Welcome to English IV Honors

Course Instructor: Ms. BarlettaSyllabus and Class InformationAugust 24, 2009

Required TextsWarriner’s Handbook Fifth Course (Holt 2008) Literature McDougal Littell Grade 12 (2008) Vocabulary Power Plus SAT Book Four Daisy Miller by Henry James The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre

Dumas (Bantam Classics, 2003) Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen The Da Vinci Code by Dan BrownThe Four Feathers by A.E.W MasonThe Stranger by Albert Camus

Composition ObjectivesSummer Reading Daisy Miller by Henry James The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

Quarter 1 The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

 Quarter 2 Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen (Handout/electronic copy)

Quarter 3 Beowulf translated by Seamus Heaney (Handout) The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown

Quarter 4 The Four Feathers by A.E.W Mason The Stranger by Albert Camus

  In addition to the above list, students will also read a selection of short

stories, essays, myths, poetry, and drama.

Expectations Written assignments should be proofread to the best of the

student’s ability for spelling and grammar errors as well as sentence clarity.

Written assignments should be written in a formal tone while maintaining student’s own style and voice. All out of class assignments should follow MLA format, be typed, double spaced, in black ink, and use a standard font and font size (Times New Roman 12pt. font). When using outside sources, or quoting from a text, students are expected to cite their sources and list them on a “Works Cited” Page.

Written assignments should demonstrate the student’s understanding of the text. The argument should be well thought out and include textual, and when required, outside resources to support and strengthen their argument.

Expectations In class participation is an important element in this class.

Students are expected to have read the assigned works and written the assigned essays, response papers, and longer papers.

Students must have cell phones, PDA’s, iPods, and other electronic devices other than their laptops turned off during class. Students should not have these devices out and should be kept in their backpacks. If necessary, I will take away the item and return it to the student at the end of the day. If this happens a second time, the student’s parent will have to come up to school to pick it up. Students are permitted to have laptops in class, but they are to be used for academic purposes only while in my class.

Students must submit original work. Plagiarism is not tolerated and will result in a grade of “0” Students must cite their sources and see me if unsure about how to do so. If you did not write it, cite who did in quotations.

Testing Procedures On test days, students must put their backpacks, purses,

and other items in the back of the room. Students will only need a pen or pencil for their tests and will be provided with paper. Talking during a test or quiz will result in a 10 point deduction the first time, and will not be permitted to finish the exam if there is a second time. If the student is cheating during a test or quiz, they will receive a grade of “0.”

Students with special needs must have documentation and will receive extended time for testing. Students with extended time must complete the test, without breaks and finish the test after class. (For example, if a student has my class “A” period, I would alert their “B” period teacher that they will be approximately 10-15 minutes late to class and they will be responsible for completing the assigned work they might have missed in class.

Testing ProceduresIf a student is absent on a test or quiz

day, they have three school days to make up the exam. Students must make up the test or quiz during their own time (before school, after school, break, or lunch).

Students can not make up work during my class or any other class. Students are also responsible for making up all work missed during their absence. If there is a major paper or project due, the due date stands and must be submitted on time.

Class PreparationStudents must be prepared for class with all of

their materials or they will have points taken off of their participation grade (5 points off of student participation grade for each day that they do not have their materials).

Students should see me if you were unable to purchase their textbooks, or if they are on order.

Part of being prepared for class includes having completed their homework. I will give pop quizzes on assigned readings, so students should be prepared. If students have questions about the reading, they should e-mail me, or come see me before school.

Technology Component We will be using the Toshiba Tablet Laptops

and Dyknow software for class instruction. Therefore, technology will be used as a tool for education and will provide students with support materials for each of their classes.

Students can log into Dyknow to review class notes and even play back class lessons. Using technology in the classroom will be part of class participation and will also be used for assessments.

We will typically use laptops everyday except for test days.

Technology ComponentA typical day in class will consist of

starting a session in Dyknow and answering 2-5 questions that will be on students’ screens. Students will then submit their answers and teachers will be able to assess students’ needs. We will then begin class discussions which will be posted through Dyknow and end class with a writing activity.

Students will also create presentations and/or websites at the end of each term to enhance collaboration and active learning.

Class Materials  Tablet laptop Pens/Pencils Folder Vocabulary Book Index Cards for vocabulary (You must bring them to

class on the days we are scheduled to begin a new vocabulary lesson.) Students may also choose to write their index cards electronically.

Literature Book (bring according to the schedule) Novel(s) that we are currently reading (bring

according to the schedule) Writing and Grammar Text (bring according to the

schedule)

GrammarObjective:

Students will learn correct usage of word phrases and grammatical mechanics.

Preparation:In class we will use the Grammar textbook

(also available online) as well as handouts which I will provide to teach students how to use grammar properly. Students will learn to write in both active and passive voice, use parallel structure, and how to avoid writing run-on sentences.

VocabularyObjectives:

Students will learn new words and be tested on a weekly basis which will come from the readings and the vocabulary text. In addition to the words in the vocabulary book, I assign an extra 5 words per week which appear on the weekly vocabulary quiz.

Students must bring index cards to class on vocabulary days or may choose to type their words and save them for future testing. Students will also write short stories for each vocabulary lesson.

