COURSE DESCRIPTION FOR MS. MORAN’S ENGLISH CLASS

 

STANDARDS WE WILL COVER

Reading: 1.0-3.9

Writing: 1.0-1.9

Writing Applications: 2.0-2.6

Written and Oral English-Language Conventions: 1.0-1.3

Listening and Speaking: 1.0-2.5

 

       

A. OBJECTIVES

The objective of Ms. Moran’s class is to teach you how to write a well organized paper with a convincing thesis and to aid you in parsing texts. This class will focus on group activities and discussion, as well as at-home essays and projects. The essays will be used to determine how well you write and how you are progressing. The projects will allow each of you to use your creativity in interpreting the novels we read in class. Every day the broad lesson plan will be written on the board, as well as the project/essay due-dates for that month, so that no one can say they were not told ahead of time when their assignments were due.

 

B.     CLASSROOM POLICY

  1. 2 bathroom passes per semester. Any more will result in your losing ALL participation points for that week.
  2. Turn in grade check by the time the bell rings or it will not be done.
  3. Be in your seat with an SSR book when the bell rings or you will be going to tardy sweep.
  4. No eating or drinking in the classroom. I do not eat or drink in the class and neither will you.
  5. Be courteous. If you make an offensive remark, the first time will be a warning, then detention, then referral.
  6. Do not speak while I am speaking. That is exceptionally rude.
  7. Do not get out of your seat unless you ask permission to do so.
  8. Do not ask me for ANY materials that you should have brought to class with you. For example: pen, paper, white-out, pencil, eraser, etc. This is not Office Max.

C. CLASSROOM DISCIPLINE

1. Warning

2. Detention with Phone Call Home

3. Referral

 

D. GRADE BREAKDOWN

Grades will be given out every Thursday to students who hand in their grade checks BEFORE THE BELL RINGS. The breakdown for Ms. Moran’s class will be as follows:

 

90-100% = A

80-89% = B

70-79% = C

60-69% = D 

Below 59% is an F

 

Out of class projects= 30%

In class projects= 10%

Essays= 40%

Homework= 10%

            In class attitude and participation= 10%


C: CLASSROOM PROCEDURES

 

ATTENDANCE: Attendance counts for 10% of your grade each marking term. Each class day is worth two points which usually figures out to be 100 points per marking term. If you are absent, two points are deducted for that day. If you are tardy, one point is deducted. At the end of the term, a student with perfect attendance will receive about 100 points. If you were absent or tardy, your total deductions are subtracted from 100 points.

WORK, WORK, WORK: After all, this is American Literature, and next year (hopefully) you’re going to be a senior! You will be expected to read approximately one book a month. Cliff Notes help but are no substitution for reading the book itself. You are only cheating yourself and setting the stage for failure if you do not follow along. Most of the reading will be done IN CLASS, so there is NO EXCUSE for you not to know where we are or what is happening in the literature. Essays will be assigned every week or so while we are reading a novel. Informal and creative papers may be assigned on a weekly basis for certain units. Major exams are given at the end of each unit. Oral presentations will usually be limited to one per novel.

ESSAYS: Essays are usually worth 100 points. Most essays will be done IN CLASS, so there is no excuse for you to miss them. All papers assigned for outside of class must be typed. If a paper is plagiarized, the student will have to rewrite it at half credit or receive a zero grade.

QUIZZES: Pop quizzes are usually not given in my class. Should they be?

EXAMS: Exams are mostly essay and identification questions and are usually worth from 100 to 200 points.

PROJECTS: There will be at least one project for every book we read in class.

SSR:  You will get 50 points for class participation every week (10 POINTS PER DAY). Not reading during SSR will mean you lose 10 points for that day.

MAKEUP WORK: It is the student’s responsibility to find out what assignments were missed when absent and to make up the work in a timely fashion (if a student was absent for one day, then he or she has one extra day to complete the assignment. THAT’S IT). Students may take makeup exams before school or during lunch.

EXTRA HELP: I am available almost every day before school for extra help or makeup work. Please schedule an appointment with me the day before so that I can be there on time for you.

 

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D.     PARENT AND STUDENT SIGNATURE

 

Student Signature X __________________________

 

Parent Signature X __________________________