English II

Mrs. Beddingfield

Course Syllabus

Heritage High

865-984-8110

email: beddingfieldk@blountk12.org

website: http://www.standardstoolbox.com

Dear Students,

Welcome to English 10! I hope you had a wonderful, relaxing summer break! Please allow me to introduce myself to you. My name is Mrs. Beddingfield, and I am a graduate of Heritage High School and the University of Tennessee. While at U.T I earned my B.A. Degree in History, English, and Secondary Education, as well as a Master of Science Degree in Education. This is my seventh year of teaching, and I am very excited about working with you! I believe we can learn a lot from one another, and we will all be very successful

Course Description

In this course, you will be introduced to a variety of literature including short stories, novels, essays, poems, and biographies. We will begin the semester by focusing on a central theme, which we will refer to the whole semester through reading, writing, and discussion. You will also conduct research throughout the entire semester by selecting a subtopic of interest within the theme. An emphasis will be placed on writing, consisting of journal entries, various essays, and the composition of a research paper. You will learn the literary and grammatical skills needed to successfully advance to the English 11 level. The course objectives are taken directly from the Tennessee State Curriculum.

Technology

I have a website that will be a useful tool for you this semester. There you may find a monthly calendar that will inform you of upcoming projects and assignments. If you are absent, you can look online to find out your homework assignment. Or, if you have trouble completing a homework assignment, you can log on to find helpful websites posted on the links section. (see above for link and password)

Class Responsibilities

Your responsibilities are

To attend class regularly
To be on time ƒá To be prepared for class
To meet deadlines
To use your time wisely
To be actively involved as a member of a group
To pay attention, listen, and not be disruptive
To treat others the way you wish to be treated
To be respectful
To stay awake at all times

Class Participation

You are expected to listen actively during and contribute to small and large group discussions. In addition, you are expected to take careful and thorough notes, regardless of whether there are detailed notes on the board. If I feel as though you are not participating, I will hand you a warning slip. If you do not fully participate (i.e. sleep, goof off, do not do assignments), you will be required to make up for lost time in detention. So, I strongly suggest that you pay attention and do your work when asked to do so.

Grading

Your grade is determined by the number of points you earn divided by the possible number of points you could have earned.
Your semester grade will be calculated as follows: First quarter = 40%, Second quarter = 40%, Gateway = 15%, Final Exam = 5%
Tests are worth 100 points as are major writing assignments. Quizzes are less than 100 points. Homework assignments and class work range between 10 to 50 points each.
You are allowed to revise writing assignments for a higher grade. Revisions are due within one week of being handed back. I will explain the revision process.
Grades for writing assignments, projects, and other long-term assignments are reduced one half grade step (A ¡÷ A- or ~ 4 points) for each day they are late. These assignments will be given no higher than a C range grade after two weeks and no higher than a D range grade after three weeks.
Your grades should not be a mystery to you. I update them online on a weekly basis. You should also keep track of your own grades and keep your grade record in your notebook. I will give you a sheet to keep in your notebook to record your grades.

Notebook

You will need to keep your course materials, notes, handouts, etc. in a binder (also referred to as your notebook). Your English notebook should have a separate section for vocabulary, grammar, and each reading/writing unit. Within those units, your notes, handouts, returned papers, tests, and quizzes should be kept in chronological order. I will collect and grade notebooks at random times throughout the semester.

Writing Portfolio

I will provide you with a folder with brackets in which you will store all writing assignments. This folder will remain in the classroom unless you need it overnight

Reading

You will be expected to read several books besides the ones that are assigned to you. Do not worry, though, you will be given class time to do this. Every Friday, we will spend some of the class time reading a book of our choice. More information on this will follow.

Make-upWork

When you return from being absent, it is your responsibility to check the assignment notebook for any assignments you may have missed. If anything is unclear, see me about a further explanation. You will have the exact number of days you were absent to complete any assignment. After that time, points will be deducted for lateness. However, it will be nearly impossible for you to make up many in-class group activities if you are absent. In some cases, I will give you alternative assignments, and you will need to confer with me about options. If you know beforehand that you will be absent, please inform me so that I can help you plan your makeup work. If you missed a quiz or an exam, you must make it up in the library Tuesday or Thursday before or after school. The quality of your work will be higher if you attend class regularly and meet all deadlines.

Late Work

It is very important that assignments are turned in on time. Not only does this help you make a good grade, but also it allows me to grade items in a timely manner. When you enter the workforce, you will be required to meet deadlines. Also, one day you will have to pay bills by a specific date so that you will avoid the late fee and a poor credit score. So, you need to practice turning in assignments when they are due. You will be issued three slips per nine weeks that you may use to buy an extra day for class/homework assignments. Once you have used those, you will receive a zero for late work.

Tardy Policy

When you enter the workforce you will quickly learn that you must be on time, or you will risk losing your job. Therefore, it is important that you practice being on time so that it will become second nature to you. If, in the unlikely event you are late, you will first receive a warning. If you are late a second time, you will receive one hour of detention. If you are late a third time, you will receive two hours of detention. On the fourth time that you are late, you will receive a referral to Principal McMahan. If you continue to be late, you will be sent to Everett for out of school suspension. Failure to comply with my tardy policy will result in automatic referral to the principal.

Leaving Class

If you wish to leave class for any reason, you must sign in and out of the classroom. Since I do take the class on a bathroom break, I would ask that you refrain from asking me to go to the restroom unless it is an absolute emergency

Materials/Supplies

1 three-ring binder for class notebook, at least 1 inch thick with a plastic sleeve on the outside.
journal
Pencils, pens (black/blue ink only- other colors will not be accepted)
Red pen for corrections
Thesaurus (not required, but strongly recommended) .

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