S+Mourkas+Margaret

English - Novels That Should Be Classics **Syllabus**


 * Teacher:** Ms. Mourkas
 * Office:** 502
 * Office Phone:** 207-992-3899
 * Office Hours:** Monday: 3-5pm, Tuesday: 1-3pm, Thursday: 2-4pm, Friday: 3-5pm, or by appointment
 * E-mail:** margaret.mourkas@maine.edu


 * =Summary of Unit= ||
 * After the death of his brother Paul, Norman Maclean decided to write a book explaining his and his brother's life. He did this to try and understand what happened to his brother. He created a book that lets the reader get inside his head and try and find the answers that Norman is looking for. We are going to take a look at the different types of genres that are within the book, analyze the different characters and figure out how they are all working together, and we will be looking at all the different sub-plots within the book to figure out the "plot puzzle". Through the completion of quizzes, character letters, garageband interviews, a smartboard presentation, a wikispace creation, and a final iMovie students will have a better and complete understand of //A River Runs Through It.// Along with myself evaluating the assignments, students will have the oppurtunity to evaluate themselves, and on occasion evaluate their peers. ||

A2 Literary Texts Grade 9 - Diploma** //A River Runs Through It// c. Explain how different point of view can affect the overall theme. ||
 * **Establish Goals:** **(G)** ||
 * //**Maine Learning Results: English Language Arts -**// **A Reading
 * Students read text within a grade appropriate span of text complexity, and present analysis of fiction, non-fiction, drama, and poetry, using excerpts from the text to defend their assertion.**

//What understandings are desired?//
• there are many different subplots that interact to form the main plot. • there is more than one genre within the book and need to know how to identify them. ||
 * //Students will understand that:// **(U)** ||
 * • the characters are all working "silently" together to resolve the conflict.

//What essential questions will be considered?//
• Why does every event that happens around Paul shape him and lead to his downfall? • How many different genres are within the book and what makes them those genres? ||
 * **Essential Questions:** **(Q)** ||
 * • How does each character help the brothers through out the book?

//What key knowledge and skills will students acquire as a result of this unit?//
• Important Details and People: Maclean Family, Rawhide, Jessie's Family, Rawhide and Neal's sexual/drunken adventure, Norman and Jessie's never lose touch moment, Final Fishing Trip. • Vocabulary: Memoir, Novella, Presbyterian, Autobiography || • c. Explain how different point of view can affect the overall theme. • g. Evaluate the characteristics of various genres of literature and their purposes. • Decide whether or not Paul deserves the ending he receives. • Analyze the genres of the book and find their parts. • Consider that the characters are all working together to help resolve the conflict. • Recognize that there are many sub-plots that form the main plot. ||  ||
 * //Students will know:// **(K)** || //Students will be able to:// **(S)** ||
 * • Critical Details: no clear line between religion and fly-fishing, the brother's father is a preacher and expects perfection, Paul doesn't try but Norman does, Norman is always protecting and rescuing Paul.
 * Following the recent death of Paul Maclean, //Angler Angst// has decided to do a special segment on Paul's life. However, the station has found themselves shorthanded as far as segment producers go. Due to this issue they have opened their doors to the local high school students to act as a fill in segment producer. Students are to produce a segment that outlines Paul's life and the major events that happened in it. Students are also asked to explain Paul's death and state whether or not they think that Paul deserved his ending. The latter should be done in a creative manner instead of just stating yes or no. Students will submit their iMovie presentation to the representatives from //Angler Angst// who will be reviewing all the entries. The representatives will then collectively choose the iMovie that they feel meets all the requirements that have been previously given to the students via a handout. The winner will have their segment aired on //Angler Angst//, will receive a job working as a part-time producer at //Angler Angst,// and will also be able to go to the college of their choice with all expenses, including books and room and board, paid for. ||
 * Following the recent death of Paul Maclean, //Angler Angst// has decided to do a special segment on Paul's life. However, the station has found themselves shorthanded as far as segment producers go. Due to this issue they have opened their doors to the local high school students to act as a fill in segment producer. Students are to produce a segment that outlines Paul's life and the major events that happened in it. Students are also asked to explain Paul's death and state whether or not they think that Paul deserved his ending. The latter should be done in a creative manner instead of just stating yes or no. Students will submit their iMovie presentation to the representatives from //Angler Angst// who will be reviewing all the entries. The representatives will then collectively choose the iMovie that they feel meets all the requirements that have been previously given to the students via a handout. The winner will have their segment aired on //Angler Angst//, will receive a job working as a part-time producer at //Angler Angst,// and will also be able to go to the college of their choice with all expenses, including books and room and board, paid for. ||


 * =Expectations= ||
 * You are expected to be on time to every class. If you happen to be tardy please see me sometime after class so that we can discuss what you missed and how you are going to make it up. If you know you are going to be tardy to class ahead of time please contact me before class. You are expected to be in class every time the class meets. As with being tardy if you know ahead of time that you are going to be absent please contact me so we can determine a course of action for you to make up missed material. If you are going to be absent for a medical purpose please see me for a medical excuse form. If you miss class because you are ill or an emergency arises please bring in a signed note stating why you were not in class. The signature must be from an adult, not you. Emergencies happen and I understand that.

Assignments are expected to be turned in on the due date unless prior arrangements have been made. If you feel that you receive an unfair grade at any time and would like the opportunity to revise your piece of work than please see me after class and we can discuss it. All redo assignments are due exactly one week from being returned to you. If you do revise a work I will require that you hand in the original work, the original rubric, the revised work, and a completed self-assessment rubric complete with a statement of how you changed your work. All assignments must be typed in Times New Roman, size 12, and double spaced. I expect you to use the MLA format when writing papers.

All students are expected to be honest and original in their work. Any form of plagiarism will be marked with an automatic zero and will then result with a meeting with myself, you, the principal, and department head.

If you have an identified learning disability and need accommodations please notify me as soon as possible. ||


 * =Benchmarks **(400 points)**= ||
 * **Quizes:** (15 points) 3 quizzes, one after each set of readings assigned. 5-10 assorted questions on the quiz about the section of reading to make sure the students read the assigned section.
 * Letters:** (100 points) On a blog website students are going to write letters from one of the book's characters to Paul or Norman. These letters are going to be written in the point of view of the student's assigned character. The letters will be a written as a reaction to a pre-determined set of events. When all of the letters are written then the students will write 2 or 3 letters where they will respond to the opposite brother's letters still in character.
 * Work Samples:** (100 points) 2 GarageBand interviews, wikispace, smartboard project
 * iMovie:** **(performance task)** (200 points) Students are going to take on the role of a segment producer for the station //Angler Angst//. They will create a 10-15 minute imovie that overviews Paul's life and comes to a conclusion as to whether their station feels as if Paul deserved the ending he received. ||
 * iMovie:** **(performance task)** (200 points) Students are going to take on the role of a segment producer for the station //Angler Angst//. They will create a 10-15 minute imovie that overviews Paul's life and comes to a conclusion as to whether their station feels as if Paul deserved the ending he received. ||

• **K-W-L:** (5 points) Preassessment to unit with a section for what the students want to learn. Then after the unit the students will fill out another survey that acts as a follow up to the unit. • **Blogs:** (30 points) After each section students will write an abstract and reflection for each reading.
 * • **Check-list:** (30points) Students will complete a checklist of all accomplished steps described on the handout. At the end of the checklist there will be a space for the students to write a small paragraph to reflect on the production process. This will be done for every lesson's major assignment.
 * • **Check-list:** (30points) Students will complete a checklist of all accomplished steps described on the handout. At the end of the checklist there will be a space for the students to write a small paragraph to reflect on the production process. This will be done for every lesson's major assignment.
 * • Peer Assessments:** (20 points) Students are going to assess their peers blogs and comment on them. ||


 * =Grading Scale= ||
 * A (93 -100), A- (90 - 92), B+ (87 - 89), B (83 - 86), B- (80 - 82), C+(77 - 79), C (73-76), C- (70 - 72), D+(67 - 69), D (63 - 66), D- (60 - 62), F (0 - 59). ||