English I
Course Expectations


I.           Course Description: This one-year course emphasizes the study of language, literature, and composition.  The skills of critical thinking, reading, writing, listening, and speaking will be developed.  A variety of literary and expository selections that will serve as models for writing will be used for the improvement of reading strategies and literary interpretation.  Instructional practices will incorporate integration of diversity awareness including appreciation of all cultures and their important contributions to society.  The appropriate use of technology is an integral part of this course.  This course will fulfill the English I requirement for high school graduation. Prerequisites: 9th grade standing and teacher recommendation

II.         Pre- and Post-Assessment: Students will take a diagnostic pre-test to determine strengths and deficiencies in grammar, composition, reading levels, and writing aptitude. Students will take a diagnostic post-test to determine mastery of all subject matter and teaching methods used in the class.

III.       Course Goals

1.        To comprehend, build, and extend vocabulary. 

2.        To use and apply appropriate before, during, and after reading strategies to build comprehension.

3.        To comprehend, interpret, and evaluate a variety of reading selections including a broad range of contemporary and classic fiction, nonfiction, drama, and poetry. 

4.        To identify literary elements and stylistic devices and evaluate their purposes.

5.        To develop an awareness and appreciation of other cultures and literary history.

6.        To respond to a variety of written and oral communications. 

7.        To apply the five stages of the writing process:  prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing. 

8.        To write descriptive, narrative, expository, and persuasive compositions. 

9.        To think logically and critically and to apply those skills in new learning situations. 

10.     To develop library and research skills to produce a research paper. 

11.     To develop effective listening and speaking skills. 

12.     To develop study and organizational skills.

IV.      Scope and Sequence: The scope and sequence reflect the district guidelines for English I.

First Semester

Quarter 1

Word Analysis

·         Comprehend, build, and extend vocabulary using context clues and structural analysis; use resources to confirm meaning of unknown words.

·         Apply knowledge of content-specific vocabulary in text to build comprehension.

Reading Strategies

·         Select and use before, during, and after-reading strategies appropriate to text and purpose; evaluate the effectiveness of reading strategies.

Literary Text

·         Analyze setting; analyze plot development; describe internal and external conflict; describe main plot and subplots; analyze how one event may cause another event; analyze an author’s use of flashback; analyze an author’s use of foreshadowing; make inferences and draw conclusions about setting and plot based on evidence.

·         Analyze a theme; explain a lesson learned based on events and/or a character’s actions.

·         Make and revise predictions based on evidence.

·         Analyze an author’s use and purpose of symbolism.

Expository Text

·         Identify and explain the use of text features to comprehend, interpret, and evaluate information for specific purposes.

·         Describe a main idea based on evidence; analyze a theme based on evidence; evaluate the impact of sequential and/or chronological order; compare and contrast events; evaluate a cause and its effect on events and/or relationships; evaluate a problem and its solution; evaluate the development of an author’s argument, viewpoint, and/or perspective.

·         Use information to answer specific questions.

·         Make and revise predictions based on evidence; make inferences and draw conclusions based on evidence; predict events and/or relationships if sequence or chronological order is altered.

Effective Writing

·         Use prewriting strategies to plan written work.

·         Draft multiple-paragraph papers that address audience and purpose; include an introduction, supporting details, transitions, and a conclusion.

·         Revise drafts for audience, purpose, focused ideas, organization, relevant details, voice, and word choice; combine sentences to improve sentence fluency.

·         Edit for correct use of mechanics: internal and external punctuation, capitalization, and spelling.

·         Edit for correct word usage: nouns, pronouns, pronoun case, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, subject/verb agreement, verb tenses, pronoun/antecedent agreement, clauses, and phrases.

·         Edit for use of correct sentence structure; edit sentences for elimination of fragments and run-ons.

·         Select a publishing format appropriate to audience and purpose; prepare a legible final draft.

Types of Writing

·         Write narrative/descriptive compositions appropriate to audience and purpose.

Quarter 2

Literary Text

·         Evaluate methods of characterization; describe the motivation for a character’s actions; analyze an author’s development of characters; make inferences and draw conclusions about a character(s) based on evidence.

·         Evaluate the effect of an author’s use of first-person point of view, third-person limited point of view, and third-person omniscient point of view.

·         Evaluate the use of stylistic devices to create tone and mood; explain the use of irony.

