English 11 Roy C.

Ketcham
High School
Mr. Guay 2008-
2009

Website: http://rckeleven.blogspot.com/
Email: mark.guay@wappingersschools.org
Office Phone: (845) 298-5100 x 151

Dear Students and Parents:

It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to your junior year of high school! I am
thrilled to be working with all of you and eagerly looking forward to an intellectually
stimulating year! Over the course of the year, we will use our time to prepare for
college- and career-level writing and discussions.

Participation is crucial to the success of our class since the majority of our classes
will be based bending our minds and discussing content pulled from the course
texts. To achieve this goal, you’ re going to need to open up and explore yourselves,
discover your strengths and your weaknesses, share with your classmates, and
work together to sharpen your skills. To have a successful year and successful class
discussions, there must be full participation from each and every member of the
class.

Communication is also of the utmost importance. To aid in communication, I

maintain a website/class blog that has the class calendar, homework assignment,
and other information that might be helpful. Please check the website regularly for
updates and class assignments. Class discussions will almost always continue on
the class blog. This means that you may have to find time in school to access the
web if you do not have access to the Internet at home.

If you are having difficulty with any part of the class or if you just need clarification
or moral support, please come and talk to me. When I’m not teaching, I can usually
be found in the English Office. I stay after nearly every day (check first to make
sure). Email is usually the best medium to contact me.

Again, I look forward to working with you and exploring the power of both the pen
and mind!

Sincerely,

Mr. Guay

Please sign in the allotted space below to verify that you have read and understand
the course syllabus. By signing this contract, you swear that you will put forth your
greatest effort. Don’t forget, your education starts with you.
 Student ________________________________ Guardian
________________________________

*Special note to guardians: If you have any questions, thoughts or concerns, please
do not hesitate to contact me. I look forward to meeting you all at the open house.
English 11 Regents - Syllabus 2008-2009
Code: E540 Full Year (11) (1 credit) (rank weight 1.0)
Prerequisite: Passed English 10 or English 10 Honors

General Goals:
• To prepare you for the New York State Comprehensive Examination in English,
the PSATs, and the SATs.
• To learn MLA style and successfully complete a research paper, which will
count as 50 % of your English 11 final exam grade.

Essential Question:
What does it mean to lose one’s innocence?

Core Concepts: Loss of innocence, Rite of passage, Self-identity

Guiding Question:
Why are values necessary in developing an identity and sense of self?

Core Literature: Writing Skills/Qualities:

• Oedipus Rex • Ideas – Organization – Voice – Sentence
• Catcher in the Rye Fluency – Word Choice - Conventions
• Old Man and the Sea • Writing essays to communicate ideas
• Macbeth • Research paper techniques
• Poems, short stories and essays • Avoidance of plagiarism
• Written responses to literature, including
literary analysis
Optional Texts: • Writing a persuasive essay
• The Great Gatsby • Writing a comparison/contrast essay
• A Separate Peace • Listening to follow directions
• The Crucible • Listening for information
• A Streetcar Named Desire • Listening to evaluate
• The Glass Menagerie • Reading strategies to increase comprehension
• Our Town • Critical reading skills
• Ethan Frome • Critical thinking skills
• Independent Reading
• Vocabulary and spelling study
Literacy Portfolio: All students are expected to
• Grammar and usage
keep a literacy portfolio • Oral presentations
• MLA documentation
• Avoidance of Plagiarism
• Preparation for the Comprehensive English
Regents Exam
Final Exam is Comprehensive Regents Exam = 50% of final exam grade, portfolio = 25% of final exam grade and
research paper = 25% of final exam grade
Yearly Projects:

The projects listed below will span out throughout the entire year, one small step at
a time. Think of them as part of the class routine.
• Word of the Day (WOD) – Just like a guitarist practices a little bit each day, a
great way to expand one’s vocabulary is one word at a time. Every day there will
be a word on the board for you to copy in your “vocab” section of the binder.
Every Friday we don’t have SSR, there will be a vocabulary quiz. If you are
absent, you must make up the quiz the next day you are in.
• Silent Sustained Reading (SSR) – Unless otherwise specified, every other
Friday, we will have Silent Sustained Reading. I will explain this to you further,
but, in short, this will serve as your own independent reading requirement where
you will have a project and points tied to the book of your choice. This is not a
free-for-all reading day. Once you choose a book, you must stick with it. 

SSR and Vocab Quiz Dates –

SSR – (19 days) Vocab (19)
Friday – Sept 19th Tuesday -Sept 12th , 26th
Oct 3rd, 17th, 31st Oct 10th , 24th
Nov 14th, 21st Nov 7th, 20th (thurs)
Dec 5th, 19th Dec 12th
Jan 16th, 30th Jan 9th, 23rd
Feb 13th, 27th Feb 6th, 20th
Mar 13th, 27th Mar 6th, 20th
Apr 17th Apr 3rd, 24th
May 1st, 15th, 29th May 8th, 21st( thurs)
June 12th June 5th, 11th(bonus)

Guideline for a Successful Year

1. General Classroom Procedure
• Be in your seat and ready to begin class before the late bell rings.
• At the beginning of every class, there will be a word of the day to copy in your
notebook. I expect you to take out your binder and begin this immediately after
the bell rings.
• Class ends when the bell rings and no sooner. Please do not take it upon yourself
to pack up early and do not line up at the door.
• All essays and research projects will be submitted to www.turnitin.com.

A word about attendance: “The secret of life is just showing up.” Be here and
be on time. Absenteeism is the #1 cause of failure; therefore you need to be here
as often as humanly possible. 
Daily Materials Needed: You need these items EVERYDAY 
• 1.5-2.0 inch binder (durable/heavy duty suggested)
- 5 tab dividers: Notes / Vocab / Handouts / Quizzes – Tests / Essays -
Writing
- Journal (3-hole 1 subject to put in binder)
• Blue or Black ink pens
• #2 Pencils
• Current Text and relevant handouts
Tardiness: Class begins with the bell. If you are late to class without a pass, sign
the late clipboard. As per office policy, after the first warning, three lates = phone
call home. Failure to sign the clipboard will result in an immediate detention. This is
an office policy. Lateness will not only affect your grade, more importantly, it will
affect your education. Remember, your education starts with you.

Absenteeism: When you are absent, you are responsible for making up any missed
work. Students are required to make-up all missed work due to an absence within
two days of their return to school, which includes tests and quizzes. It is the
student’s responsibility to find out what was missed during an absence. Most
assignments will be up on the class blog; however, there may be other assignments
due as well. Check with a classmate.

2. Understand that this class moves forward whether or not you are
present.
The following is a list of your responsibilities:
• Get worksheets or handouts from designated location. There will be a folder
labeled “Mr.Guay English 12-Handouts.” In there you will find copies of the
past several worksheets.
• I will collect assignments at the beginning of the class they are due.
• There will be a legal envelop labeled “Mr. Guay – In Box.” I will empty this
every day, but this is where you want to put anything you want to hand in to
me. Put any late work in there. If you are absent, write “absent” and the date
you were absent on the handout to ensure you don’t get marked off for being
late. i.e. “Absent 10-17-2008”
• Make up tests or quizzes within two days of an absence.
• If you arrive late or leave school early, find me to hand in or pick up any
work.
• The majority of writing should be typed, unless the writing is done in class
(12pt, Times)

Due Dates

“Get out of jail free card” We’re all human and sometimes mistakes happen.
Such is the nature of life. Every quarter you have the chance to push a due date one
day further. Use this wisely! Below are general rules on due dates.
Homework: If the assignment is used in the following class or necessary to class
discussion, the assignment will not be accepted late.

Major Assignment Late Work Policy: Our class will follow the English
Department’s Late Work Policy. Final essays and major assignments will be
penalized 10 pts per day.

3. Be Responsible. You are responsible for managing your progress and grades.
Always be aware of your assignments, due dates, and work owed. Each quarter your
grade will be weighted as follows:

25% Writing
15% Tests
20% Projects
15% Quizzes
10% Homework
15% Class Participation

4. Communicate. I’m here for you. If you are having trouble with ANYTHING,
please see me or e-mail me. If you need extra help, I am available after school by
appointment. I stay after nearly every day. If you are having a bad day, talk to me. I
can usually be found in the English office.
Frequently check the website for updates on assignments, homework, and calendar.

5. Behaviors to Exhibit.
• R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Aretha and I agree – respect is of utmost importance. We’re
going to do a lot of talking and discussing. And so, it is essential that
everyone respect each other. In my class, you must be tolerant of difference.
Disagreeing is fantastic, but do so in a mature manner, using school
appropriate language.
• Exuberance and Staying Awake.
• The Cell Phone. Learn discretion – keep it hidden and turned off.
• Participate!

“Education is meant to open the mind, not close it.”

-Edwin Dannen ‘ 08