English 9 Honors Homethoughtfull English



  • English 9 Honors English 10 G/T Helpful Links/Docs Clubs/Organizations English 9 Honors (Periods 2 & 5) Quarter 1 Weeks 1-2: Class Agenda & Homework Log 8/25/2015.
  • Welcome to 9 Honors. On this page you will be able to access homework assignments, project dates, long term writing assignments and your monthly calendars. You will also be able to print most of our handouts and rubrics. This page is designed to give you what you need.

Secondary ELA Curriculum. Honors English 9 Curriculum. Skip To Content.

Welcometo your first year of high school!

This is an excitingbeginning for you, and I am looking forward to helping you develop the skillsneeded to be a successful high school student. This year, we will embark on a genre-based study of literature while honingskills in reading comprehension, grammar, writing, and vocabulary. This classwill allow you to strengthen your knowledge of foundational skills in EnglishLanguage Arts while challenging you to apply these skills to a wide variety oftexts.

Expectations of an HONORS student:

·Iexpect all students in this class to be self-motivatedand proactive in each learningexperience throughout the year. This means that you take responsibility foryour own learning and progress by bringing the appropriate materials to classeach day, asking questions when you have them, maintaining an awareness of yourclass average via ASPEN, meeting with me when you need extra help, andparticipating daily in class activities and discussions.

· Iexpect that you will consistently demonstrate satisfactory written English in all coursework. Proofreading andcareful attention to task and audience should always be evident in your writtenwork, from nightly homework assignments to major essays.

·Iexpect that you will demonstrate seriousengagement with reading assignments by using active reading strategies.Please be prepared to read an average of 20-25 pages carefully and thoughtfullyeach night.

·Muchof this course revolves around whole class or small group discussion. I expectyou to conduct yourself maturely and to demonstraterespect for differing opinions during class discussion.

·Allstudents are expected to use MLA style for all written work. This will be discussed further in class.


COURSE GOALS

This year, ourgoals are to

·read,discuss, and write thoughtfully about different types of literature

·independently generate analytical questions about atext through class discussion and writing

English

·displayknowledge of various literary genres and literary devices

·improveskills in grammar, mechanics, and usage

·applysteps of the writing process effectively and efficiently

·developand apply research, oral presentation, study, and listening skills

· increase vocabulary

·developa personal writing voice while practicing technical writing skills on ourjournaling website

·demonstratecomprehension of material through essays, quizzes, and tests

MATERIALS: Please bring the following items to eachclass:

• pens/pencils; Pens are preferred for testsand quizzes. If you choose to use pencil, you may not ask me to review a quizor test grade.

• sticky notes and highlighters are recommended

• assignment notebook

•a binder specifically for English class in which to take notes and storecorrected assignments/handouts by category

Suggested sections: literaturenotes, grammar, vocabulary, writing

• current book/reading assignment/relevanthandouts

·vocabularybook (on vocabulary days): VocabularyWorkshop, Sadlier Oxford, Level D

COURSE OUTLINE: While thisoutline will give you a basic idea of the year ahead, please be advised thatsmall changes may occur in timing, and certain works may be added or deleted. Wewill be working on vocabulary throughout the year.

Unit1: Nonfiction Focus of study:Style, structure as relatedto purpose/rhetorical mode, awareness of audience, application of writing techniquesduring in-class writing workshops and take home essays/literary analyses, MLAformat

Primary texts:

Selection from A Summer Life, “The Talk”by Gary Soto or “Shooting an Elephant” by George Orwell

“Where Nothing Says Everything” bySuzanne Berne

“Why Prisons Don’t Work” by Wilbert Rideau or “A Modest Proposal” byJonathan Swift

TheGlass Castle: A Memoir by JeannetteWalls (You will write a literary analysis for this book.)

Vocabulary

Grammar:Parts of Speech/Parts of a Sentence

Unit2: The Novel: Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

Focus of study:

·Structure/plot

·Symbolism

·Metaphor/figurative language

·Setting

·Characterization

·Topic/theme

·Writing a literary analysis,incorporating outside literary criticism

Vocabulary

Grammar: Sentence Structure, Phrases,Clauses, Punctuation

Unit3: Drama

Antigone by Sophocles

Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

Focus of study:

·historyof drama

English 9 honors homethoughtfull english textbook

·elementsof drama

·characterization

·tragicstructure

Grammar: (Time permitting) Subject/verbagreement, pronoun use

Vocabulary

Unit4: Poetry (Assorted poetry andauthors) Primary Text: Poetry 180,edited by Billy Collins

Focus of study:

·poeticdevices

·speaker,tone, imagery, diction

English 9 Honors Homethoughtfull English Textbook

·rhythmsand stresses

·basicvarieties of poetry

ASSIGNMENTS:

·In addition to the reading assignments ineach of the above units, you will be given assignments in critical analysis,creative writing, vocabulary, grammar and mechanics. I encourage you to use Quizlet.com as a studytool for vocabulary. Our Quizlet vocab lists can be found under the class MERHSEnglish 9.

