Syllabus English Studies Course Syllabus Sarah Monson Contact Info: 864-355-8149 smonson@greenville.k12.sc.us Textbook: Collections Course: English Studies Course Description: English Studies involves analysis of both literary and informational texts as well as response to these texts with a variety of writing types. Technology, research, communications skills, and the arts are integral parts of the course, as well. Learning Objectives: Students will establish good strategies for analyzing literary texts as they answer text dependent questions and write text dependent analysis essays, analyzing passages for elements such as tone, setting, characterization, and diction. Students will write narratives including various craft elements. Students will become more comfortable in each of the steps of the research process as they produce products using these steps. Students will analyze informational texts for author’s purpose, bias, and text structure; based upon their research, they will craft arguments with clear claims, and text evidence that is properly cited. Students will hone their inquiry skills throughout each unit as they continually practice forming self-directed questions and synthesizing and sharing information. Students will broaden their vocabulary through the use of tools such as Greek and Latin roots and context clues. Students will demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage. Annotated List of Texts Included in the Curriculum: (annotations provided by Goodreads.com) The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton - The Outsiders is about two weeks in the life of a 14-year-old boy. The novel tells the story of Ponyboy Curtis and his struggles with right and wrong in a society in which he believes that he is an outsider. According to Ponyboy, there are two kinds of people in the world: greasers and socs. A soc (short for "social") has money, can get away with just about anything, and has an attitude longer than a limousine. A greaser, on the other hand, always lives on the outside and needs to watch his back. Ponyboy is a greaser, and he's always been proud of it, even willing to rumble against a gang of socs for the sake of his fellow greasers--until one terrible night when his friend Johnny kills a soc. The murder gets under Ponyboy's skin, causing his bifurcated world to crumble and teaching him that pain feels the same whether a soc or a greaser The Diary of Anne Frank drama by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett -Otto Frank, the last survivor of a family of German and Dutch Jews, returns to a secret hiding place in which he and his family have lived during the first part of the Holocaust in Amsterdam. His friend and former secretary, Miep Gies, has saved a diary that his daughter Anne kept during that time. Otto begins reading the diary entries aloud, and the play follows Anne's thoughts and actions, as well as those of the other Jews hiding in the Secret Annex. A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare - Four Athenians run away to the forest only to have Puck the fairy make both of the boys fall in love with the same girl. The four run through the forest pursuing each other while Puck helps his master play a trick on the fairy queen. Course Outline: *In addition to the units listed below, students will work on vocabulary lessons as well as on grammar lessons throughout the year. Unit 1 – Literary Analysis Identity Poetry Narrative Writing The Outsiders study Unit 2 – Informational Texts Research (Person of Influence) Informational Writing Unit 3 – Informational Texts Research (Holocaust heroes) Argument Writing Text-Dependent Analysis The Diary of Anne Frank drama study Unit 4 – Literary Study (Guided Choice) Literary Text Analysis A Midsummer Night’s Dream study Materials Needed: Students need a fully charged chromebook every day as well as pens, pencils, and a composition notebook. Classroom Expectations: Non Negotiables for Students: Be engaged every day from the Take-Off starter activity to the launch! Participate only in those activities that promote your learning and the learning of others and that foster positive relationships within our classroom! (example: Don’t talk over others.) Always have your chromebook charged! Keep up with all assignments! Grading Policy: Students will be evaluated through tests, participation in class work/ homework, and completion of writing assignments and projects posted in Google Classroom. Assignments are divided into two categories: major and minor. There will be a minimum of 3 major assignments and a minimum of 8 minor assignments each quarter. The major assignments count 50% of the final grade, and the minor assignments count 50% of the final grade. Examples of minor assignments include class work, homework, and drafts of writing pieces. Examples of major assignments include tests, final drafts of writing assignments, book responses, and various written and arts integrated projects. The grading scale for Greenville County is a ten-point scale. Redo/Retake Policy: League Academy holds each student responsible for their own education. In this regard, student self advocacy is important for creating intrinsic motivation to complete work in a timely manner and with mastery. The Retake policy at League will be the following: -Students will have the opportunity to retake major assessments and minor assessments until the end of the unit on a case by case basis. -No retakes will happen after the close of the Quarter grading periods. -Students may need to demonstrate successful remedial work before being allowed to retake assessments. -Students may be required to retake certain assessments based on teacher discretion and students’ personal growth goals. Late Work Policy: The Late Work Policy at League Academy will be the following: -Late work will be accepted until the end of a Unit or other defined length of study depending on the class and curricular requirements and on a case by case basis. -Students will be required to identify all missing/incomplete assignments weekly during C3. -Students will have class time in C3 dedicated to completing these assignments.