NYOS

English I

Course Syllabus 2017-2018

Literature of Political Conflict and the Coming of Age

Dr. Turner

My HOMEWORK APP

TurnItIn.com

Course Description

In English I, students will embark on a rigorous study of language and literature, developing analytical and writing skills that will prepare them for advanced reading, synthesis, discussion, composition, and critical thinking. Engaging both familiar and unfamiliar texts, students will recognize the nuances of multicultural perspectives, establish connections between those perspectives, and make critical, evidence-based arguments about literature and its contexts.Students will think and write critically about how texts fit into broader historical, political, and cultural contexts. Students will study three novels during the school year (Ender’s Game (1977), Life of Pi (2002), and I Am Malala (2013)), in addition to numerous poems, essays, expository texts, and other supplemental reading. Students will also self-select a book to read in the final quarter, to embark on a study of the course’s themes in their chosen text.In addition to the study literature broadly, English I also emphasizes a conceptual and practical knowledge of rhetoric and rhetorical concepts including argument, audience, and appeal, and students will analyze as well as create examples of written and visual rhetoric. In studying rhetoric and literature, students will develop the critical thinking, research, writing, and thinking skills they need to purposefully engage texts of infinite variety.

English I demands a lot of reading and writing. Students will read and/or write in class and at home nearly every day. We will work together to demystify the critical thinking and writing processes, and over the course of the school year students will generate, draft, revise, edit, and submit several long writing assignments based on our readings (details below). They will also produce and present a number of creative projects based on their own interests as well as class concepts and themes.

Course Objectives

This school year, students will:

  • Develop analytical (“close-reading”) skills to read narrative and expository texts
  • Engage diverse texts and voices to better understandmulticultural perspectives
  • Learn, develop, & practice the writing process: think, draft, revise, edit, share
  • Expandunderstanding of and appreciationfor argumentation and rhetoric
  • Build an academic and literary vocabulary preparing them for purposeful learning
  • Practice informal, creative writing and formal, timed writing, with emphasis on skill building and style development, in accordance with state standards

Content

Required Texts

Students must purchase a print copy (not electronic) and bring each to class on designated days. A used copy is fine – Half Price Books often has copies:

  • (Summer Reading) Persepolis (vol. I only), Marjane Satrapi (2003)
  • Ender’s Game, Orson Scott Card (Tom Doherty & Associates, 1977)
  • Life of Pi, Yann Martel (Harcourt, 2001)
  • I Am Malala, Malala Yousafzai (editions vary, 2013)
  • Self-selected book of choice (approved by Dr. Turner) in final quarter

**Nb. Some class textsinclude mature themes and issues. Reading and discussingdiverse perspectives, some of which involve mature themes and issues, is not meant to condone or celebrate the situations presented by texts. Instead, such reading encourages students to think critically, allowingthem to see how language works to portrayhuman experience in an authentic and memorableway. If, after reading part of the book assigned, you find it inappropriate, please contact Dr. Turner for a suggested alternative text for your student to study.

Supplemental Texts

In addition to the primary novels listed above,students will also receive and be responsible for supplemental texts distributed by Dr. Turner. These will include short stories, essays, poems, advertisements, news articles, editorials, etc. These sources are meant to build students’ practical as well as analytical knowledge and skills. Students will receive copies of all supplemental texts or supplemental texts will be available via My Homework App.

Required Class Materials

*Note: English I and English I Pre-AP will be held in a computer-based classroom. Many assignments will be created, developed, edited, completed, and turned in online using Google Docs or a similar format. If you foresee this being an issue for your student, please contact Dr. Turner immediately.

Daily

It is recommended that students have a separate binderfor English. Regardless, every day, students must have (1) a writing utensil, (2) loose leaf college-ruled notebook paper, (3) any reading packet or other paper materials assigned by Dr. Turner, and (4) the required text they are studying at the time. If students are regularly unprepared, parents will be contacted so that a solution can be reached.

Classroom Donations

If possible, students should bring once for the class one of the following items:

  • Highlighters
  • Kleenex
  • Hand sanitizer
  • Crayola Markers
  • Glue sticks
  • (only if able) Extra copies of requiredclass texts

Grading

Papers30%

Pre-Writing (10%)

Drafting/Revising/Editing (10%)

Final Paper (10%)

Projects30%

Tests/Quizzes20%

In-class work10%

Homework10%

OTHER CLASS POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

Homework**

Your student must subscribe to myhomework app. It can be downloaded through the app stores on your mobile phone, or accessed online via:

myhomeworkapp.com.

Homework assignments, announcements, review items, class documents, and other materials can be accessed through MHA. Find Joanna Turner as a NYOS teacher.

**English courses require a lot of reading and writing, which will comprise the majority of homework assignments for English 1 Pre-AP. There will be some time in class for students to work on reading and writing, but students should also expect to work at home.

Tardies and Absences

Tardies: If you are late to class, enter the classroom and take your seat silently. At the appropriate time, Dr. Turner will provide you with a tardy form to complete. An excessive number of tardies will result in an individual conference with Dr. Turner, and subsequent parent contact.

Absences: The student is responsible for making up all work missed due to extra-curricular activities or field trips as well as absences. This cannot be done during class time, and you should discuss due dates with Dr. Turner.

If a student is absent the day before a test, he or she will be required to take the test with the rest of the class. If a student has been absent more than one day during the period covered by the test, it is his or her responsibility to check with Dr. Turner, prior to test day, to see whether or not a makeup test may be taken. You have one week in which to make up a missed test. If a test is not taken within this time, it will result in a zero.

For extenuating circumstances, alwayscontactDr. Turner.

Make-up Policy

Late work: If you have not been absent, late work will be permitted with a pro-rated grade penalty. One day (even same-day) late = max grade 90%; two days late = max grade 80%, three days late = max grade 70%, etc. After five days, if the assignment is not made up, the maximum grade it can receive is a 50%. Students have two weeks to make up missed work before it becomes a 0.

Quizzes: Any student who wishes to retake a quiz or test may do so for a maximum of 80%, after having completed tutorials with Dr. Turner. Quiz and test corrections for points back are not accepted.

Tutoring / Conferences

Dr. Turner will have weekly tutoring on Mondays during homeroom, and is also available before school via appointment. Depending on performance, you may be required to sign up for tutoring.

Phone “Jail” / Power Tower

Dr. Turner’s classroom is computer-based, and we will use computers frequently. Because we have access to these resources and they require full attention, Dr. Turner does not allow the use of phones, mp3 players, iPads, ereaders, or other electronic devicesthat are not class computers during class (exceptions announced in advance). If a phone/device is seen during class time (including Dr. Turner’s) and it’s not already on the Power Tower (see below), it goes into “phone jail” at the front of class. You may get your it back at the end of class (**If there is an emergency, notify Dr. Turner in advance).

**note on the “Power Tower” – if you’d like to charge your phone/device in Dr. Turner’s classroom, you may bring YOUR OWN charger and place the phone/device on the “Power Tower.” If you choose to do this, you will not be allowed to retrieve the phone/device until class is over.

Restroom Logos

This year, you will learn about rhetorical appeals, including logos, an appeal using logic. In many cases, logos appeals appear as an “If [this], then [that]” statement. For example, “If you study diligently, then you will likely perform better on a test.” For the restroom policy in Dr. Turner’s classroom, IF the following conditions are met, THEN students may use the restroom and/or get water:

  • If it is not direct instruction, a timed writing, or a quiz/test
  • If they obtain permission from Dr. Turner
  • If they can be back in 3 minutes or less

One more example: IF students abuse this policy or are leaving class too often (more than once per week), THEN they will conference with Dr. Turner, and parents will be contacted.

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Honor Code

Whether individual or group assignments are given, all students are expected to produce original work.

Purpose of the Honor Code

Academic integrity is an essential element in NYOS Charter School’s philosophy and practice. We uphold standards of academic excellence, integrity, and honesty. The Honor Code is meant to maintain these values, and promote a positive environment for learning.

Honor Code Pledge Posted in Classrooms:

I promise that I have not cheated, plagiarized, committed fraud, or given nor received unauthorized help in the completion of this assignment, or lied about any of the aforementioned.

