Cotton Valley Early College High School

Pre-AP English I 2013-2014

Mrs. Cristina Rubio

E-mail: Phone: (915) 765-2609

District Website: Room 11

Course Description:

Welcome to Pre-AP English I. We have a large task ahead of us, so I hope you enter our class with a positive attitude and a great work ethic. Pre-AP English I is a course designed to help students become skilled readers on a variety of literary and informational texts. Students will also learn to compose a variety of written work, which will be clear with controlling ideas, coherent organizations, and sufficient detail. English I students will also engage in activities that will build on their prior knowledge and skills in order to reinforce their reading, writing, and oral language skills.

In this class we will be observing and discussing a wide variety of genres; novels, short stories, plays, poems, non-fiction, films, and media. My goal is to introduce new methods that will help you with your critical thinking, reading, and writing abilities. By building on your prior knowledge you will successfully pass the End of Course (STAAR) exams as well as prepare you for the rigor of college classes.

We will be learning a great deal this year, but we will also be having fun. I want to have you learn in many different ways, but that is only possible if you have an open mind. Welcome to CVECHS and I hope you walk away from this class with a better appreciation for English.

Course Materials Needed:

One - 5 Subject notebook

One package black or blue pens

One package post-it flags

Two highlighters

One package pencil #2

One package 10 count fine point markers

Four folders with prongs (different colors)

Two packages of college-ruled paper

Four packages of index cards (3x5 or 4x6)

Curriculum Overview:

The English I curriculum is divided into six units. Note: grammar, sentence structure, mechanics, and vocabulary are continuously taught within each unit.

  • First Six Weeks: Beginning the Journey with Fiction/EOC Practice
  • Second Six Weeks: Non-Fiction Literature/ EOC Practice
  • Third Six Weeks: Informational Text/EOC Practice
  • Fourth Six Weeks: Poetry/EOC Practice
  • Fifth Six Weeks: Drama/EOC Practice
  • Sixth Six Weeks: Children’s Literature

Types of Assignments:

  • Reading- outside novels, short stories, essays
  • Essays- Narrative/Descriptive, Argument, Expository
  • In class timed-writings- Analysis, Argument, Synthesis
  • Journals/Response logs- Reflections
  • Group Projects- team building, cooperative learning, group presentations
  • STAAR Preparation- practice tests, practice multiple-choice passages, practice essays

Grading:

100-90% = A

89-80 % = B

79-75% = C

74-70% = D

69%-below = F

Attendance Policy: Students are expected to attend every class in order to fully comprehend the elements being discussed in class. Please see District Handbook and the attendance policy.

Tardy Policy: All students are expected to be in class and in their seats by class time. If you are tardy to class you will need to go to the office and ask for a tardy slip. If you are more than 10 minutes tardy you will be counted absent with or without a slip from the office. If this becomes an issue after the 3rd tardy parents will be called.

Classroom Expectations:

  1. Respect the rights and property others.
  2. Be seated in your assigned seat before the tardy bell rings.
  3. Be prepared for class. Come with assignments and reading completed, be ready to contribute to class and bring all necessary materials to class.
  4. If absent, it is your responsibility to ask me for make-up work. You will have time allotted equal to the number of days missed to complete missed work.
  5. Offer help and ask for help, we are a team.
  6. Come to class with a positive attitude and a willingness to learn.
  7. Bullying will not be tolerated, this includes cyber-bullying. All offenders will be reported to Dr. Hogue.

Classroom Rules:

  1. No food in class.
  2. Only water is allowed in class.
  3. Restrooms are to be used between classes.We abide by the 15/15 minute rule. You cannot ask to use the restroom until 15 minutes into class and you ask cannot ask to go the last 15 minutes of class. If an emergency arises and you need to use the restroom, then only one student will be allowed to leave the classroom at a time. Please make sure to take the hall pass with you.
  4. Grooming and hygiene need to be taken care of in the restroom. This includes applying make-up, combing of hair, applying perfume/cologne, etc.
  5. Students are expected to adhere to their home school districts and CVECHS dress code and code of conduct.
  6. No hats of any kind are to be worn in class.
  7. Plagiarism and cheating are serious offenses that will not be tolerated. If there is any question if you are plagiarizing, please ask. Both are considered academic dishonesty and appropriate consequences will be implemented if either occurs.

