Honors English 11
Mr. Peterson

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 fiction, poetry, drama and nonfiction prose essays throughout history, similar to college English courses. 

Thematic Direction
Native American Myths: Literature as Oral Tradition
Early America: Pilgrims & Puritans
Revolution & Enlightenment: The Age of Reason
Romanticism & Transcendentalism
Twentieth Century & Contemporary Literature 

Other Content:
The Crucible, by Arthur Miller
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain
Research Writing & the Scholarly Paper
SAT vocabulary 

Texts
The Language of Literature, McDougal Littell
The Prose Reader, Pearson
Literature: A Pocket Anthology, Longman
The MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, MLA 

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 Categories
Citizen, Effort and Participation: 10%
Homework and Daily Assignments: 25%
Quizzes and AR: 25%
Tests, Papers and Projects: 40% 

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:

1. Respect others’ right to learn. Do not be disruptive.
2. Respect the teacher. I have an important job. Help, don’t hinder.
3. 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. Remember to stay organized. Use a daily planner to write down due dates and events. Keep your priorities in check...you are working on your future. 
 
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