Syllabus English 9

Teacher

Mr. Doug DeGroot

Textbook

Literature. Prentice Hall, 2011

Writing and Grammar. Prentice Hall, 2011

Course Description

English 9 is a year-long course that all freshmen must take. It is a core class. This class teaches students about the processes of reading, writing, and critical thinking. The major units of the class include Romeo and Juliet, The Odyssey, Oedipus Rex, writing essays, writing poems, conducting research projects, reading a novel, vocabulary, and grammar.

This class samples high school language arts electives.Items below are core content. Grammar and vocabulary are interspersed through the year with at least two units of intensive grammar study

Class Schedule and General Order of Topics

• Writing and the process of writing
• Organizational patterns
• 6 +1 Traits of Writing
• Grammar
• Tragedy
• Comedy
• The Epic
• Vocabulary
• Oedipus Rex
• Oral interpretation, public speaking
• Romeo and Juliet
• Short story
• Reader’s Theater
• Poetry, reading
• Poetry, writing
• Debate and the Democratic Process
• Research and documentation
• Evaluating Information
• The Odyssey

Classroom Expectations

Other people will respond to you in the same way that they see you treating others. If you are nice to people, then others will be kind to you. If you allow others to talk, then they will listen to you when you want to be heard. If you say mean things (even if joking), they will remember and will do it to you.

Try: Learning takes effort. You can't be passive. Everything about school has something that can benefit you.

Cooperate: We are here together. There is much that you can both learn and teach.

Keep these in mind:

• I will respect others--including myself
• I will respect property--including my own
• I will not bully, hurt, or mock
• I will not use “joking” or “friendship” as an excuse
• I have a right to learn
• I have a right to to be heard
• I am not the only student
• I will respect other students’ right to learn
• I will respect other students’ right to be heard

High School Expectations

• Phones are allowed during lunch, not during class. Your phone will go to the office if you are caught using it.
• Food and drinks are allowed during lunch, not during class. Either will be taken away until lunch or after school.
• Stay in the room: bathroom breaks and trips to the locker are allowed during lunch and between classes.

Grading

Students are graded on daily work, worksheets, essays, quizzes, tests, and speeches. This list is not definitive and other assessments exist.

Grading Scale

A 93-100

A- 90-92

B+ 87-88

B 83-86

B- 80-82

C+ 77-79

C 73-76

C- 70-72

D+ 67-69

D 63-66

D- 60-62

F 0-59

Last

Grades that are As and Fs are both earned. Many tests and many assignments and many questions are easy. Anyone can pass with a little effort. Getting a D or C or B is common. Some classwork is NOT easy. Some questions are hard.

How to Earn an A: Do all parts of all assignments. Be thorough in your work. Keep track of details in factual information. Ask yourself, Do I know 92 or 93 percent of this information? That is one difference between an A- and an A.

How to Earn an F: Do NOT turn in assignments. That is about the most common reason that students do not pass a class, missing assignments. Always turn in something.