American Literature
2007-2008
P42
Ms. Barb Dahlgren
dahlgren@fultonschools.org
Texts: Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes: The American Experience, Prentice Hall (replacement cost $70.00)
Prentice Writing and Grammar ($60)
Supplementary Novels ($15)
Course Description
In 2004 the Georgia Department of Education adopted new Georgia Performance Standards for grades 9-12. Consistent with state curriculum, the Fulton County Schools English language arts curriculum implementation aligns with state standards. The content standards for this course are clustered by strands: Reading and Literature, Reading Across the Curriculum, Conventions, Writing, and Listening/Speaking/Viewing.
American Literature and Composition will continue to build on the reading and language curriculum established in tenth grade. Throughout this course, students will have opportunities to develop and expand their knowledge of American literature and demonstrate their mastery level of new learning through performance tasks and assessments. At the completion of this course, students will take the American Literature and Composition End-of-Course Test required by state law.
Reading and Literature
Focusing on a chronological study of American literature, students will develop an understanding of the importance of various periods of literature that characterize and reflect the American experience. They will read, interpret, analyze, and apply knowledge of the structures, themes, and elements of American fiction and nonfiction. Examining letters, journals, diaries, and speeches, students will trace the history of the development of American literature. They will also consider the influence of mythical and classical texts on American authors. Through extensive reading, students will acquire new vocabulary specific to the study of American literature and apply that knowledge in their writing.
Reading Across the Curriculum
To encourage students to become life-long readers, the curriculum includes standards that address both academic and personal habits of reading. Students will read approximately one million words per year from a variety of subject disciplines including language arts. In the English language arts classroom, students will learn the vocabulary of literature, writing, and listening, speaking, and viewing.
Works of literature the students will be reading to uncover these standards may include:
from The Navajo Origin Legend
from The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah
Equiano
from “Of Plymouth Plantation”
“from “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”
The Crucible
“The Devil and Tom Walker”
“The Fall of the House of Usher”
from “Nature”
from “Self-Reliance” and “Civil Disobedience”
Emily Dickinson Poetry
Walt Whitman Poetry
The Great Gatsby
Writing
Expository writing is the focus for eleventh grade; however, students will continue to produce a wide range of writings including polished narratives, persuasive pieces and technical documents. Students will practice both timed and process writing to develop compositions that demonstrate an understanding of tone, point of view, style, organization, author’s purpose, and audience. Students will continue to use research and technology to support reading and writing.
Students will write a persuasive essay, a timed writing, a short story, journals and reading logs, and a reflective paper about their writing process.
Conventions
Students will increase their knowledge of the conventions of language in reading, writing, and speaking. They will demonstrate their control of the rules of English, focusing on the correct use of clauses, phrases, and the mechanics of punctuation. Sentence construction and usage will continue to be a focus for eleventh grade. Students will apply their knowledge of the conventions of format when producing expository text including research based papers.
Grammar and Format Conventions that we will cover this semester include:
· Review of parts of speech, parts of the sentence, Sentence types, Comma Usage
· Tips and strategies for writing narrative essays, persuasive writing and research summations.
Listening/Speaking/Viewing
Students will continue to develop their critical listening skills. Through presentations and interactions with the teacher and other students, they will apply effective speaking techniques in small and large group settings. The viewing standards will enable students to develop media literacy skills through the careful examination of contemporary texts including television, radio, film productions, and electronic media.
The complete list of all the Performance Standards for the course are available online at www.georgiastandards.org/langart.asp under American Literature and Composition.
Course Requirements / Expectations
Academic:
There are five major requirements for the course:
· Compositions – there will be four major composition assignments for the semester.
· A Journal – In addition to the major compositions, there will be journal and reading log assignments, and grammar/usage work included. Students will need to turn in work in a small three ring binder or folder.
· Performance and Participation – A key component of this class is active participation, and, in some cases, student performances.
· Unit Tests – There will be a test at the end of each unit.
· Outside reading – Students will be required to read two books of his/her choice (one each semester). One of the outside readings will be used to cover the research paper component. Further details will be provided in class.
In addition, there will be graded homework and classwork assignments, as well as quizzes and a comprehensive final exam.
