Ninth Grade English Teacher: Mr. Will Ginn/ Room: 307/ Email: Ginn.William@muscogee.k12.ga.us Course Description: This class will function as a broad survey of literature that will prepare freshman students for their subsequent high school literature classes. To this end, students will both read and analyze literature across different canons, time periods, and genres, seeking to gain a solid foundation in literature off of which they will continue to build throughout the rest of their high school careers. Through close readings and thorough discussions, students will certainly exercise their analytical skills. However, this class will also ask students to translate their deep thinking into polished pieces of writing at different points throughout the year. In short: this course will aim to find a delicate balance between thinking analytically about literature and writing about it. While achieving this delicate balance is crucial to each student s performance in the class, it is also necessary in order to prepare for the Georgia Milestone test in ninth grade literature, which will be offered at the end of spring semester of the upcoming year. Extended Texts Studied: The Odyssey, Homer Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare Required Materials: 1 ½ Three- Ringed Binder Binder Dividers (5) College- Ruled, Loose- Leaf Paper Pencil or Black Ink Pen Goals: In English I, students will learn to: - read works of literature across different literary genres novels, short stories, poetry, and prose from representative authors; - think critically about the works of literature that they read, realizing that the literary devices used by each author, as well as any historical and cultural context, contribute to the meaning of a text; - translate comprehension of a text and their critical thinking about it into mature pieces of polished writing, completed both in- class and out- of- class; - respect the process of writing free writing, drafting, and revision realizing that good writing usually evolves slowly over a process of time; - synthesize information learned in each unit in order to complete different kinds of assessments: tests, essays, quizzes, and projects. Specific Grade Weights: Assignment Grade Weight Unit Tests/ Essays / Projects 50% Quizzes 30% Warm- Ups/ Homework/ Classwork 20% Total 100% Columbus High School Grade Grading Scale: Grade Range 90-100 80-89 70-79 Below 70 Letter Grade Earned A B C F
Course Assignment Breakdown: Students will complete a combination of assessments for the course, all with differing formats and expectations. Unit Tests/ Essays/ Projects (50%): Unit Tests: Students should expect to take a unit test at the end of each unit. As a summative assessment, each unit test will hold students responsible for all material covered during a particular unit. As such, test questions are derived from all prior lectures, notes, and close- reading activities, and they will range in type and level of difficulty. Since each student can expect to receive a unit calendar at the beginning of each unit, he or she will usually know the date of the test weeks in advance. Study guides and review sessions will be conducted before each unit test. Essays: Students will write at least two out- of- class, process- driven essays each semester in this course. Over the course of the year, students will write both narrative and argumentative essays, though more specific attention will be paid to the latter, as it represents a genre of writing students will be required to write in most often in college. Specific length requirements for each essay will be announced when the essay prompts are disseminated. Regardless of the essay assignment, students will be required to treat their writing as a process. Rather than craft an essay the night before it is due, students will be required to progress through the writing process over a period of days, even weeks, completing a prewrite, outline, draft, and peer revision on their path toward a completed paper. Specific deadlines and expectations will be given out well in advance of each essay s due date. Projects: During each unit, students will be expected to complete at least one project. Projects will always differ in type, difficulty, and requirement: some projects will be completed primarily in class during a short time frame while other projects will be completed primarily at home over a longer course of time. Ample time will be given for the completion of every project. Quizzes (30%): Quizzes: In order to make sure that students are keeping up with the assigned reading and other demands of the course, they can expect quizzes to be routine and constant. Indeed, students should prepare for a number of different quizzes: vocabulary, notebook, and reading. Vocabulary quizzes will always be given at the beginning of class on Friday; other notebook and reading quizzes will likely be given without notice. Warm- Ups/ Homework/ Classwork (20%) Warm- Ups: Monday through Thursday students will complete and review a short warm- up exercise during the first ten minutes of class. The purpose of each warm- up is to provide students with the opportunity to practice weekly SAT vocabulary words before they are quizzed over them at the on Friday. The warm- up will be checked for completion during each class period. Homework: Since most class time will be devoted to collectively discussing and analyzing literature, students will read the bulk of each assigned text at home before the class period in which it is discussed. Of course, while shorter texts should be read in their entirety, longer texts (such as novels) will be read over the course of days even weeks. While reading will be a large component of each student s homework load, it will not comprise it solely. In addition to completing the required reading, each student will complete a corresponding homework assignment that can only be completed if the student completed the reading. Typically, reading comprehension questions and evidence- based responses are assigned, all of which should be submitted through the electronic platform, Edmodo. Classwork: Since class is typically devoted to discussing and analyzing the assigned literature, students will often complete accompanying note- taking handouts that will eventually be stored in their notebooks. In order to make sure that these are being completed, the instructor will often check them for completion and give them back to the student.
