English II – Course Syllabus
Fall 2005
Marianne Leek, Instructor
Semester Theme:
Journeys
Note: This syllabus is subject to change.
1st Six Weeks:
Introduce It’s a Small World writing keepsake guidelines
and determine due date.
Unit One:
Physical and Emotional Journeys
“The Bet” by Anton Chekhov
“How Much Land Does a Man Need?” by Leo Tolstoy
“What Men Live By” by Leo Tolstoy or “The Overcoat” by Nikolai Gogol
Test
Unit Project:
Short Story Shield
Unit Two:
Psychological Journeys: Facing
Adversity and Oppression
Memoir – Night by Elie Wiesel
Test
Unit Projects:
Imaging project, Character or Plot Wheel, My Book of Others
Unit Three:
Emotional Journey
Greek Tragedy/Drama - Oedipus by Sophocles
Unit Project:
Oedipus mask/collage
Vocabulary tests will be every Thursday or Friday.
Writing assignments for 1st six weeks: Auto-bio poem, When I was a Child or choice poem, It’s a New Year journal, Three Questions journal, original parable, 2 Journey journals, other journal assignments, theme essay, character essay, wisdom essay, My Book of Others, apology or bitterness poem, memory poem
Honors Students: Summer Reading Portfolios will be due on Monday, January 10th. There will be a test on Things Fall Apart on Monday, January 10th. Imaging projects on summer reading will be due on Tuesday, January 11th. Students will also sign up for a unit introduction project.
2nd Six Weeks:
Unit One:
Physical, Emotional, and Spiritual Journeys – The Quest
Novel – Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse
Novel – The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Album
Test
Unit project: autobiographical song essay, brochure, and CD case, life map wheel, character memory box
Unit Two:
Emotional Journeys – Growth and Change
Drama – A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen
Test
Short Stories
“Lay of the Werewolf” by Marie De France
“Federigo’s Falcon” from The Decameron
“Pyramus and Thisbe” by Ovid
“False Gems” by Guy de Maupaussant
Test
Vocabulary tests will be on each Thursday or Friday.
Writing assignments for 2nd six weeks: autobiographical song essay and tri-fold brochure, self portrait poem, five influential people essay, 2 journey journals, partner essay, information based essays, character journals, Oh, the places you’ll go essay.
3rd Six Weeks:
Research Project – All students will be required to research a topic of interest and write a 3-5 page research paper. Students will learn how to parenthetically cite their sources and how to correctly use MLA format to document the works cited within their paper.
Honors Students: Students will be required to research a topic of interest and write a 5-7 page research paper. They will also create a display of what they have learned and will give a six to eight minute presentation.
It’s a Small World writing keepsake will be due on May _____. Students will be given time in the library to finish this assignment.
Vocabulary tests will be each week on Thursday or Friday as time allows.
Contemporary Novel Study – students will work in groups to choose a contemporary novel, engage in a literature discussion group, and create a display about their novel.
If time allows, students will create a class literary terms quilt.
Writing assignments for 3rd six weeks: research paper, journals, expository essay.
Note: This syllabus is subject to change due to
weather or time constraints. Major
tests and unit projects are listed on the syllabus, but quizzes, homework, and
smaller projects relating to literature will also be required. All students are expected to attend class,
participate, and approach assignments and discussions with a positive
attitude. All students should expect to
do well in this class. Most
assignments for the writing keepsake and most essays about literature will be
completed during class.