COURSE SYLLABUS ENGLISH 10 A/B COURSE DESCRIPTION

COURSE SYLLABUSENGLISH 10 A/BCOURSE DESCRIPTION10th grade English is a year-long literature survey class. The class covers literary terminology, vocabularybuilding, test taking strategies, and several literary genres. Over the course of the year, we will utilizeliterature to focus on these central questions: Is there a difference between reality and truth? Canprogress be made without conflict? What kind of knowledge changes our lives? Does all communicationserve a purpose? To what extent does experience determine what we perceive? Can anyone be a hero?The course is written to Common Core standards and will challenge students to critically think aboutliterature. Students will involve themselves in self-assessment as well as in teacher guided practice andassessment throughout the class. The literature of the class includes selections from Nobel Prize inLiterature and Pulitzer Prize winners.COURSE THEMES Reality vs. TruthResources, Irony and ParadoxCommunicationProgress vs. Conflict Knowledge ChangeExperience Determines PerceptionsHeroesStudents will develop an understanding of: COURSE TOPICSEnglish 10AEnglish 10B Figurative languageTheme in fiction and nonfiction Dramatic speechesMaking predictions External and internal conflictsPlot and foreshadowing Comparing and contrasting tragic heroesAuthor’s perspective Analyzing workplace documentsAnalyzing structure and formatCause and effect relationships Comaring character motivation Theme and cultural contextsConflict resolution Analyzing cultural contexts of myths, epics,Author’s purpose and biasand epic heroesChecking the information againstreliablesources Generating questions Comparing worldviewsComparing points of viewSymbolism a n d allegory Critiques on generaliziations and evidence Comparing themes and moral dilemmasParaphrasing to connect ideas Meaning, tone, and voice in poetryWord choice and toneThe expository & reflective essay Connecting ideas in Greek tragediesFollow and critique technical questions Shakespearean tragediesEvaluate persuasion arguments Comparing universal and culturally specificand rhetorical devicesthemesMaking inferences in setting Blank verse1

.LEARNING OUTCOMESEnglish 10A and 10BStudents will cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says and draw inferences.Students will determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over thecourse of a text.Students will analyze how complex characters develop, interact with other characters and advancethe plot and theme of a selection.Students will learn how an author’s choices concerning how to structure a text and manipulatetime create different effects.Students will learn to determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text,and analyze the impact of word choice on meaning and tone.Students will learn to analyze a particular point of view or cultural experience reflected in a workof literature from outside the United States.Students will write arguments to support claims with valid reasons and relevant evidence.Students will craft informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts,and information clearly and accurately.Students will craft clear and coherent writing appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.Students will develop and strengthen their writing by planning, revising, editing and rewriting fora specific purpose and audience.Students will determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how an authoruses rhetoric to advance that point of view or purpose.Students will draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection,and research.Students will write over extended time frames and shorter time frames for a range of tasks,purposes, and audiences.Students will initiate and participate in a range of collaborative discussions.Students will evaluate a speaker’s point of view, reasoning, use of evidence and rhetoric toidentify any fallacious reasoning or exaggerated or distorted evidence.Students will present information, findings and supporting evidence clearly, concisely, andlogically.Students will make use of digital media in presentations to enhance understanding and addinterest.Students will demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usagein both writing and speaking.Students will determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words andphrases, choosing for a range of strategies.Students will demonstrate an understanding of figurative language, word relationships, andnuances in word meanings.2

PRE-REQUISITES / CO-REQUISITES English 9 A/BWorld History APrimary Text:This course is not text dependent.Required Novels:English 10AEnglish 10BTitle: Grapes of WrathTitle: To Kill a MockinbirdAuthor: John SteinbeckAuthor: Harper LeeCOURSE METHODOLOGYThis is an inquiry-based course where you will discover and utilize knowledge of English / LanguageArts via the lectures, videos, and other readings, and class discussions with other students and theinstructor.Acting as a facilitator, your instructor will guide you through the process; however, as the learner,you are responsible for actively acquiring and constructing knowledge by completing all assignedreadings and activities.Both formal and informal assessment will be used in evaluating your performance throughout thecourse. Informal assessment will include an evaluation of the quality and timeliness of yourparticipation in class activities. Formal assessment will involve multiple-choice quizzes, writtenessays, major writing assignments, a midterm, a final exam and a course project.3

