Advanced Reading and Study Skills (Critical Reading)

1. Advanced Reading and Study Skills (Critical Reading)

2. Basic Information • Instructor: Vickie Ball • Planning Period: 3rdPeriod (11:25-12:10) • School E-Mail Address: Vickie.ball@harlanind.kyschools.us • School Mailing Address: Harlan High School 420 East Central Street Harlan, KY 40831 • School Phone: 606-573-8750 • Home E-Mail Address: kkball@harlanonline.net • HISD’s Web Page with Link to V. Ball’s Web Page: http://www.harlan-ind.k12.ky.us/ • Parent Portal Link (where parents and students can view up-to-date grade averages): https://infinitecampus.kyschools.us/campus/portal/harlanindependent.jsp

3. Textbook • $17.00 (use in both Critical Reading and English III) • Text will become your personal property at the end of English III

4. Introduction The Advanced Reading and Study Skills class at Harlan High School is designed to engage juniors in becoming more highly skilled readers by augmenting and intensifying the reading instruction currently provided in the school’s current English and reading classes.

5. Goals • Distinguishing between fact and opinion; • Recognizing an author’s intent, attitude, and tone; • Analyzing the use of argument; • Recognizing inferences; • Forming conclusions using inductive and deductive reasoning; • Identifying appropriate strategies for fiction reading versus nonfiction reading • Identifying strategies for reading college-level textbooks; • Developing flexibility in reading rates; • Improving vocabulary-in-context skills.

6. Grading Policy The course notebook, homework, in-class assignments, in-class participation, projects, and tests will be counted individually toward a total number of accumulated points. To obtain a student's grade, the number of points earned will be divided by the total number of possible points.

7. Grading Scale • Grading Scale • 95-100 A • 88-94 B • 80-87 C • 70-79 D • 69  F

8. Late Assignments • According to the student handbook, students have one day per excused absence to make up any work that has been missed. (This includes tests, quizzes, and all assignments.) It is the responsibility of the student to ask for the makeup work. • Any assignment that is otherwise late will be accepted; however, one letter grade will be deducted for each day the assignment is late. After a failing grade has been earned, the assignment will not be accepted.

9. Required Materials Students are required to bring the following materials to class on a daily basis: an organized Critical-Reading three-ring binder notebook and a writing utensil, plus any other specified materials. The three-ring binder notebook will be extremely important in this class and will, therefore, be graded periodically and randomly as quiz grades. For consistently excellent scores on these notebook quizzes, all handouts and notes from class must be organized in chronological order—not stuck in the pockets in the front or back of the notebook.

10. General Class Rules • Class time is extremely important in Critical Reading. Students are expected to be in their seats BY THE TIME THE BELL RINGS, because I will already be teaching by that time. (In accordance with the student handbook, any student who is tardy for any reason must bring a tardy slip from the office.) If a student has forgotten materials and needs to return to his locker, he must obtain a tardy slip before returning to class. • A student who has missed class the previous day must bring his absence excuse with him to class. If a student must leave class to obtain one or is late to class because he is obtaining one, he must also bring a tardy excuse from the office. • A student who has an excused absence (according to the handbook) is given one day per excused absence to make up any work. This includes tests, quizzes, homework assignments, and any projects. If a student does not ask for his make-up work the day after he was absent, he will NOT be allowed to make up the work. This is very important for students to remember: It is THEIR responsibility to ask for make-up work.