Students are to write on all tests, and on assignments at the teacher’s discretion:

“I promise to uphold the NYOS Honor Code.”

Their signature will follow the statement.

NYOS CHARTER SCHOOL ACADEMIC INTEGRITY POLICY

Students found to have engaged in academic dishonesty shall be subject to grade penalties on assignments or assessments and disciplinary penalties in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct. Academic dishonesty includes cheating or copying the work of another student, giving another student your work, plagiarism, forgery, and fabrication. The determination that a student has engaged in academic dishonesty shall be based on the judgment of the classroom teacher or another supervising professional employee, taking into consideration written materials, observation, or information from students.

Cheating:

  • Copying anything from another student without express permission from the teacher
  • Allowing another student to copy work without express permission from the teacher
  • Collaborating with another person to complete an assignment without express permission from the teacher
  • Using any written or on-line materials to complete an assignment without express permission from the teacher
  • Providing answers to another student in any way during a quiz or test
  • Using any unauthorized aids during a quiz or test
  • Illegally obtaining quiz/test questions or answers prior to quiz/test
  • Using a cell phone, PDA, MP3, or any other electronic or communication device for any reason during the time provided for a test or quiz, inside or outside the classroom
  • Purchasing or selling essays, papers, or reports from any source and submitting them as one’s own work

Plagiarism:

  • Submitting copied work as one’s own
  • Submitting portions of a text as one’s own, including copying from a textbook without using quotation marks
  • Paraphrasing someone else’s ideas and submitting them as one’s own in any form (oral, written, artistic, etc.)
  • Failing to credit sources properly

Forgery: involves any unauthorized signing of another person’s name to school-related documents,

including but not limited to requested or required parent signatures on grade sheets or quiz/test scores.

Fabrication: involves any intentional falsification or invention of data or citation of authority

in an academic assignment.

Minimum Consequences for copying or unauthorized collaboration in the classroom, cheating on tests or quizzes, Plagiarism, Forgery, or Fabrication:(All offenses will count accumulatively whether in same class or in different classes)

1st Offense:

  • Parents will be notified by the teacher
  • Teacher will notify all other teachers, coaches, sponsors of this student
  • Counselor will be notified
  • Student will receive a zero with make-up opportunities allowed with a maximumgrade of50%. The original zero is to be averaged with the make-up assignment grade for a maximum of 50%.
  • Student involved in extracurricular activities will be subject to the consequences stipulated by their organization, sponsor, and/or coach
  • Student will be reminded of the Academic Integrity Policy and the consequences for the secondoffense

2nd Offense (in any class):

  • All students involved will be referred to the Assistant Principal, Dr. Churchin (documentation required).
  • Parents will be notified by the teacher and the Assistant Principal
  • Students involved in extracurricular activities will be subject to the consequences stipulated by their organization, sponsor, and/or coach
  • If the 2nd offense is in same class:
  • Student may be removed from the Pre-AP or AP class to a regular class with grade average to stand AS IS.
  • Student will be assigned Community Service determined by the Assistant Principal
  • Student will be placed on a Continuation Contract
  • Student will be referred to the Academic Integrity Committee (sponsor/coach, administrator, counselor,and teachers)
  • Possible ineligibility for field trips
  • Student will receive a zero with no make-up opportunities allowed

3rd Offense (in any class):

  • Indicates a persistent pattern and the following serious consequences will occur:
  • Student will receive a zero with no make-up opportunities allowed
  • Student will be referred to the Academic Integrity Committee (sponsor/coach, administrator, counselor, and teachers)
  • Student will be removed from extracurricular activities at the discretion of the Academic Integrity Committee
  • 3-day suspension pending possible expulsion

These consequences will be in effect for one school year. The student will begin with zero offenses at the beginning of each school year. HOWEVER, a record of all offenses will be kept on file and subject to scrutiny in the granting of honors, including but not limited to National Honor Society membership, recommendation letters for colleges and scholarships, Who’s Who, Homecoming, and all major school events that would be representative of an exemplary academic student.