English 11A/B: British Literature

Course Number: 92082

Ms. Casey Schon D 209

Course Description: English 11 is an extension of English 9 and 10. It is a grammar, composition and literature class. Writing includes a variety of writing modes including the persuasive essay and research writing. Literature includes a variety of literary forms written by contemporary and classic British authors. ACT preparation is also a component of the class. Textbooks: Literature: British Literature, McDougal-Littell The Writer's Craft, McDougal-Littell (classroom set) Warriners Handbook (classroom set grammar) *Various novels will be assigned and provided throughout the year. Course Units: Throughout the course of the year, we will examine literary units as well as poetry, grammar, and vocabulary. In addition to reading and discussing the literary selections, each unit will also include an explanation and examination of brief historical and cultural information, literary terms, and an analysis of the ways the unit theme connects to the world today. Your Materials: You are required to bring the following to class EVERYDAY: A blue/black pen or a pencil A notebook or loose-leaf paper A folder or a binder (to organize handouts, notes, and returned work) Your course book Current novel (when applicable) Failure to bring these materials to class will ultimately affect your grade in a negative way as it is very difficult to function in class without the required materials. Grades: The grades in this class will follow a weighted grading system which will be based on formative and summative assessments. Formative grades will include homework, classwork and participation. Summative grades will include all tests, quizzes, projects, and formal papers (non-benchmark papers). We will also have the mandatory 25% Benchmark category. Formative Assessments 30% Summative Assessments 45% Benchmark Assessments 25%

Students and parents can check their grades online, as they are updated frequently, but keep in mind that all assignments that have been turned in at that point may not be reflected in the grade book. District Grading Scale:
The class will follow the district grading scale: 92 - 100 = A 90 - 91 = A88 - 89 = B+ 82 - 87 = B 80 - 81 = B78 - 79 = C+ 72 - 77 = C 70 - 71 = C68 - 69 = D+ 62 - 67 = D 60 - 61 = D59 and below = E

Classroom Protocol The following list contains important information regarding the structure of the class. 1. Come to class on time and with the correct materials. You will not be allowed to go to your locker to get work or class materials once the bell for class has rung. Please see the student handbook or school website for the new tardy policy. 2. Late Work and Absences: All work must be turned in on the due date to receive credit. Failure to do so will result in an automatic zero for that assignment. Work in Now (WIN), the schools homework policy, will be discussed the first day of school. Essentially, failure to submit an assignment will lead to an after-school detention. In terms of papers or projects, all deadlines are firm. If you run into a special circumstance in which you find yourself unable to submit an assignment by its deadline, you must notify me by email immediately to indicate as such. In most cases, I will expect you to submit whatever work you have completed at the time and a discussion will be held to determine where to go from there regarding your circumstance. Please note that special circumstances are events/situations of an urgent nature such as hospitalizations, severe illnesses, unexpected loss, or a traumatic event. Please know that a printer running out of ink or paper does not qualify as a special circumstance. If you are absent the day a homework assignment (questions from a short story, grammar, vocabulary, or any other daily work) is due, the assignment is due the first day of your return to class. It is your responsibility to turn the work into me when you return. I will not remind you; and if I do not receive the work when you return, it will be marked zero. If you are absent

during the course of an assignment/paper/project that is being worked on during class, you will have one day for each day you are absent to make up the work (i.e. If you are absent two days, you have two days to complete the work). Major assignments that are late will also receive a zero with no chance of recovering those points. If a student is absent, a copy of the paper must be e-mailed or delivered to Ms. Schon by 7:15 A.M. on the assigned due date or it will be considered late and marked zero. Please know that only excused absences from school fall into this category. If your absence is unexcused, you will receive an automatic zero for the assignment, paper, and/or project. If you miss the day of a test or quiz, it is your responsibility to make up the quiz within two weeks of the day that it was given. If it is not made up within that two week time period, you will receive a zero. If you are absent and that absence is excused, it is your responsibility to find out from me what you missed sometime before class begins. Stopping by in the morning before school starts the day you return is the best option. If you wait until class, there usually wont be enough time to go over all you need to know. Another option would be to e-mail me the day you are absent so I can send the information to you. 3. TURNITIN.COM: In addition to turning in a hard copy by the deadline, each paper must be submitted to www.turnitin.com. Papers will remain a zero in Skyward until an electronic copy is submitted to the website. Students will have until a week before report cards go out to submit their papers to turnitin.com from that quarter to receive their grade. Any papers that are not submitted by this due date will remain a zero permanently. Due dates and times will be announced during class and be included on the rubric. Each student will have his/her own username and password. This site can and should be accessed from home. We will review the submission process during the first week of school. Please remember that a hard copy of the paper is still due at the deadline given it just will not be given a grade until it is turned into turnitin.com. 4. MLA Format: All typed papers must be submitted in Modern Language Association (MLA) style. You will receive written instructions and a demonstration regarding the formatting of your paper. Failure to correctly format your paper will result in a deduction of points from your paper grade. 5. Plagiarism/Cheating: In an attempt to maintain the scholarly standards associated with academia, academic dishonesty is strictly prohibited. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to the following: cheating on assignments or tests/quizzes, any suspicious behavior during tests/quizzes, plagiarizing, submitting identical or similar work for more than one course without the consent of all instructors, and submitting homework/class work assignments that are identical or essentially the same as a classmates. The consequence for a first-time violation includes receiving a zero for the entire assignment, a written referral, and contacting the students parents. The building policy applies in all cases of

academic dishonesty. Please review the schools plagiarism policy for a more in-depth explanation. 6. Classroom Etiquette: Appropriate classroom behavior is expected. We are all responsible for the choices that we make. Everyone present is able to follow the rules that are set for our classroom; however, some people may choose not to follow certain rules for their own reasons. This choice results in a weakening of our classroom dynamic and needs to be addressed. So, please follow these rules in my classroom: a. No putdowns or negative comments: You will be expected to participate in class. With that said, always be respectful of another persons thoughts, opinions, and personality even if you do not necessarily see eye to eye with him/her. b. Be a team player: You will be expected to work in groups on a regular basis, so be supportive of your peers and stay on task. No one person should be doing all of the work and no one should be doing none of the work. c. Be respectful of other peoples property: Do not take or borrow someone elses possessions without asking. d. Keep the classroom clean and organized. Many people use this classroom during the day, so it is not fair if their or your environment is dirty or disorganized. This mean, do not leave trash behind pick up after yourself, do not draw or write on desks, chairs, walls, etc., and please push in chairs and straighten tables before you leave. 7. Cell Phones and Audio Devices: According to the school policy, the use of cell phones and audio devices (iPods, MP3 players, CD players) is strictly prohibited during instructional hours. a. The use of cell phones in any way during class is prohibited. This includes texting, taking photos, recording video or audio, and making or receiving calls. Students who are in violation of this policy will automatically receive a discipline referral. b. The use of audio devices is also prohibited. Do not have these devices out when you enter the classroom, and please do not ask to use them since the school policy has already been outlined for you.

My parent/guardian and I understand all of the contents and procedures of Ms. Schons/Ms. Purcells 11th grade English class. By signing the following lines, we agree to follow the contents and procedures to the best of our ability and accept the consequences if we choose not to follow them.

____________________________________________ Student Signature Parent/Guardian Signature

_____________________ _______________________ Student Print Name Parent/Guardian Print Name