Savannah Early College High School 2015-2016

10th Grade Composition & Literature

Mrs. McCray
Email: Janet.McCray@sccpss.com

Textbook: Prentice Hall Literature: Platinum Level 10 & Writing and Grammar

Course Description:
Tenth Grade Honors Literature and Composition will continue to build on the reading and
language curriculum established in 9th grade Composition & Literature. Throughout this year-
long course, students will have opportunities to develop and expand their knowledge of
literature and language and demonstrate their mastery level of new learning through
performance tasks and assessments. At the completion of this course, students will take the
Student Learning Objective (SLOs) Test.

Honors English is not necessarily more work, but different work. Students will employ strong,
thorough, and explicit textual evidence in their literary analyses and technical research. They
will understand the development of multiple ideas through details and structure and track the
development of complex characters and advanced elements of plot such as frame narratives and
parallel storylines. Student writing will reflect the ability to argue effectively, employing the
structure, evidence, and rhetoric necessary in the composition of effective, persuasive texts.
Students will be able to construct college-ready research papers of significant length in
accordance with the guidelines of standard format style MLA. Students will have built strong
and varied vocabularies across multiple content areas, including technical subjects. They will
skillfully employ rhetoric and figurative language, purposefully construct tone and mood, and
identify lapses in reason or ambiguities in texts. Students will recognize nuances of meaning
imparted by mode of presentation, whether it is live drama, spoken word, mass media, or art.
The complete lists of the Common Core Georgia Performance Standards for the course are on
the last page of this syllabus.

Note: Students will be expected to take notes in Cornell Notes style daily. Implementation of this
technique will be further discussed and modeled during class.

Common Core Georgia Performance Standards

 In 2012 the Georgia Department of Education adopted new Common Core Georgia
Performance Standards for grades 9-12. Consistent with state curriculum, Chatham County
Schools English language arts curriculum implementation aligns with state standards. The
content standards for this course are clustered by strands: Reading (Literary and
Informational), Writing, Speaking/Listening, and Language. The complete lists of the
Common Core Georgia Performance Standards for the course are accessible through this link:
https://www.georgiastandards.org/CommonCore/Common%20Core%20Frameworks/CCGP
S_ELA_9-10_Standards.pdf.
Reading Literary: ELACC0-10RL1 through ELACC9-10RL3 (Key Ideas and Details)
ELACC9-10RL4 through ELACC9-10RL6 (Craft and Structure) ELACC9-
10RL7 through -ELACC9-10RL9 (Integration of Knowledge and Ideas)
ELACC9-10RL10 (Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity)
Reading Informational: ELACC9-10RI1 through ELACC9-10RI3 (Key Ideas and
Details)
ELACC9-10RI4 through ELACC9-10RI6 (Craft and Structure)
ELACC9-10RI7 through ELACC9-10RI9 (Integration of
Knowledge and Ideas)
ELACC9-10RI10 (Range of Reading and Level of Text
Complexity)
Writing: ELACC9-10W1 through ELACC9-10W3 (Text Types and Purposes)
ELACC9-10W4 through ELACC9-10W6 (Production and
Distribution of Writing)
ELACC9-10W7 through ELACC9-10W9 (Research to Build and Present
Knowledge)
ELACC9-10W10 (Range of Writing)
ELACC9-10SL1 through ELACC9-10SL3 (Comprehension and Collaboration)
ELACC9-10SL4 through ELACC9-10SL6 (Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas)
Language: ELACC9-10L1 throughELACC9-10L2 (Conventions of Standard Language)
ELACC9-10L3 (Knowledge of Language)
ELACC9-10L4 through ELACC9-10L6 (Vocabulary Acquisition and Use)

*Each Unit correlates with the corresponding marking period.

