Shakespeare Course Requirements

Weekly Reading Quizzes

Students are responsible to keep track of the reading and homework schedule which is posted in each tutorial’s atrium, and to be prepared for a short quiz which will cover that week’s assignment. The quiz will usually consist of about ten Multiple Choice questions which the tutor will post on the Chat Screen, one at a time. The quiz will be given in a "game show" format, with the instructor keeping track of the students who are first to type in the correct answers.   Students are requested to select the best answer (A, B, C, D) and to send it back to the tutor, via Private Chat. The tutor keeps track of the results, and will usually announce each week’s top three winners ("Gold, Silver, Bronze"). The quiz results will not be included in the student’s final grade. However, the quiz is important the two reasons: 1) to alert the tutor to each student’s comprehension and progress; and 2) to keep students motivated and accountable for their weekly reading assignments. In addition, the competitive "game format" adds a dimension of excitement and camaraderie.

Weekly SAT and AP Quizzes

In addition to the weekly reading quizzes students should also be prepared for a weekly quiz over each week’s SAT vocabulary and AP literary terms. All literature students (C. S. Lewis, GBT 1, GBT 2, GBT 3, J. R. R. Tolkien), as well as the Logic and Rhetoric students, are expected to keep track of the assigned SAT vocabulary and AP literacy (terms and authors). Students should have received copies of these lists via email from the tutor. The SAT vocabulary and AP literary terms are also posted on the website in the AP/SAT Atrium: http://www.oxfordtutorials.com/AP%20SAT%20Atrium.htm As with the weekly reading quizzes, the results will not be including in the grades. However, these quizzes are important for two reasons: 1) to assist students in expanding their vocabularies for their own enrichment and understanding; 2) to prepare students for the SAT exam (typically the single most important factor in college admissions).

Major Assignments: First & Second Semester

Most of the tutorials will also include four or five major assignments. The DUE DATES for these assignments are posted near the top of the homepage of www.oxfordtutorials.com at the following link:
http://www.oxfordtutorials.com/Oxford%20Assignment%20Schedule.htm Here are the assignments:

1. Midterm Exam: This exam will be scheduled in the middle of the first semester. It will cover the reading during the first half of the semester (comprehension), as well as material presented by the tutor in class (commentary) and the AP literary terms A-G (definitions). Students will be expected to be familiar with the themes and literary devices which are expressed in the reading (examples).

2. Semester Exam: This exam will be scheduled at the end of the first semester. It will involve the same components as the midterm, but it will include the reading for the second half of the semester, and all of the AP literary terms (A-Z). Students will be expected to be familiar with the themes and literary devices which have expressed in the reading thus far (examples).

3. Rough Draft: Early in the second semester the tutor will announce a book which students will be required to analyze and review for their final project. The book will have been covered in the first semester. This assignment will require students to become familiar with the "Five Paragraph Essay." The first part of the assignment will require students to prepare a rough draft of their book review. The rough draft must include the following elements: 1) a "hook;" 2) a "thesis statement"; 3) an introductory paragraph; and 4) a list of three main points (for the middle paragraphs). For an introduction to, explanation for, and examples of a Five Paragraph Essay, please visit the AP/SAT Atrium: http://www.oxfordtutorials.com/Five%20Paragraph%20Essay%20Format.htm

4. Book Review: A book review is distinct type of essay. Its purpose is to introduce an audience to a new or unfamiliar book. Its method is to combine elements of an expository essay (briefly explaining the setting, main characters, plot), a persuasive essay (making judgments about the quality and importance of the book and sharing your reactions to it), and an analytical essay (evaluating the author’s purpose and success). This assignment requires students to use the "Five Paragraph Essay" format, in a length of 250-400 words.

Guidelines for Writing a Book Review on Fiction:

You have read your book. Your next step will be to organize what you are going to say about it in your report. Writing the main points in an outline will help you to organize your thoughts. What will you include in the outline? Start with a description of the book. The description should include such elements as:

1. The setting--where does the story take place? Is it a real place or an imaginary one? If the author does not tell you exactly where the story is set, what can you tell about it from the way it is described?

2. The time period--is the story set in the present day or in an earlier time period? Perhaps it is even set in the future! Let your reader know.

3. The main character(s)--who is the story mostly about? Give a brief description. Often, one character can be singled out as the main character, but some books will have more than one. When there are several main characters, you are free to focus on one which is of particular interest to you.

4. The plot--what happens to the main character? WARNING! Be careful here. Do not fall into the boring trap of reporting every single thing that happens in the story. Pick only the most important events. Here are some hints on how to do that. First, explain the situation of the main character as the story opens. Next, identify the basic plot element of the story--is the main character trying to achieve something or overcome a particular problem? Thirdly, describe a few of the more important things that happen to the main character as he/she works toward that goal or solution. Finally, you might hint at the story's conclusion without completely giving away the ending.

5. The conclusion-- The four points above deal with the report aspect of your work. For the final section of your outline, give your reader a sense of the impression the book made upon you. Ask yourself what the author was trying to achieve and whether or not he achieved it with you. What larger idea does the story illustrate? How does it do that? How did you feel about the author's style of writing, the setting, or the mood of the novel. You do not have to limit yourself to these areas. Pick something which caught your attention, and let your reader know your personal response to whatever it was.

Adapted from the Lakewood Public Library Online: Lakewood, Ohio: http://www.lkwdpl.org/

5. Final Exam: Students should also be prepared for a Final Exam during the final week of class. It is up to the tutor whether to make this exam a "Take-Home" or "In-Class" format. The "Take-Home" exam will be sent to students the week before. They will be allowed to pick their own time to do the exam, before the final class. The "In-Class" format will require students to complete the exam during the final class session. The exam may include reading comprehension questions as well as material presented by the tutor in class (commentary) and the AP literary terms A-G (definitions). Students will be expected to be familiar with the themes and literary devices which have been expressed in the reading (examples) for that class.