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Welcome to your American Literature class! Mrs. O’Connor Email: [email protected] Website: www.mapsnet.org/pages/koconnor/ Class Expectations 1. Come to class with your planner, textbook or assigned reading material, English notebook, folder and a writing utensil every day. These materials are required; if you are unable to attain these supplies, please see me. 2. The school tardy policy will be followed. If you do not have your materials needed for the day when you walk in the door, you will be considered tardy as you will have to go get them. 3. Make-up work is your responsibility! You will have a monthly calendar and I have a website; therefore, you will know the activities of the day. I follow the school handbook in that you will have one day to make up your work for each day that you have an excused absence. If you do not make it up within this period and have not worked out an alternative plan with me, it will be considered a zero. If you have an unexcused absence, you will receive a zero for any work assigned and/or handed in that day. Calendars are posted on the bulletin board at the back of the room and handouts are also in the back of the room. 4. Homework will be assigned frequently. It may be from a novel or other type of read, an English notebook entry, an information search, an online assignment, etc. It is due the next school day unless otherwise stated. 5. You will have an English notebook (70 page spiral) in which you will write a variety of entries. These may include, but are not limited to, daily language practice, personal journals, reflections upon the literature, lecture/video/text notes, and literary analysis. 6. There will be a variety of writes expected of you this year. You will always be given thorough instructions, a rubric, and sufficient time for completion. We will also continue with the Writing Project in which NMU Education students assist with teaching the writing process. 7. Formal speeches are a component of the class. Your final exam speech will be given at the end of the 4th marking period. Take a deep breath, it will be fine; you will always be given a rubric and ample time to prepare. 8. Projects are my favorite! They will include a wide range of activities from teaching presentations to illustrating concepts and presenting them to multi- media presentations. Again, the expectations are thoroughly explained and a rubric is always given. 9. You will have several quizzes. Homework quizzes will be given as well as others. You will not always get advanced notice for the quizzes, so be prepared! 10. Tests are to be taken when scheduled. If you are absent the day before a test, you will still take the test on time. The day before is a review, no new material will be given. If you are absent two or more days before the test, we will make arrangements for you to take it after school. You will not be allowed to take the test during class. The grading categories used in this class include class work, homework, projects, quizzes, tests, essays, oral presentations, and participation. The grading policy is based on total points and the percentage breakdown is as follows: A 100-93 B82-80 D+ 69-67 A92-90 C+ 79-77 D 66-63 B+ 89-87 C 76-73 D62-60 B 86-83 C72-70 E Below 60% Grades are updated every Thursday; make sure you have Family Access so you will always know your grade and how you got it! Citizenship: Your citizenship grade will be based on the following: ATTITUDE RESPONSIBILITY COOPERATION HONESTY RESPECT PUNCTUALITY ABSENTEEISM PARTICIPATION You demonstrate a positive attitude. You are prepared with materials and completed assignments. You follow school and classroom rules and procedures. You act and speak with integrity. You treat people and materials with respect. You are on time. You are here unless excused and your work is made up. You positively contribute to the class (ex. Answer questions, speak during discussions, share writing, read aloud, ask for help, help others) Citizenship grades are as follows: 1=Excellent 2=Above Average 3=Average 4=Poor 5=Unacceptable You have consistently met all the described criteria. You have met all the above criteria, but have had a notable lapse in area. You have lapsed in any area to a degree that it has damaged your learning and/or the progress of the class. You frequently fail to meet more than one of the above criteria. Your choices are disturbing the class as well as your own learning. You are consistently failing to meet good citizenship criteria. Your actions have required teacher intervention on several occasions. American Literature Course Syllabus 2008-2009 Course Objectives: The student will develop competence in written expression and speech communication. Through a study of the periods of American literary thought, the student will understand American history’s influence on that literature and examine the relationships among American political, philosophical, and artistic thought. Course Content: The first semester will focus on written expression with an emphasis on persuasive writing. Students will examine the elements of grammar and writing that encompass sentence structure and variety. Literature selections will come primarily from the American literary periods which range from Puritanism to Post-Modernism and contemporary literature. During the second semester, speech communication will focus on persuasion as students continue to examine the elements of rhetoric that are essential to argumentation. The students will also continue with readings from the periods of literary thought. Course Resources: Prentice Hall Literature: The American Experience will be checked out through the bookstore and Prentice Hall: Writing and Grammar is a text used in class. Both texts are available online to each student who uses a teacher-assigned password. Novels will be checked out from the classroom teacher; these must be returned in good condition or the student will be charged for a replacement. These may include: My Antonia The Scarlet Letter To Kill a Mockingbird Fallen Angels Huckleberry Finn Of Mice and Men The Grapes of Wrath Fahrenheit 451 The Catcher in the Rye The Red Badge of Courage Johnny Got His Gun The Great Gatsby Videos may include: The Scarlet Letter The Last of the Mohicans The Great Gatsby Amistad To Kill a Mockingbird Moby Dick Dear America, Letters Home from Vietnam The Legend of Sleepy Hollow The Crucible Three Sovereigns for Sarah Native American Experience Instructional videos on lives of authors, background information, or techniques in writing may also be used. Additional materials may be added at the discretion of the teacher with notice to parents and students. Exams: The first semester exam consists of a persuasive essay and an objective test. The test will cover the sentence types, sentence patterns, and other grammar or writing strategies covered in the semester. The second semester exam consists of two parts. The essay section will respond to literature read in class. The second portion of this exam is a final persuasive speech. Students CANNOT be exempted from the final speech. The student must present and meet a minimum of four minutes out of the 5-8 target speech time or he/she will receive a zero on this half of the final exam. Details will be presented to students and parents in the fourth quarter. My pledge to you is to be available when you need me; I am here until at least 3:45 (usually later) or email me with your question or concern. We are all working toward the same goal, your success…so talk to me! Parents, Please review this information with your sophomore, sign the attachment, and have him or her return just the lower portion to me. Check out the goal that your teenager has for this year! If you have questions or comments regarding the class, please email me at [email protected]. Make sure your email is registered with the school or I cannot share confidential student information with you via this source. I look forward to a fabulous year! Detach here and return to Mrs. O’Connor *********************************************************************** American Literature Student name:_____________________________________________ My goal(s) for this year _________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ Parent signature:___________________________________________