IB English IV
2015-2016
Instructor: Ms. Jennifer Phillips
E-Mail Address: jphillips@dentonisd.org
Conference Periods: 1st and 5th
Room: 153
Phone: 940-369-2181
Tutorials: Tuesday 8:10-8:50
Thursday 4:15-4:45
Additional tutorials by appointment
Website: www.dentonisd.org/jphillips
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
IB English IV (Language A1) is a college-level class with college-level requirements and rewards. This
academically challenging course is part of the prestigious International Baccalaureate Diploma Program which
will allow you the opportunity to earn an IB Diploma/Certificate. As such, you are responsible for a series of oral
and written assessments which culminate in the IB Exam in May. In this course, we study the artistic use of
language and the depth of meaning created from its increasing complexity. We strive to become eloquent
writers, multifaceted thinkers, and global citizens. I’m excited you’re back for the second year of this rigorous
course!
IMPORTANT EXAMINATION DATES (SUBJECT TO CHANGE):
World Literature Written assignment (written during 11th grade year). Final, revised paper due to me
by February 1, 2016.
Students submit a reflective statement and literary essay on one work studied in part 1. (25 marks) The
reflective statement must be 300–400 words in length. The essay must be 1200–1500 words in length. This
counts 25% of your total IB English score.
Individual oral commentary and discussion to be performed the week of Jan 19, 2016 (20 minutes).
Formal oral commentary on poetry studied in Part 2 with subsequent questions (10 minutes) followed by a
discussion based on one of the other Part 2 works (10 minutes). (30 marks)
This is a twenty minute, recorded oral commentary based on one extract from one of the Part 2 works you have
studied, followed by a discussion based on a different Part 2 work. The focus of the first portion of the
commentary is poetry. Students will prepare a 10 minute commentary over a poem studied in Part 2 of the
syllabus. The second portion of the discussion will focus on one of the other works studied during this part of
the syllabus. Due Date: January 19, 2016. This counts for 15% of your IB English score.
IB Practice Exam (*mandatory and graded): Saturday, March 5 & Saturday, April 9 approximately 9:00 a.m11a.m
IB Exams: May 2, Paper 1 & May 3, Paper 2
Paper 1: Literary commentary (2 hours).
Monday May 2, 2016, 8:30 – 11:00 a.m. The paper consists of two passages from literature not studied in class:
one prose and one poetry. Students choose one and write a literary commentary (20 marks). This counts 20% of
your IB English score.
Paper 2: Essay (2 hours).
Tuesday May 3, 2016, 12:30 – 3:00 p.m. The paper consists of three questions for each literary genre. In
response to one question students write an essay based on at least two works studied in part 3 (25 marks). This
counts 25% of your IB English score.
Phillips IB English
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The Individual Oral Presentation (15% of IB English score), which you completed last year, may not be
revised. The scores you earned will be forwarded to the IBO along with the IOC score and your audio recording
from the IOC.
TUTORIALS:
Tuesday 8:10-8:40
Thursday 4:15-4:45
Other tutorial times will be made by appointment only. Be aware that I teach other courses than IB and those
students will share these tutorial times with you. You’re welcome to schedule a conference at any time for help
with your writing or anything else.
CONFERENCE PERIODS:
1st and 5th *These are available to you for
scheduling writing conferences. Please schedule in
advance.
WORK LOAD:
The qualities you need to be successful in this class are organization, time management, and a desire to work
hard. The amount of reading is prodigious, and all of your reading will be done outside of class. Familiarize
yourself with the reading list, and make sure to purchase needed books well in advance. I will give you the due
dates for completion later. Expect to write at least one essay per major literary work. Much of the writing we do
will be timed writing, handwritten, in preparation for the IB Exams in May.
FORMAT FOR WRITING WORK**:
All major, planned writing assignments must be typed and double spaced in 12 point font with one inch margins
all around. Use left, not full, justification. See MLA handbook for more specifics (available in the classroom).
Timed writings and daily assignments must be handwritten in blue or black ink on the front side of the paper
only. All assignments must have a heading on the top left hand corner with your full name, English IV IB,
Phillips, and the date. (We will use Google Classroom more second semester, so some work will be submitted
via Classroom.)
A Note about Submission of Papers: Please make sure all typed work is already printed and, if needed, stapled
before you come to class. I do not have a printer in my classroom. The only way I can print for you is from a
flash drive (not directly from your laptop), and I will only do so before 8:30 a.m. or after 4:10 p.m. Please print
papers from the library if you do not have access to a printer at home.
