English 10 Syllabus 2015 - 2016
Annie Strupeck, ELL/ELA teacher
Como Park High School
anne.strupeck@spps.org
651-293-8800
Course goals
The goal of this course is to improve your reading, writing, speaking, listening, and thinking skills. We
will work on analyzing texts and producing clear, thoughtful writing. We will also discuss and practice
the skills required to be a successful high school student and a lifelong learner.
Classroom Expectations
 Be prepared
o On time, at desk
o Pencil & paper out
o Cell phones and music put away
 Be respectful
o Follow directions
o Ask questions
o Positive talk
o No baseball hats
 Be responsible
o Complete assignments
o Participate
o Follow rules
o Respect property
o Use a pass
 Be safe
o Keep hands, feet & objects to yourself
o Wash hands
o Report problems to adult
Coursework: Students will work towards proficiency in the Grade 10 English Language Arts Common
Core Standards. Students will work on the following units/themes/topics throughout the year:
Short Story: paragraph development, topic sentences, supporting details, evidence citation, elements of
fiction
Persuasive Speech: research, note taking, writing and using an outline, writing process
Novel
MCA practice
Poetry
Poetry will either be integrated throughout the semester or as a unit.
-various forms
-figurative language
-grammar
-poetry reading
Play: parallel structure, close reading, speech
Narrative Writing and Speech
:descriptive writing, personal narrative speech
Grammar
Grading
Your grade will be determined by your ability to demonstrate the skills of the Common Core
Standards for 10th grade English.
Grading Scale (%)
All classes in the English department adhere to this common grading scale to ensure consistency for
all courses.
A+ = 98
B = 83
C- = 70
N =0
A = 93
B- = 80
D+ = 68
A- = 90
C+ = 78
D = 63
B+ = 88
C = 73
D- = 60
Formative Assessments (20% of overall grade)
Formative assessments take place frequently and help prepare you for summative assessments.
Examples of formative assessments include: quick writes, homework, quizzes, class discussion, and
think-pair-shares. Missing assessments will be denoted with an “m” in the grade book (m = zero
credit in grade book).
Summative Assessments (80% of overall grade)
Summative assessments demonstrate mastery of learning. Examples of summative assessments
include tests, projects, class discussions, presentations, essays, research papers, and other formal
papers. Most summative assessments will be scored using rubrics. Missing assessments will be
denoted with an “m” in the grade book (m = 0 in grade book).
Assessment Grading
All assessments are scored on a 1-4 scale based on the rubric and the following criteria.
A/4 = Masterful
B/3.5 = Skilled
C/3 = Proficient
D/2.5 = Close
N/2 = Far to go
N/1 = Needs more
time
M/0 = Not turned in
Late Work
When a student has missed a class it is his/her responsibility, immediately upon
returning to school, to find out what he/she has missed, including the
explanation of new assessment tasks and due dates. Students must also turn in
any assessments due during the duration of the absence on the date of their
return to school. Parents, guardians, and students should: use parent portal,
access teacher websites, email teachers, or check with classmates to find
information on missing assignments.
Formative Work
Students are expected to complete and submit assigned work on time.
Work that is late, for any reason, may be accepted with teacher approval
and possible point deductions.
Summative Work
Summative assessments will only be accepted after the due date, if the
student seeks out and makes arrangements too meet with the teacher after
school to complete the assessment.
End of Grading Period
All make-up work, late work, and rewrites need to be completed 5 days before
the end of the grading period. Final grades will be recorded in quarters that are
approximately 9 weeks in length. All grades are final at the end of the quarter and
will be posted on an official transcript.
Cheating
Cheating is the use of any resource not allowed by a teacher to aid in the taking of
an exam or in the completion of an assessment to obtain some benefit, credit, or
gain. Examples of cheating include, but are not limited to: copying, talking with
another person, and/or using electronic devices for help without the teachers
permission.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the act of using the language and thoughts of someone else’s
without giving them credit and representing it as your own.
Consequences for Cheating and Plagiarism
All cases of plagiarism will result in a zero and the student may have the
opportunity to make up the assignment after school in front of the teacher for
partial credit. The grade book will reflect the student has cheated. The student
will also be referred to the administrator so the behavior is documented.
Resources
The ABSC Room is open after school until 4:00 for Homework Help. Students
receive a snack and a bus token. I will also be available for after-school help a few
times a week until 3:00 as needed, by appointment.