Mystery and Detective Fiction Syllabus

Mod 2

FALL 2015

Mrs. Shawn M. Simms

smsimms@carrollk12.org

Room A133

Course Guidelines Mystery and Detective Fiction is a ½ credit, skills-based academic

English course designed to provide students with a broad overview of the

themes and authors in the literary development of this genre, while offering

ample analysis and writing opportunities. Students learn to respond to and

write on literal and interpretive levels about the authors’ craft. In addition,

students will learn a variety of rhetorical strategies for writing academic

and expository essays, included timed responses. Students will also achieve

competence in academic language usage resulting in greater clarity,

coherence, and unity in their writing. Literature and non-print media-based

activities are designed to help students achieve effective command of style

and language. Assessment activities may include active reading, creative and

critical writing activities, and public speaking activities.

We will move quickly but thoroughly through each unit. Work needs

to be done to the best of your ability and on time in order to stay on target

with the class. If you need assistance at any time, just ask and I may be

available to help during FLEX or after school. Students are required to take

the initiative to sign up for FLEX!

We will be reading rapidly and often for this course. This course

employs the close reading strategies. Please employ them as you read to

make for a more active and participative discussion.

Attendance:

If you miss class, it is your responsibility to make up any missed work and to

find out what instructional information you missed. CCPS policy states that

students shall have the number of days equal to the number of days absent

to turn in completed make-up work, unless a greater extension is granted by

the teacher.

Tardiness: You are expected to be in your seat and copying the objectives

of the day when the bell rings. Westminster High School rules and

regulations regarding absence and tardiness apply as well.

Classroom Conduct: Students are expected to treat all with respect,

courtesy, and kindness. Not doing so may result in emails or a phone call

home. Profanity is not tolerated, and there will be no eating and drinking in

class.

Assignments:

You can expect reading and/or writing assignments every night. Homework is

usually assigned a point value when given.

Writing:

In addition to the study of classic mystery and detective elements in film

and literature, student will demonstrate their understanding through the

synthesis of several written examples. The following are part of the course’s

expectations and requirements:

1.Students will write a comparison essay on the film version versus the

written mystery story

2. Students will write a persuasive essay in support of whether or not Poirot

is a professional or amateur detective

3.Students will respond to the understanding of femme fatale by outlining

the elements on a life-size silhouette sketch

4.Students will write and perform skits including ALL 5 elements of amateur

detectives

5.As a final project, students will read an outside novel of their choosing and

write an essay or outline details on a poster that this chosen novel

demonstrates the professional or amateur detective elements studied in

class.

Second Chance Learning:

So that a student’s grade is an accurate reflection of learning, second-

chance learning opportunities may be available at the teacher’s discretion.

Second-chance learning is designed to allow students opportunities to

correct and improve on their work so they can master the concepts and skills

we are learning. Second-chance learning is not meant to be used as a regular

practice by a student or as a substitute for lack of preparation.

In order to take advantage of second-chance learning, the student will

complete the Second-Chance Learning Plan and confer with the teacher to

determine an agreed upon re-learning plan. All re-learning opportunities must

be completed outside of regular class time in a timely manner. If the

redo/retake grade is higher than the original grade, it will replace the

original grade.

Late work:

For each school day late, students will lose 10% per day for the first

five school days late. Students may earn up to 50% for completed

assignments after that time. Late work, when collected, is marked with the

date. It is not given grading priority over current assignments. No late

work will be accepted in the last week of the quarter.

Independent Reading Assignment:

On Fridays we will read for fifteen minutes. The book will be a mystery of

your choosing and we will be presented choice during a Book Talk

Grading:

When calculating student grades, more weight shall be given to summative

assignments (assignments designed to evaluate student learning) than to

formative assignments (assignments designed to provide practice and guide

next-step instruction).

Examples of formative assessments may include homework, journal checks,

reading assignments, grammar practice, quiz, etc.. Examples of summative

assessments may be a unit test, final research paper, etc..

Grading will be broken down as follows:

60% Summative 40% Formative

90-100 A 80-89 B 70-79 C 60-69 D 59 & below F

Tools for this class: You should bring these items with you every day:

1. 2" ring binder with dividers( 5 sections: class notes, vocabulary, journal,

grammar,graded work)

2. 8 x 11 loose leaf paper

4. pen

5. 3'x3' post it notes

6. 5 different colors of highlighters

7.the current text we are reading

8. a book or reading material of your choice

By signing below, we acknowledge that we have read and agreed to the

information on this page and on the previous pages. In

addition, we understand that independent reading, class review, and

material/literary analysis each night are recommended for success in this

course.

Student Signature__________________________

Parent/Guardian Signature____________________

Mystery and Detective Fiction: Course Outline

The following is the planned course of study for this class as a

combination of film and literature. As this is a new course, this

plan needs to remain flexible. The course follows a chronological

sequence as it traces the history of this genre as well as the

historical events that impact this literature.

Unit I: Introduction to Mystery

“Murders in the Rue Morgue” Edgar Allan Poe

Unit II:The Amateur Detective

“The Red-Headed League” Sir Arthur Conan Doyle(Sherlock Holmes)

“Murder on the Orient Express” Agatha Christie

Unit III: The Private Detective

“The Maltese Falcon” Dashiell Hammett

“The Parker Shotgun” Sue Grafton

Unit IV: The Police Procedural

“Under Suspicion” Clark Howard

“Chee’s Witch” Tony Hillerman

“The Dean’s Curse” Ian Rankin

** I am in the process of arranging to have a Baltimore Homicide

Detective come as a guest speaker!**

In addition to these selections, you will be responsible for

choosing a mystery/detective novel and applying the 5 elements

of detective fiction in this work. You will be keeping a dialectical

journal on this book. This will be further explained in class.

Mystery and

Detective Fiction

Room: A133

Suspect: Mrs. Simms