Mr. McCue
English Language Arts
Instructor: Mr. Matt McCue
Office: TBA
Phone: TBA
Email: [email protected]
Course Management: moodle.butler.edu
Required Texts: TBA
Introduction
Hello Parents and Students!
My name is Mr. Matt McCue and I will be your (child’s) American Literature teacher this semester. A little about myself: I graduated from Butler University in 2015, I am the middle child between two sisters, and I grew up in a suburb of Chicago, Bartlett. When I was a kid, I wanted to be a rock star, but once I took an English class at the college level, I knew that I wanted to spend the rest of my life talking about literature.
Course Description:
In this course, we will read a number of texts from the American canon in order to formulate an idea of what being an American in the twenty-first century means. Through reading and writing about many of these works, students will develop their critical reading skills and their ability to express themselves in writing.
Longe Range Objectives
Students will be able to:
-Embrace varying points of view in the classroom and integrate their differing ideas into their writing and discussion.
-Model socially appropriate behavior in line with “Mr. McCue’s Classroom Policies and Procedures”.
-Critically evaluate varying information and media.
-Express thoughts, feelings, and desires in a grammatically correct and efficient way.
Big Ideas
-Critical media literacy
-Fiction in context
-Rhetoric
Enduring Understanding
-With critical reading and writing skills, you will have the tools necessary to be a self-directed learner.
-Reading and writing are the building blocks of all education and the gateway to self-awareness and agency.
-Every Person bring new ideas to the classroom.
Essential Questions
-What does it mean to be an American in the twenty-first century?
-How does media and literature influence our society?
-How does society influence media and literature?
-How can we effectively use information to create meaning and our own understanding?
-How does point of view distort our cultural identity?
-How can viewers utilize varying points of view to create new meaning?
- Mr. McCue’s Classroom Policies and Expectations
Community of Respect: In my class, we respect each other, the classroom, and the learning that takes place within it.
Assignments: This class will regularly have assigned readings and writings for outside of class. These will not be busy work, but rather constructive assignments meant to help you develop as an independent thinker. Late work will be accepted, but continued abuse of this policy will result in the loss of this privilege.
Daily Expectations: In order to use our time in class as efficiently as we can, it is imperative that students arrive in class before the bell so that they we can start promptly at the beginning of our scheduled time. Additionally, students must complete assignments and readings outside of class so that they can be active participants in our class activities.
Class Discussions/Participation: This class remands active participation in activities and discussions. Unlike the stereotypical English teacher, I will not be lecturing to you everyday, or any day for that matter. Our class discussions and activities will require you and your classmates to construct your own meaning through reading, writings, and conversing.
Communication: Parents and students are welcome to call me with any questions or concerns on the school’s phone during the school day. Otherwise, everyone is welcome to email me at [email protected]. Please allow 24 hours for my reply.
Absentee Procedure: When absent from class, all of the material covered will available in the “Absent” bin. A note listing any relevant information/due dates will be attached to the make-up work. Generally, students will have one week to complete make-up work, but exceptions can be made for extenuating circumstances.
Office Hours:
-Office hours are in place for student’s use! Please capitalize on the opportunity to talk to me, or any of your other professors, one-on-one where you control the topic of conversation. If students ever have any questions about the course, any assignments, or if they just want to talk further about a topic, I strongly encourage them to visit my office hours. Not only will it benefit their learning, but it will also benefit my teaching because I will be able to recognize trouble areas, as experienced by the students.
Materials
Notebook
Pencil/Pen
Required text of each unit
Standards
Indiana State Standards
Common Core
Grades:
Grades are not intended to scare students into completing assignments, but rather, to offer a representation of their progress in class. Every student has what it takes to receive an A, but hard work, and the willingness to revise is required.
Grading Scale:
95-100 A 75-77 C
91-94 A- 71-74 C-
88-90 B+ 68-70 D+
85-87 B 65-67 D
81-84 B- 61-64 D-
78-80 C+ 60 and below F
Personal Beliefs about Teaching:
I believe that students have the ability to teach me as much as I can teach them. Learning is a process that benefits from the active participation of a diverse set of students. I believe that the classroom should be a place where students and teachers collaborate their thinking to generate new ideas. Adolescents are naturally curious and enjoy problem solving, so with the right environment, students will have an intrinsic motivation to succeed. I will not concern my teaching with matters of right or wrong answers, but instead, encourage active critical thinking focusing on the learning and meaning-making process.
