Introduction to English 9



English 9

Mrs. Jendrzejczyk 219.983.3730 ext. 7238

Room C 164 jennifer.jendrzejczyk@duneland.k12.in.us

Textbooks

Common Core Literature, Grade 9 Pearson

Focus

English 9 is designed to expose students to a variety of literature for the purpose of careful analysis and thoughtful response. Students will practice reading comprehension strategies, will continue to develop their vocabularies and will gain/refine study and organizational skills. Students will participate in writing workshops and engage with the 6+1 Traits of Writing and the Writing Process in an effort to prepare for the ECA next year.

Expectations

In order to accomplish our goals, there are certain expectations for your behavior and conduct in the classroom.

• Participation: Do the work. Ask questions. Collaborate with your classmates.

• Respect: Treat everyone and everything with kindness.

• Responsibility: Arrive in class every day with your materials, turn in your homework and assignments, seek help when you need it, take appropriate actions to ensure your academic success

• Accountability: Employ your Skyward code, keep track of your password, use SRT

Consequences

Our class will follow the CHS Student Handbook with regard to consequences for negative behavior and poor academic performance. Generally, this will include student-teacher conferences, parent-teacher conferences via email, telephone or in person, progress reports, detentions, and/or referral to your AP.

Rewards

Verbal praise, letter/email home to Mom and Dad (who will be so proud), treats, extra credit opportunities, letters of recommendation, opportunities to aide, etc.

Plagiarism

As defined in your student handbook, page 42:

“3. Plagiarism—A student must not intentionally or unintentionally adopt or reproduce ideas, words, or statements of another person without giving acknowledgement:

a. whenever he/she quotes another person’s actual words, including Internet sources.

b. whenever he/she uses another person’s idea, opinion, or theory.

c. whenever he/she borrows facts, statistics, or other illustrative material—unless the information is common knowledge.

d. Any student forging school papers, forms, report cards, parent notes, health permission forms, etc. will be suspended.

e. A student must not steal, change, destroy, or impede another student’s work. Impeding another student’s work includes (but is not limited to) the theft, defacement, or mutilation of common resources to deprive others of the information they contain.

f. Facilitating Academic Dishonesty—a student must not intentionally or knowingly help or attempt to help another to commit an act of academic dishonesty.

g. Students caught cheating will be subject to the appropriate discipline of the teacher’s classroom management plan.”

If your teacher believes that you have cheated or plagiarized—or allowed another student to do the same from your work—she will give you a zero for that assignment at a minimum. Depending on the nature of the assignment, you may be required to complete the assignment correctly and you will still receive a zero. Your teacher may assign you a detention and/or refer you to your A.P.

Missing and Late Work

It is your teacher’s intention to ensure that you are ready for post-graduation life by holding you accountable for all missing and late work.

• Homework cannot be submitted late.

• The required assignments (speech, writing) can be submitted until 3PM the final day of the quarter.

• Late work will be penalized one letter grade per day (weekends and holidays included.)

• Students who miss three assignments will be given a one hour detention to provide structured time to complete the assignments.

• Students with three or more missing assignments are not eligible for extra credit points until the missing work is completed, even if they will receive no credit for the work. (Students should not expect to pull an F+ up to a D- with “extra” assignments in the final moments of a quarter.)

Absences

When you miss a block, you will have make-up work. If you miss English on Monday, you MUST figure out what you missed when you return on Tuesday so you are prepared for class Wednesday. You may ask a student who shares your class, email your teacher, see your teacher before school, after school, or during SRT. You may NOT ask your teacher what you missed during academic classes (including your own.) When you know what you missed prior to being absent (pre-assigned work), you will be responsible for turning in your work or taking the quiz/exam when you return.

(Please visit the course website at chsenglish9. to find assignments, a calendar, explanations, links and copies of handouts and PowerPoints. Use this site to figure out what you missed in class and make it up before the next class block.

Course Structure

The reading list for this year includes:

o Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

o Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

o Night by Elie Wiesel

o The Lord of the Flies by William Golding

o The Odyssey by Homer

o Romeo & Juliet by William Shakespeare

o Various poems, short stories, speeches

Per English Department guidelines, you cannot pass the quarter if you have not passed the required writing assignment AND the required speech.



Written assignments will be submitted to and online discussions will take place on . You can access from any computer with Internet access. You MUST keep track of your password. We will register in class during the first few days, so please have an email address (that you check regularly) handy. (sexychick69@ is NOT an appropriate email for class.)

Class ID:

Password: trojans (all lower case)

Grades and Requirements to Pass the Class

• Grades are weighted according to the following percentages: Tests/Quizzes 40%, Projects/Essays 30%, Homework, in-class work and participation 30%. This class is on a straight scale (90%=A, 80%=B, etc.). Pluses and minuses will be added as necessary.

• Some assignments (a speech and a writing assignment) are required in order to pass the class. This does not mean simply turning in an assignment to get it done; it must be work of satisfactory quality.

Extra Credit Opportunities

Students may earn “extra” points up to 3% of their final grade, provided they are not missing three or more assignments in the quarter and already have a passing grade. Extra credit is designed to bring a B+ up to an A-. It cannot bring an F+ up to a D-. Opportunities are posted on the board at the front of the room and vary – donate blood, perform an hour of community service and write a review, see a school play and write a review, attend a sports event you are not involved in and write an editorial, read supplemental materials and write a brief critique or commentary, write a brief persuasive or informative speech about your club/organization and give it to the class, etc.

Final Advice

If you need help, SEE YOUR TEACHER. She has planning period eighth block and SRT third block, and will also be available before and after school. She will help you. Not just because it is what she is paid to do, but because she honestly wants you to succeed.

Respectfully,

Mrs. Jendrzejczyk

(yen-jay-check)

Dear Parent/Guardian,

I look forward to working with you and your child this year. Attached to this short note is the introduction to English 9, which details my expectations of students during our semester together. Although the students are fully aware of the material contained within this handout, I have asked them to take it home so that you can also be aware of my expectations. Please sign below indicating that you have seen and read the handout.

If you should ever have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me. The most reliable way to contact me is through e-mail (jennifer.jendrzejczyk@duneland.k12.in.us), which I check throughout the day. I will do my utmost to ensure your child’s success in this classroom. I will be in contact if your child struggles. To that end, please include the necessary contact information.

I am excited about this year and the opportunity we have to help your child succeed.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Jennifer Jendrzejczyk (yen-jay-check)

English Teacher

Chesterton High School

(219) 938-3730 Ext. 7238

Student name: _____________________________________________________ Block: _____

Parent/Guardian name(s): ___________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Please provide the preferred phone number at which I may contact the above person(s): _____________________

E-mail is my preferred method for contacting parents. Please provide an e-mail address, if available, on which you feel comfortable receiving e-mails about your son or daughter:

____________________________________________________________________________________________

I have read over the attached handout and I am aware of what is expected of my child.

__________________________ (Parent/Guardian Signature) __________________________ (Please print name)

I have read over the attached handout and I am aware of what is expected of me.

__________________________ (Student Signature) __________________________ (Please print name)

Please return me by next block so my student earns his/her first extra credit points!

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