English 270: Course Syllabus

Course Syllabus:  English 270--Hybrid

Course Schedule: Tentative Schedule

Meet Your Instructor:  Professor Christina Axtell

Required Texts and Materials:

• Short, Kathy G., et al. Essentials of Children’s Literature. 9^th Pearson, 2018.
• Hallett, Martin and Barbara Karasek. Folk & Fairy Tales. 4^th Broadview Press, 2018.
• Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.
• L’Engle, Madeleine. A Wrinkle in Time.
• Rawls, Wilson. Where the Red Fern Grows.
• Blume, Judy. Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.
• Lowry, Lois. Number the Stars.
• Taylor, Mildred D. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry.
• 3 large bluebooks, paper, a blue or black pen, and a red pen for quizzes

Course Description: Welcome to English 270, a course designed to provide an introduction to and appreciation for children’s literature, its history and the wide range of genres that make up this delightful and important literature. Through various readings, activities, and assignments, we will learn to identify different genres, such as picture books; poetry; and traditional, realistic, fantasy, and historical fiction. We will consider various texts from both a child’s and adult’s view and learn to move beyond personal reaction, evaluating from a critical and analytical perspective. Finally, we will discuss ways children’s literature can be used in the classroom.

Course Site:

• Our course can be accessed at https://rsccd.instructure.com/courses/30022
• You may access our Canvas course site from home, the library or the student labs at SAC.
• You can download the Canvas app for phone or tablet.
• When you are officially enrolled in the class and the class has been made available to students, you will have access to our class on the college Canvas site.
• Students are expected to monitor the Canvas site and complete all assignments in a timely manner.
• Students are expected to login at least once a day.

Student Learning Outcomes:

• Students will be able to identify major authors and works of children’s literature, as well as the conventions specific to each major genre: picture books, poetry, traditional literature, drama, non-fiction, and fiction.
• Students will use knowledge of form, literary conventions, audience, and historical and cultural context in their analyses of and responses to children’s literature from multiple genres.
• Students will demonstrate proficiency in using standard written English.
• Students will demonstrate proficiency in integrating and documenting primary and secondary sources in MLA format.

Attendance Policy:

In accordance with the college drop policy, students who do not attend the first class meeting will be dropped as a “no show.” Students who do not access the class web site or submit the “first assignments” by the due date may be dropped as a “no show.” Students who fail to turn in the weekly assignments and or participate in the discussion boards will be considered “absent” and may be dropped from the class for “excessive absence.” Students must attend all four mandatory classes to earn a passing grade. Any student who misses a mandatory class will lose 50 points. Students are responsible to drop the class officially, or they will receive a letter grade based on their performance.

• No Show Drop:

In this course, you must complete all of the following activities by Sunday, 02/17 or you will be dropped as a “No Show”:

1. Attend the first class meeting.
2. Post a new thread by Friday, 07/15 on Discussion Board Week #1: Introductions, following directions described in the thread, and respond to at least two students.
3. Complete the Week 1 Quiz.

• Excessive Absence Drop:

A student will be dropped from the course for any of the following attendance issues:

1. Assignments are not submitted for two consecutive weeks.
2. A mandatory class meeting is missed without notification.
3. More than one mandatory class is missed (no excuses).
   

Requirements: Successful students will fulfill the following requirements:

• Reading Assignments: All readings are to be done before the end of week quiz. Discussion of the readings is vital to our class, so be prepared to share ideas, ask and answer questions, take quizzes, and do exercises related to the readings.
• Discussions/Responses: Throughout the semester, you will turn in weekly responses to assigned readings. Responses must be at least 300 words and address thematic content and rhetorical structure. You will respond to each other’s responses on the class discussion board.
• Writing Assignments: You will have several writing assignments, including in-class quick writes and exams, reading responses, projects, and formal essays this semester. I will provide clear instructions for each assignment.
• In-Class Exams: You will write three timed in-class exams—consisting of short answers, identifications, passage analysis, and/or short essays—during the semester. In-class exams must be completed in class on the assigned due date.
• Quizzes: Throughout the semester, you will take weekly quizzes. They cannot be made-up or taken late.
• Extra Credit: You can use up to 30 extra credit points to raise an already passing grade (>70%). Extra credit cannot be used to pass the class.
• Learning Center: Learning Center: You may visit the Learning Center for tutoring sessions with an instructor or to complete specific Directed Learning Activities (DLAs) for extra credit. You can find the Learning Center assignment sheet with course materials. The Learning Center (D-307) is open Monday - Saturday.

Late Policy: All assignments are due by end of day (11:59pm) on the assigned due date. You may turn in one essay (1 or 2) up to three days late with no penalty. All other essays (1-3) will be marked down one full letter grade for every day late. Blogs, discussion board posts, quizzes, and essay exams will not be accepted late. 

Accommodations for Disabilities: Your success in this course is important to me. Santa Ana College and I are committed to providing reasonable accommodations for all individuals with disabilities. If you have a disability that may have some impact on your ability to do well in this course, I encourage you to speak with me as soon as possible. Also, please contact Disabled Student Programs & Services so that we can all collaborate on your classroom accommodations in a timely manner. DSP&S is located in VL-203, and their phone number is 714-564-6264. TTY: 714-564-6384. Video Phones: 714-660-3075 or 657-235-2999. The DSP&S office requires documentation of your disability in order to receive reasonable accommodations. If you do not have documentation, they will work with you to acquire it. I look forward to supporting you to meet your learning goals. 

Academic Honesty Policy: As a very wise man once said, “If you must write prose/poems, the words you use should be your own. Don’t plagiarize or take on loans.” Check discussion board for first extra credit assignment.

All work in this class must be your own original work. There is absolutely NO tolerance for cheating. Academic dishonesty or cheating is defined as an intentional act of fraud in which a student seeks to claim credit for the work or efforts of another without authorization. This includes assisting other students in acts of dishonesty or coercing students into acts of dishonesty, whether it is in coursework or on exams. Any student caught cheating or assisting another student in the act of cheating, will receive a zero score for the assignment or quiz. Students will be reported to the Dean of Student Development upon a second breach of the Academic Honesty policy. If you have any questions regarding this policy or application of this policy, please let me know.

Classroom Policies:

✓Please do not use your cell phone or any other mobile device during class. Doing so is disrespectful to me and to the students around you. If I see someone violating this policy, I will deduct 10 points from that person’s final course grade.

✓Using any mobile or electronic device, including earbuds or headphones, during an exam is considered cheating and will result in a 0 for the exam.

✓No student may record any classroom activity without express written consent from the instructor. If you have a disability that requires recording, you should contact Disabled Student Programs & Services to request an appropriate accommodation.