Tentative Course Syllabus
11 Grade - American Literature and Composition
th
Contact information:
Mr. Bryan Waltz
Email: bwaltz@muncysd.org
Phone #: 570-546-3127 ext. 3170
Office Hours: Tuesday-Thursday
2:30-3:00 (back of Library)
Room 107, 8th period
Texts:
Prentice Hall Literature: The American Experience, 2007
or
Pearson Common Core Literature: The American Experience, 2015
American Short Stories: 1920 to the Present, 2003
Vocabulary Workshop, Sadlier-Oxford
Novel/drama Selections:
The Crucible by Arthur Miller
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom
Excerpts from The Jungle by Upton Sinclair , The Scarlett Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, and The Pearl by John
Steinbeck
Additional Major Authors:
Emerson, Thoreau, Dickinson, Poe, Whitman, Longfellow, Whittier, Anderson, Hemingway, O’Connor,
McKay, Cullen, Sandburg, Bontemps, Auden, Stafford, Quiroga, Quindlen, Frost, O’Brien, Wolfe,
Malamud, Hurston, London, Ehrlich, Plath, etc.
Supplemental Readings/materials:
Nonfiction selections
Current event articles
Research materials
Vocabulary enhancement materials
Novel excerpts
Supplies you will need every day:
Small notebook
Pen/pencil
Folder/binder to keep key handouts—you will have several
Optional Materials:
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Student composition book
Spiral
Index Cards
USB (Must have by 1st week of school)
Blue/black/red pen/pencils
Post-its
Flags
Highlighters
1- 2”-ring binder
Course Goals/Description:
This course is designed to assist and challenge you to be successful on all of the Common Core Standards for
Pennsylvania for reading, writing, speaking and listening, as well as continue to prepare you for post-secondary
endeavors. The 11th grade list of Pennsylvania Common Core Anchors will be the primary focus for your skill
development goals. See the school district’s web site under the PDE (Pennsylvania Department of Education) for
the icon where these standards may be found. A variety of literary genres will be addressed in a thematic
structure—with a primary focus on American literature. Students will develop vocabulary, reading, writing,
grammatical, and discussion skills throughout the course.
Assessment/Grading:
You will be scored for participation, assigned class work, response writings, literature/nonfiction
interpretations, quizzes, tests, and independent projects.
Lesson folders will be collected on a regular basis—nearly every three to four weeks. These folders will
contain approximately three weeks’ worth of class responses, journal entries, required handouts, and a
score sheet for the skills/activities covered for the three weeks’ span of time. These lesson folders
“showcase” your work and progress. Students will retain some of the items from their lesson folders
to add to a portfolio of achievements for their senior year.
The final grade for each marking period will be determined on a total point basis. This means,
hypothetically for example, if you secured 175 points of the total 200 points possible, your grade would
be 92%. (To calculate: divide 175 by 200 to get your percentage grade—divide the points you earned by
the total number of points possible.) Your grade may be accessed using Power School. If you do not have
internet access, please let me know and I will provide a copy of your grades periodically.
LATE WORK
 Homework and daily assignments are due upon request as assigned; they will NOT be accepted late,
UNLESS VALID PARENT EXCUSE IS CONFIRMED BY TEACHER.
 10 points per day will apply to homework.
 1 letter grade for major projects & essays.
 All late work submitted for essays and/or projects will be counted as half credit if it is submitted the day
after the assignment is due. After one day late, the assignment will be scored as a zero.
It is your responsibility (not mine) to find out what you missed when absent from class, and it is your
responsibility (not mine) to schedule a time to make up work that requires my presence with you.
Assignment/test makeup procedure will follow the school district’s policy: number of days absent =
number of days to make up work. On most days, I am at school from 7:15 AM to 3:00 PM. My
scheduled office hours after school are Tuesdays - Thursdays. If by chance I stepped out of the room
when you came to talk with me, leave me a message on my desk.
