Honors 10 English – 2015-2016
Kate Newman
newmank@edmonds.wednet.edu
miss-newman.weebly.com
Phone: (425) 431-6171
D203 Classroom
C200 Office
Welcome to the 2015-2016 school year in Miss Newman’s 10H class! I’m so glad you’re here!
Enduring Understandings and Question:
During the course, our work will be guided by these Enduring Understandings and Question:
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Communication enables us to gain and share information about self, others, and the world, and can both influence or be
influenced by society and environment, as well as the relationships among diverse cultures and groups. Literature, in
particular, is “humanity in print” (Tuchman,) and thus stands as an invaluable means through which humans both express
themselves and gain empathy for the experiences and perspectives of those both near to and far from them.
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Effective communication requires the use of conventions, and the consideration of audience and purpose to influence choices
in content, style, and organization.
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The analysis of the patterns and structures of a literary piece helps people look deeply into authors’ ideas in order to fully
understand their meaning.
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What makes someone who they are?
Objectives:
Upon completion of this course, students will have:
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Read a minimum of four novels or dramas;
Read a wide variety of poems and short stories;
Written for multiple purposes, both creative and analytical [the latter in the form of various multi-paragraphed essays
completed in both restricted (i.e. timed, in-class) and unrestricted (i.e. take-home) situations];
Studied literary terms and stylistic devices;
Given effective oral presentations, both informational and creative;
Worked cooperatively and responsibly on both individual and group projects
Curriculum:
The following is a tentative sample of literary works we will be using this year. While the school will provide copies, it is
recommended that students purchase their own copies for ease of notation.
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The Catcher in the Rye – J.D. Salinger (Little, Brown, and Company)
The Crucible – Arthur Miller (Penguin Plays)
The Handmaid’s Tale – Margaret Atwood (Anchor Books)
The Tragedy of Macbeth – William Shakespeare (Folger Shakespeare Library)
Content Outline:
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Semester 1 –
The Catcher in the Rye
Speech Unit
The Crucible
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Semester 2 –
Short Stories (TBD)
The Handmaid’s Tale
Poetry (TBD)
The Tragedy of Macbeth
Year-Long / Continuing Assignments:
W.O.W. (Word of the Week)
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Word of the Week is a continuing project throughout the year wherein each student, at some point over the course of the two
semesters we have together, will prepare a PowerPoint presentation on an assigned vocabulary word. They will use this PPT
to teach the rest of the class the word, including its pronunciation, part of speech, definition(s), sample sentence, and real-world
example. Non-presenting students will take notes on each word as their classmates present them, and we will have periodic
quizzes over all of the W.O.W. words we have learned up to that point in the year.
A.O.W. (Article of the Week)
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Article of the Week is a weekly assignment throughout the year wherein students will receive a copy of a one- to three-page
news article. Their assignment will be to annotate the article and to then respond to it in one written page, either based on their
own reaction or using the guiding questions provided at the bottom of the article. Each student will be assigned a week over
the year in which they are responsible for selecting an appropriately rigorous article from a reputable source, writing guiding
questions, and submitting the article for the following week to Ms. Newman by Friday of the preceding week. Ideally, these
articles will in some way topically relate to our current studies.
C.C. (College Corner)
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College Corner is a group project which continues throughout the year. In groups of two, students will draw a particular college
or university and, on their assigned week, prepare a PowerPoint presentation about that college for the rest of the class, in
addition to changing the College Corner display to reflect the information about their given school (which includes, but is not
limited to, location, size, student body demographics, admission information, financial aid information, academic program
information, student life information, etc.) Other students may then refer to it throughout the two weeks that each school
occupies College Corner.
Films/Media:
When films exist that help us to understand topics studied by the entire class, students may view them. I select films carefully
and all films used, regardless of rating, have relevance to this curriculum. Parents or guardians may request alternate viewing
assignments if they feel that the material is inappropriate for their individual student.
Web Tools
Turnitin.com
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Turnitin.com is an online tool teachers can use to check originality, grade, and create peer editing assignments for student
writing. In order to create an account (or log in to an existing account,) students will need to provide an email address. This
email address will never be used for any other purpose than receiving correspondence from turnitin.com (such as password
reset requests and receipts for submitted papers,) and occasionally by me to send email reminders throughout the year. Please
ensure that the email address provided is authentic, and one that students will actually use and check regularly. All major
writing assignments are due to turnitin.com by 7:20am on the due date.
Remind.com
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Remind.com is another online tool teachers can use to communicate with students and/or parents. Students are provided a class
code and number and, using their personal cell phones, register to receive text messages that teachers send via the website.
Teachers never have access to students’ or parents’ personal cell phone numbers, and students, in turn, never have access to
teachers’ personal cell phone numbers. Signing up for this tool is optional, and Remind.com will only be used in the case of
time-sensitive situations, such as a canceled test or changed due date.
