American Literature and Composition 112 A - college prep., on-level
Ms. Kara Pavkovich
Room B 217
InstructorsSheryl Davis, Joymichelle Green, Jasenda League, Kara Pavkovich, Melissa Tatman
Office Hours Monday 7:45-8:15 and 3:30-4:00, and all WEB days
You may also make an appointment to meet with me any day after school
Class blogVisit the Walton website and select English on the department dropdown menu; find my name—we will be using Edmodo this semester
Course OverviewThis course entails a chronological study of American literature as well as composition, grammar, and vocabulary. It is a challenging course designed to foster higher order thinking skills and to meet the needs of all students, including the gifted and high achieving. As such, the varying needs and abilities of students are addressed through differentiation of content, process, product, and environment. Not all students in all classes will necessarily be doing the same thing at the same time. Assignments may vary from student to student or class to class to ensure that students have the opportunity to explore, create, andlearn in the classroom. This semester we will focus on the Colonial, Revolutionary, Early Romantic, and Transcendental periods of American literature.
Parallel Readings Please check out or purchase a copy of each of the three readings below. Walton’s media center sponsors a book swap that enables students to trade a used book for a used copy of available parallel readings. Electronic versions of these readings are acceptable to use in class, but students are still required to make annotations within the text.
- The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
- The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an autobiography by Frederick Douglass
- The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail by Robert Edwin Lee and Jerome Lawrence
TextsTextbook - Prentice Hall Literature: The American Experience(online access available)
Sadlier-Oxford Vocabulary Workshop Level F (purchased through the English department or through the book room)
ScheduleThe daily schedule and upcoming assignments, quizzes, tests, and due dates are written on the white board each day in the classroom. You are encouraged to record this information in your agenda.Calendars are also posted on our classroom blog through Edmodo.
Testing dates for the English department are Mondays and Thursdays. All tests are designed to be completed in one class period or less.
Grading Scale30% -Tests and projects
30% - Essays and writing assignments
10%- Vocabulary quizzes
10% - All other quizzes
10% - Homework, class work
10 % - Final exam
WaltonHigh School has a policy of no extra credit.
Makeup work All makeup work must be completed according to the policy in the student handbook. You are responsible for finding out what was missed during an absence. See me the day you return to arrange makeup times. You may not make up work during class time.
Late workLate homework will not be accepted for any credit. Only projects and long term writing assignments will be eligible for late credit.
1 day late = grading begins down one letter grade
2 days late = grading begins down two letter grades
More than two days late and within one week = grading begins at half credit
ImportantIf you are absent the day a major assignment is due (project, essay, or any part of the research paper process), you must make sure the assignment is delivered directly to your teacher or another American Literature 112 teacher before your class period meets.
Tardy Policy Tardies will be handled as outlined in the student handbook. Please be in your seat when the tardy bell rings and ready to begin class.
Classroom Policies
- Students are expected to follow class rules, write assignments in their agendas, take notes, participate in class activities, and complete assignments.
- Be on time to class. Tardies count.
- Bring materials to class each day (a pencil, a pen, literature book, vocabulary book, and notebook paper). You are not permitted to leave during class to get materials from your locker.
- Respect the rights of others. Do not talk when I am talking, when others are talking, or when you have assigned work to complete in class.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
Students are expected to do their own work. Cheating is defined as, but is not limited to, the following acts:
- Copying anyone’s answers to questions, exercises, study guides, class work, or homework assignments.
- Taking any information verbatim from any source, including the Internet, without giving proper credit to the author, or rearranging the words and/or changing some words as written by the author and claiming the work as his/her own. (plagiarism)
- Looking on another student’s paper during a test or quiz.
- Having available any study notes or other test aids during a test or quiz without the teacher’s permission.
- Collaborating on assignments when independent work is expected
Consequences for academic dishonesty
A student who is involved in cheating will receive the following consequences:
1.a grade of zero on the material
2.an unsatisfactory in conduct for the semester on the student’s report card
3.parents will be notified by a phone call and/or email contact
Honor Code
The Walton High School English Department believes that students should uphold the Walton High School and English Department Honor Code provided in the student agenda, on the class blog, and the Walton website. Your signature represents your agreement to abide by these standards. Please read the following carefully before you and your parent sign on the appropriate lines.
Please read, sign, and return this page by Wednesday, August 3, 2016.
I have read and I understand the attached rules and expectations. I have received a copy of the parallel reading selections. I agree to uphold the Walton High School English Department Honor Code.
Student’s Name (please print) ______Class Period ______
Student’s Signature ______Date ______
Parent’s Signature ______Date ______
(Initial if you agree) _____ I will allow my child to watch PG and PG-13 movie segments as related to the curriculum.
PARENT CONTACT INFORMATION
My preferred method of contact is
(Would you prefer email or phone contact? Please include time of day and best contact source.)
Father’s Name ______
Phone Numbers (H) ______(W) ______
(Cell) ______(email) ______
Address ______
Mother’s Name ______
Phone Numbers (H) ______(W) ______
(Cell) ______(email) ______
Address ______
Walton High School English Department2016-2017American Literature 112 A