Mission:
The purpose of this course is to
build a foundation for your high school career and for you to continue to grow
as readers and writers of the English language, by learning to think critically
and achieve a level of excellence appropriate for a high school student. Furthermore, we will explore various genres
and themes from the past and present, studying the ways in which human beings
use the written word as a means for explaining and sharing in our experience.
Major works
Ø Allegory
of a Cave by Plato
Ø Selections of Greek Mythology
Ø Oedipus
the King by Sophocles
Ø The
Minority Report
by Philip K. Dick; film by Steven Spielberg
Ø Big
Fish by Daniel Wallace
Ø Romeo
and Juliet by William Shakespeare
Ø Animal Farm by George Orwell
Ø A
Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
Ø Selections from Les Miserables by Victor
Hugo (novel and musical)
Ø Selected poems and short stories
Major
projects
Ø Creating
a musical of Romeo and Juliet
Ø Writing
a screenplay and performing scenes from A
Tale of Two Cities
Ø Writing
mythological vignettes in the style of Big
Fish
Ø Developing
and sketching a graphic novel version of Oedipus
the King
Ø Writing
and performing Spoken Word/Hip Hop version of classic poems/sonnets
Ø Writing
and performing an original science fiction play about a revolution
Assessments
Writing & Major Assignments 40%: This is will be the bulk of your grade. This category includes all major writing
assignments, in-class essays, final projects, and unit tests. Criteria and rubrics for the above will be
made available.
Quizzes 30%: Often the quizzes will be short answer
questions or multiple-choice. If you are absent, a make-up quiz will be
given. Some class projects may also
count as a quiz grade. Criteria and
rubrics will be made available.
Blogs & Study Guides 20%: Every night you will read a selection from
the works above and be expected to compose a blog response or respond in a
study guide packet. If you are absent, please view the blog and respond when
you are able. Criteria and rubrics for the above will be made available.
Journal 10%: Everyday you will freewrite in your journal
as a means of actively thinking during class discussions. You will be asked to share ideas. These journal responses will also be used to
compose blog responses, in-class essays, as well as fully processed
essays. You will receive a grade at the
end of the term for your overall body of work.
Criteria and rubrics for the above will be made available.
Midterm & Final Exam 10% of total final average: These are department exams for all students
in grade 9 college preparatory classes.
Classroom
Behavior
Students must adhere to the rules of conduct
outlined in the Andover High School Student Handbook 2017-2018
edition. If you act like an adult, I will treat you
like one.
No Cellphones: No handheld devices should be in my view at
anytime. Administration will be
contacted if this becomes a persistent problem.
Late Work: It is your
responsibility to approach me about your work.
Please refer to the Andover High School Student Handbook 2017-2018
edition for details.
Aspen: Grades and progress reports will be
consistently posted on Aspen. It is your
responsibility to track your progress.
