Literature & Composition 2
Room #423
Chelsea Usher
Ms. Usher’s Email: [email protected] || [email protected]
Office Hours: Wednesday 2:45 -3:30; by appointment
Curriculum:
Course Description: Literature & Composition 2 is to truly develop, apply, and extend the solid foundation of knowledge, skills, and strategies developed in the previous years’ English classes. Using the lenses of critical thinking and global citizenry, students will develop a new perspective by analyzing classic and contemporary texts in a variety of genres. Students will synthesize more digital information, ideas, and themes to understand the past, the present, and to think innovatively about their quickly approaching future outside these four walls. They will identify and apply their own leadership skills and prepare for responsible action as American citizens in the context of a global world.
Required Texts/Readings: Over the course of the year students will be reading a series of short stories, poems, and nonfiction articles as well as major thematic texts like, The Lord of the Flies, A Christmas Carol, and Born a Crime. In addition to these, students will be required to have multiple Accountable Independent Reading (AIR) books over the course of the year. I have a varied library available to the students at all times, or they can check out the books of their choice at their local library.
Assignments and Grading Policy:
Course Unit Outline: Each unit in Lit & Comp 2 will last for about 1 marking period (10 weeks) and include a series of assignments, quizzes, essays, and projects.
Unit 1: Mob Mentality & The Freedom of Individuality
Inquiry Question: Is there evil in all of us?
Big Idea: Power & Control
Text: The Lord of the Flies
Writing Pieces: Persuasive Essay
Projects: Black Out Poetry; Body Biography
Unit 2: A Responsibility to Others
Inquiry Question: Is it difficult because it’s true?
Big Idea: Forgiveness & Compassion
Text: A Christmas Carol
Writing Pieces: Compare & Contrast Essay
Projects: Pecha Kucha; Community Service Project
Unit 3: America Untold
Inquiry Question: What does "American Culture" mean?
Big Idea: Storytelling and Language
Text: Poetry Anthology
Writing Pieces: Lierary Criticism Essay
Projects: Black Out Poetry
Unit 4: Claims Based Research
Inquiry Question: How do we decide what’s right?
Big Idea: Ethics
Text: Born a Crime
Writing Pieces: Research Essay
Projects: Multi-Genre Research Project
What Students Need for Class: Students should have the following items with them daily. Having all of these items daily will be part of their participation grade in the class weekly.
Note to All Students: Students who wish to advance to the AP Literature & Composition course next year must maintain a B+ average (85%) for the year in order to qualify for honors advancement.
Classroom Behavior Expectations: In order to be successful in the classroom it is imperative that students follow the expected standards of conduct:
Late Work Policy:
Students who miss the assignment deadline can still turn in the work up to one week after the deadline for 50% of the credit.
Plagiarism:
Plagiarism is defined as taking someone’s ideas and writings and presenting them as your own. Students caught plagiarizing will be given a ZERO for the assignment without the opportunity to make it up, and parents and administration will be notified.
PLAGIARISM INCLUDES:
Please refer to the Pathways Academy of Technology & Design’s Parent-Student Handbook for all school-wide and district-wide policies.
Room #423
Chelsea Usher
Ms. Usher’s Email: [email protected] || [email protected]
Office Hours: Wednesday 2:45 -3:30; by appointment
Curriculum:
Course Description: Literature & Composition 2 is to truly develop, apply, and extend the solid foundation of knowledge, skills, and strategies developed in the previous years’ English classes. Using the lenses of critical thinking and global citizenry, students will develop a new perspective by analyzing classic and contemporary texts in a variety of genres. Students will synthesize more digital information, ideas, and themes to understand the past, the present, and to think innovatively about their quickly approaching future outside these four walls. They will identify and apply their own leadership skills and prepare for responsible action as American citizens in the context of a global world.
