English 9: Ancient & Medieval Literature
Stillwater Christian School
Instructor: Mr. Tinkham
2011-2012 Syllabus
Name: __________________
Summary:
Freshman English includes:
• study of the elements of literature through short literature selections and major literary
works
• review and expansion of the essential principles of punctuation and grammar
• vocabulary enhancement
• research paper process
• creative and critical writing
• analysis of elements of poetry
• exposure to major genres of ancient and medieval writing
• interaction with rhetorical devices
Texts:
1. Fundamentals of Literature
2. Our Mother Tongue (not issued)
3. Vocabulary from Classical Roots: A
4. Write for College (purchased by student)
5. World Literature by Prentice Hall (not issued)
6. Class sets of individual works
Graded elements:
Student work is graded by points weighted according to the magnitude of the test,
project, or assignment. Graded work per quarter will include items from each of
the four class components:
1. Grammar: mechanics, usage, and grammar quizzes (MUGs); grammar notebook
2. Writing: Several compositions; journaling
3. Vocabulary: tests and review activities
4. Reading: book responses; journaling; literature quizzes, tests, and projects
Assignment List for the Whole Course

Vocabulary Quizzes. Every other Tuesday throughout the year, students will take a quiz
covering the next lesson in sequence from the vocabulary workbook. Students will be
required to produce definitions from memory, know the appropriate part of speech, and
supply words for a fill-in-the-blank section.

Reading Quizzes. Students should be prepared to answer basic plot summary questions
about any reading assignment given. Quizzes may or may not be announced.
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
Presentations. Students will be required to occasionally share their work with the class.
This will include reading journal entries, showing and explaining artwork, discussing
readings, and acting out scenes from plays.

Grammar Quizzes. Grammar review quizzes will fall on a Tuesday when there is no
vocabulary quiz. These are less frequent than vocabulary quizzes.

Outside Reading. Students will read one book outside of class each quarter. This reading
will account for a significant portion of each student’s homework load.
Assignment List and Descriptions by Quarter
(This list may not be exhaustive or properly sequenced, but does include most of the work for the class, in the order
in which it is due. Some assignments may be added or omitted based on how quickly the class is able to move
through the material.)
Quarter 1


Summer Reading Review

Student will write a Reading Record Card on each of the two
books he reads during the summer.

Student will complete a Venn Diagram of his two summer
reading books, noting commonalities and differences.

Student will map (from his Henty summer reading) the hero’s
experiences: places, events, &characters. (Concept Mapping)

Student will defend a theme for The Pearl in a one-page
analytical paper, using the TWIST approach; he will practice the
emphasis technique of climax .
Short Stories – Elements of Literature

Student will write, in class, an expository paragraph explaining
and demonstrating explicit theme; he will practice the emphasis
technique of expletive. (“Miss Hinch”)

Student will write, in class, an expository paragraph exploring
the concept of implicit theme; he will practice the emphasis
technique of polysyndeton (Writing with Clarity p 15). (“Quality”)

Student will write, in class, a paragraph defending his choice of
a static character and a second paragraph defending his choice
of a dynamic character (“Top Man”)
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

Student will rewrite, in an exam, a passage from a different,
specified point of view. (“The Open Window”)
Wisdom Literature

Student will create an aphorism following the Proverbs’ poetic
pattern; he will experiment with the rhetorical strategies of
beginning and ending stress and emphatic positioning.

Student will create a rubai using typical features of the form and
centering the poem on a life metaphor; he will experiment
with the rhetorical strategies of size in metaphor and sensory appeal

Student will analyze the differences in three translations of a
rubai (World Lit text pp. 98-105) and defend his personal favorite
of the three.

Student will analyze, in class, the grammatical pattern of a
chosen Panchatantra (or other great writing) sentence and create
a new sentence using different words but the same grammatical
pattern—demonstrating value and impact of the construction.

Student will compose a two-page autobiographical narrative
essay of a life phase with a theme of wisdom (Write for College
pp 152-161); he will experiment, in review, with the rhetorical
devices introduced so far this quarter: polysyndeton, expletive,
simile, metaphor, stresses, positioning, and sensory appeal.
Quarter 2


The Iliad – Selections

Student will create a character web of The Iliad.

Student will create and answer questions (from 3
different levels of Bloom’s taxonomy), using a selected book of
The Iliad.

Student will write, in an exam, a comparison of ancient Greek
religious beliefs with Christian beliefs.

Student will illustrate, and represent from text, Achilleus’ shield.

Student will, in an exam, describe the features and content of
Achilleus’ shield.
The Aeneid – Selections
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

Student will write a creative farewell letter from either Dido or
Aeneas to the other. The student will demonstrate at least one
tonal shift in the letter. Student will practice three concepts of
balance in sentences (parallelism, chiasmus, and antithesis) in this
letter, as well as in journaling.

Student will write a letter of complaint with consistent tone and
development of argument (Write for College p. 133).
Pyramus and Thisbe (Time permitting)
 Student will create and perform a modern version of Ovid’s
Pyramus & Thisbe plot (World Lit. text, pp. 530-534). Constructed
in drama format, the play will remain consistent in theme to the
original.
Quarter 3


Julius Caesar

Student will revise the diction of a selection from Julius Caesar
to promote easier understanding.

Student will compare, in an exam, Shakespeare’s account of
Julius Caesar’s death with Plutarch’s account of the same event.

Student will illustrate Shakespeare’s play of Julius Caesar by
means of a comic strip.

Student will compare Brutus or Cassius to Marc Anthony in at
least three different ways.
Research Paper

Student will, after a preliminary search, choose a topic for
research that is neither too broad nor too constrictive.

Student will record findings on properly-notated cards and then
design an outline based on those findings.

Student will write a first draft paper focused on the thesis
statement of the outline.

Student will revise for improvement in clarity, style, and
conventions—producing at least one more draft of the paper
to submit for final evaluation.

Student will write a précis of his paper and present it to the
class.
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Quarter 4


Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Student will make a summary sentence and visual reminder of
each verse of the piece.

Student will compose an expository essay in one to two pages
discussing Gawain’s code of chivalry or modern codes of
chivalry. He will use diction, connotation, imagery, and description
to convey tone and will express an opinion by the end of the
piece. Student will use a self-evaluation rubric and will employ
the Classical Argument Scheme.

Student will compose an informal persuasive message either to
or from Sir Gawain specifically including five new vocabulary
words, two invented words, and emphasis techniques.

Student will apply Dante’s interpretation of allegories, in all
four levels, to Sir Gawain. The student will write four expository
paragraphs—each containing an explanation of the level and
application to Sir Gawain.
The Lay of the Werewolf


Student will free-write ideas for his own shape-shifting story,
using five newly-learned words.
Canterbury Tales

Student will design a poster of an assigned Canterbury Tales character,
illustrating connotations of positive and negative character traits.

Student will prepare notes for a speech introducing the above
poster to the class. The notes, on one card, will consist of key
words or phrases—not sentences.

Student will analyze verses of the poem for a variety of features.

Student will create a modern character for the Canterbury Tales
collection using Chaucer’s features of rhyme, connotation,
physiognomy, and imagery in the new 12-line poem.
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