ClassroomTutorialsProgram
Course Syllabus
English 2
Semester 1 of 2 – Fall 2015
Course Information
Instructor: Kimberly Hewitt
 Telephone: 907-268-4233, Ext. 402
 Email: khewitt@frontiertutoring.com
Required Textbooks:
 The Language of Literature (McDougal Littell, 2000)
Required Materials:
 Standard school supplies, including lined paper, pens/pencils, notebooks, binders, etc.
 Frontier Tutoring encourages every student to use a school planner/calendar to keep up to date
with various class assignments.
Meeting Time: Monday & Wednesday, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM (Classroom 113)
Meeting Dates:
August
September
October
November
December
31
2, 9, 14, 16, 21, 23, 28, 30
5, 7, 12, 14, 19, 21, 26, 28
2, 4, 9, 11, 16, 18, 30
2, 7, 9
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Classroom Tutorials Program
English 2 – Fall 2015
Course Summary
Course Description
Students will build an understanding of the English language throughout the course of this class. The
focus of the class will include reading literature selections, developing analytical reading skills, and
fostering the critically important skills of writing. In addition to developing such skills, we will examine
the texts in relation to their literary and historical context. The textbooks used throughout the course
will supplement the lessons taught in class.
The first half of the semester will be devoted to reading fiction and non-fiction, including short stories,
essays, and selections from longer works. The midterm exam will cover material through this section of
the course. During the second half of the semester, we will focus more closely on poetry. The final exam
will only cover material from this second section of the course.
Class meetings are supplemental to home-study activities. Therefore, out-of-class assignments make up
the larger component of this course. It is important that students complete all assignments on time.
Student Expectations

Students are expected to be prepared, attend all classes, and actively participate in class
discussions. In addition, students are expected to complete all assigned work on time and to the
best of their ability.

Students are expected to be respectful of the instructor and fellow students.

Students are expected to stay in class for the entire period. Personal needs (bathroom breaks,
water filling, eating lunch, etc…) should be taken care of before/after class or during the lunch
period. Frequently leaving class is disruptive and disrespectful to the instructor and fellow
students.

If students find themselves facing challenges that are likely to adversely affect their
performance in this course, please see the course instructor before or after class at the earliest
opportunity. The instructor will be available by phone, email or in person to address homework
questions or to discuss the course material in more detail and is more than willing to help in any
way to improve the students’ learning experience.

