Honors English 11 Mr. Peterson 2008
Course Description
Welcome to Honors English 11. Throughout the year we will
focus on developing ourselves in the areas of reading, writing, thinking, and
communicating as we survey a wide variety of works produced by some of the
greatest American writers and thinkers. We will explore issues, ideas and
cultural currents that surface in a variety of classic and contemporary fiction,
nonfiction, novels, poetry, drama, music and media. Students will prepare and
present a number of individual and group projects, many of which will integrate
research, art, film, music and multimedia. Students will also address the
fundamentals of composition, grammar and vocabulary through a variety of
creative, engaging activities designed to strengthen and build upon existing
skills and knowledge. The subject matter of Honors English 11 will provide us
with topics that we will explore in the form of writing, projects and
performance tasks, each of which addresses skills that are related to critical
thinking, effective communication, literary analysis, research writing and
presenting. As this is an honors-level class, you can expect it to be more
in-depth, challenging and faster-paced than regular English 11.
Course Objectives
Honors English 11 is designed to build upon the knowledge
and skills learned in previous grades, and to make writing and the study of
language and literature practical, accessible and fun. This course should help
students refine their reading, writing and communication skills and will serve
as a foundation for subsequent, more advanced English classes. The major
objectives of the class are as follows:
·
Students will develop a foundational knowledge
of various genres of literature
·
Students will read with comprehension, write
with skill and communicate effectively in a variety of ways
·
Students will know and apply the core concepts
of language arts
·
Students will think analytically, logically and
creatively
·
Students will integrate experiences and
knowledge to form reasoned judgments and solve problems
·
Students will understand the importance of work
and how performance, effort and wise decisions directly affect career and
educational opportunities
·
Students will know and demonstrate a variety of
essential life skills
Aside from the academic and
skill-related objectives of Honors English 11, my goals are to provide an
enriching classroom environment and learning experiences that help students
grow into informed, responsible citizens, voracious readers and lifelong
learners.
Course Content
Honors English 11 is organized according to a traditional,
chronological survey of American Literature throughout history, similar to
college English courses.
Thematic Direction
Native American
Myths: Literature as Oral Tradition
Early
Revolution &
Enlightenment: The Age of Reason
Romanticism &
Transcendentalism
Twentieth Century &
Contemporary Literature
Other Content:
The Crucible
Bless Me, Ultima
The Adventures of Huckleberry
Finn
Research Writing & the Scholarly Paper
Supplies
Please bring the following
supplies to school as soon as possible: pens/pencils, loose leaf paper, spiral
notebook, school planner/assignment sheet and a reading book. Bring these items
every day.
Grades
Grades are a reflection of your level of learning, academic
performance, effort, participation and attendance. Refer to the attached “The
Meaning of Grades” for an in-depth explanation of grades.
Grade Scale
A:
94-100% C+: 77-79%
A-: 90-93%
C: 73-76%
B+: 87-89%
C-: 70-72%
B:
83-86% D: 60-69%
B-: 80-82%
F: Below 60%
Make-Up & Late Work
Students who have excused absences shall be allowed the same
amount of time that they were gone to make up work. The teacher does not have
to accept make-up work from students who have unexcused absences. All work is
to be turned in on time. Late
work will be worth ½ credit. Work that is over a
week late will not be accepted. Only under extenuating circumstances or
emergencies will I consider an extension.
Classroom Conduct:
Students are expected to demonstrate Life Skills at all
times and abide by Classroom Rules and those outlined in school administrative
policy. Here are Mr. Peterson’s Classroom Rules:
- Respect
others’ right to learn. Do not be disruptive.
- Respect
the teacher. I have an important job. Help, don’t hinder.
- Respect
yourself. Your future is important. Get the most out of class time.
Academic Honesty
There are times when you will work with others on classroom
assignments, and times when you are expected to produce your own work. There is
a difference between collaboration and copying.
Plagiarism is the willful use of someone else’s words or ideas under the
pretense that they are your own. Such “borrowing” can be as small as a phrase
or even a single word in a specific context. It can be as large as a paragraph
or even a whole paper. In most cases, I can spot plagiarism easily.
Undocumented use of others’ writing or cheating will result in a zero for the
assignment. Getting caught turning in a paper that isn’t yours will result in
both a zero for the assignment as well as administrative action. Don’t take
chances. Come see me about any questions regarding responsible research and
documentation.
Guidelines for Success:
My role as an instructor is to help you to understand and
improve your own writing process, to provide you with practical, engaging
learning opportunities, to encourage critical thinking and expression, to
provide you with help and resources, and to provide meaningful assessment. But
nothing that I can do or that the textbooks suggest will help you to improve as
much as your own effort and participation. As with most things in life,
you will get out of this class what you put into this class. Here are a couple
tips I recommend to improve your chances for success in this class and beyond:
- Have a positive attitude and believe
in yourself. Raise the bar. Challenge yourself.
- Be prepared. Come to class on time
with all required materials and ready to learn.
- Have fun, seriously. Life is
short. Carpe diem!
- Respect others. Demonstrate Life
Skills and be a good listener.
- Ask questions. Ask me, involve
others, and get help. Failure is not an option.
Contact:
I am available before school, after school, and by
appointment as necessary. Feel free to contact me via email at: petersone@chelanschools.org
or by phone at (509) 682-4061 Room 158. My planning period is 5th
period (
¡Víva Chelan!
Go Goats!
Honors English 11
Mr. Peterson
2007-2008
Please sign below indicating that both parent/guardian and student have read and understand the guidelines for this course as outlined on the syllabus and attached handouts.
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