Highlands High School
230110 – English II
Course Syllabus 2015 – 2016
Instructor: Carrie Lichtenberg
E-mail: carrie.lichtenberg@fortthomas.kyschools.us
Phone: (859) 781-5900 EXT. 2644
Grade: 10
Credit: 1
Prerequisite: English I
Course Description
In this course, students will read various literary works and examine several authors to
understand and master literary tools and conventions. Students will read novels inside and
outside of class while receiving direct instruction as well as practicing self-driven
inquiry. Along with continued vocabulary instruction to develop and acquire new vocabulary
skills in context, grammar and writing strategies will be emphasized as students create a variety
of written, spoken, and visual products. Attention will also be given to reading and writing in the
real world with a focus on persuasive and literary texts.
Course Standards
Students will:
 Read and analyze a wide variety of classic and contemporary poetry and prose, including
informational, persuasive, narrative, and imaginative.
 Respond critically to and analyze a variety of literary genres through in-class discussion
and activities.
 Understand vocabulary in the context of readings.
 Demonstrate organizational skills through writing and note taking.
 Compose and critique personal, expository, and argument/persuasive pieces including a
memoir, persuasive compare-contrast essay, literary analysis, rhetorical analysis,
argumentative essay, and a persuasive speech.
 Complete research and publish results.
 Present and demonstrate information through the use of technology.
 Read and analyze a minimum of four longer works (e.g., novels, plays).
 Understand and critically respond to visual media.
Textbooks:
 English II Course Pack (pushed to students through Schoology)
Grading:
Students will be evaluated based on two assessment categories: formative
(assignments/activities that foster and gauge learning throughout a unit) and summative
(assignments/activities that inform what a student has learned at the end of a unit or after
studying a text). Formative assessments usually occur several times within a unit of study, may
be informal or formal, and may include such assignments as reading checks, text annotations,
guided questions, exit slips, graphic organizers, text analysis practice, writing workshop,
discussion participation, presentations, etc. Summative assessments usually occur at the end of a
unit of study or end of a text, are formal, and may include such assignments as reading
comprehension quizzes, projects, papers, exams, presentations, etc. FORMATIVE assessments
are 40% of the total grade, while SUMMATIVE assessments are 60% of the total grade.
Students may re-do a FORMATIVE assessment by arranging an appropriate time with the
teacher; however, this work must be completed BEFORE the unit’s summative assessment.
Highlands High School Grading Scale:
A - 95-100
C-81-75
B+- 94-92
D- 74-70
B – 91-85
F – 69 and below
C+- 84-82
English Department Technology Policy:
The use of technology in the classroom is for educational purposes. During classroom hours, the
use of technology for anything other than academic purposes is in inappropriate use of that
technology.
To maintain the academic integrity of the digital environment in the classroom, all students are
expected to
 charge and keep their devices in working condition at the beginning of every class.
 update, maintain, and organize class materials on devices.
 proficiently use all learning platforms such as Schoology, school email, etc.
All students are expected to monitor their own appropriate usage of all technology. Inappropriate
usage includes, but is not limited to
 cyber-bullying
 the use of social media
 gaming
 messaging
 plagiarism
 cheating
 unauthorized web searches
 capturing and distributing photos and video, unless authorized for academic purposes
 capturing and distributing secure course material
 any other expectations specific to the source and/or instructor
The consequences for off-task behavior when using technology include:
1. a warning
2. detention
3. parental contact and loss of technology privileges in the classroom
4. administrative referral
The consequences for the inappropriate use of technology aligns with those outlined in the
Student Handbook and include parental contact, loss of technology privileges in the classroom
and/or administrative referral.
Participation and Attendance:
Students are expected to be prompt and prepared for class. Positive participation and proper
behavior are encouraged in order to demonstrate learning as well as to foster intellectual
maturation. Only students with excused absences will be allowed to make up work. Work will
be made up after school and must be arranged with the teacher upon return to school.
Absent/Late Work Policy:
Students have as many days as they are absent to complete missing work as long as their absence
is excused. It is the responsibility of the student to pick up any missing work. Late work will not
receive full credit. Students may turn in formative assessment work for half credit following the
day it is due. After that day, the assignment will be scored as a 0. Late summative assessments
will be reduced by 10% each day they are late until the score reaches 60%. Instructions on
turning in late work will be reviewed in class.
Academic Integrity:
Students must demonstrate academic integrity in this course by: 1) completing all assignments to
the best of their ability, 2) completing assignments independently (unless otherwise noted), 3)
avoiding plagiarism in all its forms, and 4) avoiding cheating, such as copying from other
students or by obtaining answers for assignments in advance. All assignments must be turned in
with a minimally acceptable level, even if no credit is earned because of lateness, in order to
receive a grade for the quarter. A grade of “I” will be assigned until all work is submitted. The
grade of “I” turns into an “F” one week after the quarter ends.
Plagiarism/Cheating:
The penalty for plagiarism and cheating will be a zero for the assessment or assignment;
furthermore, disciplinary actions will follow according to school policy.
Plagiarism is defined as taking credit for another’s ideas or words without attribution. Plagiarism
and cheating for any assignment will result in a 0 grade for that assignment.
Cheating is defined as falsifying one’s academic work or assisting another student to falsify
academic work. The following are examples of cheating:
 using hidden notes, copying from another student, or helping another student during an
assessment or in-class essay.
 giving assessment questions or answers to a student from another class or obtaining
assessment questions or answers from students in another class
 stealing assessment questions or answers
 feigning ill to avoid assessments
 changing answers, comments, or grades on an assessment already graded
 copying from a student or allowing another student to copy homework (unless
collaboration is explicitly encouraged for the particular assessment or assignment)
 using technology in any way to share assessment questions or answers with other
students, to communicate with other students during an assessment, or to reference
resources not permitted for completing the assessment or assignment using study aids
(e.g., Spark Notes, Cliffs Notes, etc.) in lieu of assigned readings
Course Content:
With each unit, students can expect to complete work for appropriate ACT prep, EOC prep,
grammar skills, and writing skills. Assignments and skills will include but are not limited to the
elements identified in each of the units outlined below:
Unit 1 Theme Focus: Culture and Its Impact on Individuality and Conflicts
Major Works: Anthem, Persepolis
Minor Works: various fiction, nonfiction pieces, and visual texts, both classic and
modern, that explore
the theme of cultural influences on individuals; authors include Amy Tan, Emily
Dickinson, Alice Walker
Writing: brief rhetorical analysis essay writing, symbolism analysis essay
Grammar: review sentence parts, simple sentences, prepositional phrases
Unit 2 Theme Focus: How Individuality Emerges and Using Logic to Draw Conclusions
and to Solve Problems
Major Works: The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, And Then There Were
None
Minor Works: various short fiction and nonfiction texts in which students explore
different perspectives of the same event, use clues to draw a conclusion about a certain
event, compare/contrast characters and events
Writing: Argumentative research paper, on-demand argument
Grammar: compound sentences, pronoun-antecedent agreement
Unit 3 Theme Focus: How Persuasion Shapes Our Lives and Promotes Change
Major Works: Animal Farm
Minor Works: exploration of advertising in various media, various
argumentative/persuasive texts, both classical and modern in print and visual
Writing: compare/contrast essay, rhetorical analysis, informational on-demand
Grammar: parallel structure
Unit 4 Theme Focus: Choice or Fate in Individuals’ Journeys and Relationships
Major Works: Much Ado About Nothing, The Alchemist
Minor Works: various nonfiction texts that explores differences in relationships and
different types of archetypes, selected poetry
Writing: personal memoir or essay, creative short fiction or poetry
Grammar: commas and other punctuation marks