AGBU Vatché & Tamar Manoukian High School Course Title: English 12 (Course Syllabus) Instructor: Mrs. Chantal Terziyan Belliard Period: 4 Course Objective: The 12th Grade British Literature and Composition course is designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills to read and comprehend complex texts. The course will focus on the history and genres of the British Isles. Students will be expected to engage with the texts through discussion, writing, and projects. In addition to reading and writing, grammar and mechanics will also be covered. Grading System Within a single quarter, 40% of your overall final grade will include homework assignments, Reading Check Quizzes (RCQs), summative tests, projects/presentations/essays, etc. Ultimately, your semester (when the two quarters close) will end with a final cumulative exam that will make up 20% of your final grade. The course grade is based on the accumulation of points. Each student will receive points for various tests, quizzes, projects, and class assignments. The points then are converted into 100%. Tests/Quizzes (15/15%): Tests and quizzes will assess students knowledge of the content through a series of multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, and short answer/in-class essay responses. Tests may be at the end of each unit, and quizzes may not be announced to keep students accountable. Periodically, reading quizzes will be issued to check for understanding of texts (RCQs). In addition, students will have bi-weekly vocabulary quiz. Quizzes are an instructional tool to gauge student learning; they are not designed to be as a final test. In-class/Take-home Essays (20%): Essays will assess students comprehension and ability to analyze a text. Essays will be given throughout all four units. Students will be given plenty of time to write essays inside and outside out of class. Directions will be clearly given based on each essay. Projects & Presentations (20%): Projects will be given throughout the semester as a way for students to demonstrate understanding and mastery in their own unique way. Finally, to prepare students for college and/or the workforce, writing assignments will be given every unit as well. Homework & Assignments (20%): Homework assignments will continually assess student s knowledge and comprehension throughout the semester. Students will know the exact homework assignment the teacher intends to check and potentially review in class. Any assignments given to students during instructional time are considered daily assignments. While not all assignments are graded, the student
is expected to complete ALL assignments. Assignments are designed to increase learning potential and it is imperative that students complete all work. Classwork & Participation (10%): In addition to daily grades, students will be expected to have classwork and a notebook where important class materials, notes, and some assignments are stored. Students will know ahead of time when a notebook check will occur. Students will also know the exact notes and assignments the teacher wants to see inside notebook. Students must participate throughout the entire semester in order to receive full credit. This includes: participating in class discussion, working in groups, and working on class assignments when instructed. Grading Scale Each student s academic grade will be determined by the average of total points earned at the end of each grading period. A+ = 99-100% B+ = 87-89% C+ = 77-79% D+ = 67-69% A = 94-98% B = 84-86% C = 74-76% D = 64-76% A- = 90-93% B- = 80-83% C- = 70-73% D- = 60-63% F = 59% or below Learning Outcomes Oral Language: The student will make a 10-15 minute formal oral presentation. Defend a position in a persuasive speech or debate Entertain and audience through dramatic readings and performances. Explain information in an informative speech. Use a well-structured and logical argument. Use details, illustrations, statistics, comparisons and analogies to support positions Use visual aids or technology to support presentations. The student will evaluate formal presentations. Critique relationships among purpose, audience and content of presentations Critique effectiveness of presentations. Artful Reading: The student will analyze the development of British literature through the ages. Recognize major literary forms and techniques: the epic, the sonnet, the novel, the short story, the Elizabethan revenge tragedy, etc. Recognize the characteristics of major chronological eras: the Classical Age, the Anglo Saxon Period, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the Romantic Period, etc. Relate literary works and authors to major themes and issues of their eras.
The student will read a variety of print material. Identify information needed to operate devices/software or evaluate products Evaluate the quality of informational texts and technical manuals Read and follow instructions to install a software program. Writing: The student will read and critique a variety of poetry. Explain how the choice of words in a poem fits the speaker. Explain how the sound of a poem (rhythm, onomatopoeia, repetition, alliteration, assonance, etc.) supports the subject and mood. Explain how imagery and figures of speech (personification, simile, metaphor) appeal to the reader's senses and emotive experience. Compare traditional and contemporary works of poets from different cultures. The student will read and critique dramatic selections from a variety of authors. Describe the conflict, plot, climax, setting, etc. Compare and contrast ways in which dialogue and staging contribute to the theme. Identify the most effective elements of selected plays. Compare dramatic elements of plays form British, American and other cultures. The student will develop expository, informational, and persuasive writings. Consider audience and purpose when planning for writing. Present ideas in a logical sequence. Elaborate ideas clearly and accurately. Revise writing for depth of information and technique of presentation. Edit final copies for correct use of language, spelling, punctuation, capitalization, syntax and format (adherence to). Research: The student will write documented research papers. Evaluate the accuracy and usefulness of information. Synthesize information to support the thesis. Present information in a logical manner. Cite sources of information, using a standard method of documentation. Edit for correct use of language, capitalization, punctuation, spelling, and format. Use available technology. Standard Course Assignments Students are generally expected to come prepared to class having done all the assigned readings. A reading check quiz (RCQ) will be given to assess understanding, after which a series of post-reading activities will be done both in and outside of class, including the class preparation assignment (CPA),
