Mrs. Garrard’s AA Sophomore English
EN35 Class Syllabus
Room: 123
Email: trgarrard@mpsaz.org
Phone: (480) 472-8177
Tutoring available: Monday & Wednesday Lion Tutorials and by appointment
Welcome to your sophomore year! The skills you learn this year will be critical for your success
throughout your academic career and beyond. English 35 will continue to build upon the foundation of reading,
writing, speaking, and listening skills that you have already laid. However, the specific focus of this year will be
on developing a solid understanding of American literature and culture; reading critically and analytically;
listening with purpose; writing and speaking with clarity, purpose, and style; expanding academic vocabulary;
and collaborating in a respectful learning community. This class will also focus on your ability to communicate
both formally and informally through group activities and individual presentations. You can expect a rigorous
curriculum, but you will have my full support in helping you to be successful and to have fun learning.
Major Works:
❖
❖
❖
❖
❖
❖
❖
❖
The Crucible by Arthur Miller
The Scarlett Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry
The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams
Movies: The Scarlet Letter, The Great Gatsby, Of Mice and Men, The
Crucible, A Raisin in the Sun
Independent Reading Projects:
Every quarter, you will complete a supplementary reading selection on your own that fits within the focus literary era(s).
You will complete a variety of assignments to demonstrate that you read the book and gained knowledge from it. You
will, also, be expected to incorporate your independent reading into course discussions and writing assignments when
appropriate.
*Occasionally level and content appropriate clips will be used to supplement and enhance student
understanding of themes and concepts.
**You will read a selection of poetry, as well as other fiction and non-fiction texts during the year.
Student Texts: You will be using Holt Rinehart Winston’s Elements of Literature: Literature of the United
States, 5th Ed., as well as, Building an Enriched Vocabulary by Joseph R. Orgel, Ph.D. In addition, you will be
given either hard copies or web links to other readings used in class. However, for your independent reading
novel, you will have to check out a copy at the library, find it as a PDF on the internet, or purchase a copy on
your own. More details about your independent reading project will be given to you at the end of the first quarter.
Materials Needed:
For this class, students will need the following:
✓ 3 subject spiral notebook
✓ Loose-leaf college ruled notebook paper
✓ Blue/Black Pen and Pencils & different colored highlighters
✓ Flash drive for saving work
Procedures/Grading:
ALL WORK IS DUE ON THE DUE DATE. EXCEPTIONS FOR LATE WORK MAY BE MADE FOR MAJOR
ASSIGNMENTS (50 points and up) WITH REDUCED CREDIT (automatic 10%).
Plagiarism and cheating will not be tolerated. Anyone caught copying or giving their work will receive a zero for the
assignment or test and a discipline referral.
Essays will be in MLA format. They will be typed, double-spaced, 12 pt. font, Times New Roman; 1 in. margins,
submitted through Google Drive or hard copy (either needs to have turnitin.com approval); class work will be neatly
written. Please use loose leaf paper.
All essays should have a modified MLA heading in the upper left corner of the paper:
First and Last Name
Teacher’s Name and Period
Name of Class and Assignment
Date: day, month, year
John Smith
Mrs. Garrard Period 1
Honors Soph. English- Persuasive Essay
1 May 2015
Student work will be graded using a weighted points system. The categories and corresponding point values
are as follows:





Essays = 30%
Projects = 25%
Assignments = 20%
Tests = 15%
Homework = 10%
A
B
C
D
90% - 100%
80% - 89%
70% - 79%
60% - 69%
Class Expectations:
1. COURAGE. Have the courage to stand out. Have the courage to stand up for what you believe.
Have the courage to try: don’t be afraid to make mistakes; that is how we learn.
2. RESPECT. Respect yourself, your surroundings, and others’ views and opinions. Respect the
limited amount of time in the classroom; come on time and prepared to work.
3. INFLUENCE. Be aware of your influence on others & make it a positive one. Be aware of
others’ influence on you.
4. INTEGRITY. Speak with integrity. Be impeccable with your word. Say only what you mean.
Avoid speaking against yourself or gossiping about others. Be honest in your work.
a. Honesty is expected at all times; honesty in explanations, honesty regarding homework (there is a difference between
working together and copying), and honesty on quizzes and tests.
b. A zero will be given for any assignment on which a student cheated, copied, or plagiarized, or allowed another student
to do so, and appropriate disciplinary action will be taken (detention, parent contact, and/or office referral).
Welcome to Mrs. Garrard’s English 35! It’s going to be a great year!
Student-Guardian Information and Syllabus Agreement Form
Student Name: ___________________________________
Guardian #1 - Name: _____________________________
Guardian #2 - Name: _____________________________
Guardian #1 - e-mail: _____________________________
Guardian #2 -e-mail: _____________________________
Guardian #1 - Phone#: ____________________________
Guardian #2 -phone#: _____________________________
Is there anything specific that you need me to know about your child?
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Dear Parents,
I am honored to have the opportunity to work with your student this year. An essential part of any
English course is providing students the opportunity to interact with a variety of texts, perspectives, and topics
that will challenge their thinking, expand perspectives, and provide opportunities for rich academic discussion,
analysis, and writing. This being said, it is my earnest desire to honor your family’s values, expectations, and
beliefs. If at any time you have a concern regarding the content or materials used in this course, please contact
me so that I can clarify the intention and purpose of the assignment and work with you to resolve the concern.
I will communicate about all grade issues and any behavior feedback promptly via e-mail. Phone
contact will be done during my lunch hour or after school, and due to busy nature of the school year, there may
be lapse time in phone communication. The best way to communicate with me is via email at
trgarrard@mpsaz.org. I look forward to working with you toward creating a successful and meaningful year of
English exploration with your student.
Sincerely,
Tracie Garrard
I have read the syllabus for English 35. I am aware of the texts, reading selections, film clips, policies,
expectations, and extra reading project guidelines. My child has my permission to participate fully in
the course and will abide by the course policies and procedures.
_____________________________________________
Guardian Signature
__________________________________________
Student Signature