ENGLISH I



ENGLISH I

Course Syllabus and Policies 2011-2012

Instructor: Mr. RJ Feudo Email Address: Ronald.Feudo@humble.k12.tx.us

Room Number: 4110 Make-Up Times: Tuesday PM, Friday AM

Conference Period: 3rd Tutoring Times: Monday PM, Tuesday AM

Course Introduction and Philosophy

English I utilizes a thematic approach to literature and writing, allowing students to address, discuss, and write about “big picture” ideas. Grammar and vocabulary are integrated throughout the year, and research skills are an important component of the course. Students will be required to write one summative essay per six weeks, and smaller writing assignments will be made throughout the year.

One of the primary concerns of the English I curriculum is the mastery of skills that will be necessary in upper level English courses. In addition, this year’s ninth graders will be the first to take the new state assessment, the STAAR End-of-Course Exam, on March 26th and 27th. Students must pass this exam to graduate from high school. The STAAR test is significantly more rigorous than TAKS, and the level of rigor in the English I course will reflect that. Students will be held to high standards in class to prepare them for higher-level courses in high school and beyond, and they will be expected to meet those high standards. The English I team at Kingwood High School is dedicated to the success of every student.

Course Texts

Textbooks: Holt McDougal Literature, Grade 9 - can be accessed at my. (no www!)

Novels/Dramas: Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank

Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

Classroom Expectations

1. Be respectful!

2. Be on time and prepared for class.

3. Participate fully and think!

4. Abide by all school and district policies.

NOTE: A more detailed copy of the classroom expectations will be provided to each student in class.

Required Materials (due Friday, August 26)

❖ Pens (blue or black ink only)

❖ Mechanical pencils (There is no guarantee of a pencil sharpener)

❖ 3-ring binder

❖ 5 dividers (The requirements for binder organization will be announced in class)

❖ 1 RED pocket folder

❖ Highlighters of multiple colors

❖ 2-3 packages of sticky notes

❖ Email address (can be obtained for free at hotmail, yahoo, gmail, etc.)

❖ Portable computer storage (CDs, flash/USB drives, etc.)

❖ NOTE: Other supplies will be necessary throughout the year for various projects and assignments.

Grading and Assignment Policies

Grading Scale:

Summative Grades (Tests, Formal Essays, Major Projects) 60 %

❖ An average of 3 summative grades will be taken each six weeks.

Formative Grades (Homework, Classwork, Quizzes) 40 %

❖ An average of 9-12 formative grades will be taken each six weeks.

❖ Quizzes are worth two (2) formative grades.

❖ Rough drafts of essays are quiz grades and will be assessed for completion and peer editing. It is essential that students always have rough drafts prepared on the due date in order to edit and improve writing prior to the publication of the final draft. Please note that the grade recorded for a rough draft does NOT correspond to the grade for a final draft.

Late Work Policy:

Formative Grades Summative Grades

On Time Full Credit Full Credit

1 Day Late 25 Points Off 20 Points Off

2 Days Late 50 Points Off 40 Points Off

3 or More Days Late Not Accepted 50 Points Off

PLEASE NOTE: Late assignments will be the LAST assignments graded.

Academic Dishonesty/Cheating:

You are expected to complete your own work and express your own ideas, and you will be expected to abide by the Kingwood High School academic pledge. Cheating and plagiarism will not be tolerated under any circumstances. Plagiarism is the taking of another’s work or ideas and claiming them as your own; as such, it is literally intellectual theft. Cheating includes (but is not limited to) copying from another student’s work, asking another student what is on a test or quiz, using cheat sheets on tests or quizzes, collaborating with another student on an individual assignment, providing work you have done to another student, and copying and pasting from the internet.

Since academic dishonesty is an academic and behavioral issue, any student caught cheating will receive both an academic and a behavioral consequence. If you are caught cheating on any assignment, you will receive a zero and a discipline referral. You will receive at least one Saturday class, although the consequence may be more severe depending on the severity of the cheating incident. If it is your first offense, you will be offered the opportunity to complete an alternate version of the original assignment within a teacher-specified time frame. If you complete the alternate assignment, you will receive a thirty-point deduction from the assignment’s grade. This opportunity is ONLY available for a first offense. Any cheating incidences beyond a first offense will receive a serious disciplinary consequence, and there will be no opportunity to regain any credit whatsoever.

In order to protect students’ ideas and work, all essays and projects will be submitted to . Specific instructions regarding how to register for and use this web service will be provided in class. Work not submitted to turnitin will not receive a grade.

