Course Details:
Welcome to Accelerated English IV!
“You don’t have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them.” - Ray Bradbury
Reading and writing have practical uses in the world at large in virtually every career path, but they also have the potential to allow us to understand ourselves on a deeper level, as well as the world we inhabit. By understanding the origin of the language we speak and the stories that were written in its conception and the subsequent years, we can truly explore the ideas, philosophies, and culture of those who came before us.
In this course, we will be building on what you have already learned in English, focusing especially on reading, analyzing, and writing. We will read literature by British authors, including several novels. Vocabulary and grammar skills will be assessed through quizzes, tests, journaling, class work, and writing.
Supplies:
- Loose-leaf paper and binder
- Number two pencils
- Blue or black pens
- Textbook or outside reading
- MacBook (full charged) and headphones
Student Evaluations:
Minor Assignments (quizzes, essays, classwork, homework, journals, and minor projects) 34%
Major Assignments (tests and major projects) 66%
Late Work:
Failure to turn in any assignment on time results in an immediate reduction by 50%. Work more than one class meeting late will receive no credit.
Example: Homework is due on a Wednesday at the beginning of class. You forgot to do it. It happens. You can still salvage this with a 50 (assuming everything is correct) by bringing it in on Friday. When Friday rolls around, you forgot it again. This will result in a 0 for the assignment.
Make-up Policy:
It is the student’s responsibility to get all assignments missed and to schedule appointments for make-up work in a timely manner outside of class after returning from an absence. All assignments and day's work from each class will be in the What Did We Do in Class Today module on Canvas. You will have one extra class period per excused absence. Example: You are gone on a Monday to the doctor. Homework is due on Wednesday. You return on Wednesday. Your assignment will be due on Friday.
Tardies:
If you are tardy three times, I must unfortunately assume you hate my class, but beyond my general disappointment, you will have earned an unexcused absence. If you continue beyond that into the 4+ territory, you will be written up and may potentially lose the chance at exam exemption.
Reading:
I know some of you dislike reading. I really do understand that. I try my best to keep some audio versions of the works we will be working through and do some classroom readings. But there will be times when I assign you a reading. You must read to be successful in this class. I will be giving reading quizzes without added warning when I give you an assigned reading. This includes when I assign readings in class.
Book Report:
Because you have signed up for an accelerated class, you have opted in for a more in-depth experience. One major differentiating factor between this class and the regular English IV class is the inclusion of independent reading assignments, namely book reports.
Behavior:
Students are expected to show respect to all members of our learning community. The keys to this are simple: 1) Respect me, 2.) Respect your fellow classmates, and 3.) Respect the school. Any instances of misconduct will be dealt with in accordance to the student handbook.
Technology:
Technological tools are extraordinarily important tools in any classroom, particularly English, and that has never been as true as it is this year. Due to the nature of our current circumstances, I will try to put PDFs to most short stories and poems onto Canvas. On that same note, we shall be taking several tests and quizzes on Canvas to avoid needless touching of paper products. Canvas will have everything we do in class on it, so catching up on what is missed in class should be easier than ever, and if God forbid a student is forced into quarantine, the transition should be relatively smooth.
Still, there will be some rules. Since laptops will be used constantly, there needs to be a level of trust on what is used. If I give a 5-minute video and a 15-minute assignment, I expect those things to be done immediately, not after a quick YouTube video. Phones will be kept in the back of the classroom in a cell phone jail. Don't worry. I will give some designated phone breaks. We will be using headphones in class on various projects, but only use them when directed. Halfway paying attention in class while listening to music in one ear is a level of disrespect that I will not tolerate. You can use them when specified, but do not take it upon yourself to make that determination.
As the adage goes, "You control your technology; it should not control you."
Homework:
While a homework assignment may be open on Canvas for a day or two after it is due, please understand that all homework is due on the at the beginning of class on the due date unless specified otherwise.
Plagiarism:
Plagiarism is a big deal to me, and because of that, it should be to you. It will not be tolerated, and you will receive no credit for it. In that same vein, I will be speaking a lot in class, but I will be asking you to think just as much. Pick up where I finish speaking and allow your brain to carry you to new heights. Do not repeat back to me everything I say. Answer the questions on exams correctly, yes, but be sure to incorporate your own understanding and ideas into your work.
Help:
Students should make an appointment to see me during office hours for extra help. I can be found at the school in person (normally in room 112), and I can also be reached by e-mail at thawkins@madison-schools.com. Students should check assignments on the school website before coming to class to make sure that they are prepared.
Extra Credit:
I like to have some fun with extra credit, so always check the Extra Credit module on Canvas. There will be some interesting ways to earn points. Example: guess how many books I will read in a semester.
Students will have the opportunity to earn some extra credit with a writing assignment of my choice near the end of the semester, but that extra credit will only be available to students who have turned in all of their work/homework throughout the entirety of the semester.
Calendar Overview (Subject to change)
NOTE: While I would love to have a degree of certainty on what exactly we will be studying at any given time in the proceeding months, the last year has taught me to always be flexible, for we never know what can occur, and I must ask of you all the same flexibility. I intend to use this as an opportunity to explore different texts to find meaning in the world at large. I've left some room in the plan below for maneuvering, and if I believe I have a poem, short story, or section of a novel that feels timely and important, it is likely that I will place it at the forefront of our conversations. Currently, I am reading The Time Machine by H.G. Wells. Let's just say that there is a strong chance it comes up in conversation when studying Frankenstein.
First Semester-
1st Nine Weeks: Overcoming the Monster Within: Pride/
*Summer Reading: The Metamorphosis
*Old English poetry- Beowulf trans. by Seamus Heaney
Old English poetry- “The Seafarer”
Middle English poetry – The Canterbury Tales ("The Prologue," "The Pardoner's Tale," "The Wife of Bath's Tale," and "The Nun's Priests Tale")
Middle Ages poetry-Excerpt from Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Postmodern short fiction- “The Truth is a Cave in the Black Mountains”
2nd Nine Weeks: Truth and Beauty – Life and Death in Drama and Poetry
*Drama – Macbeth by Shakespeare (No Fear Shakespeare)
Independent Book Report
Renaissance Poetry – “Death by Not Proud” and “The Sun Rising” by John Donne, “Hero and Leander” by Christopher Marlowe, and “Of Education” by John Milton
*Victorian novella- A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
Second Semester-
3rd Nine Weeks: The Burden of Responsibility- Monsters and Movements
*Romantic novel- Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
Romantic essay & poetry- Introduction to Frankenstein, “The Curse of Frankenstein,” excerpt from Don Juan and “Ozymandias,” Prometheus Unbound by Percy Shelley, excerpt from Paradise Lost by John Milton
Romantic Art- First Generation Romantics vs. Second Generation Romantics
Modern poetry-“Musee des Beaux Arts”
Ethics essay-anchor text, “The Case Against Perfection”
4th Nine Weeks: The End of the Quest-
*Postmodern novel- Neil Gaiman's The Ocean at the End of the Lane
Final Research Paper
Victorian poetry- “The Lady of Shalott,” “Porphyria’s Lover,” and “Ah, Are You Digging on My Grave?”
(Mis)Communication essay- anchor texts, “Brave New World of Digital Intimacy,”
Alone Together, “The Hoax of Digital Life,” “Facebook Sonnet,” and “Do You Like Me? Click Yes or No”
*You must purchase a paper copy of these novels.
