Mrs. Kington

(330) 954-2436

OVERVIEW

College Preparatory (CP) English 9 will focus on the many aspects of the English language and literature. Through this course you will develop strong reading, writing, speaking and listening skills. You will read and respond to a variety of texts, including short stories, articles, works of fiction and nonfiction, poetry and plays. In addition, vocabulary and writing skills will be emphasized, as ninth grade is a formative year in developing essential language abilities. You will write formal literary analysis, research, narrative, and argumentativepieces. All writing will adhere to MLA (Modern Language Association) formatting.

The basis for the curriculum is the Common Core State Standards for Language Arts. Some literary works will be studied from the textbook, and you are expected to purchase the supplemental novels/plays. In addition to these works, you will have an independent reading assignment (a novel of your choice) each semester.

GOALS: Throughout the year, I will ask you to establish goals for your learning in order to take ownership of your education and to encourage you to be self-motivated. The following goals are overall objectives for our course towards which you should strive to make progress.

  • Be an autonomous learner.
  • Be committed to your personal and academic growth.
  • Engage in productive collaboration and communication with peers and teacher.
  • Read grade level & honors level appropriate texts closely and analytically.
  • Analyze literary/stylistic devices in works of fiction and nonfiction.
  • Connect/compare concepts and themes from texts to our society.
  • Acquire vocabulary words and skills to improve reading and writing abilities.
  • Select, use, and cite appropriate textual evidence for a variety of purposes.
  • Write often in a variety of genres to develop and polish skills such as organization and grammar.
  • Apply the writing process to each piece of summative writing, particularly revision.
  • Apply resources to improve your writing, such as rubrics, peer revision, and handouts.
  • Conduct and utilize research; evaluate the credibility of sources.
  • Deliver prepared, articulate presentations that incorporate visual media.
  • Use technology to enhance your learning.

OUTLINE

  1. Semester I
  2. First Nine Weeks
  3. Short Stories
  4. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee- novel(purchase)
  5. Literary analysis writing
  6. *The Word within the Word (purchase)
  1. Second Nine Weeks
  2. Twelve Angry Menby Reginald Rose- play
  3. Self-select novel
  4. Argumentative writing
  5. The Word within the Word
  6. Midterm exam
  1. Semester II
  2. Third Nine Weeks
  3. Night by Elie Wiesel- memoir(purchase)
  4. Romeo & Juliet by William Shakespeare- play(purchase)
  5. Literary analysis and narrative writing
  6. The Word within the Word
  1. Fourth Nine Weeks
  2. The Odyssey by Homer- epic
  3. Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Albom- memoir (purchase)
  4. Self-select novel
  5. Literary analysis and narrative writing
  6. The Word within the Word
  7. Final exam

*The work titled The Word within the Word is a text you will use every year in your high school English classes. You will have to buy the book only once (if you don’t lose it). It is a work that will help build vocabulary skills. This, along with the other literary works, can be purchased in the student bookstore in the cafeteria during lunch periods. If you receive a free/reduced lunch, you will be given free copies of the course literature; the copies can be obtained from Mrs. Wolf in the library.

Students should purchase their books from the school bookstore to ensure that the correct edition is purchased. New, clean (non-highlighted) texts are required because students are expected to annotate the text.

EXPECTATIONS

In order to foster and maintain an environment in which learning can take place, it is very important that you meet the following expectations.

Respect

  1. Teacher—Please treat me with respect, as I will treat you with respect in return. Actively listen when I am speaking, and pay attention. Raise your hand if you wish to speak or ask a question. No talking will be tolerated while I am speaking. When communicating with me in person or via e-mail, be mature, patient, and clear. Respect my judgment, decisions, and time and know that everything I do is to provide you with the best education possible.
  1. Classmates—Treat your classmates with respect and kindness. In my class, I will NOT tolerate any derogatory, rude, or disparaging remarks to other students. Listen to others with an open mind, respect their views and opinions, and acknowledge the importance of what they have to contribute. You will often work in groups or with a partner (sometimes of your choice, sometimes assigned), and it is imperative that you can work well with others.
  1. School Property—Have pride and respect in our learning space by keeping it clean and orderly. Do not write on your desk or leave trash on the floor. Please ask to use any of my supplies. If you use an item of mine, take care of it and return it in the condition that it was given to you (or you will be asked to replace it). Carefully handle your Chromebook.
  1. Yourself—Be thoughtful about the decisions you make. Act maturely and responsibly, and always be true to yourself and your beliefs and values. Hold yourself to high standards both academically and morally. Do not compare yourself to your classmates as each individual learns differently. Work hard, ask questions, accept challenges, and get fully immersed in the worthwhile process of learning!

