• Ms. Park - English 11 Level 1 •
English 1131
Ms. Park, Room 112
bpark@ledyard.net
(rev. 3/10)Course Overview: English 1131 is a chronological survey of American literature and philosophy from Puritan times through the late twentieth century. You will read essays, sermons, epistles, novels, plays, poems, short stories, and excerpts from memoirs. You will also watch American film of the twentieth century.
Goals: In addition to the goals that Ledyard High School has for you, you will be able to identify various authors’ philosophies and styles and articulate (orally and in writing) how their work reflected America as it was then or would become.
Requirements:
- First is Wordly Wise independent vocabulary study; you will receive a weekly list and workbook exercises to complete on your own. The answer key is available in Room 112 for your use, and you may ask me questions throughout the week. There will be a quiz at week’s end and a vocabulary section on the final exam. Expect to be asked for etymology, usage, part(s) of speech, definition, synonym, and antonym.
- Reading assignments will be challenging, and on some occasions, lengthy.
- Tests or essays (at unit’s and/or novel’s end)
- Written responses to literature and film
- Oral class participation
Expectations: My expectations for your behavior, integrity, and work ethic are very high. You must keep up in this fast-paced and dynamic class. You must possess and regularly demonstrate the following:
- Active listening skills
- Critical thinking and articulation skills
- Willingness and desire to go beyond minimum requirements
- Ability to keep up with lengthy and challenging reading assignments
- Ability to seek and accept constructive criticism (including editing of your drafts)
- Ability to initiate classroom discussion
- An open mind
- Positive attendance patterns (including punctuality)
Grading:
1st marking period 2nd marking period Participation 20% Participation 20% Quizzes 20% Term paper 20% Essays/Tests 40% Essays/Tests 40% Written responses 20% Quizzes/Responses 20% Standards for responses and essays: All work must be word processed using a 12 pt. Times New Roman black font, 1” margins, double-spacing, and MLA format for headings and pagination. You are responsible for your own printing; I do not accept work submitted electronically. Handwritten work will not be accepted except for in-class writing. See the owl.english.purdue.edu site for MLA formatting guidelines.
Essays will be submitted to turnitin.com; a separate handout addresses its use.
Late work: Late work unrelated to absence is subject to a ten-points-per-day grade reduction. You will not be reminded about missed deadlines. Late submission of work to turnitin.com is subject to a five-point deduction. If you are having difficulty getting the website to accept the document, you must e mail me at that time so that I have a time-stamped notification of the problem.
Absences: When you have an excused absence you are allowed the same number of days plus one to hand in your work or make up a test or quiz without late penalty. This does not apply to the term paper or to reading assignments given in advance. Tests must be made up in a single “sitting.” You have my e mail address and may contact me at any time to find out what you’ve missed.
Participation: Each time that we have a class discussion I note on a spreadsheet who speaks and who does not. If you participate in any way relating to the day’s topic, you get 100 points. If you are silent, you get 0. At the end of the marking period I simply average the 0’s and 100’s. Silence is not what I expect from an advanced student. Please note that you are not graded on the quality of your input, just whether you speak or not. Tardiness to class is also handled in this category. If you have an unexcused tardy to class you lose your points for the day. Being on time is a significant aspect of the civic and social expectations for this class.
Extra help: I’m available to help you and I am happy to do so. You can contact me via e mail when we’re not in school. For in-person help, make an appointment to see me before or after school, during my preparation period, which is________________________, and you can find me in________________________ or at lunch in Room 112.
Welcome to advanced English 11 and congratulations on all the hard work that got you here. I hope that you’ll have a great semester.