Honors English II World Literature | Fall 2016

Contact Information
Abby Gerdes
Email: abby.gerdes@dpsnc.net
Phone: (919) 560-3956 x 56408

Course Description

English II focuses on world literature in the context of both history and culture. We
also engage in intensive reading and writing practice to prepare for the English II
EOC.As we closely read and analyze some of the most important and foundational
novels, short stories, poems, and primary source documents from across the globe,
we will discuss and debate the following essential questions:

What is culture? How does culture influence who we are as individuals?

Where do our beliefs about the world come from?
Are our beliefs about the world true, accurate, fair and complete?
How can we have productive conversations with people who see the world differently
than we do?
How does literature help us to better understand ourselves?
How does literature help us to better understand othersparticularly those we
perceive to be different from us?

Course Goals
We are working to become better readers and writers, and we cannot do one without
the other. We must read as writers, looking for the rhetorical and editorial decisions
writers make about style, content, and tone. Likewise, we must write as readers,
considering our audience and purpose. I would love for you to leave this class not
just reading and writing more, but reading and writing smarter.
The texts we read in this class (short stories, poems, novels, essays, and non-fiction)
will serve as a basis for us to have relevant and often revealing discussions about the
world we live in. My hope is that, through our readings and conversations, we will all
grow in our capacity to look at both our world and ourselves with an open, global
mind.

Why Were Here

In essence, every day we are working together and challenging one another to
become:
Deep thinkers
Curious, investigative readers
Confident, thoughtful writers
Attentive, perceptive listeners and viewers
Language playmakers

Course Expectations

Preparedness and Readiness: Arrive on time for class, fully prepared to

participate, including having completed all outside reading and writing
assignments.

Participation: Share your experiences, your insights, and your wisdom in class
discussions and activities! Support and respect your classmates when they share
with you.
Respect: Treat all people, ideas, and property with respectas if you would like
to be treated!
Cooperation: Follow all school and class policies.
Professional Languageis expected at all times.
Sleepingis never acceptable (and cheats your opportunity to become a
scholar).
Food and Drink: No food in class; you may, however, bring drinks in closed
containers.

More on Class Participation

Students are expected to be active learners who challenge themselves on a daily
basis. You should come to class well prepared and thus be able to ask meaningful
questions and provide thoughtful responses. You should listen carefully to your
classmates and support the class as a community of learners.

When You Are Late To Class

Sign in on the Late Sign In Sheet on the clipboard at the front of the class. If you
have a pass, clip it in the clipboard. Do not interrupt the class unless it is absolutely
necessary. I will bring your work to you.

Bathroom Policy
Each student will be allotted three bathroom passes per quarter. These passes may
only be utilized during independent work time, after the first and before the last
fifteen minutes of class. Students in possession of bathroom passes at the end of
each quarter will earn one point of extra credit per each unused pass. This extra
credit may be applied to a single major grade. This policy will apply to all students
with the exception of those with documented medical conditions which necessitate
regular use of the bathroom.

Cell Phone Policy

Cell phones and other electronic devices (i.e. headphones) should be kept out of
sight at all times unless Ms. Gerdes has given permission for the device to be used
for a specific learning activity.

Consequences
Regarding noncompliance with classroom policies and/or expectations
1st Offense: verbal warning
2nd Offense: detention
3rd Offense: parent conference and, in the case of noncompliance with the cell
phone policy, a behavior referral

Methods of Assessment
Class discussions, presentations, projects, journal entries, tests, written responses,
essays, self and peer evaluations, and classroom involvement will all be considered
methods of assessment in this course. Grades will be calculated using the following
breakdown:

Major Grades (papers, projects, tests)

Quizzes
Classwork and Homework

50%

25%
25%

Revision of Major Papers

Because I believe in the importance of revision, you may revise and resubmit any
paper you have written for up to half credit back. I encourage as much rewriting as
possible so that my students may develop the habits of professional writers. You
must do the following in order to receive credit for revisions

Keep your original draft with my original feedback. Youll need this to guide your
revisions.
Schedule a time to meet with me before of afterschool for a 15 minute writing
conference so we can discuss your plan for revisions.
Make substantive revisions to the big picture issues in your paper (i.e. content,
organization, argument, support etc.). I do not award credit back just for
sentence-level revisions.
Print your revised essay, staple it on top of your old essay, and place it in the
late/make-up work tray.
Papers must be revised before the end of the quarter for which they were
assigned.

Academic Integrity

I take academic honesty and the Northern High School academic honor policy very
seriously. I always expect, unless otherwise stated, that you work independently on
all assignments in this class. Plagiarism will not be accepted under any
circumstances. Ignorance of the definition of plagiarism is not an excuse.

When You Are Absent

It is your responsibility to attend to any work you have missed. Heres how to
make sure you stay on track after youre away
Making up classwork:
Check the absent work binder for your class.
Collect the materials that are date-stamped for the day(s) you were
absent. If you missed any notes, make arrangements to copy them from a
friend.
You may take one day per each day you missed to complete and submit this
classwork. (Ex. If you missed two days, you have two days to complete the
work).
Note: If an assignment was due the day of your absence, it is due the day
you return!
Submit all absent work to the late work/make-up work tray.
Making up tests and quizzes:

You must complete missed quizzes within 3 days of your return and missed
tests within a week.
Quizzes and tests not completed within this deadline will be counted as a
ZERO.
If you cannot make this deadline, you must speak with me in advance.

Late Work
Because I believe all the work we do is meaningful, late work is accepted for most
assignments. Full credit, however, is only given when assignments are turned in on
time. Remember, zeros are lethal!

Materials

Three ring binder with dividers

Loose leaf notebook paper
Pen or pencil
Highlighters