John F. Kennedy High School - Fall 2015
Expository Reading and Writing Course (ERWC) – Mrs. Koskela
Class Policies and Course Syllabus
Welcome to my class! My expectations for all students are as follows:
- You will be in class punctually every day and ready to work with all necessary and appropriate materials.
- You will complete all assignments (including those given both during class and for homework) on time and to the best of your ability.
- You will not have electronics, food, drinks, or personal care items out during class time.
- You will be respectful of all other people in the class at all times.
If you do all of the things listed above, you will be successful in this class.
What you should bring to class every day: Bring a binder with dividers and paper, pens, pencils, a highlighter, and your textbook (the paperback book of readings or your novel) for writing, discussion, and annotation purposes.
What to do if you are absent: Clear your absence by bringing a parental note to the Attendance Office immediately! Students with uncleared absences may not make up work; all uncleared absences are considered truancies.
Homework: Homework is given Monday through Thursday and is due the next class day unless otherwise stated. All assignments are posted daily on the school website at jfkcougars.org. If you have difficulty accessing the assignments, please let me know. If you are absent, you are expected to access the assignment online and turn it in when you return.
Edmodo: Every Monday a new assignment is posted for this class at Edmodo.com. You have until Saturday night at midnight to complete the assignment. If your work has not been posted by the time I grade the assignments on Sunday, you will receive a zero for the week. Also, remember to “turn in” your assignments, as you will not receive credit for work posted as comments or replies. Your first assignment has already been posted, so get started today!
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Note: Both homework and Edmodo assignments contribute to the overall grade (see percentages below), so it is important to complete every assignment. This is your last year to learn organization and discipline before moving on to a college or university next year. Even if you will not be attending a college or university, these are essential skills in the workplace and in life. Each student will receive two homework/Edmodo passes per semester; once those are used, all missing work will receive a zero. Unused homework passes are collected for extra credit at the end of each semester.
Extra credit policy: Extra credit is additional work above and beyond what is assigned in class; it is not a replacement for the regular work. A few small extra credit assignments will be made available over the course of the semester.
How are grades determined? All assignments count toward the final semester grade, with some categories receiving a greater emphasis. The following is the tentative grading policy for the four marking periods of the fall semester. I reserve the right to make changes in the grading breakdown for any marking period, including the final one.
5 week10 week15 week20 week
Journals and Writing 40% 40% 40% 30%
Homework 10% 10% 10% 10%
Edmodo 10% 10% 10% 10%
Warmups 10% 10% 10% 10%
Classwork/Projects 10% 10% 10% 10%
Quizzes/Tests/Final 10% 10% 10% 20%
Participation 10% 10% 10% 10%
The participation grade will include points for attending daily, being punctual, making good use of class time, and actively participating in all class activities. Use of electronic devices during class time (unless specifically approved) will result in a loss of points and, consequently, a lowering of the participation grade.
How do you know your grade? At each marking period, a grade sheet with overall class grades and grades by category will be sent home. The following is the grading scale for all assignments and for the course:
A = 90 – 100%B = 80 – 89%C = 65 – 79%D = 50 – 64%Fail = under 50%
If you need help: If you have questions or need help, please ask! You can always talk to me during class, before or after class, before or after school, or at lunch. If you need more intensive assistance, we can schedule more time. My goal is to have every student complete this course successfully.
Course Objective and Syllabus for ERWC
Course Objective: The primary objective for this course is to provide instruction for students in the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts and to prepare them for freshman level English at the college or university level. Passing both semesters of this course is a requirement for graduation.
Each module will include assignments in reading, vocabulary, grammar, discussion and other class activities, journal responses, and an essay or other culminating activity. Not all modules will be covered; students are welcome to independently explore the units we will not have time to cover in class.
The time frames listed below are approximate and subject to change.
Fall Semester 2015
Weeks 1 – 4Module 1: What's Next? Thinking About Life After High School
Weeks 5 – 8Module 2: Rhetoric of the Op-Ed Page
Weeks 9 – 11Module 3: Racial Profiling
Weeks 12 – 14Module 4: The Value of Life
Weeks 15 – 17Module 6: Into the Wild
Week 18Final Exams
Spring 2016
Weeks 1 – 5Module 8: Juvenile Justice
Weeks 6 – 10Module 9: Language, Gender, and Culture
Weeks 11 – 15Module 11: Brave New World
Weeks 16 – 20Module 12: Bullying
Week 21Final Exams