English 11: American Literature

2013-2014

Mrs. Kritz

474-3000 ext.8143

Room 145

Course Objectives

·  Read and analyze different works of literature American Literature.

·  Improve academic reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills.

·  Reinforce and add to student’s knowledge of the grammatical structure of academic English.

·  Develop academic vocabulary.

Required Materials*

·  3 ring binder

·  2 dark blue or black pens, 2 red pens, and a highlighter

·  college ruled lined paper (and lots of it!)

·  planner/calendar to record assignments

*Students must have all materials with them in class by Monday, August 26th.

Grading Scale Grading Breakdown

A= 90%-100% 20% Vocabulary and Grammar Homework

B= 80%-89.9% 20% Other Assignments

C= 70%-79.9% 60% Assessments

D= 60%-69.9%

F= 59.9% or lower I DO NOT ROUND UP!

Essays

Students must pass every formal essay in order to pass this class. In order for an essay to pass, it must be of at least a C quality. Students will rewrite essays that do not pass to ensure they meet this goal. Based on how late the essay is and how many rewrites the student does, C quality does not necessarily mean a C grade. Students will be given more details about Mrs. Kritz’s essay policy before the first essay is due.

Major Works Covered

·  The Crucible by Arthur Miller

·  The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

·  The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

·  The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

·  A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry

·  The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver

·  Various short stories, works of non-fiction, and poems

Behavioral and Academic Expectations

·  Be kind and respectful.

·  Practice tolerance.

·  Be responsible and proactive.

·  Be honest and complete.

·  Give your best effort.

Late Work Policy

Late work for minor assignments is not accepted! Late major assignments/assessments will lose a letter

grade for each day it is late. In the event that an extension on a deadline is needed, students will need to

make arrangements with Mrs. Kritz prior to the due date.

Absence Policy

If a student is absent, he/she is responsible for finding out what was missed while absent or the

day he/she returns. After an absence, students need to follow the procedure below:

1.  Find the agenda for the absence in the binder located in the class crate and review it.

2.  Check the class crate for any handouts given the day of the absence.

3.  Consult a classmate to make sure you have everything you need.

·  Students have one day for every day they were absent to make up the work. Students must write absent and the day they were absent at the top of the assignment and turn it in to the appropriate inbox or to Mrs. Kritz to get credit.

·  If the due date is announced before the student is absent and falls on or after the day the student returns, the assignment is still due on the due date. If there are extreme circumstances, an extension may be given.

·  Students absent during assessments need to make an appointment to make these up before school, after school, at break, or at lunch ASAP.

Excessive absence and Grading

A student’s overall grade may be lowered one full letter grade for excessive absences (10+). Tardies count as well, and every four tardies equal one absence. Not to mention, after four tardies, students will be referred to administration for further consequences.

Homework Contact #1

Name: ______

Phone #: ______

Homework Contact #2

Name: ______

Phone #: ______

Please complete both sides and return this page to Mrs. Kritz by Friday, August 23.

Student

I have read the syllabus for my English class with Mrs. Kritz and agree to work to the best of my

abilities in this class. I will follow all guidelines and rules in order to be sure that my work and

participation in this class is honest, thoughtful, respectful, complete, and organized.

Student Name (please print): ______Period: ______

Student Signature: ______

Parent/Guardian

I have read the syllabus for my student’s English class with Mrs. Kritz and agree to monitor and

support his/her progress in this class. I will encourage my student to follow all guidelines and rules in order to be sure that his/her work and participation in this class is honest, thoughtful,

respectful, complete, and organized.

The best way to contact me is by:

¨  Phone

My phone number is ______. You can reach me between the

hours of ______and ______.

¨  Email

My email address is ______.

Parent/Guardian Name (please print): ______

Parent/Guardian Signature: ______

Don’t forget to sign the movie letter on the back!