Notebook Requirements: Each student is required to keep an organized notebook specifically for this class. This notebook should contain all materials and work completed, including the following:
· Course syllabus
· Class notes and handouts
Supplies:
Students will need a 3 ring binder, dividers, & index cards (3x5-ruled).
Behavioral:
Obviously, follow the rules of the student handbook, but in short, I expect you to be on time, be prepared, and be respectful of all the members of the class.
Attendance and Make-up Work:
It is the student’s responsibility to complete all work within the prescribed time. Students have the number of days absent to make-up work, other than major projects. Therefore, if a student is absent for one day, he or she has only one day to complete make-up work or arrange for a make-up test. Failure to complete an assignment within this timeframe will result in a zero for the assignment. If a student is absent on a test day, the test will be administered in class on the next day he or she is present.
Late Work: Assignments are due at the beginning of class on the scheduled due date. Major compositions/projects are the only assignments that will be accepted late; however, these assignments will be docked ten points a day for up to three days; after the third day, the assignment will receive a zero. If a student is in school for any amount of time of the day an assignment is due, he or she must turn in the assignment that day or receive a late grade.
Grading Scale
The grading scale for the class is as follows: A = 90-100 B = 80-89 C = 70-79 F = below 70
Unit Tests, Major Compositions 30%
Class Participation/Performance 15%
Journal Project 10%
Daily Work/Homework 15%
Quizzes 15%
A cumulative final exam given at the end of the semester will comprise the remaining 15% of the student's grade.
Chattahoochee High School Policies
FULTON COUNTY RECOVERY POLICY:
Opportunities designed to allow students to recover from a low or failing cumulative grade will be allowed when all work required to date has been completed and the student has demonstrated a legitimate effort to meet all course requirements including attendance.
Students should contact the teacher concerning recovery opportunities. Teachers are expected to establish a reasonable time period for recovery work to be completed during the semester. All recovery work must be directly related to course objectives and must be completed ten school days prior to the end of the semester. Teachers will determine when and how students with extenuating circumstances may improve their grades.
Chattahoochee High School Guidelines:
Recovery is available to students with a cumulative grade below 74% after a minimum of two (2) major grades. The maximum grade a student can earn for a recovery activity is 70%. There will be only one recovery opportunity per failed major assignment or test. The individual teacher will determine the means of recovery. THE STUDENT MUST INITIATE THE PROCESS WITHIN FIVE (5) DAYS OF NOTIFICATION OF A FAILING GRADE ON A MAJOR ASSIGNMENT/TEST.
CHS English Department Plagiarism Statement:
Plagiarism is the use of another's words or ideas and the presentation of them as though they are entirely one's own. Acts of plagiarism might include, but are not limited to:
1. using words or ideas from a published source without proper documentation;
2. using the work of another student (e. g. copying another student's homework, composition, or project);
3. using excessive editing suggestions of another student, teacher, parent, or paid editor.
Plagiarism on any project or paper at Chattahoochee High School will result in a zero for the assignment and an Honor Code violation. Unless directly stipulated by the teacher, collaboration on written work is not acceptable.
Students who willingly provide other students with access to their work are in violation of the Honor Code.
A note about what constitutes “excessive editing”:
Students learn to write well by writing well. Struggling independently through the writing process produces growth (as well as a certain amount of agony), and eventually the student’s own voice. When well meaning parents, siblings, tutors, or others contribute their own ideas, words, phrases, revisions, etc. to students’ writing, student writers miss the opportunity to achieve literary self reliance.
So, what is helping, but is NOT excessive editing? The answer is: questioning and cueing. For example—“Is this word strong enough? Interesting enough? Specific enough?” “Can you think of another word that means the same thing?” “Does this sentence seem awkward?” “What exactly do you mean here?” “I don’t understand what you are trying to say; can you say it more clearly?” “This sentence is interesting.” “That is a forceful verb; can you find one as forceful for that other sentence?” These kinds of questions and statements are powerful helpers, yet allow the students to think and write independently. Please help students to achieve their own voices and to develop their writing skills by allowing them to write and revise independently.
Film, Television and Music
Over the course of the semester I will incorporate some film clips, television, and/or music into the curriculum. We will very rarely watch an entire film. Clips from PG-13 and R rated films are shown only with the approval of the administration and permission from parents. Films I plan to show to support the lesson plans are listed on the Parental Permission Form for Instructional Use of Videotape.
Parent Connect:
I encourage all parents to sign up for Parent Connect, a website in which you can view your child’s grades, attendance, discipline, etc. Sign up is available online at http://chattahoocheepc.fultonschools.org.
Georgia High School Graduation Test Objectives
The following Georgia High School Graduation test objectives are covered in this course: [The student…]
1. Learns that English operates according to grammatical systems and patterns of usage.
2. Writes Standard American English sentences with correct sentence structure; verb forms; punctuation, capitalization, possessives, plural forms, and other mechanics; word choice and spelling.
3. Learns that English has several different levels of usage and that language appropriate in some situations may not be appropriate in others.
4. Learns that words gather meaning from their context and carry connotation.
5. Uses literal comprehension skills (e.g., sequencing, explicitly stated main idea).
6. Uses inferential comprehension skills (e.g., predictions, comparisons, conclusions, implicitly stated main idea, and propaganda techniques).
7. Recognizes different purposes and methods of writing; identifies a writer’s point of view and tone.
8. Comprehends a variety of written materials.
9. Reads critically; asks pertinent questions; recognizes assumptions and implications; evaluates ideas.
10. Gains insights into human behavior from the study of literature.
11. Reads, discusses and analyzes American literature representing diverse backgrounds and traditions.
12. Develops effective ways of telling and writing about literature, using appropriate literary terms.
13. Judges literature critically on the basis of personal response and literary quality.
14. Develops an understanding of the effect of history on American literature (e.g., literary movements and periods).
15. Uses the features of print materials appropriately (e.g., table of contents, preface, introduction, titles and subtitles, index, glossary, appendix, bibliography)
16. Distinguishes between fact and opinion.
17. Comprehends, develops, and uses concepts and generalizations.
18. Creates hypotheses and predicts outcomes.
19. Draws reasonable conclusions from information found in various sources.
20. Invents solutions to problems using non-linear thinking techniques (e.g., creating metaphors, constructing analogies and models, brainstorming and role-playing)
21. Defends conclusions rationally.
22. Tests the validity of an assertion by examining the evidence.
23. Understands logical relationships.
24. Constructs logical sequences and understands the conclusion to which they lead.
25. Detects fallacies in reasoning.
Testing Dates
The writing portion of the GHSGT is scheduled for September 26th.
The PSAT will be administered school wide on October 17th.
The GHSGT will take place March 17th-20th.
The End 0of0Course Tests (EOCT) will be administered April 28th -May 2nd.
Parental Permission Form for Instructional Use of Videotape
Fulton County Schools
Chattahoochee High School
This sheet should be signed and returned, and then will be kept on file in my classroom. The rest of the syllabus should be kept in the front of your notebook for the remainder of the semester.
The following videos/films have been selected for possible viewing during the 2006 fall semester in American Literature.
− Amistad - Rated R for some scenes of strong brutal violence and some related nudity
− The Patriot - Rated R for strong war violence.
− The Crucible – Rated PG-13 for intense depiction of the Salem witch trials
− Edward Scissorhands – Rated PG-13 for language, mild violence
− Simpson Cartoon (“The Raven”), Not Rated
− The House of Mirth- Rated PG for mature themes
− Sleepy Hollow - Rated R for violence/gore, and for a scene of sexuality
− Dances with Wolves - Rated PG13 for some scenes of violence and brief sexuality
− The Dead Poets Society – Rated PG for mature themes
− Ethan Frome – Rated PG for mature themes
− Last of the Mohicans – Rated R for violence
− The Village – PG-13 for a scene of violence & frightening situations
− Mr Smith Goes to Washington – Not Rated
− The Great Gatsby – Not Rated
The videos support the following instructional objectives:
· Compare and contrast video interpretations to author’s intent
· Understand and appreciate the development of themes over time and across genres
· Identify and understand how films fit literary movements
· Examining the importance of audience in creating text
· Extend understanding of traditional literary concepts to new mediums
· Analyze how films both shape and reflect the society of which they are a product
Entire films are rarely shown; segments pertinent to teaching objectives are shown. An alternate assignment will be available for those who do not choose to view the films.
