Teacher: Alisha Murphy

Email: alishad.murphy@cms.k12.nc.us
Phone: 980-343-5988

Hopewell High School

Room: 904

Film as Literature Syllabus

Class Website: msmurphyela.weebly.com
Course Description and Objectives:
Film as Literature is a comprehensive course that uses both written and visual aids to
analyze an authors (and/or director's) work. While we will review films in depth, this is
not a movie class. Instead, you will be introduced to the art of film review and be
transformed into mini critics and connoisseurs in your own right. Each film or work that
we cover will be dissected for its content, design elements, and overall production. Our
objective is to get inside the genius that is film production, and learn to spot a great
movie or poor rendition.
Text Used:
The Art of Watching Films: Sixth Edition by Joseph M. Biggs and Dennis W. Petrie (In-class
use only) *visit www.mhhe.com/awf6 for additional online resources

Selected supplemental texts will be provided in class.

Materials Needed:
3-ring binder
college ruled loose-leaf paper
dividers
pencils, pens, highlighters, sticky notes
Expectations:
Please read carefully and remember the following rules so that we can keep a positive
environment that is focused on learning.
Always come to class prepared and ready to participate.
Be in your seat, and ready for the warm-up, before the bell rings.
Please be respectful of the environment, standards, and expectations of the
class and Hopewell High.
Work independently to practice and improve your skills.
Stay in your seat unless given permission.
You may bring a bottle of water and leave it on your desk. No other food or
drink is permitted.
Complete ALL projects, homework, papers, and tests.
Technology will be embraced when it seems appropriate in the class. Cell
phone/Electronic device policies will be clearly discussed and displayed in all
classrooms. See BYOD policy in handbook.
Our classroom should act as a community. It is extremely important for you
to respect your teacher, your classmates, and yourself at all times. Negative
attitudes, offensive language, disrespectful comments, and bullying will not be
tolerated.
Attendance and Tardy Policies:
When a student is absent from school, he/she should bring a note from his/her parent,
guardian, or health care professional within forty-eight (48) hours to the Attendance

Office. Absences are excused (with verification) for student illness, medical
appointments, death in the immediate family, court proceedings, or quarantine.
A student missing more than 10 days must participate in Recovery. Students
may recover absences by class during after school tutorials, Saturday
Academy, Extended Day or with an individual teacher during non-school hours.
Students will need to recover time by course under the supervision of a
licensed staff member. Students will need to recover excess absences hourfor-hour or by completing work approved by the instructor that equals the
amount needed for recovery. Failure to do recovery will result in the student
receiving a grade of F for the course
CMS & State of NC Grading Scale
A: 90-100
B: 80-89
C: 70-79
D: 60-69
F: < 59
Informal Assessments: These will account for 30% of the students quarter grade.
Informal assessments must be aligned to specific objectives and include a variety of
assignments such as warm-ups, notebook checks, quizzes, group work, in-class tasks,
class participation, etc.
Formal Assessments: These will account for 70% of the students quarter grade.
Formal assessments are linked to specific objectives and measures mastery of concepts.
Formal assessments will include, but is not limited to test, quizzes, and major
projects/presentations.
Mastery Grading Statement:Every student at Hopewell High School will be given an
opportunity to master course objectives through a variety of strategies provided during
class and outside of class. Student's formal grades will be broken down by specific
objective. After each formal assessment, every student will be given the opportunity to
improve their mastery of specific concepts and then demonstrate this improvement to
improve their grade."
Concerted Effort: Student work will reflect thoughtful effort towards ALL items
on classwork, homework, and/or assessments.
Remediation/Reassessment: Students who score an 79% or below can retest after
completing the remediation. Students will receive the higher of the two grades for a
maximum of 79%. It is the students responsibility to initiate and complete the
remediation and the retest process within two weeks of the original test date or make
other arrangements, which are agreed to by the teacher. The 2nd may be a different
format, but should maintain the rigor of the initial test. Students who scored above an
80% may also retest for the higher of the two grades after completing remediation.

Late Work: Students will receive a maximum 75% grade for working showing a
concerted effort, if turned in by the beginning of the next class meeting. After this, late
work showing a concerted effort will receive a 50% grade if turned in prior to the first day
of the published exam schedule for each quarter.
Plagiarism, Cheating, and Academic Integrity
Plagiarism is the practice of copying words, sentences, images, or ideas for use in written
or oral assessments without giving proper credit to the source. Cheating is defined as the
giving or receiving of illegal help on anything that has been determined by the teacher to
be an individual effort. Both are considered serious offenses and will significantly affect
your course grade. Please refer to the Student Code of Conduct booklet for additional
information.
Honor Code (PBIS) and Behavioral Expectations: Each student must acknowledge
their understanding of the Honor Code by signing an acknowledgment form. The form
can be located in the PBIS Manual. Students are expected to be responsible, be
respectful, and be on time for class. Cell phone use is determined by the teachers
discretion and the Stoplight system. Food consumption is limited to the cafeteria with the
exception of a documented medical condition. Finally, students should adhere to
Hopewells dress code in compliance with H.D.U.B. policy.
By signing below you are affirming that you have read and understand the
aforementioned information and commit to abiding by all expectations mentioned above.
Please sign and return to Ms.Murphy.
Student Name ______________________________
Student Signature____________________________
Parent Name ______________________________
Parent Signature____________________________
Parent Phone # ____________________________
Parent email ______________________________