English I Course Overview & Expectations

Scituate High School 20142015

Ms. Carvalho, Room 207 [email protected]
Class Blog: eng1gblock.blogspot.com
Hello and welcome to English 1! Im excited to have you in class and I look forward to getting to
know each of you over the course of this year!
Course Description: In English 1, students will consider such themes as dreams, goals,
perseverance, compassion, love, decision making, empathy, and justice to answer the yearlong
question, What do humans need in order to live a fulfilling life? They will examine a work in terms of
its genre, strengthen their ability to recognize assumptions, understand inferences, and evaluate
ideas and evidence. English I takes a process approach to the teaching of writing. The course will
refine students ability to write effectively in different forms and for different audiences, occasions,
and purposes. Research assignments will provide background information for class discussions and
presentations, and emphasize the importance of citing sources and evaluating their validity. Through
reading, writing, and discussion, students in will expand their vocabulary, refine their responses to
literature and media, and improve their language skills. Students will develop listening, speaking,
viewing, and presentation skills through class discussion, peer responses, oral presentations, and
researched assignments.

General Overview:

English I Year Long Essential Question: What do humans need in order to live a
fulfilling life?
Unit

Sense of
Belonging,
Dreams
&
Goals

Courage,
Empathy, &
Justice

Love
&
DecisionMaking

Required Texts

Of Mice and Men

A Raisin in the
Sun

To Kill a
Mockingbird

Romeo and Juliet

Essential Questions

1. How does sense of

belonging shape identity?
2. Why is it important for
people to have dreams?
3. What does it take to
make ones dreams a
reality?
4. How do social forces
affect progress towards
dreams?
1. How can we use empathy
to break through the
barriers of prejudice?
2. When do people stand up
for what they believe in?
3. What lengths do people
go to in order to live their
beliefs?
4. What is justice and do we
live in a just society?
1. What is the nature of
love?
2. What do we do in the
name of love?
3. How do the decisions you
make impact others?
4. What causes people to
make the decisions they
make?

Analytical
Assessment

Statement of
Theme Essay
for Of Mice
and Men
A Raisin in
the Sun
Dialectical
Journal

Performance
Based
Assessment

Personal Dream
Board with
presentation
and reflection

TKAM
National
Novel Essay

Persuasive
Argument
Project

Romeo and
Juliet
Effectiveness
of Film Essay

Directors
Notebook
Project

Compassio
n&
Perseveran
ce

The Absolutely
True Diary of a
Part-Time Indian

1. When do we genuinely
feel compassion? How
does that translate into
action or how we see the
world?
2. What happens to the
world when we lose
compassion for our fellow
man?
3. How can we use
compassion to initiate
change?
4. How can we persevere
when faced with
challenges?

The
Absolutely
True Diary
Analytical
Essay

The New Yorker

Project

Required Materials: Please ensure that you always come to class prepared. You will not be
allowed to go to your locker during class time, so please make every effort to bring the
following materials to class each day:
Three-ring binder divided into sections with labels for: Homework, Classwork/Handouts,
Notes
3-hole loose-leaf notebook paper
Pencils, blue or black pens, and colored pens/highlighters for editing
Texts and other materials needed for class (provided)
Technology: One of our first assignments will require you to set up an academic Google
account/Gmail address to be used for this class. We will use several of Googles free products
for educational purposes including but not limited to: Google Docs, Presenter, Blogger,
YouTube, and Gmail. Please be sure to check this email address often and link it to other email
accounts you may have.
We will be using both a class blog and individual blogs to develop critical reading, writing, and
thinking skills. It will help us to extend our discussions outside of the classroom, look for and
link to relevant connections to the literature were studying, and help you to consider audience
and purpose in your written work, as it will be published. It is your responsibility to maintain
your blog if you do not have Internet access at home, be sure to make arrangements to visit
the school or public library.
Evaluation & Grading Policy: You will be evaluated through written and oral assessments.
Writing assignments will be assigned frequently and will be based on current material. Quizzes
to ensure that you have completed the reading will be frequent and occasionally unannounced;
therefore, you should always be prepared to discuss/explain the texts we are currently
studying. Homework assignments will be checked daily for completion, but may be collected at
random to check for accuracy and effort. Tests and formal essays will be announced in advance
and will be administered at the conclusion of each unit. Performance Based Assessments,
which will be given at the end of each unit, will measure the depth of students knowledge of
the enduring understandings and essential questions. You are expected to participate in all inclass and online assignments.
Each assignment will be given a point value dependent upon the complexity of the
assignment. The percentage of points you earn out of the possible total points will determine
your term grade. For example, if we have a possible 500 points in Term I and you earn 400,
your grade would be a B- (80%). Generally speaking, assignments will be weighted as follows:
-

Tests/Projects/Essays: 50-200 points

Grade Ranges (in percentages):

A = 93-100
A- = 90-92
B+ = 87-89

Quizzes: 10-50 points

B = 83-86

B- = 80-82

C+ = 77-79

Homework: 5-20 points

Class work: 5-25 points

C = 73-76

C- = 70-72

D+ = 67-69

Citizenship: 25 points (generally once/term)

D = 63-66

D- = 60-62

F = <60

Approximate Value of Assignments:

Academic Honesty: Plagiarism, or the use of anothers words or ideas without giving proper
credit, is both a serious academic offense and a major violation of my trust in you. If a student
plagiarizes an assignment or cheats on a test or quiz, that student will earn a 0 on the
assignment and will not be permitted to make it up. Any instance of plagiarism will be reported
to parents, school counseling, and the administration. Additional disciplinary consequences are
outlined in the SHS Student Handbook.
Class Citizenship: Each term, I will give each of you a Class Citizenship grade out of 50
points based on your participation and good behavior in class. This includes such areas as
preparation and punctuality, active and consistent participation in class activities and
discussions, and contributions to a positive, respectful environment. Please be in your seat and
ready to work when the music stops playing. Arriving to class late is disruptive and
disrespectful. If you arrive to class after the scheduled time class begins without a signed,
dated pass from another teacher, you will be marked tardy. Repeated tardiness will affect your
term grade and result in further consequences. Please be respectful and courteous to your
classmates, Scituate High School property, and me. Inappropriate or offensive language and
other misbehavior will not be tolerated.
Aspen: At the beginning of each week, I will post the weeks homework assignments on
Aspen. Though it is generally accurate, please be aware that it is only a tentative schedule and
it is subject to change. I update grades frequently, so checking Aspen should be an efficient
way to keep track of your progress. I encourage you to be proactive about your progress, and I
expect that if you have questions about your performance, you will consult your grades online
and then speak with me.
Late Work Policy: Late work refers to any work that is not turned in at the time that I collect
it. You will not be allowed to go to your locker during class to get work. I expect you to hand in
all of your work complete and on time. Please speak with me in advance if there are
extenuating circumstances.
Homework will be checked at the beginning of class for completion or collected and
graded. Late homework assignments may not be made up for credit.
Any other written assignment (projects, essays, etc.) not turned in on the day it is due
will lose 10% per school day that it is late. This includes days our class does not meet.
Absences and Makeup Work: Attendance is extremely important. If you are absent, it is
your responsibility to find out what you missed. You are responsible for each days material
even if you are not in class. Until the work is made up, it will be recorded as a zero. Work
must be made up within two days upon your return to school. I encourage you to email me if
you are absent, and I will be happy to send you the work that you missed. Please speak with
me if there are any extenuating circumstances.
Extra Help and Writing Conferences: If you need extra help, please dont hesitate to
contact me! Stop by Room 207 or email me at [email protected] to make an appointment.
Contact - A note for parents/guardians: The easiest way for you to reach me is through email. I
will do my very best to return emails within 24 hours of receipt.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Please sign below to acknowledge that you have read and understood these
policies. Detach and return it next class.
I have read this course overview and I understand the class expectations.

Class Block __________________

Student Name________________________________________________________________________
Student Signature______________________________________________________________________
Student E-mail Address_________________________________________________________________
Parent/Guardian Name(s) _______________________________________________________________
Parent/Guardian Signature_______________________________________________________________
Parent/Guardian E-mail Address___________________________________________________________
Parent/Guardian phone number___________________________________________________________
Preferred method of contact:

email

phone