Brandsetter, Max - DVUSD Pathways
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- Barry Goldwater High
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Mr. Max Brandstetter
Barry Goldwater Campus
max.brandstetter@dvusd.org
Website
English Language Arts 3/4
Room #519
Course Description:
This course uses a thematic approach to world literature, drawing from a wide variety of multicultural selections. Subject matter includes both traditional classics and contemporary authors. Throughout the course, students will be provided with a myriad of opportunities to understand, evaluate, and clearly communicate ideas through reading, writing, speaking, and listening. This course offers expanded opportunities to use 21st century skills to enhance the learning experience and enhance course themes. This course is aligned with Arizona College and Career Ready Standards and supports the school-wide efforts in increasing student achievement.
Course Objectives:
By the time the student completes this course of study, the student will know or be able to:
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Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
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Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.
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Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
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Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.
Course Essential Questions:
- How can the literature of the past shape our future?
- What lessons can be learned from tragedy?
- Why do people behave the way they do?
Major Units:
Week 1 + 2
Week 3 + 4
- Introduction to Dystopian Literature
- "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson
- "There Will Come Soft Rains" by Ray Bradbury
- "The Veldt" by Ray Bradbury
- "Harrison Bergeron" by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
- Anthem by Ayn Rand
- "Why do human beings do good things? The Puzzle of Altruism
- "Conformity" by Charlotte Harrison
- Plato's "Allegory of the Cave"
- "Prometheus" by Ovid
- Viewing of Peter Weir's The Truman Show
- Night by Elie Wiesel
- Joliffe's Rhetorical Framework
- "The Perils of Indifference" by Elie Wiesel
- "No Man is an Island" by John Donne
- "Auschwitz" by The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
- Life is Beautiful by Roberto Benigni
*Note: If there is a myth, story, or ancillary text that you prefer your child not read, please indicate this on the signature form so that an alternate unit can be provided.
Grading:
Grades are based on a percentage of all possible points (100%-90%=A, 89%-80%=B, 79%-70%=C, 69%-60%=D, 59% and lower=F).
- Grades are cumulative for the semester. The first and second semester grades will be weighted as follows: 45% writing and language, 35% reading, and 20% speaking and listening.
- No extra credit will be accepted.
PowerSchool Online Access:
Grades and attendance may be accessed 24 hours a day online with your PowerSchool access code. You may check student progress regularly on the PowerSchool site using the same login for one or more students.
Daily Device Use:
Students should come to class with their devices charged and ready to use in each class every day. Extra chargers will not be available to students. Devices may not be used to record or take photos of other people without their consent. Consequences for classroom disruptions and misuse of devices will follow a progressive discipline model, beginning with a phone call home and progressing to office referrals for repeated or more serious offenses. See the Student Rights and Responsibilities consequence chart in the handbook for more specific descriptions of infractions and consequences.
Academic Integrity:
As stated in the Arizona English Language Arts Standards, students need to be college and career ready when graduating high school. To meet this standard, students will be expected to accurately and consistently cite all sources used in their work and to submit designated assignments to turnitin.com, a plagiarism detection service. If it is determined that student work is plagiarized, appropriate consequences will be enforced per school policy.
Retake Policy:
Students may be granted one retake opportunity on summative assessments at teacher discretion and with requirements in place.
Classroom Rules:
I have the following expectations of my students:
- Be respectful: Treat your peers, teacher, environment, and yourself with respect. Please be respectful with technology. In other words, use devices appropriately and only in connection to the work at hand.
- Be responsible: Take ownership of the choices you make as well as the rewards and consequences that come with those choices.
- Be prepared: Have your materials for this class with you each day. Having your electronic device (iPad or computer) charged and ready is vital to your success in the online platform. Having a notebook/Google Doc/or note-taking app in which you can jot down necessary information, due dates, etc..., would be beneficial as well. Lastly, be prepared mentally as well. It is simple to show up with necessary materials, but it is sometimes difficult to adopt a mindset conducive to a proper learning environment. If one has any concerns or issues in obtaining materials or said mindset, please reach out and I will help you in any way I can.
- BE KIND!
Disciplinary Consequences:
If you are unable to abide by the course rules, your consequences will follow suit in a succeeding manner (verbal warning, conference with teacher + parent email and/or phone call, administrative referral + parent email and/or phone call). Major violations will warrant an immediate referral.
Recommended Supplies for This Course:
- District issued iPad or other electronic device (not including smart phones). Please make sure you have swapped your iPad for the newer version on campus in order to be able to apply proper updates and use necessary apps. The following apps will be used consistently, so please have them downloaded to your advice as soon as possible:
- Notability
- Canvas
- PowerSchool
- Pens with black or blue ink
- Pencils
- Highlighter(s)
- A college ruled notebook
- Loose-leaf college ruled paper
OPTIONAL Supplies for This Course:
- Highlighters of various colors
- Post-it notes
- Any items necessary for personal organization or annotation..
English Language Arts 1/2
Max Brandstetter
Video can often be an excellent way to augment our students’ education, helping to reinforce curricular ideas as well as generate meaningful discussions about how contemporary society views our subject matter. In English Language Arts 3-4, we will be viewing the segments listed below. Should you prefer that your student participate in an alternative assignment, please contact me via phone or email, or leave a note on this video permission form and have your student turn it in to me.
Mr. Max Brandstetter
(623) 376-3142
Max.brandstetter@dvusd.org
Week #1 and #2
Week #3 and #4
The Truman Show by Peter Weir
Life is Beautiful by Roberto Benigni
Additional appropriately rated ancillary television and YouTube clips may also be utilized in class.
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