Contact Information:
Amanda Steger
Voicemail: 313-278-9870 ext. 308
E-mail:
Course Description:
In this course, you will read, analyze, and interpret literature. Reading will be done both in and out of class. One should plan to spend two to three hours a week outside of class on both the readings and the written assignments related to them. In addition to the required readings, you will be required to write both formally and informally—this includes the use of a Writer’s Notebook and posts to our classroom blog.
Upon completion of this course, you will be able to discuss, analyze, compare, and evaluate fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and drama. Students will also be able to use the steps of the writing process to compose multi-paragraph essays including exposition and narration. These essays will include thesis statements, supporting paragraphs, and appropriate transitions. Many of these essays will be written after close study of mentor texts and writer’s conferences with your teacher.
The disposition (or focus) of the tenth grade year of English Language Arts (ELA) is Critical Response and Stance. Throughout the entire tenth grade year of ELA, you will be challenged to consider and reflect upon the following essential questions. These questions and the literature selected by your teachers to fuel reflection upon these questions, are designed to help you develop a passion for reading, writing, and the discussion of literature. In addition, (and possibly more importantly) we hope that this course will help you formulate your own critical responses and platform when it comes to difficult decisions related to life both inside and outside the classroom.
Trimester A Course Outline—Like life, this outline is subject to changes and tweaks… Also, this is an OUTLINE, rather than a list of everything this course encompasses. J
Unit One Theme: “Camouflage”
Major Class Texts: The Glass Castle by: Jeannette Walls (memoir)
Linking Texts: Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (scientific article)
Joshua Tree Description (scientific article)
We Wear The Mask by: Paul Dunbar (poem)
The Man in Black, Johnny Cash (song)
*And other mentor texts selected throughout the unit (TBD)
Grammar exercises focusing on: commas, semi-colons, apostrophes and conjunctions, review of verb agreement, word choice, and recognition of grammatical errors in writing when viewing a text.
Major Assessments: Personal Narrative, Unit One Assessment
Unit Two Theme: “Catastrophic Shifts and Resilience”
Major Class Texts: To Kill a Mockingbird by: Haper Lee (fiction)
Linking Texts: Jim Crow handout from Ferris State University (historical article)
I, Too, Sing America by: Langston Hughes (poem)
Catastrophic Shifts and Resilience (scientific article, from MISD Assessment)
*And other mentor texts selected throughout the unit (TBD)
Sample persuasive papers
Grammar exercises focusing on: commas, semi-colons, apostrophes and conjunctions, review of verb agreement, word choice, and recognition of grammatical errors in writing when viewing a text. Recognition and proper use of comparatives, prepositions, numbers, and organization of sentences within a piece of writing.
Major Assessments: Persuasive Paper, Unit Two Assessment
Required Materials: (Please bring the following to class every day)
· 8 ½ x 11 Ruled Notebook Paper (NO SPIRAL PAPER WILL BE ACCEPTED)
· Pencil or Pen
· Text being studied
· YOUR OWN Planner—you CANNOT leave the room without it!
· Writer’s Notebook
· Positive attitude and willingness to learn!
Evaluation and Grading
You will be evaluated many different ways in my class. Evaluation is not only limited to the major assessments mentioned above. You will evaluated via tests and quizzes, short-writes, daily assignments, homework, participation and many other ways you may not even be aware of. In my class there are two types of assessments—summative and formative. Please consider the following concerning formative and summative assessments…
FORMATIVE ASSESSMENTS: little assessments along the way that help you “FORM” the knowledge required for the BIG unit end test. Think of formative assessments as “practice” for the big test, or steps that will lead up to the big ending test. It is like going to practice and running your plays before the big game—it is at practice where you learn and get better as you work harder at it. This being said, formative assessments ARE NOT ALWAYS GRADED—but are just as important as any other assessment or assignment, because it is here that you prepare or “practice” for the big test and begin to realize what you need to study, and what you have already mastered.
SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENTS: the BIG assessment or “SUMMARY” assessment of everything that you have learned. Summative assessments are unit-end exams, mid-terms, or polished essays or papers you have written for a grade. It is at the summative assessment where you show off all your hard work or “practice” that the formative assessments have given you. The summative assessment is the big game you’ve trained hard for; the game where the extra laps and practices finally pay off. The summative assessment is where you show your mastery of skills on the work we’ve been covering over the course of the unit.
