English II Pre-AP English Syllabus

Mrs. ReBeccaGardea

Deer Park High School

2015-2016

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Mrs. Gardea, English II – Pre-AP

Welcome! Our primary goal will be to help you develop the reading and writing skills needed in order to be successful in future AP English classes, college, and in your future careers. The measures we will use to gauge our success will be your ability to excel on the AP English exams, the EOC Exam, and the PSAT, SAT, and ACT college entrance exams. To be successful in this course, you will be expected to use higher-level thinking skills and do more individual projects, research, and devote more time outside of class to learn skills and complete assignments.

Since most of you will be involved in other advanced classes and extracurricular activities, you will have to plan your time wisely. The primary approach we will use to accomplish our objectives is the study of literature. Everything we read may not be your first choice, but I assure you that there is a reason for everything we study.

AP Exams

One of the goals of the Pre-AP curriculum is to begin preparing students to take the AP English Language and Composition and AP English Literature Exams to earn college credit. Although these exams are usually taken during a student’s junior and senior year, we have found that some of the English II Pre-AP students are ready to take the AP English Literature Exam AT THE END OF THEIR SOPHOMORE YEAR! We may encourage students who appear to be doing especially well in class to take the exam (although it is certainly not required). Other students may want to take it as a practice, which is also a good idea.

Pre-AP and AP General Policies

Please be aware of these two policies for the Pre-AP and AP English Programs.

  1. If students request a schedule change from an AP class to Regular level, a parent/teacher conference must occur prior to consideration by the administration.
  2. Students in an AP class are expected to take the AP Exam in May.

Daily Routines

As you enter the class, check the long table next to the entrance of the room for any handouts, take your seat and consult the board for your listof instructions for the day’s activities. When the bell rings, you will be quiet and ready for us to begin.

Because this is a class in which we read and write almost every day, it is disruptive when students leave the room during class. For that reason, bathroom stops and other errands should be taken care of before coming to class (as much as humanly possible).

Supplies:

3-ring 3” binder with lots of white, ruled paper (see detailed instructions below)

One set of dividers

Independent reading book

#2 Pencil

blue and black ink pens (two different dark colors)

In addition to these materials, you may be required to bring additional folders, post-it notes, poster boards, map pencils, index cards and other items for special assignments as the year progresses. You will be advised of these as they are needed. Because a lack of materials interferes with your learning and those that you try to borrow from, please plan accordingly!

**English II Pre-AP curriculum focuses heavily on close reading strategies. Making notes in the margin, highlighting portions of the text, and color-coding for certain patterns of analysis are all suggested and encouraged by the College Board. Obviously, students may NOT write in any texts belonging to the school, so we highly recommend that students purchase their own copies of novels and plays to annotate and keep in preparation for the AP exams their junior and senior years.

Here is this year’s reading list of major works. (Note: Although I do not anticipate making any changes, some modification may be necessary in the event of unforeseen circumstances.)

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
The Importance of Being Ernest by Oscar Wilde
Antigone by Sophocles
The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
Reading

All reading must be completed independently, typically outside of class. Class time will be spent discussing the works, analyzing the works, and learning and practicing important skills. Keeping up with reading schedules is essential in order to be successful in this class.

English Binder Organization

It is recommended to have a SEPARATE 2-inch, 3-ring binder just for this class. Because this is a Pre-AP class, and we do not have a specialized textbook for this course, you will be receiving a number of handouts that you must bring to class every day (if you have a method that works better for you, please feel free to organize yourself accordingly). In this binder, you will have:

  1. all notes from lectures / class discussion
  2. all informational handouts
  3. completed assignments that have been returned
  4. This Guidelines / Expectations sheet
  5. AP section that will include handouts and info that you will need to keep for the next 3 years of English, if you intend to take the AP tests

From time-to-time, I may check your binder to be sure you have all of the materials in them. If you do not have your binder or the materials that should be in it, you will receive a “0” for that daily grade.

Compositions and Exams

Graded compositions and exams will be returned to you in class so that you may make notes of areas where improvement is needed. However, they will then be collected and kept on file. Exams and quizzes will NOT leave the classroom in order to prevent the confidentiality of both the student grades and the integrity of the assignment from being breached.

Our Pre-AP pace and curriculum are so intensive that a class review of every quiz and exam is not possible, nor necessary for most students, so class time will not always be available for those activities. If you wish to review your exam, you may come to tutorials within one week of the assignment to do so. If parents wish to see graded compositions or exams during the year, they may do so by scheduling an appointment.

Assignment Grade Clarification Procedure

If you are unclear about a grade you have received on a returned assignment, you should first carefully reread the requirements of the assignment, then refer to anywritten comments and/or rubric, and finally listen in class to a global discussion of areas to improve when assignments are returned to the class. If you are still unclear about the grade you received, you may make an appointment after class to attend a tutorial at which time I will review the concepts and assessment of this assignment so you will better understand why you earned the grade you did.

Make-up Work

We will be using an independent make-up work system in this class. You will not interrupt class for assignments you have missed because you will take care of your business BEFORE SCHOOL BEGINS. When you return from an absence, you will:

  1. collect any handouts you missed
  2. collect any returned assignments
  3. arrange to copy any lecture notes from a classmate
  4. make an appointment with me to attend tutorials for any missed quizzes, timed writings, essays or exams.

Just as I am responsible for teaching this class every day, you are responsible for completing your work every day, whether you are present in class or not. If any of this is problematic,please come see me during tutorials or e-mail me for further explanation.

You will have one week from the day you were absent to complete your make-up work. Make-up exams will be given during tutorials. While make-up exams will evaluate the same material and skills covered on regularly scheduled exams, their format may be different (for obvious reasons).You will have one week from the day you return to take the make-up exam. It is your responsibility to keep track of your own absences and make-up work. If you are absent only one day before an exam, you will still take the exam on the designated day with the class (assuming we are on schedule and no new material has been introduced). If you fail to make up an exam, you will receive a “0.”

Long-term Assignments

Long-term projects are due on the due date whether you are present or not and are subject to a reduction in the grade when turned in late. If you are absent on a group presentation day, you will still be responsible for an alternate assignment and your group will present their portion of the assignment without you and will not be penalized for your absence. Printer and computer problems, as unfortunate as they may be, will not excuse you from the due date, or the penalty.

Homework

The majority of homework will consist of reading, completing study guides, short assignments and reviewing for quizzes/tests. Your homework assignments will be preparing you for quizzes, class discussion, and timed writings.

In addition, when work is assigned, you will be given a due date. Assignments may be turned in up to two days late, with a penalty of 25 points each day.

If an assignment is due on a day when a student misses class for a school sponsored activity, the assignment will be counted late if not turned in on that day. Please make arrangements to turn in the assignment on time.

Summer Reading

The Summer Reading Assignment is due at the beginning of class, Friday, September 11, 2015. Please include the following information: name, title of chosen novel, title of chosen assignment. As students had the entire summer to choose and read a novel, and work on their chosen assignment, and due to the assignment counting as extra credit, this deadline is firm. Extra credit points will be added to the final 9 Week Average.

My conference time is 1stPeriod. I am also available before or after school by appointment. Parents may also email me at any time at school at . E-mail is the best way to reach me for conferences or other concerns.

English II Pre-AP Contract 2015-2016

I have read, understand, and agree to abide by the objectives and policies for Pre-AP English II.

This is also an acknowledgement that the Extra Credit Summer Reading Assignment is due at the beginning of class on Friday, September 11, 2015, and that the extra credit points will be added to the final 9 Week Average.

______

Student’s name printed

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(student's signature)(date)

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(parent's signature as witness)(date)

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Mrs. Gardea, English II – Pre-AP