111 Ninth Street | Pittsburgh, PA 15222
Phone: 412-338-6100 | Fax: 412-338-6143 | www.pps.k12.pa.us/capa
Melissa Pearlman, Principal A 2009 Blue Ribbon School of Distinction
Joan Murphy, Director 6-12
Course: English 1 CAS
Instructor: Mrs. Anne Paolicelli
In English 1 CAS, you will be introduced to the rigors of high school English in the areas of reading, writing, and speaking. You will study literature featuring the themes of exploration and discovery, and assignments and activities will encourage you to consider your place in your family, your community, and your world. In the end, your task will be to draw conclusions about the relationship between experience, place, and identity.
Expectations and Procedures:
1. Notebooks & Organization: You will need a single-subject notebook and a folder for class (If that is a problem, please see me). A portfolio of final projects will be kept in the room.
2. Supplies:
a. I do not provide pens and pencils. Please come to class prepared.
b. You are responsible for books distributed throughout the course. If you lose or damage a book, you must either pay for or replace it to continue working.
3. Assignments: You should expect a significant amount of homework and class work. Each assignment should be completed on time, and students will only receive credit for work submitted during class on the due date. School homework procedure dictates that late work will not receive credit. Most assignments should be typed, and you must print work before class. Hand-written work should be neat and legible, and folded and wrinkled assignments will not be accepted.
4. Grading:
a. Assignment sheets and rubrics will be provided for all major assignments, and you will be graded according to the level at which you meet the expectations set for you.
b. As per the Pittsburgh Public Schools grading policy, quarter and semester grades will be assigned as follows:
A: 90%-100% B: 80%-89% C: 70%-79% D: 60-69% E: 59% & below
5. Absences:
a. YOU MUST COME TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY on time. The Day 1/Day 2 schedule will overwhelm you if you are not attentive and organized. If you are absent, it is your responsibility to find out what you missed. Exchange information with your tablemates & see me during arrival time if you miss the previous day.
b. Students absent on pre-scheduled presentation dates without a medical excuse will not be able to present their work but will be expected to hand in any accompanying written assignments.
c. In addition, tardiness is distracting and will not be tolerated.
6. Contacting me:
a. If you are absent or if you have a question at any time, please email me. My school email address is , but I will create a distribution list from my Gmail account: . I can also be reached by leaving a message at the school number: 412-338-6101.
b. It is very important that you provide your and your parents’ email addresses so that I can contact you regularly and send home assignments and calendars.
c. Website: I will maintain a website where I will post calendars and assignments each week. You may access it from the CAPA website. You will also find the dropbox through which you can submit work electronically. A link to my website will be in my email signature.
7. Academic integrity: You are expected to be honest and respectful to your peers and to me. Therefore, you must complete work that reflects your own learning. Cheating and plagiarism will not be tolerated, and if caught, you will fail the assignment and possibly receive a “U” for citizenship. Additionally, your parents and school administration will be notified of your transgression.
Cheating can be defined as: copying someone else’s quiz, test, or homework; allowing someone to copy your quiz, text, or homework; gaining access to or stealing a quiz, test, or assignment before it has been distributed; and plagiarism. Plagiarism includes presenting information, words, and ideas from books, other print and media sources, and the internet as your own without crediting the author.
8. Technology:
a. Please hand in your acceptable use policy so that you will be permitted access to school computers.
b. Electronic devices (i.e. phones and iPods) are not permitted in the classroom and will be confiscated.
9. Course units:
a. Poetry & the CAS Scrapbook
b. Short stories
c. The Odyssey, Homer
d. A Midsummer Night’s Dream, William Shakespeare
e. Researching Victorian England
f. Great Expectations, Charles Dickens
g. Macbeth, William Shakespeare
h. The Joy Luck Club, Amy Tan
i. Fahrenheit 451 & The Illustrated Man, Ray Bradbury
ENGLISH CLASS AGREEMENT
We, the undersigned, signify that we have read, we understand, and we agree to abide by the regulations of English 1 CAS.
Under this agreement, I, the student, agree to avoid all forms of cheating, plagiarism, fraud, and deception regarding academic work. I understand that I will be penalized for such behavior. I will be attentive to assignments and due dates, and if I am absent from class, I will take it upon myself to find out what work I missed.
I agree to share grade reports periodically throughout the quarter, and my parent/guardian agrees to track my grade by signing and returning grade sheets.
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Date: ______