·Online journaling is assigned weekly.Please see the attached guidelines for more information.

English 9 Honors Homethoughtfull English Dub

GRADING:

Eachassignment will have a point value. At the end of each quarter, your grade willbe determined by dividing the points you received by the total points offered.

Tests:100 points

“Quests”:40-60 points

Longwriting assignments/analytical papers: 100 points (Please see attached Englishdepartment scoring guide.)

Quizzes:20-30 points

English 9 Honors Homethoughtfull English Language Arts

Shortwriting assignments: 10-15 points

Journals15 points

Homework/reading checks: 5-20 points (depending on lengthand complexity)

Additionalprojects will be given point values according to their length and complexity.

Your four quarterly grades will account for 90% of yourgrade for the year. The final exam is worth 10% of your final average.

Expectations/Policies:

Absences/Dismissals

oIfyou are absent or know you will be absent, you are responsible for looking atthe class website and/or contacting me or a classmate to receive theassignment. I will not chase you to complete make up work. Please see me toarrange a deadline to make up any work missed due to absence. If you do notarrange to make up the work after threedays, you will receive a zero.

oAbsenceswill not automatically excuse you from an assignment, test, or quiz that hasalready been scheduled for the day you return and for which you have alreadyreceived notice. If there is an extenuating circumstance regarding why you areunable to take a test due to an absence, your parent must contact mebeforehand.

oPleaseemail me assignments if you are absenton the due date. You still need to give me a hard copy of the paper when youreturn to class. If you are too sickto work on an assignment, please bring me a note from your parents.

oIfyou attend school the day an assignment is due and are then dismissed, you areexpected to give me the assignment before you are dismissed. You can leave iton my desk or give it to the main office to give to me.

Printing Issues

oIfyou have a printing issue, you may submit your typed assignment according tothe following procedure:

  • FIRST: E-mail the assignment to me BEFORE THE START OF CLASS. Assignments e-mailed after class begins will be considered late.
  • THEN: After e-mailing the assignment, you must submit a hard copy to me by the time class meets the next day.

It is my hope thatthis will allow for some leeway with unforeseen printing issues that may occur.YOU MAY NOT PRINT A PAPER AT THE BEGINNING OF CLASS.

Homework

oHomework isassigned in order to prepare you for class discussion the next day and/or toreinforce concepts discussed in class (i.e., vocabulary, grammar).Timely completion of homework allowsyou to fully engage and participate in each lesson and discussion. Because eachlesson is designed around the previous night’s assignment, late homework assignments will be accepted for purposes of feedbackonly; credit will not be given for late homework.

oHomework may bespot-checked or collected. If a homework assignment is collected, I will begrading it based on thoroughness and effort. Careless mistakes or incompleteanswers will negatively affect your grade.

English 9 Honors Homethoughtfull English Subtitles

Writing Assignments

oLongwriting assignments (essays, etc.) may be handed in for late credit (-10% for eachday it is late). After three days, you will receive a zero.

Celebrating new milestones!effective curriculum ideas. oShortwriting assigned for homework (a brief paragraph response, etc.) may not be turned in for late credit.

oJOURNALSthat are past the Monday 2:15 deadline will receive 0 credit. Please review thejournaling policy on the MERHS Journaling website (and attached).

oAllformal writing assignments will be graded using the English Department ScoringGuidelines (attached).

Whoops!

oAlwayscheck your work carefully. If you make a mistake on a test or quiz, skip aquestion, etc., you will not be allowed to make changes after handing it in.This policy also applies to ScanTron assessments, so please be sure to workcarefully.

Extra Credit

oExtracredit may be offered to the whole class but will not be given on anindividual basis.

English

Extra Help/appointments

oPLEASEcome see me if you are confused, need clarification on my feedback, or justneed a pep talk! You will find that meeting with me for a short visit CAN HELPTREMENDOUSLY. J

oThebeginning of class is nota goodtime to discuss individual concerns, so please be mindful of this and plan tosee me before or after school to arrange for extra help or make-up work.

EnglishEnglish 9 honors homethoughtfull english dub

Cellphones and laptops

·Please make sure to turn your cellphone off when you enter the classroom. Cell phones will be collected at the beginningof class before tests and quizzes and may be collected daily if they are notturned off and kept in backpacks.

·Notes will be taken by hand, not on a laptop. When the use of a laptop is deemed necessary for thelesson, I will let you know in advance.

AcademicDishonesty, Plagiarism (CHEATING): Cheating robs yourself(and potentially others) of the chance to

challenge yourself and demonstratewhat you actually have learned. PLEASE be mindful of your work and make sure

it is your own. Please visit theschool handbook regarding all forms of cheating. Microsoft wmv player for mac. Cheating of any kind in oroutside of

class will result in a 0 for theassignment as well as disciplinary action from the school administration.

Contactbuckleym@mersd.org Room B212

I am usually atschool and available to check my email until 3. Emailssent outside of school hours and on weekends may not be addressed immediately.When working on an assignment, please allocate enough time to address questionsand concernsin person. Emailing me the night before anassignment is due does not demonstrate responsibility.

