English II Syllabus
Greer Middle College
138 W. McElhaney Road
Taylors, SC 29687
Teacher: Mrs. Paula Rouse
q B.A. in English, Clemson University
q M.A. in Education, Converse College
q National Board Certified
q Gifted and Talented Certified
Room #: B16
Email:
Website: http://greermiddlecollege.org/faculty-staff/english/paula-rouse/
Phone: 864.469.7571, Extension 1016
Textbook: Collections - Grade 10
Course Description
English II helps students to gain an understanding of world literary perspectives from their readings, group work, class discussions, and writings. English II is the second of four required English courses. Students will study the four genres of world literature (fiction, drama, poetry, and nonfiction) and will relate these studies to cross-curricular connections in the humanities. Grammar and usage skills will be reviewed through mini-lessons preceding each writing assignment. The rigor of this course will prepare students for upper-level English courses.
Instructional Philosophy
This course will prepare students to be life-long learners by building communication skills required in every walk of life. The course will be organized around best practices in English language arts instruction, including literature circles, performance, reading and writing process, strategies to improve writing, and the Socratic Seminar. Students will be expected to complete all assignments both those assigned in class and out of class. These assignments will include extended projects requiring research and reading over a period of time. Being a part of the classroom community means participating in discussion and sharing insights and interpretations with classmates and the teacher. There will be out-of-class reading. Both teacher and students will strive to build community, comprehend and create text, and then reflect on that process.
My Schedule: “A” Day “B” Day
1A – Teacher Cadet 1B – Planning
2A – Planning 2B – English II
3A – English II 3B – English II
4A – English II Honors 4B – English II Honors
Office Hours: Office Hours are on Wednesdays from 3:05 – 3:45. To help me better prepare
for Office Hours, students need to sign up in advance. A student may arrange an
alternate time for help by making an appointment with me.
Required Materials:
q 3-ring binder (at least 1” and no spiral bound). This binder will be assessed frequently for notebook quiz grades.
q 5 dividers (for binder). Without dividers, a student’s notebook will not be organized, which will affect his or her notebook quiz grades.
q loose leaf paper (no spiral bound)
q pencils (needs to be sharpened before the bell rings)
q black or blue pens only
Classroom Expectations:
q Treat everyone with respect.
q Come to class on time and prepared with necessary materials.
q Students must have the GMC classroom pass to leave class – no exceptions. Students are expected to use the restroom before entering my classroom, especially since students have 8 minutes in between classes. If there is a medical condition that requires a student to leave the room frequently during class, please notify me the first week of school and provide a note to Mrs. Denise Clark to keep on file.
q No sleeping in class is allowed.
q To receive credit, students must not miss more than 5 days for a unit course. Any absence in excess of 5 days may cause a student to lose credit for a unit course. All absences beginning with the sixth for a unit must be an excused absence. Refer to the student handbook posted on the GMCCHS website for a list of excused absences.
q Students are responsible for missed classes. A student should email me to get missed handouts and assignments, to schedule a time to make up an assessment, etc. Work missed during absences must be made up within 7 school days after the student returns to school.
q Absolutely no form of academic dishonesty, which includes but is not limited to: copying another student’s homework, giving or receiving information about an assessment, or plagiarizing. Refer to the GMCCHS website for the forms and consequences of academic dishonesty.
q Students are not allowed to have out their cell phones or to use their cell phones in my classroom unless I have specifically instructed them that they may use their Smartphones for Internet access, photography, listen to music, etc. for a classroom activity.
q Follow the GMC rules as outlined in your student handbook. You can access the GMC handbook at http://greermiddlecollege.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/GMC-online-2015-2016-Student-Handbook.docxRevised-7-21-15.pdf .
South Carolina Standards
In English II, the curriculum focuses on five categories: reading and analyzing literature, reading and analyzing informational texts, writing, language, and speaking and listening skills. Parents may access the South Carolina standards at: http://ed.sc.gov/scdoe/assets/File/instruction/standards/ELA/ELA%20Standards/SCCCR%20Standards%20One%20Pager%20English%202.pdf .
Major Assignments and Projects
Students will write essays and responses, complete presentations and projects, and participate in class discussions regularly. Reading schedules and dates for assignments, as well as reminders, will be announced in class and posted on my website. Students are encouraged to see me for assignments if they anticipate missing class as well as seeing me once they return from an absence in order to complete make-up work. Papers and projects are due on the due date. A 10-point penalty will be assessed for each school day the assignment is late, up to 3 days. After 3 days, the assignment will receive 50% of credit earned.
Assessment and Grading
Assessment of work completed in English II will most often reflect the use of a rubric. Rubrics will be made available to students prior to beginning an assignment, especially a long-term project. Objective tests will be graded on a 100 point scale. Writing assignments will be graded primarily for content; however, grammatical correctness and style will certainly count in the overall assessment. Literary knowledge will not only be assessed by objective quizzes on selections but also by genre tests and by written responses to selections.
Semester I Categories % of Grade
Quarter 1 Final Grade 20%
Quarter 2 Final Grade 20%
Midterm Exam 10%
Semester II Categories % of Grade
Quarter 3 Final Grade 20%
Quarter 4 Final Grade 20%
Final Exam 10%
Quarter Categories
Major - essays, presentations, projects, tests 60%
Minor – quizzes, notebook checks, journals, etc. 40%
Grading Scale
90 – 100 A
80 – 89 B
70 – 79 C
60 – 69 D
59 and below F
*Please note: To receive credit for a course at GMC, students must have a minimum of an 80 average for mastery and passing.
Course Outline
Listed below is a course outline with selections. The outline is subject to change based upon my students’ needs.
Unit 1 - Ourselves and Others
· Selections: Fiction, nonfiction, and poetry
· Novel: Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen
(Students will need to purchase this novel and have for the 1st reading assignment by Monday, August 29th. I highly recommend that you order a copy immediately since I have approximately 75 students who will be purchasing this book. You cannot depend on Barnes and Noble or another bookstore to have 70 copies on Sunday, August 28th. Also, I do not want anyone to pay rush charges for shipping. After we read this book, parents can donate copies of this book for Parent Service Hours.)
Unit 2 – Natural World
· Selections: Fiction, nonfiction, and poetry
· Drama: Macbeth by William Shakespeare (This selection is in the textbook.)
Unit 3 – Responses to Change
· Selections: Fiction, nonfiction, and poetry
· Novel: 1984 by George Orwell (Students will purchase these novels. After we read this book, parents can donate copies of this book for Parent Service Hours.)
Unit 4 – How We See Things
· Selections: Fiction, nonfiction, and poetry
· Novel: Literature Circle Project (Student Choice, and students will purchase these novels)
After reading the English II syllabus, please complete this page and return only this green page to Mrs. Rouse. Returning this signed page counts as 6 points extra credit on the first major test grade. I look forward to working with you and your child. Thank you.
English II
SYLLABUS AND RULES 2016-2017
I have read and understand the syllabus and rules for Mrs. Rouse’s class.
Print Student Name
Class Period A or B Day Class
Date Student’s Signature
I have read and understand the syllabus and rules for Mrs. Rouse’s class.
Print Parent/Guardian Name
Date Parent’s Signature
Parent’s Preferred Email Address
Preferred Phone # for me to contact you
Additional Parent’s Email Address (if you wish for me to copy a second email address)
Comments (anything that you wish to share with me about your child such as food allergies, anything about his or her personality, hearing or visual issues that require special seating, an issue that he or she may be sensitive about, etc.)
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