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Syllabus
English I Honors - School Year 2025-2026
Mary Lu Hinner mhinner@greenville.k12.sc.us(864) 355-6245
Text Book: HMH Into Literature Grade 9, various novels, short stories, poems, and informational texts.
English I Description/Objectives: Students will expand on their ability to analyze literature, they will develop skills in writing essays using the Schaffer Model, will gain mastery over the basics of English grammar, and will expand their vocabulary knowledge and usage of Greek and Latin stems. As an Honors class, English I will exceed the standard ninth grade curriculum reading selections from the GCS Honors curriculum and by heightening written literary analysis for each major work of literature assigned.
Course Outline/Pacing/Scope and Sequence*:
Unit 1
The goal of this unit is to have students establish good strategies for analyzing text and answering text dependent questions for various classic short stories in preparation for writing text dependent analysis. Students write paragraphs and essays using the Schaffer Model (a five paragraph essay) including the elements of the author’s craft studied in the unit. A focused review of parts of speech will pyramid learning toward work on more advanced sentence structure.
Novel: Short Stories: "The Sniper", "Most Dangerous Game", "The Gift of the Magi", "The Necklace"
Writing: Literary Analysis
Review parts of speech
Vocabulary
Unit 2
This unit will consider the challenges people face in many different situations and how they overcome them. The unit is designed to promote higher order thinking skills and problem solving. Students will receive explicit instruction in the craft of text dependent analysis as they analyze passages for tone, setting, characterization, and word choice (diction).
Novel: To Kill a Mockingbird
Writing: Text Dependent Analysis
Continued study of English grammar and usage (complements)
Vocabulary
Unit 3
This unit on Love and Loss will analyze one of the world's most famous love stories. students will explore the complexity of language and universal themes. Students will conclude the unit by writing an argument. The unit focuses on higher order thinking skills. Additionally, this unit will provide exposure to Shakespeare and universal themes. Students experience the play through reading and viewing scenes.
Drama: Romeo and Juliet
Continued study of English grammar and usage (phrases and clauses)
Writing: Argument writing
Vocabulary
Unit 4
This unit provides students with an opportunity to explore Greek and Roman mythology, its influence on modern society, and the epic hero of Odysseus. Students will complete research and present findings through a presentation format. The second part of the unit will analyze the concept of freedom and the value of societal norms. Students analyze an author’s craft and cite specific text references in their text dependent analysis essays.
Novel: The Odyssey and Lord of the Flies
Writing: Text dependent analysis, research
Continued study of English grammar and usage (sentence structure)
Vocabulary
Classroom Expectations: Students will arrive on time and be prepared for class. All assignments, including assigned reading, should be completed and written assignments should be printed and ready to hand in as required. Students will be expected to abide by behavioral and dress code guidelines stated in Hughes Student Handbook.
Grading Policy/Practices and Late Work Procedures: Students are expected to follow classroom rules and complete assignments during the allotted class period. Any student off-task and not completing classroom assignments will receive a disciplinary infraction. However, if a student misplaces an assignment or needs to hand in any work after the assigned due date, then the student will need to communicate a need for extension with their teacher. Late work may be accepted up to five days after the original due date, without a reduction of points. No late work will be accepted within five days before the end of a grading period.
Quarterly Grade:
Major (12-15 assignments)= 60%
Minor (3-6 assignments)= 40%
Note: Throughout the quarter students, will be given the grade they have earned, not the Grade Floor Applied (GFA) and/or Not Handed In (NHI) they may receive in regular middle school courses.
Final Grade:
Semester 1 = 45%
Semester 2 = 45%
Final Exam =10%
Redo/Retake/Revision Procedures: Students will be permitted to retake one major graded assignment per quarter at the discretion of the teacher. Refer to details on the requirements found in the Hughes Student Handbook.
*subject to revision due to class pacing and discretion of the teacher
Syllabus
English 8 - School Year 2025-26
Mary Lu Hinner mhinner@greenville.k12.sc.us (864) 355-6245
Text Book: HMH Into Literature 8, various novels, short stories, poems, and informational texts.
