Course Syllabus
Hi parents! I'm Casey Zvanut (pronounced zuh VAN it) and I'm happy to be your child's teacher for Honors English IV!
Here is the Honors English IV syllabus.
Here is our unit breakdown for the year:
Unit #1: Understanding Story Patterns
Essential Questions (EQs):
- What are some basic structures of stories and poems?
- What are some recurring patterns (archetypes) I can look for in a text to find meaning?
- What is an allegory and how do I identify it?
- How do I use implicit and explicit evidence to support my thoughts?
- Why do authors rely on archetypes, symbols, and other literary devices?
- How do I apply critical lenses to an analysis of a text?
Unit #2: Heroes, Villains, and Victims
EQs:
- How do heroes reflect the values of a culture?
- What does it take to become a hero?
- How does the media contribute to shaping heroes and villains?
- How do I determine if a person is being justifiably lionized or vilified?
- Why is it important to consider multiple perspectives of an event?
Main Text: Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Unit #3: Romanticism vs Realism
EQs:
- What does it mean to romanticize something?
- How does art reflect life and vice-versa?
- What is the responsibility of the artist? To reflect life or to provide escape from it?
Main Text: Frankenstein or Dracula
Unit #4: Tragedy
EQs:
- How can a positive trait become a tragic flaw?
- How do your actions define you?
- What is truth?
- What does it mean to be sane or insane?
Min Text: Hamlet or Macbeth
Unit #5: Politics and Satire
EQs:
- How do artists and authors critique the world?
- What responsibilities do artists have as commentators?
- To what extent is humor effective at addressing social injustice?
Main Texts: Pride and Prejudice or The Importance of Being Earnest