In order to focus on student success, provide quality instruction, and communicate openly and honestly
with students and parents, secondary teachers will publish a course syllabus each term.
2015-2016 Course Syllabus for English II
Term 1
Teacher: Ms. Melanie McLeod
E-mail: Melanie.mcleod@biloxischools.net
Teacher’s Web Site: http://www.biloxischools.net/Domain/1022
Objectives: This is a general overview of what the teacher will teach and what the student is
expected to master.
Week 1: August 6th & 7th
 Welcome
 Handbook rules
 Classroom rules/procedures
Week 2: August 10th-14th
 Bellringer focus- Review capitalization/punctuation
 Introduction to The Great Depression and Of Mice and Men
Week 3: August 17th-21st
 Bellringer focus- Phrases
 Continue introduction to The Great Depression and Of Mice and Men
 Introduction to character development and theme tracking
Week 4: August 24th-28th
 Bellringer focus- Phrases
 Close reading and analysis of Ch. 1 from Of Mice and Men and supplementary
texts
 Continue character development and theme tracking
 Argumentative focus for culminating unit writing
Test 1
Score: _______
Week 5: August 31st-September 4th
 Bellringer focus- Clauses
 Close reading and analysis of Ch. 2 from Of Mice and Men and supplementary
texts
 Continue character development and theme tracking
 Argumentative focus for culminating unit writing
Week 6: September 7th-11th
 Bellringer focus- Clauses
 Close reading and analysis of Ch. 3 from Of Mice and Men and supplementary
texts
 Continue character development and theme tracking
 Argumentative focus for culminating unit writing
Test 2
Score: _______
Week 7: September 14th-18th
 Bellringer focus- Parallel structure
 Close reading and analysis of Ch. 4 from Of Mice and Men and supplementary
texts
 Continue character development and theme tracking
 Argumentative focus for culminating unit writing
Week 8: September 21st-25th
 Bellringer focus- Semicolon
 Close reading and analysis of Chapters 5 and 6 from Of Mice and Men and
supplementary texts
 Continue character development and theme tracking
 Argumentative focus for culminating unit writing
http://www.biloxischools.net
In order to focus on student success, provide quality instruction, and communicate openly and honestly
with students and parents, secondary teachers will publish a course syllabus each term.
Test 3
Score: _______
Week 9: September 28th-October 2nd
 Bellringer focus- Colons
 Argumentative writing
 Unit paper due on Friday, September 25th
Week 10: October 5th-9th
 Review
 CTA
Tests and Grades
Grading: A=90-100 B=80-89 C=70-79 D=65-69 F=below 65 I=incomplete
Grading follows the policies of Biloxi Public Schools. A mid-term progress report and a report card following the end of each term are issued.
Tests/Make up work: Comprehensive tests will be given throughout the term. An individual
copy of the test is made for each student. Students are expected to use test-taking strategies
modeled by the teacher in class to work through each test question. There will be a writing
portion on every test. Tests will be timed. Make up work will be completed before/after school
or at the teacher's discretion. Grade Weights- 55% Tests, 35% Activities, 10% Term Test
Retesting: All students are encouraged to schedule an appointment to reteach and retest if
they are unhappy with their grade, regardless of their score. The higher of the two test grades
will be placed in the grade book. To retest, students must successfully complete a remediation
assignment (including after school tutoring) and retest within 10 days of receiving his or her
score on the original test. If, at the teacher's discretion, a student does not put forth sufficient
effort on the original test (turns test in after a very short length of time, does not appear to have
worked through EACH question thoroughly and/or to the best of the student's ability), the
teacher may elect to not allow the student to reteach/retest. All daily/missed work relating to the
test must be complete before the retesting process may begin. An English II teacher will
available for reteaching and retesting on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons.
Homework/Assignments/Projects: Homework will be given a few times a week to reinforce
objectives covered in class.
Course Requirements: Students will be expected to master skills in preparation for the PARCC
Assessments and English II Common Term Assessments.
Important Dates:
Progress reports- September 11th
Term 1 Report Cards- October 19th
http://www.biloxischools.net
CTAs- October 8th and 9th