English II

Instruct
Mrs. Charlotte Hillis Phone 931 668-5858, ext 138
or
Office WCHS, Room 138 E-mail woodenc@k12tn.net
Office Website
Mon-Fri 7a-3p, or by appt. mrshillisengii.blogspot.com
Hours :

Texts:
**Prentice Hall Literature, Grade 10 textbook and Skills Development Workbook
**Prentice Hall Grammar and Writing Textbook/Workbook
*World Writers Today Anthology
*101 Best-Loved Poems, Dover Thrift Edition
*Best Short Poems, Dover Thrift Edition
*Novel: Anthem by Ayn Rand
*Autobiography: October Sky by Homer Hickam
Other texts will be read as found from periodicals, the web, newspapers, etc. throughout the year.

**Copy will be assigned to student to take home; student is responsible for returning at end of
year, or report card will be held until book is returned or cost of book is paid to main office.
*Copies are limited and will be used in class only (limited number can be sent home in case of
extended illness)

Description:
This course is the sophomore English/Language Arts course, focusing on world literature as well as
a variety of non-fiction and informational texts. The course covers grammar/usage/mechanics,
writing, critical thinking, logic, media analysis/usage, research, and literary analysis.

Goals for the course:

Demonstrate control of Standard English through the use of grammar, usage, and mechanics
(punctuation, capitalization, and spelling), including proper understanding and usage of a variety
of sentence structures

Use these English skills to become proficient and effective writers for a variety of situations and
audiences, including academic, research, interpersonal and workplace situations.

Employ a variety of strategies and resources to determine the definition, pronunciation,

etymology, spelling, and usage of words and phrases.

Become effective listeners and speakers in a variety of situations, including individual and group
project/presentation situations.

Use logic and reasoning to determine validity of arguments, connections between texts, and
possible solutions to problems.

Develop important research skills that are essential in higher education and/or the working world,
using resources in print, electronic, and non-print forms

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Effectively read, analyze, and interpret informational texts relevant to higher education or
technical/workplace situations (including graphs/charts, etc.)

Analyze media (visual, auditory, electronic) as a valid form of information, critically thinking about
the impact of the media on society/culture, and expressing valid views/opinions effectively
regarding same

Read/analyze various forms of literature (novel, short story, poetry, drama) to determine theme,
plot, literary devices, figurative language, and to make critical connections to other works, real-life
situations, etc.

Course Requirements:
Writing: We will write, in some form, every single day. No exceptions.

Reading: While most work will be done in class, there will be times when reading will have to be
done outside of class. THIS WILL BE REQUIRED.

Keeping/maintaining English binder: There will be random binder checks at least every month, by
class period.

Research Projects: There will be a research project approximately every nine (9) weeks. The final
product of the research project will not always be a paper, but there will always be research
involved in creating the projects.

Exams: There are practice exams for the English II end of course (EOC), a semester exam, and
the English II end of course exam (EOC), which will serve as the final. There will also be
assessments/exams on individual topics and units throughout the year.

Materials Required (by Monday, August 17):

2” 3-ring binder with dividers, labeled as follows: blue/black pens & pencils
o Daily loose leaf paper (college rule)
o Notes
o Grammar
o Writing
o Graded work
o Handouts

Evaluation (grading scale):

Writing assignments/Projects 30%
In-Class assignments 30%
Folder 30%
Participation/Behavior/Attitude 10%
Total 100%

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