Consequences:

Work is to be completed and turned in on the due date. Late work will automatically be given a deduction of 10 points for every day that it is late. Late work is considered any work that is not handed in at the beginning of the period when the assignment is due. No late work can be handed in after the end of the 3 week progress report in which the assignment is due.

MAKE UP WORK is only for students who have excused absences. If you are absent and it is excused, then when you return to class you must ask for your make up work. Work must be submitted within two days of your absence. If it is not turned in within that time frame you will not be allowed to turn it in. If you are absent for more than three days, arrangements will be made to give you time to turn in the work.

English Notebook

2013-2014

Each student will need to keep an English notebook which must be brought to class every day. This notebook will allow you to keep your notes organized and in one place. The notebook will help you stay on task as well as be prepared when we are reviewing for exams or the STAAR test. So please keep it in order and complete.

I will be randomly checking your notebooks and giving a grade on them. So it is important that you always have your notebook with you and that it is organized.

Because your notebook will be organized in a specific manner, it is important that you ask where something goes if you are not sure. Daily exercises, notes, and worksheets will be a part of your notebook, so make sure you do have all of your work in the notebook and in its proper place

Academic Integrity Consent Statement

Course: Pre-AP English I Teacher: Mrs. Cristina Rubio Year: 2013-2014

DIRECTIONS: (1) Read through this statement carefully. (2) Ask questions if there is anything you do not understand. (3) Return it to your teacher.

Student/Parent Copy

I have heard the teacher's discussion of plagiarism, and I understand that I must use research conventions to cite and clearly mark other people's ideas and words within my paper. I understand that plagiarism is an act of intellectual dishonesty. I understand it is academically unethical and unacceptable to do any of the following acts:

•To submit essays written in whole or in part by another student as if it were my own.

•To download an essay from the internet, then quote or paraphrase from it, in whole or in part, without acknowledging the original source.

•To restate a clever phrase verbatim from another writer without acknowledging the source.

•To paraphrase part of another writer's work without acknowledging the source.

•To reproduce the substance of another writer's argument without acknowledging the source.

•To take work originally done for one instructor's assignment and re-submit it to another teacher.

•To cheat on tests or quizzes through the use of crib sheets, hidden notes, viewing another student's paper, revealing the answers on my own paper to another student, through verbal or textual communication, sign language, or other means of storing and communicating information, including electronic devices, recording devices, cellular telephones, headsets, and portable computers.

•To copy another student's homework and submit the work as if it were the product of my own labor.

  • I understand that the consequences for committing any of the previous acts of academic dishonesty will include a failing grade for the assignment or quiz with no opportunity for make-up. Failure in the class as a whole and possible removal from the course in extreme/repeat offenses will be directed to the Administration. Therefore, I will not plagiarize or cheat.*

Student Signature: ______Date: ______

Parent Signature: ______Date: ______*Academic Integrity Consent Form taken from CCISD

Please sign below stating that you have read and discussed all of Mrs. Rubio’s classroom rules, expectations and procedures. It is also important to include a phone number and/or an e-mail address to be able to have an active parent-teacher communication. Please return only this sheet to Mrs. Rubio. Students should keep the copy in his or her binder to reference when necessary.

STUDENT: I have read, agree, and will abide by the class expectations and consequences.

Name (Print):______

Signature: ______Date: ______

E-mail: ______

PARENT: I have read, understand, and support the expectations and consequences.

Name (Print):______

Signature: ______Date: ______

Phone #: ______

E-mail: ______