English 9

Intro to Literature
Course Syllabus
English 9: 2016-2017
Instructor: Justin Rollolazo
Classroom Location: Room 214
Instructor Email: jrollolazo@stliz-hs.org

Course Description:
In this course, students will be introduced to a variety of literary works including short stories,
poetry, novels, non-fiction, Shakespearean drama and more. The class will establish a
foundation of analytical reading and writing skills through the various literature we study.
Students will also focus on the writing process, with an emphasis on critical thinking, problem
solving skills as well as developing vocabulary.

Course Objectives:
1. The primary goal of this course is to build critical reading and writing skills to further
develop critical thinking ability.
2. Develop proper study skills and study habits in order to become better learners.
3. Identify and describe the recurring themes that appear in literature.
4. Students will be able to express their ideas and interpretations about each text through
coherent and well-reasoned writing. Various forms of writing will be used to demonstrate
the ability to develop, organize and articulate a complete thought/argument.
5. Students will be able to read and analyze various fiction literature.

Texts:
1. Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare
2. The Absolute True Diary of a Part Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie

Course Materials: (some materials maybe added as needed)

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Appropriate textbooks for daily use

Composition/spiral notebook for daily writing
Pens/pencils
Access to computer at home (if you dont have computer/internet access, you must
inform me the first day of class)
5. YOUR MIND!

Grading/Assessment:
The following scale will be used to determine your grade for the course:
A: 100%-90% B: 89%-80% C: 79%-70% D: 69%-60% F: 59%-Below

Major Assignments:
1. SMART Goal Project: Create a SMART Goal Action Plan project in which students will
identify a personal goal and detail a plan of attack on how best to accomplish that goal. This
project will be the basis of further activities throughout the entire school year.
2. Argument Essay: Students will learn the structure of argumentation and write an essay in
favor or opposition to a particular topic.
3. The Absolutely True Story of a Part Time Indian Portfolio: Students will create a portfolio of
various assignments including character analysis, theme analysis, character and plot
development, etc.
4. Historical Background Presentation on Shakespeare: In groups, students will conduct
research on various aspects of Shakespeare, including his personal history, historical context
of his plays, and overall significance in modern culture.
5. Romeo and Juliet Project: Students will complete various analytical activities designed to
demonstrate understanding of the plays characters, plot, language, literary devices, etc.

Class Expectations:
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Be on time.
Be respectful of yourself, classmates and teachers.
Be present, both physically and mentally.
No cell phones in class
Be prepared to speak in every class. When you speak, speak clearly so everyone can hear
you.
Be confident.
Never give up-The best learning occurs when the content is just a little too difficult to
understand the first couple of times you try to understand it.
Be yourself.
Think for yourself.

A Brief Word On Plagiarism:

I want all students to think for themselves. Literature inspires freedom of thought and ideas.
Blatantly copying the ideas and words of another person is unacceptable in any form. Part of the
class will include the use of APA format for quotations and citations (so there will be no excuse
to plagiarize).