Ms. Lauren Gustafson, M.A. Ed.
Room D-10, Office Hours 4th period & by appointment (925) 461-6600 ext. 5810
Junior English
Welcome! I am pleased and honored to be your Junior English teacher, and I look forward to working with and getting to know you this year. Please familiarize yourself and your parents/guardians with this syllabus, as well as my website for more information and resources, including our class calendars, handouts, notes, and assignments: http://www.pleasanton.k12.ca.us/fhsweb/gustafson/home.html.
I. Course Content
Junior English is a challenging and enriching yearlong course designed to blend listening, speaking, and writing into a literature-based program that is aligned with the California State English-Language Arts Content Standards. You will engage in a chronological study of American literature that covers the following literary movements: Colonialism, Romanticism, Realism, Modernism, and Post-Modernism. Within the study of these periods, you will read a wide selection of genres, including fiction (the novel and the short story), non-fiction, drama, and poetry. Core texts will include The Crucible (First Semester), The Great Gatsby (Second Semester), and the Elements of Literature: Fifth Course anthology. Supplemental texts may include A Streetcar Named Desire and The Catcher in the Rye. SAT vocabulary, literary terms/devices, grammar, essays, presentations, and Sustained Silent Reading will be integrated throughout the course. Through various individual and group assignments, you will be encouraged to think critically, discuss confidently, and write fluently.
II. Course Grading Policies
An A is 90% and above, a B is 80-89%, a C 70-79%, a D 60-69%, and an F is below 60%. Quarter grades will continue cumulatively after the first and third quarters. I will be using a standards-based, weighted grading system. Grades are based on points earned within the weighted categories according to the standard grading scale. The breakdown of weighted categories by percentage is as follows:
§ Listening, Speaking, and Participation 15%
§ Reading 40%
§ Writing 45%
You are responsible for knowing your current grade - which can be viewed online via Zangle - and for saving all of your graded and returned work unless otherwise instructed, as any questions you may have will be resolved by referring to the returned work.
Please note that the English department requires a satisfactory submission according to assignment standards on all of the major writing assignments for each course in order for you to have met the course requirements, regardless of other points accrued which may total a passing grade. Without these writing assignments, you may fail the course. In order to complete the course requirements, the writing must be made up, even when all of the points possible have been lost due to late work.
III. Course Expectations
School rules and policies (including those regarding attendance and electronic devices) will be enforced. I expect for you to:
1. Be cooperative and productive; follow directions the first time they are given, and stay on task.
2. Be honest, and demonstrate high personal integrity; author your own work. Note: cheating of any kind, including plagiarism (typed writing assignments must be in completed in MLA format, printed, and uploaded electronically to turnitin.com), will not be tolerated; the Foothill Academic Honesty Policy will be enforced.
3. Behave kindly, politely, and compassionately; respect the rights, opinions, feelings, personal space, and property of others.
4. Participate actively, positively, and appropriately in class discussions and activities. Note: daily participation is required through activities, individual/group presentations, class discussions, and collaborative work groups, as sharing questions and ideas is essential for fostering critical thinking and learning and achieving success.
5. Be responsible, and practice self-discipline; proofread work prior to submission, and submit your best work on schedule.
Make-Up and Late Work Policies
There is no substitute for regular, timely attendance in class. You must be in your seat and ready to work by the time class is scheduled to begin, or else you may be considered tardy. Submissions and work missed due to tardies and unexcused absences may not be accepted.
Sometimes what was covered in class cannot be replicated or made up outside of the classroom environment; when you miss class, you miss out on the learning and practicing that is taking place, and the rest of us miss your contributions to the class, so please try to attend class regularly. If you have an excused absence, you have one day per excused absence to make up missed assignments, which you are responsible for determining and obtaining. You are also responsible for making appointments with me to schedule any test/quiz make-ups on the day that you return from an excused absence. Otherwise, late work may not be accepted, with the exception of late essays, which will receive half credit for each day late. Pre-announced major assignments, such as essays and projects, will be due on the exact due date whether or not you are at school (even if you have an excused absence). You may complete work for pre-planned absences – such as field trips, sporting events, and family trips – prior to your absence, or it must be submitted on the day that you return from the absence.
*Final note: I want you to be successful in this class and believe that you can! Please help me and yourself by being proactive in your education; do not hesitate to contact me regarding any questions or concerns that you may have throughout the year - seek help if you need it. I am often available during my 4th period office hours or by appointment during lunch or before/after school. This class exists to help you grow and improve, so I encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity!
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Parent/Guardian Information Sheet
I have read Ms. Gustafson’s requirements for Junior English and understand the requirements, responsibilities, and expectations set forth. I am aware that I may email, call, or make an appointment with Ms. Gustafson to address any questions or concerns I have regarding her class.
Student Name (print)______
Parent/Guardian Name (print)______
Home Phone Number______
Work Phone Number______
Parent Email Address______
(*Unless specifically noted, email will be my primary method of contact)
Student Email Address______
Student Signature ______
Parent/Guardian Signature ______