ATTENDANCE
 Since part of your grade reflects your consistent participation in class—response group
discussions/assignments, in-class assignments, sharing ideas, etc.—excessive absences and
tardiness will affect your grade. Regular, consistent attendance contributes greatly to success
in this class!
Expectations:
You are expected to
bring books and supplies to class
attend class on a consistent basis— with few absences
participate in class discussions, assignments, and skill development exercises
listen attentively to others in the class
speak at an appropriate volume level for a situation
follow the classroom rules
avoid distracting other students from learning
work toward developing your skills in reading, writing, and speaking
read and write independently when assigned to do so
ask if unsure of instructions or assignment requirements
make up work promptly when absent (one day out; one day to make up work)
provide notice of known absence from class and secure work well in advance (educational trips,
extended absence, etc.)
come in before or after school for assistance and/or make ups
make use of support hours: most days until 3:00
be responsible for materials, assignments, due dates, etc.
produce quality work
work productively
assist others in the class
be a positive, productive member of class
PLAGIARISM STATEMENT
Plagiarism is the use of another’s words or ideas and the presentation of them as though they were entirely
one’s own. Acts of plagiarism might include, but are not limited to:
 using words or ideas from a published source without proper documentation
 using the work of another student (e.g. copying homework, composition, or project)
 using excessive editing suggestions of another student, teacher, parent, or paid editor.
A note about what constitutes “excessive editing.” Students learn to write well by doing just that, writing.
Struggling independently through the writing process produces growth (as well as a certain amount of agony), and
eventually the student’s own voice. When well-meaning parents, siblings, tutors, or others contribute their ideas,
words, phrases, revisions, etc. to students’ writing, student writers miss the opportunity to achieve literary selfreliance.
So – what is helping, but is NOT excessive editing? The answer is: questioning and cueing. For example: “Is this
word strong enough? Interesting enough? Specific enough?” “Can you think of another word that would fit
better?” “Does this sentence seem awkward?” “What exactly do you mean?” “I don’t understand what you are
trying to say here; can you say it more clearly?” “This sentence has a powerful verb; can you find one as powerful
for that other sentence?”
These kinds of questions and statements allow the students to think and write independently. Students should be
allowed to find their own voices and to develop their own writing skills.
Plagiarism on any project or paper will result in a zero for the assignment. Unless strictly stipulated by the
teacher, collaboration on written work is not acceptable. Students who willingly provide other students with
access to their work are in violation.
Research Resources:
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MLA Guide: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/
Sample MLA essay: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/13/
Pro/Con- http://www.procon.org/
Citation Machine: http://citationmachine.net/index2.php
EBSCO: http://search.ebscohost.com/ (Username: USHS Password: panthers)
USHS LIBRARY: http://ushs.unitedisd.org/class_profile_view.aspx?id=461b8749-2d31-422d-91b5d64bb77d3597
TAMIU Writing Center: http://www.tamiu.edu/uc/writingcenter/resources1.shtml
11th Grade Language Arts Signature and Comment Page:
Mr. Waltz distributed the 2015-2016 11th Grade Language Arts goals and policies/syllabus to the entire
class. I acknowledge with my signature that I have read, understand, and will abide by these expectations,
requirements, and policies for this class throughout the year.
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PRINT Student’s name
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Student’s signature
Date:
Comments/concerns you want to share with me at the start of this school year:
________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
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My son/daughter and I/we have reviewed the attached class goals and expectations for 11th Grade Language Arts
and I am aware of what will be expected of my son/daughter throughout the 2015-2016 academic school year. I
understand the expectations for his/her learning and skill development for this course. I may contact you at 5463217 ext. 3170, or by emailing bwaltz@muncysd.org.
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PRINT Parent/guardian’s name(s)
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Parent/guardian’s signature(s)
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Date:
Please provide a contact email address and/or phone number if you would like:
Best time to call:_______________________________________________________________