Metro Academic & Classical High School
4015 McPherson
St. Louis, MO
(314) 534.3894
IB World Literature I/AP Literature, 2015-16
Elizabeth Chambers, Instructor
elizabeth.chambers@slps.org
www.slps.org/echambers
Course Description: IB World Literature is a two year course designed to facilitate students in their explorations
and interactions with literature and to encourage students to recognize literary works as products of art and their
authors as artists whose methods can be analyzed in a variety of ways and on a number of levels. At the end of the
first year, students will be prepared to take the AP Literature and Composition exam and at the end of the second
year, they will have completed and submitted IB’s written and internal assessments and be prepared to sit for IB’s
paper 1 and paper 2.
According to the Literature Subject Guide, the course is built on the assumption that literature is concerned with
our conceptions, interpretations and experiences of the world. The study of literature can therefore be seen as an
exploration of the way it represents the complex pursuits, anxieties, joys and fears to which human beings are
exposed in the daily business of living. It enables an exploration of one of the more enduring fields of human
creativity, and provides opportunities for encouraging independent, original, critical and clear thinking. It also
promotes respect for the imagination and a perceptive approach to the understanding and interpretation of literary
works.
Through the study of a wide range of literature, the Language A: Literature course encourages students to
appreciate the artistry of literature and to develop an ability to reflect critically on their reading. Works are studied in
their literary and cultural contexts, through close study of individual texts and passages, and by considering a range
of critical approaches. In view of the international nature of the IB and its commitment to intercultural
understanding, the Language A: Literature course does not limit the study of works to the products of one culture
or the cultures covered by any one language. The study of works in translation is especially important in introducing
students, through literature, to other cultural perspectives. The response to the study of literature is through oral
and written communication, thus enabling students to develop and refine their command of language.
Objectives: According to the International Baccalaureate Literature Subject Guide, the aims of IB World
Literature are to:
introduce students to a range of texts from different periods, styles and genres
develop in students the ability to engage in close, detailed analysis of individual texts and make relevant
connections
develop the students’ powers of expression, both in oral and written communication
encourage students to recognize the importance of the contexts in which texts are written and received
encourage, through the study of texts, an appreciation of the different perspectives of people from other
cultures, and how these perspectives construct meaning
encourage students to appreciate the formal, stylistic and aesthetic qualities of texts promote in students an
enjoyment of, and lifelong interest in, language and literature.
develop in students an understanding of the techniques involved in literary criticism
develop the students’ ability to form independent literary judgments and to support those ideas.
Topics: IB requires 13 major works at the higher level (HL). We will cover the following texts over the course of
two years. In addition, we will cover a variety of essays, short stories, poems, and plays. We will address these in
the following order: 1, 4, 2, 3.
Part 1: Works in Translation (Semester 1): Focus of study on literary, cultural, and contextual aspects of texts.
Anticipated Major Texts (we will choose three to use for IB assessments):
Oedipus Rex, Sophocles
Antigone, Sophocles
Antigone, Jean Anouilh
Medea, Euripides
A Doll’s House, Henrik Ibsen
Hedda Gabler, Henrik Ibsen
Miss Julie, August Strindberg
Two independent reading selections (must be dramas translated into English)
Part 4: Options (Semester 2): Focus on study of different text types of literary merit
Anticipated Major Texts:
Persepolis Books 1 & 2, Marjane Satrapi
A Handmade’s Tale,Margaret Atwood
Invisible Man, Ralph Ellison
Part 2: Detailed Study(IB Lit II, Semester 1): Focus on detailed analysis of content and technique in texts
Anticipated Major Texts:
King Lear, William Shakespeare
Hamlet, William Shakespeare
Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe
The poetry of Elizabeth Bishop
Short story collection, including “A Boy and His Dog” (Ellison), “The Machine Stops” (Forster),
“A&P” (Updike), “Good Country People” (O’Connor), “The Fall of the House of Usher” (Poe),
“The Lesson” (Bambara).
Part 3: Literary Genres (IB Lit II, Semester 2): Focus on comparative analysis and literary conventions of the
novel.
