American Lit Syllabus

Fall 2007 Course Syllabus
English 11A: American Literature prior to 1900

Teacher: Heather Whiteside
Room: 126A
Phone: (323) 993-1700 ext. 275
Email: heather.whiteside@lausd.net

Course Description

English 11A begins with literature from the arrival of Europeans in America and with the start of the 20th century. This class will be structured according to the workshop model and will provide ample opportunities for literature discussion, analysis and reflection. Assessments will consist of exams and written projects.

Class Materials

ScottForesman Literature and Integrated Studies
Composition or spiral bound notebook
Pen or pencil

Unit Outline

These units correspond to the Hollywood High School English Department pacing plan. Texts have been chosen to correspond with the United States History curriculum.

July 2 – July 13: Academic Vocabulary
· “I Have Killed the Deer”
· “Of Plymouth Plantation” by William Bradford
· Excerpt from “The Diary of Samuel Sewall”
· Excerpt from “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” by Jonathan Edwards

July 16 – August 10: Speaking and Listening
· The Crucible by Arthur Miller

August 13 – September 7: Persuasion
· Excerpt from “The Iroquois Constitution” by Dekanawidah
· The Declaration of Independence
· “The American Crisis” by Thomas Paine
· Excerpt from “Self Reliance” by Ralph Waldo Emerson
· Excerpt from “Walden” by Henry David Thoreau
· “Ain’t I a Woman” by Sojourner Truth
· “The Devil and Tom Walker” by Washington Irving

September 10 – October 12: Expository
· “The Cask of Amontillado” and “The Raven” by Edgar Allen Poe
· “The Minister’s Black Veil” by Nathaniel Hawthorne
· “The Gettysburg Address” by Abraham Lincoln
· Selected poems by Emily Dickinson
· Selected poems by Walt Whitman
· “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County” by Mark Twain

October 15 – October 19: Cumulative Review and Final Semester Projects


Class Rules

Be Safe
· Remain Seated at all times
· Listen carefully to directions
Be Respectful
· Do not talk while others are talking
· Do not write on desks, computers or other school property
Be Responsible
· Come to class on time
· Ask for make-up assignments when you are absent


Grading Procedures

Grades will be weighted based on the following percentages:

10% Participation and Attendance (Points will be deducted for tardiness.)
20% Classwork
30% Homework
40% Tests and Writing Projects


Grading Scale

100 – 90 A
89 – 80 B
79 – 67 C
67 – 60 D
59 – 0 F