ISS Course Syllabus
Teacher: Ms.A
Grade: 12
Teacher: Mr. Horan
Course Title: English 12
Course Description: Students in Grade 12 will focus on developing four areas in English: Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening.
All students are expected to read minimum of four novels as a class plus at least one independently.
In addition, students can read: short stories, poems, non-fiction, advertising, newspaper articles, journals, drama and magazine
articles, letters, essays, speeches, information, etc. Students need to know and understand literary terms and poetry terms. Reading
comprehension tests from unknown excerpts similar to the PSAT and other standardized tests should be used throughout the year and
included on the semester exams to show application of learnt tools such as literary terms and inference skills.
All students must understand the stages of the writing process and understand and use the 6+1 Trait Rubric to plan, prepare, and
analyze their writing. All students are expected to produce one to two pieces of “completed” writing in EACH of the following
categories – Expository (compare and contrast), Response to Literature, Persuasive, and Descriptive. Other suggested areas of writing
include: poetry; (Haiku, lyric, narrative, free verse), myths, fables, journals, research papers, newspaper articles, scripts, short story,
information writing, posters, letters, speeches.
All students are expected to perform two SAT-style writing prompts per month. Twice a year, student writing will be formally
evaluated using a prompt and grading will be performed via the 6+1 Trait Rubric.
Semester exams must include a prompt that requires students to demonstrate learned skills. Students need to develop skills in basic
mechanics (spelling, grammar, and punctuation/capitalization) and learn vocabulary words to expand their word choice. Students
need to develop proof reading skills.
Students should learn and use the MLA format for referencing and also be familiar with APA. All students are expected to take part in
paired and group discussions, respond appropriately verbally and non-verbally to speakers, prepare and deliver presentations, read
aloud, and debate.
Grade 12 theme is World Literature and takes the students through the history of literature throughout the world. Each Quarter a
literary theme is suggested; writers and short-stories, non-fiction, poetry, and drama can be selected to demonstrate the theme,
examples are listed.
Course Contents:
First Quarter:
Theme: Ancient Worlds – India, China, Greece and Rome
Reading:
Novel: Namesake
Literature: Epic of Gilgamesh, Rig Veda (Hymn), Analects (Confucius), Japanese Haiku poems, Iliad (Homer)
Reading Comprehension
Writing: Review 6+1 writing traits. Review essay writing outline. Introduce the writing rubric. Recognize different genres of
writing. Understand and use the MLA format for references. Writing prompt outlines, Personal Narrative, and response to literature.
Proof reading – practice and develop skills. Students need to work on improving sentences and paragraphs for writing.
Literary Terms and Grammar: Review, define, identify and practice:
Nouns and Pronouns,
Verbs – understand tenses,
Adjectives and Adverbs (create lists of wide variety of words to use in writing) ,
Types of Sentences – simple, compound, complex, declarative, interrogative, imperative, exclamatory, Basic Sentence Parts, Phrases
and Clauses,
Transition words for essay writing, sequencing, time, summary, compare and contrast, - see list.
Introduce and/or review literary terms – see list.
Vocabulary: Students should have minimum 10 words per week to learn definitions, spelling and use in sentences. SAT words prep
– level 2 (5 per week), words from Novel, words that are regularly misspelt. Students should develop their own lists misspelt word list
to aid their writing.
Speaking and Listening: Reading aloud, discussions, morning circle presentations.
Second Quarter:
Theme: Middle Ages and Renaissance
Reading:
Novel: Mountains beyond Mountains
Drama: Hamlet
Literature: Divine Comedy (Dante), Fox and the Crow (Fable), How Much Does a Man Need (Tolstoy), I have visited again
(Pushkin), Invitation to the voyage (Charles Baudelaire).
Reading Comprehension
Writing: Writing prompt outlines, essay outlines, Compare and contrast expository, Poetry, mini-script writing, proof-reading skills
Literary Terms and Grammar: Review, define, identify and practice:
Prepositions, conjunctions and interjections,
Creative and Effective Sentences, (work on sentence errors – fragments, run-on, comma errors)
Verb (subject-verb agreement) ,
Transition words – see list,
Literary terms connected with poetry – see list.
Vocabulary: Students should have minimum 10 words per week to learn definitions, spelling and use in sentences. SAT words prep
– level 2 (5 per week), words from Novel, words that are regularly misspelt.
Speaking and Listening –reading aloud, present poems, reader’s theatre act out Romeo and Juliet, Independence Day presentations
Semester Review for End of Semester Exam (December)
Third Quarter:
Theme: Modern World
Reading:
Novel: The Count of Montecristo
Literature: Metamorphosis (Franz Kafka), The Bracelet (Colette), The Glass of Milk (Manuel Rojas), Poems by Anna Akhmatova,
Rilke, Gabriela Mistral
Reading Comprehension
Writing: Persuasive essays, semester 2 writing prompt, speech writing,
Literary Terms and Grammar: Review, define, identify and practice:
Pronoun use,
Irregular verbs,
Work on correcting sentences,
Use and understand sentence clauses.
Vocabulary: Students should have minimum 10 words per week to learn definitions, spelling and use in sentences. SAT words prep
– level 2 (5 per week), words from Novel, words that are regularly misspelt.
Speaking and Listening: Reading aloud, speech giving, discussions, debate, morning circle presentations, Earth Day presentations.
Fourth Quarter:
Theme: The Contemporary World
Reading:
Novel: The Best American Science and Nature Writing
Literature: The Guest (Albert Camus), On the Bottom (Primo Levi), From Night (Elie Wiesel), Marriage is a Private Affair (Chinua
Achebe), variety of poems.
Reading Comprehension
Writing: response to literature, creative writing, letters
Literary Terms and Grammar: Review, define, identify and practice:
Capitalization and punctuation,
Improving paragraph writing.
Vocabulary: Students should have minimum 10 words per week to learn definitions, spelling and use in sentences. SAT words prep
– level 1 (5 per week), words from Novel, words that are regularly misspelt
Speaking and Listening: reading aloud, reading to other grades, discussions,
Review for End of Year Exam
Resources:
Additional books for reading: Angela’s Ashes, The Last of the Mohicans, The Kite Runner, The Things they Carried, The Jungle, Fast
Food Nation
Prentice Hall Literature – Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes World Masterpieces,
Prentice Hall Writing and Grammar Ruby Level,
SAT Level 2,
The Least You Should Know about English,
Norton Series,
Various Grammar books held as resources
Teacher overheads and worksheets
Evaluation System:
 Tests and projects
 Quizzes and class work
 Participation and effort
 Homework
Total
40%.
40%
10%
10%
100%
Additional Comments:
1.
Homework is always posted on the board and on edline. It is your responsibility to make sure it is written into your
agenda. This also goes for any class assignments or upcoming class or school events.
2.
I am always available by appointment for extra help/advice and most mornings before class. If you have a specific
question or concern that may take some time, do not hesitate to make an appointment with me and I will be happy to help
you. Also, please remember that reinforcement will be used for any absences, late tests, or low scores. Students who have
below a 70% will be required to come to reinforcement. Upon your completion of reinforcement, you will receive points
which will be placed under your effort grade, but you will lose 10% of the assignment grade for every day that the work is
late. It is important to complete work regardless because all work is cumulative.