Anticipated Major Texts:
The Stranger, Albert Camus
Sula, Toni Morrison
Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë
Chronicle of a Death Foretold, Gabriel García Márquez
Assessment: All of the work in IB World Literature will be assigned a point value. The number of points earned
during a grading period will be divided by the total number of points possible to give a percentage grade. As per
Metro policy, letter grades will be given as follows:
90%-100%
80%-89%
70%-79%
69% ↓
=A
=B
=C
=F
IB Components (presented in the order in which we will complete them:
Part 1: Works in Translation: In small groups, students will teach a lesson (an Interactive Oral) to their peers
about one of the plays in the Works in Translation unit (We will complete two cycles of this, and each student will
participate in two Interactive Orals). Each student will then write a 300-400 word “reflective statement” about the
play and the Interactive Oral. Later, students will be given prompts to compose a “supervised writing.” One of
these supervised writings will be an early draft for the written assignment (1200-1500 words) that will be submitted
to IB as an EXTERNAL ASSESSMENT, meaning the papers will be sent directly to IB (Seniors enrolled in AP
Lit will need to complete a final paper second semester; IB students will only complete a draft of this
paper this school year and continue working on it in year II).
Part 4: Options: After reading the three major texts from Part 4 (Persepolis, Invisible Man, and A Handmaid’s Tale)
students will choose one or more works to explore further. The result of this exploration with be the Individual
Oral Presentation (IOP), which IB students will present to a limited audience at the beginning of year I, meaning
they will have the summer to prepare the 10-15 minute presentation (AP Lit students will complete this task at
the end of this school year). This is an INTERNAL ASSESSMENT, meaning the presentations will be assessed
by Mrs. Chambers and the scores sent to IB.
Part 2: Detailed Study: After completing the reading assignments in Part 2 (Shakespeare’s plays, Things Fall Apart,
and the poetry of Elizabeth Bishop), the students will complete the 20 minute Individual Oral Commentary (IOC).
Each student will meet individually with Mrs. Chambers for this presentation. The students will first be presented
with one poem from Elizabeth Bishop (one they have studied/read before, but they will not know which one until
they start the IOC) and given 20 minutes to prepare an 8 minute oral commentary on the poem. After the
commentary, the student will be engaged in a discussion on one of the other works in the unit for 10 minutes. The
student will not know which text will be selected from him/her prior to the meeting. This is an INTERNAL
ASSESSMENT, meaning the IOC will be assessed by Mrs. Chambers and the scores will be sent to IB.
Part 3: Literary Genres: The last semester of the two year course covers four novels, which will be assessed in
one of the two tests (“papers”) the students will take in May, 2017. For this assessment, Paper 2, students will be
given a list of essay prompts on which to write one essay. In preparation we will thoroughly discuss the novels and
the conventions of the novel as a genre. This is an EXTERNAL ASSESSMENT that will be sent directly to IB.
Paper 1: In addition to sitting for Paper 2 at the end of their senior year, students will also sit for Paper 1, a literary
commentary on one of two previously unseen passages, one poetry one prose. This is much like the AP essays we
will work on in year I. This is also an EXTERNAL ASSESSMENT that will be sent directly to IB.
Additional Course Work:
Class discussion and participation: Daily participation is an expectation. Students will receive 5 points of
participation on average for each class period. Student groups will be on a rotating schedule for leading discussions.
Oral and dramatic presentations: In addition to the two required formal group interactive orals, students will
participate in a variety of smaller, informal presentations throughout the year.
Journaling/Close reading annotation notes: Alternating units will include keeping a reading journal that the
students will share during class discussions. Students are highly encouraged to annotate their texts whenever
possible. When it is not possible to annotate a text directly in a book, post-it notes are a useful way to record
comments on specific pages. An online forum (through Google groups) may be utilized for several units as well.
Written papers of literary analysis: In addition to the longer IB written assignment generated from the Literature
in Translation unit, 3-4 page literary analyses will be assigned throughout the year. Alternating units will include
shorter “think piece” essays.
