English II Syllabus

New Directions High School English II
Syllabus
Spring 2016 Cohort 11
Course Description: This semester, students will continue to grow as
both readers and writers as we prepare for the Regents exam. In
English I, students worked on developing reading comprehension
strategies for high school texts as well as crafting a literary analysis
essay. In English II, students will be expected to employ those
comprehension strategies as they read fiction and nonfiction texts and
create two argument essays that will be evaluated using a Regents
rubric. Each of these formal argument essays will go through the entire
writing process, but students will be expected to write informally each
day. Students will also be expected to conduct independent reading
both inside and outside of class. Throughout the year, students will be
a part of literature circles, where they will have the opportunity to
engage in collaborative discussion with their peers.
Prerequisite: A final grade of On Target or above in English I
Teacher: Ms. Dennison
Ms. Keith
kdennison@ndssonline.org
rkeith@ndssonline.org
Required Texts:
Minimum of four articles on one of the following topics:
Bang! By Sharon Flake
Monster by Walter Dean Myers
The Other Wes Moore by Wes Moore
Romiette and Julio by Sharon Draper
Tears of a Tiger by Sharon Draper
A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah
First Part Last by Angela Johnson
Classroom Agreements:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Work together.
Keep your hands and feet to yourself.
Communicate.
Respect each other.
Pay attention.
6. Speak in a reasonable volume.
Grading Scale:
MA
Exceeding Mastery
85.0% - 100%
MT
Mastery
75.0% - 84.9%
MP
On Target
65.0% - 74.9%
MB
Not Yet
0% - 64.9%
Grade Breakdown:
30
%
Missions - A mission is an assignment that can be included in

your portfolio. It should take several days, and it will directly
relate to the key skills and project for the unit.
20
%
Projects - Each unit will have a project that is aligned to a

competency. Projects should take at least a week to complete,
and they will be a key part of your portfolio panels.
15
%
Participation/Discussion - This will be graded based on the

number of times you share in class, whole group, in small
groups, and in pairs.
10
%
Independent Reading - This will be measured through

reading logs that you will complete on a text of your choice.
10
%
Journals - Each student is expected to journal daily, and

journals will be graded for completion.
10
%
Portfolio Panels - ALL students are required to complete

portfolio presentations in ten of the twelve competencies in
order to be promoted. This will be an average of the
grades you receive on the panels you have that quarter.
5%
Literature Circles - All students are expected to participate in

literature circles. This grade will be based on both preparation
and participation.
Attendance Policy: Students who are absent must come request the
work from their teacher as soon as possible. Students may complete
the work during After School Interventions or independently, and
should submit the work to the teacher prior to the end of the marking
period in order to receive credit.
Competencies:
Independent Reading: This badge is for people who quote and cite the
text in their online discussions about the books and articles they are
reading.
I can read and comprehend complex literary and informational
texts independently and skillfully.
Citing Evidence in Conversations: This badge is for people whose
online comments and replies are engaging, well thought-out, and cited.
I can participate in real conversations using logical reasoning and
enough evidence.
Text-Dependent Research: This badge is for people who do research by
posting clear, logical, and cited responses.
I can carry out research projects and do close readings by
annotating, keeping dialectical notes, and using quotes.
I can produce clear and logical writing about my research.
Formulating Arguments in Areas of Interest: This badge is for people
who develop arguments through a process of sourced writing, revision,
and publication.
I can write arguments to support ideas about real topics, using
logical reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
Creating Narratives and Poems: This badge is for people who can use
effective narrative technique, descriptive details, and well-structured
event sequences.
I can create a context and point of view.
I can introduce a narrator and/or characters.
I can organize a logical sequence of events.
I can use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details,
and sensory language.
Self-Directed Learning: This badge is for people who use journals to
find their own voice and to develop a healthy, self-directed mindset.
I can routinely write or make a video or audio recording about my
learning and whats important to me.
Portfolio Process: Each marking period, students will be expected to
compile a portfolio composed of four missions (longer assignments)
and a unit project. To be included in the portfolio, all work must be at
mastery level (75% or greater). Students will then write a cover letter
in which they will explain how their work helped them to complete
their project. Finally, students will present their work in a portfolio
panel to a panel composed of students, faculty, and staff who will ask
questions and give them feedback on both the work and the
presentation.
Course Outline:
Unit 1: In this unit, students will begin by generating questions related
to political issues and current events that they will research throughout
the unit. The topic that each student selects will be his or her guiding
topic for research throughout the semester. Students will practice
nonfiction comprehension and annotation skills to gather evidence
about their topic. They will practice assessing, summarizing, and
analyzing sources. As a culminating project, students will write an
argumentative essay on their selected topic, using the evidence that
they have gathered from the articles throughout the marking period.
By integrating information from multiple articles into an argument,
students will prepare for the Regents argument essay. To prepare for
Regents, all students will both read articles and write their essay in
English, however the readings and tasks will be modified for ELLs and
students with IEPs.
Mission #1: Article 1
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.9-10.1
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.9
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.1