Student Activities
Journals: Students will start journaling from the first day of class. Every day, we will either start class by journaling in order to get the students engaged with the content, or we will use it as a reflective activity at the end of class.
Check-in: In addition to journaling, students will have 5 minutes at the beginning or end of class to prepare for class activities or to wrap up. This will encourage socialization and community building.
Reading Assignments: In order to be an active participant in this class, completing reading assignments is an absolute must. The only way to keep up with the train of thought in, and out, of the classroom is to stay up to date on the reading assignments.
Writing Assignments: All of the writing assignments have been constructed to promote the critical thought encouraged in this class. Whether it is short, informal writes, or long research essays, each writing assignment fits into the larger conversation of this class.
Class Participation: In my opinion, this may be one of the most important aspects of the class. Participation in the class proves an understanding of the texts read, and the ability to synthesize information into constructive ideas relevant to the class. Every student contains unique points of view, and the diversity of thought within a class must be utilized for everyone’s sake. Please participate!
Sample Unit Plan
Poetry
Long Range Goals
Students will develop the skills to understand, appreciate, and explain poems and the themes they illuminate.
Students will be able to analyze, and compare and contrast poems to other stories, experiences, or poems.
Students will develop and display an understanding of poetry’s evolution throughout time by pointing to specific traits from each time period/genre.
Students will be able to research, synthesize, and present autobiographical information about a poet and describe how their personal life influenced their poetry.
Big Ideas
Mechanics of poetry
Poetry throughout time
Poet’s personal lives in relation to the poems they write
Theme identification
Enduring Understanding
All texts are intentionally constructed in specific ways in order to tell stories or illustrate feelings or ideas.
Writers communicate messages, feelings, and sentiments through their words.
Starting from the title, every word choice, placement, and usage constructs the poem’s meaning.
Poets utilize multiple points of view and aesthetic structure to deepen meaning.
Essential Questions
Why do poets write poems?
How do you critically read a poem?
Why do we read poems?
How can we use poems to gain a more encompassing understanding of ourselves, our society, and our world?
Student Activities
Activities that allow for formative assessment
-Daily class discussion on related pre/post readings
Through class discussions, I will be able to assess how well students understand their readings and connected with the poetry. Additionally, this gives students the opportunity to share their varying opinions to the class.
-Exit slips
-These give students the opportunity to be honest about their level of understanding. Exit slips are meant to refine my techniques by responding to student’s needs.
Activities that allow summative assessment
-In/out of class quick free writes
-These free writes are meant to serve as a space for students to think on paper. Whether these are collected or not, they will become the base of our discussions. When collected, they will serve as assessable material.
-One formal writing assignment or one creative project leading to presentations
-These two options are meant to give students choice in the matter. Regardless, students will need to research a poet and give a biography as well as a survey of their most important works. The students can write a paper, or find another way to creatively research and present their poet. The presentations offer the students the opportunity to learn about a lot of different poets and to hear from all of their classmates.
Sample Unit II
Divergent Backwards Map
Long Range Goals AND Assessment: -SWBAT:
-Create graphic or written representations of Divergent’s plot structure and explain the significance of each stage within the context of the whole story.
-Compare and contrast the fictional society and government illustrated in Divergent to the society and government of today.
-Compose written, oral, or graphic arguments that display a recognition of the symbolic relationship that exists between fictional stories and the reality that inspires them.
-Distinguish differing points of view and formulate arguments using evidence from the text that seek to explain the reasons, or value, of this complexity.
Big Ideas (Scope and Sequence)
-Critical reading and interrogating texts
-Genre, specifically dystopian literature.
-The Hero’s Journey
-Articulating ideas in writing
Enduring Understandings • What should students know so well that I would never need to re-teach it?
-Differing perspectives create complexity in literature and life.
-The ability to find and incorporate supporting information from texts in arguments.
-All stories follow the same basic structure.
-With a critical eye, all literature and art holds numerous meaning encrypted facets.
Essential Questions
-How do authors create stories and environments that the reader can see and feel?
-In what ways does fiction influence individuals? How does it influence society?
-How can I use my voice to argue against or support my own, or other people’s beliefs?
-Can I cite texts correctly and consistently establish credibility?
Student Activities: Daily LESSON PLANS and Formative Assessments
• What will I do with students to reach the long-range goals and how am I checking progress?
-Daily class discussion with related pre/post readings
-Exit slips
-In/out of class quick free writes
-One formal writing assignment
-One creative project