Sept 05, 2012 – Junior English

1. Sept 05, 2012 – Junior English You will need: • Pen/Pencil • Into the Wild • Notebook or lined paper • Highlighter HW: • Get classroom agreement signed • Sign up for turnitin.com Agenda: • Introduction • Classroom Agreement • Turnitin.com • Quick-write • Music of Into the Wild

2. The American Voice • Focus on American Social and Cultural changes through the eyes of various “voices” • Themes: revolution, love, war, equality, social justice, and personal change • You will become a skilled reader of texts written in a variety of periods, disciplines, and rhetorical contexts • You will find your own voice and become a skilled writer who can compose for a variety of purposes

3. American Voices • The Critics: • Arthur Miller – The Crucible • Mark Twain – Huckleberry Finn, and Mysterious Stranger • The Cynic: • F. Scott Fitzgerald – The Great Gatsby • The Realist: • Tim O’Brien – The Things They Carried • The Humanists: • Arthur Miller – Death of a Salesman • August Wilson – Fences • ??? • YOU

4. Classroom Agreement - Attendance Policy: • Please be present in class and on time every day we meet. It is important to regularly attend class to avoid missing any important coursework. • Absences. All absences must be cleared by the attendance office prior to your arrival back to class. • Tardiness. A tardy is deemed excused when the student shows written evidence signed by a school employee. 1st unexcused tardy in will result in a warning, for the 2nd (in the semester) you will be awarded a detention. • Planned Absences. You may request “make-up” work prior to your absence at least 2 class sessions in advance, and I will be happy to assist you. Any later and there is little assurance that I will help you. In the event of an emergency, please see me when you return to school.

5. Late Work Policy: • Daily Work & Quizzes: Late work will be accepted for full credit only in the event of an excused absence. For every day absent (so long as it’s excused), you have 1 class day to complete the assignment and earn full credit. Keep in mind that responsibility rests entirely upon your shoulders when it comes to making up missed work – I will not hound you for assignments • In the event of laziness, busyness, or forgetfulness – you will have 7 calendar days to turn in work for 60% credit. After that, no late work will be accepted. If the 7th day should fall during a no-school day, your work may be turned in on the first day class is back in session. • If you have an unexcused absence, you will not be permitted to earn any points from the day you missed. This includes tests & major projects. • I understand that in some cases (family emergencies, injuries, etc.) you may not be able to complete homework, even though you appear in class the next day. In such cases, please have a parent/guardian contact me at the earliest convenience to discuss opportunities to make up for lost work/time. My decisions will be based on a “case by case” basis.

6. Grading Scale: ***I DO NOT SCALE/ROUND UP*** A 90-100% B 80-89% C 70-79% D 60-69% F Below 60% ***SERIOUSLY, I DO NOT ROUND UP***

7. Basic Classroom Expectations: • Please be prepared to start class when the bell rings. Always bring a pen, paper, and any necessary course materials. If homework was assigned, be ready to turn it in. • Hallway breaks (restroom, water) are permitted. 1 gentleman and 1 lady are permitted to be out of the room at a time. Please wait for my acknowledgment before you leave and please be as quiet and undisruptive as possible. If you are going anywhere else, please get my written permission. • You may have beverages in the classroom as long as they have a closable lid/top to prevent spills. • When a Substitute teacher is in the classroom, they are to be shown the utmost respect. If a substitute records your name as being disruptive, I will always take their word over yours. You will be issued a detention. • Cell Phones, Video/Music Players, and Video Games are not permitted to be used during class time. Phones are to be silent, out of sight, and out of hand. Check your messages between classes. • First offense: Verbal warning - put it on silent and put it away (or in the bucket) • Second offense: Confiscation until 3pm of the school day and loss of points for the day • Third offense: Confiscation, Office Referral (see an administrator to get phone back), and loss of points. • **Refusing to relinquish your phone will result in an automatic detention & Office Referral for refusing to follow instructions – REMEMBER – THIS IS A SCHOOL POLICY

8. Social Networking • You DO NOT need to participate • Facebook • Twitter - @MrMurphyNHS • Wordpress – Mr. Murphy’s Classroom Blog • Take the Classroom Agreement home, let a parent/guardian look it over, and have it signed

9. Turnitin.com • EVERYTHING that you type will be submitted unless I tell you otherwise • Sign up for my class on turnitin.com (make sure to enroll in the correct period) • Plagiarism isn’t just against school rules, it is illegal… don’t do it

10. Quick-write • Everyone is influenced by music in some way. Some of us react negatively to certain songs, while others play them over and over until we know them by heart. • Think of a song – or better yet, a specific lyric – that you have a strong reaction to • Explain what that reaction is • Explain WHY you react in that way

11. Quick-write • Everyone is influenced by music in some way. Some of us react negatively to certain songs, while others play them over and over until we know them by heart. • Listen to the following clips • After each one, write: • One sentence that shows your reaction to the music • A second sentence explaining WHY you reacted the way you did.

12. Into the Wild – Song Analysis • Your Task: Given your understanding of the character and the story, explain how McCandless would respond to lyrics of the song. Use evidence from the book to support your answer. • A good response should include: • An explanation of McCandless’ response to the song overall • Identification of specific lyrics that McCandless would respond to, and an explanation of how he would respond to each • Support (quotations from Into the Wild) for each explanation from the text, with citations and page numbers • A short (5-6 sentence) explanation of the connection between the response to the song/the parts of the song, and the textual evidence you have identified • This is where you can employ your knowledge of using CD’s (Concrete Details) and CM’s (Commentary)