English II Pre-AP Syllabus
Choices/Consequences
Ms. Jocelyn Ellis
jellis3@houstonisd.org
e2-15-16-ellis@wikispaces.com
“But ‘Thou mayest!’! Why, that makes a man great, that gives him stature with the gods,
for in his weakness and his filth and his murder of his brother he has still the great
choice. He can choose his course and fight it through and win.” --John Steinbeck, East
of Eden
“Up ahead they’s a thousan’ lives we might live, but when it comes it’ll on’y be one.” -John Steinbeck, The Grapes of Wrath
The Course
We’re going deeper this year. Freshman year was about learning the JS style of writing so
that you would always 1) be organized, 2) support your ideas with facts or observable
details, and 3) be able to expand your thinking with clear commentary or analysis. This
year—sophomore year—you go beyond the structure itself and become a more purposeful
writer. You’ll learn to identify your audience (it varies) and to vary your approach to meet
both the audience’s needs AND your own; after all, you are writing with some purpose in
mind—right??? In your sophomore you are more crafty about your word choice. You use
devices on purpose—to achieve a certain effect. You study what accomplished writers do
and try to do the same. You’ll flounder for a while, but by the end of the year, you’ll have a
new set of tools in your toolbox.
All the while, we’ll be circling around one big theme: what choices do we and other people
make—and what are the known and unknown consequences of those choices? Does
studying choices make us more powerful, more effective, more insightful? How do ideas of
fate and free will figure into the picture? Is language itself a choice, and does it shape who
we are or who we become? Can we affect the unknown/uncontrollable with skillful use of
the known?
Goals
 Reinforce structure of writing
 Expand to depth of insight, detail and analysis
 Find ways to see and explore more connections between ideas
 Expand to purposeful use of devices to achieve effect
 Deepen awareness of and respect for the individual talents we bring to teams
 Learn to ask more questions
 Think: more, and more deeply
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Policies & Expectations
Grading Categories:
Writing
Grammar & Vocab
45%
10%
Analysis
Academic Behaviors
30%
15%
NOTE: Complex (layered) assignments will have multiple grades depending upon the standards being assessed. Example:
An essay that analyzes a novel may have four separate grades, including 1) writing, 2) grammar (1-2 specific skills), 3)
analysis (of literary devices), and 4) academic behaviors (timely work, adherence to MLA style, neatness
Writing Grades (include but are not limited to)
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Paragraphs – structure, content, focus
Short Answers – focus, clarity
Essays – content, focus, organization, cohesiveness
Research Papers – research, paraphrasing, citing, structure, goal
Creative Writing – application of, success with specific skill assigned
Grammar and Vocabulary Grades (include but are not limited to)
Every Thursday in the fall semester, you will have a quiz over the grammar skill
covered in the previous days. IF you fail the quiz, you must show proof of additional
practice before you re-take the quiz. Additional practice will be available on the course
website.
Every Thursday in the spring semester, you will have a vocabulary quiz. Vocabulary
will be based on root word study. Quizzes will draw words from previous quizzes AND
will contain new word challenges.
Analysis Grades (include but are not limited to)
a. Analysis of literary texts, including how literary devices affect meaning
b. Analysis of persuasive texts, including how rhetoric and rhetorical devices create
argument
c. Analysis of a broad range of texts, including art, film, music, poetry, cartoons,
etc., and how they make and convey meaning
Academic Behavior Grades (include but are not limited to)
Please see final sheet describing these behaviors in detail
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Timely Work (TM)
Organization and Preparation (OP)
Active Listening (AL)
Group Discussion (GD)
Creative and Thinking Risk (CTR)
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Grading Interpretation – What are my grades trying to tell me?
Score 95-100 Level: WOW
100
MATURE and INVENTIVE use of skill
95 – 99 DEMONSTRATES increasing degree of maturity and inventiveness
Score 90-94 Level: EXPERIENCED
ADVANCED use of skill: No flaws in demonstration of skill knowledge
Score 85-89 Level: EXTREMELY COMPETENT
Minor flaws decrease as skill mastery increases
Score 80-84 Level: COMPETENT
SATISFACTORY use of skill: Minor flaws still present
Score 75-79 Level: EMERGING
Flaws decrease in number or severity
Score 70-74 Level: DEVELOPING
PARTIAL GRASP of skill, SOME sufficiency; flaws overshadow skill demonstration
Score 60-69 Level: NOT YET
Attempts build towards some skill demonstration
60 – ATTEMPTS use of skill; NO SUFFICIENCY demonstrated
Score 0 - 50 Level: NOT DEMONSTRATED
NO EVIDENCE of skill understanding/use
0 – no effort, no submission
Gradespeed
The grade book for English II is designed to help you track your growth in key skills in the
course. Use the grade book as a TOOL to help you pinpoint the areas in which you are
doing well—and the areas in which you need tutoring and additional practice.
Late Work
Your academic behavior grade will be negatively affected for work that is not turned in on
time. Late work after nine days will not be accepted, and no late work will be accepted
within three days of the end of the grading cycle.
Absences
If you know you are going to be absent, please check the website (and speak with me if
needed) so you can get your assignments and remain on schedule. In the event you are
absent, YOU are responsible for getting missed notes, making up work, quizzes, or exams,
and checking with me to confirm that the website accurately reflects missed work. You will
receive an extension of 3 days for due dates as a result of absence.
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Quiz/Exam Re-takes
The complete CVHS Re-take policy is outlined in the Student Handbook. I strongly
encourage you to make use of re-take opportunities.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism and academic dishonesty will NOT be tolerated in any form. For a more
extensive explanation of CVHS late work/plagiarism policy, see your Student Handbook
and the school website.
Class Materials:
 One 2-inch, 3-ring binder
 10 reinforced tabs
 Pens, pencils, highlighter
 Required in-class texts as noted
Texts & Source materials
See the list on the class website.
ENGLISH II PRE-AP
ACADEMIC BEHAVIORS include but are not limited to:
Each assignment in GradeSpeed that is evaluated based on Academic Behaviors will bear one
or more of the following designations:
a.
Timely Work
a. “TW” will be noted in grade-book beside assignment
b. Grades will drop as follows, corresponding to number of days late: 100, 75,
65, 50, 0 or as the instructor deems appropriate.
c. Absolutely no late grades awarded after 3 calendar days of due date. I always
encourage you to complete the work and submit it, regardless of # of days
late; this is important both for learning and for self esteem.
d. Absolutely no late work accepted within the final 3 days of each grading cycle
b.
Organization & Preparation
a. “OP” will be noted in grade-book beside assignment
b. Student is expected to bring assigned materials to class, to read/view/listen
to materials as assigned, to consult website daily, to annotate readings, to
keep handouts in an organized binder system, to retain all returned papers in
an organized system so they can be consulted for reflective (self-evaluation)
work.
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c.
Active Listening
a. “AL” will be noted in grade-book beside assignment
b. Evaluation will reflect student’s active engagement in class activities in a way
that maintains focus and deepens the student’s understanding of the
material/topic. Activities will include taking notes and asking insightful and
exploratory questions (as appropriate) during lecture and whole-group
activities.
d.
Group Discussion (smaller groups as assigned)
a. “GD” will be noted in grade-book beside assignment
b. Evaluation will reflect student’s level of participation in group discussions,
including personal contributions, eliciting participation from fellows, using
skills to deepen discussion and analysis, and observing rules of respect and
politesse.
e.
Creative & Thinking Risk
a. “CTR” will be noted in grade-book beside assignment
b. Evaluation will reflect student’s willingness to push him- or herself as a
learner (and communicator) into areas that are new and unfamiliar (and
possibly uncomfortable) in an effort to see differently, to explore thoughts
and thought processes in a different way, to reveal nuanced connections that
weren’t at first obvious, and to generally think “outside the box.” This grade
will be a regular component of large projects.
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