IB 12th Language and Literature – 2015-2016
Kate Newman
newmank@edmonds.wednet.edu
Phone: (425) 431-6171
Classroom: D203
Office: C200
Welcome to the 2015-2016 school year in Miss Newman’s 12IB Language and Literature class! I’m so glad you’re here!
Objectives:
Upon completion of this course, students will have:
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Developed an understanding of how language, culture, and context determine the ways in which meaning is constructed
in texts;
Analyzed the impact changes in language can have on culture;
Examined the importance of the contexts in which texts are written and received;
Gained an appreciation of the different perspectives of people from other cultures, and how these perspectives construct
meaning;
Gained an appreciation of the formal, stylistic, and aesthetic qualities of texts;
Developed an ability to engage in close, detailed analysis of individual texts and make relevant connections;
To achieve these ends, students will, upon completion of this course, have:
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Read and analyzed a wide range of texts from different periods, styles, and genres;
Participated in seminar-style discussions to develop skills in the oral expression of ideas;
Written analytical papers which reflect their ability to analyze literature and to effectively express their ideas through
writing;
Given effective oral presentations;
Worked cooperatively and responsibly on both individual and group projects;
Prepared extensively for the Individual Oral Commentary (IOC), Paper 1, and Paper 2, the Senior Year IB Literature
exams
Curriculum:
The following is a tentative sampling of literary works we will use this year. While the school provides copies, it is strongly
recommended that students purchase their own copies for ease of annotation and studying for IB exams.
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1984 – George Orwell
Metamorphosis – Franz Kafka
The Merchant of Venice – William Shakespeare
Content Outline:
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Semester 1 (Part 1: Language in Cultural Context) – Various texts from various sources and genres
*FOA (Internal IB Exam)
*Written Task (External IB Exam)
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Semester 2 (Part 3: Literature—Texts and Contexts) – 1984 – George Orwell
Metamorphosis – Franz Kafka
The Merchant of Venice – William Shakespeare
*Written Task (External IB Exam)
*Paper 1 and Paper 2 (External IB Exam)
Web Tools
Turnitin.com
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Turnitin.com is an online tool teachers can use to check originality, grade, and create peer editing assignments for
student writing. In order to create an account (or log in to an existing account,) students will need to provide an email
address. This email address will never be used for any other purpose than receiving correspondence from turnitin.com
(such as password reset requests and receipts for submitted papers,) and occasionally by me to send email reminders
throughout the year. Please ensure that the email address provided is authentic, and one that students will actually use
and check regularly. All major writing assignments are due to turnitin.com by 7:20am on the due date.
Remind.com
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Remind.com is another online tool teachers can use to communicate with students and/or parents. Students are provided
a class code and number and, using their personal cell phones, register to receive text messages that teachers send via the
website. Teachers never have access to students’ or parents’ personal cell phone numbers, and students, in turn, never
have access to teachers’ personal cell phone numbers. Signing up for this tool is optional, and Remind.com will only be
used in the case of time-sensitive situations, such as a canceled test or changed due date.
Grading:
Coursework is divided into the categories which follow. Generally, assignments will be worth 25, 50, 100, or 200 points,
depending on their size and rigor. Please remember that while 50 points may seem an extreme number of points to assign to a
weekly vocabulary quiz, when weighted in the quiz category, it will have an appropriate impact on a student’s overall grade.
Major Assignments (60%)
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These include (but are not limited to) multi-paragraph essays, other major writing assignments, individual and group
presentations or projects, Socratic Seminars, IB Exams, and any midterm/final exams.
Major assignments that are turned in late are penalized 10% per calendar day late with a maximum deduction of 40%.
Each major assignment must earn a passing grade in order for the student to pass this course. Major assignments
which do not earn a passing grade must be re-done to standard.
All major writing assignments must be submitted to turnitin.com by 7:20am on the day they are due as hard copies in
class. Work that is not submitted to turnitin.com by the due date and time will be considered late, even if a hard copy is
provided by the due date and time. Similarly, work that is not submitted as a hard copy, even if a copy if provided by
the due date and time on turnitin.com, will be considered late.
Minor Assignments (25%)
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Homework, classwork, and quizzes
Participation (15%)
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As Senior IB students, you are expected to actively and thoughtfully participate in a class setting. As this class will
be heavily discussion-based, this is a major component of your grade, and consistent failure to adequately
participate will result in the inability to earn a grade higher than a C, regardless of performance on other
assignments. This includes (but is not limited to) delivery of both major and minor, both individual and group,
presentations, daily participation in class activities, and, most principally, active and thoughtful participation in
daily class discussions. Due to the nature of their occurrence within the classroom on specific days, points or
assignments falling under this category cannot be made up.
Late Work Policy:
Minor Assignments (25%)
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If minor assignments, such as daily homework or smaller in-class assignments, are missed because of an excused
absence, the student will be given one calendar day to make up the work for full credit. If the due date is missed and the
work is turned in within a week, it can receive 50% credit. If that work is turned in more than one week late or not
turned in at all, it will receive no credit. No late work will be accepted due to an unexcused absence.
Major Assignments (60%)
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Major assignments that are turned in late are penalized 10% per calendar day late with a maximum deduction of 50%.
As mastery of frameworks is paramount, each major assignment must be submitted and earn a passing grade in
order to pass this course. This means that if a student fails to submit a major assignment before the drop dead date of
the unit in which it was assigned, he or she will receive an “F” for that semester, regardless of the percentage grade
they may hold in the gradebook.
