Tenth Grade English American Literature

Mrs. Volz svolz@kingsridgecs.org

Course Description: Tenth grade English is devoted to the chronological study of American literature from the Puritan to Postmodern periods, and an important objective of the course is to introduce students to the connection between history and literature. Major works to be studied include The Crucible, The Scarlet Letter, Ethan Frome, The Great Gatsby, and Anthem. The primary focus of the course is on augmenting students critical reading and writing skills. All assigned essays will stem from the works read in class; students will use quotations from the texts to persuade, analyze, compare, and contrast. During Third Quarter, students will write a formal research paper using MLA documentation. Texts: Literature: American Experience, Prentice Hall Supplemental Texts: The Scarlet Letter (ISBN#0679783385) Ethan Frome (ISBN#0684825910) The Great Gatsby (ISBN#0743273567) Anthem (ISBN#0451191137) Supplies: three-ring notebook with dividers loose-leaf paper (NO SPIRAL) pens/pencils/hilighters texts notecards Grading System Essays 25% Tests/Projects 25% Quizzes 15% Homework 10% Final Exam 25%

Expectations * Always show respect for teachers, other students, and yourself. * All final drafts of essays are to be typed in black ink, size 12, normal font. * Please respect due dates by responsibly completing homework on time. Late homework will receive a zero and an academic deficiency; late essays will be subject to late penalties. See the handbook. * Due dates are not flexible. If you are absent on the day a major essay or project is due, you need to make every attempt to get your paper to me either physically electronically. * Homework is your responsibility and should be done on your own. In the event of an absence, students are responsible for all work missed. Please check the webpage for assignments. If there is a reading assignment on the day(s) of your absence, it will benefit you to stay current with the class. * If you check in school after this class or check out before this class, work due that day must be given to me personally that day. Any work not turned in that day will be subject to the late work policies. * Please make attendance a priority. Plagiarism Plagiarism is literary theft and is defined as using the words or ideas of another without giving proper credit or citation. In an academic setting, plagiarism falls under the category of cheating. To avoid plagiarism, students must put quotation marks around any words copied directly from another source, document all sources and materials used, and include proper citations. Students must exercise extreme caution when using the web or any electronic source due to the relative ease with which text can be copied and pasted in a document; doing so without using quotation marks and citations is plagiarism. Students must also take great care that all citations accurately reflect the source of the material being cited. Any incorrect citation whether intentional or not constitutes plagiarism. Any instances of plagiarism result in an automatic referral to the Honor Council.

A Word on Class Participation Contributing to discussions indicates to me that you are prepared for class and are following the ideas and concepts being discussed. Please be aware that as a member of the class, your ideas and questions are very important, and all will benefit from hearing different points of view. I would like to encourage you here at the beginning of the year to make consistent class participation a goal for this semester. You might be surprised at how adding to discussions helps you to make higher quiz and test grades.

Extra Help I am here to help you succeed. If you are ever falling behind, do not understand something discussed in class, or need extra help on an assignment, please be proactive and see me as soon as possible. I am available during help sessions and most days after school.