International Baccalaureate English
Higher Level II Curriculum
Instructor: Casey Briskin/ cbriskin@mpls.k12.mn.us
Office Hours: Room 217: 7:30-8:00 and 3:00-4:00
I am available every day to help you with assignments or to answer any questions or concerns you have
about the course. I am here for you.
Semester 1: We study Part 2 of the IB
Curriculum (detailed study) for the
IOC.
Interactive Oral Commentary (IOC)
The Turning
King Lear
Poetry of Carol Ann Duffy
Semester 2: We study Part 3 of the IB
Curriculum for exams in the spring.
Literary Genre: Fiction and short story
Wuthering Heights
Beloved
The Handmaid’s Tale
The Guide
Texts:
The Turning by Tim Winton
King Lear by William Shakespeare
Poems of Carol Ann Duffy (handouts)
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
Beloved by Toni Morrison
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
The Guide by R.K. Narayan
All titles are available for checking out from the media center; however, you may want to consider buying
books when possible in order to annotate your text. Our first novel The Turning can be found online or at
Magers & Quinn Booksellers at 3038 Hennepin Ave.
Course Description:
IB 12 Higher Lever 2 English is designed to fulfill the requirements of the second year of International
Baccalaureate English. Emphasis will be on critical reading and analysis of texts. This course will
prepare students for their 20-minute oral exam and for their final IB written exams in the spring.
This course will also prepare students for success at university and college. Students will learn to
appreciate the craft and elements of literature, develop the ability to reflect critically on texts, and
present literary analyses through both oral and written communication.
Course Goals and Learning Objectives:
Students will continue to develop their:
 appreciation of language and literature
 skills in literary criticism and academic writing
 understanding of the formal, stylistic and aesthetic qualities of texts
 participation in seminar discussion
Expectations and Policies:
Academic Honesty: Students must submit their own work. Plagiarism and cheating is not tolerated.
Infractions will result in an automatic F on the assignment or the test, and a mandatory meeting will be
scheduled with parents and the IB coordinator.
Assignments are expected on the due date. Late papers will earn a maximum of 70%, and they will receive
no written feedback. I will not grade e-mailed papers. If you have a printing problem, e-mail the
assignment both to me and to yourself the night before the paper is due, and then print the assignment at
school. I will not grade the e-mailed paper, but I will grade it once I have a hard copy. Please talk to me if
you are ill or miss class due to an emergency.
Attendance: Being prompt to class shows respect and courtesy to me and to your peers. Attendance is
taken at the beginning of class. If you arrive late, it is your responsibility to change the tardy with the
attendance office.
Unexcused absences Students who are chronically absent will be invited to a conference attended by your
parents, the IB coordinator, and me. The work from excused absences must be made up within 3 days of
returning to school. If you skip class on a test day or when a paper is due, you will receive a zero on
that assignment. If you are involved in school activities and will miss class, I expect you to drop your
paper off before class. This includes student council meetings, blood drives, sports events, etc.
Electronic Devices are a distraction to class. Please make sure they are turned off and placed in your
pocket or backpack before you enter the classroom. Kindles and other devices used for e-books are
allowed.
Participation and Behavior
This class is a participatory experience. We learn from each other, from in-class discussion and writing
activities. Students are expected to be active, thoughtful participants, both as speakers and listeners. Please
be prepared for class by reading the assigned pages the night before. I expect students to be respectful of
class time; students who are more loquacious may want to practice listening skills, and reticent students
may need to practice speaking up and voicing their ideas more. Please be mindful of the community by
allowing others to speak their opinion, and by respecting multiple viewpoints. Mutual respect is the key to
building a strong community in the classroom.
Evaluation:
Grades are awarded through points. Projects, tests and papers will be worth more points than in-class
assignments and homework.
Here is a general outline of the year:
Units
August 24 – August 28
–Writing the college essay
Assessments
College essay
August 31- – September 25
The Turning
In class Essay
Sept 28- November 5
King Lear
Scenes/Promptbooks
November 6 -December 7
The Poetry of Carol Ann Duffy
Poetry Commentaries/formal in-class commentary
December 8-10 Oral Prep
Oral Exam
December 14-18 Orals
December 11-January 22
Wuthering Heights
Take Home essay
January 25-Febuary 26
Beloved
Take home essay
Feb 29 -March 24:
The Handmaid’s Tale
In class essay
April 4-April 22
The Guide
April 25-29
Exam preparation
May 1-2 Exams
May 3-May 30: Creative Writing
In-class essay
Memoir/Poetry Project