SYLLABUS

ENGLISH I AND ENGLISH I HONORS

MAJOR GILLOTTE, ROOM 23

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

Students will review previous language arts content and master new content through a variety of integrated educational experiences in the language arts strands of reading, writing, listening, viewing, speaking, language, and literature. The curriculum will be administered according to the Florida Sunshine State Standards, FCAT benchmarks, and Sarasota County School Board Standards. Content for Honors will be enriched and extended via the provision of additional reading and writing assignments, and greater in-depth analysis of coursework materials. Students at all levels will be expected to demonstrate increasing independence in the application of required skills and strategies and encouraged to apply critical analysis at all levels of the learning process.

TEACHING AND LEARNING:

 
A variety of teaching methods and projects will be utilized throughout the course to address the various learning styles of students. Using a variety of materials, students will apply reading strategies to construct meaning from informative, technical, and literary texts. Systematic word study will accompany the reading process, enabling students to acquire new vocabulary designed to further improve reading and writing skills. Students will learn to apply process writing strategies to a variety of writing assignments and successfully use language in both oral and written communications that are designed to impact readers, listeners, and viewers. Access to technology, along with instruction on its use, will be provided students in conjunction with research assignments that incorporate both formal and informal presentations in class. Students will apply critical listening and thinking skills to these assignments and learn to distinguish between reliable and unreliable information sources.

TEXTBOOKS:

We will be using the Florida edition of McDougal/Litell’s The Language of Literature, as well as Holt, Rinehart, Winston’s Elements of Literature (Third Course). In addition, students will be expected to read The Week, a current events periodical throughout the term.

MATERIALS REQUIRED:

Students are required to have and maintain the following materials in class throughout the semester (unless otherwise indicated):

• (2”) three ring binder with ten divider pages devoted to the categories below

-   Mythology                                       -   FCAT skills

-   Vocabulary                                     -   Reading Assignments

-   Grammar                                        -   Writing Assignments

-   Projects                                           -   Literary Terms & Examples

-   Poetry                                             -   Miscellaneous

• bound composition book (non-spiral only!) for journaling
• No. 2 pencils; blue or black ink pens (erasable is acceptable)
• 2 erasable whiteboard pens (EXPO) and 1 regular highlighter
• Independent reading material (MUST BE BROUGHT TO CLASS DAILY!)
• college-ruled notebook paper
• Edith Hamilton’s Mythology (Honors students only)
• Pack of multicolored pencils
• dictionary and Thesaurus (for at-home use by student)
• pack of 4 x 6 ruled index cards
• thumbnail or jump drive for writing assignments
• $10.00 supply/activity fee

ASSESSMENT METHODS:

A variety of assessment methods to monitor student progress and proficiency will be used throughout this course. In addition to tests, quizzes, and cumulative assessments, students will be assigned homework, projects (group and individual), writing and reading assignments, and oral presentations. Employability will also factor into a student’s performance in the course and will include attendance, punctuality, homework, uniform, classroom decorum, attitude, and preparedness for class, etc.

GRADING CATEGORIES/ GRADING SCALE:

Employability Skills                                                                20%

Notebook, Journal, Homework, Classwork                            20%

Tests, Quizzes                                                                         20%

Major Projects                                                                         20%

Mid-term/Final Exam                                                              20%

90 – 100                                  A

80 – 89                                    B

70 – 79                                    C

60 – 69                                    D

  0 – 59                                    F

DAILY PROCEDURES:

• Students are expected to respect and comply with my directives throughout the semester, as well as follow the classroom procedures established by SMA.
• As each class period begins, students should remove required materials from their backpacks and then place backpacks on the hooks in the front of the room and away from any aisle space before going to their assigned seats. If necessary, pencils should be sharpened at the beginning of class.
• As soon as the tardy bell rings, students will be called to attention for a uniform inspection and the taking of attendance. When a student’s name is called, he or she should respond with “Here, Ma’am!” Any cadet who does not arrive to class by the sounding of the tardy bell must go to the Tardy Tank to secure an admission pass back to class.
• Once seated following attendance, students should immediately begin any “bell work” that is posted on the white board or displayed on screen. This should be done daily without prompting from me and without socializing with other students. When bell work includes a quote or other reflective writing prompt, students should complete the work in their composition notebook as follows:

10-15 minutes of journaling, consisting of thoughtful commentary related to the inspirational quote-of-the-day. Journaling must be in ink and in cursive. Each entry must include the quote itself and be dated in order to receive credit. Journals will be graded periodically and will be based upon the student’s effort. Although points will not be deducted for errors in spelling or grammar related to this particular task, students are encouraged to use classroom dictionaries as needed.

• At my directive, journals should be placed inside each student’s individual file, located in the front of the room, or bell work will be collected for grading.
• Students are responsible for copying each day’s homework assignment from the right hand side of the blackboard and logging it into their planners or the Homework Log sheet that I can provide for them. They should keep theses logs in the front of their notebooks for both their convenience and your access viewing. The purpose of this is to encourage students to develop good daily habits and become self-reliant as they face the challenges of young adulthood.
• Failure of a student to follow this procedure or maintain a record of daily homework assignments will not excuse a student’s failure to submit assigned homework when due.
• Assignments are also periodically posted found on my edublog called “Language SMArts” which can be accessed via the SMA website under the course “Homework” link.
• All major assignments and accompanying due dates will be posted on the school website: www.sarasotamilitaryacademy.com
• Binders will be checked and graded periodically without notice.

• Unless assigned to group activity, students should remain quiet and attentive during class. If necessary or appropriate, a series of chime tones will be used to bring the classroom back into order and focus. Any student who is still standing, talking, or otherwise behaving disruptively after the third prompt will be subject to a disciplinary referral. Please note that students may be asked to be responsible for using a daily index card system to record conduct errors as a process of self-awareness and self-management.
• No student should speak or leave his/her desk without first raising his/her hand and receiving permission.
•  No student shall be permitted to leave the classroom without permission and an accompanying Hall Pass.
• Students are responsible for cleaning the areas around their desks prior to the end of each class period and may not leave the classroom (bell tone notwithstanding) until they have been properly dismissed by me.

ABSENCES:

Absences will be marked unexcused until and unless student provides the requisite excused absence verification form from SMA administration. Please note that a written excuse from a parent/guardian is required for any absence - regardless of whether or not the parent called or contacted the school prior to or on the day of a student’s absence - and must be submitted within three days of the student’s return to school.

HOMEWORK/CLASSWORK:

The proper heading is required for full credit on all collected work. The following must appear in the top right corner of your paper:

Line 1:             last name, first name

Line 2:             class period

Line 3:             date assignment due

Work should be in ink and in cursive, unless otherwise authorized by me. Alternatively, work may be typed. After the first several weeks of the semester, all written assignments should be free of any run-on sentences or sentence fragments and work may not be accepted unless it complies with these guidelines.

Students are responsible for ensuring that they make up missed work and assignments.

• student is responsible for picking up missed work from his/her personal folder located at the front of the room
• work should be picked up on the first day of student’s return
• for each day of an excused absence, student will have one day to make up work
• exceptions will be granted due to extraordinary circumstances only
• absence from school the day prior to an exam, test, quiz, etc., will not excuse a student from taking the exam or test if sufficient advance notice has been given

• full credit for homework can only be given if the assignment is turned in on the date due (unless delayed by excused absence)
• late work will be accepted for up to five days, with a 10 point deduction for every  day it is received late

Please note that homework that is not turned in is a “zero” toward your mid-term or final grade. Unfortunately, it takes two “100’s” on another assignment to pull a “zero” up to a mid-D; three “100’s will pull the same “zero” up to a mid “C.”

TESTS/QUIZZES:

Students will be tested weekly on one or more of the following: vocabulary, grammar, and reading comprehension skills. With the exception of a few pop quizzes, students will be given several days notice prior to any scheduled test. If a student misses a test due to absence, he/she will have up to the same number of days absent to make up the test.

PROJECTS:

Students will be assigned several major projects over the course of the term. They will be given 2 - 4 weeks advance notice of each project and will be expected to present or turn in the project on the date due. In many cases, a major portion of the student’s grade will be based upon his/her formal presentation in class. Students cannot receive full credit for the assignment/project without presenting before the class and, barring exceptional circumstances, will be heavily penalized for not presenting a project on the date assigned.

EXTRA CREDIT:

I do not assign extra credit. It is my philosophy that work should be done at the time it is assigned. Granting extra credit is additional work for me and unfair to others who have turned in their work in a timely manner. Furthermore, students in my class have up to five days to turn in work late and still get partial credit.

On the other hand, the entire class will have numerous opportunities to earn “Gillotte Dollars,” which are worth five extra-credit points each against a student’s lowest grade(s) on homework or in class assignments. These points can also be earned for outstanding work, exceptional behavior, or special classroom contribution. Once awarded, it is the responsibility of the student to put his/her name on the back and to turn it back in to me immediately prior to the end of the grading period. No extra credit will be awarded for either lost or stolen dollars, or dollars that have been defaced.

READING ASSIGNMENTS:

·         Students may also be assigned various novels for reading at home. It is the responsibility of the student to maintain any book assigned in good condition. Books that are damaged or not timely returned must be replaced at the student’s expense.

·         Students must document reading a minimum of 15 pages a day outside their regular assignments at SMA. Parents will be provided a reading log to help students keep up with the amount of time spent reading weekly, which students should turn in two weeks prior to the end of every quarter, along with a follow-up project related to their reading. Students are encouraged to use some of this time to read the editorial section of the newspaper and to discuss interesting articles with family members as it will help them with class discussion and projects.  

ESSAYS/WRITING ASSIGNMENTS:

• Essays, position papers, etc., must be in ink or typed, as well as double-

spaced, in order to receive credit. Work that does not meet this requirement will not be accepted.  Students are encouraged to have parents review their written work for suggestions regarding editing, punctuation, etc.; however, students are responsible for writing their own compositions.

• Plagiarism will result in a call to the parent and referral to the administration as an Honor Code violation. Cutting and pasting material directly from the Web or transcribing verbatim from any source without citation credit will not be tolerated.
• Points will be deducted for errors in grammar, syntax, sentence structure, spelling, etc., on any written assignment completed at home, as well as neatness. I will provide specific editing notes for only a portion of the written assignment to provide clarification as to the nature of the deductions.
• Students may check out an English grammar book for use at home throughout the semester. It must be returned at the end of the semester in good condition.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• I am available for tutoring during lunch on most days and after school by advance appointment.
• Cheating in or out of class will not be tolerated and will result in a zero for the assignment, test, quiz, or project, as well as a referral to the administration.
• All students will begin with 100% on the employability skills portion of their overall grade. Points will be deducted regularly for failure to follow SMA or classroom procedures, misconduct, or other inappropriate behavior.
• Preliminary and/or moderate misbehavior in the class will be addressed by the assignment of lunch detention duties in my room or after school.
• A student who has not returned or financially replaced a textbook, novel, or workbook assigned to him/her will not be permitted to take the final exam.

WEBSITE:

You are strongly urged to visit our website at www.sarasotamilitaryacademy.com

to view the many activities and opportunities provided by the Academy. From the Home page, you may access the Language Arts Department with links to individual teacher pages, district standards, writing and speaking contests, parenting tips, etc. Details regarding major projects and due dates for the course will also be posted on my section of the site. Under the “Homework” tab for each course, you can link directly to “Language SMArts,” my edublog.

Finally, students are encouraged to use our website to access the Student Portal of the District website, an invaluable link to numerous resources and research tools provided by the District for students, parents, and teachers.  

CONTACT INFORMATION:

If you should need to contact me at any time, I can be reached by phone at school (926-1700, ext. 231) between 10:30 a.m. and noon on most days, or after 2:00 p.m. on most days.  My e-mail address is:

sylvia_gillotte@sarasota.k12.fl.us