English 10/ 10 Honors
American Literature
Course Syllabus
Instructor: Mr. Aurandt2010-2011
E-mail: eeting Time: Block 2 & 4
WHHS Room: 109High School Office Phone: 814.255.8726
Calendar:
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The Intention of this course is to help students do the following:
I. Think! “The Unexamined life is not worth living.”--Aristotle
A. Every class will require your full attention so please be sure to come prepared. We will build on the understanding of each other.
II. Learn to write well-developed essay answers based on critical readings of literature.
A. From your ninth-grade class you developed the skills to write developed essay answers. We will build on those skills.
III. Learn that literature is not a substitution for life, but a reflection of it.
A. People write because they have something to say; they are communicating to us. We need to listen, and then form opinions of our own--about accuracy, possible bias, etc. These skills will help us, not only in high school and college, but throughout our lives as well.
IV. Learn to discuss information with others in a logical, rather than emotional, way.
A. Using the Socratic method, the Great Books method, and the methods of discussion I have developed over the course of my teaching, students will learn to develop their own ideas about the material they read, and they will learn to share that information with others. Sharing ideas and helping develop group cooperative understanding will be the motivating factors in our in-class discussions.
V. Learn to organize information via writing, reading and speaking.
Texts
English Writing and SkillsFrederick Douglass
Glencoe Literature- A Reader’s ChoiceKesey, Ken. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
Williams, Tennessee. The Glass MenagerieWharton, Edith. Ethan Frome
Rand, Ayn. AnthemMiller, Arthur. The Crucible
Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet LetterCrane, Stephen. Red Badge of Courage
GRADING (Department Standardized Grading
Homework15% / Quiz/Test
15% / Class Action
20% / Projects
25% / Composition
25%
Grammar
Greek and Latin Journal
Homework Questions / Greek and Latin
Any quiz or test on any text / Reading Journal
Poetry Packet
Discussions
Class Action / Independent Reading
Multigenre
Any Alternate Assignment at End of Units / Any essay and/or creative writing in this class
Poetry papers
ELIGIBLE CONTENT/STANDARDS
R11.A.1.1.1
Identify and/or apply meaning of multiple meaning words in text.
R11.A.1.1.2
Identify and/or apply a synonym or antonym of a word in text.
R11.A.1.2.1
Identify how the meaning of a word is changed when an affix is added; identify the meaning of a word from the text with an affix.
R11.A.1.2.2
Define and/or apply how the meanings of words or phrases changes when using context clues given in explanatory sentences or through the use of examples in the text.
R11.A.1.3.1
Make inferences and/or draw conclusions based on information from text.
R11.A.1.3.2
Cite evidence from text to support generalizations.
R11.A.1.4.1
Identify and/or explain stated or implied main ideas and relevant supporting details from text.
R11.A.1.5.1
Summarize the key details and events of a fictional text as a whole.
R11.A.1.6.1
Identify and/or analyze intended purpose of text
R11.A.1.6.2
Describe and/or analyze examples of text that support its intended purpose
R11.A.2.1.1 (nonfiction)
Identify and/or apply meaning of multiple words used in text.
R11.A.2.1.2 (nonfiction)
Identify and/or apply meaning of content-specific words used in text.
R11.A.2.2.1 (non-fiction)
Identify how the meaning of a word is changed when an affix is added; identify the meaning of a word from the text with an affix.
R11.A.2.2.2 (non-fiction)
Define and/or apply how the meanings of words or phrases changes when using context clues given in explanatory sentences or through the use of examples in the text.
R11.A.2.3.1 (non-fiction)
Make inferences and/or draw conclusions based on information from text.
R11.A.2.3.2 (non-fiction)
Cite evidence from text to support generalizations.
R11.A.2.4.1 (non-fiction)
Identify and/or explain stated or implied main ideas and relevant supporting details from text.
R11.A.2.5.1 (non-fiction)
Summarize the key details and events of a fictional text as a whole.
R11.A.2.6.1 (non-fiction)
Identify and/or describe intended purpose of text.
R11.A.2.6.1 (non-fiction)
Describe and/or analyze examples of text that support its intended purpose
R11.B.1.1.1
Interpret, compare, describe, analyze, and/or evaluate the relationships among the following within fiction and literary nonfiction.
Character: Interpret compare, describe, analyze, and/or evaluate character actions, motives, dialogue, emotions/feelings, traits, and relationships between characters within fictional or literary nonfictional text.
Setting: Interpret compare, describe, analyze, and/or evaluate the setting of fictional or literary nonfiction.
: Interpret compare, describe, analyze, and/or evaluate the relationship between setting and other components of the text.
Plot: Interpret compare, describe, analyze, and/or evaluate elements of the plot.
: Interpret compare, describe, analyze, and/or evaluate the relationship between elements of plot and other components of the text.
Theme: Interpret compare, describe, analyze, and/or evaluate the theme of fiction or literary nonfiction.