Responsibility

  1. Actions/Behavior—First, take responsibility for your actions. YOU make choices about how you act; therefore, YOUmust be prepared to deal with consequences of your actions. Embrace when you have made a mistake or failed as these are some of the best learning opportunities.
  2. Course Work—Be responsible for your assignments by completing them on time and to the best of your ability. If you are absent, it is your responsibility to acquire and make up your assignments in a timely manner. The best way to keep track of your assignments is by keeping an organized binder and planner and checking Google Classroom daily. You will need to use time management skills to juggle your responsibilities. If you need help or have a question, it is your responsibility to ask! If assignments are incomplete, you may be assigned an after school study center session.

Overall, do not disrupt my teaching or anyone’s learning.

PROCEDURES

Procedures differ from behavior expectations. A procedure is a method or process for getting things done in the classroom.

Raising your hand: If you wish to ask or answer a question, add to the discussion, etc., I will only respond if your hand is raised. If you need my attention or assistance, raise your hand and wait patiently and politely; I will be with you as soon as I can.

Work in class: At ALL times you must be working on English assignments. You will often have class time to complete assignments. If you are working on another class’s assignment, I will first tell you to put it away, and if I see it again, I will take it. When we are using technology, you are to access teacher approved resources (Google docs, dictionary app, etc.) only.

Seating assignments: You will have an assigned seat that you are to sit in each day. Individual seating changes will be made when necessary.

Hall passes: Hall passes will be permitted at my discretion. Using the pass is a privilege, and it only should be used in the rare case of an urgent matter.

Exiting the classroom: I dismiss you, not the bell. I expect you to stay in your seats until dismissed; do not line up at the door to wait for the bell.

Taking a summative assessment (in class writing or multiple choice): We will begin the assessment shortly after the bell rings. From that point on, there will be no talking until the bell rings at the end of the period. If you have a question, please raise your hand, and I will come to you. When you finish the assessment, stay seated, sit quietly and find something to do (i.e. read your self-select book); I will come and collect the assessment materials. You will have one period to take the assessment (extended time will be determined if necessary).

Use of devices: Electronic devices are to be used for school purposes only with teacher permission. Using devices during class for any other purpose is prohibited and will result in your device being confiscated. When using devices in class, expect random screen checks to ensure your compliance with this policy.

Food and drink:Bottled water is permitted. Small snacks may be eaten only if done so discreetly and without leaving a mess.

DISCIPLINE

  1. You are expected to comply with the school’s official code of conduct outlined in the student handbook and my classroom expectations and procedures.
  2. The first offense will result in a verbal warning and a possible conference with Mrs. Kington.
  3. The second offense will result in an after school detention and a call home.
  4. The third offense will result in an office referral.

GRADING POLICIES

The student’s grade will be determined by a variety of means. This will vary depending upon the unit’s standards. The grading scale is as follows:

90-100=A80-89=B70-79=C60-69=D59 & below=F

Weighted Grades

20% of the student’s grade will be from the Word within the Word quizzes (vocabulary).

20% of the student’s grade will be from formative assessments (homework, reading quizzes, etc.).

60% of the student’s grade will be from summative assessments (end-of-unit assessments, presentations, essays, etc.).

Due to your grade being weighted, your performance on summative assessments will have a significant impact on your overall percentage as summatives assess your level of mastery of the content of a unit. The formative assessments, however, are important because they will help you succeed on the summative assessments by practicing the knowledge/skills you will be asked to demonstrate on the summative. Although formatives be taken for a grade only occasionally, they are critical in informing me about your learning and progress toward mastering the instructional objectives.

Some general grading guidelines:

  • Reading homework will be given some nights; sometimes a homework check of 5-10 points will be assessed. Many times this will be in the form of a reading quiz. —formative
  • Students will participate in a group discussion (fishbowl) at the culmination of each unit which will be assessed using a rubric.—formative
  • In the first nine weeks, the summer reading assessment will be factored into the grade.—summative
  • Approximately every three weeks a writing assignment will be due. Writing assignments will be assessed using a rubric.—summative
  • At the conclusion of most units, there will be a multiple choice assessment in addition to the written assessment.—summative
  • Students will read a self-selected novel each semester and complete an assessment. —summative

Supplies Needed

  1. A three ring binder forhandouts
  2. Binder tabs to organize sections in binder
  3. Pen and pencil
  4. Highlighters
  5. A notebook (to be used as your Writer’s Notebook)
  6. 3x5 index cards (for Word Within the Word flashcards)
  7. Sticky notes
  8. Chromebook

E-Readers & Tablets

You are permitted to read any literary work on an e-reader or tablet; these devices allow you to highlight text and make notes to annotate the text, a reading requirement of the course. I would not recommend using a device to read whole class works because the class discussions, handouts, etc. will use the page numbers from the edition sold in the school bookstore. Reading self-select books on a device is acceptable, as long as the device can be brought to school as needed.

