Mrs. Fornari’s English 9 Honors Syllabus
Welcome, students, to my Freshman Honors class. We will be reading some very exciting literature this year and will also accomplish a number of projects and essays that will help you become a more strategic reader and writer. I am genuinely looking forward to getting to know you all better. Be advised that there are several procedures and rules you will need to know in order to participate effectively in my class:
Class Procedures
· Please enter class quietly and on time. Arriving after the passing period bell will result in a tardy.
· Upon entering class, put your cell phone in the basket by the door. This serves as the one and only warning that cell phone use is not allowed. If a student is found using a cell phone in class, it will be confiscated and turned in to the office as per school policy.
· Turn in any homework that is due in the in-box labeled for your period and then take your seat. The in-box will be closed after the first 5 minutes of class, so remember to do this first! Homework received after this time will be marked as late and lose points according to the school late policy.
· As soon as you are seated, look to the board and write down today’s homework.
· If there is a Do Now activity on the board, please begin this once you have finished writing down your homework.
· Take notes during mini lectures and presentations.
· Arrange desks for group work quickly and quietly.
· Pack up your things to leave only after I have instructed you to do so.
· If a serious conflict is discussed with me in advance, due dates for major assignments/essays may be negotiable on an individual basis. Due date negotiation is a privilege, not a right.
· Concerning late assignments:
o Assignments will be accepted up to two days after their original due date, but will be docked 20% each day. Assignments more than two days late will not be accepted and will earn a grade of zero.
· Concerning absences:
o If you are absent, it is your responsibility to check with the instructor what assignments you missed and complete them. For every day that you were absent, you will have two days to complete the work.
§ Missed assignments not turned in within the given window will not be accepted.
o If you were present when an assignment was given but absent when the assignment was due, you must turn in the assignment upon your return, otherwise it will be considered late and docked points.
o Assignments missed due to truancy will receive a grade of 0 and cannot be made up.
Class Rules
· Listen and follow directions the first time.
· Treat all students, teachers, and staff members with kindness and respect.
o No foul language, derogatory, sexist, homophobic, classist, or racist comments of any kind will be permitted.
· Have respect for school property and textbooks.
· Have respect for your classmates’ right to a quiet work environment by limiting conversations to transition time and whispering.
· Have all necessary work materials (pen, paper, reading resource) upon entering class.
· Food may be eaten in class, but will be taken away if it becomes a distraction. All trash must be picked up or all food privileges will be removed.
· Raise your hand to speak or request permission to leave the room.
· Headphones, MP3 players, cellphones, or games are not permitted at any time. Upon entering class, put your cell phone in the basket by the door. This serves as the one and only warning that cell phone use is not allowed. If a student is found using a cell phone in class, it will be confiscated and turned in to the office as per school policy.
· Students must present themselves according to the school dress code.
· Cheating and plagiarism are not acceptable and will result in a grade of 0 in addition to other serious academic and disciplinary consequences detailed in the AGBU MHS Student Handbook.
Consequences
Should a student fail to follow the rules or procedures, they will face one or more of the following consequences:
1st offense
· Warning (with the exception of cell phones, which will be immediately confiscated)
2nd offense
· Private conversation with student
· Parent notification
3rd offense
· Referral to principal
Syllabus
This syllabus contains a brief breakdown of each unit including major texts and assignments. All assignments and texts are subject to change.
· Semester 1
o Unit 1: Summer Reading/Plot and Predictions
§ Summer Reading Review
o To Kill a Mockingbird project
§ Short Stories from Textbook
o Compare-Contrast essay
o Unit 2: Short Stories, Theme, and Symbolism
§ Short Stories from Textbook
o Student-written short story publication
§ Farenheit 451 – Ray Bradbury
§ Animal Farm – George Orwell
o Research essay and presentation
§ A Christmas Carol – Charles Dickens
· Semester 2
o Unit 3: Shakespeare and Poetry
§ Shakespeare’s Sonnets – Any publication
o Poetry analysis essay
§ Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
o Director’s portfolio and movie trailer project
§ Midsummer Night’s Dream – William Shakespeare
o Cause-Effect essay
o Unit 4: Mythology
§ Mythology – Edith Hamilton
§ The Odyssey - Homer
o Technology Project
o Reflective Essay
Grading
Students will be graded and assessed informally (observation, discussion, class participation) and formally (essays, projects, assignments) throughout the year. Major formal assessments will be accompanied by a rubric, stating all the things I will be looking for when I give a grade.
· Semester grade will be determined by the following categories:
o Essays/Projects – 40% of the overall grade
o Classwork & Homework – 25% of the overall grade
o Tests – 20% of overall grade
o Quizzes – 10% of overall grade
o Participation – 5% of overall grade
Semester Independent Reading Project
Each semester students will be required to independently read a minimum of 250 pages of literature outside the English curriculum and present a project demonstrating their understanding and opinion of the text. Project prompts will be explained and given out during the first week of school.
· Students may choose any novel they desire as long as it is at grade-level or above.
· Students may not read more than one book to fulfill the 250-page requirement.
· Students must clear their book choices with me before reading.
· Project due dates will be announced the first week of school.
Book List (necessary to purchase outside of the textbook)
· Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
· Animal Farm by George Orwell
· A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
· A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare
· Mythology by Edith Hamilton
______Detach Here______
I, ______, parent/guardian of ______have read the above syllabus and agree to all rules and procedures herein.
Parent Signature: ______Date: ______
I, ______, have read the above syllabus and agree to all rules and procedures herein.
Student Signature: ______Date: ______