Students will read and annotate

the first article on their selected
topic. They will complete at least
one writing activity to assess their
understanding of the article,
determining the central idea of
their article and citing textual
evidence from the article.
Students with shared topic will
discuss article in small groups.
the second article on their
selected topic. They will complete
at least one writing activity to
assess their understanding of the
article, determining the central
idea of their article and citing
textual evidence from the article.
They will use evidence to write a
comparison of the arguments in
the first two articles. Students
with shared topics will discuss
article in small groups.
the third article on their selected
topic. They will complete two
writing activities to assess their
understanding of the article and
deepening understanding of their

Mission #5: Regents Essay

Evaluation
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.1.A
Unit Project
topic. They will determine which

annotations are key to
understanding the central idea of
the article and write further
analysis of these annotations and
evidence. Students with shared
topics will discuss article in small
groups.
the fourth article on their selected
topic. They will complete two
writing activities to assess their
understanding of the article and
deepening understanding of their
topic. They will select key quotes
for all four of their articles, write
their analysis of each quote and
determine how the articles are
connected. Students with shared
topics will discuss article in small
groups.
-Students will read a model
argument essay with a score of 6
on the Regents Part 3 Rubric. They
will determine the student writers
claim and unpack the essay by
creating an outline for the essay.
They will evaluate the essay on
the Regents rubric to understand
the criteria by which they will be
assessed.
-Students will develop questions
based on their four articles.
-Using their strongest questions
they will develop a claim for their
argument essays.
Students will write an
argumentative essay on a political
issue of their choice, following the
format of the Regents argument
essay. For this essay, students will
analyze four articles on their
issue, and develop and support a
claim citing evidence from three of
the four articles. For this essay,
they will go through the writing
process to edit, revise, and publish

their essay.
Unit 2: In this unit, students will select a book on their independent
reading level that interests them and features a protagonist who
experiences a loss of innocence. Students will use a variety of reading
comprehension strategies in order to access their independent text.
Students will also engage in weekly literature circles to further their
understanding of their text. Finally, students will write a Regentsstyled argument essay responding to a central quote about loss of
innocence and citing evidence from multiple points in their novel.
Mission #1: Text Comprehension
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.1
Mission #2: Literature Circles

Mission #3: Book Review

Mission #4: RAFT Questions

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.2.A
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.2.B
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.2.F
Mission #5: Double-entry Journal

Students will read five chapters of

their independent reading book
and complete one comprehension
activity for each of the five
chapters (5 comprehension
activities total), such as
predicting, inferences, visualizing,
questioning, summarizing, etc.
**Initial activities will be writing
text-based questions that will
later launch lit circle discussions.
Students will participate in three
different literature circles following
Harvey Daniels model and
provide evidence of participation
for each one.
Students will write a book review
following the structure of an
Amazon or Goodreads book
review, making an argument
about whether a peer should read
their book or not.
Students will answer ten textdependent questions based on
their independent novel choice.
Writing these (and citing evidence
in each one) will provide students
with practice that they can
directly apply to the body
paragraphs in their essays.
Students will write at least twenty
entries in a reading journal that
they keep throughout the quarter,
Unit Project
logging key information from their

reading (summaries, quotes, etc.)
each day.
Students will write an
argumentative essay responding
to a quote about loss of innocence
(perhaps - Parents can only give
good advice or put them on the
right paths, but the final forming
of a person's character lies in their
own hands. by Anne Frank OR In
the end, its not the years in your
life that count, its the life in your
years. by Abraham Lincoln). They
will support their argument about
of innocence with evidence from
the novel they are reading
independently in their literature
circle.

English II Syllabus

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New Directions High School English II

6. Speak in a reasonable volume.

Missions - A mission is an assignment that can be included in

Projects - Each unit will have a project that is aligned to a

Participation/Discussion - This will be graded based on the

Independent Reading - This will be measured through

Journals - Each student is expected to journal daily, and

Portfolio Panels - ALL students are required to complete

Literature Circles - All students are expected to participate in

Mission #2: Article 2

Mission #3: Article 3

Students will read and annotate

Mission #4: Article 4

Mission #5: Regents Essay

topic. They will determine which

process to edit, revise, and publish

Mission #2: Literature Circles

Mission #3: Book Review

Mission #4: RAFT Questions

Mission #5: Double-entry Journal

Students will read five chapters of

logging key information from their

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