In-class timed constructed responses: In preparation for the AP exam and IB’s Papers 1 and 2, we will regularly
write in class essays using released AP and IB essay prompts.
Tests and quizzes: All tests will be essay tests or AP-style multiple choice tests. Regular reading quizzes will be
give throughout the year.
AP, PSAT, and ACT activities: In preparation for the ACT and PSAT, we will take short quizzes at the
beginning of class. AP passages and quizzes will also be given. The scores for these often highly challenging
quizzes will be recorded in a variety of ways: on a curve, as participation points, and as a number of points correct
out of a total number of questions.
Vocabulary and writing skills: Over the course of the year, short lessons will be given over specific literary terms
(vocabulary) and over specific rhetorical elements and sentence structures in writing.
Resources: The primary text for the course will be the previously listed plays, novels, and poetry. These will be
supplied by the school, photocopied, or presented as PDFs on the school’s website. Students may wish to acquire
their own copies of the texts in order to annotate/make their own reading notes. The instructor may provide some
of the books for purchase from a discount provider. Advanced notice will be given to the students.
Students should prepare the following supplies for this class:
A three prong folder or binder (spiral notebooks are not as convenient for adding papers)
A set of highlighters or colored pencils for color marking/revising
Post-in notes for annotating books
Flash drive for saving papers
Classroom Procedures:
Attendance & Tardiness: All students are expected to be in class on time each day. AP quizzes and
opening activities will be given regularly at the beginning of class to encourage prompt arrival.
Make-Up Policy: : Students will be allowed to make up work that they missed due to an excused absence,
but it is the student’s responsibility to find out what work was missed. Tests or quizzes may only be made up
outside of regular class time and only by appointment.
Late Work: Any work that is not turned in at the beginning of the class period in which it is due will be
subject to a 25% deduction in points if one day late, 50% for two days, or 75% for three days. (School days, not
class meetings.) Work that is more than three days late may not be accepted.
Cheating/Plagiarism: According to Metro’s student handbook: Metro High School values academic
integrity and honesty. Fundamental to the teaching and learning process is the student’s integrity and honesty.
Teachers and administrators expect that all work be entirely the result of the student’s own efforts. Plagiarism,
cheating, or other forms of academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. Teachers will inform students when
collaboration and cooperation is an acceptable option as they are not the same as cheating and plagiarism. The
determination of a student engaged or having engaged in academic dishonesty will be based on specific evidence
provided by the classroom teacher or other supervising individual. Students found to have engaged in academic
dishonesty are subject to disciplinary action at the classroom and/or building level. Students are expected to
conduct themselves with honor and honesty by taking responsibility for their learning. Graduating from Metro
means you have learned to be academically responsible.
Plagiarism, cheating, or a lapse in academic integrity is defined as:
1. Failing to properly cite other people’s contributions to your knowledge, even if you have summarized
or paraphrased their ideas
2. Copying or allowing anyone else to copy part or all of an assessment, homework assignment, paper, or
test
3. Sharing information about quizzes or tests with current, future, or previous Metro students
4. Using materials other than those explicitly allowed by the teacher
Anyone found cheating or collaborating with a cheater on a test, quiz, research paper, essay, book report, etc. will
be given a zero (F) for that assignment and a conference will be set up including the student, a parent, and the
principal. The assignment will not be made up for credit, and the zero will be computed into the grade for that
class. A notation of the incident will be placed in the student’s permanent folder. This notation may affect
recommendations written by the school for you as you apply for colleges and scholarships. Any student caught
cheating a second time will be recommended for transfer to an alternate school site for the remainder of the high
school career. Anyone found copying homework/class work will be given a zero (F) for that assignment, which will
not be made up for credit, and the zero will be compacted into the grade for that class. The second occurrence of
copying will be treated as the first occurrence of cheating outlined above.
Metro subscribes to the website turnitin.com, which students will be required to use for submitting papers.
If you have questions or concerns about the design, the assignments, or the grading of this course, please speak with
me directly. I am available during lunch, free periods, and many days after school. I also check my e-mail regularly.
Please do not hesitate to come to me for assistance.