Major Assignments that earn below a 60% grade (notwithstanding points lost due to late work,) are required to be resubmitted as re-writes until they earn a passing grade. Students will be required to schedule an appointment with the
teacher to go over the paper before completing their re-write.
Major Assignments are due on the Due Date regardless of students’ presence in class, whether the absence is
excused or unexcused.
Drop Dead Dates
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The end of each unit will be marked by a Drop Dead Date. After this date any make-up or late work for the preceding
unit will no longer be accepted. Drop Dead Dates will be communicated in class and on the class website calendar.
*Please note that these policies are standardized English Department policies.
Extensions:
Extensions are possible, but will be given on a case-by-case basis. Students must ask for an extension prior to the 48-hour
window before an assignment is due, with the exception of health or family emergencies which are accompanied by a doctor’s
note.
MLA Formatting
Students are expected to follow the Modern Language Association standards for formatting and citations for all written
assignments in this class. Students will learn MLA format as the year progresses, but can also access information
regarding MLA formatting using the EWHS English Department MLA Formatting Guide, (see class website,) a copy
of A Pocket Style Manual (Hacker and Sommers,) or reputable online sources such as the online MLA Formatting and
Style Guide published by Purdue University’s Online Writing Lab
(https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/).
Papers which are not in MLA format when submitted, even partially, will be considered late until they are
submitted observing MLA formatting guidelines.
Scholarly Responsibility/Attendance
Due to the fact that English courses are heavily discussion- and seminar-based, consistent attendance is crucial to a
student’s achievement. More than five (5) unexcused absences in a semester will lead to an “I” (Incomplete) grade
because of insufficient evidence to support assigning that student a grade. Teachers are not required to allow students
to make up missed assignments and/or discussions when they have an unexcused absence. When a student has an
excused absence, it remains their responsibility to obtain and make up missed work, not the instructor’s. Appropriate
resources for accessing this work include the class website and office hours. Students should take note that, while
classmates are excellent resources for understanding missed content, in the case of incorrect information provided by a
classmate that results in failure to appropriately make up missed work the responsibility still lies with the absent
student.
Attendance/Tardy Policies:
Tardies
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You will be marked tardy if you are not in your seat and ready to go when the bell rings. If you are tardy, enter in a
manner that does not interrupt the class, quickly join the work that is currently going on. At the end of class, it is your
responsibility to ensure that I have not marked you absent for the day.
An unexcused tardy becomes an unexcused absence 10 minutes into class. Students who are more than ten minutes late
to class are required to have a note from the Attendance Office in order to enter class.
5 unexcused tardies will result in one hour of detention.
Absences
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Please see the section on Late Work Policy, above, for information on what occurs when a student is absent.
Extra Credit:
There will be no extra credit work offered in this course.
Sensitive Materials:
One of the goals of English Language and Literature studies is to expose students to a variety of perspectives,
experiences, and cultures within society. Thus, it is possible that students may read, view, hear, or otherwise be
exposed to something that they, or their parents, find objectionable, whether this be through the literature we study or
through the opinion expressed by a fellow classmate. The English department, and Miss Newman as an individual
teacher, encourage students to individually discuss with us material that they find objectionable or problematic; in some
cases, alternative assignments may be assigned.
Edmonds-Woodway High School Academic Honesty Policy:
Students are expected to do their own work. The E-W definition of cheating includes, but is not limited to, copying or
lending assignments; communicating, in any way, during a test; using notes in a situation where notes are not
acceptable; plagiarism (the intentional or unintentional failure to give clear credit to the author of any words or ideas
not your own) in any form (individual or group work).
First offense may result in loss of credit for the assignment with no possibility of make-up. If a student has two strikes
in the same class, the student may lose credit for the class. If a student has cheated in multiple classes, he/she may lose
credit for the class where the third offense has occurred. Violations of the Academic Honesty policy are cumulative for
all the years that a student is enrolled at Edmonds-Woodway High School.
The staff at EWHS uses turnitin.com as a resource when grading written assignments; students must open an online
account and submit work to turnitin.com prior to grading. Work is considered late if it is not submitted to
turnitin.com by the due date, even if a hard copy is submitted on time.
Behavior Expectations:
Edmonds-Woodway Official Behavior Expectations
All electronic devices except laptops (used for instruction only) are banned during the school day – instructional time
(7:20 AM - 1:50 PM). Students must treat themselves and others with respect. The following things have no place in
our classroom: food/drinks; hats/hoods/sunglasses; rudeness; degrading/harassing remarks or acts; abusive behavior.
They will not be tolerated.
Fees
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This course requires a $5 fee for the year to cover printing costs. Payments should be made in the main office to Cindy
Scott. Credit will be given to students with presentation of a receipt for payment.
Please go over the syllabus online with parents or guardians, fill out this portion, and return it by Friday, September 18, 2015.
Student Contact Information
Name:
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Email Address:
____________________________________________________________________________________________
We have read and understand the course rules and standards and the Personal and Academic Honesty sections of the syllabus. I
(student) will abide by the rules and standards and consequences established in these materials.
________________________________________
______________________________________________
Student Signature
Parent/Guardian Signature
Primary Parent/Guardian Contact Information
Name:
______________________________________________________________________________________
Day Phone:
_____________________________________ Night Phone: _____________________________________
Email Address:
______________________________________________________________________________________