Welcome!

Welcome to 10th Grade English! Below, you will find the syllabus we discussed in class today. Check back here often to find daily journals and homework assignments.

THURGOOD MARSHALL ACADEMY

International Baccalaureate World School

200-214 W 135th St

New York NY, 10030

212-283-8055

Principal: Dr. S. Johnson

10th Grade English

The Prisms of Reality

Mrs. Koza

Why are we here?

You are here to empower yourself by gaining knowledge and skills. You are here to learn about the world you live in and to think critically about the events, patterns, themes and lessons found in literature through reading and writing about it. You are here to be challenged and stretched as a student so that you can grow beyond where you are now and be ready for what lies ahead. Open your eyes, and open your mind; things are not quite what they seem.

I am here to guide you through the process of learning, growth and preparation. I am here because I want to show you that our world is vast, beautiful, and much more interesting than you thought. I am here because I, too, want to learn.

What do we deserve?

You deserve the best possible experience this year. You deserve high quality teaching from a teacher with high expectations who is fair, respectful and available to help you. You deserve to learn the greatest amount possible. You deserve to feel safe, comfortable and accepted within these walls.

I deserve the best possible experience this year as well. I deserve the highest quality work possible and the greatest amount of effort you can give. I deserve to be respected, in control, and comfortable. I deserve to have the final word within this classroom so that I can make sure all students are getting the experience they deserve.

What will we do?

In English we will be reading a series of novels, sort stories, poems and articles which will underpin our year-long discussion about the nature of reality. Although our lives are not always easy, it is true that much of our day-to-day is taken for granted. We know what's expected of us, we know how our society works, and we act accordingly. This year, we are going to look at literature that challenges our perceptions about what is "real." I hope we will all find that what is real is strange, flexible, and sometimes completely arbitrary. Indeed, most of what we call "reality" is a product of the human imagination! In each unit we will work on vocabulary, grammar, reading strategies and writing techniques. You will take quizzes and tests as well as write papers and/or complete projects for each unit.

Intro Unit: Setting and reaching your goals this year In the first unit you will get to know your beginning of the year reading and writing level and set up your personal goals for the year. Then we will figure out what you need to do to reach them. We will review reading strategies, learn note taking and organization skills and get to know what it means to be a reader, a writer and, most importantly, a curious, interested, and critical thinker.

Unit One: Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll Don't be fooled--there is much more at work here than a children's story! When Alice falls down the rabbit hole, all of reality goes topsy-turvy. We can learn much about our own world by twisting it around, and we will discover, like Alice, that things are not quite what they seem.

Unit Two: The Once and Future King by T. H. White Enter the realm of King Arthur and his knights of the Round Table. In this unit, we will explore the human psyche--why do we do things even when we know they are wrong? How does our attitude shape the way we experience the world around us?

Unit Three: Brave New World by Aldous Huxley It is 600 years in the future, where science is destiny. All human embryos are grown in bottles, and children learn through "sleep-teaching." Men and women go on holiday by taking a drug called soma, and most people don't want to live past 60. Almost everyone thinks this is a great idea. What is admissible in trying to create a "perfect" society? Is it right to manipulate biology to achieve that end? To what degree do we justify that in our own world today?

Unit Four: Macbeth by William Shakespeare Macbeth had everything going for him: a loving wife, a victorious return from war, and a new noble title. When he hears a prophecy that he will become king of Scotland, he and his wife decide to take fate into their own hands, leading to bloody murder and revenge. Mingling the natural and supernatural, Macbeth becomes a victim of is own greed and ambition.

Unit Five: Siddhartha by Herman Hesse Siddhartha is seeking enlightenment and transcendence from this earthly existence. Although he tries to find it through work, money and love, he finally discovers it at the banks of a running river where he had gone to seek his own death. Like us, Siddhartha is looking for meaning. Like Alice, he yearns to fall down the rabbit hole.

How will this happen?

Rules. Everyday I expect you to:

• Be Prepared. Be ready to start class when the bell rings. Have all materials including: your reading book, your binder, a mechanical pencil or black pen, and your homework. Leave things unrelated to English class outside of English class. This includes food, candy, gum, drinks and also out of class issues or problems.
• Be Respectful. Do not speak over the teacher or your classmates. Raise your hand and ask before speaking or moving around the classroom. Ask before using anything that is not yours including: hole puncher, tape, computer, etc. Respect this space. Keep it clean and organized. It should be left the way it was when you came in. Keep your hands to yourself.
• Be Positive. Leave negative attitudes outside this room. Don’t insult each other, or this class. Listen fully to anyone speaking before making a judgment. Do not use negative language. Do not curse.

• Be Responsible. Turn in your homework on time. Check for missing work regularly, and make it up in a timely manner. Be aware of your grade. Ask for help if you need it. Follow instruction. Use the resources you have, including the books and your binder.

How will grades be earned?

This year, your grades will be determined by the following:

• Class work, notes and binder - 20%
• Homework - 20%
• Quizzes and Tests - 25%
• Papers and Projects - 25%
• Participation and Effort - 10%

What else do we need to talk about?

Honor Code. Knowledge is too powerful to steal. Cheating, copying, and plagiarism will not be tolerated and will result in an immediate referral to the principal and a zero for the assignment.

Major Misbehavior. I reserve the right to skip consequences and give immediate referrals to the dean when appropriate. Examples of behaviors that would result in this include: violence, major disrespect, vandalism or lack of appropriate uniform attire.

Absences. All work from days missed must be made up to receive any credit for the day. This includes Do Now, Notes and Homework.

Late Work: No late homework will receive credit. None. You must be absent on the day assigned or the day due to receive an extension. Papers and projects can be turned in up to two days late. The first day late 10% will be deducted, the second day late 20% will be deducted.

Heading: All loose leaf notes and homework assignments should have the following heading:

Name Date

Class Section Teacher Name

Assignment Name

Materials. You will need to bring the following to class:

• A flexible 3-ring binder
• A pack of dividers for your binder
• Loose leaf paper
• Nice strong two pocket folder to clip inside binder
• Composition Notebook (this will be your Journal and it will stay in the classroom)
• Black or navy blue ink pens
• Post-It notes
• A highlighter

Binder Organization. Binders will be collected once per marking period (6 total). They need to be complete with ALL notes, neat and organized correctly.

• Syllabus
• Class Work Section
• Graded Work Section

A Note about Trips – Occasionally, our class will take field trips to further our understanding of material learned in class. These trips are a requirement, and families will be given ample notice of financial and other arrangements.

Come ready to THINK!

~Mrs. Koza