English 11R Course Outline 

Welcome to English 11R. Below you will find a tentative breakdown of what will be covered over the course of the school year. Additionally, you will find a brief overview of classroom rules and required materials.

The workload this year will be quite rigorous, as this is the year, we must prepare for the Common Core Regents examination which will be taking place in January of this school year. The test itself is intensive and demanding and therefore so must our preparation be. Keeping these things in mind, it is of the utmost importance that everyone come to class each day well prepared and ready to work. Extra help is always available with advanced notice. Do not hesitate to ask.

Graded work will be distributed through a combination of Microsoft Teams and hard copy assignments. Backup copies of materials will also be available in the files section of Teams; however, hard copy assignments must be turned in as such.

Literature:

Plays and Novels:

The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald

A Long Way Gone, by Ishmael Beah

Hamlet, by William Shakespeare

The Crucible, by Arthur Miller

Short Stories:

“Dr. Heidegger’s Experiment” – Hawthorne

“The Interlopers” – Saki

“The Devil and Tom Walker” – Irving

“The Story of an Hour” – Chopin

Additionally, we will be reading several pieces of literature (short fiction, nonfiction, and informational texts) from classroom texts and other sources.

Poetry:

We will spend several weeks studying poetry from a wide range of poets with the goal of becoming skillful at identifying poetic devices and understanding the purpose and effects of their usage. This skill will be integral to our Regents preparation. As a culminating project for the unit, we will be creating portfolios of original poetry utilizing the poetic devices covered in class.

Grammar and Vocabulary:

Grammar study will focus on style and creating more elaborate sentence structure as well as on topics commonly seen on the PSAT and SAT exams.

Vocabulary study will be rooted in terms found in works of literature studied as well as in words commonly seen on college entrance exams and assignments from Vocabulary from Latin and Greek Words workbook.

Writing:

Extensive preparation for the Common Core Regents Exam (Rhetoric, Argumentative writing, and forming evidence-based claims).

MLA research paper

Creative fiction and poetry

Daily Required Materials: It is imperative that you come to class each day with both a charged 1:1 device, charger, and a notebook designated for English class.

Classroom rules and Grading Policy: The classroom climate must remain one of mutual respect between all. There is no cell phone use allowed during class time. Discipline referrals will be written immediately, and there will be no repeat warnings. Additionally, Air Pods are not permitted during instructional time, and there is no food permitted in the classroom. The grading policy is consistent across the English department: Tests and Essays 40%, Quizzes 30%, Classwork/Participation and Homework 30%. Points will be deducted daily for late submitted work.

Senior English Course Overview 

Welcome to Senior English. This year we will be covering a wide range of literature and a variety of writing genres as we prepare for college and the exploration of career paths. The requirements for the course are a charged and functioning school computer and a notebook designated for English class. Both should be brought to class each day as all assignments and class materials will be distributed through a combination of Microsoft Teams and hard copy handouts. The course will be broken down into units which are listed below:

Unit 1: Narrative Writing:

• The College Essay: The essay is a crucial part of the application process, and we will spend several weeks working on the writing and revision of essay drafts. Below is a list of the process we will use in class.

• Read articles illustrating things to do and things to avoid.
• Focus attention on specific ideas for the purpose of telling a story as opposed to writing a generic essay.
• Evaluate and analyze sample essays to become acquainted with requirements and process.
• Work on the development of elaborate sentence structure, voice, tone, and style.
• Draft and revise several times.

Unit 2: The Short Story:

Exploring the genre from its origins to modern day.

• Origins of the Short Story
• Narrative Poetry
• Aesop’s Fables
• Flash Fiction
• The Romantic Period
• The Gothic Period
• Contemporary Classics

Unit 2a: Gothic Lit. Extension:

• Novel Study: I am Legend by Richard Matheson

Unit 3: Poetry and Original Poetry Portfolios:

• Selected works from both classical and contemporary poets. We will use studied pieces as models to create original poetry portfolios as a culminating project.

Unit 4: Novel Study: Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer:

• How does society impact the individual?
• Students will connect the novel with outside readings, both fiction and nonfiction to explore the ways in which society can play a role in shaping the individual.

Unit 5: MLA Research Paper:

• Research skills are essential to the college student. Therefore, we will spend time reviewing the proper MLA format, parenthetical citations, and thorough yet efficient research techniques with a clear and specific focus. We will also review plagiarism (intentional and unintentional) to ensure clarity before the move to higher education.

Unit 6: Fantasy Writing Unit:

• As a creative writing unit, students will develop original fantasy stories including maps, history, character sketches, and all elements of plot structure.

Unit 7: Film Studies/Screenplay Analysis/Original Screenplays/Finding Forrester:

• Cinema has become one of the most important visual mediums. As a storytelling device, historical document, expression of imagination, and artistic object, there is no form more capable of capturing interest and provoking the senses. Using a study of Finding Forrester, we will analyze the ways in which a film version of a novel enhances, or in some instances, detracts from the appreciation of the text. From there, we will read selections from other screenplays to study the art and efficiency of screenwriting. The unit will culminate with the writing of original screenplays which may be filmed and brought to life.

• Classroom Policies and Extra Help

Classroom rules and Grading Policy: The classroom climate must remain one of mutual respect between all. There are absolutely no cell phones allowed during class time. Discipline referrals will be written immediately, and there will be no repeat warnings. Additionally, Air Pods are not permitted during instructional time, and there is no food permitted in the classroom. The grading policy is consistent across the English department: Tests and Essays 40%, Quizzes 30%, Classwork/Participation and Homework 15% each. Points will be deducted on a daily basis for late submitted work.

Extra help will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 2:30 in room 245. If those days or times are not convenient, alternative days or times can be accommodated as long as there is prior notice.