BRUTON HIGH SCHOOL

Senior English Syllabus 2007-8

Instructor: Alex Layman                                                       Telephone #:   220-4050

E-Mail: alayman@ycsd.york.va.us                                                                564-6683

Home Page: http://yorkcountyschools.org/teachers/alayman/laymanindex.html

Fees: There are no fees for this class.  Sorry!

1. Course Title: English 12 (Senior English)

2. Text(s): Prentice Hall Literature: The English Tradition ($53.97) plus supplemental readings (novels and plays) 

3. Course Description: This course presents the cultural development of English (British) literature and literature of other cultures by stressing major literary forms, themes, and techniques in an interdisciplinary approach. The student develops expository and technical writings. Comprehensive oral presentations and research projects reflect organizational skills, audience awareness, and appropriate vocabulary/grammar.

4. Competencies: Upon completion of this course, you will be better able to do the following.

Write in all forms-Standard 5 Paragraph essay, MLA Research Paper, Persuasive, Narrative, Technical, Expository, as well as Creative (poetry, short stories, plays).

Read various forms of writing, as well as analyzing using different forms of literary criticisms.

Speak, as you will be responsible for various types of oral presentations on various topics

5. Course Outline:

I. First Quarter

A. Anglo-Saxon Literature: Beowulf

B. Medieval Literature:

      1. The Canterbury Tales

      2. Arthurian Legends

II.  Second Quarter

A. Research Paper (5-7 Pages)

B. Renaissance Literature

C. Shakespeare

III. Third Quarter

A. 16^th Century Literature

B. Enlightenment Literature

C. Romantic Literature

IV. Fourth Quarter

A. Victorian Literature

B. Modern/Contemporary Literature

C. Portfolio Project/Novel

6. Course Requirements:   You will be required to do the assigned work to pass this class.  You will be required to read, write, and speak.  There is a lot of writing in this class.  And I do mean, a lot.  You will be doing outside reading, oral presentations, and critiquing of each other’s work.  There will also be large projects you will have to complete.  You will need to pass the tests and quizzes to pass this class.  It is your responsibility to get any work you missed when you are absent.

 7. Attendance Policy: To comply with Virginia Law, students are expected to attend school every day and to be on time unless there is illness or death in the immediate family. It is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to get any work that you missed while you were absent. (Check Layman’s home page)

8. Evaluation:  Grades are earned by the completion of work according to the rubrics assigned.

Tests/Quizzes/Projects= 55% of your grade

            Class work/Homework= 45% of your grade

School Grading scale is used; A=100-92   B=91-84   C=83-75   D=74-67   F=66-0

I reserve the right to revoke eating and drinking privileges based on behavior.

Do not talk when I am talking.  I consider it to be EXTREMELY rude and disrespectful.  You expect me to listen to you.  I expect that same consideration; in fact, I will demand it.

Remain in your seat unless otherwise directed by me.

Hall passes will only be given during your work time.  If I am teaching, do not bother asking.  You are asking to be treated as adults, so control your bladder.  Do not drink 64 oz of Gatorade before class and expect to leave because of your bad decision. 

You will have one pass per week so use it wisely.  You will have to use YOUR OWN AGENDA.There will only be one student out at a time.

Late work can be accepted, as long as it is in the grading period.  Work cannot be turned in after the interim cut-off date or the quarterly cut-off date.  These dates are as follows; October 4^th, November 2^nd, December 6^th, January 16^th, February 28^th, April 3^rd, May 8^th, and June 3^rd.

10.Class Expectations:

You are expected to do your homework each night.

You are expected to read when assigned, or pay the price on the pop quiz.

You are expected to respect yourself, your school, your classmates, your teachers, your administrators, and anyone else who enters our building.

You are expected to come to class prepared each and every day.  This includes having a writing utensil, your notes, paper, and whatever text we are currently working with.  If you are using a pencil, please sharpen it before class.

You are expected to pass this class.  If you are having trouble, please come and see me.  Do not wait until the day before grades are due, or right before exams, because the grave is already dug.

If you are given a worksheet, essay question, etc, where a word is spelled correctly, it will be marked wrong if you misspell that word.

Listen to each other as well as the teacher.  You never know when I will write down an excellent question or answer to put on the test.

No rhetorical questions in essays.  You are instructing your audience, not informing them of their ignorance.  This will cost you points and grades.

Do not switch tenses in your formal essays.  I will take off 5 points per switch if you do it. 

Unless I say otherwise, assume all writing is formal.

You can sit on top of the desks when you have earned your own high school diploma.

Musicals are evil and unholy as they are neither drama nor opera.

You will learn not to ask either/or, neither/nor questions, and yes, my ancestor was the Cheshire Cat.

Do not play with my things.  This includes everything on my desk, person, etc.  You do not want me in your book bags, purses, lockers, cars, so give me the same privilege.