_______________________________ Teacher
_______________________________ Principal
YES, ____________________________ has my permission to view all of the videotapes.
NO, _____________________________ does not have my permission to view the following videotapes:
Additionally, singing below indicated that I have read and understood the classroom policies listed in the syllabus.
Student Name:____________________________ Student Signature: ____________________________________
Parent Name:_____________________________ Parent Signature: ____________________________________
Home Phone: __________________________ Work Phone: __________________________
Parent e-mail address:
(please print neatly…)
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
9th Grade Literature /Composition
9th Grade Literature/Composition
2007-2008
P42
Ms. Barb Dahlgren
dahlgren@fultonschools.org
Texts: Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes: Gold Level (replacement cost $70.00)
Prentice Writing and Grammar ($60)
Supplementary Novels ($15)
Course Description
In 2004 the Georgia Department of Education adopted new Georgia Performance Standards for grades 9-12. Consistent with state curriculum, the Fulton County Schools English language arts curriculum implementation aligns with state standards. The content standards for this course are clustered by strands: Reading and Literature, Reading Across the Curriculum, Conventions, Writing, and Listening/Speaking/Viewing.
READING AND LITERATURE
Focusing on a study of literary genres, the student develops initial understanding of both the structure and the meaning of a work of literature. The student develops initial understanding of the way the form of a work of literature affects the meaning of the work and of the process of interpretation of a text. The student reads thoughtfully and purposefully, constantly checking for understanding of the author’s intent and meaning in order to determine a sound interpretation.
READING ACROSS THE CURRICULUM
After the elementary and middle grades years, the student seriously engages in reading for learning. This process sweeps across all disciplinary domains, extending even to the area of personal learning. The student encounters a variety of informational and fictional texts and reads texts in all genres and modes of discourse. In the study of various disciplines of learning (language arts, mathematics, science, social studies), the student must learn, through reading, the communities of discourse of those disciplines. Each subject has its own specific vocabulary, and for a student to excel in all subjects, he or she must learn the specific vocabulary of all subject areas in context.
Reading across the curriculum develops the student’s academic and personal interests in different subjects, as well as his or her understanding and expertise across subject areas. As the student reads, he or she develops both content and contextual vocabulary and builds good habits for reading, researching, and learning. The Reading Across the Curriculum standards focus on the academic and personal skills a student acquires as the student reads in all areas of learning.
WRITING
All modes or genres are practiced at each grade level; however, in order to achieve mastery, each grade level has a particular writing focus. Technical writing is the focus for 9th grade; by the end of 9th grade, the student will demonstrate competency in technical writing. The student writes coherent and focused texts that convey a well-defined perspective or tightly-reasoned argument. The writing exhibits the student’s awareness of audience and purpose. When appropriate, the texts contain introductions, supporting evidence, and conclusions. The student regularly progresses through the stages of the writing process (i.e., prewriting, drafting, revising, and editing successive versions).
CONVENTIONS
Conventions are essential for reading, writing, and speaking. Instruction in language conventions will, therefore, occur within the context of reading, writing, and speaking, rather than in isolation. The student writes to make connections with the larger world. A student’s ideas are more likely to be taken seriously when the words are spelled accurately and the sentences are grammatically correct. Use of standard English conventions helps readers understand and follow the student’s meaning, while errors can be distracting and confusing. Standard English conventions are the “good manners” of writing and speaking that make communication fluid.
LISTENING, SPEAKING, AND VIEWING
The student demonstrates an understanding of listening, speaking, and viewing skills for a variety of purposes. The student observes and listens critically and responds appropriately to written and oral communication in a variety of genres and media. The student speaks in a manner that guides the listener to understand important ideas.
The complete list of all the Performance Standards for the course are available online at www.georgiastandards.org/langart.asp under 9th Grade Literature and Composition.
Course Requirements / Expectations
Academic:
There are five major requirements for the course:
· Compositions – there will be four major composition assignments for the semester.
· A Journal – In addition to the major compositions, there will be journal and reading log assignments, and grammar/usage work included. Students will need to turn in work in a small three ring binder or folder.
· Performance and Participation – A key component of this class is active participation, and, in some cases, student performances.
· Unit Tests – There will be a test at the end of each unit.
· Outside reading – Students will be required to read two books of his/her choice (one each semester). One of the outside readings will be used to cover the research paper component. Further details will be provided in class.
In addition, there will be graded homework and classwork assignments, as well as quizzes and a comprehensive final exam.
Notebook Requirements: Each student is required to keep an organized notebook specifically for this class. This notebook should contain all materials and work completed, including the following:
· Course syllabus
· Class notes and handouts
Supplies:
Students will need a 3 ring binder, dividers, & index cards (3x5-ruled).
Behavioral:
Obviously, follow the rules of the student handbook, but in short, I expect you to be on time, be prepared, and be respectful of all the members of the class.
Attendance and Make-up Work:
It is the student’s responsibility to complete all work within the prescribed time. Students have the number of days absent to make-up work, other than major projects. Therefore, if a student is absent for one day, he or she has only one day to complete make-up work or arrange for a make-up test. Failure to complete an assignment within this timeframe will result in a zero for the assignment. If a student is absent on a test day, the test will be administered in class on the next day he or she is present.
Late Work: Assignments are due at the beginning of class on the scheduled due date. Major compositions/projects are the only assignments that will be accepted late; however, these assignments will be docked ten points a day for up to three days; after the third day, the assignment will receive a zero. If a student is in school for any amount of time of the day an assignment is due, he or she must turn in the assignment that day or receive a late grade.
Grading Scale
The grading scale for the class is as follows: A = 90-100 B = 80-89 C = 70-79 F = below 70
Unit Tests, Major Compositions 30%
Class Participation/Performance 15%
Journal Project 10%
Daily Work/Homework 15%
Quizzes 15%
A cumulative final exam given at the end of the semester will comprise the remaining 15% of the student's grade.
Chattahoochee High School Policies
FULTON COUNTY RECOVERY POLICY:
Opportunities designed to allow students to recover from a low or failing cumulative grade will be allowed when all work required to date has been completed and the student has demonstrated a legitimate effort to meet all course requirements including attendance.
Students should contact the teacher concerning recovery opportunities. Teachers are expected to establish a reasonable time period for recovery work to be completed during the semester. All recovery work must be directly related to course objectives and must be completed ten school days prior to the end of the semester. Teachers will determine when and how students with extenuating circumstances may improve their grades.
Chattahoochee High School Guidelines:
Recovery is available to students with a cumulative grade below 74% after a minimum of two (2) major grades. The maximum grade a student can earn for a recovery activity is 70%. There will be only one recovery opportunity per failed major assignment or test. The individual teacher will determine the means of recovery. THE STUDENT MUST INITIATE THE PROCESS WITHIN FIVE (5) DAYS OF NOTIFICATION OF A FAILING GRADE ON A MAJOR ASSIGNMENT/TEST.
CHS English Department Plagiarism Statement:
Plagiarism is the use of another's words or ideas and the presentation of them as though they are entirely one's own. Acts of plagiarism might include, but are not limited to:
1. using words or ideas from a published source without proper documentation;
2. using the work of another student (e. g. copying another student's homework, composition, or project);
3. using excessive editing suggestions of another student, teacher, parent, or paid editor.
Plagiarism on any project or paper at Chattahoochee High School will result in a zero for the assignment and an Honor Code violation. Unless directly stipulated by the teacher, collaboration on written work is not acceptable.
Students who willingly provide other students with access to their work are in violation of the Honor Code.
A note about what constitutes “excessive editing”:
Students learn to write well by writing well. Struggling independently through the writing process produces growth (as well as a certain amount of agony), and eventually the student’s own voice. When well meaning parents, siblings, tutors, or others contribute their own ideas, words, phrases, revisions, etc. to students’ writing, student writers miss the opportunity to achieve literary self reliance.
So, what is helping, but is NOT excessive editing? The answer is: questioning and cueing. For example—“Is this word strong enough? Interesting enough? Specific enough?” “Can you think of another word that means the same thing?” “Does this sentence seem awkward?” “What exactly do you mean here?” “I don’t understand what you are trying to say; can you say it more clearly?” “This sentence is interesting.” “That is a forceful verb; can you find one as forceful for that other sentence?” These kinds of questions and statements are powerful helpers, yet allow the students to think and write independently. Please help students to achieve their own voices and to develop their writing skills by allowing them to write and revise independently.
