Welcome to Back to School Night!

1. Welcome to Back to School Night!

2. English 9

3. Units of Study • Quarter 1: The Multiparagraph Essay During this time we write two essays, one literature based and one personal. Quarter 2: To Kill a Mockingbird I normally assign two chapters a day. Some is read in class and some at home. Following a reading assignment, students take a reading quiz on the chapters assigned. There is a test after the first eleven chapters and at the end of the book.

4. Quarter 3: Great Expectations The regular assignment is two chapters a day, followed by a reading quiz. There are tests following each of the three parts of the novel. Quarter 4: Romeo and Juliet The play is read entirely in class, with quizzes following each of the five acts, along with a vocabulary test for each act, along with a final test after we finish.

5. Day-to-Day Assignments • Following the initial multiparagraph unit, there will be an essay every six weeks. Much of the essay is written in class, with the final draft typed at home. • Most of the homework, apart from the essays, will be reading the core novels. Notes will be taken on each reading assignment and may be used on the reading quiz. The notes are also graded.

6. The first ten minutes of each period is a reading time. Students register a book from the book list and are required to bring the book to class each day. Each day is worth ten points.

7. Outside Reading • Each student has an outside reading goal of 400 pages each quarter. • Their job, in an oral interview, is to convince me they have read the book. If successful they receive credit for the number of pages in the book. • Most of the outside reading will be done outside of class.

8. Each student has a sheet that explains the outside reading assignment more fully.

9. Potential Problem Areas • The biggest problem for freshmen is absences. Following an absence they must talk to me to find out what they missed. They have the same number of days they were absent plus two to make up the work. If the work is not made up within this time frame, it becomes a zero. • Checking my website and PASS often will help prevent problems with work not being completed and/or not turned in.

10. Honors English 9

11. Units for the Year • The Multiparagraph Essay • Great Expectations • Style Analysis • The Great Divorce • A Separate Peace • Romeo and Juliet

12. Day-to-Day Assignments • After the initial unit, there will be an essay due every three weeks. • The usual reading assignment for core novels is two chapters each day. There will be a reading quiz for each assignment.

13. Outside Reading • Honors students have a goal of 600 outside reading pages each quarter. • All books come from a book list. • When they finish a book, they set up an oral interview with me. Their job is to convince me they read the book. If they do they get credit for the number of pages in the book. • Each student has a sheet that explains the outside reading more fully.

14. Economics • We will cover approximately twelve or thirteen chapters from the text. • Students take both class and book notes on each section of each chapter. They may then use their notes on the section quiz and on the chapter test. • They need to define at least twenty vocabulary words for each chapter. • There is a test for each chapter, along with unit tests and the final exam.

15. Each student chooses a business to report on. They have until next Friday, October 8, to give me the name of their business. • The report is due before Christmas vacation. • Each student will receive a sheet that fully explains the report requirements. • Each student is required to read an economics-related book each quarter. It is their job, in an oral interview, to convince me they read the book.

16. The outside reading goal for each student is 400 pages for each quarter. • Students will be playing the Stock Market Game starting October 11. The game lasts for ten weeks and requires each team to invest $100,000 in the stock market. During the ten weeks they are required to make at least 50 trades. All of the work is done on-line and is an excellent practical learning simulation as well as being a lot of fun. The winner receives a $25 dollar reward.