English II Spring Semester 2011

Dear Parents and Students,

I would like to welcome you to a successful semester in English II at HCS Early College High School. All work in this course will be based on the SC State Standards for English II and Horry County Schools Initiatives for English II.

Student learning will encompass the enhancing of communication skills, reading, writing, processing, and research. Language skills, such as usage, punctuation, vocabulary, and sentence structure, will be taught through direct instruction and through individualized student reading and writing. Test preparation exercises will also be included in our curriculum for students to prepare for the HSAP, which is the South Carolina high school exit exam, and the COMPASS Writing test, which is the college placement writing test.

Since reading is one of the most fundamental and important tools a person possesses, one of our major goals is for each student to become a better reader. A list of possible in-class reading selections—novels, dramas, poems, short stories, and nonfiction samples are attached to this letter. Please review this list with your child. I realize that every selection may not be appropriate for every student. If you have concerns about any text your child is reading, please contact me so that we can make an appropriate substitution.

Student work is graded on a point scale. Students will know deadlines and point values before beginning any assignment, and they also will be given rubrics before completing major assignments or projects. Students will receive a ten point deduction for work which is turned in late. I expect students to appreciate the value of knowing how to meet deadlines. They certainly will face these expectations in the future. I am available to schedule tutoring sessions for students who need extra help. Please note the following statewide grading scale that will be used for evaluation of assignments: A 93 – 100; B 85 – 92; C 77 – 84; D 70 – 76; F below 70.

Students are expected to be in class and on time each day. When a student is absent, he or she always misses some work, and it is his or her responsibility for making up all work in the allotted time. For this class, students will need their AVID Binder, loose-leaf paper,# 2 pencils, and a blue or black ink pen.

All of us must work together for this to be a successful learning experience. I encourage you to contact me at any time during the semester. My planning time is from 12:55-2:25pm. I can be reached at 349-7890 after 3:00. If you call before 3:00pm, please leave a message, and I will return your call promptly. You may also contact me via email at .

Please place your signatures on the form provided indicating that you have read this packet. Send that form to me, and have your child place his or her syllabus in the front of his notebook.I look forward to working with you to help your student be successful in my class this year.

Kindest regards,

Martina McKoy, English Instructor

Parent/ Signature Form for English IICP McKoy

The attached information communicates academic expectations for English II College Preparatory. Please read the packet of information and sign in the appropriate place.

Please return this form as soon as possible as students will be receiving their first homework grade for the return of this assignment.

Parent/Guardian:

I have read and understood the following:

  • Teacher letter
  • Syllabus/ Pacing Guide
  • Classroom Rules and Procedures

Parent’s Name ______

(print)(signature)

Parent’s Information:

Home phone ______

Work phone______

Cell phone ______

Email ______

Student:

I have read and understood the following:

  • Teacher letter
  • Syllabus/ Pacing Guide
  • Classroom Rules and Procedures

Student’s Name ______

(print)(signature)

Student’s Information:

Cell phone______

Email ______

If there is any further information I need to know about your student, please indicate below or on the back of this sheet so we can arrange a contact to discuss the information.

English II CP Spring Semester 2011

Instructor: Martina McKoy

School Phone: (843)349-7890

Email:

Class Website:

Virtual Classroom:

Required Materials:

  • Textbook: Literature: Language and Literacy.
  • AVID Binder and writing utensils (brought to class each day)
  • Spiral notebook (provided by the teacher)

If a class session is missed, you are responsible for determining what needs to be made up. It would be a good idea, for this reason, to get the phone number or email address of at least one classmate in order to have a contact should an unavoidable absence occur.

AVID Binder

The AVID binder is an essential facet of Early College, thus it will be checked a minimum of eight times per nine weeks to assess academic progress.Short writing assignments will be given at the beginning of each class session. Binder grades may be taken either at the beginning of class or at the very end of class depending upon the assignment. Students are made aware of classwork/homework deadlines by keeping up with the course website (homework assignments for the week are posted each Monday). Binder work may be related to material for the day’s reading or on material covered in a previous class (from book or lecture discussion). The lowest binder grades will automatically drop from the overall binder average. The AVID Binder will count 30%.

Quizzes/Classwork:

Homework grades will be taken at the very beginning of class, and classwork grades may be taken either at the beginning of class or at the very end of class depending upon the assignment. Students are made aware of classwork/homework deadlines by keeping up with class website (homework assignments for the week are posted on Monday). The lowest quiz grade will automatically drop from the overall quiz average.After this, the zero quiz/classwork grades will count in the overall quiz/class work average. Classwork and homework will be counted in the AVID Binder, which is 30% of the semester grade.

Tests/ Late Essays:

Any paper turned in after its due date loses ten points per class meeting. After five days, the major assignment will result in a zero.Each week, on Friday, students will take a comprehensive test on material covered in class that week.

Essays:

Essays and projects will be graded holistically. Ideas, organization, voice, sentence fluency, word choice and conventions [grammar/punctuation] all contribute to the overall effectiveness of a written document, and all will play a part in an assignment’s final grade. All research assignments will need to conform to MLA documentation standards discussed in class and found posted on the class website. All essays will count as a major grade, which constitutes 40% of a student’s nine weeks average.

Out of class essay assignments may not be handwritten under any circumstances. It is suggested that you use a version of Microsoft Word. Papers must be double-spaced for ease in reading. Essay assignments should include the name of the writer, the teacher’s name, class/section number, and the due date. Papers should be clipped or stapled if it is not posted on the virtual classroom, Edmodo.

Plagiarism:

Plagiarism is as serious an offense as exists within an academic environment. Plagiarism, cheating, collusion, falsification of information, or any other form of academic dishonesty will not be tolerated and will result in discipline including, at the very least, a zero on the assignment in question, and up tofailurein the entire course and possible probation or expulsion from this school. Anyone guilty of plagiarism, cheating, collusion, or falsification of information will be reported to the administration of Early College High School.

Grading Policy:

40%- Essays and Major projects

30% - AVID Binder (Writer’s notebook, seminars, classwork, and homework)

20%- Comprehensive reading/writing/vocabulary tests

10%- Quizzes and Other graded assignments

Final Exam

English II EOC Writing (30% of exam grade)

English II Exam (70% of exam grade)

Course Outline

Quarter One…40%

Quarter Two…40%

Final Exam……20%

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Tentative Unit Plans: (Dates are subject to change. Please stay updated via the class webpage. Other assignments will be completed during this unit as well.)

Each unit will contain a project, which, along with essays, constitutes 40% of the overall grade.

Unit One- Poetry/ Narrative Writing

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  • “The Weary Blues”
  • “Birmingham Sunday”
  • “The Charge of the Light Brigade”
  • “The Artilleryman’s Vision”

Major Due Dates:

  • August 31- Rough draft for the narrative poem due
  • September 6- HSAP benchmark test on poetry
  • September 7- Final draft for the narrative poem due

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Unit Two- Drama/ Descriptive Writing

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  • Antigone
  • “Santa Claus Meets Sophocles” (informational text)
  • “A ‘Prequel’ to Antigone” (informational text)

Major Due Dates:

  • September 16- Mock Trial roles are given
  • September 21- HSAP benchmark test on drama
  • September 23- Mock Trial due

Unit Three- Short Stories/ Literary Analysis Writing

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  • “The Masque of the Red Death”
  • “The Monkey’s Paw”
  • “The Censors”
  • “A Sound of Thunder”

Major Due Dates:

  • October 7-Rough draft for the short story essay due
  • October 12- HSAP benchmark test on short stories
  • October 14- Final draft for the shortstory essay due

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Mid-term exam on all covered materials- October 17 and October 18

Unit Four- Literary Nonfiction/ Informational Writing

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  • “The American Idea”
  • Excerpt from Desert Exile: The Uprooting of a Japanese-American Family
  • Excerpt from Night
  • American propaganda samples
  • Nazi propaganda samples

Major Due Dates:

  • October 26- Seminar on literary nonfiction
  • October 28- HSAP benchmark test on literary nonfiction

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Unit Five- Informational Texts/Research Writing

  • “California State University at Fullerton Course Catalog”
  • “Folger Shakespeare Library Hours and Exhibit Placards” (signs)
  • “Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System: Borrowers Services” (website)

Major Due Dates:

  • Note: Interval dates for components within the research project will be provided when the research handout is distributed.
  • November 2- HSAP benchmark test on informational texts
  • November 16- HSAP benchmark test on research

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Unit Six- Novel/ Persuasive and Technical Writing

  • Speak or Bucking the Sarge

Major Due Dates:

  • December 9- HSAP benchmark test on vocabulary

Final exam on all covered material- December 19 and January 5, 2012

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