Chromebooks

The Chromebook is a highly useful and beneficial tool to your learning which will be used in our class for a variety of purposes, especially writing. However, it can also be a source of distraction. Though we will use Chromebooks regularly, they will not be part of every activity/lesson and therefore should only be open on your desk with teacher permission. When using Chromebooks, you should be completing the activity assigned and not have other windows open. If your use of the Chromebook becomes an impediment to your learning, we will have a conversation.

Recommended sites to bookmark for English:

Google classroom

Online Grades & Assignments

Grades will be updated weekly. Lengthy assignments will take time for input. Assignments that have not been made up will have a “0” as the grade (which will appear in the gradebook as a “Z” to signify it is missing). Students are responsible for checking their grades online for accuracy. Keep track of homework, tests, projects, etc. in a planner so you are never surprised or unprepared. Course documents and links will be accessible through Google Classroom.

Submission of Assignments & Late Work Policy

All writing assignments (summative and some formatives) must be shared with Mrs. Kington via Google Classroom on the assigned due date and then submitted to Turnitin.com. Also, students sometimes will hand in a hard copy of the assignment with the rubric. The expectation is for the student to submit toTurnitin.comon the day that the assignment is due in class; however, a grace period of one week after the assignment due date is given for submission to Turnitin.com. Work that is submitted to Turnitin.com past the one week grace period will result in a disciplinary action assigned by Mr. Brookhart. Non-submission of assignments will result in a “0”.

If you submit a formative assignment late, you will earn half credit. Late summative assessments will receive a deduction of one letter grade per day the assignment is late. Late work will be accepted only until the end of the unit.

Academic Dishonesty- Plagiarism & Collusion

Plagiarism of someone else’s words or ideas will not be tolerated. According to the students’rights and responsibilities section of the school handbook, “Any student who misappropriates or plagiarizes someone’s wok, assists another in such misappropriation or otherwise engages in academic dishonesty shall not obtain credit for the work in question and shall be subject to other disciplinary action.” This includes copy/paste from the web. If plagiarism has occurred, I will speak with you first. Then, I will make a phone call home, and finally I will write an office referral. I record a zero and a note in my grade book until you authentically complete the assignment, and the main office typically issues a Saturday school detention in addition to keeping the academically dishonest work in your permanent file.

Any work done through collaboration with others without my permission is called collusion and is academic dishonesty as well. One can be expelled from college for collusion. If you are to work on any assignment within a partner or group, it will be assigned as such. Sharing and borrowing textual evidence, a thesis, ideas for an essay, etc. from another student is considered collusion and is unacceptable.

Questions

I will be available to answer any questions you have. If you have a question during class, please raise your hand or approach me and wait for my response. If I am available, I can meet with you before school, after school, or during my planning period to discuss questions/concerns. You may contact me via e-mail during non-school hours if necessary.

CP English 9

Mrs. Kington

Contract (to be submitted by Monday, August 24, 2015)

As a student, I have read and understand the CPEnglish 9 class policies and agree to comply with said policies recognizing the consequences of any infringement upon these rules. I understand it is my responsibility to do all assignments in a timely manner. I am responsible for obtaining the supplemental books used for this class; these books may be purchased in the school book store or elsewhere if I choose. Further, I understand that in order to earn credit for writing assignments, I must submit them to Turnitin.com

______

(Student’s printed name)(Student’s signature)

Date: ______

Student E-mail address: ______

Student turnitin.com username: ______

Student turnitin.com password: ______

(Please print legibly)

As a parent/guardian, I have read and understand the CPEnglish 9 class policies and recognize that my child is fully responsible for his/her actions in this class. I understand it is my child’s responsibility to turn in all assignments in a timely manner. I understand that the student is responsible for purchasing or borrowing the supplemental novels used within this class and for submitting writing assignments to Turnitin.com.

______

(Parent/Guardian Printed Name) (Signature)

Date: ______

Parent E-mail: ______

(Please print legibly)

Best parent or guardian contact phone number:

Name: ______

Number: ______