BCA/Honors English I

Mrs. Gregory

Welcome to Blackman High School and Honors English I! This course is designed to engage, challenge, and teach you in preparation for future Advanced Placement English courses and the English I TNReadytests. Students are expected to be capable of working independently, reading widely, and communicating clearly on both oral and written assignments.

Supply list

1. Blue or black ink pen
2. TWO class folders (one for a writing portfolio, which I will keep, the other for general
class assignments)
3. Notebook paper
4. Pencil
5. Highlighters (several colors)
6. Composition notebook
7. Kleenex or hand sanitizer

Workload

Here is a general overview of the workload for this class:

  • 1 summer reading assessment (assessed approximately 2-3 weeks into the year)
  • 4 process papers/essays (“process” indicates a thorough adherence to all steps of the writing process) 1 per nine-weeks
  • 1 research project- 1st semester
  • 1 research paper- 2nd semester
  • 4 outside reading novels and accompanying presentations (1 per nine-weeks)
  • Several additional short writing assignments (one page or less)
  • Homework which enriches the literature or time period being studied
  • Poetry free response entries per nine weeks (to be contributed online)
  • regular close readings of both fiction and non fiction texts
  • Vocabulary- weekly lessons, including definitions, discussion, application, quizzes and tests.
  • Major works to be studied as a class include To Kill a Mockingbird, Romeo and Juliet, The Book Thief, and The Odyssey
  • Weekly grammar review and accompanying assignments
  • Close readings of informational texts
  • Socratic Seminars- grades will regularly be given based on oral class discussions over text

Grading

Grade reports are sent home at mid quarter and report card times. Parents may check online grades through Parent Portal on the BHS website. Grades will be updated weekly.

Blackman students are expected to complete every assignment. The only fair way to assess a student and to assign a fair grade to that student is when all assignments are attempted. Zeroes negatively affect a student’s average and make the grade an inaccurate reflection of what the student knows and can do. A student will be required to attend academic help session(s) if he/she has a missing assignment.

Formative Assessments- 50% / Summative Assessments-50%
**These check for students’ understanding during the learning process.
Quizzes(30% of the formative grade)
Homework/classwork(20% of the formative grade)
Drafts/Rewrites
Daily practice/warm ups (grammar/vocabulary)
Group work projects
Benchmark assessments / **These show students’ mastery level at the end of an instructional unit.
Tests
Major Projects
Final Draft essays
Presentations
Portfolios
Performance based tasks

Writing

Students will complete formal and informal writing assignments each six weeks, including narrative, expository, analytical, persuasive, creative, and research-based pieces. Formal writing assignments count as test grades.

The good news:

Students will be allowed to revise formal essays one time for additional credit. The grade of “NC,” or no credit, will be issued to students who score below a 60% on any paper. This “NC” will be recorded as a 50% if students choose not to revise their paper by the specified due date.

Make-Up Work/Late Work / Prime Time-Extra Help Sessions-Monday-Friday
When you are absent, check our class website at for make up assignments, documents, etc. Make up work needs to be completed promptly (within 5 days of absence). Late work will receive a 20% point deduction, so be on time 
Email Mrs. Gregory at for assignment details as needed. / *Writing conferences
*Re-do assignments
*Make-up work
*Enrichment practice
*Late work
Students who receive 70% or below on an assignment may be called in during PT to re-do/improve work.

Make-Up Work (continued)

Tests, quizzes, presentations, etc. scheduled previously while a student was present in class will still be binding. In other words, remember, a field trip is a privilege! If you know we have an assignment due on a pre-scheduled field trip day, it is STILL due the day of the field trip. You can simply drop it by before you leave. For extended field trips (more than one day), see me to discuss your make up work before the trip.

Extra Credit:

Extra creditmay only be offered to students who have completed all assignments. If a student has missing assignments, he/she cannot do extra credit work until all assignments have been completed.

TECHNOLOGY

Students may use school computers before school, after school, during lunch, during Primetime, or during their Directed Studies time.

Web page

Our classroom web page is: We will complete some class assignments on this website, so it is important to sign up early. You will first need to create an account and join my class using the
groupcodejmpwux .

Check your child’s grades online anytime!!!!!

All parents can see their children’s grades for all classes using the Parent Portal website. You can monitor each assignment that has been turned in and graded, in addition to any missing or make up grades that have not been turned in. Be on the lookout for that information coming home soon!

Remind texting alerts
Remind texts are a safe and confidential way for me to communicate important reminders and due dates via text to parents and students. You may sign up for text alerts from me, which I will only send out when something important is coming up or due. This communication is only one-way (teacher to parent), and I will not have access to any student or parent phone numbers. To sign up, text @afgcg3 to 81010.

Important email note:

I love email! I am more than happy to communicate with students and parents whenever you have questions. I do my best to check emails at home during the evenings/weekends, however, I cannot always promise to reply prior to the following school day in the event you email me in the evenings. Please keep in mind, if you do not receive a response during the evening/weekend, that does not excuse you from completing any assignments on time.

Classroom Rules

Below is a list of classroom rules that extend beyond the BHS student handbook. The assertive discipline plan will be implemented for infractions of these rules.

1. Common courtesy, common decency, and common sense shall prevail at

all times.

2. All assignments are to be completed independently unless otherwise stated

by the teacher. Cheating will be punished as specified in the school

handbook.

3. When students fail to turn in an assignment for ANY reason, they must fill

out an “OOPS!” form. On this form they will list the assignment name, the date, and the reason

they did not turn in the assignment. Not completing this form will result in teacher detention.

4. Be prompt, be polite, be prepared

5. NO SCENTED SPRAYS, PERFUMES, DEODORANTS, ETC. are to be

used in class (I’m allergic).

As your teacher, it is my responsibility to:

1. Demonstrate common courtesy

2. Report to class each day on time

3. Present a lesson that will challenge you to learn more about yourself, your

community, and the world around you.

4. Prepare you for the End of Course exam and future Advanced Placement courses

Assertive Discipline Plan

The following plan will be implemented for an infraction of any minor school or

classroom rule/procedure:

1st offense: verbal warning

2nd offense: before school check-in/detention 8:20 in my room

3rd offense: parent phone call/conference/e-mail

4th offense: office referral

Failure to attend assigned detention will double the detention on the first offense

and will be referred to the office on the second offense.

Honors/BCA English I Syllabus Agreement

Sign and return:

I have read and understand the classroom policies and procedures as outlined by Mrs. Gregory for BCA/Honors English I .

______CLASS PERIOD:______

Student name (PRINT)

______

student signature

______

parent signature

Parent name and email address #1:______

______

Parent name and email address #2: ______

______

If you have specific questions or concerns regarding anything herein, please write it below, along with your contact information, and return. I will contact you to discuss as soon as possible 