Patrick Henry High School IB Prep 10 2006-2007 Mr. Compton Room 214 Voicemail: 612-668-7690 E-mail: paul.compton@mpls.k12.mn.us Course Description IB Prep 10 English will engage students in a variety of skills intended to prepare students for pursuit of the IB diploma or medallion in their junior and senior years. Instruction will cover literary analysis techniques, writing skills, grammar, and public presentation skills. Students will also be instructed in engaging texts as critical thinkers, considering multiple points of view and contexts, and reaching conclusions based on available information. Course Objectives Students will learn: 1. academic terminology for reading, analyzing, and discussing fiction and nonfiction. 2. note taking skills and strategies, focusing on the Dialectical Notebook form. 3. analytical strategies for finding individual meanings in texts from multiple perspectives 4. to examine text independently as individuals and cooperatively in groups 5. to research, organize and present conclusions in oral presentations 6. to structure and write clear paragraphs and essays Required Texts and Other Supplies Novels and texts we will read this year: The Color of Water by James McBride Lord of the Flies by William Golding The play, “MacBeth” by William Shakespeare The play, “A Midsummer’s Night Dream” by William Shakespeare Night by Elie Wiesel 1984 by George Orwell The play “Antigone” by Sophocles Various multicultural nonfiction selections, short stories, poems integrated into each unit Students are encouraged to purchase some novels covered in the class. Personal copies allow students to highlight, record questions, and make notes in these novels with no repercussions for “damaging” the texts. Students will be informed which readings would be to their advantage to own. Students are further encouraged to bookmark http://www.dictionary.com on personal computers at home, or have an available dictionary at home. A class set of dictionaries will be present in our classroom. The following supplies are required for each student and should be present in class each day: • three-ring binder with pockets and loose-leaf paper and dividers • pen or pencil for daily work • highlighter • student planner (absolutely necessary for hall passes) • visible student ID Assignments • Major Assessments: 1 to 2 formal essays each quarter. Oral Presentation Projects. Antigone essay. Persuasive essay. Shakespeare presentation/analysis/essay on ambiguous language. • Daily Assignments: Students will study and be tested on vocabulary. Students will keep dialectic notebooks on materials read for class. Students will analyze and present findings as individuals and in groups. • Homework: Students will be responsible for reading assigned pages on nights they are assigned. Nightly reading assignments will NOT be unwieldy and consequently will be expected to be completed. Nightly reading assignments will be often accompanied by guiding questions to be answered on loose leaf paper and turned in at the beginning of the next day’s class. Student work MUST be completed on time. Late work will be penalized heavily unless excused by a signed statement from parents or guardians. Grading Policies Components: Citizenship (tardies, attendance, behavior, supplies) Vocabulary Study and Quizzes Grammar, Writing, Journaling Tests and Quizzes Final Exam Grading Scale: Please Note that it is a school policy that there are no A +’s. 94 = A 90-93 = A88-89 = B+ 84-87 = B 80-83 = B78-79 = C+ 74-77 = C 70-73 = C68-69 = D+ 64-67 = D 60-63 = D59.9 = F Class Policies: • BE ON TIME: Students are expected to attend class every day class is held unless excused by activities or parents/guardians. Students are expected to be in their seats when the bell rings. Lingering in hallways and around the door is not acceptable. On most days there will be a warm up to start on when students enter the room, and students will be expected to begin working on it without prompting. Unexcused tardiness is strongly discouraged. For the purposes of this class, 3 unexcused tardies will count as one unexcused absence from the class, and will carry a point loss as well. • BE PREPARED: Students will have their own materials, and have them ready to use or turn in. • BE POLITE: Students will be expected to raise hands and be called upon in order to speak. Other students will be expected to listen carefully to their peers and consider their input without interruption. Students will be expected to read instructions carefully and fully before asking for assistance. Academic Support: Opportunities for Extra Help * After-School Tutorial: Mr. Compton will be available from 3:05-4:00 on Tuesdays for after school tutorial sessions. Bus tokens will be available to students who need them. * Communication: Students and parents needing to make contact with Mr. Compton can do so by the following means. * Voice mail: 612-668-7690. * Email: paul.compton@mpls.k12.mn.us Miscellany * Planners and Passes: Students will receive a free planner at the beginning of the year. Students are encouraged to use them to keep track of assignments and due dates. Students MUST have a planner to use for hall passes for bathroom trips, etc. Students will be granted 3 passes per quarter. If planners are lost, replacements are available for $3. Passes will NOT be granted without a planner. * Advisory Teacher: Advisory occurs weekly after 1st hour on Thursdays. Advisory teachers will assist students in tracking completion of graduation requirements. * Peer Support: Students are encouraged to work and find support amongst their peers. Many students find it useful to find a formal “study buddy” that can act as a sounding board for ideas, a source of information for missed assignments, and a cooperative partner for exploring ideas and points of view. Students need only be sure NOT to plagiarize or copy each other’s work.