1. LIMA 2012 English 11 Honors: American Literature

2. Course Description This course is a survey that addresses the development of a uniquely American body of literature through novels, short stories, drama, poetry and historical documents. Throughout the course we will study works spanning from the 17 th century through modern times, focusing on major literary movements, significant authors and the use of literary elements. As we read each work we will work to address a variety of essential questions, including:  What is the American dream?  What influences our choices?  How does war affect us as a society? As individuals? Students will continue to develop critical reading skills to understand, analyze and evaluate literature. We will also using frequent writing assignments to refine our skills in the use of tone, voice, style, and mechanics.

3. Course Description, cont’d. Honors English 11 Pilot Program  11 grade honors have volunteered to participate in a program in which they will implement two model units developed by the Honors Core Units Committee.  These units are all be framed around an essential question, and are designed to increase the level of rigor in high school honors English classes by helping students to develop critical thinking skills and developing the “Habits of Mind” characteristic of Honors level students.  Subsequent units will be developed by other 11 grade honors teachers in the county following the provided framework.

4. Habits of Mind As an Honors English Student, I...  Read widely and often  Foster my spirit of inquiry; seek answers  Make connections  Reflect thoughtfully  Refine my thinking  Develop my capacity for analysis  Write widely and often  Revise deeply  Demonstrate originality  Work diligently

5. Honors Assessment This year, your Honors Assessment will be a portfolio, which consists of two separate sub-portfolios  Writing Portfolio  Independent Inquiry Project

6. Honors Assessment Part I: Writing Portfolio Writing Portfolio & Reflection  What is it?  Collection of your writings over the course of the first three quarters of the school year.  You will choose at least three pieces from your writing folder that you feel best demonstrate your progress as a writer throughout the year.  You will write a two-page reflection on your progress.  25% of your final exam grade.  Why do it?  Help you recognize your progress as a writer, as well as make you more cognizant of your strengths and weaknesses as such.  Give you an opportunity to synthesize your documents into one reflective essay.  Give me an idea of the progress that remains to be made throughout the year.

7. Honors Assessment Part 2: Individual Inquiry Project Individual Inquiry Project  What is it?  By the end of the year, you will have selected or come up with your own “Big Question”, which is by definition difficult to answer or answerable in a number of ways. Ex. 11 th Grade: Is it patriotic to protest one’s government? Ex. 10 th Grade: What makes a true hero? Ex. 9 th Grade: Is it important to show others you care?  You will reflect on this question throughout the year, both by connecting it to the works we read, and by gathering materials independently from a variety of sources (which will be kept in your writing folder).  At the end of the year, you will reflect on your question and generate an answer to it based on the literature you have experienced and sources (poems, songs, articles, photos, etc) you have gathered.  25% of your final exam grade

8. SOL Students will take the Virginia Writing and Reading SOL Exam in March  Required for graduation  We will prepare for this throughout the year

9. Student Expectations Come to class on time  you are late after the bell rings, not one minute after, two minutes, etc… Be prepared for the day’s class with appropriate texts, completed homework, notebook and writing paper and writing utensils Show respect for one another, the teacher, the classroom, and yourself. We are a community of learners, and you will be expected to act as such. Please don’t whine Don’t sit on desks. :) Stay in seats until dismissed by ME NO CELL PHONES!!!

10. Materials/Supplies #2 pencils and blue or black pens a 3-ring binder with 5 section dividers a notebook/composition book and loose-leaf paper flashdrive highlighters post-it notes

11. Reading: Major Works Studied The Language of Literature (text) The Scarlet Letter The Great Gatsby The Catcher in the Rye A Raisin in the Sun **selected short stories, essays non-fiction and poetry

12. Independent Reading You will be reading a book independently every quarter  1 st and 4 th Quarter– American Authors from selected list  2 nd and 3 rd Quarter- any book by an American writer

13. Writing Persuasive and analytical writing and are prominent focuses for the year. Other writing exercises  Persuasive writing  Research-based writing  Expository writing  SOL prompt writing practice  Personal writing in response to literature  Narratives  Creative writing (poems / short fiction)

14. Assessments Quizzes  vocabulary, grammar, writing style, literary elements Homework  reading, annotating, other assignments Discussions  small group, as a class, Socratic Seminars) Writing  essays, papers, portfolios, creative Presentations  formal and informal, individual and group Projects  independent reading, research, portfolios PARTICIPATION

15. Grades and Assessment All of your work will be assigned points using performance assessments, rubric scoring, and informal assessment tools. have met the standards for each assignment Grades will reflect your own personal growth and development.

16. Make-Up Work Late homework due to forgetfulness will not be accepted. Major assignments that are late (papers, projects, journals) will be assessed a penalty of at least 10% each day that it is late, per English department policy. If you are absent, you will have one day for every day you were absent to make up your classwork, or make arrangements for tests and quizzes.  Any work that was due on the day you missed will be due immediately upon your return.  That means the next school day, not the next time you have my class. All late work must be handed directly to me—not left in the office or slid under my door. SEE MY WEBSITE

17. Loudoun County Grading Scale A+: 98-100 A: 93-97 A-: 92-90 B+: 87-89 B: 86-83 B-: 82-80 C+: 79-77 C: 76-73 C-: 72-70 D+: 69-67 D: 66-63 D-: 62-60 F: 59-0