English IV Honors

Contact information:

HHS Front Desk: 355-3500

Classroom Telephone: 355-3472

Email: lray@greenville.k12.sc.us

Course Description and Instructional Philosophy: English 4 Honors is an in-depth survey of British literature from the Anglo-Saxon period to the present. The course readings are challenging and varied. Writing instruction will include opportunities to write arguments, informative and narrative essays, and a major literary research project. This course is designed to meet the needs of those highly motivated students preparing for post-secondary education at a four-year college. Students can expect accelerated pace and minimal instructional scaffolding. Note: This course carries Honors GPA weighting.

Textbook: Holt McDougal Literature – British Literature

Online access at http://my.hrw.com

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Password – d3y4e

Required Additional Works Include:

A Midsummer Night's Dream (William Shakespeare)

Frankenstein (Mary Shelley)

Brave New World (Aldous Huxley)

Other long works teachers may assign include: Beowulf, A Tale of Two Cities, Le Morte D’Arthur, Beloved, Jane Eyre

Grades: A 93-100 B 85-92 C 77-84 D 70-76 F 69 and below

Major Grades (Tests, Projects, and Major Papers) = 60%

Minor Grades (Quizzes, Timed Writings) = 30%

Minor Grades (Homework and Brief Class Activities) = 10%

Missed Work/Make-up Policy: This is covered in the student handbook. Students are responsible for asking for and obtaining all the work that they missed while absent. Late homework is not accepted.

Major Assignments: Teachers will assign multiple major writing assignments and projects as well as an analysis essay with a research component in conjunction with one of the longer works. Any major assignment that is late will receive 10 points off for each day it is late, up to three days late.

Attendance and Tardy Policy: School-wide policies apply as listed in the student handbook.

Communication with Parents:

Communication between teacher, students, and parents is crucial to student success. In order to facilitate this, there are several ways to contact me in regards to questions or additional help. The quickest means of contact is through my e-mail address. You may also contact me by phone at 355-3472. If help is needed, students may let me know ahead of time that they will be coming before school or may make an appointment for after-school help.

Discipline Policy: School-wide discipline policy and consequences are listed in the student handbook. Classroom infractions will be handled by the teacher quietly and individually as determined by the offense. Serious offenses will result in a parental call and intervention by an administrator. In regards to cheating, please be mindful that cheating and plagiarism may result in an automatic zero and a referral. Colleges and universities treat plagiarism seriously, as do I. I expect students to practice ethical and honorable habits in regards to their academics.

Course Goals and Core Standards:

Reading

· The student will read and comprehend a variety of literary texts in print and non-print formats.

· The student will read and comprehend a variety of informational texts in print and non-print formats.

· The student will use word analysis and vocabulary strategies to read fluently.

Writing

· The student will create written work that has a clear focus, sufficient detail, coherent organization, effective use of voice, correct use of the conventions of written Standard American English.

· The student will write for a variety of purposes and audiences.

· Writing assignments will include at least one of each of the following: narrative, expository, persuasive, argumentative, and literary analysis.

Research

· The student will access and use information from a variety of sources.

Units of Instruction: Greenville County Schools English Curriculum Guide is aligned with the state standards of instruction. The sequence of instruction is subject to change based on school-wide schedule or class needs. Students should follow the class agenda provided by the teacher for specific dates and changes.

· Anglo Saxons and Medieval Period

· Renaissance Period

· Literary Essay

· Restoration to Romanticism

· Informational Writing, Research, Presentation

· Victorians

· Argument Writing, Research, Presentation

· Narrative Writing

· The Modern Era

Disclaimer: this syllabus is subject to change at the discretion of

L. Ray

Ashford University Thesis Generator Follow the steps to create a logical thesis statement/claim.

Britannica.com Free online access to the encyclopedia

SCDiscus.org South Carolina's Virtual Library has articles about literature, history, science, and many other topics.

History.com The History Channel's website contains videos and articles about topics related to history and culture around the world.

PBS.org Public Broadcasting System website has articles, videos, full- length programs, audio broadcasts, and other resources.

BBC History This website is a part of the British Broadcasting Company's website. You will find information in the following categories: ancient history, archaeology, church and state, science and discovery, war and culture, and many more

Biography.com This site has hundreds of articles about famous and infamous people from around the world.

Encyclopedia.com Encyclopedia.com has more than 100 trusted sources, including encyclopedias, dictionaries, and thesauruses with facts, definitions, biographies, synonyms, pronunciation keys, word origins, and abbreviations.

The Literature Network Poetry, stories, explanations of long works, information about literary periods and movements, and lots of other useful information about literature.

Easybib This website will generate accurate bibliography entries to copy and paste as well as a complete works cited list.

Shakespeare Online Great site for text, analysis, helpful information, links

Google Scholar A version of Google dedicated to searching literary and scientific papers online. Try it for fewer "junk" sites and more useful information.

Bartleby.com Quotation books, dictionaries, concise encyclopedias, books of facts, thesauri, etc.

OWL Purdue University Online Writing Lab - MLA Style Page

Poets.org Published by the Academy of American Poetry, this site contains poems and biographies of poets, and is searchable by poet, title, and subject.

Poem Hunter Thousands of poems with easy access (turn on the pop up blocker)

Cummings Study Guides Overviews, tutorials, plot summaries, analyses, etc.--easy to use, straight-forward explanations

Strunk and White's Elements of Style "Intended for use in which the practice of composition is combined with the study of literature, it gives in brief space the principal requirements of plain English style and concentrates attention on the rules of usage and principles of composition most commonly violated."

How to Study.Com Free strategies and tips for note taking, essay writing, test taking, and vocabulary

Soundzabound Royalty-free music for presentations and video projects

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Institute of Historical Research This University of London site offers brief, readable articles about historical topics. It also has many links to other useful sites. Great source for researching historical periods!

Librivox LibriVox recordings are Public Domain in the USA. Links and audio files are available for free. Check out the mp3 and ogg files for Frankenstein, but be sure that your virus software is working and updated.