English 10 Honors (2013-2014)
Mrs. Mjoness
Main Office: 703-957-4400
Email: Meredith.Wood@lcps.org
*subject to change
Planning periods: 4 th and 8th
Welcome to 10 th grade Honors English! This syllabus will act as a guide for this class and the expectations that you will be held to throughout the year. Please note that this is a flexible document and some items may change as needed.
Student Expectations:
 Respect yourself, your peers, the teacher and the classroom.
 Come to class on time
 Come to class prepared and ready to work (with texts, class materials and completed assignments)
 Be responsible for your own education. If you need help or have questions, please ask! I am available to help you during my planning and after school by appointment.
Habits of Mind:
As an Honors English student, I
 Read widely and often
 Foster my spirit of inquiry; seek answers
 Make connections
 Reflect thoughtfully
 Refine my thinking
 Develop my capacity for analysis
 Write widely and often
 Revise deeply
 Demonstrate originality
 Work diligently
Skills and Processes:
 Read and analyze British Literature as it reflects traditional themes, motifs, time periods, and genres
 Identify and apply literary elements in novels, poetry, short stories, and drama
 Write with an emphasis on exposition and description
 Observe, analyze, plan and create written and oral presentations
 Use oral language with an emphasis on small group process
 Proofread and edit finished products for standard English, focusing on clarity of ideas and conventions of spelling, grammar, and sentence structure
 Read technical and informational text to increase knowledge

 Use available technology to access, organize, evaluate, and present information
 Use and credit a variety of primary and secondary sources accurately and ethically, avoiding plagiarism
 Research a topic and produce a paper reflecting findings
Materials Needed:
 #2 pencils and blue or black ink pens (please do not submit work written in color pen, highlighter, or marker)
 Composition or Spiral Notebook (to act as your “journal”)
 Highlighters
 Red or green pens (for editing rough drafts)
 3-ring binder (you may wish to also have section dividers, but this is not required)
 Loose leaf notebook paper (kept in binder) or a 3 subject spiral notebook
Not required, but helpful materials to consider:
 Flash drive
 Index cards
 Post-it notes (annotating, especially in the text book)
Classroom Texts:
The Language of Literature: British Literature- a set of these textbooks will be kept in the classroom. If a student is absent and needs to take home a book to make up work, I will either photocopy pages or sign out a book.
In addition to the textbook we will read several novels. These paperback books are to be signed out.
Students will be billed for unreturned or damaged books.
The texts that we will use this year, but are not limited to:
Lord of the Flies
Animal Farm
Frankenstein
The Canterbury Tales
Brave New World
1984
Macbeth
Beowulf
Selected Poems Short Stories
Various “Outside” Reading Novels
While class sets will be provided for each text, students are strongly encouraged to purchase their own copy. Please check with me to find out which version we will be using in class before purchasing. This list is not final, therefore be prepared to study other texts in addition. You will be given at least a week’s notice before we begin a novel, so please do not go out and buy them all right now as this list is subject to change.

Plagiarism:
According to the Briar Woods High School plagiarism policy, cheating and plagiarism are not tolerated and will result in a zero on the assignment.
Collaboration:
There will be several opportunities to work with classmates in groups this year.
However, unless specifically noted, all assignments are to be completed individually – this includes homework, classwork, outside reading, etc.
Tardiness and Attendance:
According to BWHS policy:
 You are permitted two tardies per quarter – your third will result in Saturday school.
 Parents/guardians will be notified when there is an unexcused absence.
Make-Up Work:
If you are absent, it is your responsibility to see me for any missed work/assignments.
As per the LCPS make-up work policy, students will have one day for each absence to make up work before it is considered late.
Late Work:
According to the English Department policy, late work will be accepted for reduced credit, 10% per day the assignment is late – this includes weekends. Assignments over a week late will not be accepted.
Homework:
Any classwork assignment that is not finished automatically becomes homework and will be due the following class (unless otherwise noted).
Assessment:
All of your work will be assigned points using performance assessments, rubric scoring and informal assessment tools. These may include…
Projects Journal
Writing
Quizzes and Tests
Class work
Presentations
Honors Assessment:
As required by the state of Virginia, in order for honors students to receive a “bump” in their G.P.A., they must complete the county wide common honors assessment. This will occur in the form of a reflective essay and “Big Question” project.
The reflection essay will focus on their progress as writers, completed at the end of third quarter. Students will keep their work throughout the year in a portfolio to assist them in writing the reflection essay.

The “Big Question” project will be an inquiry-based reflection answering a “Big
Question” students have posed at the beginning of the year. Students will use the literature they have experienced throughout the year and other independently gathered materials to help support or dismiss this question.
The reflection and project will count for 50% of students’ final exam grades (25% per reflection).
This year-long process of inquiry and reflection will take place both in and out of the classroom. Portfolios will be kept in the classroom, and it is the responsibility of the student to maintain these folders (i.e. ensure that once writings are returned they are placed in the folders; independently gather outside materials for their “big question” folder, etc.)
Grades:
The Loudoun County Public Schools grading scale is as follows:
A+: 98-100 B - : 82-80 D: 66-63
A: 93-97
A - : 92-90
B+: 87-89
C+: 79-77
C: 76-73
C-: 72-70
D-: 62-60
F: 59-0
B: 86-83 D+: 69-67
The dates for interims and report cards will be posted on the school website. In addition the parent portal for CLARITY will open, allowing you and your parents to view all graded assignments. Please note: this will be my primary form of contact about your grades. If you or your parents would like information about your grades, please feel free to contact me via email, or see me before or after school – I do not discuss grades
during class.
Contact Me:
Please do not wait until you are failing to contact me. I am here to help and make myself available to you in a variety of ways. Email will receive the quickest response, but
I do understand that some items are better discussed via phone or face to face meeting.
I am available after school by appointment or during my planning blocks (4 th and 8 th ).
Please allow 24 hours to reply to an email or phone call.
**Please note that I was married last year and as a result my name has changed, but my email has yet to catch up. I hope to have my email change finalized within the first few weeks of school. I will give my new email address to students as soon as it is
available. If you are in doubt, use the link on my website to contact me.

English 10 Honors – Mrs. Mjoness
Student name______________________________________________
Parent(s) name_____________________________________________
Contact phone number _______________________________________
Parent(s) email(s) __________________________________________
Parent – please sign below
My child and I have reviewed this information together (including the grading and late work policies) and agree to work with the teacher and the school to assure my child’s success in English.
Parent Signature ______________________________________________
Student – please sign below:
I have participated in the classroom discussion of procedures and have discussed this information with my parent(s). I agree to do my best to succeed in English.
Student Signature _____________________________________________
Please return next class period.
I look forward to working with you this year!