Film, Television and Music
Over the course of the semester I will incorporate some film clips, television, and/or music into the curriculum. We will very rarely watch an entire film. Clips from PG-13 and R rated films are shown only with the approval of the administration and permission from parents. Films I plan to show to support the lesson plans are listed on the Parental Permission Form for Instructional Use of Videotape.
Parent Connect:
I encourage all parents to sign up for Parent Connect, a website in which you can view your child’s grades, attendance, discipline, etc. Sign up is available online at http://chattahoocheepc.fultonschools.org.
Testing Dates
The End 0f Course Tests (EOCT) will be administered April 28th -May 2nd.
Parental Permission Form for Instructional Use of Videotape
Fulton County Schools
Chattahoochee High School
This sheet should be signed and returned, and then will be kept on file in my classroom. The rest of the syllabus should be kept in the front of your notebook for the remainder of the semester.
The following videos/films have been selected for possible viewing during the 2006 fall semester in American Literature.
− The Most Dangerous Game – Not Rated
− West Side Story – Not Rated
− Romeo & Juliet (Franco Zeffirelli) – PG for mature themes
− Romeo & Juliet (Baz Luhrman) - PG for mature themes
− Fahrenheit 451 – Not Rated
− MirrorMask – Rated PG for some mild thematic elements and scary images
- The Birds – Not Rated
- O Brother Where Art Thou
The videos support the following instructional objectives:
· Compare and contrast video interpretations to author’s intent
· Understand and appreciate the development of themes over time and across genres
· Identify and understand how films fit literary movements
· Examining the importance of audience in creating text
· Extend understanding of traditional literary concepts to new mediums
· Analyze how films both shape and reflect the society of which they are a product
Entire films are rarely shown; segments pertinent to teaching objectives are shown. An alternate assignment will be available for those who do not choose to view the films.
_______________________________ Teacher
_______________________________ Principal
YES, ____________________________ has my permission to view all of the videotapes.
NO, _____________________________ does not have my permission to view the following videotapes:
Additionally, singing below indicated that I have read and understood the classroom policies listed in the syllabus.
Student Name:____________________________ Student Signature: ____________________________________
Parent Name:_____________________________ Parent Signature: ____________________________________
Home Phone: __________________________ Work Phone: __________________________
Parent e-mail address:
(please print neatly…)
2007-2008
P42
Ms. Barb Dahlgren
dahlgren@fultonschools.org
Texts: Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes: Gold Level (replacement cost $70.00)
Prentice Writing and Grammar ($60)
Supplementary Novels ($15)
Course Description
In 2004 the Georgia Department of Education adopted new Georgia Performance Standards for grades 9-12. Consistent with state curriculum, the Fulton County Schools English language arts curriculum implementation aligns with state standards. The content standards for this course are clustered by strands: Reading and Literature, Reading Across the Curriculum, Conventions, Writing, and Listening/Speaking/Viewing.
READING AND LITERATURE
Focusing on a study of literary genres, the student develops initial understanding of both the structure and the meaning of a work of literature. The student develops initial understanding of the way the form of a work of literature affects the meaning of the work and of the process of interpretation of a text. The student reads thoughtfully and purposefully, constantly checking for understanding of the author’s intent and meaning in order to determine a sound interpretation.
READING ACROSS THE CURRICULUM
After the elementary and middle grades years, the student seriously engages in reading for learning. This process sweeps across all disciplinary domains, extending even to the area of personal learning. The student encounters a variety of informational and fictional texts and reads texts in all genres and modes of discourse. In the study of various disciplines of learning (language arts, mathematics, science, social studies), the student must learn, through reading, the communities of discourse of those disciplines. Each subject has its own specific vocabulary, and for a student to excel in all subjects, he or she must learn the specific vocabulary of all subject areas in context.
Reading across the curriculum develops the student’s academic and personal interests in different subjects, as well as his or her understanding and expertise across subject areas. As the student reads, he or she develops both content and contextual vocabulary and builds good habits for reading, researching, and learning. The Reading Across the Curriculum standards focus on the academic and personal skills a student acquires as the student reads in all areas of learning.