Late Work Policy:
Minor Assignments
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If minor assignments, such as daily homework or smaller in-class assignments, are missed because of an excused absence,
the student will be given one class period to make up the work for full credit. If the due date is missed and the work is turned
in within a week, it can receive 50% credit. If that work is not turned in before the Checkpoint period it can receive no
credit. Late work due to an unexcused absence may receive partial credit dependent on the assignment.
Major Assignments
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Major assignments that are turned in late are penalized 10% per calendar day late with a maximum deduction of 50%. As
mastery of frameworks is paramount, each major assignment must be submitted and earn a passing grade in order to
pass this course. This means that if a student fails to submit a major assignment before the drop dead date of the unit in
which it was assigned, he or she will receive an “F” for that semester, regardless of the percentage grade they may hold in the
gradebook.
Major Assignments that earn below a 60% grade (notwithstanding points lost due to late work,) are required to be resubmitted as re-writes until they earn a passing grade. Students will be required to schedule an appointment with the teacher
to go over the paper before completing their re-write.
Checkpoint Dates
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The end of each unit will be marked by a Checkpoint Date. After this date any make-up or late work for the preceding unit
will no longer be accepted. Checkpoint Dates will be communicated in class and on the class website calendar.
*Please note that these policies are standardized English Department policies.
Extensions:
Extensions are possible, but will be awarded on a case-by-case basis. Students must ask for an extension prior to the 48-hour window
before an assignment is due, with the exception of health or family emergencies.
Grading:
Coursework is divided into the categories which follow. Generally, assignments will be worth 25, 50, 100, or 200 points, depending
on their size and rigor. Please remember that while 50 points may seem an extreme number of points to assign to a weekly vocabulary
quiz, when weighted in the quiz category, it will have an appropriate impact on a student’s overall grade (compared to an essay of the
same point value, but weighted at 50% rather than 20%.)
Major Assignments (50%)
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These include (but are not limited to) multi-paragraph essays, other major writing assignments (both creative and analytical,)
individual and group presentations or projects, Socratic Seminars, and midterm/final exams.
Major assignments that are turned in late are penalized 10% per calendar day late with a maximum deduction of 50%. Each
major assignment must earn a passing grade in order for the student to pass this course.
All major writing assignments must be submitted to turnitin.com by 7:20am on the day they are *due as hard copies in class.
Work that is not submitted to turnitin.com by the due date and time will be considered late, even if a hard copy is provided by
the due date and time.
*Please note that, in consideration of environmental impact, I will normally ask only for major papers to be
submitted electronically, with no hard copy necessary.
Minor Assignments
Homework/Classwork (20%)
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These include (but are not limited to) short writing assignments, formative assessments, Word of the Week and College
Corner presentations, group work, and daily reading assignments.
Tests/Quizzes (20%)
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These include (but are not limited to) vocabulary tests, reading quizzes, etc. Tests and quizzes can be retaken using a retake ticket, of which each student receives two for the entire year.
Participation (10%)
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You are encouraged to participate and learn how to communicate in a class setting. This is an important skill that
promotes a positive environment by letting your voice be heard. This includes (but is not limited to) delivery of both
major and minor, both individual and group, presentations, daily participation in class activities, as well as active and
thoughtful participation in class discussions. Due to the nature of their occurrence within the classroom on specific
days, points or assignments falling under this category cannot be made up.
MLA Formatting
Students are expected to follow the Modern Language Association standards for formatting and citations for all written
assignments in this class. Students will learn MLA format as the year progresses, but can also access information regarding
MLA formatting using the EWHS English Department MLA Formatting Guide, (which they will print but can also always
access on the class website,) a copy of A Pocket Style Manual (Hacker and Sommers, see Classroom Materials at the bottom
of this syllabus,) or reputable online sources such as the online MLA Formatting and Style Guide published by Purdue
University’s Online Writing Lab (https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/). Papers which are not in MLA
format when submitted, even partially, will be considered late until they are submitted observing MLA formatting
guidelines.
Scholarly Responsibility/Attendance
Due to the fact that English courses are heavily discussion- and seminar-based, consistent attendance is crucial to a student’s
achievement. More than five (5) unexcused absences in a semester will lead to an “I” (Incomplete) grade because of
insufficient evidence to support assigning that student a grade. Teachers are not required to allow students to make up
missed assignments and/or discussions when they have an unexcused absence. When a student has an excused absence, it
remains their responsibility to obtain and make up missed work, not the instructor’s. Appropriate resources for accessing this
work include the class website and office hours. Students should take note that, while classmates are excellent resources for
understanding missed content as well, in the case of incorrect information provided by a classmate that results in failure to
appropriately make up missed work, the responsibility still lies with the absent student for their missed work.
Grading:
Grades on individual assignments are based on a point system with letter grades at the end of each grading period awarded on
a percentage basis. The grading scale for this class is:
93% - 100% = A
90% - 92% = A87% - 89% = B+
83% - 86% = B
80% - 82% = B77% - 79% = C+
73% - 76% = C
70% - 72% = C67% - 69% = D+
60% - 66% = D
59% - 0 = F
Extra Credit:
There will be no extra credit work offered in this course.
Sensitive Materials:
One of the goals of English Language and Literature studies is to expose students to a variety of perspectives, experiences,
and cultures within society. Thus, it is possible that students may read, view, hear, or otherwise be exposed to something that
they, or their parents, find objectionable, whether this be through the literature we study or through the opinion expressed by
a fellow classmate. As a department, and I as an individual teacher, we encourage students to individually discuss with us
material that they find objectionable or problematic; in some cases, alternative assignments may be assigned.
Edmonds-Woodway High School Academic Honesty Policy:
Students are expected to do their own work. The E-W definition of cheating includes, but is not limited to, copying or lending
assignments; communicating, in any way, during a test; using notes in a situation where notes are not acceptable; plagiarism
(the intentional or unintentional failure to give clear credit to the author of any words or ideas not your own) in any form
(individual or group work).
First offense may result in loss of credit for the assignment with no possibility of make-up. If a student has two strikes in the
same class, the student may lose credit for the class. If a student has cheated in multiple classes, he/she may lose credit for
the class where the third offense has occurred. Violations of the Academic Honesty policy are cumulative for all the years
that a student is enrolled at Edmonds-Woodway High School.
The staff at EWHS uses turnitin.com as a resource when grading written assignments; students must open an online account
and submit work to turnitin.com prior to grading. Work is considered late if it is not submitted to turnitin.com by the
due date, even if a hard copy is submitted on time.
Behavior Expectations:
Edmonds-Woodway Official Behavior Expectations
All electronic devices except laptops (used for instruction only) are banned during the school
day – instructional time
(7:20 AM - 1:50 PM). Students must treat themselves and others with respect. The following things have no place in our
classroom: food/drinks; hats/hoods/sunglasses; rudeness; degrading/harassing remarks or acts; abusive behavior. They will not
be tolerated.
Additional note:
hon·or • ˈänər • noun
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
high respect; esteem.
synonyms: distinction, privilege, glory, kudos, prestige, merit, credit
adherence to what is right or to a conventional standard of conduct.
synonyms: integrity, honesty, uprightness, ethics, principles, high-mindedness
a privilege.
synonyms: pleasure, pride, joy
a thing conferred as a distinction, especially an official award for bravery or achievement.
synonyms: accolade, award, reward, prize
a class or course of degree studies more specialized than that of the ordinary level.
verb
1.
to regard with great respect.
synonyms: esteem, respect, admire
2. to fulfill (an obligation) or keep (an agreement).
synonyms: fulfill, observe, keep, obey, heed, follow, carry out
This is an honors class. Please note that the definition matching that particular concept falls fifth on the list, preceded by a
plethora of concepts defining the idea of honor, and followed by several definitions of the word as a verb - that is to say, how
you, student, should view your classmates, your teacher, and your enrollment in this class, as well as how we together will seek
to emulate these principles as members of this class, as members of the EWHS community, and, most importantly, as human
beings.
Attendance/Tardy Policies:
Tardies
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You will be marked tardy if you are not in your seat and ready to go when the bell rings. If you are tardy, enter in a manner
that does not interrupt the class, quickly join the work that is currently going on. At the end of class, it is your
responsibility to ensure that I have not marked you absent for the day.
An unexcused tardy becomes an unexcused absence 10 minutes into class. Students who are more than ten minutes late to
class are required to have a note from the Attendance Office in order to enter class.
Please note that 5 unexcused tardies will result in a detention.
Absences
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Please see the section on Late Work Policy, above, for information on what occurs when a student is absent.
Classroom Materials:
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Composition book (required)
Black / blue ink pen (required)
Highlighters (required)
A Pocket Style Manual by Diana Hacker and Nancy Sommers (optional)
o ISBN: 0312542542
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Please go over the syllabus online with parents or guardians, fill out this portion, and return it by Friday, September 18, 2015.
Student Contact Information
Name:
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Email Address:
____________________________________________________________________________________________
We have read and understand the course rules and standards and the Personal and Academic Honesty sections of the syllabus. I
(student) will abide by the rules and standards and consequences established in these materials.
________________________________________
______________________________________________
Student Signature
Parent/Guardian Signature
Primary Parent/Guardian Contact Information
Name:
______________________________________________________________________________________
Day Phone:
_____________________________________ Night Phone: _____________________________________
Email Address:
______________________________________________________________________________________