English I Description/Objectives: Students will expand on their ability to analyze literature, they will develop skills in writing essays, will gain mastery over the basics of English grammar, and will expand their vocabulary knowledge and usage through Latin and Greek stems.
Course Outline/Pacing/Scope and Sequence*:
Quarter 1
This unit entitled Gadgets and Glitches explores ways in which technology enhances and yet creates challenges in our life. Students read and analyze several texts representing both fictional and informational genres. They will examine each for various aspects of the author’s craft: characterization, setting, plot structure and development, use of figurative language, connections to historical context, and themes. Students will respond to text dependent questions to practice analyzing texts.
The writing focus for the unit is a compare/contrast piece in which students demonstrate an understanding of a common form of informational writing as well as a grounding in the Schaffer Model for essay writing.
Various Short Stories and Informational Text
Writing: Text Structure/Information
Grammar/ Parts of Speech
Vocabulary
Quarter 2
A short unit on Strange and Mysterious stories begins the quarter with an emphasis on inferencing and plot development.
Further, a second unit guides students to implement effective reading strategies for informational texts including non-fiction narratives, instructional manuals, commentaries, and more. As a part of this unit, students conduct a research study and present those findings through informational writing. Additionally, students produce text dependent analysis essays for several of the informational texts read.
Reading selections: "Tell Tale Heart", "The Monkey's Paw", "There will come Soft Rains".
Excerpts from The Circuit, “Tears of Autumn”, “The New Colossus”, poetry selections.
Writing: Research brochure, informational TDA
Grammar: Verbals - Infinitives, Participles and Gerunds
Vocabulary
Quarter 3
Students will learn about how places shape people's identity and sense of belonging. In addition, they will explore the challenges of the teen years.This unit guides students to implement effective reading strategies for fictional as well as informational texts. Students will respond to questions on each text as a check for understanding and higher thinking skills and the ability to make inferences about what they have read. Students will conduct research related to the antebellum biographies and express their findings creatively. After completion of the novel study, students will write an argument based on a specific prompt.
Readings: Excerpt from Harriet Tubman , "The Drummer Boy of Shiloh", video biography of Frederick
Douglass
Novel Study: The Outsiders
Continued study of English grammar and usage, and sentence structure
Writing: Argument writing, Text Structure
Vocabulary
Unit 4
Students will learn about the Holocaust, mainly through the eyes of Anne Frank who wrote about her experiences hiding with her family. Students will learn about her life through a dramatic play based on her best selling autobiography. Additional informational texts will verify the plays authenticity.
Written products include a combination of formal and informal writing and literary arguments.
Drama: The Diary of Anne Frank
Informational Text: Assorted articles related to drama
Novel: Monster (time permitting)
Writing: Text dependent Analysis
Grammar: Review
Classroom Expectations: Students will arrive on time and be prepared for class. All assignments, including assigned reading, should be completed and written assignments should be printed and ready to hand in as required. Students will be expected to abide by behavioral and dress code guidelines stated in Hughes Student Handbook.
Grading Policy/Practices and Late Work Procedures: Students are expected to follow classroom rules and complete assignments during the allotted class period. Any student off-task and not completing classroom assignments will receive a disciplinary infraction. However, if a student misplaces an assignment or needs to hand in any work after the assigned due date, then the student will need to communicate a need for extension with their teacher. Late work may be accepted up to five days after the original due date, without a reduction of points. No late work will be accepted within five days before the end of a grading period.
There will be eight - twelve graded minor assignments and three - five major grades per quarter.
GFA=Grade Floor Applied
Your child showed mastery on less than 50% percent of the information being assessed, resulting in less than 50 out of 100 possible points.
NHI=Not Handed In
Your student did not turn in this assignment.
Redo/Retake/Revision Procedures: Students will be permitted to retake one major graded assignment per quarter at the discretion of the teacher. Refer to details on the requirements found in the Hughes Student Handbook.
*subject o revision due to student pacing and discretion of the teacher