English I Syllabus Mrs. Cagle acagle@asheboro.k12.nc.us Welcome to English I! This is a year of changes for you. Some will be very challenging, others will be fun, but all will be learning experiences. I am so glad to have you in my class, and I look forward to having a great semester. Some of the objectives of this course are: Express reflections and reactions to literature and personal experience Explain meaning, describe processes, and answer research questions. Evaluate communication and critique texts. Make and support an informed opinion Participate in conversations about and written analysis of literary genres, elements, and traditions Use knowledge of language and standard grammatical conventions Curriculum Guide for English I Abiding by Common Core Standards (www.corestandards.org/), students will be examining the past, present, and look to the future of Human Conditions using the following: Literary elements for fiction/non-fiction/drama/poetry Short Stories may include but are not limited to: The Necklace, The Most Dangerous Game, The Interlopers, The Cast of Amontillado, Tell Tell Heart Novels may include: To Kill a Mockingbird, Lupita Manana, The Outsiders, 13 Reasons Why, Speak, The Odyssey Drama: Romeo and Juliet Writing: Argumentative & Narrative Essays, Journals, Research Papers, Poetry, Occasional Papers, Current Event Reflections, Etc. Grammar: Parts of Speech, Sentence Parts, Noun Usage, Pronoun Usage, Verb Usage, Modifier Usage, Subject/Verb Agreement, Capitalization, Punctuation 1
Classroom Activities and Homework. Class Assignments: Participation in class assignments is important while in an English class because when you participate you show how much you have learned. Here are the ways you will participate in my class: Classwork: Most assignments will be graded as class assignments unless the majority of said assignment has to be completed at home. You will have adequate time in class to complete most assignments, which will cut down on amount of homework given. Bellringers: Everyday, you will be required to complete a bellringer when you enter class. The question will be on the overhead. You must be working on this assignment WHEN THE BELL RINGS or you will be considered late. This will count as a weekly quiz grade. o You are not required to write the question for journal style responses. Each response must be 3-5 sentences unless stated otherwise. o Monday, Wednesday, and Friday will be dedicated to the book you are reading in class. The bellringer sheet will require you to put the page number you reach in each reading period. This is required, and points will be deducted in you fail to put this number in. Class discussion: You will be asked to participate in class discussions because this is the best way to show your knowledge of certain materials. Not discussing in class will hinder your class assignment grade. Silent Reading: You will have the first 12 weeks to complete a reading book of your choice. You will pick these books the first week from the library. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday we will read these books the first twenty minutes of class. After the first 12 weeks is over, you will complete a project about this book. o If you read more than one book in a nine weeks timeframe, you may submit a book report for extra credit. Homework: Students will have WEEKLY VOCABULARY homework Monday-Thursday night. You will have homework every night (most weeks) whether in the form of vocabulary practice, reading assignments, or both. Those assignments will be checked on a DAILY basis. Missing work will be deducted points every day it is late. 15 points the first day (85 max), 10 points off day 2 and 3. After three days, the grade will remain a zero. Students will be permitted to attend a missing 2
assignment detention the DAY the assignment is due for full credit. Vocabulary homework cannot be turned in late; however, a student may attend ONE MISSING ASSIGNMENT DENTENTION for vocabulary homework a nine weeks. Grading Scale A 90-100 Homework: 10% B 80-89 Classwork: 15% C 70-79 Quizzes: 20% D 60-69 Tests: 25% F 0-59 Projects: 30% Materials Needed Notebooks will be checked each nine weeks for a test grade. Therefore, you must keep an organized notebook. This can either be in the form of a three ring binder (2 inch recommended) or a composition notebook in which things can be glued in. Glue sticks will be provided; however, you may opt to purchase your own. Other materials needed: Pencils/ pens (no red ink or ink that is hard to read) Paper (loose leaf) High lighters Computer and charger (please have computer charged before class. Charger can only be used sparingly). Classroom Expectations The four major expectations of my classroom are: Be respectful Be punctual Be prepared Be positive 3
