“We should not write so that it is possible for the reader to understand us, but so that it is impossible for him to misunderstand us.”- Quintilian
English Composition: Ages 13 and up.
Course Description:
This course is designed to help a student write effectively for both college and the work place. We will use a variety of texts and critical approaches to provide both practice and models for essay writing, including strategies, structure, and research methods. Our focus will include grammar, vocabulary, analysis, rhetoric, and MLA citations. Students will compose academic paragraphs, argumentative essays, a research paper, critical analysis, a business letter, and a PowerPoint presentation.
While all of this meets the standard criteria for any good English course, our approach breaks from tradition. There are rarely worksheets, and we do not diagram sentences. We merge popular culture with the canon, comparing pop music with classic poetry. Our readings include top picks for high school classes and a few modern texts from today’s bestsellers. Our discussions are Socratic, dynamic, and thought-provoking. We analyze the rhetoric in important speeches but also in our headlines. We learn to discern scholarly sources from satire and questionable sources. We create, and practice, and leave room to inspire our individual interests. This is not the stuffy English class some fear, and you won’t find red marks all over your papers. You will have lots of feedback on what you are doing well and areas you can improve. You will be challenged to support your arguments and to clarify your position. You will be introduced to new ideas and you might find yourself contemplating hard issues. But you will quickly realize that English is a tool for you to explore the world around you and to communicate effectively. Language changes the world. Let’s learn to use it wisely.
Our class will meet once a week for 90 minutes, but we will also have a class blog to continue our discussions, questions, and share other information throughout the week. Parents are always welcome to check in and see what the students are learning. Cost is $75/month. Class meets Aug-April, Tuesday afternoons. No classes are held in December.
Objectives:
Students will learn to organize thoughts into clear, grammatically correct sentences. They will organize those sentences into paragraphs that expand a central thought. Those paragraphs will then be organized into essays that communicate ideas to readers. The students will learn to cite any sources used in research. They will progress and demonstrate close reading skills and analysis of a variety of texts, evaluate research as it makes and supports academic arguments, and develop strong thesis statements. But here’s the thing: They will actually enjoy this process. I will not assign letter grades to their work unless explicitly asked by the parent. The only competition is their previous assignment. I will provide detailed feedback geared toward your child’s current level and help them to become a better writer.
Course Texts:
Assorted poems, short stories, and articles will be handed out in class
The Giver by Lois Lowry
The Watson’s Go to Birmingham-1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis
Hatchet by Gary Paulson
Night by Elie Wiesel
Romeo and Julietby William Shakespeare
A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare
The Art of Racing in the Rainby Garth Stein
Other Supplies Necessary:
Folder
Three Ring Binder with plenty of college-rule paper
Pens
Highlighters
Colored Pencils
Post-It Notes
Access to class blog online for discussions or questions between classes.
Fall Semester In-Class Homework
Week 1
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Introduction, syllabus, grammar, vocab, in-class writing assignment, intro to topic sentences.
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Elements of Style
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Week 2
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Grammar, vocab, intro to lit terms, music, poetry, and art analysis, in class writing assignment. Academic paragraph
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Poetry reading assignment and academic paragraph
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Week 3
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grammar, vocabulary, in class writing assignment, literary terms, review of previous assignment
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short story assigned with academic paragraph for homework.Elements of Style.
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Week 4
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grammar, vocabulary, in class writing assignment, literary terms, short story in class, thesis statements; introduce literary circle positions
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The HatchetChapters 1-5 for reading assignment. Vocabulary Quiz lists 1-3.
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Week 5
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grammar, vocabulary, in class writing assignment, literary terms, Introductory and Concluding paragraphs, beginning MLA citations, class discussion over The Hatchet; meet in literary circle
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The Hatchet, short writing assignment and Chapters 5-10 for homework.
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Week 6
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grammar, vocabulary, transitions, MLA citations, class discussion over The Hatchet
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Chapters 11-15 assigned with academic paragraph using MLA citations
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Week 7
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grammar, vocabulary, cohesion and organization, class discussion over The Hatchet.
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Chapters 15-end of book assigned. Re-Write and correct previous assignment and add another MLA cited paragraph. Study for vocabulary quiz next week!
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Week 8
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grammar, vocabulary, revision, class discussion over The Hatchet. Putting it all together into a five paragraph essay with MLA citations due next week.Vocabulary Quiz over lists 4-7. Introduction to The Giver by Lois Lowry and dystopian and utopian literature.