Increasing students’ vocabulary will help to improve their comprehension skills in this class, their other classes, and on the PSAT, SAT, and ACT exams.

Literary AspectObjectivesStudents will learn standard literary terms

such as symbolism, tone, and imagery, and how to identify them in a text.

Students will learn to uncover the different levels of meaning from a text.

Students will learn about the history of the time period in which each work was written as well as whom the author was and how the author was viewed by society as well as how he/she viewed society.

Assessment and GradingStudents will be tested on the readings,

vocabulary and grammar on a weekly basis. Comprehension skills will be determined by the clarity and depth of written assignments. Homework assignments will consist of questions that correspond to the reading, response papers, and practice exercises in grammar and vocabulary.

There will be one 7 page research paper which will be presented to the class. After completing a novel, students will write a response paper approximately 1-1 ½ pages, that responds to the text which pushes and challenges the themes we have discussed.

Grading Scale Grading:

Tests: 25% Quizzes: 15% Papers/Presentations: 20% Class Participation: 10% Homework: 15% Portfolio: 15%

Anytime Extra Credit: Students can earn extra credit towards the test or quiz of their choice by finding articles in newspapers or magazines that contain vocabulary words that we have covered. Students will receive 2 points for each word they find with a limit of 10 vocabulary words per quarter.

Late WorkAll assignments must be submitted on time.

One letter grade will be deducted for each day that passes without submission. (i.e., if the assignment is due on Monday, and the student turns it in on Tuesday, the highest possible grade they can earn is a “B.”)

If a student is ill and is not able to be in school on the day an assignment is due, they must turn in their work once they return to school with a doctor’s note. Students may e-mail an assignment to me if they are unable to print or attend school.

Digital Portfolio For this class, students will be keeping an electronic

binder with all of their written assignments. Students should create an English folder with subsections and include all assignments. These electronic portfolios will be checked once per quarter at which point students will receive feedback on all of their writing assignments.

The purpose of the portfolio is to keep track of the lessons covered and for student, teacher, and parent review. At the end of each quarter, students will review their work and write a response concerning the changes they have noticed in their writing. In addition, students will keep error sheets which will help to identify grammar and spelling mistakes. Below is a description of the writing assignments students will be completing on a weekly basis:

ResponsesResponses will be 300-500 words in

length (1 ½-2 pages typed). Students will be responding to a question or a series of questions that I will assign.

Responses are analytical pieces of writing in which students will think and write critically to answer the prompt. Some of these responses will be completed in class. These topics will help prepare students for formal papers which will have elements of the responses.

Grammar and VocabularyWriting and Grammar Assignments: The

Writing and Grammar assignments will consist of class work and homework assignments which come from the Warriner’s textbook.

Vocabulary Short Stories: Students will write a short story each week using the vocabulary words in the current lesson. Students must use 15/20 words in each lesson per week with context clues. These assignments will typically be due on Tuesdays since Vocabulary is typically introduced on Mondays.

Analysis and Formal Papers Character Analyses: Character analyses must be 300-

400 words in length (2-2 ½ pages typed). For these assignments, students will analyze a character(s) from the text we are currently reading. Students must have a thesis statement and use examples from the text to explain a particular character.

  Rough Drafts: These drafts should include notes,

brainstorming, and the beginnings of the paper.  Formal Papers: Formal papers are longer writing

assignments that I will announce and explain in advance (3 weeks-2 months). These papers must be typed and double spaced. Students will hand in just the formal paper without the portfolio and leave it in the portfolio once it has been commented on and graded.

Revisions, Tests, and Notes Revised Work: This section is for the papers students

choose to rewrite. I suggest that students rewrite any paper that is given a grade of “C” or below. The grade that the student receives on the rewrite will replace the original grade unless the original paper was turned in late in which case the two grades will be averaged.

Tests and Quizzes: Students are encouraged to keep tests and quizzes as study guides for larger exams such as cumulative tests, midterms, and finals.

  Notes: Students are required to take notes in class and

will be asked to periodically post their class notes.  

Skills Day Schedule Monday: Vocabulary-Introduction of words and SAT

writing

Tuesday: Literature-Reading and Discussion

Wednesday: Grammar and Writing

Thursday: Literature Reading and Discussion

Friday: Quiz/Test; Writing: responding to literature

**Tuesdays and Fridays are scheduled test days for English. There will be a vocabulary quiz every Friday and there will be announced quizzes and tests on literature and grammar. Students must come to class prepared and ready for pop quizzes on assigned reading materials.

Coming up this Week Week 1 (August 24th-28th) M: Introduction to the course; summer reading discussion HOMEWORK: Study for Summer Reading Test  T: Summer Reading Test on Daisy Miller and The Picture of Dorian

Gray  HOMEWORK: Make sure you have all books and supplies; make

sure you and one of your parents/guardians signs the class contract

  W: Discussion of Daisy Miller with special emphasis on themes,

characters, and symbolism; signed class contract is due

TH: Continue discussion on theme, characters, and symbolism; in-class writing assignment

HOMEWORK: Finish writing assignment   F: Discussion of The Picture of Dorian Gray; write a five paragraph

essay on appearance versus reality in The Picture of Dorian Gray HOMEWORK: Finish writing essay