Course Description
Over the course of the year, you will engage in reading and writing activities and assessments based on an understanding of concepts, summary, identification, and analysis. These skills are traced through the Common Core State Standards, the New Mexico End of Course Exam, progress toward high school graduation requirements, and college and career readiness. This course will prepare you for academic success at Manzano by establishing strong foundational skills necessary to excel in all content areas. You will develop proficiency in reading, writing, speaking, and listening; in expressing your ideas about the human condition; and studying the techniques used by published writers both ancient and modern.
This honors course is designed to prepare you, the student, with the skills to continue on with the Pre-AP program and take the Advanced Placement Literature/Language and Composition Test.
For your own benefit, please keep in mind:
This is a Pre-AP/Honors course. Students enrolled in this class need to possess a strong work ethic and a desire to learn and be challenged. Reading, writing, analysis, grammar, and vocabulary comprehension are expected to be at an above-average level.
This course may rely heavily upon outside reading and homework. Students should expect to have reading and writing assignments completed each night. To ensure success, students are expected to keep up with all assignments.
Keep in mind, accomplishing educational goals requires an understanding that we are all learners in this room- that with every lesson done, every exploration of the many forms of communication, we understand that this is a process. This means that respect for yourself, your teacher, and your classmates is highly regarded. You are one piece of the puzzle, and I fully anticipate that you will come to class ready to contribute to our community of learning.
Withdrawal from an AP/Honors Course District Policy
Students taking advanced placement (AP) or honors courses will have a “no-fault” withdrawal when:
A student/parent/teacher/counselor conference is held within the 2nd or 3rd week of the school year. The goal of the conference is to develop a support plan for student success in the course. In addition, schedule change implications are discussed (changes in instructors, changes in class periods, appropriate course level changes, options for a substitute class, open periods, and class load limits).
A minimum of two weeks is allowed for implementation of the support plan.
If the student is not successful after implementation of a support plan, the student or teacher may make a request to the curriculum assistant, no later than the end of the first six weeks, for withdrawal (without penalty) from the Advanced Placement or honors course:
The transfer occurs no later than the first seven (7) weeks of the semester, but no sooner than the 3rd week of the semester.
The student will be transferred to the level of the course that is appropriate for his/her academic skill level* (e.g. Algebra 1 will replace Honors Algebra 1, English 9 will replace Honors English 9, Chemistry 1 will replace AP Chemistry).
When examining transfer options, class load maximums cannot be violated.
The grade that the student earned in the course at the time of withdrawal will transfer to the new course. The transfer grade will not be weighted.
*When a course does not exist in the same content area (e.g. There is not an Environmental Science course to replace an AP Environmental course or the student requests withdrawal from AP Chemistry and has already taken Chemistry 1) the student will either remain in the class with a revised support plan or be withdrawn from the class with a “W.”
When any additional instruction or special consideration is needed, please schedule a time to meet with me, or email me for help. If you encounter any problems with the course, instructor, or other students please let me know as soon as possible so we can work together to resolve the issue.
Course Objectives and Addressing Common Core State Standards
In addition to standards specific to each unit of study, students are expected to practice the following Common Core Anchor Standards daily:
Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.
Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently.
Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.
Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and communicative tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate.
Demonstrate command of the conventions of Standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
Demonstrate command of the conventions of Standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
You may find a complete list of the Common Core State Standards at www.corestandards.org/read-the-standards.
Instructional Methods
I use a wide variety of instructional techniques to facilitate learning. My lessons are rigorous and fast-paced, yet I have also designed them to meet the needs of all students. My methodologies may include lectures, visual presentations, and class discussions, as well as hands-on approaches such as close reading and annotation, small group activities, research projects, computer-based learning and presentations, and a variety of artistic interpretations of the material. Using a variety of methods gives every student the opportunity to be challenged yet successful.
Technology Usage
Technology can be a major distraction in the classroom, however, it is a part of your everyday lives. For this reason, technology will play a role in your English 10 learning experience. All of our course materials will be available to you through our Google Classroom. As we are now 1-to-1 in our district and you have been provided with a Chromebook, you are expected to bring your Chromebook and charger to class every day. We will use the Google Suite such as Google Docs, Google Slides, and Google Drive to type essays, create presentations, and share files regularly. Make sure you have your APS Google account set up. When we are not actively using technology, I expect you to follow my technology classroom procedure.
To access your Google for Education account, please use the following login criteria:
Username: studentID@aps.edu (ex: 123456789@aps.edu)
Password: Whatever password you use to access StudentVue
If you are unable to log in to StudentVue, you may contact the office or any of your teachers for a password reset.
Assessments and Grading
Assessments will take a variety of forms in this course. Traditional assessments such as tests, quizzes, and classwork will be used in addition to performance-based assessments such as projects, presentations, and group work. This variety of assessments will allow you to demonstrate your strengths while working toward academic success. Grades will be based on a percentage system using the traditional scale:
100 - 90% A Exceeded Expectations / Almost Perfect
89 - 80% B Proficient
79 - 70% C Nearing Proficient
69 - 60% D Beginning Steps
59% and below F Incomplete / Absent / Missing
In addition to class assessments, you will also be required to take state and district-mandated assessments. More information about the assessments will be provided as the year progresses.