Springfield High School
English Department
Course Expectations
Joanna Coleman
Sophomore English
802-885-7900 ext. 3301 jcoleman@ssdvt.org
Description
Sophomore English builds upon the SHS English Department’s core academic expectations of reading and writing introduced in Freshman English. Listening and expression activities continue to support the teaching of reading and writing. Grammar and punctuation rules introduced in earlier grades will be reviewed and expanded upon in individual lessons. Students in Sophomore
English continue to develop their comprehension skills through a variety of narrative and informational texts. Students will also be expected to share their thoughts and writing through a variety of oral presentations including class discussions and formal presentations.
Welcome to Mrs. Coleman’s Sophomore English class. As stated in the course catalog description and the Vermont State Academic Standards attached, we have a lot to do this semester! My philosophy on teaching has developed through a family tradition in the educational field. My grandfather, John Barry, told me, “Every student deserves a clean slate every day.” This is the humane approach I teach with every day. I believe in academic rigor, high expectations for every student, and respect for each student’s intelligence. I strive to make learning fun and exiting. I am always excited about books, and ideas and writing, and I hope this enthusiasm spreads to my students. (I think it does!)
Grading Policy
All formal assignments have equal importance in English class, and therefore have equivalent weight. Formal assessments include take home essays, in class essays, written reading responses
(paragraph answer quizzes), journal writing, art projects, and class participation. The SHS
Writing Rubric is used to guide the grading process, however effort and growth are also considered.
The cumulative grade for each individual semester is worth 40% of the overall grade.
Midterm and final exams will be a comprehensive assessment of student knowledge for each semester. Each exam is worth 10% of the final grade.
All work is due on the assigned date. If work is submitted on any day after the due date students will lose partial credit, however the assignment will still be accepted. All essay and writing assignments, other than paragraph answer quizzes, can be revised and re-graded. Students are encouraged to take advantage of revision opportunities.
When a student is absent from class it is their responsibility to obtain the makeup work and complete it within 4 days of their return to school, unless other arrangements have been made.

Book List
A.
Required
1.
The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger
2.
Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck
3.
To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee
4.
Macbeth
B.
Optional reading
1.
1984, George Orwell
2.
Hiroshima, John Hersey
3.
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Maya Angelou
4.
Shoeless Joe, W.P. Kinsella
5.
If I Die in a Combat Zone, Tim O’Brien
6.
Anthem, Ayn Rand
7.
Brave New World, Aldous Huxley
8.
Ender’s Game, Orson Scott Card
9.
Great Expectations, Charles Dickens
10.
Inherit the Wind, Lawrence and Lee
11.
Night, Elie Weisel
12.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Stephen Chbosky
13.
A Separate Peace, John Knowles
14.
Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe
15.
When I Was Puerto Rican, Esmerelda Santiago
C.
Short Stories
1.
“Bad Characters,” Jean Stafford
2.
“A Perfect Day for Bananafish,” JD Salinger
3.
“Teddy,” JD Salinger
4.
“First Confession,” Frank O’Connor
5.
“Here There Be Tygers,” Ray Bradbury
6.
“The Raven,” Edgar Allen Poe
7.
“The Scarlet Ibis,” James Hurst
8.
“The Sniper,” Liam O’Flaherty
9.
“The Story of the Good Little Boy,” Mark Twain
10.
“Teenage Wasteland,” Anne Taylor
11.
“Tom Edison’s Shaggy Dog,” Kurt Vonnegut
12.
Other short stories of the teacher’s choosing.

Course Objectives
Students will practice the following skills and learning habits in each of the sophomore course offerings:
Standard 1.1 Reading Strategies
RHS 4 Applies context clues to confirm what is being read
RHS 7 Uses comprehension strategies flexibly and as needed while reading literary and informational text
RHS 8 Demonstrates ability to monitor comprehension and adjust reading rate and strategy for different text and for different purposes
Standard 1.2 Reading Accuracy
RHS 9 Reads material appropriate to high school with accuracy and fluency
Standard 1.3 Reading Comprehension
RHS 11 Demonstrate initial understanding of author’s craft used in literary text.
RHS 13 Analyze and interpret elements of literary texts, citing evidence where appropriate.
RHS 14 Analyze and interpret author’s craft (citing evidence where appropriate).
RHS 15 Generates a well-developed and grounded personal response to what is read through a variety of means.
Standard 1.5 Writing Dimensions
WHS 1 Students use prewriting, drafting, revising, editing and critiquing to produce final drafts of written products
Standard 5.18 Structures
WHS 4 Students demonstrate command of the structures of the English language by:
• Writing a variety of correct sentences, using embedded phrases and clauses.
• Using the paragraph form: indenting, main idea, supporting details.
• Identifying organizational structures within paragraphs and within texts such as description, chronology, proposition/support, compare/contrast, problem/solution, cause/effect, deductive/inductive.
• Using a format and text structure appropriate to the purpose of the writing

Standard 1.7 Response to Literature
Standard 5.11 Literary Elements and Devices
Standard 5.13 Responding to Text
WHS 5 In response to literary or informational text, students show understanding of plot/idea/concepts.
WHS 6 In response to literary or informational text, students make and support analytical judgments about text.
WHS 7 In response to literary or informational text, students engage readers.
Standard 1.9 Narratives
Standard 5.11 Literary Elements and Devices
WHS 11 In written narratives, students organize and relate a story line plot/ series of events.
WHS 12 Students demonstrate use of narrative strategies.
Standard 1.11 Persuasive Writing
WHS 15 In persuasive writing, students define a significant problem, issue, topic, or concern.
WHS 16 In persuasive writing, students present and coherently support judgments or solution(s).
Standard 1.12 Personal Essay
WHS 17 In reflective writing, students make connections between personal experiences and ideas.
Standard 1.5 Writing Dimensions: Writing Process
WHS 1 Students use prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and critiquing to produce final drafts of written products.