ELA IV Syllabus
Young Women’s Preparatory Academy
Instructor: Ms. S. Shields
Conference Times: A days 11:45-1 & B days 9:50- 11:15
E-mail: sshields@houstonisd.org
Tutorial Times: Scheduled Weekly
Overview: English IV is fundamentally and primarily a college preparatory course. This course is designed
to prepare students to enter into Composition 1301 or class of equal measure. They will be able to
produce well-constructed works of academic and creative writing. Students will study works of literary
merit that will span genre (Fiction, poetry, drama, nonfiction), time (medieval-present day) and culture.
Students will participate in thoughtful discussions regarding the reading as well as writing about those
texts in the company of their peers. Students successful in ELA IV will demonstrate skill in analyzing and
evaluating complex as well as diverse texts recognizing fundamental elements of literature: literary
devices, poetic devices and rhetorical strategies.
Evaluation: The student’s grade in the course will be determined by her performance on the following:
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Vocabulary quizzes—vocabulary from the book –quiz on each lesson. This component of
vocabulary study is done mostly out of class, as an ongoing homework assignment.
Literature quizzes—based on the work of literature that we are studying at the time. These
quizzes will be given after each unit and will evaluate reading comprehension, including
vocabulary in context, and understanding of literary elements. Books we’ll read include:
Response to Literature—Students will be expected to respond analytically to literature. Students
will learn the appropriate techniques of analyzing texts and the best ways to present them in
written form as well as using Socratic Seminars. Major works include: Songs of Innocence and
Songs of Experience by William Blake, “Antigone” by Sophocles, “Macbeth” by William
Shakespeare, “A Clean. Well-Lighted Place” by Ernest Hemingway, “Sonny’s Blues” by James
Baldwin and A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest Gaines and a modern novel selected by the class.
Writing Assignments—Students will be required to complete one major writing piece for each six
weeks. The genres will vary from period to period.
Semester Projects—Students will be responsible for developing a proposal and plan for two
semester writing projects. Students can write about whatever they would like.
Late Work: No late work will be accepted in accordance with YWCPA’s late work policy.
Grading Policy:
Projects/Tests: 40%
Classwork/Quizzes: 30%
Participation: 10%
Homework: 20%
Final: 25%
Course Schedule (Tentative):
Unit 1: Personal & Reflective Poems and Essays
Week 1: Syllabus & Review of Poetic Devices (Assign William Blake)
Week 2: William Blake & Romanticism: A history (Assign Semester Reading Project: author study)
Week 3: Analysis & Evaluation of Songs of Innocence & Songs of Experience
Week 4: Students look into themes and style of reflective writing
Week 5: Analysis & Evaluation of reflective essays & college Essay Prompts
Week 6: Classroom Author: College Essays & 6+1 Traits of writing
Unit 2: Engaging and Interpreting Drama
Week 1: Review Elements of Drama (Assign Antigone)
Week 2: Greek Tragedy and Sophocles
Week 3: Analyzing Author’s Purpose, style, theme, motifs and other elements
Week 4: Character Analysis
Week 5: Socratic Seminar
Week 6: Classroom Author: Literary/Character Analysis Edit, Revise & Publish
Unit 3: Researching History and Interpreting Historical Importance in Drama
Week 1: Review of Shakespearean Drama (Assign Macbeth)
Week 2: Macbeth: Historical background
Week 3: Analyzing Author’s Purpose, style, theme, motifs and other elements
Week 4: Literary Research paper: format, elements and examples
Week 5: Socratic Seminar (Semester Reading Project due)
Week 6: Classroom Author: Literary Research Analysis Edit, Revise & Publish
Unit 4: Rhetoric and Argumentation
Week 1: Rhetorical Strategies and elements of Argumentation (Assign Selections from Freaknomics)
Week 2: Synthesis folder on assigned issue (Assign Semester Writing Project)
Week 3: Evaluation or Rhetoric and Argumentation (North/South/East/West)
Week 4: Argumentation Essay format and elements
Week 5: Annotated Bibliography eliminating bias sources and citing sources correctly
Week 6: Classroom Author: Argumentation Essay Edit, Revise & Publish
Unit 5: Short Fiction
Week 1: Elements of Short Fiction (Assign A Clean Well-Lighted Place and Sonny’s Blues)
Week 2: Important literary devices
Week 3: Context and Story
Week 4: Compare and Contrast: Hemingway and Baldwin
Week 5: Literary, character or style analysis essays
Week 6: Classroom Author: Analysis Essay
Unit 6: The Longer Work of Fiction & Researching Fiction
Week 1: Differences between short and long fiction (Assign A Lesson Before Dying)
Week 2: Style Elements
Week 3: Classroom Author: Short Fiction
Week 4: Socratic Seminar ALBD
Week 5: Student response
Week 6: Student Writing Portfolios (with semester writing project) due
Student Information Sheet
Name: ________________________________________________________________________
Email: ________________________________________
Parent/Guardian Contact Information:
Name(s):_____________________________________________________________________
Phone: (_____) __________-________________ Best Time to Call: _______:______ (AM/PM)
Email: ________________________________________
Do you understand the policies set forth in the syllabus? _______
Parents and Students please sign below acknowledging the policies and expectations set forth in this
syllabus.
Student Signature: __________________________________________________________Date:
Parent Signature: ___________________________________________________________Date:
Note: Complete this form and give it to your instructor during the first two weeks of classes for your participation grade.