English10:AmericanLiterature CourseSyllabus Roberson 20132014

Instructor:MissNicoleRoberson CourseOverview: Thiscourseisdesignedtodevelopandstrengthenyourskillsincriticallyreading,writing, listening,andspeaking.Thiswillhappenthroughtheanalysisofmanytexts:articles, poems,shortstories,novels,videos,music,andresearch.Byanalyzingthesetexts,youwill notonlystrengthenyouracademicskills,butalsofacilitateyourpersonaldevelopmentas anindividualthinker.Youwillbereadingmaterialsthatmakeyouquestion,validate,and clarifyyourperspectives.Shouldanyparentsquestionthetextsortopicswediscussinclass, pleasecontactmerightaway.Ichoosealltextsandthemeswithanintendedpurpose.A readinglistwillbeprovidedinclass. ThiscourseisalignedwiththeCommonCoreStateStandardsfor10thgradeEnglish LanguageArts. ClassCommitment: Iamcommittedtomakingthiscourseaspositive,pleasant,andproductiveaspossible. However,thisrequiresyoutomakethesamecommitment.Inordertoimprove,youmust pushyourselvestodoyourbestwork.Iexpecteachofyoutoproducehighqualitywork andwillnotacceptanythingless. Sometimes,thiswillmeanthatyouneedextrahelp.Iwillbeavailablemostdaysbeforeand afterschool,buttoensuresufficientattention,Iencourageyoutosetupameetingwithme duringthesetimes.Iwillmaketimetohelpyousucceedinthisclass;however,Iwillnot huntyoudown.Itisyourresponsibilitytoaskmeforhelp. **WhenIamhere,myroomisalwaysopenforstudentswhodesireaquietplacetowork. CourseObjectives: Bytheendofthiscourse,studentswillbeableto: 1. developtheirreading,writing,listening,andspeakingskills 2. effectivelyusemultiplereadingstrategiestofullyaccessavarietyoftexts 3. analyzerhetoricalstrategiesandliterarydeviceswithintexts,determiningtheir effectsonanargument. 4. formanddefendanargumentativethesisbasedonaninterpretationofatext,citing textualevidenceassupportinanorganizedandclearmanner. 5. developaneffectivewritingstrategyincludingpreparing,drafting,revisingand publishingthatwilltranslatetomultipleformsofwriting 6. usevariousformsoftechnologythroughoutthewritingprocess,includingresearch, publication,andediting. ClassroomProcedures: Arrivingtoclass:Uponenteringtheroom,studentswillpickupanynecessary handoutsforthedayonthetablenexttothedoor.

robers57@msu.edu

 ClassroomRules: Althoughwewillspendsometimeduringthefirstweekofclasscreatingourownsetof classroomrulesthataremorespecifictoourownclass,thefollowingisastandardsetof guidelinesforaproductiveenvironment. Beontimeforclass Bepreparedwithcompletedassignmentsandallnecessarymaterials Bepreparedbyhavingthoughtfullyandcarefullyreadassignedtexts Participateactivelyeveryday Respecteveryindividualintheroom Consequences: Shouldastudentbreakanyrules,theschoolpolicywillbeenforced. 1. Thestudentwillbewarned. 2. Parents/Guardianswillbecalledandthestudentwillserveadetentionwithme. 3. Sequentialdetentions/InSchoolSuspension DiscussionBehavior: Theseguidelinesfordiscussionbehaviorarestandardtofacilitateaproactivediscussion. However,similartotheclassroomrules,ourexpecteddiscussionbehaviorwillbetailored tomorethoroughlyfitourclassdynamics. Cometoclasshavingthoughtfullyreadthetext 3partparticipation:atleast1question,1response,and1placetopointtointhe text Bewillingtofindsupportforallcommentswithinthetext Useapositivetoneinresponsetoanotherstudentscommentorquestion Waitforthespeakertofinishbeforebeginningtorespond

WarmUps:Afterarrivingtoclass,studentswillfindtheirseatsandbeginworking onatask.Thismaybeintheformofajournalprompt,grammarreview,or somethingelsetointroducethedaysactivity. Announcements:OncetheclasshasbegunIwillgiveanyinformationthestudents willneedforthedayregardingthedaysclassstructureorupcomingassignments. Lesson/Activity:Thiswillbethebulkoftheclassperiod.Thiswillbethelessonfor thedayandmayconsistofindividualwork,smallgroupwork,oranactivitywith thewholeclass. Closure:Thedaysworkwillbewrappedupandclarified.Homeworkwillbe assigned.

GradingProcedures: 10% Quizzes A+ 97100 C+ 7779 10% InclassworkandParticipation A 9396 C 7376 15% Journals A 9092 C 7072 15% ReaderResponses B+ 8789 D+ 6769 20% Tests B 8386 D 6366 25% Essays/Projects B 8082 D 6062 F 59orbelow LateWorkPolicy: Studentswhoareabsenthaveonedaytomakeuptheirmissedwork.Allotherlatework willlose50%ofthepossiblepoints;thismustbeturnedinbytheendoftheweekforthe assignedduedate.IfanassignmentisdueonFriday,youwillhaveuntiltheendoftheday toturnitinforhalfcredit. Attachedtothissyllabusaretwocoupons:1couponforoptingoutonashorthomework assignment,and1couponfora24hourextensiononamajorwritingprojectoressay. Thesecouponsmustbeturnedinwhentheassignmentsaredue. PaperFormat: Unlessotherwisestated,allassignmentsaretobewritteninMLAformat.Wewill extensivelygooverthisinthebeginningoftheyear. Plagiarism: Plagiarismofanysortwillnotbetolerated.Studentswillnotreceivecreditforany assignmentsthatareplagiarized.Plagiarismisthoroughlydefinedbytheschools handbook. Journals: Youmusthaveaspiralnotebookdedicatedtoyourpersonaljournalforthesemester.This isnotadiary.Youwillusethisjournaltoexploreideas,writingstyles,andyourselves. Thesewillbecollectedinsetsof10,roughlyevery5weeks,read,andgraded.Thisisa significantpartofyouroverallgrade,sousingtheopportunitytoexploreyourselfasa thinker,speaker,listener,reader,andwriteriscrucialinthisclass.Iwillbetheonlyperson toreadthesejournals(unlessthecontentsuggeststhatsomeoneisindanger). ReaderResponses: Thesewillaccompanyalmosteveryreadingassignmentwehave.Theywillhelpyouto activelyreadthetext.Thisisaonepagewritingassignment,singlespaced.Wewill thoroughlygoovertheformatoftheseassignmentsinclass. WeeklySyllabus: YouwillreceiveaweeklysyllabuseveryMondaythatoutlinesourclassandhomework assignmentsfortheweek.Youwillhaveallinformationregardingactivitiesandduedates andwillbeheldaccountableforthis.

NecessaryInsights: 1. Readingisdifficult.Ifyouarestrugglingthroughatext,donotgetfrustrated.Come seemeforadvice. 2. Writingisaprocess.Askanyprofessionalwriteroreditor,yourfirstdraftwillnot beAworthy.Becomfortedbythefactthateffortandtimespentonwritinghasa directconnectiontoimprovement. 3. Donotbeafraidbymycommentsonyourassignments.Thisismeinteractingwith yourwork,thewayweinteractwithatextbyannotatingit.Mycommentsareaway ofhelpingyouimprove. 4. Ifyouwishtoquestionmeaboutagrade,thatisokay.However,Iwillnotuseclass timetohavethisdiscussion.Youmustthoroughlyconsideryourrationalefora gradechangeandpresentittomeinwriting. 5. Ourclassroomatmospherewillreflectourlearningenvironment.Youdonotneed tolikeeveryoneofyourclassmates,thetextsweread,ortheissueswediscuss; however,youmustrespectallofthem.