Advanced Writing Teacher: Mrs.

Derdiger
2016-2017 Course Syllabus Email: sara.derdiger@has.hc.edu.tw
Classroom: Room 1
Textbook: Prentice Hall Writing Coach,
Grade 11
Schedule: 2nd Block B Days (9:55-11:20)

Course Description
In this course students will hone their writing skills through a variety of long and short writing projects. We will focus on
six main types of writing: persuasive, research, literary response, fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. Students will be exposed
to a variety of contemporary topics, and will learn to express complex ideas in clear, well-reasoned language that
responds to specific audiences and goals. They will continue to self-evaluate their writing as well as critique the writing of
their peers using both teacher and student created rubrics. Upon completion, students will have gained experience in
expressing and supporting their thoughts and opinions in a variety of formats and will be better equipped to make their
voices heard both inside and outside the classroom.

Learning Objectives
Each unit of the course will focus upon one major style of writing. In addition, each unit will focus on a specific stylistic or
grammatical concept (with review of familiar terms and concepts as necessary). Upon completion of this course
students should be able to:

1. Write compositions for each of the styles being taught

2. Create complex arguments that examine all sides of an issue thoroughly and fairly.
3. Understand and effectively use the skills and strategies of the writing process.
4. Modify the style and tone of a piece of writing to meet the needs of a particular audience.
5. Understand and choose between a variety of sentence structures to emphasize important points.
6. Use transitions effectively within long compositions.
7. Find, evaluate and integrate a variety of source material into their own writing.
8. Cite sources using MLA format.
9. Evaluate their own writing (as well as others’) using student and teacher created rubrics

Required Materials
● Pens, pencils, highlighters, and erasers
● Notebook and paper
● 3-Ring binder or folder to store and organize class materials and assignments
● Homework diary
● Electronic dictionary if necessary
● Laptop and headphones are highly recommended.
● Course textbook: Prentice Hall Writing Coach: Grade 11
Course Schedule*
Unit Topics and Themes
Unit 1 Non-Fiction
Narration
-The four functions of a
sentence (p. 396)
-Varying sentences (p. 404)
-Avoiding fragments and
run-ons (p. 407)
-Misplaced and dangling
modifiers (p. 412)
-Faulty parallelism (p. 415)
-Faulty coordination (p.
418)
Unit 2 Persuasive Writing
-Passive voice v. active
voice (p. 456)
-Special problems with
pronouns (p. 471)
-Degrees of comparison (p.
506)
-Making clear comparisons
(p. 511)
Unit 3 Research Writing
-Punctuating quotations
-MLA format
-Citations
Unit 4 Response to
Literature
-Formatting large
quotations
Unit 5 Fiction Narration
-Quotations in dialogue
Unit 6 Poetry and
Description
Readings
-“The Impotence of
Proofreading” by Taylor
Mali
“Introduction” by Bette Bao
Lord (p. 68)
“Broken Tongues” by Alex
Dang
“Mother Tongue” by Amy
Tan
-“from Women’s Right to
Suffrage” by Susan B.
Anthony (p. 174)
-“Forever Forward” by
Bernie Sanders
-“Donald J. Trump Excerpts
from RNC Speech” by
Donald Trump
-“The Space Race: A Voyage
from Competition to
Comfort” by Camilla Juarez
(p. 226)
-“Song of Myself” by Walt
Whitman
-“Response to ‘Song of
Myself’” by Andria Cole (p.
200)
-“On Occurrence at Owl
Creek Bridge” by Ambrose
Bierce
-“Point of View in ‘An
Occurrence at Owl Creek
Bridge’” by Brianna Collins
(p. 202)
-“How to Tell a True War
Story” and “Good Form” by
Tim O’Brien
-Chapter 1 from The Great
Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
-“The Science of Deduction”
by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
-“Your Fossil is the Shape of
My Mouth” by Sarah
Morgan
-“The Meteor’s Monologue”
Writings Duration
Short Narrations: A school 5 weeks
memory, A language
memory
Unit Assessment: A creative
non-fiction essay on a
theme from our in class
readings
Short Persuasions: Letter to 6 weeks
a friend, Advertisement
Unit Assessment:
Persuasive Essay. Topic TBD
Short Research: Authors, 6 weeks
Books
Unit Assessment: Research
paper on a literary
movement
Short Responses: Book 6 weeks
review, “Song of Myself”
and “An Occurrence at Owl
Creek Bridge”
Unit Assessment: Response
to a book read in Lit.
courses
Short Narrations: Book 6 weeks
preview, Dialogue, Setting
Unit Assessment: The first
chapter of your debut novel
Short Writings: 1-inch 6 weeks
picture frame, Poems,
Character Sketch
Unit Assessment: A
 by Alvin Lau portfolio containing edited
-“Dancing in the Rain with and revised versions of 6
Annie” by Dane Kuttler pieces from this unit
-“Promises” by Mozart
Guerreir
-“Howl” by Allen Ginsberg
*Course schedule subject to change

