Pre-AP English II
2010-2011
Mrs. Jones
Dear Parents and Guardians,
It is a pleasure to begin a new school year with your child in my Pre-AP class. I look forward to helping these new sophomores have a successful and productive year with the best possible learning environment. Please read over my policies with your child and sign and return the Acknowledgment sheet.
Pre-AP English II is an intensive, two-semester class focusing on preparing students to take the AP Language and Literature tests that are offered their junior and senior years in high school. Those tests, though challenging, can give students the opportunity to earn college credit while in high school at the fraction of the price of what the college hours would cost. Because of the nature of these challenging tests, a rigorous course in reading analysis, literature, writing (particularly argumentation), clear communication, and vocabulary development is essential.
Whenever possible, I suggest that students purchase their own copies of major works we read in class; marking the text (annotation) increases interaction and analytic skills. The summer reading was Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird and Edith Hamilton’s Mythology. Students will be assessed over each during the first two weeks of school. The syllabus section of this handout will list any additional major works that are to be read outside of class this school year.
Classroom Expectations
1. Be prepared for class activities.
2. Follow directions the first time they are given.
3. Speak in an appropriate tone and volume.
4. Follow Ross S. Sterling High School’s discipline policy.
Grading Policy
Major grades: 60%
Other grades: 40%
According to the GCCISD grading policy, late assignments other than homework will result in a ten-point reduction per day for a maximum of three days, after which a zero will be given. This means that anything classified as homework by the teacher will not be accepted late. Board-defined extenuating circumstances will be given special consideration.
Make-up Policy
Any assignment due the day a student is absent is due the day of return. If tutoring is needed, then students may schedule a time to stay after school. According to GCCISD, major grades should be made up within three class days.
I look forward to an exciting educational year with your student. If you have any questions, you may contact me at 281-420-4500 or contact me by email at jennifer.jones@gccisd.net. Thank you for your time, and I hope to hear from you soon.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Jones
General Expectations for Pre-AP English 2
Supplies
1. Class Supplies
• 3-ring binder with dividers or pocket folder (we will decide upon organizational headings as a class)
• Loose-leaf paper
• Pencils
• Blue or black pens
• Colored pens/highlighters
2. Home Supplies
• A computer with reliable Internet access and a printer
• If you do not have a home computer, then you still have options:
o Sterling Municipal library allows Internet and printer use
o Sterling High School’s library is open until 3:30 and allows students to use the Internet and printers
o Mr. Beck may approve for individual students to check a laptop out from the library for a small security fee. (The fee may be refundable)
• A valid email account – one for the student and one for at least one of the parent/guardians. (I may be able to assign a Gaggle account to students that they can use at school. Currently, that is the only email account that students are allowed to use at school.)
3. Optional (yet VERY helpful) Supplies
• The Student Code of Conduct allows for cell phones in school but stipulates they are to be turned off. I have been given permission in the past to allow students to use their cell phones – not for phone calls – but for educationally related activities involving texting and smart phone application use. For instance, I have a Twitter account that students can use to follow me and receive updates and reminders. Applications I will encourage students to use are Kindle and Ibooks because they can download books, highlight passages, and make notes. As of now, both applications are free for the Iphone, Ipod, and Ipad.
• It is strongly recommended that students purchase flash drives. Flash drives can help students in most, if not all, classes.
Written Work
1. Much of the work that students generate, especially if done outside of class, will be typed and submitted to Turnitin.com. Students will register in class together. A valid email is needed for this account.
• Typing rules
o Times New Roman or Ariel size 12 font (black)
o Double-space
o One-inch margins
o Original title for essays in the header
o Other instructions from the teacher can override any of the above typing rules
2. The new literature textbooks are also available online for students. Most work involving the new textbook will be turned in through the student’s personal online textbook account.
Assigned Novels
1. All novels are expected to be read outside of class by the specified due date.
2. Outside reading is considered homework.
3. Each novel will have some class activities as well as written work and various assessments that not only check whether students have read, but also focus in on specific skills that contribute to the success of a college-bound student.
Technology
1. It is expected that students use and not abuse the technology that is offered to them. We live in an age where the understanding of technology has risen above merely helping students become successful; instead, the understanding of the various technological tools is one of the most essential steps that students can take if they want to rise above the average student.
2. Students are expected to keep up with their various usernames and passwords. Because of the many different websites that will be used, students will probably lose track of their unique usernames and passwords unless steps are taken. Different software programs are available that help people keep up with this information, but for classroom use, students will not only keep up with them on a Word document, but create a physical copy that will be stored in the teacher’s binder in case they are ever forgotten and needed in class.
3. Microsoft Office 2007 is installed on school computers used in the classroom. If a student uses Works at home, they will probably not be able to access their work at school.
4. Websites we will use in the classroom include but are not limited to the following list. You will need registration information from your teacher to get started on all of them except for my website, bibme.com and collegeboard.com. However, when PSAT scores come in, you will need registration information to access your score report online at collegeboard.com.
• Mrs. Jones’s website
http://jonesenglishrss.blogspot.com
• Online textbook
http://my.hrw.com
• Turn in typed papers
http://www.turnitin.com
• Keep track of sources used in research
http://www.bibme.com
• PSAT and SAT prep as well as information for college preparedness
http://www.collegeboard.com
• Easy online flashcard site (you don’t have to have an Iphone to use the site with a regular computer)
http://www.freezingblue.com/iphone/flashcards
• TAKS objectives assessment and review
http://www.studyisland.com
Academic Honesty and Dishonesty
1. Academic Honesty Policy – All students are held to the highest standards of academic honesty in all work including essays, exams, classwork, group projects, and any work assigned by their teachers.
2. Academic Dishonesty – includes cheating, copying the work of another student, plagiarism or unauthorized communication between students during exams. The determination that a student has engaged in academic dishonesty shall be based on the judgment of the classroom teacher or other supervising professional employee, taking into consideration written materials, observation, or information from students.
3. Cheating shall be defined as giving or receiving information or help on a test, possession of any unauthorized material during a test, copying another student’s assignment or knowingly allowing another unauthorized student to copy from his or her assignment, submitting duplicate work, or having someone else complete the work on behalf of the student.
4. Penalties
• A grade of zero on the assignment
• Notification of parents
• A conduct report to his or her grade level principal
• Notification of NHS sponsors, if applicable
Skeleton Syllabus
1st six-weeks
• Summer reading activities and assessments
• Poetry analysis
• Analysis of rhetorical situation 4th six-weeks
• A Separate Peace (outside reading)
• Antigone
• Literary analysis
• Rhetoric
2nd six-weeks
• A Lesson Before Dying (outside reading)
• Argumentation 5th six-weeks
• Julius Caesar (textbook)
• Argumentation
• Rhetoric
3rd six-weeks
• Lord of the Flies (outside reading)
• Literary analysis
• Analysis of rhetorical situation 6th six-weeks
• Major Research Project
• Twelve Angry Men
• Poetry analysis
Printed student name: ________________________________________ Class Period: __________
Confidential List of Individual Student Usernames and Passwords
Website URL Username Password Description of site
n/a My login information to any school computer
http://my.hrw.com Online textbook account
www.turnitin.com Where I turn in typed papers
www.bibme.com Online bibliography and works cited creator
www.collegeboard.com PSAT and SAT prep
www.freezingblue.com/iphone/flashcards Online flashcards – helpful for studying
www.studyisland.com Online TAKS review
Printed student name:_________________________________________ Class Period: __________
Acknowledgment Sheet – Due tomorrow for a daily grade
By signing, you show that you --
have read Mrs. Jones’s procedures.
understand that late work will have ten points deducted each day for a maximum of three days, after which a zero will be assigned.
agree to do the following:
o keep up with the assigned reading and writing
o use any assigned websites, even if there is no home computer
o remain academically honest
understand the Academic Honesty Policy, including what is defined as cheating and what the penalties of cheating will be as outlined by the student code of conduct.
_____________________________________________________ Date: __________
(student signature)
_____________________________________________________ Date: __________
(parent signature)
Contact information:
Parent Name(s): ______________________________________________________________
Neatly Print Parent Email(s): (father) _______________________________________________
(mother) ______________________________________________
Contact number(s): Home: ________________________________________________
Work: ________________________________________________
Cell: ________________________________________________
Extra Credit Opportunity
For +10 points added to this grade –
• Have your parent or guardian email me with his or her contact information. They need to make sure they put your name and class period in the subject line. This can be a chance for him or her to directly communicate any questions or concerns to me, especially regarding the technology component of my class. If neither parent has an email address, then one or both can access any one of various websites to create a free account. (yahoo.com; google.com; etc.) Sterling Municipal Library allows the public to use computers and have Internet access for free. I will reply to verify that I received it. If I do not reply within a few days, then let me know because I probably did not get it. It may have gone into the spam folder and I’ll have to retrieve it.
For +5 points added to this grade –
• Write a letter to me and email it. The letter needs to tell me if you are in any clubs, if you plan on trying to find a club to join, if you participate in extra-curricular activities, and whether or not you have a part-time job. You also need to tell me about any questions or concerns you have, particularly concerning the technology component of my class. Put your name in the subject line.
