Honor s English II

Syllabus
Krista Mann
2014-2015

Email: krista.mann@hck12.net

Honors English II is designed to enhance students grammatical and analytical skills. Therefore,
students will work on composition throughout the semester to hone their writing craft. We engage
in careful reading with a challenging selection of works from around the globe. Students are
expected to be active readers as they analyze literature as it reflects social perspective and historical
significance by continuing to use language for expressive, expository, argumentative, and literary
purposes. The emphasis in English II is critical analysis of texts through reading, writing, speaking,
and understanding media. Through interacting with these texts, students will enhance their reading,
writing, speaking, listening, and analytical skills.

This semester students will:

Analyze different genres of literature (short stories, poetry, drama, and novels)
Write essays that maintain standard conventions of written and oral language
Annotate literary texts
Examine relationships between the past and present
Recognize literary devices
Relate experiences of others to their own experiences
Research the diversity of world experience
Pose questions/listen actively to the ideas of others/contribute information in class discussion
Give and receive feedback in a palatable manner

Classroom Norms:

1. Give your best effort.
2. Be respectful.
3. Come to class prepared and on time.
4. Accept responsibility for the choices you make

Grade Distribution - Your grades will be calculated using the following weights for each category
average:

Tests 50%
o Exams
o Essays
o Socratic Seminars
Portfolio 50%
o Quizzes
o Writing Assignments (Discussion Board)

Class Supplies All students are required to bring the following items to class daily:

1) 3 Ring Binder (for your portfolio) Due date ______________
a. Portfolio (designed for this class and labeled)
i. Works of Literature (kept in pristine condition)
ii. Dialectical Journals
iii. Class Writings
iv. Graded Work
v. Cornell Notes
2) Selected Readings
3) Sticky Notes (highly recommended)
4) Dark colored pens (no yellows please)
5) Pencils
*** Note This is an honors course. I will not supply pens/paper for students on a daily
basis. It is your responsibility to come prepared. Speak with me privately if you need help
obtaining these items.

Absentee and Tardy Procedures Students should give me their absentee note or excused tardy
note when entering the classroom. If the student does not have a note, they should write a note
explaining his or her absence or tardy and hand it to me immediately upon entry. No student will
be allowed to leave class to obtain a note from the office after entering the classroom.

Make-up Work Procedures It is the students responsibility to obtain missed work due to
absence.

Homework:
All homework should be submitted the day it is due.
Late Work This is an elective honors course and expectations are high. All late work will
receive a 20-point reduction immediately. Every subsequent day will receive a further
reduction of 10 points. If you choose to go down this route, be prepared for your grades to
suffer.
o If you believe I have not allotted proper time for you to complete an assignment,
the time to speak with me is before the assignment is due, preferably before or
after class.
o No work will be accepted after it is more than a week late.

Student Dismissal Procedures The teacher dismisses students from class! Do not pack up to
leave before instructed or while I am talking. This is rude, and you may miss critical information
needed.

Workspace Clean up your workspace at the end of class. Do not leave trash to be cleaned up by
someone else. Do not throw away trash during the class period; wait until the bell rings.

Academic Integrity Academic dishonesty (which includes, but is not limited to plagiarism,
fabrication, deception, cheating, or sabotage) will not be tolerated. Results of academic dishonesty
may include failing the assignment, parent conferences, and/or referrals. Just do your own work!

Food and Drinks We follow school guidelines on food and drink. There is none allowed in the
classroom.

All school rules will be observed in this classroom. If there are questions, please
refer to the Student Handbook.


Dialectical Journals To facilitate your continued understanding of the texts we read, you will
respond to the works through the use of dialectical journal entries. A format will be provided, and
I will periodically review these throughout the semester. It will be submitted in your final portfolio
for final review.

Literary Analysis You will complete a 4-6 page literary analysis on a preapproved novel or play
you have chosen to read outside of class. This is the only formal writing assignment required for
the semester. Expect to have multiple drafts and revisions before the final paper is submitted.
Your essay will be an interpretive and evaluative essay that focuses on topics such as social, cultural
or historical values of your piece of literature. Most of this assignment will be completed outside of
class. You will have access to the computers in school for a few days. However, due to the
progressive nature of an honors course, you will have to use outside resources to complete the
assignment. Your essays will be peer reviewed and you will receive feedback from your instructor
throughout the assignment.

