Vincent Massey High School
Course Outline
ELA 20F (Pre-AP) English
February – June 2015
Mrs. K. Bromley
Room 10
Course Description and Objectives
The ELA 20F course covers a variety of purposes for the six language arts: writing (40%), reading (25%),
speaking (15%), representing (10%), viewing (5%), and listening (5%). Students will spend an equal
amount of time working with pragmatic texts and aesthetic texts. Each unit of study will address a
variety of curricular outcomes while targeting specific outcomes for assessment.
In Grade 10 ELA, students complete an independent novel study of a novel of their choice. Students will
begin every class with 10 minutes of silent reading, and will complete an assignment based on their
reading. Next, students will choose a second novel to read from “Bromley’s List of Books to Read Before
You Die”. There will be no assignments attached to this novel study – just read and enjoy!
Because this is the Pre-AP course, it is assumed that students plan to take Grade 11 and 12 Advanced
Placement English; the course, therefore, is structured to prepare students for the rigors of AP. To that
end, both the breadth and depth of study in this course are extended beyond the demands of the
regular Grade 10 ELA course. Students are expected to meet these demands; there is no room for
tardiness or unexcused absences, disruptive behaviour, or minimal effort.
General Learning Outcomes
Students will listen, speak, read, write, view, and represent to…
1. Explore thoughts, ideas, feelings, and experiences.
2. Comprehend and respond personally and critically to oral, literary, and media texts.
3. Manage ideas and information.
4. Enhance the clarity and artistry of communication.
5. Celebrate and build community.
Course Evaluation Structure




80%
Coursework
20%
Final Exam
Each of the units within the course is weighted equally.
The final mark for term work, within the respective categories (tests, assignments, and projects)
will be cumulative.
Student Responsibility Guidelines for Assessment and Evaluation
Student Responsibility Guidelines for Assessment and Evaluation
Students actively engaged in their learning are the essence of the Brandon School Division’s mission of educating
the whole child.
The assessment, evaluation and reporting of student learning and achievement involves students, teachers,
principals, parents, superintendents and the Board of Trustees. It is the responsibility of professional educators to
assess, evaluate, and report on each student’s degree of engagement and resulting learning outcomes. Such
assessment, evaluation and reporting is a continuous and fundamental part of the student’s learning process.
Students are responsible for:





their own learning with the expertise, assistance and motivation of their teachers;
engaging individually and collectively in school/community learning opportunities;
improving their learning involvement
playing an active role in assessing their own learning
providing evidence of their learning within established timelines
The purpose of this document is to identify student responsibilities in assessment and evaluation practices,
provide clear guidelines and consequences so students can make informed decisions, and to provide structures
that improve the relationship between student learning and assessment.
All assessments and/or evaluations will be assigned a reasonable completion date by the classroom teacher.
When a student demonstrates negligence and/or disregard towards the assessment and/or evaluation due date,
the teacher can assign a “0” grade for the incomplete assessment and/or evaluation.
For a “0” grade to remain permanent on the student’s record for that unit of study, a teacher’s records will
demonstrate that he/she had advised the student and the parent/guardian that there was an opportunity to
complete the original assessment or an alternate assessment, but that it would have been penalized in accordance
to divisional guidelines.
Penalization for late assessments is as follows:

Grade 9 – 10%

Grade 10 – 15%


Grade 11 – 20%
Grade 12 – 25%
Example: Grade 10 student receives 80% for a late assessment. The penalty for the late assessment would be (80)
(0.15)=12 . The adjusted mark would be 80-12=68%.
Once the late assessment is marked, the penalized assessment mark will replace the “0” grade that was originally
assigned to the student by the teacher.
If the original or alternate assessment is not submitted by the new completion date or if the student refuses to
submit a required assessment, the “0” grade assigned to it will remain on the student’s evaluation records. The
“0” grade(s) will be calculated into the student’s final mark for the unit of study and will be used in the calculation
of the final grade of the course.
SYLLABUS
Note: The units may be covered in a different order than presented in this outline.
Dates are approximate and are subject to change.
Unit 1: Independent Novel Study
Description: This study is designed to allow you the opportunity to read a novel
chosen from a list of six and respond to various aspects of the chosen literature.
After reading, you will complete a creative assignment of their choice (from a list
of 25 options) demonstrating your understanding of the novel’s plot,
characterization, setting, conflict, and themes. You will also write a Literary
Analysis Essay focusing on a motif and theme of their choice. In May, once you
are finished your first novel study, you will select another novel from my list of
“Bromley’s Book-et List”, which include titles that are often included on the Gr.
12 AP Literature exam. There are no assignments attached to this second novel –
just enjoy it! We will begin most classes with 10 minutes of silent reading at the
beginning of every class, but you are also expected to read your individual novel
at home in order to not fall behind.
Summative Assessments:
Creative Assignment
25 marks
Literary Analysis Essay
35 marks
NOVEL CHOICES:
Great Expectations
(Charles Dickens, 1860)
Wuthering Heights
(Emily Brontë, 1847)
The Martian Chronicles
(Ray Bradbury, 1950)
The Secret Life of Bees
(Sue Monk Kidd, 2002)
13 Reasons Why
(Jay Asher, 2007)
The Guernsey Literary and Potato
Peel Pie Society
(Mary Ann Shaffer/Annie
Barrows, 2008)
Unit 2: “The best-laid schemes Of Mice and Men often go awry”
Description: Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, examines the trials of two migrant farm workers
during the Great Depression in the U.S., conveying themes such as companionship, racial and gender
discrimination, and social hierarchies. We will read this novella mostly in class together, learning about
how an author uses indirect characterization, settings, motifs, and allusion to convey theme. You will
also hear a lot from Steinbeck himself in speeches and nonfiction texts, which will help you understand,
from an author’s perspective, the process of writing and the purposes of literature.
Summative Assessments:
My Getaway
20 marks
Found Poem
15 marks
Business Letter
15 marks
Personal Letter
25 marks
Allusion Advertisement/Poem 25 marks
Unit 3: The Purposes and Pictures of Poetry
Description: In this unit, you will be introduced to a sample of well-known poets and poems from the
literary canon, ranging from Medieval Times to the present. We will examine the various purposes of
poetry, such as expressing emotion or affecting social change. This unit will focus on imagery, studying
how and why poets engage a reader’s sense of sight. You will learn the basics of poetry analysis, and will
apply this knowledge in three poetry analysis paragraphs, one of which you will turn into an essay that
follows AP writing standards. Also, you will try their hand at some AP Exam multiple choice questions
based on two poems we’ve studied. You will learn to interpret the themes of a variety of poetic texts,
recognizing the use of poetic techniques for creating stylistic effect and conveying theme. You will
become aware of and use a wide range of poetic forms and devices in your own creative writing. There
is an equal amount of both reading and writing in this unit for the purpose of having you develop a
sincere appreciation for poetry, expand your critical thinking skills through analysis, and realize your
own writing abilities and creativity.
Summative Assessments:
Black Out Poem
20 marks
Multiple Choice Questions (Set 2)
15 marks
Poetry Analysis Essay
30 marks
Class Poetry Anthology
30 marks
Coffeehouse Poetry Reading
30 marks
Unit 4: Paradox in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet
Description: “O loving hate!” You will get to know the famous star-cross’d lovers of Shakespeare’s
timeless play through an in-class reading. You will participate in dramatic activities designed to enhance
comprehension of the text and to build stronger connections to the universal and timeless themes in
Shakespeare’s works. You will learn about the context of Shakespeare’s works, in order to more fully
appreciate and understand the language and themes presented in the play. While reading the play, you
will assess your own learning by completing quizzes to evaluate your comprehension of the readings and
of literary terminology (such as paradox, soliloquy, etc.). After reading the play, we will view two film
versions and compare the visual techniques in a compare/contrast essay. Finally, you will write a unit
test which requires you to analyze passages of the play, connecting literary elements and techniques to
theme.
Summative Assessments:
Shakespearean Selfie (Soliloquy)
20 marks
Medical Article
20 marks
2 Films Comparison Essay
30 marks
Unit Test
30 marks
Unit 5: Blinded by the Light – A Study of Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
Description: This novel study will center on the concepts of knowledge and ignorance, wisdom and
intelligence; we will examine how Keyes’s work of fiction conveys the struggles that accompany growth
in intelligence by analyzing Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave” included in the novel’s epigraph. The reading
of the novel will take place primarily during class orally, stopping to annotate important literary
techniques and motifs that we notice along the way. You will participate in Socratic Circles (questionbased discussions) that you will prepare for ahead of time. These student-led discussions are an
effective way for you to explore your understanding of the text together, filling in gaps in your
understanding of the novel through your classmates. You will also learn about techniques of persuasion,
beginning by debating each other on the controversial topic presented in the novel and concluding with
an argumentative, research-based essay about a topic in mental health treatments and facilities.
Summative Assessments:
Socratic Circle Discussion (final of 3)
20 marks
Surgery Advertisement
10 marks
Debate
10 marks
Research Project & Argumentative Essay
40 marks
Unit 6: Wit & Satire
Description: Lord Byron once said, “Fools are my theme; let satire be my song.” Satire – a type of
humour – has a precise purpose in that it points out a specific failing of a social institution or public
figure. The primary goal of satire is to seek change by ridiculing the faults of the institution or person
under attack. In this short unit, students will read and view a variety of satirical texts, including Mark
Twain’s “Advice to Youth”, Benjamin Franklin’s “Letter of Recommendation”, and an article from The
Onion. Students will also be introduced to the concepts of the Rhetorical Triangle and the SOAPSTone
strategy, both often used in Gr. 11 AP Language. Students will also be introduced to the AP Language
Exam components – multiple choice and timed essays – in this unit.
Summative Assessments:
Second Reading Questions (best 2 out of 5)
Advertisement Rhetorical Triangle & SOAPSTone
Advertisement Parody
Timed Essay (from AP Language exam)
20 marks
10 marks
30 marks
40 marks
MRS. BROMLEY’S POLICIES
Assignments are due by 3:45 on the date given on the assignment sheet. Extensions may be possible if
you discuss the circumstances with me AHEAD OF TIME. As per BSD policy, a penalty of -15% will be applied to
late assignments. Assignments will be given a mark of zero if not handed in by the end of the unit.
Absences are sometimes unavoidable; however, you are required to catch up on missed material from
either other students or myself. This is YOUR responsibility. Your parents may excuse an absence by calling the
school office.
Punctuality is required. It is expected that you are in your seat when the bell rings; if you are late, the
door will be closed and you will knock and wait outside until I let you in. At this stage of your life, you should be
capable of a simple – but important – skill like punctuality.
This course is both demanding and intellectually stimulating. It requires your best effort consistently. I
hope each of you is committed and will accept the challenge of giving it the time and effort it deserves. While
your success in this course depends solely on your effort, my job and my desire as your teacher is to help you; if
you are struggling with an assignment or concept, please make an appointment to meet with me. I am available
in my room from 8:30-8:55am (or earlier by appointment), during my prep (Period 2), or after school (by
appointment only). I can be easily reached by email at [email protected] .
I am looking forward to working with you this semester!
-
Mrs. Bromley
Extra Unit (only if there is time)
UNIT 6: Allegory in The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
Unit Description: Sue Monk Kidd’s novel, set in 1964 South Carolina amid racial turbulence, examines
the theme that people’s lives – like bees’ lives – are usually much more complex than they appear on
the surface. We will begin by learning about the laws and norms that governed a racist south in the
1960s and the history of honey production. While reading the novel as a class, students will take part in
three Socratic Circle discussions to share their musings and analyses (based on “Reading Guide”
questions). After examining the extended bee metaphor in detail and learning about the allegory form,
students will have the opportunity to create an allegory using animals to share a ‘moral of the story’ to a
young audience. These picture books will be shared in a class “Storytelling Day.” Finally, students will
extend their learning from the novel and the information they have gained regarding racism and human
rights issues by researching and reflecting on racial inequality and its effects on other groups of people
in Canada’s history.
Summative Assessments:
Socratic Circle Discussion (final of 3)
20 marks
Children’s Picture Book – Allegory
40 marks
Human Rights Research Project & Oral Pres.
40 marks