H.

Advanced Composition
2009-2010
Mrs. Paige Lahaise
e-mail: [email protected] class website: http://www.lahaiseslair.com

Course Overview

Welcome to Honors Advanced Composition! I hope to make this year a rewarding

experience for all of us. The success of the class hinges on your cooperation, so I hope you
will approach the class as an opportunity to grow both personally and academically by
challenging yourself and energetically engaging in the reading and writing we will do. My
goal is to make you better critical thinkers, active readers, skilled writers, effective
communicators, life-long learners, and savvy technology users—attributes that will help you
to succeed in whatever endeavors you undertake.

The English 12 curriculum is standards-based, focusing on teaching students the skills and
strategies outlined in the California English Language Arts Standards (grades 11-12). The
class incorporates a workshop style environment that immerses students in reading and
writing, offering a balance of teacher- and student-selected texts and writing topics.
Students read a balance of classic and contemporary texts, fiction and nonfiction. Rather
than the traditional lecture format, students learn new skills and strategies through mini-
lessons in writing, reading, speaking and listening, research, technology, and collaboration.

Students then have opportunities to practice these skills in group and individual settings and
to undertake projects that allow them to create real-world products that encourage
problem-solving and higher levels of thinking. Research has shown that students learn more
deeply in this type of environment and are better able to transfer their learning to new
situations.

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Basic Classroom Rules

Show respect.
Show responsibility.
Show self-control.
Show honesty.

Following the rules and expending effort in this class will result in a successful learning
experience.

However, the negative consequences of breaking the rules are listed, but not limited to:
1. Student/teacher conference,
2. Phone call to parent/legal guardian,
3. Referral to the administration.

Needed Supplies

3-ring binder with tab dividers and loose leaf paper

Pen or pencil
Highlighters (green, yellow, pink)
Sticky notes
Flash drive (This is not required but will be very helpful in saving all your computer
work and transporting between school and home. We will be doing several multi-
media projects, which can be difficult to save on disks because of their large file
sizes.)
If you have a laptop or netbook computer, feel free to bring it. You may leave it in my
locked cabinet during the day and pick it up at the end of school.
A small daily planner would also be helpful.

Classroom Procedures

Bring everything you need for class, and be prepared to learn. You need your
Independent Reading material and three-ring binder with you EVERY day.
Enter the room quietly and on time.
Begin working immediately on the daily journal assignment.
Daily, write assignments in planner.
Follow directions and participate in class.
When working in groups, work quietly and productively.
When transitioning from one activity to another, do so quickly and quietly without
disrupting other learners.
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 Remain in seat until dismissed by teacher.
Leave room in the same condition (or better) you found it!

Homework Policy

Completing assignments is crucial not only for students to master learning objectives but
also for students to experience academic success and score a passing grade; therefore, I
maintain a ZERO TOLERANCE homework policy, which requires students to complete ALL
work assigned. If a student fails to complete a homework assignment, the student will have
an opportunity to turn in the assignment within one week of the due date for a 50% grade
reduction. I will not accept late assignments after one week. If a student repeatedly fails to
complete assignments, I will request a conference with the parent to discuss ways we can
work together to help the student succeed in completing assignments. Please note there
are a few exceptions to this rule; see the writing process below.

Class Calendar and Forum

Everything you need to know about homework and due dates will be posted on your class
calendar at Lahaise’s Lair. In addition, assignments are posted in your class section of the
forum on that same site. You also have the added benefit of the Daily Scribe who posts
what happened in class that day. These posts will be made by 7:30 PM, so be sure and read
it before you go to bed. Remember, don’t just read the Daily Scribe if you were absent. Good
tips and reminders are also posted there so you might see something that you somehow
missed during class.

Make-Up Work/Tests

I adhere to LAUSD policy on make-up work. After an excused absence, it is the student’s
responsibility to make up all work missed. Students may access all homework and missed
assignments on the class website. Homework must be completed and turned in within two
class days following the student’s return to school.

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School policy states that students will not receive credit for unexcused absences. Note,
however, that because I have a zero tolerance homework policy, I still require students to
complete the work, even though they will not receive credit for doing so.
A missed vocabulary test (or any other test) may only be made-up Wednesday’s during
nutrition. This prevents students from missing valuable instruction in class and getting
further behind. Please note that you have two weeks to make-up a test, anything beyond
that will not be allowed and will be entered into the grade book as a zero.