COURSE OUTLINEEnglish 10AUnit12345678AssignmentsAssignment 1Discussion 1Discussion 2The Grapes of WrathAssignment 2Timed Writing- Argument EssayTimed Writing- Explanatory EssayDiscussion 1Discussion 2The Grapes of WrathAssignment 3Timed Writing- Explanatory EssayTimed Writing- Explanatory Essay 2DiscussionThe Grapes of WrathBenchmark Assessment 1Assignment 4DiscussionThe Grapes of WrathAssignment 5Timed Writing- Analytical EssayTimed Writing- Explanatory EssayDiscussionThe Grapes of WrathAssignment 6Timed Writing- Response to LitTimed Writing- Argumentative TextDiscussion 1Discussion 2Benchmark Assessment 2The Grapes of WrathAssignment 7DiscussionThe Grapes of WrathAssignment 8The Grapes of WrathDiscussion 1Discussion 2Timed Writing- Argumentative TextTimed Writing- Explanatory TextBenchmark Assessment 3- Final ExamProject4

COURSE OUTLINEEnglish 10BUnit12345678AssignmentsAssignment 1Discussion 1Discussion 2To Kill a MockingbirdAssignment 2Timed Writing- Explanatory EssayTimed Writing- Argumentative EssayDiscussion 1Discussion 2To Kill a MockingbirdAssignment 3Timed Writing- Explanatory EssayTimed Writing- Explanatory EssayDiscussionBenchmark Assessment 1To Kill a MockingbirdAssignment 4DiscussionTo Kill a MockingbirdAssignment 5Timed Writing- Informative EssayTimed Writing- Explanatory EssayDiscussionBenchmark Assessment 2To Kill a MockingbirdAssignment 6DiscussionTo Kill a MockingbirdAssignment 7Timed Writing- Explanatory TextTimed Writing- Explanatory TextDiscussionTo Kill a MockingbirdAssignment 8Timed Writing- Argumentative EssayDiscussionTo Kill a MockingbirdBenchmark Assessment 3End of Course Project5

COURSE PARTICIPATION OBJECTIVESThis course for which you are registered is a college preparatory, academically rigorous course thatcovers a semester’s worth of material . As such, it is important that you adhere to the followingguidelines as you manage your time and commit to successfully completing all required coursework:1. The requirements for this course are equivalent to completion of minimum of 90 hours ofclass instruction at a traditional on-site high school.2. Assignments must be submitted for each unit as they are completed so that the teachermay review and assess your performance. Do not hold your work, you must submit eachunit’s homework as it is completed, demonstrating weekly assignment completions.3. You participate regularly in your course to demonstrate not only continued participation,but also completion of all course requirements, including assignments, assessments andclass discussion forums.4. You must complete your individual work and any incident of suspected cheating, plagiarismor collaboration on assignments violates the academic integrity expectations outlined atthe time of your enrollment and can result in failure of the course or further action asdeemed appropriate.ACADEMIC HONESTYThe following are forms of academic dishonesty. These practices will not be tolerated.Plagiarism: Plagiarism consists of using another author's words without properidentification and documentation of that author. Plagiarism takes the form of directquotation without the use of quotation marks and/or documentation, or paraphrasingwithout proper identification and documentation. The fabrication of sources, or the act,deliberately or unconsciously, of passing another author's work off as your own are alsoconsidered to be plagiarism.Falsification: Falsification consists of deliberately changing results, statistics, or anyother kind of factual information to make it suit your needs. It also consists ofdeliberately changing a source’s intent by misquoting or taking out of context.Multiple submission: If you wish to turn in the same work or use the same research, inwhole or in part, for more than one course, you must obtain permission to do so fromall instructors involved. Failure to obtain this permission constitutes academicdishonesty. This course is a chance for you to explore your own creativity.GRADING POLICYFinal Grades for this class will be based on your performance, participation in all class activities, groupdiscussions, unit assignments, course projects, and benchmark exams.6

NUVHS GRADING SCALESCHOOLWIDE LEARNEREXPECTATIONSNUVHS students will be Engaged LearnersCritical ThinkersEffective CommunicatorsGlobal CitizensCLASS DISCUSSION RUBRICSCOREInitial PostPeer Replies3Response isthoughtful,original, andcompletelyaddresses theprompt in a welldevelopedparagraph of atleast 5-7sentences inlength.2Response containssome key insightsand adequatelyaddresses theprompt with aparagraph of 5-7sentences inlength.1Responsesomewhataddresses theprompt with aparagraph lessthan 5-7sentences inlength.0Response does notaddress theprompt and doesnot meet thelengthrequirements.2Responses arethoughtful, creatediscussion, andare severalsentences inlength each. Twopeer replies aredone for eachboard.1Responses onlyagree or disagreewith littlemeaningfuldiscussion.0No response wasgiven or was toobrief to generate aconversation.OR no responsewas posted.And/Or: Only oneresponse to oneclassmate.*If there is more than one prompt, students must reply to all prompts. All prompts are wortha total of 5 points. Scoring is detailed above.7