Course Syllabus
Department: English Course: 20th Century Literature and Composition
Prerequisite: British Literature and Composition or equivalent
Teacher: Ms. R. Mandel-I am available both before and after school most days-feel free to stop by!
Email Address: rmandel@mhrd.k12.nj.us
Room: B-35
Morris Knolls Course Description
Designated for the college bound student, this course will explore the literature of the 20th Century.
Students will become acquainted with the characteristics of the short story, novel, drama, and poetry
and with modern developments in these genres. Ultimately, students should acquire a constructively
critical attitude toward these genres as they read and analyze various 20th Century works. Interwoven
with literature study will be activities designed to improve the students’ ability to effectively
communicate their ideas through oral discussion, written composition and vocabulary development.
Students will be required to submit writing portfolios several times throughout the school year and all
students will be required to complete a research paper during the course.
Required Materials and Texts
Pen and/or Pencil
Three ring binder including loose-leaf paper and journal section or journal
Current supplementary text: see expected readings
Vocabulary for the College Bound ($12)
A Writer’s Reference Diana Hacker
Recommended Materials
Student Planner (provided by school) or equivalent calendar
It is advisable that you obtain a copy of a dictionary and thesaurus to keep at home for reference or add
www.m-w.com to your list of favorites
Grading
Your marking period grade will be determined using a point system. Each assignment will have a
specific point value. I utilize GradeQuick, the computerized grading system recommended by the
Morris Knolls Technology Staff, to calculate grades and to insure points adhere to the following
percentage weights within a student’s grade. Each quarter will count for 1/5 of a student’s overall
yearly average. The final exam will count for 1/5 of a student’s overall yearly average. Throughout the
quarter students can determine their approximate average by adding up the total number of points
earned and dividing by the number of points possible. See chart on the following page.
There are three major categories of each student’s grade:
1. Preparation and Participation 10-15%
 Mini-speeches, debates, daily participation and preparation, class discussions and other
graded participation activities, Socratic Seminars
2. In-Class/At-Home Assignments and Exercises 40-45%
 Journal entries, essays, vocabulary exercises, study questions and other activities
3. Formal and Alternative Assessments 40-45%
 Tests, Quizzes, Writing Portfolios, Projects and other Unit Assessments, Research Paper
Classroom Expectations
The path to success is based on our decisions.
There are consequences for poor decisions.
There are rewards for excellent work and good decisions.
1. Be in Class, Prepared and Ready to Work When the Bell Rings and Do Not Ask to Leave Class in
the First 10 Minutes
2. Show Respect by Thinking Before You Speak and Act.
3. Listen to and Follow All Directions the First Time They Are Given
4. Pay Attention During Class and Do Not Do Work for Other Classes During This Class
5. Follow All School Wide Rules at All Times During This Class
6. Communicate With Me if There is a Problem
Extra Effort Points
Please DON’T ASK for extra credit! I do not give extra credit. For many students extra credit has
become a magical, life-saving way to procrastinate all quarter long, and then they ask for extra credit
in an attempt to “bring their grade up” at the last minute after not having completed all the other
regular assignments from the quarter. Instead, in this class you should make an extra effort and earn a
few points. There are two conditions for which extra effort points may be awarded. The first is meant
to incentivize students to go above and beyond through completion of an enrichment assignment,
participation in an academic extra-curricular activity or another activity or assignment pre-approved
by the teacher. The second condition pertains to a student who has completed all regular assignments
and may have a low test or quiz average. To find out what is always available check the handout on
extra effort opportunities. There will be a limit to the number of extra effort points that may be earned
in any given quarter. Extra effort assignments must be submitted according to regular due dates. All
written assignments must be typed. All assignments will be due the Monday or Tuesday (A/B) of the
week prior to the last week of the quarter.
Homework/Late Work Policy
1. Due Dates: Homework is ALWAYS due for the next class meeting (even if class is postponed due to
weather or other natural disaster) unless otherwise specified.
2. Collection: Homework is due at the beginning of each block and must be with you when you first
enter the class. Repeated excuses to retrieve forgotten homework from wherever it might be will result
in homework being marked late.
If you know in advance that you will be absent from class it is best to contact me in person or via
email. This will prevent you from falling behind in your work and your grades.
