Mrs. Weisberg
St. Michael’s High School
sweisberg@stmikessf.org
Office Hours: 7:30-8:00 am or by appt.
Literature and Composition – 12th Grade
2008-2009
Novels/Plays*:
The Illiad by Homer (selections)
The Plague by Albert Camus
Fifth Businessor Rebel Angels by Robertson Davies
Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse
Oedipus Rex and Electra by Sophocles
???
Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquival
Hamlet by Shakespeare
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
Course Objectives:
- improve written communication skills through essays
- develop independent and creative thought
- improve vocabulary
- engage in literary conversations through class discussions
- learn to read and think critically and philosophically
- discover a love and fascination for reading
Unit 1: Fate vs. Free Will
- Readings*: Selections from The Illiad by Homer, Oedipus Rex by Sophocles, The Plague by
Albert Camus, various poems, essays, and short stories.
- Assignments: journal entries, vocabulary identification from novels, college entrance essay,
opinion essay, discussion participation
Unit 2: Spirituality vs. Materialism
- Readings*: Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse, Fifth Business by Robertson Davies, various
poems, essays, and short stories.
- Assignments: journal entries, vocabulary identification from novels, comparative essay,
discussion participation, first semester exam
Unit 3: Self-Discovery and Rebirth
- Readings*: ???, Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, Like Water for Chocolate by Laura
Esquival, various poems, essays, and short stories.
- Assignments: journal entries, vocabulary identification from novels, Comic Book Project,
discussion participation
Unit 4: Vulnerability of Humanity
- Readings*: Hamlet by Shakespeare, Electra by Sophocles, The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini,
various poems, essays, and short stories.
- Assignments: journal entries, vocabulary identification from novels, recitation of speech from
Hamlet, final research paper, discussion participation, second semester exam
* Readings are tentative and subject to change
1
Assigned readings, vocabulary identifications and questions for discussion:
Please complete the assigned readings, vocabulary identifications, and questions for discussion
before class. They will not only help your exam and class participation grades, but they will also
make the course infinitely more enjoyable.
Assigned readings may include novel segments, poetry, short stories, or dramas. They
have been chosen to appeal to your interests, increase your understanding of humanity, bolster
your academic preparedness as you exit high school, and inspire your love of reading and
literature.
The questions for discussion will help guide your reading and give you an opportunity to
solidify your thoughts before discussion. They are also an easy way to keep your grades up in
the class. Your answers to these questions must be in complete sentences, free of spelling and
grammatical errors. Some example questions I may ask are: What is the author trying to
convey? Why does the author repeat the word “nature” so frequently in this passage? How do
you as a person relate to the main character’s journey?
Vocabulary identification will build your day-to-day vocabulary and help you understand
what you are reading. As you read, you are to pick out at least 10 words per reading section,
write down what you think they mean using contextual clues, and then look up their actual
definitions and write those down. Vocabulary identifications will be turned in with your
questions for discussion at the beginning of the period.
Major Assignment Descriptions:
1. College Entrance Essay – A good college entrance essay is personal, focused, interesting,
and descriptive. Use this opportunity to explore and fine-tune the way you will present
yourself to the colleges of your choice.
2. Opinion Essay – It is very important that you learn how to express your opinions in logical
and convincing ways. You will have the opportunity to submit a rough draft, a working
paper that will be peer-revised, and a final draft.
3. Comparative Essay – One of the most basic mental functions we perform is comparing
one thing to another, yet it becomes very difficult when we put these functions to the test
in an essay. Writing this paper will help you understand how to compare and contrast two
points of view or two literary works.
4. First Semester Exam – This exam will be very easy if you have done your reading and
answered your discussion questions. It will cover very basic concepts, characters, and
themes in your readings.
5. Comic Book Project – This is an opportunity for you to be creative in demonstrating
your understanding of literature. You will compose a short comic book that will
demonstrate your understanding of the quarter’s theme.
6. Recitation of a segment of Hamlet – For this assignment, you will memorize and recite
[all or part of] a monologue or soliloquy from Hamlet in front of the class.
7. Final Research Paper – This paper will be the apex of your writing achievements at St.
Mike’s. You will choose a theme from a classical world literature source and have it
approved by the instructor. The paper will involve note-taking, outlining, drafting, and citing
sources, using MLA guidelines.
8. Second Semester exam – This exam will be very easy if you have done your reading and
answered your discussion questions. It will cover very basic concepts, characters, and
themes in your readings.
2
Late Work:
All assignments are due at the beginning of class. You will hand them in as you enter the
classroom on the day they are due. Late work will not be accepted. However, I understand that
sometimes there are situations beyond our control that do not allow us to do the things we
need to do. If a case like this arises, you must notify me before the assignment is due and I will
grant you one extra day to complete the assignment. I will only allow this kind of exception
once per quarter, so use your free pass wisely. If you do not use a late pass the entire
semester, you will receive an extra point on your final semester grade—so if your grade s 89%,
it will become 90%.
If you are absent, you will miss discussion and the participation grade associated with it. It will
not be calculated in your final grade. However, you are still responsible for assigned work
(journal entries, discussion questions w/vocabulary, reading assignments, and papers). You have
as many school days to make up work as the number of days absent. All exams, recitations, and
projects must be taken or presented on the day you return to class. All papers must be emailed
to me before the time our class starts on the day you are absent.
Class Rules:
1. Respect. We are a community of learners. In this community, there will be people and
ideas that you may not agree with; that is ok. However, disrespect for others’ beliefs,
opinions, or identity is not acceptable. It will not only result in a huge deduction in your
participation grade, but also a very sad weakening of the class integrity and trust. In this
classroom, respect for all is paramount.
2. Absolutely no cheating or plagiarizing – this will lead to an automatic zero on the
work and I will notify your parents. Cheating/plagiarizing is a false representation of self – it
is degrading and embarrassing for you and I have no tolerance for this immature behavior.
3. Discussion is important in this class but with 25 people talking all at once, things can get a
little chaotic. For this reason, always raise your hand if you would like to speak. If you
constantly fail to raise your hand, you class participation grade will fall. While I strongly
encourage you to share any/all ideas with the rest of the class, there will be no shouting out
answers or talking aloud. This way we can all hear each other.
4. Supplies must be with you every day. These include all supplies listed below (except note
cards) and assigned reading materials.
5. No cell phones or other electronic devices.
Grading:
Each quarter
*Please note:
Journals: 20%
Discussion/Participation/Conduct: 20%
Discussion Questions/Vocabulary: 20%
Essays/Projects/Recitations: 30%
Quizzes/Homework: 10%
Your semester exam will be 20% of your
semester grade
In the quarter that you do your research
paper, it will count as 30% of that quarter’s
grade
Supplies:
4 Composition notebooks
Loose-leaf paper
2 inch binder
Pens/highlighters
Index tab pages with pockets (at least 5)
Index cards and box
3