Remember that NOT ALL ASSIGNMENTS will be graded or necessarily given a point value—this does not mean the assignment is not important—it should be looked at as a “practice” for the big test. It is up to you to take control of your own learning, and if you want to perform well, it is best to practice and train hard for the final assessment (summative assessment) which WILL be graded!
For those assignments that are graded, the following grading scale applies:
100 – 94 A 82 – 80 B- 69 – 67 D+
93 – 90 A- 79 – 77 C+ 66 – 63 D
89 – 87 B+ 76 – 73 C 62 – 60 D-
86 – 83 B 72 – 70 C- 59 – 0 E
Additionally, the Annapolis High School English department policy determines that we must weigh our grades. Considering what type of assessment is graded, please note the following percentage values:*
Summative Assessments (exams/tests/formal writing): 75% of your grade
Formative Assessments (quizzes, projects, informal writing): 25% of your grade
*This can be difficult to understand—if you have any questions, please come see me!
Classroom Policies
Make-Up Work: You are responsible for arranging any make-up work due to an excused absence from class within TWO CLASS days. To find out what you miss on the day of an excused absence, approach a responsible classmate or ask Ms. Steger after class, or at an appropriate time. Under normal conditions the following policies apply:
1. All work due on the day of an excused absence will be due with no penalty on the day after the return.
2. All work scheduled to be turned in on days which follow an absence, is due on the assigned date if you were present when it was announced.
3. When you return to class from an excused absence, you must make arrangements with me to make-up any tests, quizzes, or group work. If you fail to make arrangements, then you will receive a zero on the work, quiz, or test. Arrangements must be made within a reasonable time frame from the absence (two days) otherwise, you cannot make-up the test, quiz, or group work.
Late work: Classroom work and homework that is late will not be accepted unless under extenuating circumstances. Some class work cannot be duplicated and cannot be made up at a later date—even ARO. If you miss an assignment or class due to an UNEXCUSED absence, go to ARO. My ARO sign up sheet is located at the front of the room on the white board. If you fail to sign up, you cannot make up the work. If you have questions regarding ARO and how it is run, consult your planner.
Plagiarism/Cheating: Any assignment that is turned as your work that is not your original creation will be considered plagiarism and/or cheating. Any plagiarized work will be dealt with according to the consequences listed in the Annapolis High School Handbook.
Warning:
I expect you to save your work until the end of the semester. I can discuss grades with you if you can present your work to me in an organized fashion. If there happens to be a discrepancy between the grade on your paper and the grade in Zangle, you must have the original assignment to prove your case. For this reason I URGE you to save your work.
Behavior and Participation Expectations and Guidelines:
1. Get here on time and be prepared with ALL of your materials.
2. Respect yourself and others in the classroom.
3. Support your strong opinions and arguments with effective reasons and examples, but strive to keep an open mind.
4. Allow for and consider everyone’s voice and ideas—you are one among many!
5. Maintain a positive attitude, free from putdowns, or excessive sarcasm.
6. Consistently read books of your own choice and in a variety of genres.
7. Do you best work.
8. Set high goals for yourself.
9. Don’t wait to the last minute.
10. Don’t stress too much.
If there is a behavior problem or disruption in the room, you will be asked the SRC questions, and then sent to SRC if there is another disruption… remember you may have the right to refuse an education for yourself, but you never have the right to take away the education of another person in the room!
If you have questions regarding SRC policy, please consult your AHS planner.
WELCOME!
Now that the groundwork is laid out, I want to extend a warm welcome to English 10. I hope that you will find my classroom environment inviting and comfortable. For your convenience, I am available most days following school, during Lunch and Multi-Purpose Period. I invite you to stop-by out of class to say hello, or to come in for
additional help. Now let’s get started!
Ms. Steger English 10 Syllabus—Check It Out and Check In!
Return to me by: ______
Student Name:______
English 10, Period:______
I, the undersigned, have closely read the syllabus and understand the requirements and expectations for this course.
Student Signature:______
Parent/Guardian Signature:______
Please remember that you and your student will be able to assess his/her grade online via Zangle. Also, if you’d like to provide me with applicable e-mail addresses, I can more easily contact you and your student regarding celebrations, concerns, etc.
Parent/Guardian e-mail address(es):______
Student e-mail address(es):______
Please feel free to contact me at any time for any reason. I find e-mail one of the best ways to reach any teacher, but feel free to call or come in if that is what works best for you… I look forward to working with your student this year and can’t wait to see what great things they bring to the classroom!
Best regards,
Amanda Steger
313-278-9870 x308