English 11 Honors
Mr. Bui
Welcome to English 11 Honors! The purpose of this course is to explore the power of language and communication. In our daily lives, we interact with others, speak our minds, and make informed decisions. We need strong language and thinking skills to be responsible and capable in anything we seek to do. Essentially, we need our words to survive. Our reading, writing, and speaking skills are key to living meaningful and successful lives.
Throughout this course, we will read and enjoy a variety of different works. We will work with fiction, non-fiction, short stories, poetry, essays, Shakespeare, print advertisements, commercials, PSA’s, political cartoons and more!
Often, we will use our class text (40 Model Essays) to help us in our work.
Some major requirements of English 11 are…
· Career Essay (Core #1)
· Argument Product (Core #2)
· Non-fiction Independent Reading Choice (Will require parent permission)
· Reading/analyzing various famous speeches/essays
· Shakespeare
· Poetry
· Grammar Review
After this course, you will have gained sharper skills in…
RHETORICAL TERMS AND TECHNIQUES
· learning how to be clear in our meaning, and how to create the most impact with our language
· reading speeches, essays, novels, stories, and ads with a critical eye for rhetorical strategies
· employing our newly learned techniques to make our own writing stronger
INTERPRETATION
· reading to decipher denotation and connotation
· identifying tone and using it to determine the author’s purpose
· finding irony and related devices, and using it in our own writing when appropriate
MEDIA AWARENESS
· becoming savvy consumers in a world that bombards us with commercials, political ads, and editorials
· uncovering bias and manipulation in words, visuals, and other media we encounter on a daily basis
· gaining confidence in citing materials from sources on the web and from print to strengthen our arguments
COURSE MATERIALS
1. Three-ring binder - For this course, you will need to keep a three-ring binder with a section for this class’ handouts, assignments, and college-ruled loose leaf paper (assignments, writing, journal entries, etc.). You will need to bring this to class with you every day.
2. Class books -We will work with a number of class texts, novels, and plays. If a book is signed out to you for take-home, you need to always bring it to class. Your non-fiction independent reading choice also needs to come with you to class. Missing books result in outstanding obligations and fines from the house office.
3. Other items- Of course, you need to always have a writing utensil. In addition, it is helpful to have a highlighter and post-it’s for class readings, annotations, and assignments.
CLASSROOM POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
1.) First and foremost, my highest expectation is one of respect. It is vital that every member of our class is treated with respect and kindness. Our classroom is a space where everyone is valued and safe. We share a lot of ideas and opinions, and it is important to be open-minded and positive in class. Your respect for your peers, for me, and for our classroom expectations will allow us all to have a productive and fun semester!
2.) Homework Assignments in this class could range from studying, reading, working on an essay, or answering questions. Often, your homework will involve completing any work that wasn’t finished in class and turning it in the following day. You must take the responsibility of keeping track of turn-in dates, quiz dates, and other important items. You are expected to come prepared to class every day, with all assignments and materials. Assignment dates are posted both on the homework board and on my teacher site. If you are ever unsure, you may clarify with me, but please check those locations first.
3.) Obtaining the grade that you want depends on how much effort you decide to put into your assignments. From the quality of your insights to the detail of your revision work, the effort you put forth will reflect in your grade. A strong work ethic will allow you to learn to your full potential and truly enjoy the course.
Your grade is earned points for the marking period, divided by the number of points possible. Your transcript grade is arrived at as follows:
First marking period = 35% Second marking period = 35%
Career Plan Essay = 10% Argument Product= 10% Final Exam = 10%
We do not offer extra credit as an English department. The best way to achieve the grade you want is to be prepared for class and have all assignments completed to the best of your ability. Your assignments, large and small, will be arranged in Infinite Campus in the following categories, weighted as shown:
Major Reading/Writing Assignments = 60 % of your MP grade
Minor Reading/Writing Assignments = 25 % of your MP grade
Classwork/Homework/Accountability = 15 % of your MP grade
4. Make-up work after an absence is your responsibility. School policy is one additional day for every day you were absent to make up the work. Therefore, see me immediately so you can get caught up in class.
§ Late Minor Assignments (only late by ONE day) may be submitted for HALF CREDIT.
