Deer Park High School—South Campus
Mrs. Black
Room 2242 ablack@dpisd.org
English IV Syllabus
Important!
Keep track of your grades! Do not jeopardize graduation or exemptions.
1st
6-weeks
2nd
6-weeks
3rd
6-weeks
4th
6-weeks
5th
6-weeks
6th
6-weeks
Semester
Average
Progress
Report
Grade
6-weeks
Average
Fall:
________
Spring:
________
How to calculate what you need on the final exam
to get the grade you want for each semester:
STEP ONE
Add: 1st 6-weeks average + 2nd 6-weeks average + 3rd 6-weeks average = X
(Ex.: 88 + 96 + 90 = 274)
STEP TWO
Determine what grade you want for the class.
(Ex.: “I would like to earn an A!”)
STEP THREE
Understand that the following numbers will get you the following grades:
A = 360
B = 320
C = 300
D = 280
STEP FOUR
Because you want to get an A in the class, subtract 269 (in STEP ONE) from 360
(in STEP THREE). Ex.: 360-274 = 86 (You must make at least an 86 on the final to
get an A in the class.)
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course covers selected works in British Literature from The Old English and
Medieval Periods to the present. Emphasis will be placed on the historical background,
cultural context, and literary analysis of major genres of literature: short story, poetry,
novel, drama, and analytical prose. The year will be divided into several major points of
focus:
SAT Preparation and Literary Devices:
o Students will develop fluency and refinement by composing in a variety of
modalities and under a variety of circumstances.
o Students will learn the literary and rhetorical strategies of effective writers and how to
employ these strategies appropriately in their own writing.
Short Stories and the Elements:
o Students will learn how devices make meaning and will come to recognize how
imagery, diction, irony, and figurative language affect tone and theme and how form
and function are complimentary.
Beowulf:
o Students will learn the literary and cultural significance of Epics, why they endure
and what they say about the cultures that create them. Besides reading Beowulf and
completing related writing assignments, students will learn about the history of the
English language and Anglo-Saxon England. In addition to mastering such concepts
as kennings, litotes and archetypes, students come to see the world Beowulf
inhabited, to recognize its uniqueness and universality, to know a distant past that
permeates today.
Research Utilizing Primary and Secondary Sources:
o Topics may vary. Through the process of research, students will learn to evaluate,
internalize, and synthesize both critical and literary texts, creating a written product
that shows significant thought and successfully follows MLA conventions.
Canterbury Tales:
o Students will learn how the mingling of Norman French and Anglo-Saxon brought
about by the Norman Invasion set into motion the language that eventually becomes
English. Students will read The Canterbury Tales, learning such concepts as MiddleEnglish, estates satire, couplets, irony, parable, and fabliaux.
Medieval Romance and Procedural Writing:
o Students will learn the conventions of the Medieval Romance and the social forces
that helped give it shape. In particular, students will learn about chivalry, symbols,
courtly love, quests, magical numbers, and recognizing the modern day counterpart
of the Medieval Romance
Renaissance Poets/ Sonnets:
o Students will experience the music and passion, the glory and shame of lyric poetry
from the Renaissance. In particular students will become familiar with the
quintessential Renaissance form, the sonnet, reading and explicating several, as well
as writing at least one. Besides exploring universal themes of love and mortality,
students will learn to recognize and employ such conventions as iambic pentameter,
volta, rhyme scheme, theme, conceits and symbol.
MacBeth:
o With a passing nod to Aristotle and extensive reading of Shakespeare’s Macbeth,
students will learn the conventions of the Elizabethan Tragedy. Students will also
analyze Shakespeare’s use of paradox, figurative language, and situational irony to
explore universal themes.
Restoration/Enlightment:
o Students will read texts from the Restoration Period, poems from John Donne and
extensive selections from John Milton’s Paradise Lost. From this, students will gain
a greater understanding of the English language, with Donne’s ingenious use of
hyperbole, conceits, and paradox and Milton’s byzantine syntax and beautifully
disturbing imagery. Students will also learn of Milton’s influence on Christian
iconography, how his depictions of Eden, Hell, and Satan have shaped contemporary
thought.