CLASS RULES:
Be punctual, be prepared, be courteous, work the entire period, and turn off phones and electronic devices.
Consequences: verbal correction, detention, parent call, referral. There is a $15 fee to retrieve your phone or
electronic device if I have to confiscate it and turn it in to the office.
GRADING POLICY:
 Two Categories - Major summative and Minor summative
 You will have an opportunity to reassess on MAJOR summative assessments. Minor summative
assessments will not be reassessed if the major summative covers the same material.
 You may reassess if:
o you have turned in all assignments.
o you have shown additional learning to qualify for reassessment. It is the student’s responsibility.
o you are within the 10 day timeline.
 How does the timeline work?
o You have 10 days from the day you receive your grade back on the assessment.
The Denton Independent School District does not discriminate on the basis of sex, handicap, race, color, and or national origins in its educational programs.
Admission to career programs is based on age, grade, interest, aptitude and ability. Lack of English language skills will not be a barrier to admissions and
participation in any educational programs.
Phillips IB English
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If you do not turn in the summative assignment on the date due, your 10 day reassessment
window starts the due date.
o If your summative assignment is not complete, it cannot be turned in and accepted as on
time. Your 10 day window will start immediately.
Homework and due dates
o Homework is due on the date the teacher establishes.
o Students who turn in their work on time will receive feedback.
o Students who do not turn in their homework on time will not receive feedback.
o 1st offense for not turning in work is a warning and parent contact
o 2nd offense for not turning in work is a teacher detention and parent contact.
o 3rd offense for not turning in work is an office referral.
Long term projects/papers
o If you are absent the day your project/paper is due you should, if possible, submit it
electronically to the teacher. Otherwise it is due the next school day to the teacher no matter
whether you have the class or not that day.
o


GRADING OF COMPOSITIONS:
Composition grades are assessed letter grades based on their content and style (which includes diction and
mechanics.) A+ is a 98, A is a 95, A- is a 92, B+ is an 88, B is an 85, and B- is an 82, and so on. IB assessments are
graded holistically according to IB rubrics.
RETESTS AND REWRITES:
Retests are allowed within one calendar week of receiving the graded test back. A tutorial and additional review
packet or activity is required in order to be eligible for a retest. Rewrites are allowed as long as you schedule a
writing conference with the teacher in order to best know how to improve your essay.
ABSENCES:
Absences do not exempt students from academic requirements. Excessive absences, even if excused or
extracurricular, may result in failure of the course because of a loss of instruction. An incomplete may be
granted at the teacher’s discretion, but incompletes must be cleared by the Friday following the last day of the
six weeks. Additionally, having an incomplete for anything other than excused absence, even when it is cleared,
may result in your being ineligible to participate in extracurricular activities for three weeks.
TARDIES:
School policy on tardiness will be followed. Consequences are teacher detention, all-school detention, and office
referral. Please do not come tardy from another teacher’s classroom, even with a note.
MAKE-UP WORK:
Make-up work is to be completed and turned in promptly, according to student handbook guidelines of one day
for each day absent to make up work. However, if a student misses a planned test due to absence, then the test
must be taken the day of the return. Long-term projects should be turned in on the due date. Tests must be
taken during tutorials or all-school detention. For school sponsored trips, work must be completed and tests
taken before the scheduled absence. A test taken after the scheduled test date could be the same material in a
different format.
PLAGIARISM AND CHEATING:
The Denton Independent School District does not discriminate on the basis of sex, handicap, race, color, and or national origins in its educational programs.
Admission to career programs is based on age, grade, interest, aptitude and ability. Lack of English language skills will not be a barrier to admissions and
participation in any educational programs.
Phillips IB English
Page 4
You are required to read each assigned work carefully, thoughtfully, and entirely by the assigned due date.
Cheating will result in a zero on the assignment and notification of parents. Plagiarism of any kind, whether
from commercially prepared notes, the Internet, or another student's paper, falls under the heading of cheating
and is treated the same. Remember, plagiarism occurs any time you fail to give another person credit--and
properly document it--for his or her words or ideas. Even if you put the information into your own words, it is
still plagiarism unless you properly cite and document it. All written assignments must be uploaded
electronically to www.turnitin.com to check for plagiarism.
