Honors United States Literature Mrs. Cathy Pike Email:pike@lansingcatholic.org Website: sites.google.com/site/mrspikespage
Overview:
This course will allow the students to explore the writings of American authors from the earliest beginnings to contemporary times. We will be sampling a wide variety of writing, including fiction, non-fiction, and poetry.
Students will have the opportunity to practice writing skills and expand on last year’s writing accomplishments through a variety of pieces. We will continue to stress the process of writing as students progress from rough draft stages to polished pieces. Emphasis will also be placed on correct grammar usage, mechanics, spelling and vocabulary.
Honors students accept and thrive on challenges. Students will be challenged in this class and I am confident that each of them can meet the challenge if they accept the fact that challenges require extra consideration, time and ultimately, work. My goals for the honors sections are expanded in both depth and breadth for the students. I expect that everyone involved will realize that there will be more work and that a more sophisticated product will be fashioned by the students. Opportunities for extra credit are few and far between, so please make every effort to turn in quality work in a timely fashion (like, when it’s due!).
Objectives:
We will read a broad sampling of American literature in order to help us answer the following questions:
-What is the American Dream? -How does each piece of literature help readers interpret that question? -What influences cause the dream to undergo metamorphosis? -How can we as individuals define the American Dream? -What directly influences our version of that dream? -How does this thinking influence the relationship we have to the rest of the world both collectively and individually? -How does the author’s use of literary techniques help or hinder us as we attempt to answer these questions?
Read. In addition to reading a variety of poetry, prose, fiction and drama, I expect students to cultivate a rich reading life. Reading outside of class and outside of school allows students to expand horizons and experience and contemplate many aspects of life they may never consider.
Write. Writing a variety of essays and creative pieces will improve the ability to communicate. The critical essays, creative pieces, and research projects we write (and write and write!) allow students to refine last year’s skills as they become effective communicators. We will also undertake some less formal writing in blogs and journals that each class will develop.
Materials
The American Experience The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne Civil Disobedience and Walden by Henry David Thoreau Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave, by Frederick Douglass Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald
Students will also need a dedicated notebook (probably two or three before the year is over!) and a pen or pencil. From time to time I will be asking students to print literature from a computer link so it is important that students have access to a computer and printer as well. Please let me know if that is not the case.
Many of our papers will be submitted electronically (through email) so each student will need to maintain a functioning email account. Additionally, students should have a usb flash drive in order to store all papers and downloaded materials (the wise student ALWAYS backs up work).
Expectations
We will create an atmosphere in which all of this can be accomplished by fulfilling the following expectations:
-Being in the correct seat when the bell rings. -Being prepared. Always bring a pen or pencil and a notebook dedicated to English literature. Bring the correct book to class. If you are unsure of which book to bring, check the website. -Being respectful of others in the class. -Doing the work. Students can’t get by with book notes – do the reading. (Notice how, again, I’ve stressed reading as a factor for success for this class? In literature that’s called a theme!). If Sparknotes (or any like product) are found in class or school they will be confiscated. Do your own reading, do your own thinking! -Finish homework (which is mostly reading). Do the writing when it’s due, not the week before the quarter ends. -Take and retake tests in a timely manner. If you are absent on the day of a test the test must be made up within two days of the absence. Students who received below a 75% may retake their test. There is a window of one week for students to schedule this retake -If absent, check the website first for what was missed and ask any clarifying questions. -School rules are school rules. Chewing gum will earn a detention. Out of dress code will earn a detention. Though we teach our students about plagiarism and work to avoid its use in the classroom, our technological society makes it increasingly difficult for many students to discern the appropriate use of information. We at Lansing Catholic High School define plagiarism as follows: 1) Plagiarism is the copying of another’s work without citing the original source. We use the standard of several consecutive words to define copying; 2) Plagiarism is using the ideas of another and representing them as one’s own. Even when paraphrasing such ideas, one must give appropriate credit to the original author (all students are taught the appropriate MLA method of citation); 3) Plagiarism is also common in classroom speeches. Reading directly from another author’s work without giving credit is plagiarism. The consequences of plagiarism at Lansing Catholic High School are outlined in the student handbook. The first offense includes a zero for the assignment as well as the possibility of ten hours of service and/or a one-day suspension. Penalties become more severe as subsequent incidents occur.
Evaluation -Critical essays – five paragraph essays are worth fifty points -A research paper – the final paper is worth one hundred points -Speeches (both solo and group presentations) – twenty five- thirty points -Quizzes – quizzes are usually worth twenty to twenty five points -Tests- weigh in from fifty to sixty five points. Students who receive less than a 75% on a test have the option to schedule a retake for that test. The retake can earn up to 85% for that test. Students are responsible for scheduling the retake and must do it within one week of receiving the graded test. The higher of the two scores will be entered into the grade book. The tests will not be identical but will cover the same content. -Projects – are valued between fifty and seventy five points -Daily work – reading quizzes are worth five points each -Homework – worth five to ten points with the exception of reading. There is no homework value for assigned reading, yet it still must be completed. Without reading, the daily quiz grade will dry up. Moral of the story? Do the reading. -Extra credit will only be offered to students who keep and outside reading journal. I will check the reading journals three times during each quarter and students will be awarded up to fifteen extra credit points per quarter for maintaining the journal and reading outside of school.
The work will be evaluated and graded using a straight scale (no curving!). To determine your grade, add up the total number of points you have earned and divide it by the total number of points possible. This will give you your percentage. The percentage determines your letter grade. The school scale is as follows:
A 100-92% A- 90-91% B+ 88-89% B 82-87% B- 80-81% C+ 78-79% C 72-77% C- 70-71% D+ 68-69% D 62-67% D- 60-61% E 0-59%
Please note that the class website contains the most current information for due dates and class work. Make it a habit to check the website AT LEAST once a week.
Anticipated calendar:
First semester: Discussion and test on summer reading (23 August-30 August) The New England Renaissance (Irving, Poe, Emerson, Thoreau, Hawthorne, Melville, and the fireside poets) -Introduction to poetry -“Civil Disobedience” and Walden by Henry David Thoreau -essay/letter writing assignment -The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne (30 August – 12 October) -essay and test Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave by Frederick Douglass (17 October - 2 November) -Importance of the primary source document -research on the state of slavery/abolition in our country at the time -project and presentations Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain (1 November – 30 November) -two essays and a test are scheduled for this unit, so stay on top of it! Regionalism Realism and Naturalism (1 December – 14 December) Choose research paper topics Final Exam Begin research and note taking for 10-12 page research paper (4 January – 20 January)
Second semester: Research paper (24 January – 19 March(ish)) Modernism (30 January – 14February) -Hemingway, Steinbeck (don’t forget that summer reading!!), Faulkner, more poetry and… The Harlem Renaissance -poetry (of course!), short stories and more primary source material (project/presentation) Research paper rough draft due 12 March The Great Gatsby by F.Scott Fitzgerald (12 March – 4 April) -essay and test Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller (finally, a movie!!) (5April – 13 April) -essay – we’ll bring Gatsby into this one, too Contemporary literature (16 April – 4 May) -Tyler, Oates, Updike to name just a few -more poetry (and a project!) Defining the modern American Dream (Weeks 4 May – 1 June) -independent reading/project Final Exam
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