Mrs. Caid
email: hcaid@rivervalleyschools.org
Phone: 756-9541, extension 1111
English 11
American Experience
What is this class all about?
English 11 is a course dedicated to exploring American Literature chronologically through class discussion, writing, reading, and other activities. Throughout this course, you will have the opportunity to engage in many different activities, like class discussion, independent reading and connecting, media analysis, writing, standardized test preparation, and many other diverse things. Like most of your other traditional English classes, the emphasis will be on literature and communication through speaking and writing. This course also places great emphasis upon the historical time periods in which the literature was written; therefore, we will often connect our readings with historical occurrences.
Classroom rules and guidelines:
It all comes down to
RESPECT and RESPONSIBILITY
You are expected to respect every person in this class, every opinion in this class, every comment in this class, and every thing in this class. That does not mean that you will always agree with everything, and that’s okay! But it does mean that you can consider thoughtfully the feelings and possessions of other people in the room without trampling over those things. You have a right to your own thoughts, opinions, feelings and possessions, and you also have a right to be respected by others in the room. We cannot get anything done in this class if that one premise is ignored.
You are also responsible for your own learning. I do not “give” grades—you will earn them. I will happily provide you with opportunities to learn many new and interesting things, but I cannot force you to learn those things. You need to take the responsibility of your own learning into your own hands. That means coming to class fully prepared, doing every assignment, asking questions when you do not understand, and participating fully in discussion so that you can share your unique perspective with the rest of us.
These two things, RESPECT and RESPONSIBILITY, go hand in hand. If you respect all of the people in the room, including me and including yourself, you will take the responsibility to do your very best at all times. In return, I will do my very best to help you when you need help and to prepare you to succeed in every aspect of this class; however, I am not a magical mind reader. I need to know when you don’t understand something, when you have a problem, or when I could do something else to help you succeed.
Here is a list of the basic rules and their possible consequences. Please realize that for repeated offenses, the consequences may increase.
Rule 1: Be quiet when I’m talking
Consequence: Stay after class, detention
Rule 2: Be on time—Tardies count!
Consequence: 1st & 2nd offenses- verbal warning, notice sent home
3rd offense- notice sent home, detention with me
4th offense- Wed. detention
*See handbook for additional consequences.
Rule 3: No put-downs or swearing
Consequence: Conference with me after class, detention, possible office referral
Rule 4: No sleeping or putting your head down
Consequence: Stand up for duration of class, stay after class, detention.
I anticipate that you will not have a problem understanding and following my rules and guidelines; however, if an issue does arise that is not covered within these basic rules and consequences, you will generally receive a verbal warning, followed by a 20-30 minute (hard labor!) detention with me either before or after school.
What will we do in this class?
Just like in any other English class, you can expect to be reading and/or writing every day and even every night for homework. We will focus on several themes throughout the year. Here is a flexible list of what we may be doing during our time together this year:
- Chronological focus on the literature of the United States, including fiction, non-fiction, poetry and drama
- Preparation for standardized testing—Michigan Merit Exam (MME)
- Public Speaking: Formal and Informal
- Writing: Journals, reading logs, reading responses, character analysis essay, research paper, character poetry, artistic connections
- Media Awareness: Film analysis, Internet exploration and analysis, news articles, editorials
- Reading comprehension strategies and activities
- Vocabulary assignments and quizzes
- Grammar and writing style focuses
What should I bring to class?
Please come prepared! Besides the obvious things that you should bring to class every day (an open mind, your literature book, and a writing utensil), you will also need a three-ring binder with tabbed dividers (5 dividers). Please see me if you have a problem getting these things.
Your binder dividers will be labeled as follows:
~Literature
~Writing & Spelling Demons
~Grammar/Style
~Vocabulary
~MME Prep
How will my grade be calculated?
As I mentioned earlier, your grade is earned through your efforts; it is not a gift from me to you based upon something random or abstract. Each assignment is worth points. All of the points you earn are added together and divided by the total number possible to determine your percentage. This is the grade you earn. If you are on the brink of earning a higher grade, then you need to work harder to earn that grade—I will not “bump up” your grade. Extra credit will not be available. Plan to do all of the required work in order to succeed. With this in mind, please realize that this class is not designed to be impossible; however, it’s VERY simple—if you do not do your work, you will not pass.
- You may check your grade once a week on the printout on the back board. I will use your student ID number to post your grade so that it will be listed anonymously. If you need a printed progress report to take home for the fridge, please let me know at the beginning of the hour. You will always have an opportunity to be aware of your grade—it should never come as a surprise to you. Please be aware that I also send progress reports home randomly and periodically throughout the semester.
- I do not accept late work. I know that we all have bad days or other obligations, but you are JUNIORS in high school. You have an obligation to be responsible for handing in your own papers and managing your own grade at this point in your lives. You will receive one “Oops Coupon” per semester which entitles you to turn in an assignment one class period late. Remember though, that I am human, too. If something disastrous happens (this does not include printer problems or computer melt-down… plan ahead for these things!), please see me. Communication is the key to success!
- If you are absent it is your responsibility to figure out what you missed and make it up within two class periods of your absence. Failure to do so will result in missing assignments, which will negatively affect your grade. You should check the binder on the front table after absences—this binder contains instructions and any handouts given. If you know that you will be absent in advance, please see me—I am organized enough to let you know what you need to do in order to be caught up when you return.
- Plagiarism is a no-no! The plagiarism policy in your planner will be strictly enforced. If you copy someone else’s work (or allow someone else to copy your work), plan to receive a zero. If you turn in undocumented work that you did not create, undocumented ideas that you did not think, undocumented products that are not your own, you will receive a zero for the work. Penalties will continue to increase if you continue to plagiarize and may include failure of the marking period. I know that you have the knowledge in your own head to do the work that I expect in this class—please trust your own skills! Also, there is no magical “right answer” for most of the work we do in this class—it requires you to think your own thoughts and be able to express them so that others can comprehend them and respond to them intelligently.
- Hall passes: You will receive eight hall passes per semester that can be used to go to your locker, the restroom, drinking fountain, etc. You may not leave class without one of these passes—don’t even ask!
- I am easy to contact. Please feel free to email, phone, or see me in person if you have a question or a concern.
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English 11 Class Assignments
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Monday, October 31
1. Copy Vocab List #2 (see someone reliable).
2. Work on Crucible projects, due Thursday.
Tuesday, November 1
1. Grammar Mini-Lesson: Subject-verb agreement notes (see someone reliable). Complete only WS 1.
2. View video about the theories about why the witch trials occurred. Discuss.
Wednesday, November 2
1. Go over answer to WS 1. WS 2 due tomorrow.
2. Work on projects, due Thursday.
Thursday, November 3
1. Hand in projects.
2. Go over WS 2.
3. Discuss painting on pgs. 136-137.
4. Outline the intro to American Romanticism (pgs. 138-139, 142-150). Read (but don't outline) "The City Grim and Gray." Include info from charts on pgs. 144 and 149.
**There will be some time to work on this outline in class on Monday. It will be due on Tuesday. There will be an open notes quiz over Romanticism on Tuesday.
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