11R Policy Sheet

Junior English (11R)

Mr. Abel

What you will learn this year:

By the end of the year, the student should be able to...

...identify a writer's message, including how the writer uses literary tools and devices.

...use the new vocabulary she has learned in her writing.

...be familiar with the format of the SAT and the Common Core Regents Exam.

...be able to construct a coherent and well-organized piece of writing.

...identify credible and reliable sources and cite them in her writing.

How you will be graded:

▪ Quizzes, brief writing assignments and homework make up 40% of your grade.

▪ Tests and projects, e.g. vocabulary tests and major essays, make up the other 60%.

▪ Please review the Preston Student Handbook for school policy on absences and

tardiness.

▪ Students are expected to take responsibility for the quality of their work. Grades

will be reduced for lateness and sloppiness.

Makeup Work Policy: You are expected to be present for all quizzes and tests and to hand in all writing assignments on time. It is your responsibility to stay informed about upcoming homework assignments, quizzes and tests. Missed quizzes cannot be made up. Tests may be made up, at the teacher’s discretion, within three school days of your absence.

My Expectations:

I expect each student to...

...come equipped to class with the requisite textbooks, notebooks and writing tools.

...keep their textbooks covered and in good condition. (Do you see the mistake here?)

...keep their cellphones off and in their bags.

...arrive for class on time and prepared to discuss her assignments.

...keep their drafts, revisions and final copies of all papers in their portfolios.

...maintain a respectful attitude toward her fellow classmates and the teacher.

... contribute to the building of a positive learning environment for all.

Discipline: A parent or guardian will be notified if a student has not completed her assignments, if a student is consistently unprepared for class, if a student’s behavior interferes with the learning environment, or if deemed necessary by the teacher. The teacher will issue demerits when deemed necessary.

Electronics: The English Department will not allow laptops, iPods, iPads, Nooks, Kindles, or other electronic devices during class for reasons relating (but hardly limited) to distraction and unequal resource distribution. (The teacher’s discretion may determine if research purposes can override this rule.) Cell-phone use during the class breaks a school-wide rule and therefore results in school-imposed consequences explained in the Preston High School student handbook.

Extra Help: If you find yourself having difficulty in the class, please feel free to ask me for help. I will let you know my schedule and when I am available. In addition, help with writing assignments are available at the Writing Center after school from 3 - 4 pm, Monday thru Thursday. (Do you see the mistake here?) You must sign up on the sign-up sheet posted on the bulletin board outside the English department office before the day of your appointment. Your regular presence at the Writing Center will impact your grade in a VERY positive way! Ignoring the teacher’s suggestion to go to the Writing Center will impact your grade in a negative way!

2016 – 2017 Syllabus:

Quarter One

Literature:

The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

The Crucible by Arthur Miller

Vocabulary: Lessons 1 – 3

Grammar: Appositive phrases, participial phrases, absolute phrases

Quarter Two

Literature:

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Vocabulary: Lessons 4 – 6

Grammar: Prepositional phrases, adjectival phrases, adverbial phrases

Quarter Three

Literature:

One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey

Vocabulary: Lessons 7 – 9

Writing: Writing a research paper

Quarter Four -

Regents Prep and Research paper

In June, juniors will take the New York State Common Core Regents examination. Grades on this exam have no influence on the student’s grade in English 3 or on her G.P.A. For this reason, the English Department will still require a separate research and reflective project that constitutes the student’s final exam grade.

(Automatic failure for the year if the final research paper is not completed)

I respect faith, but doubt is what gets you an education.

- Wilson Mizner (1876 - 1933)