon as possible. I am looking forward to teaching this course and hope to not only teach you, but also learn from you as well.

Wallpaper

Core Texts for this class include:

The Odyssey

Romeo and Juliet

“The Yellow Wallpaper”

Animal Farm

Maus I

Excerpts from Race and Membership (a text published by Facing History and Ourselves)

Additional texts will be integrated into the curriculum, including poems, short stories, audio and visual presentations in order to widen student exposure to literary mediums.

Materials:

Students will need an orange binder (at least 1 inch), dividers (5), a spiral notebook with pages that can be neatly removed or loose-leaf paper, flashcards (about 350 total), pens, pencils and a highlighter.

Additional materials may be needed for projects and presentations.

Grading: A wide variety of assignments will determine your grade in this course. I will not “give” you a grade, but rather you will earn one. I will follow the LMSA English Department’s grading scale in order to assign a letter grade to your course average: A= 90-100% B = 80-89 C = 70-79 D = 60-69 F = 59 and below In order to obtain a “good grade” in this course, you are expected to complete all assignments on time and with content that is thoughtful and appropriate. Rubrics will be provided for all larger assignments.

A final note: This syllabus is subject to modification over the course of the year as I see fit and with the approval of the department chair (for major changes). Students and their parents or guardians are encouraged to contact me with questions or concerns with the course at any time. I must be notified in advance if you would like to meet with me. E-mail is the best way to reach me.

After going through this syllabus with a parent or guardian at home, please sign below. This syllabus- contract tells me that you are committed to taking this course, and that both you and an adult at home are aware of its expectations:

X______Date:______

(Student signature)

X______Date:______

(Parent/Guardian signature)