English IV: Classroom Syllabus 2010-2011

English IV: Classroom Syllabus 2010-2011

Explanation of Syllabus

Welcome to English IV! I am available to students before and after school. Also, I am available during my lunch period.

Explanation of Syllabus

This syllabus is intended to acquaint both of you (students AND parents) with the English IV at Cleveland Heights-University Heights High School.

Course Description

This course will focus on Creative Writing, Values, Satire, and . Fourth year students will refine their speaking, writing and listening skills as they analyze the works of world literature. Students will also analyze non-print media. Summer reading is required assignment.

Required Textbooks/ books/reading/ additional resources

1. McDougal Littell American Literature

2. One novel (provided by the school)

3. One classroom folder, for notes, bellwork, to turn in homework, papers, get papers returned in, etc. (provided by the teacher)

3. www.classzone.com

4. Turnitin (www.turnitin.com)

5. 3-ring binder (preferred over folder and not provided by school) (to keep homework in and on-going work).(not provided by the school)

6. Pencils – Number 2, pens (dark blue or black), highlighters, loose-leaf notebook paper (also not provided by the school)

Grades

1. Semester Grades

Your final grade will be calculated at the end of each semester. The two quarter grades are broken down to 40% each quarter and your exam grade is worth 20%.

Each quarter has separate categories.

Categories - Formative Assessments (which include classwork and out of class assignments)

*Must be completed to take tests and to retake tests.

Writing Assignments (35 %)

Tests (30 %)

Summative Assignments 35% (including quizzes, projects, group assignments, presentations, summer reading)

2. Grading Scale

100-90 = A

89 – 80 = B

79-70 = C

69-60 = D

59- 0 = F

Course Expectation:

1. Behavior Attitudes - Bring the attitude that you want to learn and you will; do not infringe on others’ right to learn.

2. Rules

A. Follow ALL rules, guidelines, and procedures found in the student handbook. (NO radio, CD, or tape players, I-pods, etc.)

B.. No side conversations (focus on the speaker)

C. Be Prompt, Prepared, Polite, and Participate (“the 4 P’s”)

3. Plagiarism – plagiarism includes copying homework assignments, copying from books, copying without giving credit to original authors, and copying without putting quotation marks around the original text. DO NOT BE FOUND GUILTY OF PLAGIARISM IN THIS CLASSROOM. You will have a zero, I will call your parents, and you will possibly have a referral. Plagiarism is found in your Student Handbook of Rights and Responsibilities.

4. Types of Assignments

A. Bell work – typical bell work might include a journal reflection, vocabulary, or a “big question”; you must devise a section of your classroom folder for bell work

B. Notes - Often we will take notes on important definitions. Create a section in your folder classroom for notes

C. Writing assignments – writing assignments might be small assignments that take a few minutes to complete in class, a small assignment for homework, or they might take several days; we also have a research project in the spring

D. Reading – Reading assignments include reading from our textbook, workbook, a couple plays, and a novel. We read in a variety of ways – alone, together as a class, in small groups, and we also listen to stories.

E. Presentations - You will participate in presentations – sometimes small presentations that you create in a few minutes, or presentations that take a few days to create. Sometimes you create these presentations alone or sometimes you create them with other people.

F. Creative projects – You will have opportunities to demonstrate your creative talents. Whether you like to sing, dance, draw, or exhibit some other talent, you will be able to use it in this class. So start thinking now what you would like to do!

5. Test retakes - If you fail a test, you must retake it. To retake the test, you must review the section/questions you missed with the teacher. You will retake the test at a time arranged between you and the teacher. You must make up the test within one week of the end of the quarter, to allow time for grading.

Consequences

1. Warning

2. 15 minute teacher detention

3. EDD

4. Next steps

5. Steps may skipped, depending on the severity of the behavior.

Attendance

It is expected that students attend all classes.

If you are absent, check moodle. It is your responsibility to obtain any notes missed and to complete missing assignments. You have only as many days as you were absent to make up the work!!!

*** If an assignment is late for no reason other than you simply did not do it, you must complete it after school or before school with me. I am not going to accept an assignment after the assignment after it has been handed back to the class unless you complete it in this manner! No exceptions.

Tardy - If you are tardy three times, you will have a referral. FILL OUT THE TARDY BOOK AND TURN YOUR PASS TO THE BINDER. YOU ARE EXPECTED TO BE ON TIME TO CLASS. I WILL NOT STOP CLASS TIME TO TELL YOU WHAT YOU HAVE MISSED IF YOU COME LATE TO CLASS. (THE AGENDA FOR THE DAY WIl BE IN THE MOODLE OR ON THE BOARD). YOU WILL BE EXPECTED TO COME IN QUIETLY. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A PASS, TALK TO ME LATER.

Formats:

1. Quizzes – most quizzes are announced; however, if I feel like I might give one that is unannounced I usually give a hint.

2. Video expectations – on the rare event that we watch a video, I always give a handout that accompanies the video. You must complete the handout AS you watch and be prepared for a discussion after the video. Normally we compare differences between the movie and the piece of literature.

3. All projects, presentations, and writing assignments are accompanied by a rubric. You will earn the most points if you read and follow the rubric!!

4. Students are expected to use MLA format. All headings are supposed to be in the proper format. Write your name in the upper LEFT hand corner. Then write my name, and the name of the class. Then write the date in proper MLA format.

Your first name and last name.