Essays/Writing Process

Writing is a major component of any English class; therefore you can count on writing an
essay at the completion of each novel/unit. The writing process is as follows:

 1st Essay “draft”: submitted to Turnitin.com for peer review. This “draft” should
essentially be a completed essay; one which you think is done and ready to turn in
for a grade. Because the writing process is an essential to the overall success of your
final essay, if you do not complete this 1st “draft”, and turn it in ON TIME, your final
grade on the essay will drop by one letter grade. Please note the “one week rule”
does not apply here due to the nature of process; in other words, if it is not
submitted to Turnitin.com before the due date/time I cannot accept it. Because you
are always given plenty of time to complete this step I encourage you to take into
account any technological “glitches” that may occur if you wait until the last minute
to submit the paper. The distribution of papers is completely automated and I cannot
help you if you do not submit the paper on time. If you fail to turn in this 1st “draft” I
encourage you to ask a friend to review your essay.

 2nd Essay “draft”: Once the first draft has been anonymously reviewed by a classmate
you will then revise the essay based on the suggestions made. Feel free to revise
anything and everything you deem necessary (or not, depending on the quality of
comments given). You will then submit this revised essay, again, to Turnitin.com. This
is the essay I look at and review, therefore if you do not submit this draft, once again,
the grade on your final draft will go down by one letter grade. Again, due to the
nature of the process the “one week late rule” does not apply here. I will accept
your essay late so that you can receive my comments, however you will not get
“credit” for having turned it in.

 Final Essay: After I review your essay and make comments you will, again, revise the
essay based on what you think should be changed. You will then submit this final
draft to Turnitin.com. This paper will receive a final grade based on the quality of
thought, writing, your claim and proof, and everything else we have gone over in

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 class. This is the only time throughout the process where the “one week late rule”
does apply. Meaning if you do not turn this in on time you still have one week from
the due date to receive 50% off what the overall grade would have been.

Plagiarism

Every year I am amazed at how many students try getting around the Turnitin.com system of
catching plagiarism. Is it really worth getting a zero on the assignment, possibly failing the
class, losing ALL my trust, and your parents getting a phone call from me? The bottom line
is this: I know there are a few cheaters that fall through the cracks and get away with it; the
vast majority though are caught and the repercussions can be devastating.
I HAVE A ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY WHEN IT COMES TO PLAGIARISM OR CHEATING.
EVEN ONE LINE IN AN ESSAY THAT ISN’T YOURS, OR TAKING ANOTHER’S IDEA AND
PRETENDING IT IS YOUR OWN, AND ISN’T QUOTED AND CITED MEANS THE ENTIRE ESSAY
RECIEVES A ZERO!

Weekly Reader/Blog Assignments

Every other week you will post on your blog the “Bi-Weekly Reader” assignment. For each
10 week period you will choose which of these posts you would like me to “grade” (the
number of posts will vary and will posted on your calendar.) Although I am not “grading” all
of the posts you are still responsible for submitting them before the due date/time. If you
submit any posts after the due date/time your “graded” post will be penalized. The same
applies for any posts you do not complete. In other words, even if the posts you submit for
grades were turned in, and turned in on time, they will be penalized if any of the other posts
are missing or late.
By the way, feel free to blog about other topics in addition to your weekly reader. Just make
sure that all the topics are appropriate and follow the blogging rules and guidelines.

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Assessment

The course uses a system of assessment that evaluates students throughout the learning--
throughout a variety of activities and projects—and encourages students to revise and polish
their work. Grades will be calculated as follows:

30% Daily Reading journals

Reading/Writing & Daily journals
SSR Fat Paragraph
Classwork Active Participation in Literature Circles

10% SSR Your participation in daily SSR

10% Vocabulary Weekly vocabulary test

10% Class contribution Do you make the class/community better? How often do you
participate in class discussions? Do you actively participate in the
blog community by reading and commenting on your peer’s
blogs? Do you argue or contradict the teacher & classmates? Do
you pay attention in class? Do you read the daily scribe? Do you
come to class fully prepared?
40% Special Writing Essays
Projects Blogs (weekly reader; connective reading/writing; application
review)
Autobiography

A in the class = 90-100%

B in the class = 80-89%

C in the class = 70-79%

D in the class = 60-69%

Anything under 60% will receive a Fail in the class.