§ Late Major Assignments lose 10% for each day they are late.
5. Understand that this classroom abides by all of the guidelines listed in the student handbook regarding all Central Bucks and CB South policies. This includes the dress code, usage of cell phone and/or personal listening devices, and the academic integrity policy regarding plagiarism.
I believe that a great attitude and a strong work ethic are instrumental to your growth as a student and as a person. In this course, I invite you to ask vital questions, to challenge your own thinking, and to form new understandings. I look forward to an enjoyable and rewarding semester. J
CONTACT ME
For any questions or concerns, please take note of my contact information:
Mr. Kenneth Bui
Room C301
Email:
Phone: 267-893-3000 ext. 5135
Teacher Website: www.cbsd.org/Domain/3025
CB SOUTH
CELL PHONE POLICY
Ø Cell phones are only to be used during teacher-directed instructional times of the block. This means they are to be off and out of sight unless told otherwise.
o Students are expected to be fully engaged during direct instruction, small group learning, independent practice, and peer presentations.
o Cell phones are never to be visible during any type of classroom assessment or exam, and having a cell phone in sight during an exam can result in the student being guilty of violating the CBSD Academic Integrity Policy (cheating).
o Students should hear this message again at the start of every marking period.
o Teachers are expected to contact home if a student is using their phone during any non-designated instructional time. This does not include the opening and closing moments of class if students use their phones for calendars, planners, or homework apps.
Any student found to be in violation of this policy will be subject to the following disciplinary consequences:
1st Offense: Cell Phone Violation/Student Referral
45 minute after-school detention on TWorT
2nd Offense: Cell Phone Violation/Student Referral
90 minute after-school detention on TWorT
3rd Offense: Cell Phone Violation/Student Referral
2 Hour Friday Detention
4th Offense Cell Phone Violation/Student Referral
3 Hour Saturday Detention
Ø Repeated infractions may be considered insubordination, based on the student’s response to teacher intervention, and could result in Out of School Suspension.
Ø If a student needs to make an emergency phone call to a family member during the school day, then they may report to his or her respective House Office.
Eleventh
Grade
A Whole New Mind
by Daniel H. Pink
In Defense of Food:
An Eater's Manifesto
by Michael Pollan
Stiff: The Curious
Lives of Human Cadavers
by Mary Roach
Fading Echoes
by Michael Sielski
The Immortal Life of
Henrietta Lacks
by Rebecca Skloot / Summer Reading Test: Monday, January 30
Pink, Daniel H. A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future
Written in 2005, Pink’s theory is that we are moving from the systematic, logical “Information Age” into a right-brained “Conceptual Age”. His book explains the processing differences between left- and right-brained tasks, and provides anecdotes and exercises for strengthening each aptitude.
Pollan, Michael In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto
Pollan explores the way government, science, technology, and the farming/food
industries have transformed the American diet into something dangerously
unrecognizable from the way our grandmothers ate. Even well-intentioned dieting fads
have steered people away from trusting their own instincts about health and food, and
our "nutritionist" culture is actually harming our health.
Roach, Mary Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers
Mostly, this is a book about the science of corpses, with a very funny (sometimes morbid)
style and a lot of witty observations. This book won acclaim for its style and its approach,
part gross-out and part informational. Roach has been praised for asking the questions that
no one else wants to ask, but that everyone wants answered.
Sielski, Michael Fading Echoes
This book tells the story of Bryan Buckley and Colby Umbrell, captains of rival high
school football teams in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, who enlisted in the military
after graduation and were sent to fight in the Middle East--Colby as an Army
Ranger and Bryan as a Marine, and discusses how their families and the entire
town were affected when only one of them survived.
Skloot, Rebecca The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
This book examines the experiences of the children and husband of Henrietta
Lacks who, twenty years after her death from cervical cancer in 1951, learned
doctors and researchers took cells from her cervix without consent that were used
to create the immortal cell line known as the HeLa cell. HeLa cells were vital for
developing the polio vaccine; uncovered secrets of cancer, viruses, and the atom
bomb’s effects; helped lead to important advances like in vitro fertilization,
cloning, and gene mapping; and have been bought and sold by the billions.
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