Pebble Hills High School
English I Pre-AP
Welcome to Pebble Hills High School and to English I Pre-AP class! This will be an exciting,
challenging, and educational year. We look forward to working with students and parents to achieve a
successful year for every student. Communication is one key to success of your child. Therefore, we will
encourage parents and students to follow our school Twitter accounts. Here, we will be posting reminders
of assignments that will be due and pictures of things we will be doing in class. We have also set up a text
remind system. This will be a one way mass text to all students and parents that sign up. With this, we
will remind when assignments are due, upcoming tests, and upcoming assignments. To sign up text
___________ to ___________.
Course Objective
Students in English I Pre AP will read a wide selection of literary and informational texts across various
genres and are expected to read critically and analyze the written word. Students will produce a variety of
written compositions using the writing process and technology to revise, edit, and polish their original
work. Students will also work collaboratively in classroom cooperative teams to enhance learning and
strengthen oral and written communication skills. All curriculum content is based on state and district
standards (TEKS) and will prepare students for the End of Course exams (EOC). Additionally, the PreAdvanced Placement curriculum will prepare students for the demands of the tenth grade Pre-Advanced
Placement class and the eleventh and twelfth grade Advanced Placement classes.
Reading Objectives
* Read actively and critically from a variety of genres and begin literary analysis.
* Interpret and evaluate literature.
* Understand literary terminology and the elements of fiction.
* Understand archetype as symbol.
* Practice poetry analysis.
* Understand tone and theme in literature.
Writing Objectives
* Developing appropriate essay structure which includes support/evidence.
* Develop unity and coherence in writing
* Develop the qualities of good writing to include: unity, purpose, clarity, organization, grammar.
* Learn to incorporate quotations in writing
* Learn essay structures to include narrative, expository, and compare/contrast
Course Description
The primary focus for English I Pre-AP is the archetypal, epic, modern, and tragic hero. Novel and drama
selections will include most or all of the following:
1st 9 Weeks - Short Stories and Poetry – Literary Fiction and Non-Fiction
2nd 9 Weeks – Dramatic Conventions and Informational Texts
3rd 9Weeks – Intentional Persuasion and Genre Connections
4th 9 Weeks – College and Career Literacy and Inquiring Minds
Books we will be reading this year will be:
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Anthem by Ayn Rand
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
Faust by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
*Students may be asked to purchase their own texts to teach annotation. We will provide sources
to purchase the books and plenty of time to get them.
*Assigned reading and assignments will be given during intersession and school holiday breaks to further
enhance critical reading and thinking.
*There will be random notebook checks which will count as a daily and test grades.
Materials
* Laptop
* Spiral Notebook/Composition Notebook
* Highlighters, pens, pencil
* USB (optional)
* Colored Pencils
* Class supplies: Kleenex or Clorox wipes or germ-X
Grading Policy
The class will follow the Socorro ISD policy for grading:
50 % Daily Work
30 % Tests
20 % 9 Weeks Exam
Late Work Policy
Late work will be accepted but will be subject to point deductions at teacher’s discretion.
Classroom Behavior Responsibilities
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Readiness: Be on time to class; be seated, quiet, and working when the bell rings; be prepared
with book(s), notebook, pen or pencil. You will not be given extra time if you are tardy.
Be on task, head up, and attentive.
Be an active participant in your own education (listen closely and contribute)
Cell phones/iPods must be put away unless otherwise requested.
Use appropriate language and comments—no “lazy” language (cursing, name-calling)
You are responsible for requesting any work missed due to absence.
Plagiarism
Review the definition of plagiarism in the MLA Handbook. Your work must be entirely your own unless
you have permission to collaborate. If you plagiarize by submitting undocumented work by another
person, you have violated important academic rules. Obviously, you cannot receive credit for the
assignments; additionally, we will need to discuss the consequences of your behavior with your parents
and an administrator.
Teacher Contact Information
Mr. Gerry Saucedo –English I Pre-AP
gsauce@sisd.net
Ms. Irene Mendoza – English I Pre-AP
Imende01@sisd.net
Mr. Chris Cortez – English I Pre-AP
Ccorte01@sisd.net
Ms. Erica Olivas – English I Pre-AP AVID
eoliva@sisd.net