English 11 Syllabus American Literature Mr.

Beeman COURSE OVERVIEWLand of the free, home of the brave- its an English exploration of that beautiful landmass they squeezed in between Canada and Mexico. Some might say that shes the finest country to ever float upon this big old rock.. what with her Great Lakes, Grand Canyons and grizzly bears. Now, aside from the surplus of patriotism that extends across our history, there has also been a whole mess of half-way decent writers who called this place their home. Weve even slipped in a few dozen masters of the craft that could qualify as some of the greatest writers of all time. This course is an appreciation of those guys (and gals). We will be reading a collection of American literature in order to answer the long-pondered contemplation: What is an American? What is American literature? and What is the American Dream? Our goal will be patriotic enlightenment, literary exploration and hand-written pontification to an extent that would make John Hancocks wrist cramp. In the name of Ben Franklyn, we will be examining: 1) The American Rebellion through The Crucible by Arthur Miller 2) The America Melting Pot through Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain 3) American Justice through 12 Angry Men by Reginald Rose 4) The American Dream through The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 5) The American Man vs. Nature through Old Man and the Sea by Earnest Hemingway 6) The American Consequence through 1984 by George Orwell 7) The American Identity through various texts We will review various supplemental texts (poems, short stories, songs, films) to help us discuss the unit, engaging in activities that fulfill the Michigan Department of Educations curriculum standards. Read em and weep: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/ELA11-14open1_142201_7.pdf

Grading: This class will be graded on a points-based grading system. The amount of points per assessment will vary depending upon the amount of work needed to complete the assignment along with the expectations surrounding it. a) Daily Work 50%: in-class assignments, homework assignments, participation, completion of expected reading, etc. Daily Work includes grammar work, literary content work b) Projects 25%: Major projects will focus on writing. Students will continuously be writing in a variety of forms. There will be major essays (mostly persuasive/argumentative) and in-class writings as well (journals, responses, short paragraphs). c) Formal Assessment 25%: Standard and basic assessments such as grammatical and analytical quizzes/tests Late Work/Missing Assignments: Late work will be accepted up to three days after due date. Beyond that, you had best hand in something spectacular or points will be drastically deducted (5% per school day). If a student is absent, he or she can see me to discuss appropriate makeup. LISTEN KIDS- To be good American you must possess the dedication and ability to fight through lack of interest, the perpetual teenage state of being tired, excitement over school events, hormonal fluxuations, etc! So, PLEASE do not hesitate to talk to me if something important is taking place in your life and distracting from your work. It is better to say something than say nothing and make me doubt your capacity to be a good American! Rules, Expectations, and Key Points: If youre good to me, I will be good to you. We can make this course a much more enjoyable experience if you decide to make it so. I promise you this: were going to do some cool things in this class as long as you follow these three simple expectations: 1) Be a good American- That means being respect to your classmates. If we debate, we respect opposing positions and opinions. If we present, we either close our mouths and listen or put our heads down and have an American Dream (which will be noted and deducted from participation). If we have something to say, we wait like civilized human beings for an opportunity to provide our input. Its the American way. 2) Work with me- That means getting the assignments done, getting to class on time, NOT PACKING YOUR THINGS UP EARLY, participating in activities and, most importantly, not being a distraction to me or your fellow classmates. If you dont want to play along, I wont make you. Just dont sink the entire fleet because youre crashing into icebergs. Youre the captain of your own ship. 3) Dont be boring- Kid President said it best. If you dont know who he is, look him up on YouTube. Parent Contact: There is no greater help to a student (or educator) than parent involvement. Your first assignment is to get me their contact information. EVERYTHING ELSE WILL BE DISCUSSED IN CLASS- SO BE THERE!