Course Syllabus
Honors English II Syllabus (PDF Version)
Cory McDowell
Classroom Ext.: (704) 296-3088 || 7163
Welcome to Honors English II!!
Course Overview
In this course, we will begin to study world literature through the examination of texts from the Americas (North, South, and Central), Africa, Asia, Western Europe, and the Middle East. Students will also be introduced to critical writing. As a class, we will examine (through close-reading) the elements of the literature. The goal of this course is to learn aspects of other cultures and languages through reading, writing, speaking, and of course, thinking.
Part of the core requirements for this class is writing. Our goal is to have the student as college ready as possible. This includes: argumentative, narrative, expository, persuasive, literary analysis, and compare/contrast papers. As students here at CATA, you are expected to use outside sources and form a comprehensive research essay of at least 5-6 pages.
Note: HN is an honors level course. This course is also available in the Program of Studies at the College Preparatory level. Students earning credit for an Honors level course receive an elevated number of Quality Points for their Grade Point Average. Students choosing the Honors level course should be aware that this Honors level course will include:
- Required extension opportunities that are directly related to the Standard Course of Study. This includes additional content beyond that covered in the College Preparatory level.
- More challenging coursework and assessments. Students will be expected to demonstrate higher levels of understanding for grades.
- Projects and presentations will be more in depth.
- Students will have to focus and study regularly to master the content.
- The expectation that students can move through the coursework at an accelerated pace and students experiencing difficulty should quickly seek guidance from their teacher on how they can be more successful.
Materials
- A composition notebook for daily writing. This will serve as your daybook. You will put handouts (taped or stapled) and your writing in this book. Everything we do on a day-to-day basis.
- Loose leaf paper or notebook
- Some sort of folder or binder for papers/handouts
- Highlighters (blue, green, yellow, orange)
- Papermate Profile multi-color pens (you can get these anywhere that sells school supplies).
- Post-it Notes for annotations in books
- Pens and/or pencils
- Chromebook!!
Resources
Holt McDougal. Literature, Grade 10. (in-class text)
Learning Platform at Central Academy
Canvas: The majority of assignments will be submitted on our new "learning platform," Canvas. Assignments can be submitted a variety of ways including, uploading files, typing into text boxes, and sharing Google documents/presentations. Students not having used Canvas before should alert the teacher and they will be shown how to submit assignments on Canvas. Individual assignments will indicate which method of submission on Canvas is expected. If students need a refresher or have questions, they can access the Canvas Student Guide for specific instructions. It is the student's responsibility to ensure assignments are submitted on time and to contact the instructor if there is a problem. The Canvas Learning Platform logs every student log-in on Canvas which provides teachers with a list of when students log-in to Canvas using their user id.
Canvas is used to grade assignments as well, however, the grades in Canvas, while accurate to that assignment, are NOT the teacher’s gradebook. The teacher’s gradebook includes categories of assignments that may be weighted differently and may include grades for assignments that did not use the Canvas Learning Platform. Therefore, students and parents should always check their child’s true average on the Parent Portal on Powerschool.
Canvas Calendar will have the posted pacing schedule for the class. Each day on the calendar is what students are supposed to have read for that day (i.e. If Les Miserables Excerpt Three is on the calendar for May 3rd, it needs to be read for May 3rd's class. It is NOT homework for that night).
TurnitIn is the originality checker we use to grade assignments and check for plagiarizing. This database checks the internet, other student submissions, and many other sources. Plagiarism is using someone else’s ideas or words as one’s own without proper credit to the source. Students should craft their own original arguments when writing for this class. Refer to the Student Handbook for Honor Code and plagiarizing policies.
EmpowerED
This provides parents with links to online resources and apps that students may access. EmpowerED
Procedures for Class
- Be respectful. To EVERYONE!
- Be prepared. Make sure you are ready when the bell rings. No one has time for shuffling, plugging in Chromebooks, etc.
- Be focused. I think this goes without saying. I WILL call on you to participate if I feel you’re not staying focused and on task.
- Be active. PARTICIPATE in discussions, helping your classmates, asking questions, etc.
- All graded materials NOT submitted through Canvas need to be put in the appropriate tray on the table.
- NO restroom breaks in the first or last 15 minutes of class.
Quizzes/Essays
In this class, students will have various quizzes throughout the semester. Quizzes will mainly be reading and vocabulary quizzes. The teacher reserves the ability to give announced and unannounced quizzes.
Essays will be of various scope (expository, critical, analytical, etc.) throughout the semester. Rubrics will be provided per essay. Students will have several writing sessions, seminars, and peer-review opportunities along with the assignments. ALL essays will be submitted through Turnitin using the plagiarism checker.
Test/Major Projects
Tests and major projects come at the end of each unit. Tests will be made up of multiple choice, short response, and essay questions. Major projects will demonstrate your understanding of a major element or concept in the literature for that unit. They will be research-based and in-depth projects.
Late Work
Late work will be accepted after an absence within two days after your absence as outlined in your Student Handbook and this course syllabus (under Grading). This means ONLY the work missed on the day of the absence NOT work for the day the student comes back. Readings will be posted in Canvas daily. If absent, make sure to check the readings for the returning day.
Attendance/Tutoring
Attendance is paramount to student success. If the student misses a class, it is THE STUDENT’S responsibility to make-up any work missed. As stated above and in the student handbook, students have TWO days to make up work after an absence.
Mr. McDowell will offer tutoring on Mondays from 3:30 until 4:30. The classes are big. This will be the time students can see him outside of class for extra help and understanding, or even if a chance was missed to ask a question or get clarification in class. Feel free to stop by even just for 10 minutes.
Mr. McDowell, also, holds mandatory remediation/tutoring during Cougar Time when students are identified as needing extra help.
Grading
This course will be graded on the ten-point scale and will be broken down into four categories:
- Major projects/essays/tests: 40%
- Quizzes: 30%
- Participation: 20%
- Homework: 10%
Grading Scale:
A 90 - 100
B 80 - 89
C 70 - 79
D 60 - 69
F 0 – 59
*Grades in PowerSchool marked as a “0” will not be allowed to be made up
*Grades in PowerSchool marked as a “1” will be allowed to be made up within the specified amount of time per the student handbook
Grading Composition: Course work will make up 75% of your final grade; the final exam will make-up 25% of your final grade based on your performance on the English II End-of-Course Exam.
Units (preliminary and subject to change)
*Each unit will include vocabulary, non-fiction pieces, poetry, written responses (creative and reading responses), and historical background; as well as, other assignments on a weekly/daily basis.
Unit I: Introduction to World Literature/Grammar/Writing/Short Stories (Various African and European selections)/Poetry
Introduction to Research and Research Paper/Milestones
4 weeks
Unit II: Literary Analysis - Night by Elie Wiesel/Wartime Poetry (World)
Project: Podcast
4 weeks
Unit III: Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare (British)/Excerpts from Medea by Euripides (Greece) and other cultural plays/Select poetry
4 weeks
Unit IV: Literary Analysis - Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe (African/”Response” to Conrad’s Heart of Darkness)/Criticism/Poetry
Research Paper Due
4 weeks
Unit V: Literary Analysis - Excerpts from Les Miserables by Victor Hugo (France)/Revolutionary Documents
2 weeks
Course Summary:
| Date | Details | Due |
|---|---|---|