Mr. Terrell / English 9 / 2005-06

Book list

Winterdance (summer reading)

A Pocket Style Manual (Hacker)

The Art of Styling Sentences

Odyssey

Rime of the Ancient Mariner

Things Fall Apart

Oedipus Rex

Antigone

Lord of the Flies

Midsummer Night’s Dream

What to Bring

Your copy of the book we’re reading

A 3-ring binder (for English only) with dividers

Plenty of paper

Something to write with

Your assignment notebook

How You’ll Be Evaluated

Class participation

Maintaining a complete and organized English binder

Reading quizzes (these questions will ask for details, not interpretation or in-depth understanding)

Vocabulary quizzes

Writing assignments, in class and out of class

  • Essays will be evaluated in terms of quality of writing and depth of content.

Tests over the literature, grammar, vocabulary, etc.

Semester examination (20%)

A Word About Class Participation

Because classroom learning is a social endeavor (as opposed to learning on your own or with a private tutor), how we work as a group will have an enormous effect on everyone’s ability to reach his or her potential. I’ll expect you to contribute in a positive manner and to treat everyone in our class with kindness and respect.

Getting Help When You Need It

With essays, try to get help before an assignment is due; that way, you’ll have a chance to revise your work significantly before you turn it in.

Reading Assignments

Generally I’ll expect you to mark your book. Some things to look for include significant details (names of characters, places, etc.), plot and character development, what the book says about the ideas it explores, passages you like or don’t understand, and words you don’t know. Marking your book (active reading) will help you pay attention and will allow you to review efficiently when you have to write an essay or prepare for a test or quiz.

Rewriting out-of-class essays

Generally, out-of-class essays will count twice in the grade book, and you’ll have an opportunity to rewrite out-of-class essays to improve your grade (if your original essay is a good effort, was turned in on time, etc.). We’ll have a conference after I’ve returned a paper to you, and we’ll discuss the essay’s specific strengths and weaknesses. Sometimes that’s all we’ll need to do. Sometimes I will ask you to rewrite the essay or just part of it. Rewriting essays is optional. You won’t be penalized for not rewriting a paper.

Turn in work on time

Generally, work turned in late will be penalized. A computer problem is not an acceptable excuse (in an emergency, I’ll gladly accept a handwritten paper). If you know you’re going to miss class (because of a doctor’s appointment, athletic contest, etc.) send your work with someone else, or bring it to me before you leave campus.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is intellectual theft and is strictly forbidden in every academic institution. No writer may use someone else’s words or ideas without giving the original writer proper credit. For example, if you’re writing an essay about a Robert Frost poem, and you want to include an interpretation you found in an essay by Jane Thorn, you must inform your reader that that particular part of your essay (the exact words or a paraphrasing of her ideas) comes from Jane Thorn; otherwise, your reader will mistakenly assume that you produced the observation yourself.