Ms. McCain
The American School of Marrakech
2015-2016
http://asmhsenglish2.weebly.com/
· Grade 9 – The Birth of Literature – Creation of Life and Literature/Hero Cycles and Journeys
The Alchemist, Siddhartha, Rumi, Genesis, The World on the Back of a Turtle, The Odyssey, Oedipus, Grendel/Beowulf, Candide, Canterbury Tales, The Once and Future King, The Housekeeper and the Professor, Macbeth, Poetry Unit,
· Grade 10—Cultural and Personal Identity
Catcher in the Rye, “The New Dress,” Metamorphosis, “Araby,” Things Fall Apart, “The Guest,” Rights Movements (Nonfiction by Ghandi, Mandela, King Jr., Malcolm X, Berber and Women’s Rights), Poetry (The Revolution Will Not Be Televised/Beats/Spoken word/counter culture), Historical context of Romaniticism and Realism, Macbeth, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao,Life of Pi, Poetry Unit (Renaissance, Reformation--Paradise Lost, Pilgrim’s Progres, A Separate Peace (if time)
· Grade 11 --American Literature
Fahrenheit 451, Emerson and Thoreau (nonfiction), Dead Poet’s Society, Huckleberry Finn, Noam Chomsky, Jazz, The Great Gatsby, The Sun Also Rises, “The Open Boat,” Death of a Salesman, Devil in the White City, The Road, Poetry Unit
· Grade 12 –World Views/AP English Literature and Composition
Brave New World, College Application Essay, Night, Life is Beautiful (movie), Wuthering Heights, Chocolat movie, Great Expectations/Sense and Sensibility/Age of Innocence, “Rocking Horse Winner,” Heart of Darkness, Hamlet (THE RENAISSANCE MAN – 12 STRENGTHS), The Handmaid’s Tale / Tess, The Kite Runner, Poetry Unit (Sound and Sense)
Supplies
· Novels: As assigned to the class and available from the library or downloaded on .pdf.
· Notes: A notebook and/or computer file containing notes and handouts, a journal, pens and pencils.
· Computer or tablet
*All assignments, rubics, and other vital info is listed on Weebly. Note which assignments must be turned in on hard copy/turnitin.com, which may be checked on computer or in notebook, and which are due on Ning.
9th and 10th grade Ning: www.seniorlitandlife.ning.com,
11th and 12th grade Ning: www.juniorrebelreaders.ning.com
Academic and Assessment Policies
Your grade is an honest assessment of your learning and academic performance. It reflects what you have mastered and the extent of your mastery. Major written assignments will be assigned along with a rubric, making all expectations explicit. This work will, however, primarily be marked holistically.
Participation points: Students are awarded 25 participation points at the start of the trimester, and receive further bonus points for showing good character, playing a critical role in discussions, engaging well with material, and performing above expectations. Points are deducted for tardiness (-1 when a student is less than 2 minutes late, and -2 for any further lateness. This does not detract from any further consequences given for excessive tardiness such as detentions and in school suspensions, as determined by the administration). Likewise, each student is allowed 2 emergency restroom, locker, or nurse passes per trimester. After those are used, points are deducted for missing additional class time. . Points can also be deducted if a student fails to participate in class, disrupts the class, or fails to uphold the values that ASM has stipulated in its character guides.
Grades 11 and 12:
Major Assignments and Tests 70%
Minor Assignments and Quizzes 15%
Classwork 10%
Participation Points 5%
Grades 9 and 10:
Major Assignments and Tests 50%
Minor Assignments and Quizzes 25%
Classwork 20%
Participation Points 5%
*Bonus points count 5% of your grade. Everyone begins with 25 points in this category. Additional points may be rewarded for exemplifying outstanding character (ex) helping a struggling student, exceptional class participation (profound creative/critical thinking) and evidence of learning beyond the classroom. Bonus points are not a substitute for doing required work but rather an application/extension of learning in the humanities. I recommend everyone do one of the options below each trimester for 10 additional points added to the 5% grade category and, more importantly, to begin the habit of lifelong learning. Additionally, students who choose not to learn/distract peers from learning will be penalized points (ex) not bringing materials to class, asking for points, making a bad character choice (ex) being unkind, having a disrespectful attitude toward others, being argumentative, playing around.
NOTE: In addition to school sanctions, a point will be deducted from the Bonus points for each tardy. All rules in handbook (pp. 28-29) will be enforced (i.e.) points deducted after 10 absences, medical notes required, etc.
Here are some options. You may propose additional ones for approval.
1) Attend/perform in a dramatic/musical/cultural production. Submit a picture of yourself at/in the event for our class website, discuss it with me and the class and (if a play) answer the following questions and submit to me. You may choose to watch some movies as well and respond to questions below but these must be approved.
EVALUATING A THEATRICAL PERFORMANCE
THEME
1. What opinion is expressed or what question is raised about human nature/life?
2. Do you agree with the author’s view/philosophy? Why or why not? What values does the film communicate, challenge, or ignore?
PLOT
3. Does the conflict justify the length? Are you held in suspense until the end? Why/why not?
4. Is the plot fresh, or is a familiar plot given a new twist/slant? Explain.
5. Are you emotionally stirred? Why/why not? How so?
6. Are you satisfied with the final outcome? Why/why not?
CHARACTERIZATION
7. Are the characters true to life? How so?
ACTING
8. Is the interpretation of each role true to the play itself?
9. Are the actors artificial or natural in their techniques?
STAGING
10. Are the sets, props, costumes effective?
11. Is music, if used, effective?
AUDIENCE REACTION
12. In what mood does the play leave most of the audience? Were they intellectually stimulated as well as emotionally moved.
2) Recitations of at least 14 lines from a work studied
3) Attend or participate in an art exhibit.
4) Quality work for writing contests/Creative Writing not assigned.
5) Original artwork, music depicting a work/character studied
6) Projects related to literary periods (food, models, costumes, etc.)
7) Present to the class/discuss with me a work on our library list (or get your own suggestion approved) related to our studies—fiction or nonfiction--but not covered on our syllabus. Some of my “picks” for Pre-AP/AP Literature and Composition Exam include a comedy such as Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, Taming of the Shrew, A Midsummer Night’s Dream or anything by Oscar Wilde as well as a novel of manners by Jane Austen. All students, if you haven’t already, should read Romeo and Juliet. To prepare for the AP Language and Composition Exam, choose a nonfiction work/collection of essays. See me for suggestions.
Grade Scale
97-100 A+
94-96 A
90-93 A-
87-89 B+
84-86 B
80-83 B-
77-79 C+
74-76 C
70-73 C-
67-69 D+
64-66 D
60-63 D-
0-59 F
Attendance and Tardy Policy
Students must be present to do well. At the university level, many departments/professors have policies stating if a student misses a certain number of days (usually 5 per semester excused or unexcused), he/she will automatically fail the course. In my class, if a student is absent or late to class and does not have an excused note, he/she will not be allowed to make up any work/test missed.
Late or Make-Up Work
If you have an excused absence, turn in your note from a parent the day you return with homework. Reading checks must be made up at the beginning of the first day students return to class.
In class essays and tests missed due to excused absences must be made up before the last day of the course. Extra credit is due by the last day of the course as well. Late homework (less than 100 pts) is not accepted but late major essays are. (See below.)
If you are unable to attend class the day an essay (or other major assignment worth more than 100 pts) is due, email it to meand submit to TurnItIn.com. Essays are lowered one letter grade for each day they are late. Out of class essays must be submitted to turnitin.com by midnight of the day the hard copy is due to me. The penalty for not doing so is one letter grade for every day it is not submitted. This will be enforced. If a paper is never submitted to turnitin.com, it will receive a failing grade. (I highly recommend that you submit papers earlier than the deadline. That way, you’ll have time to correct any areas of unintentional plagiarism turnitin.com finds.)
Academic Integrity Policy
Students must be sure (even with group projects and partner assignments) that all submitted assignments, projects (seminars, presentations, etc), and essays comply with the expectation that their work is fully their own. When told to use critical articles as research, Spark Notes and resources like them are not acceptable academic resources. They should not be cited or used. Reading Spark Notes with the text can be helpful with more complicated works but should be avoided as much as possible since such aides are not permitted on SAT and AP tests. Students should avoid reading the analysis sections of Spark Notes since those ideas can creep into students’ papers and, without citation, become plagiarism. Should a student not understand/have questions about a reading assignment, he/she should seek help from me before or after school, during recess or lunch, etc. Our goal is for you to become independent critical thinkers and writers, and I will help you get there.
Composition Checklist
Remember that a student can follow all the guidelines below and still receive a C due to mediocre content. An above average paper must contain ideas that are fresh, mature, and perceptive. A B paper is excellent, while an A paper is superior. An A paper goes far beyond trite comments/obvious statements. The student proved his/her thesis so thoroughly that he/she leaves the reader with no evidence to add or vital points to argue. In a paper of literary analysis, the author not only identifies what the author does to fulfill his purpose but also explains how he does it (ie rather than merely identifying literary techniques used, the student evaluates the effectiveness of the author’s use of these techniques for his intended purpose). An papers is packed with specific examples and its style is sophisticated and memorable; the paper affects the reader.
I. Organization
___A. Does the paper fulfill assignment?
___B. Interesting, effective title?
___C. Interesting, effective introduction?
___d. Thesis statement present?
___e. Paragraphs organized with topic sentences relevant to the thesis statement?
___f. Material in paragraph relevant to topic sentence?
___g. Paragraphs linked with transitions/connectives?
___h. Clear emphasis of main points?
___i. Effective conclusion that answers the question ,”So What?”
II. Development
___A. Important terms defined/illustrated?
___B. Relevant and ample examples, illustrations, other evidence?
___C. Generalizations supported?
___D. Ample and effective quotes incorporated as evidence?
III. Mechanics
___A. Spelling (2 each on out-of-class assignments)
___B. Punctuation
___C. Capitalization, titles, numbers, and abbreviations
___D. Free of grammatical errors:
___ 1. Sentence fragments (10 each for grades 11/12; 5 each for grades 9/10
___ 2. Comma splices (10 each for grades 11/12; 5 each for grades 9/10)
___ 3. Fused sentences (10 each for grades 11/12; 5 each for grades 9/10)
___ 4. Subject-verb agreement (2 pts)
___ 5. Pronoun-antecedent agreement (2 pts)
___ 6. Ambiguous structures
IV. Diction and Style
A. Diction
___ 1. Does language fit subject matter? Has slang been avoided?
___ 2. Denotations used accurately?
___ 3. Connotations used effectively?
____ 4. Unnecessary repetition of words/phrases avoided?
___ 5. Vocabulary varied and sophisticated?
____ 6. Clichés and trite/obvious expressions avoided?
___ 7. Concrete language used
___ 8. Specific language used
___ 9. When appropriate, figurative language used
B. Style
___ 1. Unnecessary words eliminated?
___ 2. Sentence structure varied in length and pattern
___ 3. Sentences parallel
___ 4. Awkward or stringy sentence structure avoided
___ 5. Use active rather than passive voice
The American School of Marrakech
2015-2016
http://asmhsenglish2.weebly.com/
· Grade 9 – The Birth of Literature – Creation of Life and Literature/Hero Cycles and Journeys
The Alchemist, Siddhartha, Rumi, Genesis, The World on the Back of a Turtle, The Odyssey, Oedipus, Grendel/Beowulf, Candide, Canterbury Tales, The Once and Future King, The Housekeeper and the Professor, Macbeth, Poetry Unit,
· Grade 10—Cultural and Personal Identity
Catcher in the Rye, “The New Dress,” Metamorphosis, “Araby,” Things Fall Apart, “The Guest,” Rights Movements (Nonfiction by Ghandi, Mandela, King Jr., Malcolm X, Berber and Women’s Rights), Poetry (The Revolution Will Not Be Televised/Beats/Spoken word/counter culture), Historical context of Romaniticism and Realism, Macbeth, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao,Life of Pi, Poetry Unit (Renaissance, Reformation--Paradise Lost, Pilgrim’s Progres, A Separate Peace (if time)
· Grade 11 --American Literature
Fahrenheit 451, Emerson and Thoreau (nonfiction), Dead Poet’s Society, Huckleberry Finn, Noam Chomsky, Jazz, The Great Gatsby, The Sun Also Rises, “The Open Boat,” Death of a Salesman, Devil in the White City, The Road, Poetry Unit
· Grade 12 –World Views/AP English Literature and Composition
Brave New World, College Application Essay, Night, Life is Beautiful (movie), Wuthering Heights, Chocolat movie, Great Expectations/Sense and Sensibility/Age of Innocence, “Rocking Horse Winner,” Heart of Darkness, Hamlet (THE RENAISSANCE MAN – 12 STRENGTHS), The Handmaid’s Tale / Tess, The Kite Runner, Poetry Unit (Sound and Sense)
Supplies
· Novels: As assigned to the class and available from the library or downloaded on .pdf.
· Notes: A notebook and/or computer file containing notes and handouts, a journal, pens and pencils.
· Computer or tablet
*All assignments, rubics, and other vital info is listed on Weebly. Note which assignments must be turned in on hard copy/turnitin.com, which may be checked on computer or in notebook, and which are due on Ning.
9th and 10th grade Ning: www.seniorlitandlife.ning.com,
11th and 12th grade Ning: www.juniorrebelreaders.ning.com
Academic and Assessment Policies
Your grade is an honest assessment of your learning and academic performance. It reflects what you have mastered and the extent of your mastery. Major written assignments will be assigned along with a rubric, making all expectations explicit. This work will, however, primarily be marked holistically.
Participation points: Students are awarded 25 participation points at the start of the trimester, and receive further bonus points for showing good character, playing a critical role in discussions, engaging well with material, and performing above expectations. Points are deducted for tardiness (-1 when a student is less than 2 minutes late, and -2 for any further lateness. This does not detract from any further consequences given for excessive tardiness such as detentions and in school suspensions, as determined by the administration). Likewise, each student is allowed 2 emergency restroom, locker, or nurse passes per trimester. After those are used, points are deducted for missing additional class time. . Points can also be deducted if a student fails to participate in class, disrupts the class, or fails to uphold the values that ASM has stipulated in its character guides.
Grades 11 and 12:
Major Assignments and Tests 70%
Minor Assignments and Quizzes 15%
Classwork 10%
Participation Points 5%
Grades 9 and 10:
Major Assignments and Tests 50%
Minor Assignments and Quizzes 25%
Classwork 20%
Participation Points 5%
*Bonus points count 5% of your grade. Everyone begins with 25 points in this category. Additional points may be rewarded for exemplifying outstanding character (ex) helping a struggling student, exceptional class participation (profound creative/critical thinking) and evidence of learning beyond the classroom. Bonus points are not a substitute for doing required work but rather an application/extension of learning in the humanities. I recommend everyone do one of the options below each trimester for 10 additional points added to the 5% grade category and, more importantly, to begin the habit of lifelong learning. Additionally, students who choose not to learn/distract peers from learning will be penalized points (ex) not bringing materials to class, asking for points, making a bad character choice (ex) being unkind, having a disrespectful attitude toward others, being argumentative, playing around.
NOTE: In addition to school sanctions, a point will be deducted from the Bonus points for each tardy. All rules in handbook (pp. 28-29) will be enforced (i.e.) points deducted after 10 absences, medical notes required, etc.
Here are some options. You may propose additional ones for approval.
1) Attend/perform in a dramatic/musical/cultural production. Submit a picture of yourself at/in the event for our class website, discuss it with me and the class and (if a play) answer the following questions and submit to me. You may choose to watch some movies as well and respond to questions below but these must be approved.
EVALUATING A THEATRICAL PERFORMANCE
THEME
1. What opinion is expressed or what question is raised about human nature/life?
2. Do you agree with the author’s view/philosophy? Why or why not? What values does the film communicate, challenge, or ignore?
PLOT
3. Does the conflict justify the length? Are you held in suspense until the end? Why/why not?
4. Is the plot fresh, or is a familiar plot given a new twist/slant? Explain.
5. Are you emotionally stirred? Why/why not? How so?
6. Are you satisfied with the final outcome? Why/why not?
CHARACTERIZATION
7. Are the characters true to life? How so?
ACTING
8. Is the interpretation of each role true to the play itself?
9. Are the actors artificial or natural in their techniques?
STAGING
10. Are the sets, props, costumes effective?
11. Is music, if used, effective?
AUDIENCE REACTION
12. In what mood does the play leave most of the audience? Were they intellectually stimulated as well as emotionally moved.
2) Recitations of at least 14 lines from a work studied
3) Attend or participate in an art exhibit.
4) Quality work for writing contests/Creative Writing not assigned.
5) Original artwork, music depicting a work/character studied
6) Projects related to literary periods (food, models, costumes, etc.)
7) Present to the class/discuss with me a work on our library list (or get your own suggestion approved) related to our studies—fiction or nonfiction--but not covered on our syllabus. Some of my “picks” for Pre-AP/AP Literature and Composition Exam include a comedy such as Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, Taming of the Shrew, A Midsummer Night’s Dream or anything by Oscar Wilde as well as a novel of manners by Jane Austen. All students, if you haven’t already, should read Romeo and Juliet. To prepare for the AP Language and Composition Exam, choose a nonfiction work/collection of essays. See me for suggestions.
Grade Scale
97-100 A+
94-96 A
90-93 A-
87-89 B+
84-86 B
80-83 B-
77-79 C+
74-76 C
70-73 C-
67-69 D+
64-66 D
60-63 D-
0-59 F
Attendance and Tardy Policy
Students must be present to do well. At the university level, many departments/professors have policies stating if a student misses a certain number of days (usually 5 per semester excused or unexcused), he/she will automatically fail the course. In my class, if a student is absent or late to class and does not have an excused note, he/she will not be allowed to make up any work/test missed.
Late or Make-Up Work
If you have an excused absence, turn in your note from a parent the day you return with homework. Reading checks must be made up at the beginning of the first day students return to class.
In class essays and tests missed due to excused absences must be made up before the last day of the course. Extra credit is due by the last day of the course as well. Late homework (less than 100 pts) is not accepted but late major essays are. (See below.)
If you are unable to attend class the day an essay (or other major assignment worth more than 100 pts) is due, email it to meand submit to TurnItIn.com. Essays are lowered one letter grade for each day they are late. Out of class essays must be submitted to turnitin.com by midnight of the day the hard copy is due to me. The penalty for not doing so is one letter grade for every day it is not submitted. This will be enforced. If a paper is never submitted to turnitin.com, it will receive a failing grade. (I highly recommend that you submit papers earlier than the deadline. That way, you’ll have time to correct any areas of unintentional plagiarism turnitin.com finds.)
Academic Integrity Policy
Students must be sure (even with group projects and partner assignments) that all submitted assignments, projects (seminars, presentations, etc), and essays comply with the expectation that their work is fully their own. When told to use critical articles as research, Spark Notes and resources like them are not acceptable academic resources. They should not be cited or used. Reading Spark Notes with the text can be helpful with more complicated works but should be avoided as much as possible since such aides are not permitted on SAT and AP tests. Students should avoid reading the analysis sections of Spark Notes since those ideas can creep into students’ papers and, without citation, become plagiarism. Should a student not understand/have questions about a reading assignment, he/she should seek help from me before or after school, during recess or lunch, etc. Our goal is for you to become independent critical thinkers and writers, and I will help you get there.
Composition Checklist
Remember that a student can follow all the guidelines below and still receive a C due to mediocre content. An above average paper must contain ideas that are fresh, mature, and perceptive. A B paper is excellent, while an A paper is superior. An A paper goes far beyond trite comments/obvious statements. The student proved his/her thesis so thoroughly that he/she leaves the reader with no evidence to add or vital points to argue. In a paper of literary analysis, the author not only identifies what the author does to fulfill his purpose but also explains how he does it (ie rather than merely identifying literary techniques used, the student evaluates the effectiveness of the author’s use of these techniques for his intended purpose). An papers is packed with specific examples and its style is sophisticated and memorable; the paper affects the reader.
I. Organization
___A. Does the paper fulfill assignment?
___B. Interesting, effective title?
___C. Interesting, effective introduction?
___d. Thesis statement present?
___e. Paragraphs organized with topic sentences relevant to the thesis statement?
___f. Material in paragraph relevant to topic sentence?
___g. Paragraphs linked with transitions/connectives?
___h. Clear emphasis of main points?
___i. Effective conclusion that answers the question ,”So What?”
II. Development
___A. Important terms defined/illustrated?
___B. Relevant and ample examples, illustrations, other evidence?
___C. Generalizations supported?
___D. Ample and effective quotes incorporated as evidence?
III. Mechanics
___A. Spelling (2 each on out-of-class assignments)
___B. Punctuation
___C. Capitalization, titles, numbers, and abbreviations
___D. Free of grammatical errors:
___ 1. Sentence fragments (10 each for grades 11/12; 5 each for grades 9/10
___ 2. Comma splices (10 each for grades 11/12; 5 each for grades 9/10)
___ 3. Fused sentences (10 each for grades 11/12; 5 each for grades 9/10)
___ 4. Subject-verb agreement (2 pts)
___ 5. Pronoun-antecedent agreement (2 pts)
___ 6. Ambiguous structures
IV. Diction and Style
A. Diction
___ 1. Does language fit subject matter? Has slang been avoided?
___ 2. Denotations used accurately?
___ 3. Connotations used effectively?
____ 4. Unnecessary repetition of words/phrases avoided?
___ 5. Vocabulary varied and sophisticated?
____ 6. Clichés and trite/obvious expressions avoided?
___ 7. Concrete language used
___ 8. Specific language used
___ 9. When appropriate, figurative language used
B. Style
___ 1. Unnecessary words eliminated?
___ 2. Sentence structure varied in length and pattern
___ 3. Sentences parallel
___ 4. Awkward or stringy sentence structure avoided
___ 5. Use active rather than passive voice