Required Texts/Readings: Over the course of the year students will be reading a series of short stories, poems, and nonfiction articles as well as major thematic texts like, The Lord of the Flies, A Christmas Carol, and Born a Crime. In addition to these, students will be required to have multiple Accountable Independent Reading (AIR) books over the course of the year. I have a varied library available to the students at all times, or they can check out the books of their choice at their local library.
Assignments and Grading Policy:
- 20% - Reading – Assignments that are focused on reading, understanding, and interpreting a variety of texts.
- 20% - Writing – Assignments that are focused on the application of core knowledge for writing across the curriculum.
- 20% - Speaking & Listening – Assignments that demonstrate effective communication in writing, speaking, and visual presentations
- 20% - Language – Assignments that are focused on the growth and development of grammar, vocabulary, and language usage.
- 15% - Social – Assignments that contribute to a healthy classroom environment by respecting people, property, ideas, and diversity. Homework completion falls under this category.
- 5% Civic - Engagement in school wide programs, cultural activities, Weebly pages, theme project portfolio work, and the neighborhood/community.
Course Unit Outline: Each unit in Lit & Comp 2 will last for about 1 marking period (10 weeks) and include a series of assignments, quizzes, essays, and projects.
Unit 1: Mob Mentality & The Freedom of Individuality
Inquiry Question: Is there evil in all of us?
Big Idea: Power & Control
Text: The Lord of the Flies
Writing Pieces: Persuasive Essay
Projects: Black Out Poetry; Body Biography
Unit 2: A Responsibility to Others
Inquiry Question: Is it difficult because it’s true?
Big Idea: Forgiveness & Compassion
Text: A Christmas Carol
Writing Pieces: Compare & Contrast Essay
Projects: Pecha Kucha; Community Service Project
Unit 3: America Untold
Inquiry Question: What does "American Culture" mean?
Big Idea: Storytelling and Language
Text: Poetry Anthology
Writing Pieces: Lierary Criticism Essay
Projects: Black Out Poetry
Unit 4: Claims Based Research
Inquiry Question: How do we decide what’s right?
Big Idea: Ethics
Text: Born a Crime
Writing Pieces: Research Essay
Projects: Multi-Genre Research Project
What Students Need for Class: Students should have the following items with them daily. Having all of these items daily will be part of their participation grade in the class weekly.
- 3 Ring Binder
- 5 Tab Dividers
- College-Lined Paper
- 3-hole Punched Pencil Pouch
- Pen/Pencil
- Laptop
- AIR Book (independent reading book)
Note to All Students: Students who wish to advance to the AP Literature & Composition course next year must maintain a B+ average (85%) for the year in order to qualify for honors advancement.
Classroom Behavior Expectations: In order to be successful in the classroom it is imperative that students follow the expected standards of conduct:
- A Pathways Student:
- Ø Turns in their work on time
- Ø Asks questions about the work before it is due
- Ø Asks what was missed during block break or before they return to class when they miss class
- Ø Emails their teachers or checks the online platform before returning to class when they miss class
- Ø Students with excused absences will not be penalized for late or missing assignments as long as they meet the responsibilities listed above and complete the missed work within 2 missed classes.
- Ø Students with unexcused absences, who skip class, or who are chronically distracted while in class due to technological distractions will not be given make up work in the last 2 weeks of a marking period.
Late Work Policy:
Students who miss the assignment deadline can still turn in the work up to one week after the deadline for 50% of the credit.
Plagiarism:
Plagiarism is defined as taking someone’s ideas and writings and presenting them as your own. Students caught plagiarizing will be given a ZERO for the assignment without the opportunity to make it up, and parents and administration will be notified.
PLAGIARISM INCLUDES:
- Ø Copying all or part of someone’s work and submitting it as your own
- Ø Using a source (paraphrase or quote) without proper citations
- Ø Collaborating on an independent assignment
Please refer to the Pathways Academy of Technology & Design’s Parent-Student Handbook for all school-wide and district-wide policies.