Welcome to 11 th Grade Honors Description Reading

Welcome to 11 th Grade Honors Description Reading Writing Outcome

Myth and Reality n n This course has a reputation as rigorous and demanding At the same time, most students will agree that they actually enjoy the course and that they learn much. So while: It can be difficult q It is at times demanding It is also q Oddly enjoyable (Really? Paradox already Gerber) q

Basics n n 11 Honors is a class that evolves what you have learned in previous English classes. We will revisit these basics from time to time but our goal is to move to the next phase in our study of language, more specifically the analysis of language. You should have a solid understanding of the fundamentals of reading, writing, and language conventions.

The Basics, cont… n n In grades 9 and 10 you learned the basics of language, including language conventions, vocabulary acquisition and composition. Earlier grades demanded practice in the form of daily homework. n n In Grade 11 you will learn how to analyze literature and evolve reading, thinking, and writing to a greater level of depth and complexity. Grade 11 more reflects a college level experience in that reading will represent the majority of your work outside the classroom.

Description n At its most basic level 11 Honors is a Language Arts course devoted to an in-depth study of American Literature from the 16 th century to the Post-Modern period. Selected works provide insight into the course essential question: What is an American? Additionally you will ponder supplementary questions. Such as:

Supplementary Questions: n n What is the American Dream? q Is the Dream valid or realistic? Is it relevant today? q Is the Dream available to all Americans? q What is the “price” for embracing the Dream? What makes a work American? n How do writers represent what it means to be American? n What forces shape American identity? q In what ways has American identity evolved? q In what ways has it remained the same? n How does historical context inform the narrative?

Class Description Basics, cont… n We will read AND DISCUSS a variety of works, in a variety of literary genres and categories, and by a variety of American voices. n Novels include: q q q The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck

Class Description Basics, cont… n These American voices include: q q q q Benjamin Franklin Sherman Alexie Terry Bison Thomas Jefferson John and Abigail Adams Washington Irving Edgar Allan Poe Jon Krakauer William Faulkner Ralph Waldo Emerson Henry David Thoreau T. S. Eliot J. D Salinger F. Scott Fitzgerald Tennessee Williams q q q q Frederick Douglass Abraham Lincoln Walt Whitman Emily Dickenson Kate Chopin Nathaniel Hawthorne Stephen Crane W. E. B. Du Bois Richard Wright Ernest Hemingway Robert Frost Langston Hughes Mark Twain John Steinbeck

Class Description Basics, cont… n n This course engages students in the careful reading and critical analysis of LITERATURE OF MERIT q Denotation - Literature of Merit – This is a subjective term that shifts according to the reader and the time period. I define literary merit as a work of depth and complexity that “gives back” to the reader upon each reading. These additional readings provide further recognition of rhetoric, illuminate the meaning of the novel, and provide a global and empathic view of the human experience. Through the close reading of selected texts (both fiction and nonfiction), students deepen their understanding of the ways writers use language to provide both meaning and pleasure for their readers. Students will consider a work’s structure, style, and themes, as well as elements like figurative language, imagery, symbolism and tone (rhetoric).

The Work n n n This course includes an intensive study of representative works from various American genres and periods, concentrating on works of “literary merit. ” We, in fact, move through the course chronologically as we chart the establishment and evolution of the unique American voice. The works in this course invite and reward rereading and do not, like ephemeral works, yield all or nearly all their pleasures of thought and feeling the first time through (in essence, works that keep giving, that provide new thoughts, new experiences, and new realizations upon every read – earlier defined as Literature of Merit. )

Reading n n n Let’s not mince words: you must READ for this class. A diet of Spark Notes, Cliff Notes, Shmoop and various other “props” will not replace the reading and will dilute your success in and enjoyment of the course Not only do we GET TO experience great stories, we learn how to consume and digest them with the respect, joy, and curiosity due them.

Reading: A Generic Method n n When we read in this course, and hopefully for all future academic purposes, our reading involves three elements: The experience of literature (the entry point) q The subjective or personal dimension we feel when we read (I notice that…I wonder why…) The interpretation of literature (the bigger world) q Moving beyond the literal and arriving at YOUR OWN unique perspective based on evidence from the text. What does this work communicate beyond the story and to the experience of being human? The evaluation of literature q An assessment and evaluation of the work in terms of its artistic and social achievements (expression, discussion, project, essay, poetry inspired by the text)

Reading, cont… n Students will read deliberately and thoroughly, q q q Taking time to understand a work’s complexity To absorb its richness of meaning To analyze how that meaning is embodied in literary form n n n And in addition to considering a work’s artistry, students reflect on the social and historical values the work reflects and embodies “History informs the narrative” Careful consideration of both textual detail and historical context provides a foundation for interpretation.

