School: Ramsay High School

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School: Ramsay High School

Instructor: Mrs. Sonja Nicole Hill, English Department Chairperson

M.A., NBCT (National Board Certified Teacher)

Room #: 203M

School Phone: 231-7000

Email: (always available)

Class Website: www.schoolrack.com/sncrenshaw

School Year: 2013-2014

Course Title: Pre-AP English 11

I. Course Objectives: The Pre- AP English Language and Composition course is designed to provide students with a learning experience to prepare them for the introductory year of a college composition course work. “As in the college course, its purpose is to enable students to read complex texts with understanding and to write prose of sufficient richness and complexity to communicate effectively with mature readers.” (College Board, AP English Course Description, May 2007, May 2008, p. 6) This course will help students become skilled readers of prose written in a variety of disciplines and rhetorical contexts, and become skilled writers who compose for a variety of purposes, aware of the interactions among a writer’s purposes, audience expectations, and subjects. The course teaches and requires students to write in several forms (e.g., narrative, expository, analytical, and argumentative essays) about a variety of subjects (e.g., public policies, popular culture, personal experiences). In addition, the course requires students to write essays that proceed through several stages or drafts, with revision aided by teacher and peers. An integral part of the course should be the development of research skills that enable students to evaluate, analyze, synthesize, and cite source material.

II. Course Organization: The course is organized by thematic units.

III. Grading System: Students’ grades are based on an accumulated-point system. Each graded assignment or activity is assigned a certain number of points based on its complexity and overall importance to the objectives of the course. Rubrics are the most effective way to evaluate and score performances such as essays, speeches, and group projects. At the end of each term, the student’s grade is determined by dividing the number of points earned by the number of points possible.

Grading Scale and Policy:

The grading scale for this class follows the grading system set forth by the Board of Education. Advanced Placement classes are on a five point scoring system when computing grade point averages (A=4, B=3, C=2, D=1 and F=0).

IV. Textbooks and References:

1.  Elements of Literature Fifth Course – Volume Two from 1900 (issued)

2.  Writer’s Choice – Grammar textbook (class set)

V. Instructional Activities: Each semester, students will minimally:

·  Work in groups to workshop reading and vocabulary, presenting and writing, grammar, and analysis

·  Produce writing samples to construct the patterns of paragraph development;

·  Write timed and process essays

·  Cite primary and secondary resources using Modern Language Association (MLA) style;

·  Read and annotate short stories, essays, speeches, novels, and plays;

·  Actively participate in Socratic seminars and literary circles;

·  Make presentations with groups and/or individually;

·  Analyze texts and images as texts;

·  Enrich vocabulary skills through regular vocabulary practice;

·  Practice grammar skills at least once each week;

·  Edit and revise papers with teacher and peers;

·  Read various titles and genres in fiction, nonfiction, drama, and poetry;

·  Develop a writing portfolio containing writing samples proceeding through several stages of the writing process; and

·  Participate in at least one student-teacher conference each semester scheduled during AO (Academic Opportunity) or after class.

Summer Reading List:

Summer reading assignments will be completed during the first term.

Materials:

You should bring the following materials to class each day:

1.  Two marbled composition notebook for journals (one black and one colored);

2.  A 2-3 inch three-ring binder with pockets for workshop assignments;

3.  Loose leaf paper;

4.  Writing instruments, including highlighters or colored pencils; and

5.  Five tabbed dividers to include in the binder labeled as follows: (Reading, Language, Writing/Presenting, Vocabulary)

6.  Jump Drive

Class Assignments Policy:

All assignments must be turned in at the beginning of class on the date that they are due and in the form in which they are due. Late assignments may be turned in for reduced credit (a letter grade for each day late). The deadline for all late assignments will be set by the instructor. No late assignments will be accepted after this deadline period, unless the lateness has been discussed with and cleared by me prior to or on the date that the assignment is originally due.

COMPUTER AND/OR PRINTER PROBLEMS ARE NOT AN ACCEPTABLE EXCUSE FOR A LATE ASSIGNMENT. While usually a blessing, technology can also be a curse! Back-up your work early and often. If you can’t print something out, e-mail the work to yourself or bring it to school on a jump drive and print it out before you come to class. You will not be able to print out a document once you get to class.

