COURSE TITLE:                  ENGLISH 12

TEACHER:                            Ms. Moriconi            

ROOM:                                  B 2.11 (SECOND FLOOR, BLUE POD)

E-MAIL:                                                  Christina_Moriconi@eu.odedodea.edu                         

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION

 

 The AFNorth International Grade Twelve Language Arts course is based on British Literature.  In the literature component, students read and respond orally, visually, or in writing to British Literature from 449 A.D. to the present.  Students create visual images in their writing through literary devices such as figurative language and sensory detail.  They arrange thoughts clearly and logically, formulate hypotheses, articulate responses to complex spoken and media messages, paraphrase and summarize to increase understanding.  Students also interpret ambiguities, subtleties, contradictions, ironies, and nuances in literature and analyze character roles, emotional reactions and motives of characters.  They learn to explain how new words enter languages and how meanings evolve over time, and use this understanding of diversity in dialects to be more perceptive communicators. 

 

COURSE GOALS/OBJECTIVES/STANDARDS  : Upon completion of the Language Arts 12 course, students should be able to:

 

SCOPE AND SEQUENCE

 

British Literature from 449 A.D. to the present will be studied chronologically.

 

First Quarter:

1.      Anglo-Saxon/Medieval Period 440-1485

 

Beowulf

The Canterbury Tales (The Prologue and The Pardoner’s Tale)

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Le Morte d’Arthur

           

2.      The English Renaissance – 1485-1660 Poetry and Sonnets

 

3.      Writing – reading logs (25 books), review of writing process, figurative language, expressive writing, narrative (fictional or autobiographical) account, functional documents to include resume, letter of application, college essay based on significant personal event

 

4.      Independent Novel Study Guide – historical/biographical response to reading

 

Second Quarter:

1.      The English Renaissance 1485-1660-  Drama –

 

Hamlet/Macbeth

Midsummer Night’s Dream

 

2.      The Restoration and Enlightenment 1660-1798 – Essays

 

An Academy for Women

A Modest Proposal

A Vindication of the Rights of Women

 

3.      Writing – I search report, multimedia presentation and reflective essay on

       contemporary social issue/situation

 

4.      Independent Novel Study – personal response to novel

 

Third Quarter:

1.      The Flowering of Romanticism – 1798 – 1832 – poetry

 

Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience

Selections by Wordsworth, Shelley, and Keats

2.      The Victorians 1832 – 1901 Novel Study

 

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Independent Novel Study:  choices may include Tess of the D’Urbervilles, Great Expectations, Wuthering Heights, Jane Eyre

 

3.      Victorian Poetry – Selections from Tennyson, Browning, Barrett Browning,

      Arnold, Hopkins, Houseman

 

4.      Writing – critical analysis of text, comparison of literature with its media counterpart (film, tape, radio, television, ballet, artistic presentation)

 

Fourth Quarter:

1.      Modernism 1902 – 1950

 

Short Story Selections by Eliot, Wodehouse, Woolf, Saki, Joyce,

          Lawrence

Poetry Selections by Yeats, Brooke, Owen, Eliot, Thomas

Churchill’s speeches

Novel Study:  1984/Brave New World/A Room of One’s Own

 

2.      Contemporary Voices 1950 – present – short storied, poems, films

 

3.      Writing – persuasive essay/editorial – critique of public policy

                book/film review

                                        analysis of public performance/speech/document

 

 

CONTINUOUS SCHOOL PROGRESS

 

AFNORTH International Middle/High School’s CSP (Continuous School Progress) goal is, “All students will improve their written communication skills across the curriculum.” The 6 + 1 trait is the model selected to improve school-wide writing in all subject areas. The 6+1 Trait writing framework is a powerful way to learn and use a common language to refer to characteristics of writing as well as establish a common vision of what “strong” writing looks like. Teachers and students will use the 6+1 Trait model to identify areas of strength and weakness as they continue to strive towards continued writing improvement. Success of all students requires that the 6 + 1 Trait become a consistent and integral component of each course taught at AFNORTH International Middle/High School. Students, therefore, in English 12, will become familiar with the six traits and apply them to all formal essay assignments.  During quarter one, students will become acquainted with the vocabulary and characteristics of the model and practice evaluation and assessment of their own essays and peer essays according to these traits.  Beginning with quarter two, on any formal writing assignment and on examinations covering each major literature unit, student essay responses will be developed according to the six traits and assessed by the instructor according to the rubric.  Students will complete four formal assignments quarters two, three, and four, therefore, using the 6 + 1 Trait Model.

