ENGLISH IV – BRITISH LITERATURE
INSTRUCTOR: Brenda A. Cantu, MS Ed., MA, ABD
E-MAIL ADDRESS: bcantu2@dentonisd.org
PHONE: 940-369-1265
PLANNING PERIOD: A5 and B5
TUTORIALS: Tuesdays and Thursdays after school (4:15 PM-5:15 PM) or by appointment
COURSE OVERVIEW: English IV aims to provide seniors with a chronological survey of British Literature.
Emphasis will be placed on authors' lives and historical events, which influenced the various literary
movements, literary genres, and writers' techniques and purposes. Students will be expected to respond to these
pieces of work via discussions, projects, activities, journals, and essays. This course will also include grammar,
writing, and vocabulary to help the student develop higher level thinking skills and prepare for the SAT or ACT
college entrance tests.
TEXTBOOK: Holt McDougal Literature: British Literature
MATERIALS
 Composition book (for journal writing only)
 Paper for notes (this is separate from the composition book)
 Manila folder (no pockets or fasteners)
 Pens (black or blue ink ONLY)
 Pencils
 College-ruled loose-leaf notebook paper
 Highlighters
 Box of tissues
 Reading material (library book, textbook, graphic novel, comic book, audiobook, etc.)
COMPUTER ACCESS
Students should have access to a computer with internet and printing capabilities. If one is not available at
home, he or she may use the computers at the school, but it is the student’s responsibility to schedule time for
computer access.
OUTLINE OF CLASS
Fall
Main topics
 grammar
 vocabulary
 mechanics and usage
 literary terms
Literary Periods
 Anglo-Saxons



conventions of English
writing process
archetype


SAT/ACT and college
essays preparation
research paper

the Middle Ages

the Renaissance
Spring
Main topics
 continue skills from fall
 literary analysis
Brenda Cantu
bcantu2@dentonisd.org
Room P6
Literary Periods
 Renaissance (continued)
 17th Century poetry
POTENTIAL WORKS STUDIED
 Beowulf
 The Canterbury Tales
 Macbeth


Restoration & 18th Century
Romantics



Brave New World
1984
Fahrenheit 154


Victorians
20th Century

(Others may be added)
GUIDELINES FOR COURSEWORK
 If you write with pens, only black and blue ink are accepted.
 The use of pencils is allowed on assignments. Be sure to write dark enough for your work to be
readable.
 Use loose-leaf paper for handed-in assignments. IF YOU TEAR ABOUT PAPER FROM A
NOTEBOOK, THE CUT FROM THE NOTEBOOK MUST BE A CLEAN TEAR. Be sure to properly
throw away the remnants of the spiral paper.
 Use the proper MLA heading on all papers. English class uses the MLA format, which will be
demonstrated in class.
 Write legibly.
 Turn in all classwork, whether it is finished or not, at the end of class.
MAKE-UP WORK FOR ABSENCES
MAKE-UP WORK IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE STUDENT, NOT THE TEACHER. Makeup work should be made up WITHIN A WEEK of the student’s absence. Students are to make an
appointment with me to discuss the assignments missed during their absence. MISSED ASSIGNMENTS
WILL NOT BE DISCUSSED DURING CLASS.
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
DEPARTMENT CLASSROOM EXPECTATIONS
 Be prepared – Bring all necessary materials, supplies, and assignments to class each day. It is
recommended that each student have a personal agenda or calendar to keep track of his or her
assignments and projects.
 Be prompt – Complete and turn in all assignments by assigned due dates. Be seated and working by
bell.
 Be productive – Use class time effectively by actively participating in your education.
 Be polite – Treat others the way you want to be treated and use appropriate manners for a classroom.
MISS CANTU’S CLASSROOM RULES
Note: Classroom rules are subject to change. Students will be properly notified of any changes.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Follow directions. If you do not understand the directions or just need more clarifications, please ask.
Stay awake.
Cursing, or any other form of disrespectful and non-academic language, will not be tolerated.
No unnecessary side conversations during lectures and class discussions.
Do not work on assignments from other classes during class.
Throw away your trash.
If you come in late to class, do not announce yourself or bring any attention to yourself.
Personal electronic devices will ONLY be used with specific teacher’s permission. Any personal
devices used in this class without permission will result in the following actions:
Brenda Cantu
bcantu2@dentonisd.org
Room P6
a.
b.
c.
d.
1st offense: Verbal warning
2nd offense: Collection of personal electronic device to be returned at the end of class
3rd offense: Collection of personal electronic device to be turned into the front office
4th offense: Student will no longer be allowed to bring his/her electronic device into the
classroom
CHEATING/PLAGIARISM
Cheating or plagiarism will not be tolerated. A grade of zero may be given for work on which a student has
cheated. Cheating includes such acts as copying during a test, sharing answers or test questions with other
students, copying information on any assignment in which an individual grade is given, or plagiarizing from
an outside source such as the internet. Unless you are explicitly told you may work together, you may
not. It is in your best interest to come to me if you have any questions. Cheating and plagiarism
consequences will be based on the district’s Academic Integrity Policy (see Code of Conduct).
The MLA Style Manual and Guide to Scholarly Publishing further defines plagiarism as: “Forms of
plagiarism include the failure to give appropriate acknowledgments when repeating another’s wording or
particularly apt phrase, paraphrasing another’s argument, and presenting another’s line of thinking. You may
certainly use other person’s words and thoughts, but the borrowed material must not appear to be your
creation. In your writing, then, you must document everything you borrow; not only direct quotations and
paraphrases, but also information and ideas.”
Gibaldi, Joseph. MLA Style Manual and Guide to Scholarly Publishing. New York: The
Modern Language Association of America, 1998.
All policies and disciplinary procedures in the Student Handbook will be followed. Zero tolerance is in
effect for any behavior that disrupts the teaching environment. Work or behaviors that are not supported by
the standards are considered non-academic. There have been many misunderstandings regarding what this
means for students at Guyer High School. Actions that impede the learning process such as not completing
assignments, not participating in class, chronically turning in late work, etc. may be met with disciplinary
measures that include, but are not limited to:
 detention
 Saturday School
 ISSC
 loss of parking permit
 loss of dismissal period
GRADING AND ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES AND GUIDELINES
Minor Summative Assessments: 40%
Major Summative Assessments: 60%
Denton ISD recently adopted a standards-based grading policy. Grades will be determined based on a
student’s mastery of course standards. Only major and minor summative assessments will be considered in
determining a student’s grade.
Summative assessments assess how well a student has mastered the objectives. They are designed to
provide information to be used in making judgments about a student’s achievement at the end of a sequence
of instruction.
 Major summative assessments are designed to evaluate understanding. They take place at the end of
a learning unit, incorporating what has previously been tested in the unit’s minor assessments.
Brenda Cantu
bcantu2@dentonisd.org
Room P6


