Welcome to English II Class of 2016!

1. Welcome to English II Class of 2016!

2. Course Description • Students in English II continue to increase and refine their communication skills by planning, drafting, and completing written compositions on a regular basis. Students edit their papers for clarity, engaging language, and the correct use of the conventions • and mechanics of written English and produce final, error-free drafts in all forms of writing. An emphasis is placed on various forms of writing. English II students read extensively in multiple genres from world literature. Students learn literary forms and terms associated with selections being read and interpret the possible influences of the historical context on a literary work.

3. Contact Information • Room: 243 • Email: troy.jarrell@ectorcountyisd.org

4. Tutoring Schedule • Monday – Thursday : 4:20- 5:00 • Tutoring during lunch is by appointment only. • Appointments must be made 24 hours in advance. • No tutoring on Fridays or before holiday breaks.

5. YAG • 1st 6 weeks – Journey through World Literature. • 2nd 6 weeks- Poetry/Drama • 3rd6 weeks- Analyzing Informational Text

6. YAG cont. • 4th 6 weeks- Persuasion • 5th6 weeks- Connecting Genres • 6th 6 weeks- Research

7. Class Norms • 1. Leave all Cellphones, purses, and back packs in the designated classroom areas (preferably not in the middle of the aisle); although, at times, cellphones phones maybe used for some approved classroom activities. I will have a list of free apps that will help you through the course of this class. • 2. Food and candy (We Will discuss this in class)

8. Class Norms • 3. You will be on time to class. • 4. You will meet all deadlines, homework, and project due dates. • 5. You will respect yourself and others, and actively and productively participate in class.

9. Consequences • 1. Verbal warning • 2. One-on-One Conference with the teacher • 3. Will result in notification of parents could result in ISS • 4. Any further disruptions could result in suspension and/or expulsion • I run a tight ship and expect nothing more than the best from my learners. Please consult your student handbook for campus wide expectations and consequences.

10. Make-up Work • It is the responsibility of the student to complete all missing assignments. I will not chase you and remind you what you owe. • Grades will be posted once a week on Monday.

11. Make-Up Work • Please do not interrupt class time for questions regarding make-up work.

12. Make-up • ECISD Policy states that the student has as many days that the student is absent plus one to make up daily homework.

13. Make-up • Any assignment turned in after the allotted make-up time will be an automatic zero in the grade book.

14. Reading • Yes, we will do plenty of reading from various genres including but not limited to: Fiction, Non-Fiction, Poetry and Hip-Hop as a poetic form, Dramatic Literature, Short Stories, academic articles and journals, and novels. We will study these genres as thematic units. These units will include vocabulary, literary elements, and analysis of the work and its historical context. We will do roundtable discussions, literature circles, and various other strategies to tackle the classics and modern works of these genres.

15. Reading • I believe that reading should be engaging and informational. If you interact with the text, you will find that wondrous worlds can be un-locked, and your knowledge base becomes vast and limitless. So fasten your seat belts, destination is unknown!!! You will find a list of possible readings later in the syllabus.

16. Writing Abydos Style • Journal- Each day we will begin with a short journal response. Journals will be checked on a weekly basis. As a result, the points earned on your journals will be added to your “Student Point Bank” (More on SPB later). This point bank will come in handy at the end of each six weeks period.

17. Writing • Formal Essays/Research- All essays will count as test grades, the purpose of the ELA program in Ector County is to enrich students’ writing skills. Writing is a process and will be taught as such in this class. I want you to be able to brainstorm, revise and edit, and produce meaningful academic essays. We will examine many genres of writing, and really focus on establishing your voice as a writer. We will focus our writing on expository and persuasive; however, we will review narrative and other genres of writing. We will learn the language of each of these styles and apply it to our writing.

18. Writing • Cornell Notes/OER’S/Summaries- Other forms of writings in this class will be achieved through Cornell Notes, Open-Ended Response questions, and summaries. The best way to retain information for quizzes, tests, and possible resources for essays, is through note taking and summarizing. So be prepared to take notes; answer OER questions; and summarize what we have discussed and what you have learned. Plus, you never know when I may be felling generous and allow you to use your notes on a test.

19. Plagiarism • Although the majority of the writings in this course will be your own original thoughts, some assignments will require research; therefore, Plagiarism will result in an automatic “F” on any assignment that shows evidence that the work is not original in thought. • We will review Plagiarism periodically in order to avoid any misunderstandings.

20. Thinking • Lastly, you will be required to think on a deeper level and more critically about every assignment and every reading that is covered in this class. Often, I will ask you to show your thought process through brainstorming, group reports, and various other mediums. After all, if we don’t use it we lose it!!!! There is so much to cover and very little time to do so; therefore, be prepared to contribute, work hard, and become committed life-long learners.

21. Student Point Bank • I do not give extra credit; however, the Student Point Bank is a system designed to help you with points that can be used at your discretion. You may earn up to ten extra points in a six weeks period. Now you may be thinking, “What will 10 extra points do?” Ten extra points can help dramatically if you are border line “F”- “C” or even “B”- “A”. At the end of the six weeks, you may add your ten points to either your lowest quiz grade (No Essays) or daily grade

22. Supplies • Three ring binder- (2-2 ½ inches Med size) • 2 packs of (8) dividers with tabs • Pens/Pencils (1 Package of each) • 1 Package of Red Pens • 2 packs of notebook paper (no college rule, please) • Flash Drive • Dictionary or thesaurus ( More on these in class) • 2 Journal/Composition Books • 2 packages of notecards lined on the front, colored coded, and bound

23. Supplies • Portfolio file folder • I will provide one of your journals/composition books. It is up to you to purchase the second one.

24. Helpful Hints • Be on time • Have all assignments turned in on time. • Participate • Handle your business.