English 421 Course Outline: 2015-16

Instructor: Krista ONeill

Classroom: 257

E-Mail: kdoneill@edu.pe.ca
Website: kdoneill.weebly.com

Course Description
English 421 explores the major genres: narrative pieces, essays, poetry, and drama. This
course requires students to apply previously attained knowledge and skills, thus leading to
higher levels of achievement and increasing capacity to attain new levels of understanding
and skill. We will spend part of each class independently reading and writing. In addition,
we will work together with novels, plays, short pieces of fiction and non-fiction, visual
texts, as well as writing, research, and grammar.
Topics/Timeline
The typical high school semester is based on 18 weeks of instruction. Students can expect
to cover the following, week to week in English 421. Of course, the schedule is tentative
and flexible. Students will be informed about changes in delivery and assessment in
advance.
February 4-5 (2) Snapshot Moment
February 8-12 (5) Narrative
February 16-19 (4) Narrative
February 22-25 (4) Narrative
February 29-March 4 (5) Book Club
March 7-10 (4) Book Club
March 14 - 17 (4) Book Club
MARCH BREAK
March 29-April 1 (4) Persuasion/Research
April 4-8 (5) Persuasion /Research

April 11-14 (4) Persuasion/Research

April 18-22 (5) Julius Caesar
April 25-28 (4) Julius Caesar
May 2-5 (4) Julius Caesar
May 9-13 (5) Julius Caesar
May 16-20 (5) Julius Caesar
May 24-27 (4) Poetry
June 6-10 (5) Poetry
EXAMS

Evaluation
This course is graded cumulatively, and studies the three strands in language arts. You will
know in advance which strand each activity addresses.

Speaking and Listening (S&L)

Reading and Viewing (R&V)
Writing and Representing (W&R)
Major Assessments (Final Exam + Portfolio)

16%
32%
32%
20%

Students and parents are encouraged to keep track of progress in

SAS as we move through the semester.

Assessment
Students will be assessed in many different ways, each with the focus on improving
learning. Each time an assignment is given, students will be provided with an appropriate
rubric or checklist describing what areas will be addressed and assessed. Make the most
of this!
Due Dates
Students are expected and encouraged to submit any assignment on or before the
assigned due date. You will be given a lot of opportunity to practice skills, and receive
feedback for improvement, before you are expected to produce a final piece for marking.
Because you will know well in advance when a summative assessment is due, you are
expected to submit you work on or before the final deadline. If you miss a final
deadline, you risk receiving a zero for the work.
Major Assignments
Students who do not submit major assignments will receive an incomplete for the course.
You will be told when the assignment is given if it is considered to be a major assignment.
Final Portfolio
You may be asked to submit a final portfolio of work at the end of the semester which will
include pieces completed in English 421, as well as reflections of what you have learned,
and how you have grown as a reader, writer, speaker and listener. It is your responsibility
to keep your work throughout the semester, so you will have all of your pieces to consider
when you are assembling your portfolio!
Reminders:
Lets keep our new space as nice as it is today no food or drink other than water.
Keep washroom requests to a minimum. Dont ask in the first or last 15 minutes!
No headphones part of your assessment is speaking and listening.
Cell phones turned off and in the basket, please.
If you are absent, you are responsible to get the work you missed (weebly!). Please
take note of the ELSBs new attendance policy.

The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance. -Socrates