Mrs. Neis

PreAP English 10

Sparkman High School

2015-2016

Welcome to the 2016-2017 school year. I am really looking forward to working with you and your child. Every year brings new opportunities for learning, fun, and excitement. This year is no exception. There will be lots of changes and challenges for us all. I know that if we all work together we can make this the best year for your child.

General Information:

Teaching Assignment:

Pre-AP English 10

English 11

****Access class information (this is the BEST way to access vital information)*****:

My webpage, which is located on the school’s webpage under the link “Staff”

Canvas

Ways to contact me:

Phone: 256-837-0331 ext. 41111

****Email: (best way to contact me)

Classroom Expectations:

Be respectful of others at all times

Be prepared to work everyday (bring all materials to class)

Be on time (be in your seat when the bell rings)

Keep your hands to yourself

No yelling or swearing

Supply list:

Blue or Black Pen

Red Pen

One 5 Subject Spiral Notebook – OR – Binder with at least 5 dividers

College Rule notebook paper (NO Spiral edges Please!!)

One box of tissue

USB Flashdrive (HIGHLY recommended)

Novels:

This year we will be reading several novels in the class. It is highly suggested that each student purchase his/her own copy, although it is not required as the school does have classroom sets of these books that can be issued on a first come first served basis. It is suggested that each student have a personal copy for annotating and note taking. The novels are:

No Fear Shakespeare – Julius Caesar

The Scarlet Letter

SSR:

Every Friday we will have 30 minutes of Silent Sustained Reading (SSR). Every student MUST have a book, magazine, or newspaper to read. I have a small classroom library from which students may select a book, but it is HIGHLY recommended that each student bring in his/her own book for this reading time.

Anticipated Areas of Study:

Note that the order in which these selections are taught may vary

Grammar

Writing/Timed Writing

Summer Reading

Research

Julius Caesar

The Scarlet Letter

Themes to be discussed throughout the year:

The Search for Freedom

Justice from Multiple Perspectives

The Human Struggle for Power

The Human Struggle for Identity

Literature Book – Selections from each unit will include fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and essay.

Unit 1: Early American Writing

Unit 2: Romanticism

Unit 3: Realism

Unit 4: Regionalism

Teacher Wish List:

Classroom/lab supplies and activities enhance the learning experience not available in the traditional classroom, funding is limited for these expenses. The Madison County Board of Education allows teachers to collect contributions on a voluntary basis to purchase needed items for their classrooms. Mrs. Neis’s room is in need of Voluntary Contributions for student use:

Tissues

Paper Towels

Hand Sanitizer

Clorox Wipes

Blue/Black Pens

Ink Cartridge for HP Printer – HP932/933

Copy paper – white and colored

Dry Erase Board Markers, Erasers, Board Cleaner

Anything else you would like to donate for student use would be greatly appreciated by all.

First Nine Weeks

Week One

  • Book Of Me – introduce yourself to the class
  • Extra Credit Summer Reading Presentations
  • Examining “Sale of a Negro Slave” Using Visual Thinking Strategies
  • Analyzing Visual Text
  • “The Witnesses” by Longfellow
  • Vocabulary Quiz

Week Two

  • Assessment of Summer Reading
  • Using Parts of Speech to Analyze Visual Text
  • General History of Virginia – Annotation and Author’s Purpose
  • Warrior’s Don’t Cry – Dialectical Journals
  • Vocabulary Quiz

Week Three

  • STAR Testing
  • “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” – Imagery Graphic Organizer
  • Reading and Questioning – Levels of Thinking
  • Extend “Sinners” with Rhetorical Analysis, prompt deconstruction and addition annotation
  • Creating Effective Thesis Statements and Topic Sentences
  • Using Quotations Effectively
  • AEC/Quotation Sandwich
  • 40 minute timed writing
  • Vocabulary Quiz

Week Four

  • “The Author to Her Book” Poem Annotation
  • WDC Annotation
  • WDC Character Analysis
  • Vocabulary Quiz

Week Five

  • “Huswifery” Poem Annotation
  • Extended Metaphor
  • “Upon the Burning of our House” Analysis
  • “To My Dear and Loving Husband”
  • Create your own
  • Present to the class
  • Vocabulary Quiz

Week Six

  • Elements of Argument – Patrick Henry’s “Speech to the Virginia Convention”
  • Author’s Purpose
  • Diction, Detail, Imagery
  • “Declaration of Independence:
  • Written Response
  • Vocabulary Test over Lesson #1-5

Week Seven

  • ASPIRE/ACT test prep
  • Assign the research paper
  • MLA Format
  • Note Cards
  • Source Cards
  • Vocabulary Quiz

Week Eight

  • Research
  • Library
  • Computer Lab
  • MLA Format
  • Thesis Statements
  • Outline
  • Vocabulary Quiz

Week Nine

  • Research
  • MLA Citation/Parenthetical Citations
  • Rough Drafts
  • Vocabulary Quiz

Second Nine Weeks

Weeks One through Three

  • Research
  • The Scarlet Letter
  • Timed Writing

Weeks Four through Five

  • Analyzing Argument
  • Analyzing Poetry

Weeks Six and Seven

  • The Tragedy of Julius Caesar
  • Figurative Language
  • Revisit AEC