ENGLISH 9 HONORS,
2012-2013
SHORELINE SCHOOL DISTRICT
Shorewood High School
Barb Lachman
Alicia Doyl, teaching intern
COURSE DESCRIPTION
English 9 Honors covers a full year during which you will earn 1.0 credit and satisfy a graduation requirement for
English. This class is designed to improve language arts skills in writing, reading, and communication for students
with advanced abilities. English 9 Honors is intended to be more challenging than English 9 with more difficult
reading, more work, and higher grading standards.
THEME
Our major theme for the year is coming of age. According to the W.W. Norton “Glossary of Literary Terms,” a
coming of age story is a kind of “story in which a character—often a child or young person—first learns a
significant, usually life-changing truth about the universe, society, people, or himself or herself.”1 During the year
we will study stories, poems, novels, and film that deal with this subject.
CONCEPTS
In this class you will improve your reading skills, especially in vocabulary, attention to detail, identifying theme
and tone, and analyzing the effect of literary techniques on meaning. In writing, you will review the Six Traits,
write informally, and compose essays on-demand (such as those required on the HSPE and AP tests) and for
homework. To develop communication skills you will practice discussion techniques, including Socratic Seminar,
dramatic exercises, and presentation projects in oral, written, and visual formats to share your learning with others.
POWER STANDARDS
These are the most important learning goals we will focus on adapted from the Common Core State Standards
Initiative, a national description of the skills students need to graduate and be ready for higher education.
 Determine a theme or central idea of a text.
 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and
connotative meanings.
 Cite evidence from the text to support explicit (obvious) and inferential (below the surface) meaning.
 Analyze how an author’s choices create the effect of the writing.
 Develop and strengthen writing by planning, revising, editing, and rewriting to communicate effectively.
 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to
task, purpose, and audience.
 Write effective informative/explanatory essays to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and
information clearly and accurately.
 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen
details, and well-structured event sequences.
 Participate effectively in different kinds of discussions.
 Present information clearly, concisely, and logically that is appropriate to a particular audience.
 Use technology to gather information, produce writing, and present information.
TEXTS- Students are encouraged (but not required) to get their own copies of the first four books so they can
write their own notes in the text. Books can also be checked out from the school.
Mythology by Edith Hamilton
The Odyssey by Homer, translation by Robert Fitzgerald
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare (the Folger Library edition is recommended)
Springboard, Level 4- each student will receive own copy
GRADESWhat you really want to know! Assignments have points that fit into the categories below.
20% Participation
You will participate in partner work, activities and discussions. Part of your participation grade is “student points.”
These are learning experiences you seek on your own. You must get 10 student points each quarter. See the class
website for details and examples.
30% Homework and Quizzes
You should expect to do more than 30 minutes of homework each night for an average of four hours a week
(including the weekend). When a big project is due, you may spend more time.
45% Major Work & Tests
When a major assignment is given, you have more time to create it or study for it. Essays, projects & tests are
included, and you will often have a scoring guide for these assignments. Managing your time wisely is important to
your success in this category.
5%
Portfolio
At the end of each semester, you will choose several work samples with reflections to put in your career portfolio.
Percentages
B+ = 88-89%
C+ = 78-79%
A = 93-100%
B = 83-87%
C = 73-77%
D = 60-69%
A- = 90-92%
B- = 80-82%
C- = 70-72%
F = below 60%
Grading Expectations
Taking English 9, Honors is a yearlong commitment, and it is harder to get an A in this class than in English 9.
You do not have to keep a minimum grade in this class, but the benefit of an honors class diminishes if you have a
C or lower. If you feel misplaced in this class for any reason, talk to your family, your counselor, and me. Due to
school scheduling, you may not be able to make a change, or you may have to wait until the new semester.
I will try to grade your work promptly, but grading an essay takes longer. Sometimes I will focus on part of your
work to grade so you can get focused feedback sooner.
Late Work
To be considered on time, work must be complete when collected. You are responsible for remembering. You’ll
get a late work pass to turn in one late assignment each semester, and these must be turned in directly to me with
the completed pass attached to the work. After that, you will not get points for late work. You can also use a late
pass for student points. If you don’t use your late pass, and you don’t have missing work, it can be used for extra
credit in the category of participation at the end of the semester. You can’t give your late pass to someone else.
Extra Credit
The ONLY kind of extra credit in this class is 10 points for an unused late work pass at the end of the semester.
CLASS EXPECTATIONS- Show respect for yourself, others and the space.
Attendance
1. Be here! It is hard to keep up in this class if you are frequently absent, and you can’t make up any work
from an unexcused absence. According to the Shorewood attendance policy, you may fail this class with
nine absences or more in a semester.
2. When you have to be absent, you are responsible for making up work, and you have one week to turn in
work and make up quizzes. You will not get extra time for a long-term assignment if you are absent.
Tardies
1. Don’t be late. If you are more than 10 minutes late, it will be counted as an absence. When you are late,
you cannot make up the work you missed during that time.
2. After three tardies in a semester, you will be given a detention, and I will contact your family.
3. After four tardies, you will be referred to the Dean of Students for discipline. Continuing tardies will result
in more serious discipline.
Food & Drinks
Only water is allowed during class. No food unless you have a medical need.
Restroom Breaks
Bathroom breaks are for emergencies only unless you have a medical problem. Use your time before and after
class to take care of this. If you must go in an emergency, ask me during a time that does not interrupt
instruction, sign out next to the door, and leave your cell phone in the box.
Dress Code Will Follow Shoreline Dist. Dress Policy #3224
Clothing should adequately cover you, and it should not be distracting.
Cell Phones And Other Electronics
1. These should be turned off and out of sight, except when used for school activities. In an emergency, your
parents should contact the main office. Use iPads for class work only; no gaming or networking.
2. No sounds or vibrating from cell phones or other devices during class.
3. Never photograph or film others, except for class work when you get permission.
4. You are responsible for your own electronics. The school accepts no responsibility for cell phones or other
devices that are lost, damaged, or stolen at school or while traveling to and from school.
First Offense for inappropriate use- I will take your device and you have to pick it up from the Dean of
Students at the end of the school day.
Second Offense- I will take your device and you will be referred to the Dean of Students for discipline.
Materials Needed Every Day
1. iPad, charged every day
2. Binder with a section for English with extra notebook paper
3. Spiral or composition notebook, if you prefer to write your journal or notes by hand
4. Blue or black pens, pencils, and highlighter
5. Colored pencils and/or markers are optional but might be helpful for organizing or creative work
6. Assigned texts as we are working on them
Standards For Written Work
1. I prefer homework to be typed, but it is not mandatory. Work that you turn in must neat and written in
blue or black pen, unless I tell you pencil is acceptable. Work that isn’t in the correct format will be
returned. If you don’t use the correct format more than once, you may lose points.
2. Put a complete heading on the top right-hand corner of all work you turn in.
Name
English 9H, per. ____
Date
3. Assignments without a name or heading will be placed in the “No Name” box near the sink. If your work
lacks a heading more than once, you may lose points.
4. Frequently, work will be turned in electronically to Turnitin.com or the staff server. Use the naming
convention posted in class to name your documents:
a. per #_lastf_assignment.
b. Ex: 1_leew_mythessay (for 1st period, Wilma Lee, myth essay assignment)
5. Written work should follow the format shown below:
Name
Engl 9H, per. #
Date
Original Title (if it’s an essay) or
Name of Assignment


If typed
 Times or Times New Roman
 Size 11 or 12 font
 double spaced
 1 inch margins
Don’t double space if you use pen.
Academic Honesty
Cheating and plagiarism are serious offenses. Plagiarism is “an act or instance of using or closely imitating the
language and thoughts of another author without authorization and the representation of that author's work as one's own, as by
not crediting the original author.”2 I expect you to be honest. If you get an idea from another source or use someone
else’s words, you must cite them correctly. Unless you are given permission to work with a group or partner, you
must write your own work. If I think you have plagiarized, I will talk to you first. A first offense results in a zero
for the work, contact with your family, and a note in your student record. A second offense during your time at
Shorewood may result in losing credit for the class and a suspension. (See Policy #3302 in your student handbook.)
LUCKY THIRTEEN TIPS- If you do these things most of the time, you will be successful in this class.
1. Get to class on time and participate. It’s always better to attend than to avoid a day because you
don’t have something done. If you miss a day of class for any reason, you are responsible for
finding out what you missed and making up the work within a week. Ask for help if needed.
2. Bring materials to class regularly, including homework. Forgetting your work is the same as not
doing it.
3. Use a calendar or homework app and take time to organize regularly. You may have to
experiment to find a system that works best for you.
4. Read directions and the scoring guide and refer to it as you work. Expect that you will have to
put more effort into your work than you did in middle school. This class is for students who enjoy
taking on greater challenges in the difficulty and quantity of their work.
5. Plan ahead to get work done on time. Force yourself to complete small steps toward big projects
instead of waiting until the last minute. This is important. Completing work at the last minute
won’t work as well as it did in middle school!
6. Read the class website regularly. It has the course outline, assignments, information about
student points, and scoring guides.
7. Use AT (Achievement Time) for school work. Ask for help. Make up a quiz. Do homework.
Read. Meet with a project group. Socialize after you’re caught up on all your work. And
whenever you need help for any reason, talk to me before class, after class, or during AT.
8. Use the note-taking strategies you learn in class for your reading and class instruction.
9. When you’ve finished your homework, read something!
10. Use the Shorewood and King County library for book selection, research, and computer
resources. We have a great library system, and if you haven’t used it yet, now is the time.
11. Challenge yourself. Do not use boredom as an excuse for mediocre work. If you have an idea
for an assignment that interests you more and is different from the instructions, talk to me. If it
fulfills the skills for the assignment, I will encourage you to do it.
12. Give yourself permission to make mistakes and take risks. One mistake will not ruin your life or
your grade. Talk to me if you need help to get out of a tough place. You can email me, but don’t
wait until the last minute. We will work together to come up with solutions. I’m a human being
who has learned by making mistakes too.
13. Don’t complain about grades when it’s too late to fix them. I’m happy to help you improve your
work during the quarter, but complaining at the end of the grading period won’t help you, and it
makes me cranky. You don’t want me to be cranky while I’m inputting your grade!
CONTACT ME for any questions or concerns
By email:
barb.lachman@shorelineschools.org
By phone:
393-4372 (x 6876)
Class Website: http://schools.shorelineschools.org/staff/blachman/
The best way to contact me is by email. I welcome your questions and concerns!
1
Booth, Allison, and Kelly J. Mays. "Coming of Age." LitWeb. W.W. Norton, 2012. Web. 02 Sept. 2012.
<http://www.wwnorton.com/college/english/litweb10/glossary/I.aspx>.
2
"Plagiarism." Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com, 2012. Web. 03 Sept. 2012.
<http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/plagiarism?s=t>.