SUPPLIES:
3-ring binder reserved for this class (2” minimum)
Dividers or Avery@ self-adhesive tabs
Loose leaf notebook paper
Blue or black pens
Highlighters in a few different colors
Paperback copies of novels and plays listed
Pencil flash drive (as needed)
Post-it notes
LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION:
I write letters of recommendation on a very selective basis. Please understand that I reserve the right to
consider your attendance, attitude, ethics, and grades when deciding whether to write a letter for you.
When you need a letter, pick up one of the "Questions for Reference-Forms" sheets, answer five of the questions,
and give it back to me with a copy of your resume if you have one, and the name and address of the person to
whom I am writing, as well as an addressed, stamped envelope. Give me at least two weeks turnaround time.
COURSE OUTLINE
This is open to modification as needed.
Fall Semester
Spring Semester
Hamlet, by Shakespeare
IOC Internal Assessment
Selected Short Stories, by Hemingway & O’Connor
The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
Selected Poems of Seamus Heaney
1984 by George Orwell
Selected Poems of Eavan Boland
**Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut
Research Paper
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
Preparation for IOC
Preparation for Paper 1 & Paper 2
Parent Communication
My email address is jphillips@dentonisd.org. Please feel free to email me with questions or concerns any time.
Unless I am absent, I will respond within 48 hours. If you need to call me, please call during my conference
period. If needed, personal conferences can also be arranged. I look forward to working together for your
student’s success.
The Denton Independent School District does not discriminate on the basis of sex, handicap, race, color, and or national origins in its educational programs.
Admission to career programs is based on age, grade, interest, aptitude and ability. Lack of English language skills will not be a barrier to admissions and
participation in any educational programs.
Phillips IB English
Page 5
The Denton Independent School District does not discriminate on the basis of sex, handicap, race, color, and or national origins in its educational programs.
Admission to career programs is based on age, grade, interest, aptitude and ability. Lack of English language skills will not be a barrier to admissions and
participation in any educational programs.
Phillips IB English
Page 6
IB English IV Signature Sheet
Directions: Please return this sheet completed to me on the second day of class.
Student’s Name (Please Print): _________________________________________________________________________
Parent or Guardian’s Name (Please Print): _____________________________________________________________
Parent or Guardian’s Email: ______________________________________________________________________________
Phone Number: ___________________________________________________________________________________________
(Please put a number that is most convenient for you. Home, work, or cell is fine.)
Please read and initial or check that you have read each item:
Parent/Guardian
____________ I will regularly check my child’s grades on Parent Connection online so that I may help my
child to be successful. (See DHS home page for information on how to access Parent Connection.)
____________ Copying words or ideas from any source without complete and accurate documentation is
plagiarism and will result in a zero on the work and parent notification. Even if you put the
information in your own words, it is still plagiarism (and cheating) unless you document and cite your
source.
____________ Knowing that good attendance is important to success in class, I/we will try to avoid
scheduling outside appointments during English IV IB when possible.
____________ Cell phones are to be turned off and put away during class. There is a $15 fee to get a phone
back if it is taken up and turned in to the office.
____________ Late work is not accepted. One late work pass is provided each semester.
____________ Work that was assigned well in advance of an absence should be sent via a sibling,
classmate, parent, or via email. Tests given during the absence should be made up the day the student
returns. Class work missed due to legitimate absence is due the class day after the return from
absence.
____________ Students are expected to complete all 5 IB English assessments as outlined on Page 1 of this
syllabus. This includes taking the IB English Exams (called Language A-1 by IBO). Satisfactory
completion of all of these assessments may allow the student the opportunity to earn college credit.
I have read the syllabus for Mrs. Seeley’s IB English IV course and am aware of the policies,
procedures, and content for the class.
_______________________________________________
Student Signature
__________________________________________________
Parent/Guardian Signature
The Denton Independent School District does not discriminate on the basis of sex, handicap, race, color, and or national origins in its educational programs.
Admission to career programs is based on age, grade, interest, aptitude and ability. Lack of English language skills will not be a barrier to admissions and
participation in any educational programs.
Phillips IB English
Page 7
The Denton Independent School District does not discriminate on the basis of sex, handicap, race, color, and or national origins in its educational programs.
Admission to career programs is based on age, grade, interest, aptitude and ability. Lack of English language skills will not be a barrier to admissions and
participation in any educational programs.