English 11A: American Literature

Syllabus

Pre-assessment and Review Assessments:

In order to be successful in this course, students must have a solid understanding of academic
vocabulary associated with argument. Therefore, all students are required to complete the
Argument is in Everything Pre-assessments at the start of the course. A student may only move
to the first literary movement unit, Puritan unit, if he/she receives an 80% on each pre-
assessment. For each pre-assessment a student does not receive 80% or higher, the student must
complete the corresponding review assignment before beginning the first literary movement,
Puritanism.

Course Central Motif: Establishing an American Identity

Students will examine both nonfiction and fiction texts written in America by Americans
examining the nations voice as it develops from the early American settlers to present day
modern Americans. Throughout the course students will determine what it means to be
American, as well as evaluate the process that Americans have taken to establish an identity over
the years by examining: informational materials, advertisements, prose both fiction and
nonfiction, and poetry.

Students will complete a journal entry before beginning literary movements noting their
positions on the following core questions:

1. What is necessary for a society to provide an individual so that he/she can establish an
identity that supports the fundamental principles of the right to life, liberty and the pursuit
of happiness?
2. How do you attempt to achieve the primary goals of life, liberty and the pursuit of
happiness?
3. Ultimately, determine the impact that society has upon the individual? the individual
upon society? Explain your positions.
Students will also complete a project that assess what each students American identity is prior to
beginning the examination of the central motif.
These core questions will be revisited at the end of each literary movement through the
threaded-discussion board. Students are expected to respond to each question from the
perspective of the philosophical ideas presented from each movement and from within each text
examined within the movement. All responses must use evidence from texts examined during the
unit for support. Students are asked to reflect and respond to peers in order to assist in
formulating an overall opinion on what it means to be an American and what is necessary to
establish an American identity.
Course Project:

At the end of the course, students will complete an argument paper where they: write a 3-5 page
analysis paper that addresses what it means to be an American using support from both fictional
and informational texts read over the course of the semester to support assertion. Students will
use previous reflections to assist in composition using proper MLA format.

Literary Movements and Novel Study:

Students will examine the following literary movements in America:

Puritanism

Rationalism: The Age of Reason

American Romanticism and Transcendentalism

Novel study: (Play)

Inherit the Wind by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee

Each literary movement and the novel study will require students to refine his/her skills in
reading, writing, listening and speaking. All units require students to use secondary sources to
identify and examine the philosophical beliefs of Americans during a particular literary
movement or the novel study. Students will then analyze key fiction and nonfiction texts from
the period in order to master common core standards. Each literary movement, as well as the
novel study will require literary analysis and writing in order provide practice for students to
master common core standards.

Students will receive feedback from teacher on submitted general assignments within 4 days of
submittal. Students are encouraged to use the Questions Discussion Board to post questions
about all assignments in order to get help from both the teacher and other students before turning
in assignments.

General Assessments: Each text within a unit has at least one general assessment for students to
work with common core standards. Standards reappear in each unit. General assessments are
worth 20% of total grade. These assessments are where students become comfortable with
standards. (Assessment types: Cornell Notes, graphic organizers to help with text analysis,
graphic organizers to review key common core standards.)

Tests, Unit Projects and Essays: These assignments are worth 45% of total grade because
they assess a students mastery of ongoing common core standards as well as understanding of a
particular literary movement. Teacher will post scores to summative assessments within 2 weeks
of student submission of assignment.
 Essays: Writing is a process that takes time to refine. Therefore, teachers will use both
formative and summative rubrics to assess writing. Formative writing rubrics will be used
for initial writing assignments in the Puritan and Rationalist units. The American
Romanticism and Transcendentalism unit, Novel exploration and Course project will use
summative assessment rubrics. Note: Some tests will have timed essay. Unless it is noted
in the test itself, timed essays will use the summative essay rubric. Some teachers may
require students to rewrite formative essays for summative essay grades. *See rubrics for
specifics.

Course Project and Final Exam: The course project is a culminating paper where students will
demonstrate mastery of all common core standards covered over the semester, as well as
understanding of course central motif and how each literary movement contributes to the course
motif. The final exam covers student mastery of all common core standards covered over the
semester. Therefore, these assessment are worth 35% of total grade.