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Read Chapters 1-5 of The Giver for next week.
Handout for Rhetorical Analysis of The Giver handed out.
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Week 9
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grammar, vocabulary, gathering textual evidence. Discussion over The Giver.
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Read Chapters 5-10 for next week. Write two academic paragraphs demonstrating textual evidence and MLA citations that you may use in your paper.
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Week 10
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grammar, vocabulary, intro to Rhetoric: Ethos, Pathos, Logos: Oprah Winfrey Speech
Discussion over The Giver.
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Read Chapters 11-16 for next week and pick one of last week’s paragraphs to revise and one to argue against also using textual evidence.
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Week 11
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grammar, vocabulary, organizing the essay with outlines. Discussion over The Giver. Literati stories
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Read Chapters 17-22 (end of book). Complete your outline and revise returned paragraphs.
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Week 12
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In class workshop on critical analysis. Bring your book, paper, outline, and revised paragraphs, and cookies. J
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You will complete this essay over the week and turn it in November 29.
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Week 13
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Vocabulary quiz/game. Turn in your 2-3 page paper over The Giver. Writing proper emails.
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Send me a properly constructed email about your progress in class this semester.
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Week 14
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Short Story Unit: Harrison Bergeron
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Flash fiction.
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Week 15
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Short Story Unit:
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Flash fiction due next week.
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Week 16
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Poetry Unit:
Thankfulness; Literati stories
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Black out poems
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Week 17
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Vocabulary Quiz
Analyzing Christmas Carols;
Black out Christmas songs,
Christmas card station; Literary Jenga
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Winter Break
NO HOMEWORK OR READING ASSIGNMENT OVER CHRISTMAS BREAK!
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Week 18
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Introduction to “Civil Disobedience” : The rhetoric of protests and change
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Read Henry David Thoreau’s essay and prepare a brief 1 page summary.
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Week 19
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“Civil Disobedience” and “Duck Dynasty”; Introduce Elie Wiesel’s Night
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Read first half of Night
Academic paragraph on three C’s
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Week 20
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Elie Wiesel’s Night
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Finish Night, five paragraph essay due next week: You may use one of your previous paragraphs from last week’s assignment.
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Week 21
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Discuss Night, essay due;
Vocabulary Quiz
How to Write a Research Paper, RENNSQQ formula
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Turn in Research paper thesis next week. Read “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.”
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Week 22
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Rhetoric:
Discuss “LFBJ”
Rhetoric for debates: First Amendment (Muslims in America), American Flag)
Vocabulary Quiz
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The Watson’s Go to Birmingham(1/2)
Academic Paragraph
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Week 23
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Rhetoric in America
Frederick Douglass, “Letter to Mr. Covey”
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The Watson’s Go To Birmingham(2/2).
Academic Paragraph
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Week 24
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Fake News, Propaganda, and Credible Sources
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Find credible sources for your research paper, bring in three, in MLA format.
Research Life in Elizabethan Times assigned topic and write a one-page, informal outline to share with the class next week.
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Week 25
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Shakespeare Unit:
Globe Theater Prezi, Aristotelian tragedies, sonnets, iambic pentameter, and hip hop. Taylor Swift or Shakespeare? “Write Like Will”
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Read first half of Romeo and Juliet this week. Queen Mab drawing.
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Week 26
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Romeo and Juliet Adaptations; Puns and Oxymorons PPT, Tone
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Finish Romeo and Juliet. Short essay due next week on the elements of tragedy or symbolism.
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Week 27
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Romeo and Juliet Adaptations,
Flyswatter Game; Insults and Flattery
Aristotelian comedy: A Midsummer Night’s Dream
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Read first half of Midsummer Night’s Dream, answer questions from handout
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Week 28
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Flyswatter Game
How to Write an Outline
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Read 2nd Half Midsummer Night’s Dream,Short essay on MSND.
Write Outline for research paper
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Week 29
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“Real Life Romeo”
Write “Love Letters”
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The Art of Racing in the Rain
begin working on rough draft
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Week 30
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How to Self-edit, Final Vocabulary Quiz;
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The Art of Racing in the Rain
Continue writing research paper
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Week 31
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Bring first rough draft into class for workshop
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The Art of Racing in the Rain
Take home research draft and revise.
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Week 32
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Final paper due; Literary Circle for The Art of Racing in the Rain.
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No homework
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Week 33
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End of Class party!
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Enjoy your summer!
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Week 34
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Spring Break Temple College schedule
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Spring Break No Homework
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