Unit Timelines:

(Unit 1) Moral Courage and Endurance: A Necessity for Change

Extended text- Antigone
Short text- Two Friends Damon and Pythias, (myth)
Short Informational Texts (Primary and Secondary Source Documents from U.S. &
World History)- Letter from a Birmingham Jail, Dr. Martin Luther King, excerpts
Poems- If we Must Die by Claude McKay & Invictus by William Ernest Henley

(Unit 2) Human Rights around the World: Symbols of Alienation

Extended text- Night by Elie Wiesel
Short text- Excerpt from Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice
 Short Informational Text (Primary & Secondary Documents from U.S. & World History-
Universal Declaration of Human Rights

(Unit 3) The Many Faces of the Hero

Extended text- The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare
Short texts- - In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez, excerpts
Short Informational Text (Primary & Secondary Documents from U.S. & World History-
Document for International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women
Poems- My Guilt by Maya Angelou & Sonnet 18 by William Shakespeare
(Unit 4) Heroes, Villains, and Underdogs in Literature
Extended text- Moneyball, Michael Lewis
Short text- O Captain, My Captain by Walt Whitman, Still I Rise by Maya
Angelou, A Good Man is Hard to Find by Flannery OConnor, The Celebrated
Jumping Frog of Calaveras County by Mark Twain, & I too by Langston
Hughes
Short Texts Informational- from When I Was a Puerto Rican by Esmerelda
Santiago & A Tribute to Jackie Robinson: A Man for All Times compiled by
Long Island University

Classroom Expectations:

Each student is expected to be on time.

Bring all necessary materials (textbook, writing utensils [pencils & blue or black ink only],
journal notebook, and paper).
Note: -Books go in the tray, never on the floor. Book bags should remain out of the
walkways.

Always look productive by having materials on your desk. Remember there is always
something to do (homework, notes, studying, etc.).

Respect the teacher, other students, property of others and school policies.

Participate and pay attention in class.

Complete all assigned work in a timely fashion.

20pts a day will be deducted on all late work assignments.

Peruse student handbook for explanation of school rules and consequences.

Classroom Procedures:
All graded papers are to be filed and stored in the filing cabinet.
Turn in all class work (after the bell) in the clear tray unless otherwise stated. Never
walk up to the teachers desk without permission.
 Turn in journal notebooks on Fridays.
-Late journals may only be submitted during tutorial hours after school. Students
must have logged-in for a total of 15 minutes to be considered present at tutorial.

Sharpen pencils/throw items in the trashcan as needed. Privileges will be denied if

students are disruptive!

Grading System

Class work/ Homework-40% Tests/projects-60%

Grading Scale: 100-90 = A; 89-80 = B; 79-70 = C; 69-0 = F

*All approved honors courses will have three (3) bonus points added to the final semester
numerical grade of 70 or higher.

Plagiarism Statement
Plagiarism is the use of another's words or ideas and the presentation of them as though they
are entirely one's own. Acts of plagiarism might include, but are not limited to:
1. Using words or ideas from a published source without proper documentation;
2. Using the work of another student (e. g. copying another student's homework,
composition, or project);
3. Using excessive editing suggestions of another student, teacher, parent, or paid editor.

**Plagiarism or copying on any project or paper will result in a zero for the
assignment.

Unless directly stipulated by the teacher, collaboration on written work is not acceptable.
Students who willingly provide other students with access to their work are in violation.
Students guilty of cheating will receive a grade of "0" on the assignment or test. The
assignment may not be made up.

Tutorial:
*EXTRA CREDIT (late work) maybe arranged for attending tutorial. A record of attendance
will be kept. Tutorial will be held on Wednesday and Fridays from 3:10-4:00p.m

*INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES can be found in the Shared Documents section of my

website: http://internet.savannah.chatham.k12.ga.us/schools/ec/faculty/mccray/default.aspx

***Important note: PowerSchools Parent Access provides parents or guardians

round-the-clock access to real-time information about their childs attendance
and grades. Please see the Information Specialist for an access ID, password,
and other account information. State-issued photo identification is
required. Students also may track their academic progress for college and
career through PowerSchools Student Access. Students may see the
Information Specialist for an access ID and password.
*Attendance: Please be aware that students are only allowed four (4) unexcused absences per
semester for a block class.

*Make-up Policy: Students are given five days upon their return to class, to make up new
assignments.

Student Signature: Home Phone:

Parent Signature: Work Phone: Date: