English IV TP
2008-2009
Period 3
Room 105
Mrs. Grimaldi
In English IV TP we will focus on refining oral and written communication skills and critical reading skills. Over the course of first semester, students will complete the College and Career Project. Students will practice writing cover letters, letters of inquiry, and opinion pieces, and will write several analysis essays. The objectives of this course are to prepare students for college writing and research requirements, to help students develop “real life” communication skills, and to refine students’ ability to analyze and understand various media.
Vocabulary for Achievement Course 4
The Least You Should Know about English: Writing Skills, Wilson and Glazier
Twisted, Laurie Halse Anderson
Winter’s Bone, Daniel Woodrell
Life as We Knew It, Susan Beth Pfeffer
Breathing Underwater, Alex Flinn
Voice Lessons, Nancy Dean
Texts:
Grading policy
Class preparation and participation . . . 10%
Independent reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10%
Homework . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20%
Tests and quizzes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30%
Writing workshop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30%
*Work missed because of an unexcused absence can not be made up and will receive a grade of “0”.
*If you earn a grade of 60 or lower on a quiz you may retake a different version of the quiz to bring the grade up to 70. This must be done within a week of the original quiz and the make-up quiz must be taken during one of my scheduled late nights.

Academic integrity
 You must abide by the WHS academic integrity policy as detailed in you student handbook. Remember, “cutting and pasting” and copying the work of another student are both violations of the academic integrity policy.
Extra credit
 Extra credit assignments can not be used to replace missing work. Extra credit can only be earned if all required assignments have been completed.
 You can earn extra credit by completing either of the following. Completed assignments will add 5% to a test grade. o Cool Word of the Week o Who Said That??
Required materials
 A 1 ½ to 2 inch binder, with 5 dividers (course documents; grammar; vocabulary; literature; writing workshop)
 A spiral-bound one subject notebook
 Black or blue pen, or a pencil
 A highlighter
You are required to keep a notebook for this class. You will have a notebook test at the end of each quarter.
My late nights are Tuesday and Thursday, and my prep periods are 5 and 8. My office space is in the teacher pod across from the library.
Email: sgrimaldi@windham.k12.me.us
Phone: 892-1810, extension 270

Class Rules and Expectations
Be present . . .
 You must be in class and in your seat by the second bell. Class tardies will result in a whole series of consequences as detailed in your student handbook. For each four week period in which you have no tardies or unexcused absences, you will earn a
“homework pass” that will allow you to skip a 10-point homework assignment. If you earn two passes in one quarter you will be able to drop a quiz grade.
 If you are absent you must make up missed work as soon as possible. The time limit will depend on the length of your absence. You need to see me as soon as you return
(before the next class, if possible) to discuss when and how you will make up missed work. Please do not ask me during class time to discuss these arrangements. If you are wondering if you “missed anything” while absent, please see the back of this page.
 I will ask each of you to pair up with another classmate in order to get notes, assignments, and a completed make-up work form when you return from an absence.
Be prepared . . .
 All assignments are due at the beginning of the period on the due date. Late vocabulary and homework assignments will not be accepted, except in the case of an absence.
 You must bring the following materials to class every day: your English notebook; your response journal; any needed textbooks; a pen or pencil; a highlighter; completed homework assignments.
 Be ready to participate fully in all class discussions and activities.
 Class preparation and participation count as 10% of each quarter grade. Please look over the attached class participation rubric, as it will be used to determine your class participation and preparation grade each quarter.
Be polite . . .
 Be respectful of others in class. Listen respectfully when others are speaking and allow others to focus on class activities without distraction.
 In accordance with WHS policy, cell phones are not to be turned on or visible in class. You should review the policy in your student handbook. I will not debate this policy (or any other) – if you have questions about the cell phone policy you should make an appointment to speak to an administrator about your concerns.
 I do not allow iPod use during class. Again, this is not open to debate. We will, however, listen to “background” music during a few class activities if all class members agree. You should feel free to suggest music for the class to enjoy during these times.
 Be respectful of the property of others. Please do not write on desks or in books.
 Do not do work for other classes in this class. I am telling you with complete sincerity that I will take this work and “feed” it to the shredder.

Did I Miss Anything?
Tom Wayman
Nothing. When we realized you weren’t here we sat with our hands folded on our desks in silence, for the full two hours
Everything. I gave an exam worth
40 percent of the grade for this term
and assigned some reading due today
on which I’m about to hand out a quiz
worth 50 percent
Nothing. None of the content of this course has value or meaning
Take as many days off as you like: any activities we undertake as a class
I assure you will not matter either to you or me and are without purpose
Everything. A few minutes after we began last time
a shaft of light suddenly descended and an angel
or other heavenly being appeared
and revealed to us what each woman or man must do
to attain divine wisdom in this life and
the hereafter
This is the last time the class will meet
before we disperse to bring the good news to all people
on earth.
Nothing. When you are not present how could something significant occur?
Everything. Contained in this classroom
is a microcosm of human experience
assembled for you to query and examine and ponder
This is not the only place such an opportunity has been
gathered
but it was one place
And you weren’t here.

Course Outline
Quarter 1
 Vocabulary for Achievement: lessons 1 through 6
 Grammar: sentence structure; subject/verb agreement,; commonly confused words
 College and Career Project
 Twisted, Anderson reader response journal
 Writing Workshop: college application essay
Quarter 2
 Vocabulary for Achievement: lessons 7 through 12
 Grammar: pronoun/antecedent agreement; rules of the comma; commonly confused words
 Winter’s Bone, Woodrell reader response journal short research
 Writing Workshop: personal narrative; literary analysis

Quarter 3
 Vocabulary for Achievement: lessons 13 through 18
 Grammar: modifiers; colon, semi-colon; commonly confused words
 Life as We Knew It, Pfeffer reader response journal
 Writing Workshop: creative writing
Quarter 4
 Vocabulary for Achievement: lessons 19 through 24
 Grammar: parallel structure; commonly confused words
 Breathing Underwater, Flinn
 Media Studies Unit critical reading and analysis of various types of mediated information; understanding propaganda
 Writing Workshop: persuasive essay; editorial
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………...
After reading the syllabus, course outline, and rules and expectations, student and parent/guardian must sign below. Please return the signed acknowledgement by Wednesday, September 3. The signed and returned form will count as your first quiz grade (25 points!). If you have any questions or concerns, please call or email me. I am looking forward to a productive and fun year!
______________________________________ _________________________________ ___________
(parent/guardian) (student ) (date)