COURSE STANDARD
English IV is the culmination of English studies at Woods. Students will rely on their personal knowledge, interests, and curiosities to answer our essential question: how is British Literature (700 A.D. - 2017) relevant to my life?
Our units begin with an investigation of history and time, working toward a definition and an understanding of the commonalities and differences among British and American cultures, as represented in literature, media, history, and nonfiction from Anglo-Saxon to modern day Great Britain. By the end of the year, you will have studied works written in several genres by British authors from the Anglo-Saxon period to modern day and will have written extensively and critically on what you have read.
READING
Heroes & Outliers
Beowulf
The Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer
Julius Caesar, William Shakespeare
Selected Elizabethan Sonnets
A Natural Connection
Selected Gothic Short Stories
Frankenstein, Mary Shelley
Selected Romantic Poetry
Changing Society
Selected Brontë, Austen and Elliot
The Importance of Being Earnest, Oscar Wilde
Selected Victorian Poetry
Identity
Selected Bloomsbury Group
Selected Symbolist and Modernist Poetry
To The Lighthouse, Virginia Woolf
DAILY SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS
To ensure success, students will rely on their notes, homework, class supplies, and the current reading. Failure to have all of the necessary materials and supplies each day will result in a loss of credit. Students are required to attend class each day ready to learn, which includes having all of the following items:
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Pencils and pens (black or blue ink)
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Spiral or composition notebook dedicated to solely to English
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Planner/homework diary
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Binder or section in binder dedicated to English
HOMEWORK
Some of the assigned weekly reading will be done inside of class, but students should expect to complete the majority of the assigned reading outside of class. It is highly recommended (and in some instances, required) for students to take notes, highlight, and “sticky note” the text as they read. All other homework assignments will vary on a day-to-day basis. Homework (both electronic and hard copy) is due at the beginning of class.
READING QUIZZES
Reading quizzes will assess the quality of student reading. Students are to create quiz questions that are informed by the factual and analytical aspects of the text. Student questions will be formulated into bi-monthly quizzes. Make-ups for tests and quizzes must be made up within one week of the original date of the test or quiz.
LITERARY ANALYSIS ESSAYS
Students will reference their notes, journals activities, and other classroom documents to approach writing as a process. Consequently, students will compose outlines, rough drafts, and essays that interpret and analyze the text. Final essays should examine literary elements, analyze the author's craft, and illuminate the overall message of the novel. In the instance that a student is unhappy with their grade, they’re welcome to approach me to discuss a rewrite.
INQUIRY ESSAYS
Every other week, students will receive a guiding question that helps them draw connections between the reading and their personal interests. The goal of the Inquiry Essay is to answer our essential questions. Students will formulate their answers through research, literature circles, classroom activities and reflection. The end result is an in-class essay that relates the text to their chosen point of relevance.
Points Of Relevance
Current Events |
History |
Literature |
Films |
Video Games |
Art |
LITERARY ANALYSIS ESSAYS
Students will reference their notes, journals activities, and other classroom documents to approach writing as a process. Consequently, students will compose outlines, rough drafts, and essays that interpret and analyze the text. Final essays should examine literary elements, analyze the author's craft, and illuminate the overall message of the novel. In the instance that a student is unhappy with his/her grade, they’re welcome to approach me to discuss a rewrite.
GRADE BREAKDOWN
T1: 25% Classwork and Homework: 40%
T2: 25% Essays and Tests: 45%
T3: 20% Engagement: 15%
Final: 20%
Midterm: 10%
Senior Project: 20% of your T3 grade