Course Expectations:

Students will spend a minimum of 10 hours per week working on course work.

Students will contact teacher either through the course Questions Discussion Board or
via e-mail with all content questions/concerns prior to turning in assessments.

Students are responsible for reading course Bulletin Board for teacher clarification
and/or additional tasks for assessments.

Students must follow proper MLA guidelines and rules of grammar with all responses.
Since this is an online course, where many responses are posted for other students to see,
students need to treat each assessment as a formal academic assessment. This means that
proofreading is important before posting/submitting assignments.

Students will participate in course with academic integrity. Plagiarism is when a student
copies, lifts, steals another individuals ideas or work either intentionally or
unintentionally and passes it off as his or her own. This means that students must use
proper in text citations when paraphrasing and using quotations. See MLA link on course
home page for additional guidance to avoid plagiarism. Note: All essays are submitted
through turnitin.com, a tool to catch plagiarism.

Course Outline

Unit Activities
Unit 1: Introduction
Argument is in Everything Argument and Academic Vocabulary
Pre-Assessment
Rhetorical Appeals Pre-Assessment
 Rhetorical Devices Pre-Assessment
Discussion

Unit 2:
Review of Academic Vocabulary, Rhetorical
Appeals and Rhetorical Devices
Introduction
Notes on Argument and Academic
Vocabulary and Reflection
Review of Academic Vocabulary
Read The Pleasure of Books by
William Lyon Phelps
Complete the paraphrase activity
Rhetorical Appeals reflection
Rhetorical Appeals Activity
Rhetorical Appeals Review and Analysis
Read Democratic Presidential
Candidate Acceptance Speech by
Barack Obama (2008)
Read I Have a Dream by Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr.
Review Rhetorical Device Vocabulary
Words with Examples and Analysis
Complete the Rhetorical Device
Activity
Discussion

Unit 3: Introduction
Establishing an American Identity Journal Reflection
Discussion
What is American Identity? Activity

Unit 4: Introduction
Puritanism Puritan Ideologies Activity
Informational Pamphlet Activity
Read Sinners in the Hands of an Angry
God by Jonathan Edwards
Complete the Sinners in the Hands of
an Angry God Activity
Complete the Sinners in the Hands of
an Angry God Rhetorical Devices
Activity
Complete the Sinners in the Hands of
an Angry God Writing Activity
Complete the Sinners in the Hands of
an Angry God Quiz
Complete the Evaluating Writing
Activity
Complete the Reflection
 Read Self Acquaintance
Complete the Self Acquaintance
Activities
Summarize Puritan Ideologies
Complete the reflection
View the Self Acquaintance Video
Complete the Course Motif Reflection
Unit 5: Introduction
Rationalism: The Age of Reason Complete the Using Secondary
Resources Activity: Rationalism
View the Age of Reason Video
View the Letter to John Adams
Read the Letter to John Adams
Complete the Abigail Adams Activity
Complete the Writing Evaluation
Activity and Reflection
Complete the Letter to John Adams
Quiz
Read Speech to the Virginia
Convention by Patrick Henry
Complete the Speech to the Virginia
Convention Activity
Complete the Explicit and Implied Tone
Activity
Complete the Speech to the Virginia
Convention Quiz
Complete the Course Motif Reflection

Midterm Midterm Assessment

Unit 6: Introduction
American Romanticism and Complete the What is American
Transcendentalism Romanticism and Transcendentalism
Activity
Read Song of Myself. 52 by Walt
Whitman
Complete the Song of Myself Activity
View the Devil and Tom Walker Video
Complete the Devil and Tom Walker
Activity
Complete the Dark Romantic
Ideologies Activity
Complete the Key Motifs in American
Romantic Literature Activity
Complete the Course Motif Reflection
Unit 7: Read Inherit the Wind by Jerome
Novel Exploration Lawrence and Robert E. Lee
 Complete the Cornell Notes Activity
Complete the Before Reading Activity
Complete the Literary Response and
Analysis Activity
Complete the Act I Discussion
Complete the Act II Discussion
Complete the Act III Discussion
Complete the Inherit the Wind Project
Complete the Course Motif Reflection
Unit 8: Complete the Course Project on
Course Project American Identity
Final Exam Complete the Final Exam