Welcome to PreAP English I as well as Grade-level English I. This handout will preface your “yellow pages” section of your notebook which will serve as the reference section of your 3-ring notebook and necessitates bringing your notebook to class with you every day. The yellow pages are designed to provide you with a ready reference for information and techniques designed to improve your close reading, grammar, and composition skills.

The philosophy of PreAP English I is to give students access to the skills that will enable them to complete Advanced Placement and other upper-level courses later in their education. Students shift from concrete to abstract thinking; from reading a work just for what it says to being able to recognize how the author says it; from surveying many materials to examining fewer works in greater depth. Ninth grade students employing Pre-AP strategies learn to focus on a concept – deeply while managing concurrent assignments; become comfortable with frustration while learning new concepts; assimilate and accommodate new thought patterns. Lastly, this course focuses on four areas of concern: thinking skills, close reading, grammar, and composition                            

                                                                                                                                                                (Adopted from Laying the Foundation).

The philosophy of the English I course is to give students access to the skills that will enable them to complete upper-level course work at WHS. Students read varied genre closely in order to comprehend how the use of literary and rhetorical devices accomplish the writer’s purpose. They engage in persuasive, process writing of both literary and expository types while conventions focus on handwriting, capitalization, spelling, punctuation, and grammar concepts appropriate to grade level writing.           

BOOK LIST – ENGLISH I:

Partial independent reading texts for Regular English will be provided by district; however, you may choose to purchase a copy if you choose for your child to annotate the text. What is required in our “How To” class (in order to learn how best to utilize a credible study source) is the Cliff OR Spark Notes for our novel and Shakespearean play units of study:

1.                    Night by Elie Weisel is a worthy addition to any home library; however, a copy will be provided to your child.

2.                    Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare is in our English I literature text; student will need Cliff or Spark notes.

3.                    To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee; student will need ONLY to purchase the Cliff or Spark notes.

BOOK LIST – PreAP ENGLISH I: Students must purchase the following texts in order to learn to annotate them properly. 

1.             Night by Elie Weisel – required this semester

2.             Macbeth – William Shakespeare – required spring semester

3.             Lord of the Flies – William Golding – required spring semester

MAKE-UP AND LATE WORK POLICIES:

1.                    STUDENT - inform at tutorials as soon as you return from an absence. You may enter the building to go to tutorials before school any time between 7:45 and 8:00 AM.   If I am not available (morning duty), see one of the other NGC English teachers for assistance and document that you came.

2.                    Major assignments are due on the assigned date whether you are present in class on that day or not (see district policy). If you are unable to attend class on the due date, send your assignment with a friend, sibling, or parent. 

3.                    Quizzes, tests, and other assessments assigned in advance must be taken on the assigned date even if you are absent the preceding class. In other words, keep up with your reading schedule and study for Roots and/or SAT vocabulary quizzes! 

4.                    Make-up quizzes, tests, and timed writings must be scheduled the day you return to school. Again, reference the website for district policy.

5.                    Take advantage of the Teacher Web to keep up; however, when academically appropriate, I may alter the lesson plans and assignments listed there for instructional purposes, so the best way to keep up with our class is to have your guardian sign up to receive email reminders. 

6.                   My expectation is that  ALL students, whether PreAP English I or English I, turn in papers on time – period. Since receiving an extra GPA point, PreAP should adapt my long-standing philosophy: late work does not exist! Just as in other core courses, PreAP students should never expect to receive any credit for delinquent English papers. Should you have extreme, extenuating circumstances, talk to me, privately – at tutorials,  BEFORE the work is due to determine if you qualify for an extension. Don’t expect it. For grade-level English I, please note that there is no excuse for late  work and you should adopt the same philosophy as PreAP(Late work does not exist!) just to save yourself considerable frustration; however, just remember that partially finished papers turned in on time will most likely receive more credit than  completed late ones. 

7.                    Here is my contact information. Please note that after I leave campus for the day, I may not check e-mail again until I return. School number: 598 – 2847 E-mail: tchurch@weatherfordisd.com

SUPPLIES

1. Students find a 3-ring notebook, dividers, and loose-leaf notebook paper very helpful in order to keep organized. Dividers may be labeled:
1. Class Information Page with Daily Procedures
2. Paper – Loose-leaf Notebook Paper
3. Roots/SAT – Roots and/or SAT Vocabulary Hand Outs
4. NOTES – Class Notes/Hand Outs
5. Quizzes and Daily Work – papers should be organized with the latest date first and the earliest at the back.
6. Loose-leaf Rough Drafts of Essays and/or any Personal Writings
2. zip-up pocket in the rings for writing utensils
3. pens – blue or black ink for writing, red for editing activities
4. #2 pencils
5. highlighters –  at least four colors (including pink, yellow, blue, and green)
6. spiral notebook that fits in your binder to be placed BEFORE the dividers
7. Post-it notes – Lined ones may help you write better but are NOT required
8. 3 X 5 cards – You will most likely need 3 packages of them
9. PLEASE turn in at least one box of Kleenex for classroom usage.

ALL OF THE ABOVE ARE NEEDED IN CLASS DAILY. BONUS POINTS MAY BE AWARDED AT ANY TIME AS A REWARD FOR BEING WELL-PREPARED. FAILURE TO BRING THESE MATERIALS COULD MEAN THAT YOUR FREE TIME WILL BE PENIALIZED!

Types of grades and their value:

·          Daily or “Practice” Work includes homework reading or writing, study projects such as making 3X5 flash cards or student generated graphic organizers, and in-class reflective and/or practice expository writing. These count 25% of your grade.

·          “Process” grades (generally, a “process” grade refers to an assignment that constitutes a step in the writing or reading process rather than a final product), and quizzes over roots or vocabulary as well as quizzes over the reading assignments count 25 %.

·          Major or “product “ grades such as timed writings, final drafts of process papers, major tests over entire works or units of study, count 50%. At least two major grades are taken every six weeks.

Basic 9^th Grade Course Outline

*PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS SYLLABUS IS DUE TO INSTRUCTIONAL AND/OR ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES WHERE AND WHEN ACADEMICALLY NECESSARY.

1^st Six Weeks

Literature/Reading:                 Short Stories Suspense Unit with focus on Narrative Techniques

Composition:                          Close Reading, Annotations and Reflective Narrative Writing; Interpretive Responses

Grammar:                              Parts of Speech as well as Usage and Conventions

Vocabulary:                            Latin and Greek Roots and Close Reading Vocabulary

2^nd Six Weeks

Literature/Reading:                 Primarily Non-fiction

Composition:                          DIDLS Tone Analysis, Argument and Interpretive Responses

Grammar:                              Parts of Speech as well as Usage and Conventions

Vocabulary:                            Latin and Greek Roots District Initiative Vocabulary

3^rd Six Weeks

Literature/Reading:                 Primarily Poetry

Composition:                          Poetry Writing; Interpretive Responses

Grammar:                              Prepositions and Prepositional Phrases

Vocabulary:                            Latin and Greek Roots District Initiative Vocabulary

4^th Six Weeks

Literature/Reading:                 Shakespeare’s Macbeth or Romeo and Juliet with a focus on Dramatic Conventions

Composition:                          Connecting Rhetorical Choices to Meaning; Timed Writing

Grammar:                              Appositives and Appositive Phrases

Vocabulary:                            SAT Vocabulary and District Initiative Vocabulary

5^th Six Weeks:      

Literature/Reading :               Lord of the Flies or To Kill a Mockingbird novel study

Composition:                          Expository Writing; Interpretive Response

Grammar:                              Participles and Participle Phrases

Vocabulary:                            SAT Vocabulary and District Initiative Vocabulary

6^th Six Weeks:

Literature/Reading:                 Research (if time permits) with focus on process

Composition:                          Annotated bibliographies

Grammar:                              Recursive

Vocabulary:                            SAT Vocabulary and District Initiative Vocabulary