This includes: Be in your seat before the bell rings Bring all supplies (books, computer, pencils, paper, and assignments) Do not talk while I am instructing No food or drinking in class (except water) Be respectful of self, others, and teacher If absent, see me to arrange for make-up work. You have two days for each day absent to make up work. (Many if not all of your assignments will be placed in the purple missing work crate by my desk) Stay off your phones o We all have phones, but please stay off of them. There is a time and place for that, and in my classroom is not one of them. If you use your phone in my class, you will first lose one of your bathroom passes. After one warning, I WILL WRITE YOU UP!! If you think you might get in trouble, you may put your phone on my desk for the duration of class and I will keep it safe for you. You should not need to go to the restroom or to get water during class - You have 6 minutes between classes to do those things. However, I will give you each 2 emergency bathroom passes each nine weeks. Those passes can be turned in if not used at the end of each nine weeks for 15 points of extra credit per bathroom pass or a missing assignment zero will be raised to a seventy. o Once bathroom passes have been used, you will be penalized two minutes after class for going to the bathroom without passes remaining. After that, you will be penalized 30 more seconds beyond 2 minutes each time you go to the bathroom (i.e. 2:30, 3:00, 3:30. You will remain at 3:30 once you reach it). o There is a 20 minute dead zone at the beginning of class and at the end of class for bathroom usage, meaning that you may not leave class during this time to use the restroom. o Please do not ask to go the restroom before class. You have six minutes between classes. You are late regardless of your excuse unless you have a note. Don t pack up unless you are told to. If you do, that will result in two minutes after class for everyone in the class. Be present! The Asheboro High School policy states that you are only allowed 4 absences total (excused or unexcused). If you exceed that number, you are allowed to make up a total of FOUR EXCUSED ABSENCES. Anything beyond that 4
(or if the absences are unexcused) will force you to apply for a waiver. If you get to this step, there is a good chance that you will not pass English I. Consequences for not following classroom rules: First offense conference with teacher and/or phone call home. Second offense parent conference Third offense office referral 1:1 Initiative Students WILL follow the Acceptable Use Policy in this classroom. Anyone caught using YOUTUBE, FACEBOOK, TWITTER, or any other forms of SOCIAL MEDIA without permission WILL lose the use of their computer in this classroom. If you are seen using your computer inappropriately or when you are told not to, you will lose a bathroom pass. Re-Quizzing/Re-Testing Opportunities You have the opportunity to re-take two assessments (quizzes/tests) per nine weeks grading period. You may re-take assessments on which you scored below an 85 on; however, the highest grade you can earn is an 85. You must stay with me after school on my tutor days in order to make up those assessments. If you make below a 75 on any quiz or test, you are eligible for quiz/test corrections. Those (like the retakes) must be done either after school on my tutor days or during a missing assignment detention. I WILL NOT accept corrections completed at home. You have 1 week after the quiz/test was handed back to complete corrections or a retake. After that, the grade will remain the same. You must get in contact with me about scheduling a re-take. Vocabulary Homework Schedule Monday: Students receive vocabulary words for the week. Look up all vocabulary words in class. 5
*You will have only 25 minutes to look up vocabulary words in class. If you do not finish, you must finish for homework. Tuesday: Homework: Write an example for each vocabulary word. Wednesday: Either draw a picture of each word or write a trick that you will use to help you to remember the words. Thursday: Write a paragraph using 7-10 vocabulary words. Study for the quiz use your homework from the week to help you. **Before Friday, find a poem that demonstrates each of the poetry terms in that week s vocabulary list. Write those poems Friday: Quiz Day. Turn in homework before quiz starts **You have the week to complete the vocabulary homework. You can either follow the above schedule, or do it whenever you can complete it. However, it is due on FRIDAY (no exceptions) Vocabulary homework will NOT be accepted late!!** Contact Info, Questions, and Concerns I m very excited about this semester. I know and expect great things will come from each of you. I dare not teach a class which is irrelevant to your lives, so I hope each of you comes ready to learn and step out of your comfort zone each day. If you give your best, great discussions and a wonderful year of exploration will be at your fingertips. Parents: please feel free to email me with any questions or concerns. 6