Syllabus
Class Readings
excerpts from The Odyssey by Homer
“Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” a 14th century medieval text
The Quiet Light by Louis de Wohl
“Rime of the Ancient Mariner” by Samuel Coleridge
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
Death of Ivan Ilych by Leo Tolstoy
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
“The Country Doctor” by Franz Kafka
Poetry Project:
Each semester, you will be required to memorize a great poem of your choice (list available on my website). You will present this poem in front of the class on the day of your choice. Please do not wait until the end of the semester to begin this assignment. Please bring a printed copy of your poem on the day you present. You will be grade for both accuracy and quality of presentation.
Guidelines
Study Guides: Study guides are designed to help guide your reading each week. Please do not just give “yes” or “no” answers-- give examples whenever possible. Please note how many points each question is worth. A one point question can be a short answer. A two and three point question requires support from the text. You must do your own work. Please remember that on study guides, I am looking for engagement with the text, not necessarily the “right” answer.
Quizzes: I will be also giving frequent reading checks and narration assignments. Start early in the week on your reading to make sure it is complete every week.
Vocabulary: Please assume that we will have a vocabulary assignment over week. You will not however have an assignment due the week after Thanksgiving Break, Christmas Break, Spring Break and the week after Holy Week. If we are going to have a vocabulary quiz, your words will be listed on the front of the study guide. Please look up the definition in the dictionary. You will be give a point for the definition and a point for spelling.
On weeks where there are no words listed, you will be expected to make a list of 10 words that stand out to you in the text. Please list these words (spelled correctly) and provide definitions. This will count for your vocabulary grade for the week.
These points are a significant part of your grade-- please treat vocabulary assignments accordingly.
Communication: Remember, I plan on treating you as university students. That means that you are responsible for completing your assignments, organizing your time, and communicating with me if there are any problems or questions before class. Remember that losing your study guide is almost never an excuse as I have the documents up on the class website. I respect you like adults, so please take that responsibility seriously.
Make- Up Work: All make-up work (both due and assigned the day of absence) is due to me absolutely no later than one week after your absence (ie. If you are gone from a class Tuesday, Sept. 6th-- your work is due by Tuesday, Sept 13th). I will not come and find you. It is your responsibility to communicate with me about any questions about assignments you have missed. The assignments are on the class website. If it is a planned absence, you must make arrangements with me before hand. Please communicate with me before the day of class if you wish to discuss any unique situations.
Tests: Please remember to keep your training from Composition in mind as you answer essay questions. Use clear language and back up your points with specific examples.
Honor European Literature students: Part of your grade will include additional assignments such as short extra readings or researching topics to present to the class. These will all be mandatory parts of your grade for the class.
Classroom Etiquette:
Please remember to talk to me about any questions of problems you may have. I sincerely want to help you succeed. Please feel free to email me at [email protected] or call my number listed on the staff roster. Unless it is an emergency, please do not call after 9 pm. Just remember that a phone call or email question the day before an assignment is due does not excuse you from doing the work.
My website: mrsjdowney.weebly.com
Note: This website is simply an additional aid to help you. However, it is not an excuse to lose your assignment sheets or handouts from class. Your assignment is still due, even if it is not up on the website. If you were in class the class period before last, the website cannot be used for an excuse for missing work.
excerpts from The Odyssey by Homer
“Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” a 14th century medieval text
The Quiet Light by Louis de Wohl
“Rime of the Ancient Mariner” by Samuel Coleridge
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
Death of Ivan Ilych by Leo Tolstoy
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
“The Country Doctor” by Franz Kafka
Poetry Project:
Each semester, you will be required to memorize a great poem of your choice (list available on my website). You will present this poem in front of the class on the day of your choice. Please do not wait until the end of the semester to begin this assignment. Please bring a printed copy of your poem on the day you present. You will be grade for both accuracy and quality of presentation.
Guidelines
Study Guides: Study guides are designed to help guide your reading each week. Please do not just give “yes” or “no” answers-- give examples whenever possible. Please note how many points each question is worth. A one point question can be a short answer. A two and three point question requires support from the text. You must do your own work. Please remember that on study guides, I am looking for engagement with the text, not necessarily the “right” answer.
Quizzes: I will be also giving frequent reading checks and narration assignments. Start early in the week on your reading to make sure it is complete every week.
Vocabulary: Please assume that we will have a vocabulary assignment over week. You will not however have an assignment due the week after Thanksgiving Break, Christmas Break, Spring Break and the week after Holy Week. If we are going to have a vocabulary quiz, your words will be listed on the front of the study guide. Please look up the definition in the dictionary. You will be give a point for the definition and a point for spelling.
On weeks where there are no words listed, you will be expected to make a list of 10 words that stand out to you in the text. Please list these words (spelled correctly) and provide definitions. This will count for your vocabulary grade for the week.
These points are a significant part of your grade-- please treat vocabulary assignments accordingly.
Communication: Remember, I plan on treating you as university students. That means that you are responsible for completing your assignments, organizing your time, and communicating with me if there are any problems or questions before class. Remember that losing your study guide is almost never an excuse as I have the documents up on the class website. I respect you like adults, so please take that responsibility seriously.
Make- Up Work: All make-up work (both due and assigned the day of absence) is due to me absolutely no later than one week after your absence (ie. If you are gone from a class Tuesday, Sept. 6th-- your work is due by Tuesday, Sept 13th). I will not come and find you. It is your responsibility to communicate with me about any questions about assignments you have missed. The assignments are on the class website. If it is a planned absence, you must make arrangements with me before hand. Please communicate with me before the day of class if you wish to discuss any unique situations.
Tests: Please remember to keep your training from Composition in mind as you answer essay questions. Use clear language and back up your points with specific examples.
Honor European Literature students: Part of your grade will include additional assignments such as short extra readings or researching topics to present to the class. These will all be mandatory parts of your grade for the class.
Classroom Etiquette:
- Be in your seats when the bell rings. Excessive tardies will result in a pink slip
- Be respectful at all times to the teacher, your peers and yourself. Do not talk while I am talking and attack issues not people during discussion. Remember that you communicate respect with your body as well as your words. Actions like yawning, looking at the clock, packing up early, or slouching do not reflect a posture appropriate to the learning environment.
- You will be expected to bring all required supplies (book, paper, pen) to class each day. Consistent lack of preparation will result in a yellow slip.
- You are responsible for the area surrounding your desk. Before you are dismissed, put your desk in its place and pick up all trash around your desk.
- No food or drink unless it is a class activity or you have extenuating circumstances
- Cell phone use during class will result in the immediate confiscation of your phone for the day.
Please remember to talk to me about any questions of problems you may have. I sincerely want to help you succeed. Please feel free to email me at [email protected] or call my number listed on the staff roster. Unless it is an emergency, please do not call after 9 pm. Just remember that a phone call or email question the day before an assignment is due does not excuse you from doing the work.
My website: mrsjdowney.weebly.com
Note: This website is simply an additional aid to help you. However, it is not an excuse to lose your assignment sheets or handouts from class. Your assignment is still due, even if it is not up on the website. If you were in class the class period before last, the website cannot be used for an excuse for missing work.