Kamehameha Secondary School
KAMEHAMEHA SECONDARY SCHOOL
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
COURSE SUMMARY FOR READING ENRICHMENT 9/10
FOR: MR. RICHARD HAMASAKI
SCHOOL YEAR 2012-2013
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OVERVIEW
Reading Enrichment 9/10 is a semester course open to students in grades 9 and 10 who may read well, but still need improvement in certain areas of reading comprehension. Students will engage in reading strategies which will help them to read faster while comprehending more, apply skimming and scanning for researching and test-taking, practice vocabulary skills to learn the meanings of unfamiliar words, and learn to vary their reading rate for different kinds of readings (i.e., within the major academic fields, research, test-taking, and pleasure). Reading selections will be introduced from a variety of sources, including magazines, newspapers, narrative and expository writing, including Hawaiian, Pacific and world literature. NOTE: Reading Enrichment is a credit course designed to supplement the regular English program and may not be used to fulfill a required English course for grades 9 and 10.
COURSE GOALS
In the area of VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT, students will:
-develop vocabulary through various activities (creating visual representations, semantic mapping, word sorting, and more).
-engage in individual and group activities that help students analyze word meanings from context.
-connect word building with personal as well as new and engaging experiences.
In the area of READING COMPREHENSION, the student will review and/or learn to:
-apply the metacognitive process in developing comprehension skills.
-identify main ideas and supporting details from a variety of reading sources.
-apply mapping, predicting guides, graphic organizing, annotating, thinking aloud and art/music/writing activities.
-apply knowledge and comprehension of reading materials to other core classes as well as to many aspects of life-skills-survival-literacy (including fiscal literacy)
-apply reading skills to a variety of materials (i.e., textual, functional, scholastic, and
recreational).
-apply a variety of engaging strategies and techniques that help with reading efficiently and critically.
-maintain or become lifelong readers in order to enhance one’s life — now and into the future.
In the area of STUDY SKILLS, the student will review and/or learn:
-to build vocabulary in unique ways.
-to focus on texts interactively (question-answer relationships, annotating and analyzing texts, reading response activities, debating/discussion challenges, etc.).
-to integrate effective reading and writing activities that connect to past, present and future experiences, circling back to each student’s Hawaiian ancestry and traditional heritage.
-to apply and build upon these skills with each new unit.
STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES
The student will:
1. follow all rules outlined in the Student Handbook.
2. come to class each day with assignments completed and materials needed that day.
3. work willingly and productively in small groups; be attentive to the ideas of others and tolerant of diverse opinions.
4. give full attention to whomever is speaking to the class.
5. attend all assigned study sessions and seek help when necessary.
6. complete and format all major written assignments using Microsoft Word (or compatible word-processing programs).
7. complete all work as assigned, including group work.
8. attend class and avoid absences: a readmit slip must be submitted for any absence other than an excused school activity
-- inform the teacher beforehand if you must go on a field trip or other planned absence.
-- if you are absent, please see me before or after class or during study help on the day you return to class.
9. avoid tardies: you are expected to be in the room, ready to work when the bell rings;
-- chronic tardiness will be reported to the Unit Administrator.
10. be considerate of each other's rights and feelings; we will behave accordingly, with courtesy and respect; we will all enter the classroom with a positive attitude.
GRADING PROCEDURES
Components of grades:
1. All assignments will be given a numerical value; some tests and compositions and other major assignments will be worth more points than others. Your letter grade for the quarter is based on a daily reading, writing, discussion, performance, creativity, quiz, test, and project percentages.
2. Daily class work and homework will be checked and assessed for credit. The points will vary depending on the assignment. This will count toward a grade average with the daily reading and writing percentage.
3. To receive credit for the quarter, the work must be completed before the last day of the grading period, for example, on a Wednesday before the quarter ends.
4. The SEMESTER GRADE will be computed by adding the quarter averages. IF, students maintain an 80% average and completes all work, the FINAL EXAM can be waived. Otherwise, the student will be required to meet with the teacher for the entire final exam period (90 minutes).
