Course Syllabus

ARC - Advanced Reading and Composition

Teacher: Tom Bisson (tbisson@ccsuvt.org)

Meeting Times: Everyday from 8:50 to 9:35

Course Description: This English course is designed for students who are considering college after high school and want to develop interpretive reading and writing skills necessary for success in a first-year college literature course.

Course Theme: This course is designed with the commitment that everyone needs to become independent and free thinking individuals willing to question existing assumptions; and willing to change their own minds as their view of the world evolves. The material we read or watch in this course is aimed at developing thinkers, no followers.

Expectations: Students in this course are expected to read 30 minutes for homework several nights per week. All students are expected to actively participate in class “Socratic” discussions where ideas and opinions are exchanged. Students are expected to look for and understand big ideas and connect and apply those ideas in relevant ways to the world they know. Most of the writing for the course will be done in class using Google docs. Students should be proficient and regular users of their school email accounts. Grading: Grades will be based on papers, tests, quizzes and participation. Unexcused tardies and absences will have significant impact on grades. Course outline follows.

Course Content and Outline (schedule may change as needed)

September - Unit One: A Changing World -

“Did You Know?”

"Did You Know?" (video) -
“Mending Wall” poem by Robert Frost -
“Who Moved My Cheese” allegory by Dr. Spencer Johnson

October - Unit Two: Writing Basics - “Huck Finn” by Mark Twain Grammar unit using passages from the book.

November - Unit Three: Tradition and the Unspoken Code -
“The Lottery,” short story by Shirley Jackson -

Franklin town tradition challenged
“To Kill a Mockingbird,” novel by Harper Lee

December/January - Unit Four: Be Yourself -
“The Road Not Taken,” poem by Robert Frost -
“Identity” poem by Julio Noboa Polanco -
“Whaletalk” by Chris Cutcher -
“Dead Poet Society,” movie

January/February - Unit Five: What’s Cool? -
“So Yesterday,” short novel by Scott Westerfield - 

March - Unit Six: More Writing Basics -
“Lord of the Flies,” novel by William Golding Grammar unit using passages from the book.

April - Unit Seven - Writing a research paper

May/June - Unit Seven: Make It Me -
Creative writing and self selected reading.