critical thinking questions (CTQs), literary analysis questions (LAQs), and reading skills questions (RSQs). Key vocabulary will also be covered in order to enrich your writing and further understanding of texts. ü Expository, Narrative, and Persuasive Essays ü Compare & Contrast Essays ü College Application/Personal Essay (supervised by the College Admissions Counselor) ü Literary analysis, literary theory, and research exercises ü Literary terms, stylistic techniques, and analyses of characters, themes, plots ü MLA, annotated bibliography, and proper formatting practices ü Reader s Diary (Includes warm-up activities, vocabulary, character sketches, assigned class quick-writes, grammar exercises, etc.) ü Literary projects utilizing creativity (e.g. Brochure/flyer of literary work, etc.) ü Oral and visual presentations, and research projects ü Final course portfolio submissions (will be collected quarterly) ü Reading: o Outside reading: Students will be given a list of recommended novels from which to choose a minimum of one per semester to read externally (outside of class time). In addition to reading the book you will be required to complete a research paper per text for each semester to be due at the end of each quarter. You will create a synthesis project that will require researching a topic from your work and compile a report based on your original findings. This report will require proper MLA formatting, including an accurate works cited page as well as the correct use of in-text citations. o o In-class works: Students will read a wide variety of literary works. Students will focus on reading these pieces critically, identifying effective use of style, tone, diction, imagery, mood, etc. and how those elements come together to appropriately address their intended audience and purpose. Literary Works Studied 1 st Semester Thematic Units: Unit 1: Old English and Medieval Periods (A.D. 449-1485) Works: Beowulf (epic), Bede (historical account excerpt), The Canterbury Tales (G. Chaucer, frame tale), Morte d Arthur (T. Malory, romance), Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (Pearl Poet, poetry) Unit 2: The English Renaissance Period (1485-1625) Works: Various Sonnets from W. Shakespeare, P. Sidney, and E. Spenser (poetry), Excerpts from The King James Bible (scripture), Speech Before Her Troops (Queen Elizabeth I, speech), The Tragedy of Macbeth (W. Shakespeare, drama) Unit 3: The Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries (1625-1798)
Works: Various poems from J. Donne, B. Johnson, A. Marvell, and J. Milton (poetry), Paradise Lost (J. Milton, epic excerpt), The Pilgrim s Progress (J. Bunyan, allegory excerpt), A Modest Proposal (J. Swift, essay/satire), An Essay on Man (A. Pope, poetry) 2 nd Semester Thematic Units: Unit 4: The Romantic Period (1798-1832) Works: Various poems from W. Blake, J. Keats, P.B. Shelley, R. Burns, J. Baillie, W. Wordsworth, and L. Byron (poetry), The Rime of the Ancient Mariner (S.T. Coleridge, poetry), Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus (M. Shelley, novel), A Vindication of the Rights of Women (M. Wollstonecraft, essay), Speech in Favor of Reform and Speech Against Reform (Speech/Debate), On Making an Agreeable Marriage (J. Austen, letters), Pride and Prejudice (film study) Unit 5: The Victorian Period (1833-1901) Works: Various poems from A.L. Tennyson, R. Browning, E. Browning, M. Arnold, R. Kipling, and E. Brontë (poetry), Hard Times (C. Dickens, novel excerpt), Tess of the D Urbervilles (T. Hardy, novel excerpt), Jane Eyre (C. Brontë, novel) Unit 6: The Modern and Postmodern Periods (1901-Present) Works: Various poems from W. B. Yeats, T. S. Eliot, S. Heaney, D. Thomas, and others (poetry), The Lady in the Looking Glass: A Reflection (V. Woolf, short story), The Story of Shakespeare s Sister (V. Woolf, lecture), A Room of One s Own (V. Woolf, novel), The Lagoon (J. Conrad, short story), Araby (J. Joyce, short story), The Rocking-Horse Winner (D.H. Lawrence, short story), Wartime Speech (W. Churchill, speech), Come and Go (S. Beckett, drama), Things Fall Apart (Achebe, novel) Plagiarism Policy Plagiarism is an act or instance of using or closely imitating the language and thoughts of another author without authorization and the representation of that author's work as one's own, as by not crediting the original author (Dictionary.com, Unabridged). If a student is found to be plagiarizing material, the student will receive a grade of a 0 for that assignment. They have the opportunity to complete the assignment within one week of receiving the 0 grade; however, the highest grade that can be earned at that point will be a 50 (much better than a 0). *Other reading selections may be included or substituted throughout the year. Textbook and all plays/novels assigned Composition notebook (reader s journal) Course Materials
Multi-colored highlighters Binder with dividers: Homework/CPA s/class Work/Homework Packets Handouts Essays, with Prompts Notes/Paper Parent & Student Contract The standards and requirements set forth in this syllabus may be modified at any time by the teacher. Notice of such changes will be by announcement in class and/or by written notice on the OWS/TWS. Please complete the following with your parent/guardian, detach, & return this portion of the syllabus to me by Wednesday, August 23 rd. (Also have all supplies, as listed on the previous page, in class ready to go!) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I have read and reviewed the English 12 CP syllabus in its entirety and I understand and vow to respect all rules, procedures, and methods or otherwise accept the consequences decided by the teacher and/or administration. I acknowledge and understand my responsibilities as a student enrolled in English 12 CP at AGBU Vatché and Tamar Manoukian High School. Course: Period: Student Name: Date: Student Signature: Date: Parent/Guardian Signature: Date: