ENGLISH 11R:
THE AMERICAN EXPERIENCE Course Overview
Dr.
Moore
blog:
http://henrywalt.blogspot.com/
The new Common Core English
Regents Exam:
Your
class will be the first group of juniors to take the new Common Core ELA
Regents Exam. This test is very
different than the old English Regents. On
that test you will be faced with the following challenges:
** You will need to read, comprehend, and
analyze complex texts, both nonfiction and fiction, on demand.
** You will need to be able to identify and
analyze the literary and rhetorical techniques the writers of those texts use
to convey ideas. You will have to
construct a literary analysis essay that focuses on the use of those
techniques.
** You will also have to construct a
research-based argumentative essay based on four or five sources that will be
provided to you in the test booklet. You
will have to pull evidence from those sources to develop your claim as well as
dispute opposing claims.
As you can see, the new
English Regents is very challenging and requires that you repeatedly practice
the skills needed for completing the above tasks. It is no longer enough to simply remember
what your teacher said about the literature you studied together in class. In order to tackle the tasks on this test,
you will have to practice
close reading and source-based argumentative writing.
Course Description:
We are here to get you ready to the task ahead. Here’s what we have planned to help you
prepare:
- We will be reading BOTH
fiction and nonfiction texts. The
focus won’t be remembering everything that happens in the books. The focus will be on the literary,
rhetorical, and persuasive strategies the different writers use to convey
ideas.
- We will continually practice the skill of close reading and
annotation with increasingly complex texts.
- Rather than avoid difficult vocabulary, we will identify those
words in the text that are challenging and use various strategies to
incorporate those words into our working vocabularies.
- We will use a class blog as a vehicle for sharing ideas and as a
precursor to larger seminar and fishbowl discussions.
- We will work on
communicating ideas clearly and effectively. We will address common errors in
sentence structure; we will review the components of effective paragraphs;
we will experiment with different sentence patterns to add sophistication
to our writing styles.
- We will study the art of argumentation and look at ways to craft
language with increasing clarity and effectiveness. We will learn about ways to use
structure, evidence, and rhetorical techniques to develop claim and address
opposing claims.
- We will practice using sources effectively in our writing. We will practice using various types of
evidence to strengthen claims. We
will also show you how to effectively frame quotations in our writing as
well as correctly cite the sources you use.
- In addition, many activities in this course will ask you to expand
your point of view and to have informed opinions about the social,
cultural, and political issues that are shaping the larger world
today. Expect debates, dramatic
role-playing, and engaging discussions, as well as writing assignments
that push you to analyze and explore thoughtful questions.
Ready to get started?
MATERIALS YOU WILL NEED
- A notebook for both notes
and pull out paper.
- A sturdy folder to keep a lot
of different handouts.
- A planner—this is something
you can use for all of your classes to help you keep track of dates for
up-coming assignments and long term projects.
- A pen
and pencil.
- Whatever
text (book, play, shorter work, article) we are working with..
- A few
stacks of sticky notes
to help you make notes as you read.
- A google account so that you
can access the blog (it is often best to use your school account).
- A book
of your choosing so that aside from the texts we look at together, you can
keep practicing your reading skills by….READING!
Explanation of Grading
Daily grading: A point system will be used to calculate
your grade. You will be provided with a
grade sheet that explains the criteria for formal assignments. However, you will also receive grades for
reading assignments (please note that I check
reading with a quiz or a check of your annotations), blog entries,
participation, and other kinds of class activities and assignments. Your grade is a total of the points you earn
from both formal papers and these other types of activities.
Possible point values include the following:
*
Short homework assignments (like vocab, grammar, questions): 5-20
points
*
Reading, vocab and other types of quizzes: 10-30
points
*
Outside reading participation (you bring in your book and
actively read during free read periods) 10
points
* Projects 20-60 points
*
Participation (in writing groups, seminar, group projects): 10-40 points
* Blog entries: 20-40 points
* Informal writing: 20-60
points
*
Formal writing (papers that
involve drafts and revision): 60-100
points
*
Presentations: 20-50 points
* Research:
50-100 points
Calculating your
final course grade: Your final
course grade will be calculated by the averages of each quarter and final
exam. Each marking period will count
once (4/5 of your grade) and your final exam will count once (1/5 of your
grade).
The final exam: The final exam for this course is the Common
Core New York State English Language Arts Regents Exam. All juniors are expected to take this test at
the end of the year. It is the English
Department’s policy that this assessment counts as the final exam for all
juniors.
Here is what you need to do in order to
have success in this class:
· Actively participate in class
discussions, debates, role-playing activities, and group work.
· Come to class prepared. Prepared means bringing your book and other
materials to class with you. Prepared
means that you have completed the assigned reading and any written work ahead
of time. Prepared also means that you
have completed assignments with care and thought.
· Use the calendar on the website
to plan ahead so that you aren’t waiting until the last minute to complete
work.
· Use good old fashioned pen and
paper if you do run into technology problems.
· Write clearly and develop ideas
thoughtfully. Use assignments as
learning opportunities – don’t just do it quickly to get it done.
· Read carefully and without
distractions – look up words you don’t know, write down questions, ideas, and
connections on sticky notes, and come to class with text-specific questions.
· Use teacher feedback as a guide
to help you work on your own writing goals. Use strategies that we teach you to
help you with reading and analysis.
· If you are absent, take the
initiative to contact me or look at the website to get caught up. Ask about what you missed.
Attendance
Lates, cuts, and absences will be dealt with in accordance with Niskayuna High School’s policies.
If you are LATE for a class (after the second bell
to 19 minutes) you will receive one detention.
If you are LATE (20 minutes or more) for a class
and do not have a legal excuse, it is considered a cut and the appropriate
paperwork will be sent to your assistant principal.
If you CUT a class, the appropriate paperwork will be sent to your
assistant principal. You should receive
3 after school detentions from your administrator. In addition, ANY WORK THAT WAS DUE THAT BLOCK AND/OR THAT TOOK PLACE DURING THE
BLOCK WILL RECEIVE A ZERO. This work
cannot be made up.
ABSENCES will
also be dealt with according to school policy.
For a full year class the breakdown is as follows:
Stage I: 8
absences
Stage
II: 13 absences
Stage
III: 15 absences
ABSENCES AND
ASSIGNMENTS:
What if I am absent
and a written assignment is due?
If you are legally absent when a major paper or
assignment is due, you must hand in that paper or assignment when you return to school. If you are legally absent only during class
time (for example you come into school late with an excuse), then that paper or
assignment is due when you return to
school. That means there may be
an occasion when you will turn in a paper or assignment to the English Resource Center. If you need to do that and I am not there, you
must have an adult date and time the piece and provide their initials. If you place something in my mailbox without
the date, time, and initials, it will be graded according to WHEN I FOUND IT IN
MY MAILBOX.
What if I am absent
and I am supposed to do a presentation?
First of all contact me and try to contact members of your
group. If your group goes on without
you, you will receive no credit for that
portion of the assignment until you make it up.
If you do not make the assignment up promptly, you will receive no
credit for that assignment. If you know ahead of time that you will
be out, let me know so that we can make other arrangements for your work.
What if I am absent
when reading is due?
If you have been given the reading schedule ahead of time (in an earlier class or on the
website), you are still responsible
to keep up with the reading.
When you return to class, you will be expected to take any reading
quizzes or participate in any class activities related to the reading. The grades on those quizzes and activities
will stand. If you have to make up past
quizzes, you will need to go the ERC during your free time and ask an adult to
get the quiz for you. You will take it
there (they usually only take 10 minutes) and then put it in my mailbox. You
will have two days to make up missed quizzes.
What if I am absent
when a blog entry is assigned?
You can still do the blog entries at home – just check the
calendar on my website to get the assignment and then click on the link to our
class blog.
Late Work Policy
You are required to complete the
homework on time. Assignments are due at
the beginning of class. Any work turned
in after that time will be considered late.
If we go over a homework assignment
in class, then it cannot be made up and you will receive a 0 on it. Assignments
like vocabulary and reading questions and annotations will be things that we go
over in class. If you are absent on the
day homework is due, you must turn in the homework on the day you return.
For writings and larger projects, late
papers and projects will be accepted, but with a penalty. Late assignments will
be given a 10 point penalty or letter grade per class day. If you turn in a
paper or project in the English Resource Center and I am not there, please have
an adult date and initial it, so I know when it was received. Do not
simply leave something in my mailbox.**If something out of the ordinary comes up
and you need an extension, it is best to contact me PRIOR to the due date and
we can figure out a plan together. DO
NOT SIMPLY WAIT UNTIL SOMETHING IS PAST DUE TO TALK TO ME!!
Academic Integrity Policy
The policy is located in your High School Code of Conduct
booklet. Please read it with your
parents, and come in with any questions you might have. I take ALL instances of academic integrity
seriously and will deal with them in concert with the administration. This
includes copying homework or passing
off someone else’s writing as your own.
Academic Integrity
violations include, but are not limited to, the following:
·
Cheating on a test or quiz OR allowing another
student to copy from your test
·
Turning in a paper or project without textual
citations AND/OR a Works Cited page
·
Copying homework or a paper OR allowing another
student to copy your homework or paper
·
Using study aids (Spark Notes, etc.) instead of
reading the actual text OR asking another students to summarize the reading for
you because you didn’t do it
·
Falsifying
information, including data or citations
·
Plagiarism:
submitting material that in part or whole is not entirely your work
without attributing those portions to their correct source
·
Unauthorized collaboration on an academic
assignment (this includes siblings or parents)
Extra Help
I encourage you to come see me about your writing, reading
difficulties, or questions PRIOR to due dates.
We can also go over your writing after it has been graded to come up
with strategies that will help you in the future. Here is my schedule:
|
A/C days
|
B/D days
|
|
Block 1
|
Block 6
|