Absence Make-up Policy:

When you return from an absence, it is your responsibility to check with me to get copies of assignments and to find out what other work you have missed. You have two days to make up work assigned during your absence. If the assignment was known in advance of the absence and was due during the absence or on the date of your return, it is due immediately on the day you return, unless the lateness has been discussed with and cleared by me prior to your return.

Academic Integrity:

All assignments in the class are to be completed individually, unless specifically stated otherwise. Your name on a paper signals that you alone completed the assignment. When an assignment, such as a research paper, requires you to consult outside sources, all such sources must be clearly credited in your work using MLA (Modern Language Association) citation format.

Academic Dishonesty:

This applies to both written and oral presentations. Examples of academic dishonesty include, but are not limited to, the following: the willful giving or receiving of an unauthorized text, unfair, dishonest, or unscrupulous advantage in academic work over other students using fraud, duress, deception, theft, trickery, talking, signs, gestures, copying, text messaging, or any other methodology.

Plagiarism – submitting or presenting another person’s work as your own without proper documentation, including downloading information from the Internet and lab data; using another student’s material without prior approval.

Cheating – giving or receiving information during a test, quiz, and/or class work assignment without teacher authorization; using hand signals, gestures, and the like during tests or quizzes to obtain/give information; using unauthorized materials during a test or quiz.

Expectations:

1.  Be on time to class. You are tardy when the last bell rings.

2.  Be familiar with and abide by the rules and regulations according to the Student Code of Conduct and in the RHS Parent-Student Handbook.

3.  Come prepared with your book, assignments, and supplies.

4.  No food is permitted in the classroom. Other electronic devices may be used with the teacher’s permission ONLY. Cell phones may NOT be used to make calls or send/receive text messages.

5.  Be respectful of yourself, your classmates, the teacher, and of property.

6.  Participate and do your best each day!

COURSE OUTLINE

Term 1

Thematic Unit: Persuading With Style

Literary Focus: Short Stories, Speeches, Informational Texts

Major Work: What to the Slave is the 4th of July by Frederick Douglass

Writing Mode: Argument, Autobiography

Term 2

Thematic Unit: Alienation

Literary Focus: Novel, Poetry, Informational Text, Short Stories

Major Work: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Writing Mode: Argument, Expository

Term 3

Thematic Unit: The Duty of Writers

Literary Focus: Novel, Poetry, Informational Text, Short Stories, Essays

Major Work: Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

Writing Mode: Argument, Expository

Term 4

Thematic Unit: Drama and Politics/Research

Literary Focus: Nonfiction, Drama

Major Work: The Crucible by Arthur Miller

Writing Mode: Primary Sources, Compare and Contrast, Research

*The instructor reserves the right to adjust the syllabus as necessary.*

Pre-AP ENGLISH QOE+M Workshop Evaluation Rubric

Each workshop assignment is worth 50 points for a total of 200 points for all 4 assignments in the workshop. The scores are based on the following criteria:

Q = Question. (3, 2, or 1 point)

Did the writer answer it, which means did the writer analyze/present a clear, concise response?

O = Organization. (3, 2, or 1 point)

Is the structure clearly laid out in a logical way?

Did the writer include mature transitions?

Also, is the syntax clear enough to make sense to the reader? Did the writer respond in complete sentences?

E = Evidence and Commentary. (3, 2, or 1 point)

Each response should provide specific evidence from the text with INSIGHTFUL analysis/explanation.

M = Mechanics (-1 or -2 points)

Grammar/Mechanics can only take a score down (1-2 points) and only if it compromises understanding in a negative way; grammar includes spelling if it’s clear the problem is not because the paper is a first draft.

Score Conversion (50 points)

9 = 50 (rare) 9s – Superbly Effective

8 = 48 (excellent) 8s – Effective/Insightful

7 = 46 (great) 7s – Proficient/Impressive

6 = 43 (good) 6s – Effective/Addresses prompt/Developed

5 = 39 (getting there) 5s - Superficial/Inconsistent/Some summary and some analysis

4 = 36 (close) 4s - Inadequate/Summarizes

3 = 32 (see me) 3s - Weak writing/Misunderstands prompt/Incomplete thoughts

2 = 30 (see me soon) 2s - Simplistic/Vague

1 = 25 (see me today!) 1s - Undeveloped/Does not address prompt/Poorly written