3. Make up work for legitimate student absences: Your absences are your responsibility; this means I
will not track you down when you return from an absence. It is your responsibility to follow up on ANY
work you may have missed when legitimately absent from class. The school policy is “work missed due
to a short absence must be made up by the second class meeting (after the absence)” (Morris Knolls
Student Planner, 25)
4. Make up work for illegitimate student absences: The school policy is “students who are absent
from class for reasons such as truancy, cutting or an unauthorized departure from school will not be
granted make-up work provisions and will receive a zero for any work [This includes any tests, quizzes,
homework, classwork and projects] from the classes missed” (Ibid)
5. Late work for non-absentees: Non-absentees failing to submit regular homework assignments may
submit the late assignment ONLY AT THE BEGINNING of the next class meeting and MUST PLACE
THE ASSIGNMENT DIRECTLY INTO THE TEACHER’S HANDS. Do not place the assignment on a
desk, in a mailbox, in another person’s hands or if you do, realize it will likely end up in the place
where all lost homework goes to die. No submissions beyond that deadline will be accepted. There will
be an AUTOMATIC 25% DEDUCTION FOR ALL LATE ASSIGNMENTS. This policy may differ for
special projects or other designated assignments.
6. Procedure for obtaining make up work: It is strongly recommended that you exchange contact
information (phone number, email address and school schedule) with at least two members of our class.
Any handouts given will be placed copies in the folders located on the bulletin board in your classroom.
You must then retrieve these handouts and any additional directions required for completing the
assignments. Check the binder on my desk and contact your partner. If all else fails find me or email
me.
7. Make up tests and or quizzes: You are also responsible for making up any tests or quizzes missed
during your absence. This will require you to make an appointment with the teacher for before, after or
during school to make up such assessments. If you know in advance that you will be absent, it is best to
set up the appointment prior to the absence.
Expected Readings and Films
Dramas and Comedies:
Novels:
Death of a Salesman, Arthur Miller
A Raisin in the Sun, Lorraine Hansberry
Brighton Beach Memoirs, Neil Simon
Catcher in the Rye, J. D. Salinger
A Lesson Before Dying, Ernest J. Gaines
Black and Blue, Anna Quindlen
In Cold Blood, Truman Capote
Short Stories:
Poetry:
“Girl” Jamaica Kincaid
“Boys” Rick Moody
“The Fix” Percival Everett
“Eleven” Sandra Cisneros
“Sonny’s Blues” James Baldwin
“A& P” John Updike
“I Stand Here Ironing” Tillie Olson
“Good Country People” Flannery O’Connor
“The Yellow Wallpaper” Charlotte Gilman
“The Harry Hastings Method” Warner Law
“How I Contemplated the World from the Detroit
House of Correction and Began My Life Over Again”
Joyce Carol Oates
“We Real Cool” Gwendolyn Brooks
“Cause and Effect” Reg E. Gaines
“Nothing Gold Can Stay” R. Frost
“Dreams” Langston Hughes
Assorted Poetry and Song Lyrics
Nonfiction:
Films:
My Losing Season, Pat Conroy (Excerpt)
“Stranger in the Village,” James Baldwin
“I Want a Wife” Judy Brady
“Disability” Nancy Mairs
“Predictable Crisis of Adulthood” Gail Sheey
“Indian Takeout” Jhumpa Lahiri
“Being a Chink” Christine Leong
“Meanings of a Word” Gloria Naylor
“Ah Ya Throw Like a Girl” Mike Messner
“Magic Mountain”
“The Oil We Eat”
Breaking Away
Biloxi Blues
Brighton Beach Memoirs
Death of a Salesman
A Raisin in the Sun
Death of a Salesman
A Lesson Before Dying
Black and Blue
Capote
A Civil Action
Daily Routine
1. Assigned Journal or Let’s Write (10 minutes)
2. Sharing-some days this will be optional (10 minutes)
3. Daily Lesson (10-20 minutes)
4. Reading, Writing, Exercises or Activities designed to
complement the lesson (30 minutes)
5. Wrap-up of lesson/ Q&A /Additional Instructions (5-10
minutes)
6. HW /Jobs and Errands (5-10 minutes)
Organizational Suggestions for your binder
Sections
1. Journal
journal
2. Notes
3. Vocab
4. Readings /Handouts
5. Tests/ Quizzes
Chronologically
Still need section for
Date and title every page
Save a tree-use the back of your paper (except for formal
essays)
Be able to locate papers on demand
Put papers away as you receive them
SAVE EVERYTHING-DO NOT THROW AWAY
ANYTHING
The Search for Identity
I. Early Definitions of the Self
A. Gender
B. Religion and Spirituality
C. Sexuality
II. Early Definitions of the Self
A. Ethnicity, Culture and Race
B. Socioeconomic Class
C. Physical Abilities and Limitations
III. Identity Through the Formation of Values, Beliefs and Attitudes
A. First Time Experiences
1. Jobs
2. Drugs
3. Love, Sex and Pregnancy
4. Eating Disorders
5. Education
B. Relationships
1. With the Self
2. With Parents and Grandparents
3. With Friends
4. With Siblings
5. Of Romantic and or Sexual Nature
6. Of Spiritual Nature
7. Of Professional Nature
IV. Transformative Experiences and Choices that Define Our Identities
A. Changes in Life and Career
B. Moving to New Places
C. Care of the Elderly and Parents
D. Marriages and Divorce
E. Death