English 10 Honors
2015-2016
Miss Olis
heather.olis@lcps.org
Course Description: [as stated in the LCPS curriculum guide]
“While honors courses focus on the same content and skills as academic courses, honors courses are distinguished by a more
rigorous study of literature. They move at an accelerated pace, cover a greater breadth and depth of textual study, and require
more independent work. They also are designed to prepare students to take Advanced Placement English in their junior and/or
senior year. Accordingly, they emphasize the ability to synthesize information from a variety of sources as they read and
write... Students taking honors level courses receive an extra GPA weighting of 0.5.”
Recommended Materials:
Writing Utensils [blue and black ink preferred]
Three-ring binder with loose-leaf paper
High-lighters
Sticky notes
Writing:
Throughout the course, a variety of in-class and out-of-class writings will be assigned. Most essays will be
assigned with an evaluation standard focusing on four core areas of writing: content, organization, style, and
mechanics. Students will be required to write to address a variety of modes, including research, analysis,
synthesis, persuasion, and reflection. Timed writings will be completed regularly in preparation for future needs
concerning on-demand writing. As students develop a unique writing voice, they will strive to independently
evaluate the use of diction and syntax as it applies to their own writing style. Writing as a process will be
emphasized; students may be asked to revise one piece of writing several times before receiving a final grade.
As required by Loudoun County Public Schools, all students taking an honors English course will complete a third
quarter writing project wherein students will engage in “individualized explorations and reflections based on an
over-arching, personally selected question that will be researched.”
Literature:
This course will present a thematic survey of British literature. Discussions of the literature will address
historical context as it corresponds with the author’s purpose and perspective, with note given to author’s style.
Literary works will be assigned in pre-determined increments, with the expectation that students read outside
of the classroom and come to class prepared to question, discuss, and analyze the text assigned. Theme,
figurative language, tone, characterization, and author purpose and style will be considered with the study of
each piece of literature. In order to be successful in this course, students must keep pace with the accelerated
schedule of reading assignments and come to class prepared to examine, evaluate, and discuss, offering their
interpretation with peers. Reactive reading, including annotating and questioning, will be encouraged, as
readers strive to make inferences, complete analyses, and discover deeper meanings.
[Tentative List of Novels and Plays]
1984 – Orwell
Brave New World – Huxley
Everyman - Anonymous
Frankenstein - Shelley
Macbeth - Shakespeare
The Importance of Being Earnest – Wilde
[In order to promote reactive reading, it is recommended that students consider purchasing personal copies of all
class-assigned novels to allow for direct text annotating and highlighting.]
Grammar:
Grammar will be addressed as needed throughout the course. Grammar rules will be reinforced through writing
activities specifically addressing areas of weakness. Consistent appropriate punctuation usage and mature
sentence constructions will be an expectation for all writing assignments. Over the course of the year, specific
emphasis will be placed on colon/semicolon usage, modifier placement, parallel construction, and active voice.
Vocabulary:
Vocabulary will be studied in the context of a given piece of literature; context and connotation will be
discussed, with particular focus on author’s purpose and style as reflected in diction. Designated levelappropriate vocabulary will be studied using a separate workbook (Sadlier Vocabulary Workshop) that will be
purchased individually by students. In addition, the county has mandated the study of specific roots, prefixes,
and suffixes which will be presented in conjunction with words comprised of the specified roots, etc. and taught
as a means to accessing definitions of unfamiliar vocabulary.
Class Participation:
In addition to keeping up with readings and completing assignments outside of class, students are expected to
be full participants in class. This includes, but is not limited to, collaborative activities, reading and writing
workshops, visible interaction with assigned literature, and class discussions/Socratic seminars.
Grading:
Students will be evaluated on the following: class work and quizzes, reactive reading annotations, projects and
presentations, informal writings/applied practice, formal essays, and class seminars. Grades will be based on a
point system (points earned divided by points possible). Nothing is explicitly weighted as a certain percentage of
your grade; however, the weight will be implied by the point value assigned.
It is essential that students stay up-to-date with assignments. Work that is not completed in accordance within
the timeline of the teacher’s request will inevitably negatively impact a student’s grade. Late work will incur a
daily point deduction; late assignments will only be accepted up to one week after the work has been
assigned. It is the student’s responsibility to complete make-up work or schedule a make-up test/quiz in the
event of an absence. Students should check the teacher webpage on the LVHS website regularly, especially in
the event of an absence. Daily assignments may be retrieved from the school web page under the teacherspecific calendar. Project hand-outs, reference materials, and extra practice sheets are also available on the
school-sponsored teacher web page.
Plagiarism/Honor Code:
Plagiarism is using, stealing, borrowing, or passing-off the ideas or words of another as one’s own. An honor
code is in effect throughout the course of this year. Anyone caught cheating or plagiarizing will be penalized
according to school policy.
Calvin and Hobbes – Bill Watterson [April 20, 1987]