Course Overview:

In this course, we will be reading various types of American literature and looking at past authors and how their writing relates to issues today. This class will focus more on novels than Amer. Lit. I, but we will also be covering some short stories and poetry. The focus will be on “classic” authors pre 1950. There will be literature read together and analyzed by the entire class, as well as group assignments and individual work.

Vocabulary:

We will be studying a unit on vocabulary each week. A broad vocabulary will help you to become a better reader and a better writer. You will be given a packet on Monday and it needs to be completed by Thursday. We will have a test every three lessons.

Reading:

Reading is important in order to broaden your vocabulary and to see how others write. It is also important to see more examples of American authors. Since we will be reading a lot more than in other classes, you will only be required to read one 200+ page novel and complete an independent study project on it, this semester, outside of class. You will have a list of titles from me to choose from. We will be reading several novels over the course of this class, so it is very important to keep up. There will be reading quizzes randomly given after assigned readings. If you choose to read more outside of class, you can read up to an additional 400 pages for 5% added to your final grade.

Class Participation:

We will be reading together in class and outside of class. It is important that everyone is engaged in class discussions in order to stimulate thoughts and ideas. Every student is expected to be prepared to give an opinion, ask a question, or provide an answer to a question on every story we read. These points are tabulated every time we discuss a story. These points are worth 10% of your grade.

Grading:

Grades are based on the total number of points accumulated over the course of each quarter. Assignments will be worth varying points. You will have a variety of assignments and tests to gauge your understanding of the material. These assignments will include, but are not limited to: journal prompts, short essays, quizzes, major papers, comprehension questions, comprehension tests and group and individual presentations. The points that you accumulate will be divided by the points possible. Each quarter will be worth 50% of your total grade. The following grading scale will be used: