Welcome to English Class!
Sophomores (periods 2,3,&4)
Seniors (periods 5&6)!
MS. Mrs.
Reeve
Melinda Malaspino
Folsom High School
Who is teaching your teen?
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Napa, California
Bay Area
College Park High
Diablo Valley Jr. College
 A.A. General Education
CSU, Sacramento
 BA English
 Minor: Social Work
 Single Subject Clear
Credential
 CLAD Certification
Started teaching at FHS in
1998
District Teacher of the Year
2007
Completed:
 Masters in Education
 National Board Program
2008
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FHS Site Technology Manager
10th Grade Curriculum Coach
– ELA
WASC Review Leader
BEST Team Member
FHS Drug Prevention Council
Coach:
 Volleyball
 Softball
Club Advisor:
 Bulldogs Reaching Out
Activities Director : 2010-2012
Requirements
Classroom Requirements
Home requirements
check
Schoolwires for updates
about the week.
 Subscribe to my website
 A 1 ½ “ or larger binder for
 Set aside time for
English with 5 dividers
homework and reading
 Several colored pens and
for class
highlighters
 Be prepared to research
 Text/novel
online – if not at home,
set up a place to access
 OR Book
the internet.
 Participation in classroom
 Type essays using MLA
discussions
format.
 Write down homework
from whiteboard!
 Routinely
Check out my website!
Folsom High School
 Teacher’s Websites
 Reeve, Dena
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Available on the App store or get it on
Google Play – The Folsom Cordova
App! You can access Powerschool
from this app.
Grading Scale: Total Points
Grades will be based on points earned
through the entire semester.
Point value of assignments will depend
on importance and complexity.
Grading Scale
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Letter grades will be based on the following scale
as set forth by the FHS Department of English:
100% + = A +
93-99% = A
90-92% = A88-89% = B +
83-87% = B
80-82% = B-
78-79% = C +
73-77% = C
70-72% = C68-69% = D +
63-67% = D
60-62% = D59% and below = F
Goals
Students will
continue to
develop their
understandi
ng of
grammar
and
vocabulary
through daily
and weekly
lessons and
exercises.
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Students will be expected to:
 Research on a topic in order to effectively write
an argument-centered paper.
 Revise and edit their papers in order to develop
as a writer and thinker.
 Participate in class through the Socratic method
by sharing their writing and opinions on a subject
in both small and large group discussions.
 Read and analyze text using literary
terms/devices for a deeper meaning.
 Develop critical thinking and problem solving
skills, effective oral and written communication
techniques, and the ability to collaborate
effectively.
 Look at problems and issues in Literature from
multiple perspectives in order to take a position
on the topic at hand.
Common Core Curriculum
All English courses are designed to
be inquiry-based courses,
integrating reading, writing,
discussion, and critical thinking in
all units.
Teachers collaborate to create
lessons which call on students to
explore ideas, interact with the text
and develop thoughtful
understanding in accordance with
the FCUSD mission statement.
GPS Curriculum
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All students, whether or not
they are officially enrolled in the GPS program, will
receive integrated instruction in their core classes.
In Sophomore English, students explore literary works
from across cultures to discover how our stories reveal
truth about ourselves, the nature of mankind, and
human culture.
In Senior English, students explore “The Next Step”
analyzing those who have gone before, thinking deeply
about their own next steps. Their readings will cross
the divide between the first recorded stories – such as
Beowulf – to famous authors of our day – such as John
Grisham.
Class Readings:
Sophomore Year
Farm –
George Orwell.
 The House on
Mango Street –
Sandra Cisneros
 Various Short stories
from the Language
of Literature textbook
 Animal
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Senior Year
 Beowulf
 A variety of informational text
and articles
 Shakespeare’s Macbeth/
Hamlet / Taming of the
Shrew / 12th Night
 CSU ERWC (Expository
Reading and Writing Course)
 Novel Choices:
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A Long Way Gone –
Ishmael Beah
Lord of the Flies –
William Golding
Julius Caesar – William
Shakespeare
Possibly Piloting new
novels this year!

And Then There Were None 1984
Cry, The Beloved Country
Brave New World
Death of a Salesman
Catcher in the Rye
Nectar in a Sieve
Kite Runner
Frankenstein
Ordinary People
The Natural Hunt for Red October
Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde
Things Fall Apart
John Grisham Novels
Class Readings
 In
addition to the novels read in class, the
students will also be required to do outside
reading. Time will be given in class to read
on block day and on Fridays, but students will
mostly be responsible for this work on their
own.
 Other resources to be used in class are:
 How to Read Literature Like a Professor – Thomas
C. Foster
 Elements of Literature and Language of Literature
by Holt (textbooks to be provided in class)
If your student needs help…
I can be reached at
•dreeve@fcusd.org
•916-294-2400 ext. 415216
E-Mail is the best way to reach me!