WRITING
All modes or genres are practiced at each grade level; however, in order to achieve mastery, each grade level has a particular writing focus. Technical writing is the focus for 9th grade; by the end of 9th grade, the student will demonstrate competency in technical writing. The student writes coherent and focused texts that convey a well-defined perspective or tightly-reasoned argument. The writing exhibits the student’s awareness of audience and purpose. When appropriate, the texts contain introductions, supporting evidence, and conclusions. The student regularly progresses through the stages of the writing process (i.e., prewriting, drafting, revising, and editing successive versions).
CONVENTIONS
Conventions are essential for reading, writing, and speaking. Instruction in language conventions will, therefore, occur within the context of reading, writing, and speaking, rather than in isolation. The student writes to make connections with the larger world. A student’s ideas are more likely to be taken seriously when the words are spelled accurately and the sentences are grammatically correct. Use of standard English conventions helps readers understand and follow the student’s meaning, while errors can be distracting and confusing. Standard English conventions are the “good manners” of writing and speaking that make communication fluid.
LISTENING, SPEAKING, AND VIEWING
The student demonstrates an understanding of listening, speaking, and viewing skills for a variety of purposes. The student observes and listens critically and responds appropriately to written and oral communication in a variety of genres and media. The student speaks in a manner that guides the listener to understand important ideas.
The complete list of all the Performance Standards for the course are available online at www.georgiastandards.org/langart.asp under 9th Grade Literature and Composition.
Course Requirements / Expectations
Academic:
There are five major requirements for the course:
· Compositions – there will be four major composition assignments for the semester.
· A Journal – In addition to the major compositions, there will be journal and reading log assignments, and grammar/usage work included. Students will need to turn in work in a small three ring binder or folder.
· Performance and Participation – A key component of this class is active participation, and, in some cases, student performances.
· Unit Tests – There will be a test at the end of each unit.
· Outside reading – Students will be required to read two books of his/her choice (one each semester). One of the outside readings will be used to cover the research paper component. Further details will be provided in class.
In addition, there will be graded homework and classwork assignments, as well as quizzes and a comprehensive final exam.
Notebook Requirements: Each student is required to keep an organized notebook specifically for this class. This notebook should contain all materials and work completed, including the following:
· Course syllabus
· Class notes and handouts
Supplies:
Students will need a 3 ring binder, dividers, & index cards (3x5-ruled).
Behavioral:
Obviously, follow the rules of the student handbook, but in short, I expect you to be on time, be prepared, and be respectful of all the members of the class.
Attendance and Make-up Work:
It is the student’s responsibility to complete all work within the prescribed time. Students have the number of days absent to make-up work, other than major projects. Therefore, if a student is absent for one day, he or she has only one day to complete make-up work or arrange for a make-up test. Failure to complete an assignment within this timeframe will result in a zero for the assignment. If a student is absent on a test day, the test will be administered in class on the next day he or she is present.
Late Work: Assignments are due at the beginning of class on the scheduled due date. Major compositions/projects are the only assignments that will be accepted late; however, these assignments will be docked ten points a day for up to three days; after the third day, the assignment will receive a zero. If a student is in school for any amount of time of the day an assignment is due, he or she must turn in the assignment that day or receive a late grade.
Grading Scale
The grading scale for the class is as follows: A = 90-100 B = 80-89 C = 70-79 F = below 70
Unit Tests, Major Compositions 30%
Class Participation/Performance 15%
Journal Project 10%
Daily Work/Homework 15%
Quizzes 15%
A cumulative final exam given at the end of the semester will comprise the remaining 15% of the student's grade.
Chattahoochee High School Policies
FULTON COUNTY RECOVERY POLICY:
Opportunities designed to allow students to recover from a low or failing cumulative grade will be allowed when all work required to date has been completed and the student has demonstrated a legitimate effort to meet all course requirements including attendance.
Students should contact the teacher concerning recovery opportunities. Teachers are expected to establish a reasonable time period for recovery work to be completed during the semester. All recovery work must be directly related to course objectives and must be completed ten school days prior to the end of the semester. Teachers will determine when and how students with extenuating circumstances may improve their grades.
