American Literature Honors - Lecturer Notes - United State Literature, Study notes of American literature

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American Literature Honors

Ms. Swan

Fall 2011

[email protected]

http://teacherweb.com/MA/WachusettRegionalHighSchool/Swan

The Wachusett Regional High School Educational Guide describes this American Literature course to “explores the literature of the United States, as well as the historical and cultural influences on that literature. Students discover and discuss the major literary movements from which the literature of the United States has emerged.” In this class, students will read and analyze a variety or short stories, novels, plays, poems, and primary sources that connect with Classicism, Romanticism, Regionalism, Realism, Naturalism, and Modernism. These “isms” reflect the ideas of a particular time in history and will be the root of our class studies.

Required Readings and Units (subject to change)

• Arthur Miller’s The Crucible
• F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby
• (^) Heritage Edition Adventures In American Literature (various short stories and poems)
• Additional readings from Poe, Whitman, Hemingway, Twain, and Crane (during appropriate units on each individual “ism”)

Expectations and Rules

1. Be respectful of your peers, teachers, and classroom materials. Also, be responsible of your own actions. Plain and simple-following these rules as a guide will keep you focused and out of trouble. Remember that if you give respect, you will receive respect in return.
2. No profanity!
3. Be on time for class. Tardiness will not be tolerated and will result in a teacher detention (students will be given at least 24 hours notice before having to serve a teacher detention). Arriving more than a minute late will result in the student being written up and having to handle the issue with a school administrator.
4. Come to class prepared with a notebook designated for English, and a writing utensil. After the bell rings, I will not allow you to go to your locker to obtain missing work or materials. Missing work or materials may result in a teacher detention.

5. (^) Please stay seated until the class has ended. Do not line up at the door before the bell rings!!!!
6. No cell phones or other electronic devices including but not limited to iPods. If I see these items will have to confiscate them and turn them into school administration.
7. Food and drink will only be permitted in the classroom during third period announces. During this time students should remain seated and listening quietly to the announcements.
8. Plagiarism will not be tolerated and will result in a failing grade on the corresponding assignment. Plagiarism may also result in school disciplinary action.
9. This is English class; therefore I do not want to see you working on any other subject. If I see you doing homework and projects for another class I will confiscate your work and have to inform your current teacher.
10. All rules in the WRHS Student Handbook apply in the classroom. The school discipline policy can be found within the handbook.

Grading and Assignments

• Homework, Class Work, and Participation 25%

Students will receive homework on a daily basis and oftentimes the assignment will be collected and graded. Students will also oftentimes be granted time in class to work with his/her peers or individually on an assignment. All homework and class work will be collected at the beginning of class the assignment is due. Late homework and class work will not be accepted , unless you have a documented absent (see makeup work policy). If you are having trouble meeting a deadline please see me before the assignment is due so that we can work out the issue. For further questions regarding homework, see the WRHS English Department homework policy. Homework and class work will sometimes be graded on a check mark system: F 0 D 6+ = F 0 D 6 = F 0 D 6- = 70

• Test and Quizzes 35%

Tests will be weighted twice in this category and will always be announced at least two days in advance. Students will most likely be tested at the completion of a unit. Students will take vocabulary quizzes. Oftentimes when students are assigned reading for homework, they will be presented

with a reading quiz the next day. Students are permitted to use his/her hand written notes and staple them to his/her quiz when he/she is done taking the quiz. Reading quizzes are designed to check your understanding and completion of the reading assignment. The quizzes should not take longer than ten to fifteen minutes.

• Writing and Projects 40%

Throughout the course of the semester, students will engage in various projects and writing assignments in and out of school. Projects and writing will be assessed through the use of documented and distributed rubrics. Writing assignments may vary in length and complexity. Students will complete one critique. Due to the complexity of this assignment, critiques will be heavily weighted in this category. The weight of bigger assignments, such as critiques and research projects, will be announced before the assignment is due.

Projects and writing assignments will be accepted late up to three days. Each day the assignment is late, ten points will be deducted from the final grade. After three days, I will no longer accept the assignment and you will receive a zero for the missing work.

Make-Up Work

If you are absent, please see me once you have returned to school. All work previously assigned before your absence is expected upon your return. All school rules regarding allotted time to make up work will be followed. You can also e-mail me at anytime with questions on assignments. Make-up work will be located in the appropriate class bin. Your name and all papers you missed receiving will be stapled together and located in the absent folder. If you missed a reading quiz, you will be expected to make it up upon your return to school.

Extra-Help

I am available for extra help before and after school. Please feel free to make arrangements with me or see me in my office or classroom for extra help.

Contacting Me

I am always available to answer questions from either students and or parents. I check my e-mail daily and would encourage this as the best form of communication.

My e-mail can be found on the top of the syllabus. I also have a website that will be weekly updated with any announcements and or long term projects or writing assignments.

Please detach, sign and return to Ms. Swan after reading the class syllabus.

I, ______________________________, have read and understand the rules and procedures for Ms. Swan’s English class and will respectfully follow them to the best of my ability.

Student’s signature: _________________________________ Date:_____________

Parent’s signature: __________________________________ Date:_____________