Now About that Writing… n Writing is an integral part of any English class; this course refines the skill in terms of: q q n n Fluency Structure Organization Diction and syntax Depth of the argument (thesis) Writing assignments focus on the critical analysis of literature and include essays that are: q q Expository Analytical Argumentative Dialectal Journals And although critical analysis makes up the bulk of the course, well-constructed creative writing assignments help students see how literature is written. Such experiences sharpen your understanding of what writers have accomplished and deepen your appreciation of literary artistry.

Analytical and Creative Writing n n n The goal of both types of writing assignments is to increase your ability to explain clearly, cogently, even elegantly what you understand about literary works and why you interpret them as you do. To that end, writing instruction includes attention to developing and organizing ideas in clear, coherent, and persuasive language. It includes study of the elements of style. And it attends to matters of precision and correctness as necessary (grammar, spelling, punctuation, taboo, etc. ) COMMANDMENT 1: Know thy Taboo List

Long Range Objectives n Throughout the course, emphasis is placed on helping students develop stylistic maturity, which I characterize as: q q q A wide-ranging vocabulary used with denotative accuracy and connotative resourcefulness (10 lists of 30 words Semester 1: 9 lists Semester 2) A variety of sentence structures A logical organization, enhanced by specific techniques of coherence, such as repetition, transitions, and emphasis. A balance of generality with specific, illustrative detail, examples and EVIDENCE Effective interpretation of rhetoric, including controlling tone, maintaining a consistent voice, and achieving emphasis through parallelism and antithesis

Literature is a Holistic Study n n The writing you will produce in this course reinforces your reading Thus reading and writing are taught together to underscore both their common and distinctive elements

Types of Writing n n n Dialectical Journals - allows personal response to the literature or the conditions of the narrative Research – negotiate critical perspectives Extended discourses – develop an argument or present an analysis at length Creative Writing – synthesize understandings of the work under study. Assessment – the bulk of our unit assessment demands you write effectively under time constraints specifically, a four-paragraph essay that responds to a specific prompt (and you don’t know what that prompt is or what it will focus on)

Ah… The Infamous In-Class Essay n Units of study are finalized by the in-class essay. These essays follow a specific form in that they: q Are 40 minutes long (the writing portion) q Are four paragraphs total q Present two choices of questions. q Ask for an analysis of a work Are worth 60 points. q Note: You will complete the test free of the novel, supporting materials or a preview of the questions.

But More to the Point… n I think of this course as AP Literature Light, meaning that we will concentrate on the skills, tools, procedures, practices, and general doings that will prepare you for the next step in your academic evolution: AP Literature n This class is a workshop – think originally, challenge yourself to move beyond traditional understandings. MAKE LOTS OF MISTAKES By the time you get to AP Lit, you will be highly prepared for the wonders that will unfold for you; you will speak the language. AP Lit will honor your hard-won knowledge in its scholarly environment. AP Lit. will be the gift for your diligent effort in 11 Honors. n

Structure of the Course n n n The course follows a chronological timeline. So even though we start at the post-Modern period with J. D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, we will return to the scene of the crime so to speak, and ponder how the American identity came to this point. We will move from literary units, which entail: q q The reading of an iconic American novel, to a historical unit or a literary movement, which will include many voices: The review of literary movements and the historical, social, cultural elements that informed those movements. How did each reflect the zeitgeist of the period and the developing American voice.

Each Unit… n Will include q q q q q Class reading Class discussion Group activity Thesis development Some Reader’s Response – 2 -3 page literary response that focuses on a particular feature of the work (say use of mood, the portrayal of women, the motif of individualism) Random quizzes to check for reading Reading Packets – includes supplemental materials and background Homework Packets – to support you in your comprehension and analysis as you read. These are due the day of the unit test and must be submitted on that date regardless of whether you are in attendance or not Assessment – On the day of the exam, you will have a full period to n answer a 40 -50 question multiple choice quiz (10 minutes) n an in-class essay in which you will choose one of two questions

Who Should Take 11 Honors? n n Let me start by saying ANYONE who wants to improve their skills in English and is willing to dig deep to achieve that goal. Don’t worry about: q q q …the crummy year we all just lived through. We all start clean right here. …if you haven’t been on the honors track. I’m here to help with any “holes” in your basic knowledge. And you have all these great people sitting next to you. …if you are not “an English person. ” Anyone can learn. Do not always “get it. ” We come to our understandings in our own time. That is the great beauty of literature and the stories we share. Remember, you are here for you. You are the one you need to please.

Now that said…. q You will be on track to enormous growth if you: n Read n Participate n Embrace and celebrate your own opinions n Stay curious n Sit with ambiguity n Formulate your own perspective n Take academic risks n Make lots and lots of “good” mistakes n Bring me coffee (black, no sugar…It’s for your protection)

So the question to you…. n Are you ready to: q Dedicate yourself to the work? q Be challenged much and often? q Think in new ways? q Stay curious? q Engage in the wonders of language? q Make fun of your instructor? q If you answered yes to all these questions, Welcome to the glory that is 11 Honors.

So……. . Questions for me? ? ? ? I really like questions