Socratic Seminars At specified dates, we will break up into seminar sessions in which you, as a
class/group, will lead discussion regarding an assigned work. You will drive the class with questions
geared towards discussion. You will use your dialectical journal entries to assist the discussions.
The rules of these graded seminars will be reviewed prior to each session. Your responsibility is to
discuss the assigned text in a scholarly fashion, building upon the responses of other class members.

Study Teams Study teams are long-term groups whose primary responsibility is to provide
members with support, encouragement, and assistance in completing course requirements and
assignments. Your study team members will inform each other about missing assignments, provide
copies of notes, and offer general assistance regarding issues for this course. The study team will be
your family in this class treat them wisely, and do your part! All members of the group are
expected to participate equally. Each group will consist of the following roles Initiator, Literary
Luminary, Artful Adventurer, and Wordsmith. .

Tests A formal unit test will be given after each of the following units: Short Stories, Poetry,
Writing (Section II), Drama, and Novel. Students will be responsible for the skills learned during
these units. The tests will assess the skills learned more than the materials read.

Extra Credit Throughout the semester, a scattering of extra credit opportunities will be granted.
Do not come to me at the end of the semester and ask for more extra credit if you have not seized
the opportunities previously granted.

A note on course material and keeping an open mind: Many of the texts we will study deal with
strong themes. You are not required to agree with everything you read. Consider the words of
Aristotle, It is the mark of an educated mind to entertain a thought without accepting it.

Also: A good library contains something in it to offend everyone. Jo Goodwin

While it is not my intention to offend anyone, you may find yourself in disagreement with some of
the literature this semester. A major goal of this course is to develop strong thinkers. If you are
only faced with information you agree with, you will never become mature and independent
thinkers.

It is okay to disagree; however, A mind is like a parachute. It does not work if it does not open. -
Frank Zappa

For Your Edification It is my goal for you to find this course to be both educational, extensive
and enjoyable. If at any point you feel overwhelmed or need to express concern about your
individual performance in the class, do not hesitate to chat with me.

Course Outline:

I. Introductions
II. Writing (Day 3 or 4)
a. Intro to Literary Analysis Choose novels
III. Short Stories:
a. Plot and Structure
i. Harrison Bergeron
ii. The Lottery
b. Setting
i. A Rose for Emily
c. Allegory
i. Young Goodman Brown/The Ministers Black Veil
d. Imagery
i. The Pit and the Pendulum
e. Point of View/Tone
i. Hills Like White Elephants
Dialectical Journal (one entry per short story)
Socratic Seminar

IV. Writing
a. Discuss Writing Process
b. Informal Writing Assessments
i. Narrative Perspective
c. Formal Writing Assignment
i. Introduction to Literary Analysis
1. Bring novels into class
2. See rubric
Informal writings with in-class writing prompts
Writing conferences
Chosen novels will be due by ___________.

V. Poetry
a. Introduction to Poetry/Imagery
i. Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds John Lennon
ii. Fern - Ted Hughes
b. Symbol and Allegory
i. Frost Poems
ii. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings Maya Angelou
1. Aint I a Woman Sojourner Truth
2. I Have a Dream Martin Luther King Jr.
c. Tone
i. We Real Cool Gwendolyn Brooks
d. Allusion
i. Daddy Sylvia Plath
Dialectical Journal (one entry per poem)
Socratic Seminar
Poetry Slam
Group Assignment

VI. Writing
a. Informal Writing
b. Formal Writing
i. Literary Analysis
ii. Introduction to different forms of literary criticisms
1. Brainstorming
2. Outline
3. Introductions/Thesis
4. Body Paragraphs
5. Conclusion
6. Revision vs. Proofreading
7. Annotated Bibliography
8. Research: 2 days
9. Writing Time: 1 day

VII. Drama
a. Intro to Greek Literature
i. Platos Allegory of the Cave
b. Antigone Sophocles
i. Whale Rider
Dialectical Journal (one entry per short story)
Socratic Seminar
Group Assignment Re-enact 2 scenes/Exam (create)/ and (one of the following) T-
shirt/Poem (or song)/physical representation

VIII. Writing
a. Collaborative Editing
b. Submission of Final
IX. Novel
a. Things Fall Apart Chinua Achebe (or)
b. Night Ellie Wiesel