Mrs. Tayse

English III

31 August 2010 (Notice the day of the month goes first!)

Make-up

See attendance section above

“Upon request, class assignments will be given to a student serving suspension. Up to one-half credit will be given for such work done during a period of suspension if submitted on the day that the student returns to school.” CH-UH s Handbook

“If a student has been suspended from school, no credit will be issued for missed final examinations or tests.” CH-UH Rights and Responsibilities Handbook

Formative and Summative Assessments:

Classwork

Homework - Homework and classwork is used to check your progress in class to see what help you might need for the test or summative assessment. Be sure to do your homework or I might be calling home or bothering you to come after school!

Notes

Quizzes

Tests

Essays

Oral Presentations

Research

Summer Reading

Final Examinations

Special Projects

Summer Reading

Friday, June 4th The reading assignments were distributed.

Wednesday September 1, 2010 The assignments are due.

Cleveland Heights High School 2010 Summer Reading Assignments

Students Enrolled in SENIOR ENGLISH ALTERNATIVES (2010-2011 School Year)

If you are enrolled in English 4, for the first semester of the 2010-2011 school year, you are to read two of the following books:

Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt

Bird by Bird by Anne LamottThe Bond by Sampson Davis, George Jenkins and Rameck Hunt

Dark Sons by Nikki Grimes

Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance by Barack Obama

Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift

Kindred by Octavia Butler

A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah

Mudbound by Hillary Jordan

On Writing by Stephen King

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard

Survivor by Chuck Palahniuk

Up from Slavery by Booker T. Washington

Wise Blood by Flannery O’Conner

The Writing Life by Annie Dillard

Read with purpose. Read for detail. Read for meaning. Read for clarity. Be able to describe the characters. Be able to relate the specific sequence of events that transpire in both works. Be ready to share your attitudes, opinions, and input surrounding issues that are discussed in the books.

1. Prepare to demonstrate your understanding of the two books. Both books must be read by Wednesday, September 1, 2010. An essay, a creative project, a presentation and/or a test may be assigned for both books.

2. Use Cornell notes to take notes on your reading of the books. The notes will not be collected; however, you may be able to use the notes for assessments that are assigned.

3. Remember to read both books. The summer reading assignments will be included in your first marking period grade.

Mrs. Tayse’s Assignment:

Cleveland Heights High School 2010 Summer Reading Assignments

Students Enrolled in SENIOR ENGLISH ALTERNATIVES (2010-2011 School Year)

If you are enrolled in English 4, for the first semester of the 2010-2011 school year, you are to read two of the following books:

Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt

Bird by Bird by Anne LamottThe Bond by Sampson Davis, George Jenkins and Rameck Hunt

Dark Sons by Nikki Grimes

Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance by Barack Obama

Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift

Kindred by Octavia Butler

A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah

Mudbound by Hillary Jordan

On Writing by Stephen King

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard

Survivor by Chuck Palahniuk

Up from Slavery by Booker T. Washington

Wise Blood by Flannery O’Conner

The Writing Life by Annie Dillard

4. Prepare to demonstrate your understanding of the two books. Both books must be read by Wednesday, September 1, 2010. An essay, a creative project, a presentation and/or a test may be assigned for both books.

5. Use Cornell notes to take notes on your reading of the books. The notes will not be collected; however, you may be able to use the notes for assessments that are assigned.

6. Remember to read both books. The summer reading assignments will be included in your first marking period grade.

Your assignment for me is due Tuesday, September 7th:

Choose one of the two topics (choose one for each book):

@ Choice One - Make connections to your own experience. Describe an event or a character from the book that reminds you of a situation from your personal life. Explain the similarities between the event or person from the novel and your personal example.

@ Choice Two - Identify the author’s tone, his or her attitude toward what he or she is saying. Copy the passage and explain how the words written indicate a specific attitude.

@ Choice Three - Make connections with other texts or concepts or events. Do you see any similarities between this material and other books that you have read? Does it bring to mind other issues or incidents or people or descriptions that are somehow related?

@ Choice Four - Identify at least two possible themes the book addresses. What issues does the book raise? Are there struggles the characters grapple with that can be viewed as universal?

@ Choice Five - Can you identify a specific message the author seems to convey through any of the characters or through the story itself? Can you make any links between the author himself and his choices he has made as a writer writing the book you read?

I. Evaluation

1. Summer reading scores will be averaged into the first marking period grade.

II. Rubric

1. Each facet of the written work may be assigned point valued based upon the following criteria:

a. Accuracy

(1) Does the writing adhere to the rules of Standard English?

(2) Is the writing free from repetitive grammatical or syntactical errors that impede comprehension?

(3) Is the work written using MLA guidelines if sources are cited?

(4) Does the work correctly address the questions raised in the prompt?

b. Completeness

(1) Does each response meet the minimum length requirement?

(2) Does each response fully answer questions raised in the prompt? Do they go beyond mechanical “yes” “no” answers? In other words, did the writer create commentary?

(3) Have all the prompts been attempted?

(4) Are the paragraphs fully developed? Do they each contain a specific topic sentence and adequate support?

(5) Do any concluding paragraphs exhibit an appropriate sense of closure?

c. Imagery

(1) Does the writing include sensory imagery?

(2) Has the writer used enough proper nouns, and proper adjectives to convey a clear image in the mind of the reader?

(3) Has the writer used specific quoted material taken directly from the novel to support his or her opinions about what he or she has read? Does the writing avoid using clichéd expressions and informal or ambiguous language that prevents the reader from forming a specific impression?

III. General Directions (Use the Modern Language Association format.)

1. If you handwrite your assignments, skip lines. Use dark blue or black ink only. Use loose-leaf paper. If you word process your assignment, use 12-point type and Arial or Times New Roman font type only. Double space.

2. Leave margins of one inch at the top, the bottom and on both sides of the text.