Colonel by Secondary School

Colonel By Secondary School ENG 4U

Course Description:

This course emphasizes consolidation of literacy, critical thinking, and communication skills. Students will analyse a range of challenging texts from various time periods, countries, and cultures; write analytical and argumentative essays and a major paper for an independent literary research project; and apply key concepts to analyse media works. An important focus will be on understanding academic language and using it coherently and confidently in discussion and argument.

*From The Ontario Curriculum Grades 11 and 12 English

Prerequisite: ENG 3U

Term One: September to January

Unit 1 Echoes 12 Anthology: Short non-fiction & Personal Response Eval: Personal Response & Photo Narrative Assignment

Unit 2 Poetry: Select Passages from William Shakespeare’s Hamlet Eval: Close reading of an assigned sight passage

Unit 3 The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini Eval: Interactive Orals: Culture and Context examined

Term Two: February to June

Unit 4 The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway Eval: Literature Circles

Unit 5 Media Studies (ongoing throughout year) Eval: Critical Analysis of a chosen media text

Unit 6 Independent Study Unit 20th-21st Century Novel Study includes academic essay Ongoing in Four Stages, Nov-April. & individual oral presentation

Summative Evaluation May-June

Assessment & Evaluation:

Students will be evaluated by level using the Ontario Curriculum Expectations in four main areas: Oral, Writing, Reading, and Media. Course work will comprise 70% of the final grade and Summative Evaluations 30%. Mr. Vitzthum’s Guide to Success in English  Be here. It’s amazing how well you can do just by showing up and paying attention!

 Leave your assumptions about your own performance behind. Consider this a fresh start.

 Get the mark that you want. To get it, you’ll have to earn it: o Plan ahead. o Ask questions. o See me if you need support – I always help people that want to help themselves.

 If you need extra time for an assignment, ask well in advance. o Never arrive empty handed! I will expect an Evaluation Contract in place of a missed assignment.

 Be active in class! Just sitting without saying anything all class is boring; keep yourself engaged! If you decide not be an active participant in class you won’t do as well. Most importantly: o Be respectful of those who are active and engaged.

 Visualize your own success

 Take notes. Learn how to do it now. (You’ll thank me later.)

 Smartphones and laptops -- please use them appropriately.

 Academic honesty. It counts and may affect your future academic plans!!

 Finally, be kind and courteous to others. In the words of Morrisey from The Smiths: It’s so easy to laugh / It’s so easy to hate / It takes strength to be gentle and kind.