 

 

COURSE GRADING/ASSESSMENT

 

                        Tests/Essays/Quizzes                            = 50%

                        Projects                                                = 20%

                        Independent Project                             = 15%

            Discussion and Homework                   = 15%       

 

 

Semester Grade

 

First/Third Quarter                                  = 40%                                     

Second/Fourth Quarter                           = 40%

          Semester Exam                                       = 20%

 

 

CLASSROOM EXPECTATIONS/CONSEQUENCES

 

 

Students are expected to follow all rules set forth in the student handbook.  I will be prepared to give you my best and I expect that you will be, too. Class begins and ends on time.  I expect you to be in your seat before the appointed time for class.  Racing to beat the clock will result in a tardy if you are not in your seat with materials and prepared to begin. Please demonstrate respectful behavior and speech for others in class and on campus.  Within the classroom especially, when one speaker –student, guest, or teacher—has the floor, remain silently attentive until the speaker has finished and then you may respond.  Consequences for a poor choice will be determined by the severity of the situation; however, there is zero tolerance for any behavior which interferes with student learning. Insubordination, disruptive behavior, and behavior that interferes with others’ safety will result in an immediate trip to the office to see an administrator and a parent phone call.  Lesser infractions or inappropriate behavior will result in eating lunch in the classroom. Serious breaches of conduct not addressed above or repeated misbehavior will result in a parent call, a parent/student/teacher conference, and/or an after-school detention.  Common sense, courteous behavior, including speaking one at a time and not engaging in private conversation during group discussions, will make our classroom pleasant for us all, provide an atmosphere conducive to learning from one another, and minimize the number of rules we need.

 

 

TEXTBOOKS

 

 

Kinneavy, James L., and John E. Warriner, eds.   The Elements of Writing.

            New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 1998.

 

The Language of Literature – British Literature.   Evanston, IL: McDougall Littell,

           1997.  

 

SUPPLIES

 

            A THREE RINGED BINDER, Notebook paper or spiral notebook, pens, pencils. 

 

 

HOMEWORK POLICY: Assignment sheets will be provided every two weeks, covering a period of five classes.  Out of necessity, most of the homework focuses on  reading done outside of class at home or during the reading portion of seminar.  The majority of nightly homework assignments, therefore, will focus on the reading of the assigned novels, the completion of accompanying literary activities, study guides and vocabulary development, all of which will prepare the students for class discussion or classroom writing in response to prompts. Homework checks on written material will be conducted on a regular basis at the beginning of the next class. All written homework will be collected  then and checked for a grade. When only reading has been assigned and no written work, writing prompts or announced/unannounced quizzes serve as checks on homework.   As seniors, I expect that you have developed habits which have helped you to get to this point in your education.  When an assignment is given, I fully expect that it will be done.  If you have a conflict and are unable to complete the work within the time allocated, I encourage you to discuss your situation with me. 

 

MAKE-UP WORK POLICY: Late homework will not be accepted unless prior arrangements have been made with the teacher.  If you miss class, you are expected to check your two-week assignment sheet, but you still should check with me before school, after school, or during designated seminar time for getting help, to gather any missed materials or assignments, and/or making testing arrangements for missed quizzes or tests.  If a quiz or test is posted already on the assignment sheet, the student should prepare to take it as soon as possible.   You should get class notes and information from your classmates.

 If you know in advance that you will be absent, check with me to obtain assignments and work which will be given during your planned absence.  If the absence is unplanned due to illness, then you have as many class days as you missed to make up your work.