GoogleClassroom and Google Website

oPlease check Google Classroom daily forassignments and announcements.

oThe class website is linked to our GoogleClassroom in the “About” page. Please check the class website for useful linksand study tools.

Street brawls….murder….escaped convicts….the tragic hero’s inevitable fate…the power of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable hardship….true love…regret, forgiveness, and redemption….All of these and more will be found right here in English 9 Honors!

English Department JournalingGuidelines

The English Department values journaling for three reasons:

1.Itkeeps you writing on a regular basis.Like anything else, if you do not practice a skill, you will never get betterat it. Numerous studies have shown the best way to improve writing is simply towrite frequently.

2.Itallows you a space to express yourself. While we often ask you to write formal, expository essays on topics of ourchoosing, we believe it is equally valuable for you to have the freedom towrite about a topic which personally interests you in a way that is fun,creative or introspective.

3.Becauseof the interactive nature of our journaling program, journaling also creates a strong sense of community in each Englishclass. Students respond to each other’s posts with positive andconstructive written comments. They benefit from exposure to various writingstyles and also get to know one another outside the classroom environment.

REQUIREMENTS AND GRADING

You will be responsible for postingeither a journal entry or a journal review on the journaling site inalternating weeks. In the first week you will post a journal entry, and by thefollowing Monday you will write a review of your classmates’ posts. Posts andreviews must follow the requirements below.

Requirements

  1. Unless instructed otherwise, you are required to post by 2:15p.m. EVERY Monday. You are strongly advised to post your entries and comments WELL BEFOREthis deadline. If you choose to wait until Monday to post your journals or reviews, you assume full responsibility for any issues that might arise preventing you from posting on time. If you experience difficulty posting at any time before the deadline, inform your teacher by email and cut and paste your entry or comments into the body of that email. If you have not sent such an email PREVIOUS to the deadline, any entries that are posted AFTER the deadline will NOT receive credit.
  2. All journal entries must demonstrate effort. In other words, they must be carefully proofread for grammar, spelling and punctuation errors. They must also demonstrate an organization and diction (word choice) appropriate to the entry’s purpose.
  • Lists are not acceptable journal entries.
  • Previously written work (for this class or any other class, purpose) is unacceptable and will receive a 0.
  • Plagiarized work will receive a 0 and will be subject to disciplinary action per the Student Handbook.
  • B-H note: If you submit poetry, please preface your poem with an explanatory paragraph of at least 100 words for (seniors), 50 words for freshmen and sophomores.
  1. All entries must meet minimum length requirements. Word count will be measured by the Word Press journaling website, not by any other word processing program.

Freshmen: 250 words minimum perentry

Sophomores: 325 words minimum perentry

Juniors: 400 wordsminimum per entry

Seniors: 500 words minimum per entry

  1. Every other week, you will write a review of one classmate’s journal. Part of your review must substantively and directly address the WRITING of the entry. Here are some suggestions:

Point ofview

Style

Tone

Structure/organizationof ideas

Dialogue

Diction(word choice)

Description:imagery, figurative language, etc.

StandardEnglish conventions: grammar, spelling, punctuation, etc.

For therest of your review, you can feel free to explore these suggested topics:

Time to refresh: website redesigns for 2017. Title

Thewriter’s topic choice

Engagement(how well reader could relate and stay interested)

Creativity– where you see it in the journal entry; be specific!

Yourpersonal reaction

Yourreview should be encouraging and/or helpful so that the writer can use yourfeedback to improve future journals. While you should point out ideas forimprovement, rude or negative comments will not be tolerated and will result ina downgrade and/or disciplinary action.

You mustwrite a review for a journal that has not yet been reviewed. You may not writethe second review on a journal. You may review any journals posted in classthis year. You do not have to respond to the current week’s journals.

Allreviews should meet the following length requirements:

Freshmenand sophomores: 200 words minimum.

Juniorsand seniors: 300 words minimum

Grading:

Each week, you have the potential toearn 15 points.

Journal Entries:

To be eligible for the 15 points,you must meet the deadline and minimum length requirements. Failure to meetthese requirements will result in a 0.

Upon meeting these requirements, youwill be graded on the following criteria:

  • evidence of careful proofreading
  • thoughtful organization
  • appropriate diction

Reviews:

To be eligible for the 15 points,you must meet the deadline and minimum length requirements. Failure to meetthese requirements will result in a 0.

Upon meeting these requirements, youwill be graded on the following criteria:

  • evidence of careful proofreading
  • meaningful, original commentary that directly addresses the writer’s journal entry

Respecting Privacy: Our journaling program creates a unique sense ofcommunity within our classes. Please demonstrate absolute respect for yourclassmates’ entries. Journal entries are specifically created for the CLOSEDcommunity of your English class. Entries may not be copied, distributed, orposted elsewhere by anyone other than the author of the entry. Violators willbe referred to the school administration for disciplinary action.