Mr. Jason Strouse
English Department
Saint Monica Catholic High School
(310) 394-3701
English 11 - American Literature - “Finding the American Voice”
Instructor: Jason Strouse
Room 32
310-394-3701 x. 425
Course Description:
This course will offer a comprehensive approach to analyzing, criticizing, and discussing the formation of the American voice in world literature. Students will examine and evaluate cultural and ethnic influences as they chronologically chart the progression and development of American literature from its Puritan beginnings through the late 20th century. The reading list will include classic novels, short stories, poetry, autobiographies, essays and plays. Each selection will be studied from both its historical and thematic perspectives. Students will also prepare for all sections of the SAT Verbal examination. There will be various writing assignments, vocabulary development, and at least one research project. Each student will maintain a journal and a writing portfolio, which will provide students with
opportunities to practice various rhetorical techniques.
Student Outcomes:
· The student will be able to accurately appraise his/her own analytical skills and writing ability
· The student will be able to recognize developments and progressions of American literature and will be able to apply this information through thoughtful, insightful, sometimes creative, critiques of various works of literature.
· The student will be able to demonstrate knowledge of literary terms and will be able to apply them to his/her reading.
· The student will use proper grammar in all forms of communication.
Course Objectives:
· The student will be able to define, give examples and apply rudimentary literary terms.
· The student will be able to understand and demonstrate the following reading and analytical skills: compare/contrast, distinguishing between fact and opinion, constructing a strong thesis, supporting arguments with quotes from the text, identifying main ideas and supporting details, and identifying authors’ themes and writing styles.
· The student will be able to utilize the following thinking skills: Recall, Comprehension, Analysis, Application, Synthesis, and Evaluation.
· The student will develop and expand his/her writing and revising skills through the use of a year-long Writing Portfolio that will cover various writing assignments such as: short stories, poetry, biographies, autobiographies, compare/contrast essays, etc.
· The student will improve his/her ability to take notes and summarize from both teacher and student presentations.
· The student will improve his/her ability to use resources in both school and local libraries as well as on the Internet.
· The student will participate in class discussions and activities and will give several oral, written or artistic presentations.
Required Texts*:
Glencoe Literature: The Reader’s Choice/American Literature
The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams
Vocabulary Workshop (Level F)
*Students must also read at least one other book per quarter. Some time will be given at the beginning of class for this extra reading, but the majority of the reading will be done at home. The students will be given an assignment following the completion of each book that will allow them to demonstrate the understanding of the material.
Course Units:
Fall Semester
I. Getting our Feet Wet in American Literature by the Banks of the Mississippi: A Discussion of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
II. Before the States United (Prehistory – 1750)
III. The Creation of a Nation (1750 – 1850)
· The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
IV. A House Divided: The Civil War and Its Aftermath (1845 – 1880)
Spring Semester
V. The Birth of the Modern Era (1880 – 1910)
VI. World War I and the Roaring Twenties (1910 – 1930)
· The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
VII. Mid-century Voices (1930 – 1960)
· A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams
VIII. The 21st Century and Beyond (1960 – Present)
Grading:
Essays/Research Papers/Writing Portfolio 30%
Tests & Quizzes 20%
Classwork & Writing Journal 20%
Homework 10%
Final Exam 20%
The grading scale follows the standard set by St. Monica’s:
93–100 A
90-92 A-
87-89 B+
83-86 B
80-83 B-
77-79 C+
73-76 C
70-72 C-
68-69 D+
66-67 D
65 D
0-64 F
· At the end of the grading period, each student’s numeric average grade will be rounded to the closest whole number (e.g. 89.4 would become 89, 89.5 would become 90).
· The class participation portion of the grade will be based on the student’s behavior, willingness to participate in class activities, and completion of in-class assignments.
· There will be no extra credit. Do your work.
Cheating:
The first time a student is caught cheating, he/she will receive a zero on the assignment and his/her parents will be notified. The second time, the student will fail the course.