Although this is an extensive list, this is not all of the material we will cover. As needs are
assessed throughout the year, there may be some alterations to the curriculum to best
improve your skills and target college readiness.
ASSESSMENT
There are several areas by which you will be assessed in this class including:
 Participation – sometimes you will simply get a grade on how much you participate in
class discussions, literary circles, and how well you pay attention!
 Quizzes – there will be a significant amount of quiz grades in this class including
vocabulary (spelling does count), literary, and grammar quizzes.
 Essays – essays are a very important part of this class. There may be some instances where
students will only write a partial essay to focus on certain elements. Organization,
development, focus, thesis, grammar, format, and quality will be the main focus for essay
grades.
 Exams - only material we have covered will be on an exam. Students will know exactly
what content will be on the exams. It is their responsibility to study this material and be
prepared for them!
Grading - Students will find that they get the grade they EARN. I don’t play favorites, and I
don’t use your grades against you. The percentages are as follows:
Daily = 25%
Minor = 30%
Major = 45%
When I return papers, quizzes, or other assignments to you, do not throw them away. Keep them
until you confirm your final grade in the course, so if for some reason a correction needs to be
made, you will have the record of both doing the work and receiving the grade.
LATE WORK:
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20 points off for 1 day late
30 points off for 2 days late
After 3 days, the teacher will either not accept the work or a grade of no higher than a 50
can be earned!
MAKE-UP WORK:
 It is the student’s responsibility to come in for tutorials when absent and to get make-up
work/notes/video assignments before. During class is not the time to ask!
 You are responsible for making up warm-ups when you are absent because they are part
of a major grade.
 Make-up work (daily grades/major grades/exams) is due within five school days of an
absence, or you will receive a zero.
 Make-up exams and retests can be done during tutorials
 Unexcused absence = Zero on any assignment, even exams
TARDIES:
You cannot enter the room once the tardy bell rings without a pass from the tardy station. If you
attempt to “sneak” in thinking I did not notice, I can manually enter in your tardy at the
computer.
CELL PHONES:
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BYOT = When the teacher tells you to get out your cell phone; not when you feel like it!
If you are constantly looking at your lap and smiling, it is obvious. If you have your hand
in the side of your pocket, it is obvious. If you put your purse on your desk to block my
view, it is obvious.
If your phone does go on in class or you are caught using it, you will need to immediately
give it to me and it will be sent down to your principle. Failure to follow this will result in
the assistant principal escorting you out of the classroom.
PASSES:
You may not use the restroom during instruction or tests. If you need to use the restroom while
you are working in class, you may ask, take the hall pass, and leave. You should not be gone an
excessive amount of time. You will have a pass that allows you to go to the restroom three times
in a six weeks. At the end of each six weeks, if you have not used your pass, you will receive
extra credit. It is your responsibility to keep up with you pass.
PLAGAIRISM:
Cheating and plagiarism of any kind are not acceptable. Cheating and plagiarism include “lifting
phrases” from another person’s homework, looking at someone else’s test/quiz, copying papers
word for word, and taking papers or any part of a paper or discussion from another source, from
the Internet, or from a fellow student. Plagiarism also includes using phrases from Sparknotes,
Cliff’s notes, Pink Monkey, or any other study aid.
SUPPLIES:
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4.
5.
Pen/Pencil every day you are in class
Paper
2 subject spiral
Folder (for graded work)
Assigned supplies for classroom use (I will let each class period know what to bring!)
I do not loan out supplies because I never get them back, so make sure you come to class
prepared!! Not having the appropriate materials is not an excuse to not do your assignment.
PAPER FORMAT:
All work must have a specific heading on it in this class. Failure to properly format your paper
will result in a deduction of points. Also, make sure the paper you turn in is clean and
presentable.
Your Name
Mrs. Black
Period
Date
Title
MISCELLANEOUS:
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I don’t go through your belongings, so please keep your hands off of mine (items on my
desk/tables, file cabinets, closets, etc.).
