Riverside Secondary School

English 9

Mr.Barrington

Portable 1

Email:

English 9 is a semester course that encompasses reading and writing. As your English teacher, my aim is to provide you with opportunities to improve your reading, writing, thinking, speaking, and listening skills. This course will give you the opportunity to develop these skills through a variety of activities carried out within the following units.

English 9 is a semester course and we will cover the following big ideas:

Language and story can be a source of creativity and joy.

Exploring stories and other texts helps us understand ourselves and make connections to others and to the world.

People understand text differently on their worldviews and perspectives.

Using a variety of texts that are socially, culturally, and historically constructed and how they connect to what we have read.

Questioning what we hear, read and view contributes to our ability to be educated and engaged citizens.

Throughout the semester, we will primarily focus on the following Core Competencies:

Communication

Critical Thinking

Personal and Social Responsibility

You are accountable for all the units that we work on during the course.

COURSE GOALS

  • Comprehend and Connect through reading, listening, viewing
  • Create and communicate through writing, speaking and representing

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

ATTENDANCE

  1. BE ON TIME!

Quizzes, tests, assignments and other important instructions may be given at the beginning of class and late arrivals will cause you to miss these details and lose valuable class time.

  1. ABSENCES

You are required to attend on time ever day. If you are absent for any reason, please contact the school to let them know that you will be away. The first day that you return to school, see me for any work, quizzes or tests that you have missed during your absence. Or email me at and I will try to get back to you as soon as possible. However, please check the course calendar because any lessons or activities that we work on in class will also be placed on the class calendar.

  1. LONG TERM ABSENCES

If you are going to be away for any extended time, please tell me in advance and bring a note from your parents.Do not wait until one day before you are going away, it will be extremely difficult to get all your assignments ready for you. You are responsible for making up any missed work. Check with me for any worksheets or notes that you have missed.

  1. BRINGING YOUR TABLETS DAILY/ PEN, PAPER and a BINDER

In order for you to do well in this course, you will need to bring in your tablet. We will most likely be using your tablet daily. Also do not forget to bring in your charger for your tablet as well.

Laptops are allowed in class if they will help you will certain assignments. However, you will be required to put your laptop at a 45 degree angle if I am giving any type of instructions or teaching a lesson in class. Your laptop or tablet is solely for work purposes, not for entertainment purposes.

  1. PHONES

Cellphones or Smartphones should be off or on silent mode during class. It is important to pay attention during class to ensure that you understand what is going on in the class. The use of MP3’s and cellular phones can be taken away if they are used at inappropriate times.

  1. REWRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS
    As a student, you have the opportunity to rewrite written assignments like essays and paragraphs. However, you can only submit a rewrite if you have handed in your original assignment on the day that the assignment was due. Also, the rewritten work can only be handed in no later than one month after the assignment was handed back to you.

You do not get to redo an assignment if your assignment was handed in past the due date. There will be no rewrites for tests or quizzes.

  1. HAVE AN OPEN MIND

The only way to be successful in English 12 is to pay attention in class and read the comments or constructive feedback on your written assignments. The goal is for you to improve as a writer and reader, so you must be open to feedback if you are going to do well in this course.

  1. TREATMENT OF THE ROOM

At the end of each class, make sure you push your chairs in. Also make sure that you keep your area tidy. You are not allowed to have some food with you, but you can bring a drink as long as it has a cover or lid on it. This will help keep the critters away!

  1. DEADLINES

If you miss an assignment deadline, you will only have a week to hand in the assignment. After a week, a 0 will be your mark. Once a zero is put in, it will be up to me whether I have you complete the assignment or not or accept the assignment or not.

  1. BEHAVIOR BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER CLASS
  1. Respect yourself
  2. Respect your teacher
  3. Respect your classmates
  4. Respect your learning environment

EDUBLOG

We will be using Edublog throughout this semester. It is important that you know how to log on to your blog and know how to post assignments on your blog. If you need any help with your blog, please see me, go to the Wave or contact the Riverside Tech Team.

COL- Digital Literacy 10

You are enrolled in this linear course. You have two English assignments this semester that will be marked by me as well as your COL teacher. You are responsible for uploading these assignments onto your Edublog site.

CORE COMPETENCIES

This year, you will be expected to set goals and take more responsibility for your own learning. You will be documenting your progress throughout the year and share your accomplishments in an exit interview in June. These reflections are to show your progress as a learner and as an individual. My job this semester will be to help you identify the English assignments that you could document and upload onto your self-reflection page and which core competencies are connected to the assignments that are placed on your blog.

EDUBLOG

We will be using Edublog throughout this semester. It is important that you know how to log on to your blog and know how to post assignments on your blog. If you need any help with your blog, please see me, go to the Wave or contact the Riverside Tech Team.

EXTRA HELP

Do not be afraid to ask questions when you do not understand a concept or are having difficulties with your assignments. I am available for help before and after school. You can find me in the building by 8:30 am in the morning in the library office or after school in the gym. You can also reach me by email at

COURSE EVALUATION

Your achievement for the course will be evaluated with regular quizzes, tests, projects, assignments and activities.

CHEATING

Plagiarism and cheating will not be accepted and it will result in a zero grade and disciplinary action. Copying the words or ideas of others without documenting your sources or having other people to complete your work is not tolerated in this course. To present the idea of others as your own work is dishonest. If you are caught cheating, your counselor and vice principal will be notified of your actions.

CLASS MARK

Evaluation throughout the semester is cumulative. It will be based on the following:

TEST AND QUIZZES30%

MAJOR ASSIGNMENTS (Projects)20%

WRITING (Paragraphs/Essays/Written Assignments)40%

MINOR ASSIGNMENTS (discussions, debate, poetry slam etc..)10%

TOTAL MARK100%

MARK DISTRIBUTION

A 100%-86%B 85%-73%C+ 72%-67%

C 66%-60%C-59%-50%I/F 49%-0%

This course accounts for 100% of your mark. There is no final exam for this course.