Welcome to 10th Grade English
Dear Parents and Students:
It is my pleasure to welcome you and your child to tenth grade, English II. During this school year, English II will focus on continuing student skills in grammar, spelling, vocabulary, literature, and composition. In addition, students will be expected to continue developing organizational skills, taking responsibility, and learning to follow directions.
Teacher: Teacher expectations and goals are kept in the front office. You are welcome to review them through the office.
Parents: Parents are expected to take an active role in their student’s education. A progress report will be sent home in the middle of every six weeks grading period. It is not a reminder for students to make-up work. See make-up policy.
Tests: Major tests such as: Literature, grammar, and vocabulary will be announced in advance, however, students may expect unannounced quizzes.
Makeup Policy: It is the student’s responsibility to make up work in a reasonable amount of time following an absence. All assignments are documented on a calendar in the front of the classroom for each day. IT IS THE STUDENT’S RESPONSIBILITY TO FIND OUT WHAT THEY MISSED AND ASK FOR IT. County policy states that a student has a corresponding number of days to complete missed work as they were absent. (Example: A Student out three days must complete work within three days of returning.)
If a student has not been absent, then no make-up work is accepted, unless accompanied with a parent note to explain the extenuating circumstances. This should not be abused by student or parent. Students are expected to turn work in on time. Late work is not acceptable.
Grading Scale: Grades will be computed using the Pinellas County Grading Scale. This scale is as follows: A = 90 - 100; B = 80- 89; C = 70-79; D = 60-69; F = 0-59.
Assignment Value:All assignments are not equal value. Grades are assigned a point value. Typically, tests are 100 points, Homework, (HW) 20 to 50 points, Class work, (CW) 20- 50 points, Projects 100 point. Students are free to ask for their current grade average before or after class. Parents are encouraged to use parent connect.
Homework: Homework is given on a regular basis to reinforce classroom study. Unless a student has been absent, then no homework will be accepted late. Homework is often started in class and students are expected to finish the assignment at home. Students are often given time in class to begin homework assignments, but are expected to complete it at home.
Extra Credit: Students are given several opportunities to earn extra credit each grading period.
Restroom Policy: If an emergency arises and the student must leave the classroom they are not penalized. Each student must sign out with the teacher and are given a clipboard as a hall pass. If the student has to use the facilities more than three times in a marking period, then they will be given detention to make up the time they missed out of class. I cannot teach students who are not present in the classroom. It is the student’s responsibility to attend to their needs prior to English class. If there is a specific problem that might require the student to leave the classroom, I will accept a parent or Doctor’s note indicating a limited time period for excused emergencies.
Conferences: During school hours, conferences may be arranged through the school guidance office or assistant principals.
Inclusion Class: Many of my classes are inclusion classes, consisting of regular education students and ESE, ESOL and Goals students. All students in the class are seeking a standard high school diploma. Mr. Winship is a regular curriculum teacher. All work is in accordance to the State Sunshine Standards for intensive English. None of the work has been altered, but some accommodations have been made to assist our inclusion students.
Textbooks: Fortunately, the school has enough books to issue to each student and to keep a class set. This means the student should bring home a textbook and leave it there to do homework from.
| Textbooks: |
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Elements of Literature, Fourth Course . New York: Holt Rinehart And Winston, 2003
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Elements of Language, Fourth Course. Orlando, Fl.: Holt, Rinehart And Winston, 2001.
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| Instructional Materials: |
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Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros and Separate Peace by John Knowles
Supplemental Reading Materials:(Newspapers, FCAT practice books, teacher handouts, etc.)
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Materials Required On a Daily Basis:
1. A folder to keep work in progress (called a portfolio). Students may leave this in class in the designated milk crate.
2. Wide rule notebook paper. Each student should have their own supply
3. Blue or black ink pen, to be used for most assignments. They should also have several #2 pencils for use on scantrons during high stakes testing (FCAT, KAPLAN, etc.)
Student Expectations:
1. Students are expected to be in their assigned seats and started on work as the tardy bell rings.
2. Students are expected to provide their own materials on a daily basis. (See above)
3. Students are expected to work quietly and not disturb others.
4. Students are expected to stay on task and be cooperative.
5. Students may not touch the electrical equipment in the room unless invited to do so. This includes computers, fans, overhead projectors, etc.
Discipline:
1. General warning and rule discussion.
2. Specific warning to student and behavior.
3. Detention and/or phone call to parent/guardian. Automatic detention if student has been repeatedly warned.
4. Referral to office or counselor.
5. Severe disruption such as physical abuse, verbal abuse, or vandalism results in an automatic office referral.
Thank you for taking the time to review this information. This should be reviewed with your student.
Sincerely,
Mr. Robert C. Winship
The First Six Weeks 2006-2007
The 10th Grade English student will be studying short stories from their literature books. As they read, they will be expected to identify literary elements such as: Character, Setting, Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Resolution, Point of View, and other literary techniques, as well as be able to respond to questions about the story. Students will be called upon from time to time to finish reading the literature at home (homework). Each student will be or has been issued a literature book to take home and keep at home for this purpose.
The literature short stories will be accompanied by ten to twelve vocabulary words from the story. The vocabulary words are identified in the textbook at the bottom of the page in which they appear (Words to Own). They are also accompanied by the part of speech and a definition. The students will be expected, for homework, to find these vocabulary words and copy the accompanying information on a sheet of paper along with the sentence that contained the word from the story and to write an original sentence of their own, using the vocabulary word correctly. I will indicate how much time the students will have to complete these when I make the assignments
Students will normally be tested on each story, the vocabulary and a mini lesson about grammar each Friday. The grammar assignment is in the literature book at the end of each story; it is entitled Language Link. In addition there are worksheets about literary technique and grammar that the students will do during class, prior to the test. Students will also be asked to answer select questions at the end of each story. These questions are entitled Making Meaning. I also will expect students to take notes about the literary story that I will provide prior to the test as a review. (I often allow students to use these notes during the test.) I will collect the notes on Friday with the test, give them a grade and count the notes as part of their average.
As students are given the “high stakes” FCAT test during 10th grade, and that passing the test can determine whether a student may or may not graduate, students will practice in order to prepare for the FCAT. Students will be expected to continue practicing for the Florida writes test and the FCAT until the tests are taken in February and March. This will necessitate time devoted to practice writing persuasive and/or expository assignments, or practicing FCAT strategies by responding to specific examples. These practice writings and practice examples will be reflected as recorded grades towards the student’s six week average.
he beginning of each class I will comply with the mandatory 10 minute reading period. Teachers have been asked to make sure that students are reading for 10 minutes at the beginning of each class period. The students are expected to be reading select books that they must test on by the end of the six weeks on a computer program. Failure to comply will result in a lower grade for the student.
