| ABSENCES: You are responsible for your work. If you miss, be sure to get the
assignments from the previous day(s). Assignments must be completed within
one school day. Assignments can be found in the hanging folders in the crate
near the door. You have ONE week to schedule and take your make-up test
before it becomes a zero.
ACCELERATED READING: Accelerated Reading is a computer-assessed fluency
program that has been adopted by the AJUSD school district. Your AR points
are due every nine weeks. You have one book report to write outside of class
each quarter as well. You must always have a book to read ¡V in every class.
AR books are read the first ten minutes of each English class and the first
fifteen minutes of third period. You must keep and update a reading log for
points and testing. In order to reach your goal, you will have to spend
reading at home as well as at school. Parents are expected to sign for time.
You will need a signed log sheet with the title of the book you wish to test
on in order to take an AR test. You can earn extra credit for the class by
reading more books and earning up to 150% of your AR goal. While you are
expected to reach your goal every nine weeks, the actual grade is a semester
grade.
ANCHOR ACTIVITIES: If you finish your assigned work early, you have the
following choices: read your AR book, do computer assignments, or complete
other assignments.
ASSIGNMENTS: There is no late work accepted. Daily assignments will be graded
in class. These assignments will be graded at the beginning of each period
from the preceding day. Turn all tests, essays, application, and research
projects into the correct folder. Essays and projects must be turned in no
later than 3:00p.m. on the due date unless presentations are given on the due
date. Always double check your heading and attach the grade sheet for major
assignments.
BOOK REPORTS: Each quarter you will have a book report from an AR book due.
You must take the AR test during the quarter in which you turn in the book
report. Formats for the book report will be handed out two weeks ahead of the
date. Plagiarism will earn a zero and a referral. Please demonstrate
comprehension.
ELECTRONIC DEVISES: The use of cell phones for any reason is prohibited
during class time. Cell phones will be taken if they are out of your personal
bags. No electronic devises may be used during class time. (This is a
school-wide rule.)
ESSAYS: Six traits writing samples belong in the correct section of your
notebook for this class. File all of your research projects, application
projects, and your essay samples in the last section of your notebook.
In-class essays will be assigned periodically throughout the year and will
carry less weight than formal essays. Formal essays will have to follow MLA
format, which includes typing.
FINAL DRAFTS: Formal essays must follow the English department's final format
in MLA style: Correct heading and title
* Correct heading
* Title centered after the heading and before the content
* Typed in Times New Roman 12 font
* Printed in black ink
* 1¨ margins on all sides
* Double spaced ¡V unless specified
* One side of the paper
GRADES¡ English grades are weighted by category. English 9 grades are
weighted by category. Writing assessments are worth the largest percentage
because writing is currently one-third of AIMS exit assessment. The chart
printed next to this column shows the percentage weight of each graded
category. The chart shows the actual effect of each category.
Assessment Percentage
Accelerated Reader 10%
Research & Application Projects 15%
Class Assignments 15%
Writing Process (Essays) 15%
Tests and Quizzes 15%
Computer Practice 10%
Semester Final 20%
GROUP WORK ¡V You will periodically be placed in groups to complete discussion
work. During group work you are expected to have the necessary work complete
in order to participate. Groups do not earn grades; individuals within the
group earn grades. If you are unprepared or choose not to participate as an
equal partner, the result will be reflected in your grade.
HEADING: Write your heading on all your turned-in papers. Headings go on the
LEFT side of the paper and include first & last name, date, teacher, and
class & period.
HOMEWORK: Homework is collected at the beginning of class. For example, if
you were assigned a rough draft as homework, and it is not complete, you
cannot participate in the revision activity. You will lose the points for
completing the rough draft and for participation in the revision activity. Do
not expect to turn in homework after it has been collected for the day.
LAYERED CURRICULUM: Regardless of your reading or writing performance levels,
you will be expected to complete basic skills and strategies identified by
the state of Arizona as necessary for ninth graders and for passing the AIMS
exit exam. Samples of the types of assignments may include daily assignment
activities such as daily work, participation, group activity, AR, grammar,
and Study Canyon. Application activities are required in this English class
and completed outside of the classroom. These activities relate to the
application or enrichment of ninth grade skills. Research activities are
required. Research activities require outside of class research and a
demonstration project. Always be ready to share your discoveries with your
class members.
NOTEBOOK: You have to use a 11/2 inch three-ring binder to hold class work.
Please also have enough lined paper for assignments. You will need both a
pencil and a pen. A highlighter is a good tool to also have. You will need
five dividers and labels.
PROGRESS REPORTS: Progress reports are printed and mailed out every four
weeks by the administration. Parents and guardians should look for these
reports to gauge student achievement in class. If the grade does not meet
parent/guardian expectation, please contact the teacher as soon as possible.
Periodically, the teacher will also print out grade sheet for the students to
take home and have signed by a parent or guardian. A parent may call or write
a request at any time for a grade update; however, new grades are not
necessarily entered on a daily basis.
TARDIES: You must be prepared to begin class when the tardy bell is finished.
This means you are in your seat with your assignments, AR book, and notebook
before the last bell. A person who is tardy for class is sent to the sweep
room.
PASSES: Students may use up to FOUR passes to get out of class during
individual work time for each semester. Requests for passes include the
library, the bathroom, the nurse, a counselor, or another teacher. A fifth
pass will not be given unless there is a notification of a medical condition
from the nurse's office. If the teacher sends the student on an errand, that
pass does not count as one pass.
PLATO: The AJUSD district uses the computer program PLATO as supplementary
practice for literacy skills and strategies.
PRESENTATIONS: Students share the responsibility for learning new
information, ideas, and concepts. Be prepared to speak in front of your peers
in casual and formal situations. There are no acceptable excuses or late
presentations when you are present in class. Be prepared.
STUDENT PLANNER: In the first ten minutes of class, write down your
assignments for the day. You are responsible for knowing the due dates.
Ignorance of a due date is not an excuse. Use the students' weekly schedule
as a guide; however, always beware that schedules may change due to classroom
activities, school events, and other unforeseen occurrences.
STUDY ISLAND: Study Island is a test-prep program that is Internet based.
Students can log on to the program from any computer that is connected to the
Internet. Assignments will be given based on activities, discussions,
objectives, and materials covered in the class. Log on to
www.studyisland.com to find out what assignments you have been given for
English class.
SYLLABUS: For detailed information on the syllabus, see my website at Teacher
Web.com. at http://www.teacherweb.com/AZ/AJHS/CMatlosz/and look at the
appropriate syllibus for your class.
NINTH GRADE
ľ Short Story Unit: Why do some people survive in the face of difficult
situations while other people fail?
ľ Nonfiction Unit: Why does conflict between people bring about different
reactions and end-results?
ľ Poetry Unit: What use of language makes written text poetic?
ľ Drama: Why are we willing to die for love?
ľ Science Fiction and Fantasy: What if the world were different?
ELEVENTH GRADE
ƒæ First Quarter: How do America¡¦s great diversity and multiple cultures drive
conflicts and create strengths in America?
ƒæ Second Quarter: How do America¡¦s natural frontier and our belief in
Manifest Destiny affect our world view?
ľ Third Quarter: How does one become an American hero?
ľ Fourth Quarter: How does the deeply embedded American dream affect our
choices and actions today?
TESTS: Tests and quizzes will be given as an opportunity for you to
demonstrate your understanding of reading assignments as well as Arizona
state learning objectives.
VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT:
„« All students are responsible for appropriate literary terms and
figurative language that is an intrinsic part of any literature and/or
language study. All students are also responsible for vocabulary assigned
with a text such at the Words to Own in the Elements of Literature book.
„« Ninth grade students will be using Everyday Words from Classic
Origins. Each student will receive his or her own workbook to write in. If
the workbook is lost, the student will be responsible to pay for another one.
This vocabulary building workbook, based on Latin and Greek roots, is meant
to increase student understanding of the basic structure of many content area
and college level words.
„« Eleventh grade students will be responsible for the vocabulary warm-
ups that will begin each class period.
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