: Interpret compare, describe, analyze, and/or evaluate the relationship between the theme and other components of the text.
Tone, Style, Mood: Interpret, compare, describe, analyze, and/or evaluate the tone, style, and/or mood of fiction or literary nonfiction.
: Interpret, compare, describe, analyze, and/or evaluate the relationship between the tone, style, and/or mood and other components of the text.
Symbolism: Interpret, compare, describe, analyze, and/or evaluate the use of symbolism in fiction or literary nonfiction.
: Interpret, compare, describe, analyze, and/or evaluate the relationship between symbolism and other components of the text.
R11.B.1.2.1
Interpret, compare, describe, analyze, and/or evaluate connections between texts.
R11.B.2.1.1
Identify, interpret, describe, and/or analyze examples of personification, simile, metaphor, hyperbole, satire, imagery, foreshadowing, flashbacks and irony in text.
R11.B.2.1.2
Identify, interpret, describe, and/or analyze the author’s purpose for effectiveness at using figurative language in text.
R11.B.2.2.1
Identify, interpret, describe, and/or analyze the point of view of the narrator as first or third person point of view.
R11.B.2.2.2
Interpret, describe, and/or analyze the effectiveness of the point of view used by the author.
R11.B.3.1.1 (non-fiction)
Interpret, describe, and/or analyze the use of facts and opinions to make a point or construct an argument in nonfictional text.
R11.B.3.2.1 (non-fiction)
Identify and/or interpret bias and propaganda techniques in nonfictional text.
R11.B.3.2.2 (non-fiction)
Describe and/or analyze the effectiveness of bias and propaganda techniques in nonfictional text.
R11.B.3.3.1 (non-fiction)
Interpret and/or analyze the effect of text organization, including the use of headers.
R11.B.3.3.2 (non-fiction)
Interpret and/or analyze the author’s purpose for decisions about text organization and content.
R11.B.3.3.3 (non-fiction)
Interpret and/or analyze graphics and charts, and make connections between text and the content of graphics and charts.
R11.B.3.3.4 (non-fiction)
Identify, compare, explain, interpret, describe, and/or analyze the sequence of steps in a list of directions.
Reading Journal
Contents:
- Important characters--describe each character and explain what s/he represents.
- Plot--tell what the story outline is and include the outcome (2-3 sentences). Yes, I mean only two or three sentences. Writing more here will not help!
- Conflicts--What are the major forces that dramatize the story? Do not write that man versus man/ man versus whatever stuff that you learned. Write the specific conflicts from the story.
- Theme—The story or play develops what central point? Write the overall point (Do not write a cliché) from the story! It should not contain specific characters. The theme should contain a general point that the author is making. For example: Young children often do not understand the pain they are causing their parents.
5. Vocabulary--Even if you think you know all the words, you must look up the definitions for at least three words for each work that you read.
6. Write a good response statement before you come to class. This is not about whether or not you liked the book or not. Begin by rewriting a quotation from the story, novel, or play. Explain that quotation as it relates to that portion of reading that you did that evening. Try to project what tomorrow’s reading will be like. Were you correct about last night’s reading? Are any of the characters especially interesting? Why? Does this story relate to any others you have read? Why? Keep going with ideas. Keep noting your central point concerning the quote from the beginning.
7. Notes--Take good notes during class discussions.
Hints on:
How To Take Decent Class Notes: Listen to what others have to say. Look for overall points rather than some foolhardy attempt to take down every word. Try always to add to the ideas orally when you see the connections as well. Clarify the points at all times. A good strategy is to say, "Let me see if I understand what you said. You said, ...... (and say what you heard the person saying)." That will help all of us make sure that we got the point. Speaking and Listening are disciplines; we need to work together as a group to understand and to move to higher levels of understanding.
Other Journals
1. Poetry
2. Grammar
3. Greek and Latin
4. Literature Anthology
Contents of each: Follow the directions in your packet. See the attached Rubric for clarification about your evaluation. You will be tested periodically.
Important Notices:
I hate to be a crab, but, I’ve heard it all before…………
vYou must bring all journals and all books with you to class every day. If you forget your journals on a day that I collect them (I cannot grade what I do not have), you simply lose the points.
vIf you are absent, on a collection day, you must turn in your journals on the day you return. I will select the stories you turn in—they will not be the same stories as your peers. If you forget (and it is your responsibility—not mine), you will receive 0 points for that collection.
vRunning to your lockers after class for your journals will result in a severe grade deduction—after all, the journals are an important part of class discussions (you are to bring them with you every day)!
vSince I truly feel that I give you plenty of time to complete each assignment, my due dates are, indeed, written in stone. Assignments are due at the beginning of the class period. Do not bother having your parents drive your late assignments into school. Late assignments may be turned in the next day for half credit—at best. I will not accept assignments that are more than one day late.