American Literature – Contemporary Composition
Architectural and Digital Arts Magnet
John F. Kennedy High School
2017 - 2018
Teacher: Ms. Serrano Room: B-200
School Phone: (818) 271 - 2900 Email:
Text: myPerspectives, English Language Arts
Required Materials: pen (black or blue ink only), filler paper (100 sheets), highlighter, wite out (tape), one folder, 1 inch binder (with side folder slots / reusable cover inserts), dividers (8 tab), assignment planner
ü Materials are checked on a daily basis
ü You are expected to replenish your supplies as needed
Course Description:
The objectives of your 11th grade English class will be:
1. To be able to read various selections from American literature, identifying literary elements as they emerge.
2. To build on your vocabulary and word identification skills.
3. To be able to express and support responses to the text either orally or through the written word.
4. To extend your learning of the writing process, especially college writing.
Grading:
- Final grades are based on weighted points earned for the semester from class work, homework, class participation / behavior, quizzes, exams, essays, and projects.
o Final Exam - 25%
o Quiz, Essay, Project - 35%
o Class work - 15%
o Homework - 10%
o Class Participation / Behavior - 15%
ü You earn points daily for this, so a missing material, a tardy to class, or even talking out of turn will decrease your points value for the week.
- Extra Credit is available only once a semester. (Smaller extra credit points are available for excellent behavior for a substitute.)
- Work Habit Marks: One missing work will result in an “S” in the report card. More than one missing assignment results in a “U”. Multiple missing homework assignments will earn a lunch detention.
- Cooperation Marks are based on the following criteria:
o Attendance
o Tardiness
o Behavior
o Lack of Materials
o Class Participation
Late Work:
- All late work will be accepted the NEXT day for only half the overall grade.
- Absent students who have cleared their absence will have an extra day to complete the assignment for a full grade, except on projects. Uncleared absences or truancies will result in the loss of points.
- You are responsible to get all the work and notes you missed when absent. Check the website for your homework when you are absent. The work will pile up, so try to stay ahead.
Binder: Binder unit notes receive a quiz grade of 50 points. A one-week warning will be given before they are collected. The unit notes must be entirely complete. One incomplete page will result in a “B”, with subsequent incomplete pages moving one grade lower. Remember, you will have a one-week warning to fill in any pages you missed.
ü Binders must be kept neat, free of tagging, stickers, or pictures.
ü Do not use this binder for any class work other than English.
Calls Home: There will be phone calls made to your home if one of these conditions exists:
· Absence
· Incomplete homework
· No homework turned in
· Low grade on a test
· Missing project
· Behavior
School Policies: You are expected to follow all school rules, especially those pertaining to food and drink in the classroom. No caps inside the classroom, and no visible mp3 players or headphones (they must be secured in your backpack). Cellular phones must also be turned off during class time.
ü Failure to comply will result in a lunch detention.
ü Electronics / hats will be confiscated.
Class Policies:
1. Everyone will be treated with respect in this classroom. No put downs of any kind will be tolerated. This is a “safe” class so that you can express your ideas, be able to consider others’ opinions, and learn together as a group.
ü Inappropriate comments = public apology
ü Multiple inappropriate comments = loss of points in your overall grade in the class, parent meeting
2. Raise your hand and wait to be called upon. Be patient, I will call on you.
3. Be on time and ready to start as soon as the final bell rings. If you are not in your seat with materials ready by the final bell, it will be considered as a tardy.
ü Three tardies = lunch detention
4. Have your materials with you at all times. All your work must be completed with a pen, never a pencil.
5. If you make a mistake on your paper, you must use wite out to correct it. I will not accept messy work for a full grade.
Levels of Discipline:
1st = student / teacher conference
2nd = detention / parent call
3rd = detention / parent conference with the teacher and the magnet coordinator
4th = parent visit to the classroom
5th = suspension
Website: You may access your homework for the day on the school website: www.jfkcougars.org
The site will not be updated until 4:00 p.m. Make sure to check the site when absent.
Extra Help: I will always be available for help at lunch, except on days where Magnet meetings are held.
Portfolio: You will be asked to create a portfolio of your work at the end of the semester. To prepare for this, you will be asked to keep ALL your graded work in your folder until we do the portfolio assignment (which is done on the last week of fall semester.) If you lose any graded papers before this, you will be deducted points from the project grade.