Course Description: This course covers the prescriptive grammatical elements of Formal Standard English with the intention that students incorporate these elements into their own writing. Writing assignments include several paragraphs as well as two to three five paragraph essays.
The Literature component is a chronologic survey of American Literature beginning with the Colonial Period and finishing in the Modern Era. The survey includes the study of short fiction, poetry, and novels in the American literary canon.
Students are responsible for Accelerate Reader and weekly vocabulary quizzes.
Grading is based on an accumulation of total points from daily assignments, grammar and literature tests, paragraphs, essays, weekly vocabulary, and Accelerated Reader points.
Course Outline: The course will alternate between the studies of literature, grammar, and composition to emphasize the role each plays in attaining the ultimate goal of any language arts course of study—improvement of the individual student’s written communication skills. The paragraphs and essays written during the class should reflect the student’s best formal written communication effort.
There will be two to three tests each quarter.
Normally, some time each week will be focused specifically on building vocabulary skills.
Accelerated Reader: Each quarter students are required to accumulate 10 Accelerated Reader (AR) points which will be averaged into the quarter grade at a value of 50 total points. AR points earned above 10 will be counted as extra credit. For example, a score of 7/10 AR points goes into the grade book as 35/50, but a score of 15/10 AR points goes into the grade book as 75/50. Obviously, by doing extra reading, students can get extra credit. Approved AR books are on a class room reading list. To read a book outside this list, the student must first have it approved by the teacher.
Note on Absenteeism: Students who are absent should not wait until the class meets again to find out what they missed. When they return to school they should come see the teacher before school starts that day. Class time will not be used to get them caught up.
Also, those who will be gone for activities need to get the make up work done before the activity. Do not wait until you return to class to find out what you missed.
Excused absent students have two school days for every day absent to complete their make up work. After the allotted time period passes, the grade becomes a zero.