The grading scale:
93% - 100% = A
90% - 92% = A-
87% - 89% = B+
83% - 86% = B
80% - 82% = B-
77% - 79% = C+
73% - 76% = C
70% - 72% = C-
67% - 69% = D+
63% - 66% = D
60% - 62% = D-
0 % - 59% = F
Late Work:
1. Daily assignments – half credit the first day late; partial to no credit thereafter.
2. All assignments and compositions will be lowered by as much as 50% if overdue; thereafter, partial credit can possibly be earned, depending on the nature of each assignment. Some assignments will receive no credit if late. Note: Major assignments, including book reviews, must be completed in order to pass each quarter.
3. Going to Hale Ola on the day a major composition or project is due does not count as
an excuse for not turning in the assignment. It is your responsibility to see that your work is completed on a timely basis.
If you want to find out your current grade:
1. Requests from you, counselors, parents, and administrators will be honored as soon as possible. Please check KS Connect often.
2. If your grade falls to the D- or lower grade-range, your parents/guardians/dorm advisors will be informed via KS Connect; if your grade drops at the end of the quarter, an explanation will appear on your report card.
"Extra credit" information:
Extra credit is available in this class; however, your teacher will announce when opportunities for extra credit become available. All extra credit is due on the Wednesday before the quarter ends.
Policy on make-up work:
If absent, you must quickly obtain information on work missed from classmates or the teacher. Work will be due in a reasonable amount of time depending on the length of your absence and the nature of the assignment. It is up to you to make arrangements with your teacher in a timely and appropriate manner.
Study Help
If you would like additional assistance, please arrange a time to meet with the teacher. If you are asked to report, you are expected to attend and to be prompt. You are also expected to spend time working independently in the Student Support Center (SSC). You can also seek assistance in the SCC.
Integration of Technology
Kamehameha Schools provides access to many technological tools to enhance the teaching and learning process such as laptops, online resources, Blackboard, Edmodo, Google Docs, etc. We support the integration of technology as an critical component in preparing students to thrive in our global society. As appropriate to each course, teachers will provide further classroom expectations and guidelines as to the extent technology (e.g. laptops, websites, Blackboard and so on) will be utilized for research, instruction, assessment, and communication purposes.
COURSE MATERIALS
No purchases of reading materials are required for Effective Reading 9/10. On occasion, students may be asked to procure copies of old news articles from magazines and newspapers for oral and written class projects. Students must purchase the following: 1) portfolio folder for 8.5-inch by 11-inch papers; 2) red-, green-, blue- and black-ink ball point pens; 3) yellow, pink, green and blue highlighters; 4) pencils; 5) 4- x 6-inch index cards (ten cards per student). A few other materials will need to be purchased from time to time.
STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES
Students are expected to:
-be in the classroom, seated, with materials ready before the tardy bell rings.
-contribute to a positive classroom environment as modeled by the teacher.
-bring materials to class daily (i.e., daily student planner, writing paper, colored in pens, highlighters, folders, resource materials and pencils/pen/highlighters).
-comply with Kamehameha High School’s Honor Code.
-ask for help when needed.
-wear the required school uniform on scheduled days.
-respect others and uphold high standards at all times; this includes entering our classroom with a positive attitude as well as using appropriate behavior and language.
-wait to be dismissed by the instructor at the end of each period.
GRADING PROCEDURES
Quarter Grading (point system): Semester Grading (pass/fail):
Each category is worth 25% of your grade:
Class Participation: 25%% 1st Quarter: point system
Classwork/attitude/preparation: 25%% 2nd Quarter: point system
Any homework or writing assignments: 25 %
Occasional tests/quizzes: 25%
Your end-of-semester writing and reading assignments must be more than adequately completed if you are to pass this class.
See note above regarding Final Exams in Reading Enrichment!
Policy on make-up work:
See the Student Handbook for policies on make up work.