Expository Text

·         Explain words and phrases that reveal an author’s tone.

·         Evaluate an author’s use of facts and/or opinions.

Types of Writing

·         Write expository essays and compositions appropriate to audience and purpose; use various organizational structures and stylistic devices.

·         Write analyses of expository text.

·         Summarize expository information.

Second Semester

Third Quarter

Literary Text

·         Evaluate the use and purpose of imagery, figurative language, and sound devices.

Expository Text

·         Analyze the use of figurative language and analogies; explain how language is used for the purpose of persuasion and propaganda; evaluate effects of persuasive and/or propaganda techniques.

Types of Writing

·         Write literary analyses; summarize literary information.

·         Write persuasive essays and compositions appropriate to audience and purpose.

·         Evaluate credibility of resources; write research papers by analyzing information from primary and secondary sources, paraphrasing and summarizing information, and citing sources using a specified style manual.

Listening

·         Listen to, provide, and evaluate constructive feedback.

Speaking

·         Use public speaking techniques to deliver presentations.

Fourth Quarter

Literary Text

·         Analyze the influence of historical events and culture on authors’ works.

Expository Text

·         Make inferences about an author’s culture and historical viewpoints; evaluate the influence of historical events and culture on an author’s works.

Types of Writing

·         Write a variety of communications in appropriate formats.

Listening

·         Solve problems by identifying, synthesizing, and evaluating data.

Once a skill or concept has been introduced, there will be continued ongoing instructional review of that skill or concept throughout the remainder of the school year.

V.        Required Materials:

A.      The text used in class is McDougal-Littell’s The Language of Literature. Students are responsible for taking care of the texts. If a text is lost or damaged, the student is responsible for paying for it. In addition, students will be issued novels periodically for which they are responsible.

B.      The following supplies will be required:

1.       One 3-ring binder notebook with 5 tab dividers. This is to be separate from binders for other classes.

2.       College-ruled paper 

3.       2 pencils with good erasers

4.       2 ink pens with blue or black ink only 

5.       4 highlighters (different colors)

VI.      Classroom Requirements and Policies: Students will be expected to participate in the following kinds of assignments as given by the instructor:

A.      Testing: The teacher will administer tests and quizzes throughout the course of study to determine the individual student’s development and comprehension. This will include end-of-semester exams.

B.      Assignments/Homework: In-class assignments will include discussions, journals, hands-on /creative activities, and objective activities.

C.      Homework assignments will include reading, writing, creative or objective activities, and research. Students are expected to arrive to class with homework assignments completed and ready to hand in. Homework assignments will only be accepted if assignment is complete, neat, legible, properly labeled, in ink, and on one side of the paper. Work will be taken one class period late with the grade of 50%. Work will not be taken after one class period late.

D.      Make-up work: Students with an excused absence must complete make-up work within one week of the absence to earn credit. Students are responsible for obtaining all assignments, lecture material, notes, etc. either via the class website or by seeing the teacher before or after school. Students who miss class for a school activity are expected to obtain the work they will miss prior to their absence and have it completed upon their return

E.      Long Range work (essays, novel projects, research papers) are due on the date assigned. If a student is absent, he/she must find someone to bring in the assignment or email it to the instructor on or before the date it is due. Long range work will not be accepted late.

F.      Extra Credit: Assignments for additional credit will be available for all students and will be above and beyond the standard requirements of the class.

VII.    Evaluation: The evaluation of a student’s performance will be based on many factors, including testing, homework, and classroom participation. While a total point system will be used, an approximate breakdown of the percentages for those grades is outlined below:

A.      Tests, projects, and essays: These items will constitute approximately 50% of the quarter grade.

B.      Quizzes and daily assignments: These items will constitute approximately 40% of the quarter grade.

C.      Participation: These items will constitute approximately 10% of the quarter grade.

D.      Students will earn five points per class period (not to exceed 10% of the quarter grade); however, students will lose their daily participation points for the following infractions:

1.       Absence (for any reason)

2.       Tardy

3.       Lack of preparation (no book, no supplies, etc.)

4.       Inappropriate behavior (nuisance item usage, sleeping, class disruptions, eating/drinking in class, cheating/plagiarism, insubordination, etc.)

E.      Students will not be able to make-up participation points, unless the absence is excused (which includes school activities); those students may complete an alternative assignment, though it is the student’s responsibility to request, complete, and turn in that assignment within three school days of that absence.

F.      This participation grade will directly affect the citizenship grade earned each quarter.

G.     Semester Exam: This will count for 20% of a student’s final semester grade, with each quarter counting for 40%. If a student has missed fewer than 3 class meetings per semester, maintained an A average in the other coursework, and had a satisfactory citizenship grade, the exam will count for only 10% of the final semester grade.

VIII.   Grading: Grades will be figured according to the following scale:

90 - 100% = A

80 - 89% = B

70 - 79% = C

60 - 69 % = D

0 - 59 % = F

A.      Grade Reports: Grades will be posted on ParentLink on a weekly basis. If a student notes a discrepancy in his/her grade, it will be left to the student to report that discrepancy to the teacher and make sure that it is rectified before the following grading period. Printed grade reports for students to take home may be provided at teacher’s discretion. Progress reports are sent home midway through each quarter. Students earning less than a B at the time of the reports will receive an unsatisfactory report.

B.      Citizenship: Students are expected to attend school on a regular basis and come to class promptly, be prepared for class with writing paper and a writing utensil, be prepared to participate in class discussions, and respect the learning environment that the teacher and other students have created by not causing distractions. This grade will be considerably affected by the participation grade.

IX.      Progressive Discipline: Students who are routinely disruptive or unprepared will be subject to repercussions; the consequences are as follows:

A.      First offense: written warning

B.      Second offense: parent contact and the lowering of a citizenship grade to an 'S'

C.      Third offense: counselor referral and the lowering of a citizenship grade to an 'N'

D.      Fourth offense: dean referral and the lowering of a citizenship grade to a 'U'

E.      In certain situations, it may become necessary to skip one of the steps of the progressive discipline plan.

X.        Policy on Academic Dishonesty: Preparing students envisions more than understanding course content and process.  It includes a fundamental respect for personal achievement and accomplishment.  Academic honesty demands that each student is responsible for his or her own work and that no student will engage in any form of academic dishonesty or encourage, support, or tolerate any other student attempt to engage in such activity.

A.      Criteria of academic dishonesty: cheating, plagiarism, fabrication, aiding others academic dishonesty.

B.      Penalties and procedures for academic dishonesty:

1.       Student will receive no score for the assignment, project, or test and no make-up work will be given

2.       A Request for Parent Conference may be filed

3.       The student’s citizenship grade for that quarter and the semester may be reduced to U

4.       Students will NOT receive any recommendation, whether formal or informal for any scholarship, college application, employment application or similar matter

C.      Turnitin.com: Students will be required to submit some of their written assignments to http://turnitin.com. Students who do not submit their work to turnitin.com when it is required will receive a zero for that assignment. Students without Internet access can make arrangements to have their work submitted by the teacher prior to the due date.

XI.      Class Expectations:

A.      Each student is expected to bring to every class a blue or black pen, a #2 pencil for SCANTRON tests only, highlighters, the textbook, any novel from which the class is reading, the Student Handbook, and his/her notebook.

B.      Work written on spiral notebook paper or in pencil or ink other than blue or black will not be accepted.

C.      Gum chewing, eating, or drinking (other than water) is not allowed.

D.      Students must be in their seats before the tardy bell rings and are dismissed by the instructor, not the bell.

E.      Students may get additional help/make-up work before or after school by making an appointment.


English I
Course Expectations


XII.    Movies: Some of the movie/movie clips which we will be viewing in conjunction with the literature studied may be rated with a PG rating or not rated (NR). In order for your child to view these movies, the school district requires parental permission. If you wish for your child to have an alternate assignment instead of viewing the movie, please leave the space below blank.

 

Yes, my child may view a movie in class.

 

 

Parent/Guardian Signature

Date

 

XIII.  Acknowledgement of Expectations: If you have read and fully understand the information in the Course Expectations, please sign below. If you have any questions at any time during the school year, please feel free to contact me at the school (799-1450 x71000716), email me (statucki@interact.ccsd.net), check out the class website (http://paloverde.org/mrs_statucki), or call the counselors’ office and arrange a parent conference.

 

Student Name (print name legibly below):

Student #

 

 

Student Signature (sign below):

Period

 

 

Parent/Guardian Signature (sign below):

Date