English 11 Course Syllabus
“You have to write the book that wants to be written. And if the book will be too difficult for grown-ups, then you write it for children.”-Madeleine L’Engle
Course Information:
Course Title—English 11
Prerequisites—English 10
Instructor’s Information:
Ms. Markovich
Contact: kmarkovich@ns.whiting.k12.in.us
Classroom Number: 370-2053 Ext. 524
Conference Period—6th Hour (1:05-1:55)
Resources:
Online Textbook— Into Literature: American Literature
A Doll’s House
The Crucible
The Great Gatsby
A wide selection of poetry
Various short stories
(Additional texts will likely be added throughout the semester…)
Materials needed for the class:
A college ruled notebook
Something to write with every day (pen or pencil)
A class folder
A highlighter
Your Brain!
Course Description:
When an author sets out to tell a tale he does not keep the story to himself but writes for an audience. My students tell dozens of stories in one class period in hushed whispers and do not realize they are merely writing without a pen. Storytelling is one of the most organic ways to share what we know and explore what we believe. We as a human race have been practicing this art for as long as we have had tongues.
Applying writing processes to the stories already in my students’ heads and hearts will allow them to dig past what they think they know and discover truths previously hidden in an unstructured mess in their minds. The purpose of this class is not for my students to write, but to think, share, and transform. These are skills that will help them every day of their lives.
Course Objectives:
At the completion of this course, students will be able to:
discuss thematic ideas of written works from an authorial perspective
write coherent and focused research papers, persuasive arguments, poems, and technical texts that show a well-defined point of view and securely defined thesis.
progress through the stages of the writing process (prewriting, writing, editing, and revising).
Identify and employ tools of persuasion and argumentation in writing and media
Real- Life Applications
Writing for an unknown audience:
You will learn to write in a structured format so that unknown readers can identify and understand your argument(s). This is a skill one will use whenever they need to communicate to a stranger through writing. You will learn to be clear, descriptive, precise, and organized in your written communication.
Organizing information:
You will learn how to organize many ideas into a coherent whole is will be a focus of this class. This is a necessary skill for anyone who attempts to start and complete a project. Breaking down steps into manageable pieces is the foundational piece to accomplishing anything great in life.
Challenging previously held beliefs:
The most important real-life application will be pushing one’s thinking towards new ideas. Those who learn to think critically about themselves and the world around them are the definition of literate citizens.