Course Syllabus:

Semester Focus:  World Literature and Literary Analysis

Units

Identity – House on Mango Street/Barrio Boy

Apartheid – Cry, Freedom, Born a Crime

Holocaust – Night, Swing Kids

Research – TBD

Final Exam:  North Carolina Final Exam

Each unit will include poetry, non-fiction texts, audio and visual texts.

Diverse Texts

To explore a wide range of ideas through diverse media, students will read, view, and listen to different media with each unit.  The teacher will lead the investigations through relevant podcasts, TED Talks, editorials, cartoons, images, and articles. As the year progresses, students will be encouraged to research diverse media to share with the class.  The purpose will be to teach students how to build an argument, how to approach multiple perspectives of a topic, and how to respond to an argument with maturity as they approach junior year.

Independent Reading

Students are expected to have a book of their choosing with them for independent reading to support the Piedmont High philosophy of reading about diverse topics.  Students will participate in Sustained Silent Reading (SSR) two or three times per week. 

Assessments

Students will participate in a wide variety of formative and summative assessments throughout the semester, based on English II North Carolina State Standards, as well as ACT and SAT Preparation.

• Short-answer, constructed responses
• Timed essays
• Extended Essays
• Research paper
• Vocabulary Activities
• Practice Short Assessments

Classroom Policies and Procedures

Cell Phones

    There is a no cell phone policy in my classroom.  At the beginning of each class, you will place your phone and other electronic devices (i.e. Bluetooth headphones, Airpods) in your bookbag, which will be placed in a designated area.  Failure to do so will result in:

• 1st offense: I will take your phone, and return it to you at the end of class.
• 2nd offense: I will take your phone, and it will be turned in to the office for you to pick up at the end of the day. 
• 3rd offense: I will take your phone, and your parents will have to come in to pick it up.  You will also be written up for a disciplinary action.
• Offenses after 3rd: Parent conference required.

Grading Practices

Each six weeks will include assignments based on point values.  At the end of the six weeks, you can simply add all of your total points earned and divide that number by the total points possible to obtain your grade.  I will also distribute progress reports at the mid-point in the grading period.  Progress reports are required to be signed and returned.  The syllabus will state when progress reports are to be distributed so that parents are aware.

Each writing assignment or special project will be accompanied by a rubric given to students before they begin the assignment. 

Collaborative Learning

 Students learn when they can work with one another and are allowed the creativity that working cooperatively brings.  Cooperative learning also teaches students responsibility.  Obviously, this will look different at during Plan B instruction.  Any collaborative work will be completed electronically to assure social distancing.  When assignments are completed in small groups, students are given clearly defined tasks and roles.  I will monitor all collaborative work.  

Assignments

1. Writing Assignments

All long-term writing assignments will be word processed in Times New Roman 12-point font size, one inch margins, and 81/2 by 11” paper.  No fancy fonts unless we are doing a special project, and I specifically allow it.  Students have access to computers at school and at the public library.  You can turn in writing assignments electronically on Canvas or in class on the due date.  If you submit electronically, please make sure you print a hard copy in case an error occurs.   Electronic submissions should be in by midnight of the night before an assignment is due. 

Writing is a recursive process.  You will only improve your writing by through practice.  For that reason, I will follow several steps in the writing process.  All steps are required and will be checked.  Unless otherwise noted, brainstorming and rough drafts may be completed in blue or black ink.

• Step 1: Brainstorming
• Step 2: Rough Draft 1
• Step 3: Peer / teacher editing
• Step 4: Rough Draft 2
• Step 5: Peer / teacher editing
• Step 6: Final Copy (This must be word processed.)
• Step 7: Revision for additional points  (This must be word processed.)

2. In-class writing assignments

Students will complete journal writing and short formal assignments in class.

The purpose of the journals will be to engage students in a topic we are studying or to engage students in critical thinking.

The purpose of in-class writing assignments is to prepare students for the Constructed Responses of the English 10 EOC and for the ACT (given the junior year). 

Students will be given open-ended prompts which will be scored with the state rubric.

 

3. Vocabulary / ACT and SAT Prep:

 

Learning new vocabulary is essential to a student’s growth in reading, writing and verbal communication.  For that reason, students will participate in a formal vocabulary program involving SAT Prep. 

Students will complete eight units from Sadlier’s Vocabulary Workshop Level F, or other appropriate vocabulary activities.  We will work on vocabulary in class.  Students will write original paragraphs with each unit.  The sentences will also focus on a point of grammar taught in class.

Rules and Consequences

 

Rules:

 

• Be respectful of yourself and others.
• Keep an open mind.
• Be prepared with materials for the day’s lessons.
• Bring a charged computer to class sessions.

 

Consequences:

 

• 1^st offense: verbal warning
• 2^nd offense: phone call to parent or guardian
• 3^rd offense:  detention with teacher and

        parent / student / teacher conference

• 4^th offense:  referral form to administration

 

The severity of an offense may warrant me to skip to a referral form to administration.