Reassessment

If you fail a summative assessment (test), you will have the opportunity to reassess for up to a grade of 70. If you wish to reassess, you will have one week from the time that a test grade is returned in order to do so. It is your responsibility to download the reassessment form from my website, complete it, and make arrangement to attend tutoring in order to prepare. Reassessments will only be administered during the English department’s scheduled make-up times on Tuesday afternoons and Friday mornings.

Absences and Make-Up Work

Make-ups need to be completed on time. The number of days you are absent is the number of days you have to complete your make-up work. If you have been absent for three days, you have three days to complete all make-ups.

Each day’s assignments are listed both on your syllabus and the class website, where handouts are available for downloading. If you are absent, the very first thing you should do is check the website. Once you see what you have missed, email me if you have any questions. Upon your return to class, copies of make-up work will be located in the make-up folder for your class period.

You have ONE WEEK to make up any missed quizzes or tests. After that, the grade will be recorded as a zero. You must make up the test or quiz during officially scheduled make-up times.

If you miss school and return the day of a previously scheduled quiz or test, you must take it on the scheduled day.

Classroom Procedures

Entering Class: When you enter class, you should do the following three things: 1) Take out your English binder and pens/pencils. 2) Place any homework that is due in the upper left-hand corner of your desk. 3) Complete the warm-up on the projector screen in the warm-ups section of your binder. If there is no warm-up, sit at your desks with your supplies ready.

Supplies and Materials: Come to class every day with your English binder, pens/pencils, paper, highlighters, and book (if applicable). If you come unprepared, you will be sent to your locker to retrieve your supplies, putting you at risk of receiving a tardy.

Going to the Restroom: Use your passing periods and lunch time wisely. You will not be permitted to go to the restroom unless it is an emergency. If it is an emergency, quietly take the pass, fill it out, and leave the room. Please do not ask to go to the restroom.

End of Class: Remain seated until I dismiss you. Even if the bell has rung, no one will leave the room until all trash has been picked up and I have dismissed the class verbally.

Strategies for Success

❖ Participate actively in class activities and discussions.

❖ Ask questions in class, and don’t leave without either being sure that you understand something or having a plan in place to help you gain understanding.

❖ Complete all work on time and with maximum effort. Late work penalties are heavy, and nothing kills an average faster than a zero.

❖ A syllabus is provided at the beginning of each unit. Keep it in the front of your notebook, and keep it updated so that you are always aware of upcoming assignments and due dates.

❖ Read all assigned literature. This is an English course, after all. It is impossible to truly succeed in this class without actually doing the reading. You will be expected to do much of your reading at home in this and all other high school English courses, so get used to it!

❖ DO YOUR HOMEWORK. Homework is not assigned indiscriminately. If an assignment is made, it is because it is an important step in enhancing your mastery of a concept. Failure to prepare for class by completing your homework will have an extremely negative impact on your learning and on your grade.

❖ Ask for help when needed. Don’t wait until you are in over your head. Come to tutoring when you need extra assistance. Know that all questions are welcome, and I am always happy to help you. I want you to be successful in English!

Course Outline

1st Six Weeks:

Short Stories and Narrative Poetry (“The Most Dangerous Game,” “The Sniper,” etc.)

STAAR-Style Short Answer Writing (A.C.E.)

Creative Writing: Short Story

Parts of Speech, Capitalization, and Prepositional Phrases

Greek and Latin Word Roots and Affixes

2nd Six Weeks:

Poetry (“The Road Not Taken,” “My Papa’s Waltz,” “The Seven Ages of Man,” etc.)

Analytical/Interpretive Essay

Verb Phrases and Sentence Subjects

Greek and Latin Word Roots and Affixes

3rd Six Weeks:

Mythology (including excerpts from Mythology and You)

The Odyssey by Homer (in textbook)

Expository Essay

Complements (Direct Objects, Predicate Nominatives, etc.)

Greek and Latin Word Roots and Affixes

4th Six Weeks:

Nonfiction: Argument and Persuasion

Famous Speeches

Argumentative/Persuasive Essay

Media Literacy: The Atomic Café (documentary)

Excerpts from Hiroshima by John Hersey

Phrases and Clauses

SAT Vocabulary Units 1-3

5th Six Weeks:

Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank

Research Project

Sentence Structures

Fragments and Run-On Sentences

SAT Vocabulary Units 4-6

6th Six Weeks:

The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

Creative Writing: Script

Multimedia Product: Scene Remix Project

Punctuation

SAT Vocabulary Units 7-9

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