Honors English 10 Julie Baker [email protected] 434.220.8132 Course Description: The works studied in Honors English 10 will familiarize students with both a variety of genres,
and with the literature from ancient Greece, Western Europe, Africa, and Latin America. Students will also study
vocabulary, grammar and writing, poetry, and rhetoric. Course Objectives: To engage students in literature so that they emerge as more thoughtful readers and
writers better prepared to understand and engage the world around them and to communicate clearly and effectively.
In addition to reading and writing, the class will study the speeches of famous men and women in an effort to hone
their elocution skills. All truth is God’s truth. As we enter into the study of stories and the truths they reveal, I hope
the students will become more aware of God’s unfolding story in their lives.
Materials/Supplies: A Course Packet; one large three-ring binder with dividers for vocabulary, grammar, and literature. Various novels: Cry, the Beloved Country, by Alan Paton Antigone, by Sophocles Beowulf, unknown author Othello, by William Shakespeare Lord of the Flies, by William Golding Animal Farm, by George Orwell Grading/Assessment: 30% Writing/Essays 30% Tests (Given at the completion of each unit of study or book) 20% Grammar/vocabulary quizzes and homework 20% Homework/class participation which includes reading checks which can be unannounced. Final Calculations 40% First semester, 40% Second semester, 10% First Exam, 10% Second Exam. Papers/Projects/Quizzes/Labs: First Semester Unit 1 Race Relations- An analysis of the historical race issues in South Africa and America and an examination of
the current climate of race relations around the world. Cry the Beloved Country, by Alan Paton Selected speeches and writings of Dr. Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela Writing connection: Compare and Contrast paper/Close reading and writing analysis of a passage from the novel. Unit 2 Greek Tragedy-A study of style, purpose, and power of Greek theatre. Oedipus the King/Antigone, by Sophocles Writing Connection: Persuasive Essay Unit 3 Early English Literature- The formation of the English language and the emergence of Christian
stories. Beowulf The Song of Caedmon Dream of the Rood Le Morte D’Arthur, Sir Thomas Malory Writing Connection: Expository essay on heroes. Critique of a play, movie, restaurant, piece of art. Second Semester Second Semester Unit 4 Elizabethan Theatre: the language and power of Shakespeare Othello, William Shakespeare
Writing Connection: Explication and Analysis of a passage from the play. Unit 5: Poetry-Painting pictures with words-A study of commonly used poetic devices, their purpose and
power. Writing Connection: Research project/presentation on poem and poet. Unit 6 The Nature of Man-A study of the various philosophies regarding man’s character. Lord of the Flies, by William Golding Writing Connection: Argumentative essay on the nature of man. Unit 7: Short Stories “The Bet,” Anton Chekov “The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World,” Gabriel Garcia Marquez “Occurrence at Owl Creek” Ambrose Bierce “By Any Other Name,” by Santha Rama Rau “Flowers for Algernon,” by Daniel Keyes “The Lottery” Shirley Jackson Unit 8: The Art of Public Speaking and the use of Rhetoric
A study of rhetoric in the speeches of Lincoln, Kennedy, MacArthur, Churchill, and King through the lens of
Aristotle’s descriptions of Ethos, Pathos, and Logos. Writing connection: an Argumentation Essay/Public Speaking Unit 9: Animal Farm, by George Orwell-A study of allegory and satire in this political drama. Rules/Expectations/Policies: 1.
Students should bring all needed materials to class every day and not plan on running to their locker. These
include books, notebooks, pencils, and paper. 2.
Students will be given homework almost every night, but it is not meant to be overwhelming. I expect that
students should spend between 30 and 40 minutes each evening completing their work. 3.
Students should be in the classroom when the bell rings or they will be marked as tardy. 4.
Students are expected to submit all assignments promptly. All missing work will be recorded as a zero until
submitted. For late work, 10% of the earned grade will be deducted for each class day the assignment is late (with a
maximum of 50% taken off the earned grade). Any work not completed by the end of the quarter will remain a zero.
Some assignments (e.g. homework corrected in class) may be graded simply for completion on the due date and will
not be accepted late. Homework that involves completing reading questions will not be accepted late. (I do not
accept any emailed work!!!) 5.
Assignments due on the day of a student’s absence must be turned in to the teacher the next class day the
student returns. If a student knows in advance he/she will be absent from class (e.g. for field trips, sporting events,
college visits, etc), the student must turn in the assignment on or before the due date. 6.
If absent, it is the student’s responsibility to find out what work was missed while absent from class; this
information can be found on Libguides. Upon returning to school, the student will meet with his/her teachers to
determine a reasonable timeframe for completion of any missed assignments, quizzes, and tests. 7.
My classroom is a phone/ipod free zone. No electronic equipment is allowed at all! If I see a phone, ipod, or
game, I will ask the student to give it to me. Please keep electronic equipment in backpacks or purses and not in
pockets. 8.
Class will run from the time the bell rings, until approximately one minute before the dismissal bell. Students
should not disturb others by packing up prior to the final minute of class. 9.
Avoid plagiarism which is the “false assumption of authorship…(or use of ) another person’s ideas or
expression in writing without acknowledging the source…(it) constitutes intellectual theft.”(Joseph Gibaldi. MLA
th
handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 5 ed. New York: Modern Language Association of America, 1999). We
will review the specifics of this policy so that students have a clear understanding of plagiarism and how to avoid it. Signature: