HONORS ENGLISH II

CLASSROOM PROCEDURES

Mrs. Edelen

Welcome to Mrs. Edelen's Honors English II class! I am delighted that you are willing to embrace a rigorous, fast-paced curriculum and to work hard to improve your writing. Let's get started.

A HELENA HIGH SCHOOL HONORS ENGLISH STUDENT WILL

• Engage in college preparatory course work

• Read more complex, challenging, and varied literature

• Participate in substantive classroom discussion about literature

• Manage long-term and multi-tasked assignments as well as independent study

• Produce a greater quantity and higher quality of writing that demonstrates thoughtful revision

• Tackle extensive close readings of complex texts

• Accept and participate in critical evaluation of one’s work

• Complete mandatory course and enrichment readings outside of class

• Explore the role of literature in the world outside of the classroom

• Demonstrate accountability for deadlines

• Learn and apply more sophisticated course-specific vocabulary

• Accept increased personal responsibility for learning

CLASS WORK AND HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS – the nitty gritty

• The student is responsible for work, notes, quizzes, or tests assigned or administered during an absence.

• All assignments are due at the start of the class unless otherwise arranged.

* Late work is discouraged and points are deducted. Work turned in later than one day is not accepted.

• Work assigned during an excused absence is due within two days of your return. After that, work

is not accepted. Request your work when you are absent and pick it up at the attendance office.

Work or projects assigned in advance are due as the assignment dictates or on the day you return.

• Cheating and plagiarism are unethical, unacceptable, and result in 0 points.

• Extra Credit is available -- see me to find out more.

CLASSROOM MATERIALS

• 3 ring binder ASAP-- organize and keep all handouts, notes, tests, and quizzes.

• lined paper (loose, please)

• highlighters

  • binder or notebook for a year-end portfolio
  • plastic sleeves (suggested, but not required)
  • sticky notes

GRADES

• The student earns his/her grade. I do not “give” grades.

• Quarter grades are computed on a “total points earned” basis. Points are earned for tests, quizzes, projects,

course work, and homework.

• Grades are posted by student number in the classroom regularly throughout each quarter. It is the student’s

responsibility to check periodically.

• A cumulative semester exam is given at the close of each semester of study.

• Semester tests comprise 20% of the semester grade, and quarter grades are weighted at 40% each.

Grading Scale:

A = 92-100

A- = 90-91

B+ = 88–89

B = 82-87

B- = 80-81

C+ = 78-79

C = 72-77

C- = 70-71

D+ = 68-69

D = 62-67

D- = 60-61

F = below 60%

COURSE DESCRIPTION: Honors English II (Grade 10)

Honors English II is a course offering for 10th grade students who wish to read, think, write, and discuss deeply.

The literature curriculum for this honors level class includes works such as Lord of the Flies by William Golding, Fools Crow by James Welch, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, and The Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. LeGuin Students aso read Julius Caesar and Twelfth Night as well as “Twelve Angry Men”, complete a unit of poetry, and a brief unit of short short fiction. Summer reading is required, and Honors English II students must read A Lesson Before Dying. Extensive reading outside of class during the school year is both encouraged and required.

Writing as a significant focus for this honors level class generally includes a major research paper, reflective essays, persuasive essays, original poetry, journal responses, short story writing, original monologues and dialogues, and the character sketch. In particular at the Honors English II level, students will practice to mastery two modes of written discourse: the comparison/contrast essay and the example essay. Students are also required to examine personal growth in expression by writing a brief reflection on each major piece, concentrating on understanding perceived weaknesses and extending emerging strengths. I call this writing the Letter to the Reader.

Throughout the year students in the class build and refine skills in the areas of grammar, usage, mechanics, vocabulary and sentence structuring. Speaking, oral interpretation, and listening opportunities are provided as well.

Honors English II Commitment

This English class, as you know, is an Honors class. You have chosen to enroll in this Honors English class. In so doing, you have promised a commitment to the requirements of this class, to your teacher, and to yourself. This commitment is absolute. What is the nature of this commitment?

The word honor itself, both as a noun and as a verb, suggests much about this commitment. As a noun, among its definitions in Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary are these: privilege; as one whose worth brings respect; an academic distinction conferred on a superior student; a keen sense of ethical conduct; integrity; one’s word given as a guarantee of performance. The word’s usage as a verb is similarly suggestive: to regard or treat with honor or respect; to live up to or fulfill the terms of. Those definitions encompass my expectations. An Honors Sophomore English student is an honorable person, honest, conscientious, disciplined, organized, and motivated to fulfill the requirements of the class.

Please realize at the outset that these requirements are sometimes quite demanding. They involve, on occasion, long reading assignments, difficult reading assignments, writing assignments which call for concentrated thinking, and carefully crafted and revised writing. Such work will require the commitment of time and the will to extend your mental and philosophical boundaries. Enrollment in this class demands, without exception, that each assignment be done before the start of class. Your obligations outside of this class – whether academic, extra-curricular, or job-related – never release you from this commitment. Work missed due to extra-curricular absences must be completed.

Failure to meet or to accept these requirements may result in a transfer out of the class. Students who do not do the reading assignments, who do not complete the writing assignments on time, or who do not maintain at least a C average are not fulfilling their commitments to the class, to me, or to themselves and thus cannot remain in the Honors class.

The signatures below from you and from a parent/guardian affirm that you do commit yourself to all of the expectations of being an Honors student in this Honors English II class.

______

(Your printed name) (Your signature) (date)

______

(Parent/guardian’s printed name) (Parent/guardian’s signature) (date)