Hewitt-Trussville High School

Hewitt-Trussville High School

SYLLABUS

English 10- Mrs. Trimm

Hewitt-Trussville High School

Welcome to English 10!

I am very excited about our time together this year! We are going to work hard and learn much, but I also hope we can have some fun. This syllabus is designed to give you some idea of where we are going, and what is expected of you as we go. It is subject to change as the year progresses and adjustments are needed.

During the course of the year, the student will:

  • complete a survey of tenth grade English grammar, usage, spelling, and vocabulary
  • complete an extensive study of literature, including non-fiction selections, poetry, drama, and several novels
  • develop writing skills through the completion of essays, discussion questions, brainstorming exercises, timed writings, a formal research paper, and other writing assignments
  • develop verbal skills through class discussions, oral presentations, and speech

WHAT TO EXPECT

Fall Semester:

Reading:

We will be working with the following literary works:

You summer reading selection, Early American Literature selections, The Crucible, Lord of the Flies,and selected Revolutionary Period writings.

Writing:

You will write a lot in this class. Sometimes you will write short pieces, sometimes longer essays. You can expect to write narratives, essays, literary analyses, a formal research paper, and technical pieces over the course of the semester, based on our literature selections. You will also respond to QuickWrite topics, write journal entries, and create literature reviews. My goal is for you to be able to use language effectively in different formats, so you can expect to see that reflected in your assignments.

Grammar:

We will be learning and improving writing mechanics and conventions (punctuation, word selection and usage, parts of speech, etc.). We will also be working to prepare for the ACT’s English sections.

Vocabulary:

Each week, we will learn new vocabulary (definitions, parts of speech, and appropriate usage). Your vocabulary words will come from the ACT, literary conventions/devices, and other domain-specific language.

Speaking:

You will learn speaking skills in this class. You will do presentations (group and individual), podcasts, Socratic seminars, literature circles, discussion groups, and whole-class discussions. Participation is expected and required.

Spring Semester

Reading:

We will be working with the following literary works:

Romanticism/Transcendentalism Literature selections, Fahrenheit 451, and Julius Caesar

Writing:

We will focus on learning/improving effective writing skills during the second semester. You’ll write a complete research paper (we will research, analyze, write, cite, review/critique, and edit during this process). You will also write analysis essays for both Fahrenheit 451 and Julius Caesar. You will also be preparing for the English section of the ACT.

Grammar:

We will continue our progress from the Fall.

Vocabulary:

We will continue our vocabulary progress from the Fall.

Speaking:

You will continue to have opportunities to present your work, discuss our literature selections, record your final products, and so on. Discussion will continue to be a big part of our class.

SUPPLIES

  • Pens/pencils
  • Paper
  • Binder or folders (see below)
  • Journal notebook
  • Books – Lord of the Flies, Fahrenheit 451, and Julius Caesar (see below)

You will need pens/pencils and paper for note-taking and in-class work. I suggest you keep your work in a dedicated binder to which you can add handouts, teacher work examples, feedback, etc,, but this is up to you. Any way that you choose to organize your work for this class is up to you, and you should do what works best for you.

You will also need a separate notebook (can just be a spiraled, inexpensive one) for your QuickWrites and character journaling. This notebook will be turned in at different times during the year for evaluation, so it does not need to be a notebook that you use outside of this class.

You will also need to purchase a copy of William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, Ray Bradbury’sFahrenheit 451, and William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. I will give you advanced notice on when you need to purchase these novels. You will need Lord of the Flies in September. If you would like to order all your books through the Library, please let me know.

GOOGLE CLASSROOM

I will be using Google Classroom this year. You will receive your code for joining your class the first week of school. You will find assignments, handouts, critical notes, referenced documents, and announcements there. It is your responsibility to pay attention to the posts for this class, and you should check it often. It is important that you pay attention to these posts, particularly if you are absent any day that week. Google Classroom is the best place to start to determine what work you need to make up.

GRADES:

Your grade will be calculated based on the number of points earned out of possible points available for vocabulary/grammar quizzes, quizzes/tests, classwork (which includes a component of active participation), homework, presentations, projects, essays, and other writing assignments. Possible point values will reflect the weight of the assignment and its impact on your grade.

Please see the HTHS Plagiarism Policy below. Please note that any evidence of plagiarism or cheating will result in a zero on the assignment for anyone involved. A discipline referral will also be completed.

MAKE-UP WORK

Please check Google Classroom for missed assignments. If you are unclear about what you need to make up, please see me the first day you return to class. You will be responsible for getting any missed work, notes, and upcoming assignments from Google Classroom, a trusted classmate, or from me. If you miss a test or quiz, you should expect to make it up the day you return unless special circumstances require otherwise. If you miss turning in an assignment, you will need to turn it on the first day you return, unless special circumstances require otherwise. You can make up work/tests during Husky Hour. Please schedule with me in advance.

EXPECTATIONS

Meeting these expectations will not only serve you well in this class, but in life. I expect my students to:

1.Be on time and ready to work when you arrive to class.

2.Be prepared. Bring your supplies to every class.

3.Participate. Your thoughts are valuable.

4.Do your own work and don’t steal ideas from each other or anyone else. Beware using websites in place of your reading.

5.Do nothing that stops me from teaching or your classmates from learning.

6.Benice. To everyone. All the time. Disrespecting me or your classmates will not be tolerated.

SPECIAL NOTE ABOUT PHONES: I DO NOT ALLOW PHONES TO BE OUT DURING MY CLASS UNLESS WE ARE USING THEM FOR IN-CLASS WORK. I WILL TELL YOU WHEN YOU CAN USE YOUR PHONES. IF I HAVE NOT TOLD YOU THAT YOU CAN USE YOUR PHONE, I SHOULDN’T SEE YOUR PHONE. IF I SEE YOUR PHONE WHEN I SHOULDN’T BE SEEING IT, OR YOU ARE USING YOUR PHONE FOR REASONS OTHER THAN THOSE FOR WHICH YOU SHOULD BE USING THEM, I WILL TAKE IT UP FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE CLASS AND WILL CONTACT YOUR PARENT/GUARDIAN.

HTHS Plagiarism Policy

HTHS Plagiarism Policy: Anyone who plagiarizes will receive a zero on the assignment, administrative referral, as well as possible disciplinary action for the incident. All students who copy others’ work will receive a zero and disciplinary action, whether that student gave or received the information. Students who plagiarize will be able to re-submit that assignment; however, this will only be for partial credit (scoring begins at 50%). The assignment will be due the following day (Effective 11/1/11).

As a department, we believe this to be a fair consequence, due to the severity of plagiarism in the academic community. Students who attempt plagiarism in college can be placed on administrative probation or dismissed from said college. Plagiarism is serious and we want to treat it that way. Our own organizations (i.e. Honor Society, Student Council) will not accept members who have disciplinary action for cheating (including incidents of plagiarism).

It should go without saying that copying and pasting from anywhere without crediting the source is plagiarism, as well as copying the work from another student. All assignments (unless otherwise specified) are the responsibility of each individual student. In other words, if you choose to collaborate on homework, you still must turn in original, unique responses.

Plagiarism is defined as…

  1. Using the exact words of another person’s work/writing without acknowledgment of your source through the use of quotation marks and correct citation/documentation;
  2. Rephrasing a passage by another writer without giving proper credit;
  3. Using someone else’s facts or ideas without acknowledgment;
  4. Using a piece of writing for one course that was already used in a previous course (or in courses in which you are simultaneously enrolled) without express permission from both instructors to do so; and
  5. Presenting fabricated or falsified citations or materials.

How to Avoid Plagiarism: 5 Simple Rules (Adapted from an originally produced document by Amanda Esslinger)

Rule 1: A fact that is not common knowledge must have a citation.

“Scientists have found that the featherless chicken makes as much protein as the feathered chicken” (“Featherless” 43).

You may write a fact that is common knowledge-- something that most people in the society would know—without a citation.

Rule 2: When you write about an idea, you must make clear whose idea it is. If it is your own idea, you do not cite the source.

The tone and structure of the poem suggest peace and repose.

No citation—student’s own observation.

Rule 3: If you are writing about someone else’s idea, you must cite your source.

By the year 1856, San Francisco’s growth was practically certain (Lotchkin 60).

Rule 4: If you use someone else’s exact words, you must put them in quotation marks and cite the source.

Later, the author wrote, “Chapter VI (the hotel scene) will never be quite up to mark—I’ve worried about it too long and I can’t quite place Daisy’s reaction” (Fitzgerald 9).

Rule 5: When you use an author’s idea without quoting exactly (mean that you are paraphrasing), you must write the idea in your own words, not just rearrange or change a few of his or her words, and you must cite the source.

Taylor Branch of The Atlantic argues in his article, “The Shame of College Sports,” that college athletes should be paid for playing their sports. He bases his argument on the amount of revenue generated by college athletes, football players in particular, for their respective schools. Though he understands that many people disagree with him based on the fact that college athletes are not professionals, he feels that the players deserve some amount of compensation (Branch 1).

The student restates the writer’s idea in the student’s own words and cites the source of the idea.

PLEASE RETURN TO MRS. TRIMM BY AUGUST 14, 2017

English 10 - HTHS

Mrs. Trimm

STUDENT NAME: ______PERIOD: ______

We have read the entiresyllabus (posted on Google Classroom).

We have read the rules and punishments regarding plagiarism and class expectations contained in the syllabus.

We understand the phone policy for this class.

We have seen the supply list for the year.

We are aware that Google Classroom will be used for this class.

STUDENT SIGNATURE: ______

PARENT SIGNATURE: ______

PARENT(S)’ PHONE NUMBER(S): ______

PARENT(S)’ EMAIL(S): ______

PARENT(S)’ PREFERRED METHOD OF CONTACT: EMAIL PHONE

PARENT COMMENTS:

Top View