Plagiarism:
Webster’s Dictionary defines plagiarism as “the act of stealing and passing off the ideas or words of another as one's own.” Any student who is unsure of what constitutes an act of plagiarism should discuss it with me before handing in the assignment in question. Any student who hands in a plagiarized assignment will be reported to the Dean’s office and further action will be taken.
Make-Up Work:
All homework is due on the date specified. Late work will only be accepted for the following reasons:
· A student returns to class with a re-admit slip verifying an EXCUSED absence.
· A student misses class to a school-related activity, provided I have cleared the absence before it occurs.
Make up work is due the day a student returns to class. Any missed tests or quizzes must be made up before school or during lunch.
Required Materials:
· All students must have the following materials every day:
· An 8 ½” x 11” spiral notebook for use as a Writing Journal
· A three ring binder, or a section of one labeled specifically for English.
· At least 3 working writing implements (either pens or pencils). Blue or black ink only.
· Glencoe Literature: The Reader’s Choice/American Literature
· Current Novel (if we’re reading one at the time)
· Outside Reading book (this may be kept in the classroom)
Tutoring:
I am available for tutoring before school and during lunch by appointment only.
Classroom Rules:
1. Follow all school rules. In particular, note the ban on CD players, cell phones, profanity, vandalism, and physical contact.
2. Be in your seat with all of your materials when the bell rings. Being inside the classroom but not in your seat is unacceptable.
3. If you wish to speak, raise your hand. Be respectful of others when they are speaking. Under NO circumstances are you to speak when I am speaking.
4. Food, beverages, and gum are NOT allowed in my classroom. If you wish, you may bring a bottle of water.
5. Respect yourself and others. Racial, ethnic, or gender slurs WILL NOT be tolerated.
(tear off)
I have read the above rules and understand them. As a student, I ___________________________ agree to adhere to them. As a parent, I, ___________________________ agree to help in any way I can to insure that my son’s or daughter’s behavior will benefit him or her in the classroom.
Student’s signature ________________________________
Parent’s signature ________________________________
English 11 Honors - American Studies - “Finding the American Voice”
Instructor: Jason Strouse
Room 32
310-394-3701 x. 425
Course Description:
This course will offer a comprehensive approach to analyzing, criticizing, and discussing the formation of the American voice in world literature. Students will examine and evaluate cultural and ethnic influences as they chronologically chart the progression and development of American literature from its Puritan beginnings through the late 20th century. The reading list will include classic novels, short stories, poetry, autobiographies, essays and plays. Each selection will be studied from both its historical and thematic perspectives. Students will also prepare for all sections of the SAT Verbal and AP English examinations. There will be various writing assignments, vocabulary development, and at least one research project. Each student will maintain a journal and a writing portfolio, which will provide
students with opportunities to practice various rhetorical techniques. As an honors level course, students will focus their efforts on developing their rhetorical and analytical skills through timed
writings, independent thinking exercises, and extensive editing of written assignments. Students must maintain a minimum grade of B- in order to remain in the class for both semesters.
Student Outcomes:
· The student will be able to accurately appraise his/her own analytical skills and writing ability
· The student will be able to recognize developments and progressions of American literature and will be able to apply this information through thoughtful, insightful, sometimes creative, critiques of various works of literature.
· The student will be able to demonstrate knowledge of literary terms and will be able to apply them to his/her reading.
· The student will use proper grammar in all forms of communication.
Course Objectives:
· The student will be able to define, give examples and apply rudimentary literary terms.
· The student will be able to understand and demonstrate the following reading and analytical skills: compare/contrast, distinguishing between fact and opinion, constructing a strong thesis, supporting arguments with quotes from the text, identifying main ideas and supporting details, and identifying authors’ themes and writing styles.
· The student will be able to utilize the following thinking skills: Recall, Comprehension, Analysis, Application, Synthesis, and Evaluation.
· The student will develop and expand his/her writing and revising skills through the use of a year-long Writing Portfolio that will cover various writing assignments such as: short stories, poetry, biographies, autobiographies, compare/contrast essays, etc.
· The student will improve his/her ability to take notes and summarize from both teacher and student presentations.
· The student will improve his/her ability to use resources in both school and local libraries as well as on the Internet.
· The student will participate in class discussions and activities and will give several oral, written or artistic presentations.
Required Texts*:
Glencoe Literature: The Reader’s Choice/American Literature
The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams
The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner
Vocabulary Workshop (Level F)
*Students must also read at least one other book per quarter. Some time will be given at the beginning of class for this extra reading, but the majority of the reading will be done at home. The students will be given an assignment following the completion of each book that will allow them to demonstrate the understanding of the material.
Course Units:
Fall Semester
I. Getting our Feet Wet in American Literature by the Banks of the Mississippi: A Discussion of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
II. Before the States United (Prehistory – 1750)
III. The Creation of a Nation (1750 – 1850)
· The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
IV. A House Divided: The Civil War and Its Aftermath (1845 – 1880)
Spring Semester
V. The Birth of the Modern Era (1880 – 1910)
VI. World War I and the Roaring Twenties (1910 – 1930)
· The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
VII. Mid-century Voices (1930 – 1960)
· The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner
· A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams
VIII. The 21st Century and Beyond (1960 – Present)
Grading:
Essays/Research Papers/Writing Portfolio 30%
Tests & Quizzes 20%
Classwork & Writing Journal 20%
Homework 10%
Final Exam 20%
The grading scale follows the standard set by St. Monica’s:
93–100 A
90-92 A-
87-89 B+
83-86 B
80-83 B-
77-79 C+
73-76 C
70-72 C-
68-69 D+
66-67 D
65 D
0-64 F
· At the end of the grading period, each student’s numeric average grade will be rounded to the closest whole number (e.g. 89.4 would become 89, 89.5 would become 90).
· The class participation portion of the grade will be based on the student’s behavior, willingness to participate in class activities, and completion of in-class assignments.
· There will be no extra credit. Do your work.
Cheating:
The first time a student is caught cheating, he/she will receive a zero on the assignment and his/her parents will be notified. The second time, the student will fail the course.
Plagiarism:
Webster’s Dictionary defines plagiarism as “the act of stealing and passing off the ideas or words of another as one's own.” Any student who is unsure of what constitutes an act of plagiarism should discuss it with me before handing in the assignment in question. Any student who hands in a plagiarized assignment will be reported to the Dean’s office and further action will be taken.
Make-Up Work:
All homework is due on the date specified. Late work will only be accepted for the following reasons:
· A student returns to class with a re-admit slip verifying an EXCUSED absence.
· A student misses class to a school-related activity, provided I have cleared the absence before it occurs.
Make up work is due the day a student returns to class. Any missed tests or quizzes must be made up before school or during lunch.
Required Materials:
· All students must have the following materials every day:
· An 8 ½” x 11” spiral notebook for use as a Writing Journal
· A three ring binder, or a section of one labeled specifically for English.
· At least 3 working writing implements (either pens or pencils). Blue or black ink only.
· Glencoe Literature: The Reader’s Choice/American Literature
· Current Novel (if we’re reading one at the time)
· Outside Reading book (this may be kept in the classroom)
Tutoring:
I am available for tutoring before school and during lunch by appointment only.
Classroom Rules:
1. Follow all school rules. In particular, note the ban on CD players, cell phones, profanity, vandalism, and physical contact.
2. Be in your seat with all of your materials when the bell rings. Being inside the classroom but not in your seat is unacceptable.
3. If you wish to speak, raise your hand. Be respectful of others when they are speaking. Under NO circumstances are you to speak when I am speaking.
4. Food, beverages, and gum are NOT allowed in my classroom. If you wish, you may bring a bottle of water.
5. Respect yourself and others. Racial, ethnic, or gender slurs WILL NOT be tolerated.
(tear off)
I have read the above rules and understand them. As a student, I ___________________________ agree to adhere to them. As a parent, I, ___________________________ agree to help in any way I can to insure that my son’s or daughter’s behavior will benefit him or her in the classroom.
Student’s signature ________________________________
Parent’s signature ________________________________