Water only
Students should only be in my class during their designated class time or during tutorial
hours. I cannot give students assistance during my conference period and I cannot remove
you from another class to do work in my class.
Too many absences = Not getting credit for this course/not being able to exempt in the
Spring/not graduating (BE HERE!)
Doing other classes’ work in here when you are supposed to be doing our work is insult
unacceptable. Feel free to work on other classes’ work after you are finished with what
we are doing.
Textbooks, desks, and sets of class materials should be kept in the same condition you
found them. Please do not vandalize anything that is not yours!
Once the tardy bell rings, you should be in your seat starting the warm-up without me
telling you to do so!
Keep your desks clear during class. Please keep purses and backpacks underneath the
desk. This is to prevent any misconceptions about cheating, cell phone use, and being off
task.
Raise your hand to be called on to speak; no side-talking, no talking across the room, no
calling out things; simply raise your hand, and we’ll be glad to hear what you have to say.
Sharpen pencils at the beginning of class, and throw away trash at the end of class, not
while I am addressing the class.
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Stay quiet when announcements are made or someone else (teacher, visitor, or peer) is
talking.
All district and school policies/rules/consequences as well as policies/rules/consequences
in the Student Handbook will be enforced including:
 Cell phones will be taken up and turned in to the office (see “Cell Phones”
section above)
 No electronic devices
 Dress code/ID issues. You know better by now.
 Use school appropriate language. Even if you think I cannot hear you, I
probably do and you will be written up for it!
EXTRA CREDIT
There will be extra credit opportunities throughout the year. However, it is not required that I
offer extra credit, so do not rely on extra credit to pass you! Since this is an English class the
extra credit will always involve writing.
PARENTS/GUARDIANS:
Please be sure that you have read the above information as well as the following list of videos
and audio selections we will be using this semester. Not all videos listed will be showed in their
entirety and may not be shown at all. Also, please be aware that additional clips/news media that
have an educational purpose may be shown throughout the semester. Please check any of the
videos below that you do NOT want your child to watch, and please list any concerns that you
may have. In addition, you and your child need to sign below and your child needs to return it to
me by the assigned deadline.
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Becket— (rated PG for content)
Hamlet—(rated PG-13 for content)
Macbeth—(rated PG-13 for content)
Paradise Lost
“The Rime of the Ancient Mariner”
The Canterbury Tales—animated versions
Beowulf—not the cinematic version; an animated version
Shakespeare’s London—This documentary examines culture during the time of
Shakespeare.
_____ Mel Gibson Meets Hamlet—This is an introduction to the movie as seen through the eyes
of the actors.
_____ A Survey of English Verse: Milton
_____ The Barretts of Wimpole Street—(not rated)—cinematic interpretation
_____ The Reduced Shakespeare Company: The Complete Works of William Shakespeare
_____ Standard Deviants series—actors make learning difficult topics easier
_____ Shakespeare: The Animated Tales
_____ The Famous Authors Series: William Shakespeare
_____ Shakespeare in American Communities: National Endowment for the Arts
_____ Cinderella(rated G)—to guide students in creating Story Maps
_____ A Light History of the English Language
_____ A Knight’s Tale—(rated PG-13 for some content and language)—to explore cultures
from that time era.
_____ Geoffrey Chaucer: Poet and Pilgrim
_____ Visual/Audio interpretations from the school library, UnitedStreaming.com, Discovery
Education Streaming, and from our textbook and its ancillary materials; the content is from our
curriculum and applications found within short stories, poems, epics, plays, aspects of language
and literature, documentaries that we will study
I have read, understood, and agreed to the syllabus and the video list. I also understand that
students are responsible for turning in their work on time and in the proper format, and that
the students must be responsible for the grade that they earn.
The policies/procedures of this class support the school’s policies.
Student signature____________________________________________
Date ___________
Parent/Guardian signature ___________________________________
Date ___________
Parent Email________________________________________________
Concerns:
______________________________________________________________________________
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