Supplemental academic tutoring for this course may be arranged through Frontier Tutoring;
parents should call 907-268-4233 to arrange for tutoring.
Assignments
Homework: Students will be expected to complete weekly homework (including reading assignments,
writing exercises, and vocabulary study) that will be turned in to the instructor and checked for
completeness. Students may have time in class to work on various assignments, but the majority of
homework must be completed outside of class. Assignments must be completed and turned in on time,
or it will be considered late (see Late Homework below).
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Classroom Tutorials Program
English 2 – Fall 2015
Daily Quizzes: Daily quizzes will be given at the beginning of most classes to test comprehension and
understanding of the previous night’s homework reading assignment.
Book Reports: At the end of the semester, every student will give one oral report in class on a book
considered to have certain literary merit. These reports will be delivered to the instructor and fellow
students, and will emphasize students’ skills in reading comprehension, literary analysis, and oral
presentation. A written copy of the report will also be due on the day of presentation. A
guideline/rubric laying out expectations and a grading outline will be provided for students with plenty
of time for preparation before reports will be due.
Writing Assignments/Projects: Students will also be assigned two out-of-class writing
assignments/projects during the semester. These exercises will be related to specific in-class readings
and lessons. One of the assignments will be a literary analysis focusing on one or more of the readings.
The other assignment will be a more creative project to engage students in the process of understanding
poetry. More information, including a rubric and outline for each assignment, will be provided with
plenty of time prior to the due dates.
Extra Credit: Throughout the semester, various extra credit options will be made available to students.
Weighting for extra credit will be equivalent to homework. If a student has more than 5 missing
homework assignments, I will not accept extra credit.
Exams
There will be a midterm exam, covering material from the beginning of class until the date of the
midterm, and a final exam, covering material from the midterm until the last day of classes. Prior to
both exams, study guides will be provided to students to aid in preparation for the midterm and final.
Exams will include a variety of question types, including multiple-choice, true/false, fill-in-the-blank,
short essay, and long essay, which will test students on comprehension, skills, and analysis.
Assessment
Final Grades will be composed of the following elements:
Quizzes: 5%
Homework: 25%
Novel Report: 10%
Writing Assignment Project: 15%
Poetry Project: 15%
Midterm Exam: 15%
Final Exam: 15%
Final course letter grades will be determined using the following scale:
100%-90% = A; 89%-80% = B; 79%-70% = C; 69%-60% = D; 59%-0% = F
All grades reported by Frontier Tutoring are preliminary and must be transcribed by a Family Partnership
Charter School sponsor teacher for purposes of the student’s FPCS transcript.
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Classroom Tutorials Program
English 2 – Fall 2015
Late Assignments
Students are expected to complete ALL homework. Any assignment not turned in on time will be
deducted 50%; however, incorrect answers and/or poor performance may further deduct from the
grade. Exceptions may be made in extenuating circumstances (illness, cancelled classes), but must be
accompanied by a late-work form signed by the parent or sponsor teacher.
Lecture & Assignment Schedule
Day
Date
Lecture Topic
MON
Overview of syllabus, book report handout,
AUG 31 Vocabulary Notebook handout, in class
reading “Fiction” (pg. 17-18)
WED
SEP 2
“There Will Come Soft Rains” by Ray
Bradbury
MON
SEP 5
Labor Day
WED
SEP 9
MON
SEP 14
WED
SEP 16
“The Californian’s Tale” by Mark Twain
MON
SEP 21
Essay Writing Workshop
Essay Starter Handout
WED
SEP 23
MON
SEP 28
“Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut
Book report sign up and book choice due
“The Son from America” by Isaac Bashevis
Singer
“A White Heron” by Sarah Orne Jewett
Essay Starter Handout
Essay Writing Workshop
Writing Assignment Rough Draft #1 due
In-class reading “Non-fiction” (pg. 104)
WED
SEP 30
“Once More to the Lake” and “A Letter…” by
E.B. White (pg. 112-20); Midterm Study
Guide hand out
MON
OCT 5
“Through the One-Way Mirror” by Margaret
Atwood (pg. 170-3) and “The Border – A
Glare of Truth” by Pat Mora (pg. 174-6)
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Homework Assignment
Choose novel for book report (due Sept.
9); read “There Will Come Soft Rains”
(Language of Literature pg. 86-92),
answer Think Critically questions pg. 93
#2, 3, 5
Read “Harrison Bergeron” (LoL, pg. 2026), answer #2, 3, 5 on pg. 27
Read “The Son from America” (LOL, pg.
159-66), answer #3-5 on pg. 167
Read “The Californian’s Tale” (LOL, pg.
303-10), answer #2, 4-5 on pg. 311
Rough Draft #1; Read “A White Heron”
(LOL, pg. 823-32), answer #2, 4-5 on pg.
833)
Essay Starter & Writing Assignment
Rough Draft #1
Read “Once More to the Lake” & “A
Letter…” (LOL, pg. 112-20), and answer
#1-5, 6 on pg. 121)
Read “Through the One-Way Mirror” &
“The Border—A Glare of Truth” (LOL, pg.
170-6), and answer #1, 3-4 on pg. 173 &
#1, 3-5 on pg. 178
Read “On The Rainy River” (LOL, pg. 62640), and answer #1-4, 7 on pg. 642
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Classroom Tutorials Program
English 2 – Fall 2015
Day
Date
WED
OCT 7
MON
OCT 12
WED
OCT 14
Lecture Topic
“On The Rainy River” by Tim O’Brien (pg.
626-40)
Midterm Study Guide
Midterm Review Session
Writing Assignment Rough Draft #2 Due
Midterm Exam
Writing Assignment Final Draft Due
Vocabulary Notebook Due
Introduction to Poetry; in-class reading
“Poetry” (pg. 225)
Poetry Project Handout
MON
OCT 19
WED
OCT 21
“Sonnet 18” by William Shakespeare &
“Sonnet 30” by Edna St. Vincent Millay
MON
OCT 26
“Birches” by Robert Frost & “look at this)”
by E.E. Cummings
OCT 28
“Do not weep, maiden, for war is kind” by
Stephen Crane & “the sonnet-ballad” by
Gwendolyn Brooks
WED
NOV 2
Poem Research
Poem Choice for Poetry Project Due
WED
NOV 4
“Simile” by N. Scott Momaday, “Moon
Rondeau” by Carl Sandburg, & “Woman” by
Nikki Giovanni
MON
NOV 9
“Exile” by Julia Alvarez & “Lost Sister” by
Cathy Song
NOV
11
“Alice Walker: Life and Times” (499-502),
“Women” by Alice Walker (516-17), &
“Poem at Thirty-Nine” by Alice Walker
Walt Whitman Poetry Handout
MON
WED
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Homework Assignment
Midterm Study Guide & Writing
Assignment Rough Draft #2
Midterm Study Guide & Writing
Assignment Final Draft
Read “Sonnet 18” (LOL, pg. 234) &
“Sonnet 30” (pg. 235-6), and answer #12 on pg. 234 & #1-2, 4 on pg. 236
Read “Birches” (LOL, pg. 838-40) & “look
at this)” (pg. 648), and answer #1-5 on
pg. 256 & #3 on pg. 649
Read “Do not weep, maiden, for war is
kind” (pg. 580) & “the sonnet-ballad”
(pg. 579), and answer #1, 3-4 on pg. 579
& #3-5 on pg. 581
Research poems for Poetry Project
Read “Simile” (pg. 256), “Moon
Rondeau” (pg. 258), & “Woman” (pg.
259); answer #1-2 on pg. 256, #3 on pg.
258, & #3, 6 on pg. 260
Read “Exile” (pg. 434-7) & “Lost Sister”
(pg. 440-2), and answer #2-4 on pg. 437
& #2-3, 5 on pg. 442
Read “Alice Walker: Life and Times (pg.
499-502), “Women” (pg. 516-17), &
“Poem at Thirty-Nine” (pg. 518-19), and
answer #1-3 on pg. 517 & #2-4 on pg.
520
Read Walt Whitman Poetry Handout &
Copies of poems for Group Discussion
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Classroom Tutorials Program
English 2 – Fall 2015
Day
MON
WED
Date
NOV
16
NOV
18
Lecture Topic
Walt Whitman Poetry Discussion
Copies of poems due for group discussion
Group Discussions
Poetry Project Proposal due
Final Exam Study Guide Handout
Homework Assignment
Prepare for Group Discussions
Final Exam Study Guide
Thanksgiving Break
MON
NOV
30
Final Exam Review Session
Last day for Extra Credit/Late Homework
Final Exam
Vocabulary Notebook Due
WED
DEC 2
MON
DEC 7
Poetry Project Presentations
WED
DEC 9
Poetry Project Presentations
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Final Exam Study Guide
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