KAMEHAMEHA SECONDARY SCHOOL ENGLISH DEPARTMENT COURSE SUMMARY FOR LAND AND LITERATURE FOR: KUMU ALOHI AE’A SCHOOL YEAR 2012-2013
OVERVIEW
Land and Literature is a one-semester elective for seniors. Students read, discuss and react to poetry, fiction and non- fiction about Hawai‘i that deals with land. Students also visit places of interest to them and keep a land journal based on their observations. Students will be expected to participate in activities involving mälama ‘äina that may not necessarily occur during class time. Various options will be provided throughout the course of the semester. Assignments reflect the 12th grade areas of focus: writing to develop a more mature style and doing effective research.
COURSE GOALS Reading: • Understand and apply literary terminology in order to comprehend, analyze, interpret and evaluate literature, both fiction and non-fiction. • Apply knowledge of genre conventions to assess texts. Journals: • Demonstrate control of conventions of grammar, diction, and paragraph and sentence structure and an understanding of correct English usage. • Demonstrate control of voice, tone and style through the use of more sophisticated syntax, diction, and complex sentence structure. • Write for a specific purpose and audience. Formal essay: • In at least one formal essay, demonstrate the ability to develop a thesis and support it with clearly-organized, appropriate evidence. • In at least one formal essay, use appropriate internal documentation from an outside source.
COURSE MATERIALS Students will be required to provide a reading portfolio, to be purchased from the school store. There will also be a Field Trip / Course Supplies charge applied to each student’s account, not to exceed $30.00. This charge will be administered near the end of the fourth quarter and will provide for course materials as well as lifeguard and transportation fees for field trips. A breakdown of fees will be provided to students at the time the charge is applied.
INTEGRATION OF TECHNOLOGY Kamehameha Schools provides access to many technological tools to enhance the teaching and learning process such as laptops, online resources, BlackBoard, probes, etc. We support the integration of technology as a critical component in preparing students to thrive in our global society. As appropriate to each course, teachers will provide further classroom expectations and guidelines as to the extent technology (e.g. laptops, websites, BlackBoard, etc) will be utilized for research, instruction, assessment, and communication purposes. Students will be expected to check their KS email daily.
STUDENT EXPECTATIONS
Supplies in the school store, to be purchased by students: Two three-prong binders (just like your English portfolio one) College-ruled notebook, 8.5X11” p As a student, you are expected to:
Be seated and prepared to work before the bell rings. Demonstrate the utmost respect for yourself, your classmates, your teacher and the larger Kamehameha ‘ohana. Leave your cell phone and ipods in your bag, unless instructed to take them out. Visible cell phones or ipods will be confiscated until the next meeting period, and detention will be issued. Turn in legible work. If I have difficulty reading an assignment, I will not grade it. Print out typed assignments before class begins. Any work that is still printing out after the bell rings will be considered late. Attend class regularly. Frequent absences will adversely affect your grade. Completing missed work is your responsibility. Enjoy yourself! Come to class with a positive attitude, and your experience in this course will be wonderful.
GRADES Letter Assigned Grade Range in Grade Point Percentages A 4.0 93 – 100% A- 3.7 90 – 92% B+ 3.3 87 – 89% B 3.0 83 – 86% B- 2.7 80 – 82% C+ 2.3 77 – 79% C 2.0 73 – 76% C- 1.7 70 – 72% D+ 1.3 67 – 69% D 1.0 63 – 66% D- 0.7 60 – 62% F 0.0 0 – 59%
Late work policy: • Short-term homework assignments (such as readings, annotations, worksheets) are due at the start of class but may be turned in late for a 30 % grade drop. Late assignments must be turned in by 3:30 on the day they are due or at the start of the next meeting period (to be determined by the kumu). • NO late work will be accepted during the last seven school days of each quarter. Major Papers and Projects. If any major Writing Assignment (essay and research paper and/or project) is not turned in on the assigned due date, the following Late Work Policy will be put into effect. 1. For the first five days late, regardless of block days and weekends, there will be a reduction of 10% per day of the possible points available for the assignment, i.e. a 100 point assignment would lose 10 points per day it is late for 5 days. For example: paper due on Monday turned in on Wednesday earns an 82% -- the official grade will be a 62%. 2. After 5 days, it is will be worth 50% of the grade earned for the following 9 days (or the end of the quarter- whichever comes first). So you have 2 weeks (or until the end of the quarter), from the date due to turn in your paper/project. 3. After 2 weeks (or the end of the quarter, whichever comes first), the paper will no longer be accepted for a grade. 4. All work should be turned in at the start of the class period (unless specified otherwise by the teacher) to be considered on time. 5. Notes from parents or teachers do not circumvent the late work policy. It is the student’s responsibility to get work in on time-- not a parent, computer or teacher’s responsibility. 6. The last day of the quarter is the cut off day for all missing assignments. NO EXCEPTIONS.
Mälama ‘Äina Work Day Students will be expected to participate in and reflect on at least one mälama ‘äina activity during the course of the semester. Activities will take place outside of school hours (i.e., after school / weekends) and will be announced in class and via email. Reflections must be turned in no more than one week after the activity has been completed. Failure to complete at least one activity will result in a 5% quarter grade drop.
Policy on make-up work: • If you are in school on the day something is due, you must turn it in. You are considered “in school” even if you are on a field trip or in Hale Ola. In these cases, work due should be turned in via email or to my mailbox in Smith 003 (English Office). Failure to do so will result in late or no-credit penalties. It is the student’s responsibility to find out what work was missed by exchanging phone numbers with someone else in class, or by emailing the kumu. • Tests and quizzes must be made up the day the student returns to school. Please contact me via email to arrange a meeting. • You may take the same number of days as the original absence to complete assignments missed because of excused absences due to illness. • Field trips, visits to counselors, visits to the office, and other school or athletic activities are considered “excused absences” for attendance purposes but they do not excuse late work or work that is due that day. Illness excuses late work.
If you want to find out your current grade: I post averages on KS Connect. If you wish to discuss your average please email me or set up a time to conference. Parent Communication: It is your kuleana to communicate openly, honestly and completely with your parents regarding your grades. I will forward any parent communication regarding your grades to you and expect you to respond to your parent’s questions and copy me on your emails. I will “listen in” on the email conversation to provide any clarification if necessary. Extra Credit Extra credit may be offered, but only those who have completed all major composition and long-term assignments are eligible for extra credit.
FIELD TRIP POLICY
I support field trips — unless • students have more than 6 absences in any quarter. • averages are below 70%. • students have tests or quizzes the day of the activity. Work due on the day a field trip is scheduled must be turned in BEFORE you leave campus unless arranged otherwise with me.
STUDY HELP
Please remember that the school day does not end until 3:30. If there is a need, mandatory study help may be assigned to you. Failure to show up will result in detention. I am available for study help on a daily basis; please notify me in advance if you would like to meet so that we can arrange a meeting place.
POLICY ON CHEATING AND/OR PLAGIARISM
Consequences for cheating or plagiarizing include • receiving a zero for the assignment • referral to the vice-principal parent and counselor notification • conduct probation • references to the problem on future job or college recommendations Plagiarism includes • copying (from the internet, another student, the student’s own, prior work, etc.) • paraphrasing without attribution • stealing ideas from other sources without attribution • any instance where sources must be cited but are not
FINAL NOTE On a final note, I feel fortunate to be a part of your last year as a Kamehameha Schools student. I look forward to an entertaining semester of discovery, and I hope that what you learn from this course will prove useful not only this year but in the years to come.
I understand these expectations. I have shared this course summary with my parents, and they also understand these expectations.
Signature: Date: