English 11 Regents

Fall 2015- Spring 2016

Mr. Miller

Course Description: Naturally, the NYS English Common Core Regents exam in June is our primary objective. This exam, which aims to assess reading and writing skills, asks students to write essays and answer several multiple choice questions. Success on the exam certainly requires thorough analysis and consistent critical thinking. Therefore, we’ll read several works of fiction and non-fiction to prepare students for the tasks on the Regents, and we’ll engage in a variety of writing and thinking exercises to cultivate voice and style and develop the overall acumen necessary for all of the sections on the test and all of the phases of life. Throughout the year, we will also turn our attention to other genres, such as creative nonfiction, which will help with the new exam and also provide a nice foundation for writing the (illustrious – and usually dreaded) college essay. 

Grading (subject to change; will be announced each quarter):

Homework and Classwork and Journal (25%): All homework must be completed before arriving to class. Absent students are responsible for the work. Homework will be graded on content (what you say) and execution (how you say it) with a check (100) for complete homework and a check minus (65) for incomplete or limited homework. Missing homeworks receive a 0. Student has one day to make up the homework for a 65. If not, it remains a 0. A student who receives a high classwork grade will consistently and respectfully participate in class discussions and exercises and will come to each class with all required materials. Students need a separate binder for English, containing the following six (6) sections: Novels, Plays, Non-Fiction, Poetry, Writing, Words.

Journal : Students will bring a bound journal (with the student’s name and “11 English” on the cover) with them to every class and will be responding to questions and prompts, which will encourage them to think deeply and write reflectively about our reading, our world and our selves (all entries must be dated and the question itself always needs to be written).

Essays and Writing Assignments (25%): These in-class and out-of-class assignments will be given throughout the year and are designed to prepare students for the the Common Core Regents and beyond. There will also be optional extra-credit assignments.

Tests and Quizzes (25%): Students will be tested on literature comprehension and vocabulary (SAT words of the day and from the workbook)

Projects and Presentations (25%): i.e. Poetry Memorization -- See handouts. This will change each quarter.

Books We Will Be Using This Year:

Full-length Fiction: The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien, Death of a Salesman and The Crucible by Arthur Miller

Non-Fiction: Selections (contemporary and classic) from anthologies, textbooks, magazines, etc.

Short Stories and Poetry: Selections by Mr. Miller (not Arthur, the aforementioned playwright)

Vocabulary: “SAT” words, and words from our reading