Course Syllabus
Unsolved Mysteries
Instructor: Courtney Gaylord
E-mail: cgaylord@indiana.edu
Online Office Hours: Monday-Friday 1-2:00 pm ET, by appointment
Zoom office link: https://iu.zoom.us/j/2480351754
Required Texts:
In this class, we will not use a physical textbook. Students will be prompted to purchase a copy of the book Into the Wild through an online social annotation site called Perusall; there is no need to acquire a physical copy of the book. (As of January 2025, the cost was $2.)
Course Description:
This one-semester course, intended for 11th grade students, will hone students’ reading, writing, and research skills. This course focuses specifically on the building blocks of good writing: sentences and paragraphs.
This course is skill-based. It will not focus on memorizing names of authors or characters; neither will it primarily test students on the recall of plot details. Instead, it will satisfy the Indiana ELA learning standards for grades 11-12.
An outline of the course is available here.
Course Learning Outcomes:
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to interact with nonfiction in the following ways: Students analyze the author's technique, purpose, and perspective in grade-level nonfiction texts, using textual evidence to support analysis.
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to produce written texts that do the following: Students compose writing and presentations for various genres which demonstrate a command of English grammar and usage through the writing and research processes; compositions will include correct use of standard formatting (e.g., MLA, APA) with sources correctly cited.
Grading policy:
Lessons: For each lesson, you will be graded for completion. If your work on any one part of the lesson is incomplete, you will not receive the points for that part of the lesson. Your teacher will assess your understanding of the skills and may ask you to revise and resubmit if your lessons demonstrate that you need additional practice.
Exams and reflections: At the end of each module (usually called a “unit” in brick-and-mortar classrooms), you will take a formal assessment, which will give you multiple ways to demonstrate what you have learned in the module. If you have worked hard, asked questions, and studied your teacher’s feedback during the regular lessons, you will be prepared for the assessments. Tests will not require you to “cram” or even to study, beyond making sure you have fully understood the work of the lessons. These will not be tests of memorization but rather assessments of your learning.
Final project: Your final project for this course will be to write an essay in which you argue for for one particular "solution" to an unsolved mystery of your choice.
Annotations: In this course, you will make notes on the required online texts using a free program called Perusall.
Grading Breakdown
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Useful Resources
- Before you begin your course, please read the student handbook. It contains valuable information about our policies and procedures.
- This Pacing Guide – this will allow you to create an individualized study schedule for any class you are taking.
- If this is your first course in Canvas, please review these tips for getting started and explore the Student Tutorial.
- The IUHS Help Portal has links to helpful information and learning resources that may help you do better in this course.
- Tips for Success in Independent Study Courses is a printable document that contains in-depth advice about managing your time and studying course materials.
- We strongly encourage you to read the Indiana University Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct, which provides regulations governing the actions and interactions of all members of the university community.
Let's get started!
To begin the course, click Modules (in navigation panel at left) or click this link to the Module 1 Introduction.