Maggie Schneider
9th Writing
mschneid@spearfish.k12.sd.us
(605) 717-1212 (W)
Class Overview
-Research writing, personal narratives, debates, identifying parts of a sentence, reading To Kill a Mockingbird, and developing a journal are the main focus of freshman composition.
-In addition, students will develop critical thinking, listening, and speaking skills.
Materials Used
Laptop computer
Journal or spiral notebook
No Red Ink (writing and grammar learning tool)
Course Requirements/Objectives
The student will:
Develop critical writing, research, speaking, and listening skills
Partake in classroom presentations and debates
Evaluate other speakers/writers and provide feedback in writing
Gain an understanding of terminology/vocabulary
Meet or exceed state grade specific writing and composition standards
Class Procedures and Rules
Ask permission to leave the room - only one student out at a time
Headphones are allowed but no talking during journal time (first 15 minutes of every class)
Participate in a class discussion in a respectful manner
If absent, have a responsible classmate gather the information pertaining to missed assignments prior to the next class period
Laptop and Internet Procedures
No laptop use unless specifically instructed
Leave laptops under desks unless otherwise instructed
First misuse leads to confiscation for remainder of period, second till end of day
Assessment Plan
Student assessment will be based on:
Personal narrative essays
Speeches
Research papers
Debates
Peer evaluations
No Red Ink - grammar and conventions
To Kill a Mockingbird quizzes and discussions
Journals
Comprehensive final
Research Papers
Topic must be approved by instructor. Parts of the paper include:
Graphic organizer
12 digital note cards
6 Roman numeral outline
3 page paper, double-spaced
MLA Works Cited, 3 credible sources
Journals
-Daily handwritten journal entries, ½ page average for an “A” (up to 10% of final grade)
-5 points per journal entry based on completion
-Journal entries are graded as a completion grade and need to be made up when you are absent (unless otherwise discussed). If absent, journal must include date of absence. Each entry must begin with the date.
To Kill a Mockingbird
-Chapter quizzes, written response
-Class discussions
-Short essay
-If not completed in class, some outside reading will be required
Late Work
Late work will be accepted until the end of each quarter with a 10% point deduction for each day the assignment is late. Some points are better than no points.
Homework
If students are on task during class time, they should rarely have homework, with the exception of reading parts of To Kill a Mockingbird.
Grading
Letter grades for the course are determined by the school wide-grading scale outlined below:
96-100 A
92-95 A-
89-91 B+
86-88 B
83-85 B-
79-82 C+
76-78 C
73-75 C-
69-72 D+
65-68 D
60-64 D-