English 9 Common Syllabus
Heather Durham - Room 215
hdurham@staunton.k12.va.us
school -(540) 332-3926 cell – (540) 849-8305
Course Objectives
The ninth-grade student will plan, present, and critique dramatic readings of literary selections. Knowledge of literary
terms and forms will be applied in the student’s own writing and in the analysis of literature. The student will be
introduced to significant literary works. Increased requirements for research and reporting in all subjects will be
supported by the use of print, electronic databases, online resources, and a standard style sheet method to cite
reference sources. The student will distinguish between reliable and questionable Internet sources. Writing will
encompass narrative, literary, expository, and informational forms, with particular attention to analysis. The student will
demonstrate correct use of Standard English language, spelling, and mechanics by applying grammatical conventions in
writing and speaking.
Textbook
Literature – Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes. Gold. Prentice Hall Publishing Company.
Classroom Rules
 Be respectful
 Be prepared
 No electronic devices
Grading Scale
A+ = 98-100
B+ = 90-92
C+ = 82-84
D+ = 75-76
F = 69 and below
Conduct Rubric
A—Responsible, Respectful
B—Occasional Lapse in Good Behavior
C—Inappropriate Classroom Behavior
D—Defiant
F—No Improvement in Poor Behavior
A
B
C
D
=
=
=
=
95-97
87-89
79-81
72-74
ABCD-
=
=
=
=
93-94
85-86
77-78
70-71
Grading Percentages - The percentages below apply to ALL English Classes
 Essays: 35%
 Tests/Projects: 30%
 Quizzes: 20%
 Class work, Participation, and Homework: 15%
 Midterm/Final: 15% (Averaged in later)
Homework
Homework is assigned as a means to practice skills and is generally graded on an effort basis. We will go over
homework during the class period following the assignment. Assignments not attempted may be awarded
partial credit.
If homework cannot be completed at home, students are encouraged to attend plus block for extra help.
See page 14 of the Student Handbook & Code of Conduct for additional homework information and guidelines.
1
Late/Missing Work
If a student does not attempt or is absent for an assignment, he/she will receive an Incomplete for that
assignment. The Incomplete will remain until the assignment is completed. Five points will be deducted for
each day an assignment is late. After an assignment is six school days late, the maximum number of points
that will be deduced is 25 points. Example: An essay is due on Monday, October 3 rd. The student turns the
essay in on Wednesday, October 12th. Although the assignment is seven days late only 25 points will be
deducted.
If a student is absent when an assignment is given, the due date will be calculated as the number of school
days absent plus one to a maximum of 10 days.
Late and missing work will be accepted until the Friday before progress report or report card distribution.
Progress Report/Report Card
Late/Missing Work Accepted
Tuesday, September 10
Friday, September 6
Tuesday, October 1
Friday, October 4
Thursday, October 31
Friday, October 18 (end of grading period)
Tuesday, November 19
Friday, November 15
Tuesday, December 10
Friday, December 6
Tuesday, January 28
Friday, January 10 (end of semester)
Tentative Outline **Timeframes and assignments may vary slightly depending on the weather and needs of the class
-
Linguistic Analysis (All Semester) – 9.3, 9.7
o Parts of a Sentence/Clauses, Punctuation (Commas, Semi-colons, etc…), Conjunctions,
Writing forms, Sentence Structures
o Periodic Quizzes on Grammar and Sentence Structures
o Application of knowledge of word origins, derivations, and figurative language within
weekly/bi-weekly vocabulary study
-
Writing (All Semester) – 9.6, 9.7
o Bi-Weekly 5-ph Essays to include Narrative, Expository, and Persuasive writings utilizing selfand peer-editing for grammar, capitalization, punctuation, spelling, sentence structure, and
paragraphing
o Weekly Journal
-
Media Literacy (2 Weeks) – 9.1, 9.2
o Analyze and evaluate auditory, visual, and written media messages
o Produce media messages with a planned, purposeful effect on the audience
-
Literature (4 Weeks) – 9.4
o Introduce Literary Terms
o Read Short Stories and Apply literary Terms in classroom activities and quizzes
o Unit Test/Product on Short Stories and application of Literary Terms
-
Non-Fiction Unit (6 Weeks) – 9.4, 9.5
o Analysis of non-fiction texts relating to the themes of discrimination found in Roll of
Thunder… , To Kill a Mockingbird, and other period texts
o Assessment of Silent Sustained Reading to include essays and planned oral project/product
presentations
2
-
Poetry/Drama Unit (5 Weeks) – 9.4
o Poetic Structure and Devices
o Read Romeo and Juliet and analyze using understanding of dramatic elements
-
Research Unit (3 Weeks) – 9.5, 9.8
o Use of print, electronic databases, online resources, and other media to access information
to create a research product
o Review of Plagiarism, MLA citation, and website evaluation
o Formal presentations and/or formal research paper using MLA format
Classroom Procedures
 Procedure for Beginning Class
o Be in your assigned seat when the tardy bell rings with all necessary materials.
o Begin “Do Now” assignment immediately.

Procedure for Ending Class
o Take all of your materials with you. Do not leave anything in your desk.
o Students are to remain seated until dismissed by the teacher, not the bell.

Procedure for Tardy to Class
o You will be considered tardy if you are not in the classroom when the tardy bell rings.

Procedure for Turning in Work
o Work that is to be turned in should be placed in the appropriate tray.

Procedure for Missing Work
o It is your responsibility to obtain the work you miss when you are absent.
o Missing work may be obtained from the tray for your block.

Procedure for Finishing Work Early
o If you finish an assignment/test/quiz early, you need to remain seated and quiet.
o You should work on makeup work or read your independent reading book.
o If you become a distraction to other students, 5 points will be deducted from your grade on
that assignment/test/quiz.

Procedure for Restroom/Water Breaks
o Water bottles are allowed but cannot be mixed with flavor packets; no other drinks or food is
allowed.
o You may use the restroom with permission and a filled-out planner pass; however, refrain from
asking to be excused from class during instructional time.

Procedure for a Substitute
o All class rules and procedures apply! Be courteous and helpful!
Cheating/Plagiarism
See Student Handbook & Code of Conduct page 25
3
Parent Contact Information and Progress Report Agreement
I look forward to working with you this year. Please be sure to sign up for the Parent Portal as soon as
possible. Parent Portal offers you an in-depth look at all your child’s grades. Through Parent Portal, you can
see what grade your child has earned on each assignment; additional notation will indicate whether an
assignment is late or missing. I encourage you to reflect on your child’s grade weekly. All students have the
opportunity to rewrite essays for a better grade. You may also contact me if you feel your child needs to
retake a test or quiz. For more information about Parent Portal please contact the school office at 540-3323926. Progress reports will also be sent home every three weeks, excluding the weeks that report cards go
home. Please monitor your child’s progress and contact me as soon as possible if you have any questions. It is
better not to wait until the end of the grading period to get involved.
After you have reviewed this syllabus with your parents/guardians, please sign this form and return it to your
teacher by Friday, August 23, 2013.
Student’s Name ______________________________________________________________
Student Signature _____________________________________________________________
Parent Signature:______________________________________________________________
Parent Name(s): ______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
Contact Information: Is it okay to contact you via e-mail concerning your child? ____ Yes ____ No
If “yes,” please provide an email address you check frequently:
____________________________________________________________________________
If “no,” please provide a phone number where you can be reached:
____________________________________________________________________________
Comments or Concerns:
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
4