Chattahoochee High School Guidelines:
Recovery is available to students with a cumulative grade below 74% after a minimum of two (2) major grades. The maximum grade a student can earn for a recovery activity is 70%. There will be only one recovery opportunity per failed major assignment or test. The individual teacher will determine the means of recovery. THE STUDENT MUST INITIATE THE PROCESS WITHIN FIVE (5) DAYS OF NOTIFICATION OF A FAILING GRADE ON A MAJOR ASSIGNMENT/TEST.
CHS English Department Plagiarism Statement:
Plagiarism is the use of another's words or ideas and the presentation of them as though they are entirely one's own. Acts of plagiarism might include, but are not limited to:
1. using words or ideas from a published source without proper documentation;
2. using the work of another student (e. g. copying another student's homework, composition, or project);
3. using excessive editing suggestions of another student, teacher, parent, or paid editor.
Plagiarism on any project or paper at Chattahoochee High School will result in a zero for the assignment and an Honor Code violation. Unless directly stipulated by the teacher, collaboration on written work is not acceptable.
Students who willingly provide other students with access to their work are in violation of the Honor Code.
A note about what constitutes “excessive editing”:
Students learn to write well by writing well. Struggling independently through the writing process produces growth (as well as a certain amount of agony), and eventually the student’s own voice. When well meaning parents, siblings, tutors, or others contribute their own ideas, words, phrases, revisions, etc. to students’ writing, student writers miss the opportunity to achieve literary self reliance.
So, what is helping, but is NOT excessive editing? The answer is: questioning and cueing. For example—“Is this word strong enough? Interesting enough? Specific enough?” “Can you think of another word that means the same thing?” “Does this sentence seem awkward?” “What exactly do you mean here?” “I don’t understand what you are trying to say; can you say it more clearly?” “This sentence is interesting.” “That is a forceful verb; can you find one as forceful for that other sentence?” These kinds of questions and statements are powerful helpers, yet allow the students to think and write independently. Please help students to achieve their own voices and to develop their writing skills by allowing them to write and revise independently.
Film, Television and Music
Over the course of the semester I will incorporate some film clips, television, and/or music into the curriculum. We will very rarely watch an entire film. Clips from PG-13 and R rated films are shown only with the approval of the administration and permission from parents. Films I plan to show to support the lesson plans are listed on the Parental Permission Form for Instructional Use of Videotape.
Parent Connect:
I encourage all parents to sign up for Parent Connect, a website in which you can view your child’s grades, attendance, discipline, etc. Sign up is available online at http://chattahoocheepc.fultonschools.org.
Testing Dates
The End 0f Course Tests (EOCT) will be administered April 28th -May 2nd.
Parental Permission Form for Instructional Use of Videotape
Fulton County Schools
Chattahoochee High School
This sheet should be signed and returned, and then will be kept on file in my classroom. The rest of the syllabus should be kept in the front of your notebook for the remainder of the semester.
The following videos/films have been selected for possible viewing during the 2006 fall semester in American Literature.
− The Most Dangerous Game – Not Rated
− West Side Story – Not Rated
− Romeo & Juliet (Franco Zeffirelli) – PG for mature themes
− Romeo & Juliet (Baz Luhrman) - PG for mature themes
− Fahrenheit 451 – Not Rated
− MirrorMask – Rated PG for some mild thematic elements and scary images
- The Birds – Not Rated
- O Brother Where Art Thou
The videos support the following instructional objectives:
· Compare and contrast video interpretations to author’s intent
· Understand and appreciate the development of themes over time and across genres
· Identify and understand how films fit literary movements
· Examining the importance of audience in creating text
· Extend understanding of traditional literary concepts to new mediums
· Analyze how films both shape and reflect the society of which they are a product
Entire films are rarely shown; segments pertinent to teaching objectives are shown. An alternate assignment will be available for those who do not choose to view the films.
_______________________________ Teacher
_______________________________ Principal
YES, ____________________________ has my permission to view all of the videotapes.
NO, _____________________________ does not have my permission to view the following videotapes:
Additionally, singing below indicated that I have read and understood the classroom policies listed in the syllabus.
Student Name:____________________________ Student Signature: ____________________________________
Parent Name:_____________________________ Parent Signature: ____________________________________
Home Phone: __________________________ Work Phone: __________________________
Parent e-mail address:
(please print neatly…)
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