Examples: Critical Reading of a Text, Response to Literature, Writing, Revising and Editing,
etc.
Minor summative assessments are designed to check for understanding, addressing a smaller set of
learning objectives.
Examples: Quizzes, Discussion of Literature, Writing Revisions, etc.
Formative assessments will be given continually. They are practice so that the student and teacher
can gage the success of the student. They are designed to provide direction for improvement and/or
adjustment of teaching and learning activities for individual students or for a whole class.
Examples: teacher observation, class discussion, practice, homework, instructional questions,
initial drafts/attempts, independent practice, daily work, quizzes
Reassessment: Because students master material and learning at different rates, students may reassess
summative assessments if they have not demonstrated mastery. A student may opt to retake assessments
only after he or she has demonstrated new learning to justify a reassessment. Demonstration of new learning
is determined by the teacher. As a general guideline, reassessment must be completed within TWO
weeks after the graded primary assessment has been returned to the student. A student may reassess
once on a minor or major summative; reassessments are worth full credit. When students come to reassess,
they need to bring their original graded assignment to tutorials.
Brenda Cantu
bcantu2@dentonisd.org
Room P6
Student’s name: __________________________________________
Block ____________
Dear Parents:
The syllabus for English IV is available on my web page. Please read it and discuss it with your student.
Should you have any questions, please contact me at bcantu2@dentonisd.org. Please fill out the
information at the bottom of this form. We also ask that you sign up for e-alerts on our web pages so that we
can best keep you informed.
REQUIRED SUPPLIES
Thank you for your cooperation, and we look forward to our partnership
 Composition book
this year.
 Manila folder (no
 Penny Sonata (English I AP and English IV)
pockets or fasteners)
 Joseph Fritz, MA (English II and English IV)
 Pens (black or blue ink
 Brenda A. Cantu, MS Ed., MA, ABD (English IV)
ONLY)
 Pencils (for scantrons)
Please sign and return this sheet by Friday, August 28th, 2015.
 College-ruled loose-leaf
notebook paper
_______ I have read and understand the online syllabus.
 Highlighters
 Box of tissues
_______ I would like a syllabus copy sent home with my student.
Other supply purchases may be
assigned later in the year with
PARENT CONTACT INFORMATION
proper notice
Please fill in your preferred method of communication during the school
day.
Home number
_________________________________________
Cell phone number
_________________________________________
Email address
_________________________________________
Does your student have access to a computer at home?
Yes
No
Does your student have Internet access at home?
Yes
No
Please continue on the back of the page if you have other information you wish to share that you believe
would benefit your child in this class.
______________________________
Parent’s Printed Name
Brenda Cantu
________________________________
Parent’s Signature
bcantu2@dentonisd.org
Room P6