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English 9
Mr. Decosimo
jdecosimo@dbcs.org
phone-
Overview
We will spend the year exploring some interesting pieces of literature. Students will sample novels, short stories, poems, and plays. We will learn new ways look at literature. All the while, we will work on building skills as writers and students. Class will be a mix of lecture, discussion, writing, and workshopping.
Texts: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, Master Harold and the Boys by Athol Fugard, Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, Dover Thrift Edition 100 Best-Loved Poems edited by Philip Smith, Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis, Folger Edition Julius Caesar by Shakespeare, The Odyssey translated by Robert Fitzgerald, and Vocabulary from Classical Roots
Expectations:
READING: Because the success of this class depends heavily on class discussion and each student’s contributions and insights into a work, it is necessary that students keep up with their reading assignments. Thoughtful and engaged reading will make for much more enjoyable and fruitful class time. You must bring your text to class with you. You will be penalized for leaving it at home. There will be regular reading quizzes over assignments. However, I will drop the lowest quiz grade for each 9 weeks.
ENGAGED DISCUSSION: Because class will often be driven by discussion, I expect that students will be respectful of each other’s ideas, person, and property.
PUNCTUALITY: I expect that all written assignments will be turned in on time. In general, I do not accept late work and if I do it will be at the price of 10 points a day for two days, accepting nothing after 2 days.
COMPONENTS OF GRADE
Papers and Presentations: We will be writing a lot. Most weeks you will have a 1 to 1.5
page paper due. Occasionally, you will have a longer paper due. There will be
several in-class essays through the year. Also, expect to make 1 or 2 class
presentations each semester.
Quizzes: You can expect to be quizzed regularly. In general, expect a brief quiz over
reading assignments.
Tests/Midterm and Final Exams: You can expect a midterm exam as well as a final.
Vocabulary: We will be working our way through the second half of Vocabulary from
Classical Roots.
Class Participation: Your participation in class is very important. If you are thoughtfully
contributing, there is no problem. However, if you consistently do not contribute
or if you disturb others you will be penalized.
Your grade will be made up of the following:
Final Exam- 20%
Homework/Reading Quiz- 20%
Papers/Presentations- 30%
Midterm/Tests/Vocab 20%
Participation- 10%
8/16-18- Business, Huck Finn
8/21-25- Huck Finn, Paper, Master Harold and the Boys (MHATB)
8/28-9/1- MHATB
9/5-8 - Sweat, Their Eyes Were Watching God (TEWWG)
9/11-15- TEWWG
9/18-22- TEWWG
9/25-29- TEWWG
10/2-6- Poetry
10/9-12- Poetry
FALL BREAK
10/17-20- Poetry, Presentation and Recitation
10/23-27- Till We Have Faces (TWHF)
10/30-11/3- TWHF
11/6-10- TWHF
11/13-17- TWHF
11/20-21- TWHF
THANKSGIVING
11/27-12/1- To be determined
12/4-8- To be determined
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