Grading Policy
Grades are calculated according to the category weights listed below:

Unit Assessments: 30%

Homework: 30%
Classwork: 30%
Participation: 10%
Participation will be graded using ClassDojo.com and students will be expected to create an account and register in the
class using the code given by the teacher.

Quarter 1: 40%
Quarter 2: 40%
Final Exam: 20%

Assignment Policy
Assignment instructions and deadlines are posted regularly on RenWeb. Students are expected to check RenWeb each
day for assignment postings, class announcements, and other updates from the teacher. Students are also expected to
complete and submit assignments according to assignment instructions as posted on RenWeb. Parents will be able to
access all this information through the parent portal.

All assignments should be completed and submitted before the deadlines as posted on RenWeb. Submitting
assignments late will immediately result in a 10% penalty. Any assignment submitted more than two weeks late after
a deadline may not be accepted for credit.

All assignments that are submitted on RenWeb must be saved in the following format:
Assignment Title, Class Abbreviation, Last Name, First Name
Ex. ResearchPaper, AdvWrit, DerdigerSara

Academic Integrity
Academic dishonesty, including cheating and plagiarism, will not be tolerated. Assignments or exams that show
evidence of cheating or plagiarism will not be accepted and will receive no credit. Serious incidents of academic
dishonesty will be subject to immediate disciplinary measures.

All assignments submitted in this class must exhibit a student’s original ideas and language. Information that is
borrowed from other authors and sources must be properly cited in MLA format. Failure to attribute ownership to
rightful authors is considered plagiarism (as this is fraudulently claiming ownership of another’s
work). Misappropriation of an artist or peer’s work and/or published images also constitutes plagiarism. Any work
that makes use of another artists’ work and/or published images must show substantial development beyond
duplication.

Behavior Expectations

CLASSROOM CONDUCT
All students are expected to respect each other, the teacher, and the classroom learning environment. This includes:
● Arriving to class on time (seated at your assigned desk with all of your materials before the bell is finished
ringing at the start of class and at the end of break time). Students who arrive late to class without an excused
pass, will be marked tardy. Tardy students are subject to the punishments outlined in the student handbook.

● Following classroom rules and procedures as outlined by instructor

Be safe.
Be respectful.
Be responsible.

● Following behavior policies outlined in the HAS Student Handbook.

DEADLINES
Aside from excused absences, NO excuses are accepted for late work. If assignments are submitted to RenWeb,
students should prepare backup copies elsewhere online or on a USB in the event that a submission does not upload
successfully.

Students absent from class are expected to meet with the teacher the next day they are present in school to establish
new deadlines for their makeup work. Students absent on days assignments are due must submit their assignments the
next class day.

ELECTRONIC DEVICES
With the exception of electronic dictionaries, no electronic devices can be used in the classroom without the permission
from the teacher. At all times, students are expected to be attentive and prepared to participate and communicate with
their teacher and peers. In order to maintain an engaged and productive learning environment, students are not
allowed to wear earphones/headphones during class. In addition, earphones and headphones are not permitted in the
classroom and should be stored in students’ lockers.

Many assignments and class activities will require students to use computers and access the Internet. Though school
computers can be utilized for this purpose, it is highly recommended that students bring a personal laptop or other
portable computer to school. Because using smartphones are prohibited in the classroom, the use of laptops will be
permitted on a regular basis.

Devices or accessories being used without permission will be confiscated for the duration of the class period or entire
school day, at the teacher’s discretion.

CLASSROOM CLEANLINESS
No food or drink (except water) may be consumed or brought into the classroom at any time. Students may bring
water bottles to class. Any other food or drink found in the classroom will be confiscated.

DISCIPLINARY MEASURES
Failure to comply with class or school policies and expectations may result in one or more of the following, depending
on the frequency and severity of the infraction:
● Meeting with teacher outside of class to write an action plan.
● An email home to parents.
● Detention after school.
● Meeting with parents and school administration.
● Suspension from school.
● Other measures as deemed appropriate by the school administration.