Course Policies Attendance & Make- Up Work Because critical thinking and writing skills develop over time, students regular attendance in this class is mandatory. Since a substantial amount of reading will be assigned each day, and since many of the concepts learned in this class will be cumulative in nature, excessive absences can imperil a student s ability to succeed within this class. That being said, I realize that students may need to be absent from school from time- to- time either for preplanned or unplanned reasons and I will work with each student in accordance with how the office has classified a student s absence: either as excused or unexcused. According to the Columbus High School handbook, following an excused absence a student has three days to make- up any work missed during an absence. In my class, the burden falls on the student to ask for any make- up work or to reschedule a missed assessment, and in order for me to begin the make- up work process, a student must present an excused absence form. Once the student has given me their excused absence form, I will give them a Make- Up Work Contract Folder in which they will find my afterschool availability for the week and a make- up work contract. Each student will fill out a make- up contract for their missing assignment and negotiate a new due date with me. In short: the contract stipulates that a student must make- up his or her assignment by the new due deadline or receive the grade of a zero. If a student is making up a unit test, quiz, or project, then that student will need to make up that assignment after school with me; all other work can be submitted by the new deadline either in person or through Edmodo. Moreover, following an unexcused absence, a student will have to attend academic Saturday school in order to make up any work missed. Failure to attend academic Saturday school will result in the grade of a zero for all assignments missed. Late Work: Late work will not be accepted under any circumstances. Unit calendars are given to students well in advance of their assignments, so students will know of their assignments in advance, and they should plan well and use their time wisely. However, since homework will be completed through an electronic platform, and since technology has the tendency to throw us curveballs from time to time, I will drop each student s two lowest homework grades at the end of each semester. This decision to drop the two lowest homework grades should erase any unsatisfactory grades received from technology problems, not to mention from other reasons. Academic Honesty Policy: A culture of honesty within the classroom earns grade(s) of respect. I always expect students to turn in their own work, whether they are completing an assignment in class or at home. As a result, cheating and plagiarism of any kind are strictly prohibited not only in my classroom, but also throughout the entire school. Please realize there are stiff penalties for students caught violating the academic honesty policy in my class. If any student or parent is unsure about what constitutes cheating or plagiarism, please consult the Columbus High School handbook. Discussion Policy: There are times when teachers and students will be addressing topics that are sources of disagreement and debate. I ask that everyone avoid language that would undermine an inclusive and respectful classroom environment. Since this course will involve a lot of discussion, open participation in this learning environment requires that we all respect the right of students and the instructor to present diverse ideas. Differences of viewpoint should be offered in a manner that promotes the free exchange of ideas and the development of mutual understanding. I consider it my job to intervene if and when necessary to ensure an intellectually stimulating, yet respectful, learning environment. Content Policy: The works of classic literature to be studied in this course, just like most all other works of literary merit, occasionally broach mature situations and can include offensive language. Please realize that assigning a text with such content does not condone it, and only age appropriate content will be discussed in class through instructor facilitated conversations.
Technology Policy: During class, technology is prohibited, unless otherwise noted. Since this class will require all students to keep an organized notebook, students should take notes and complete all handouts by hand rather than with an electronic device. Only during some project assignments may students use technology in class. However, outside of class students must have both access to a computer and a reliable internet connection in order to access Edmodo, which is an electronic assignment management platform through which students will complete their homework. During the first week of school students will learn how to register for an Edmodo account and enroll in my digital class. Classroom Policies: Students must be on time and seated by the sound of the bell; tardiness is unacceptable. Students must bring all appropriate materials to class, most notably their notebook and textbook. Students must neither talk nor get up from their seats when the teacher is talking. Students must raise their hands and wait patiently to be recognized in order to address the class. Students must work only on work for this class, not any other class; if classwork and homework are finished before the bell, students must read a pleasure reading book. Students must refrain from eating in my class; only water is okay to drink. Students should not back up or line- up before the bell signals the end of class. Consequence for Violated Classroom Policies: If any of the above classroom policies are violated, than the instructor will turn to the following protocol when deciding a consequence: First infraction: verbal warning. Second & third infraction: detention with teacher. Fourth infraction: administrative referral. ************************************************************************************************************ I have read the syllabus, and I am aware of the expectations in Mr. Ginn s Ninth Grade English class. Student Name Printed Date Student Name Signed Parent/ Guardian Name Printed Date Parent/ Guardian Name Signed