English 2

Ms. Emily Broyles

Email: Emily_Broyles@dpsk12.org (preferred method of contact)

Phone: 720-424-1801

Office Hours: Wednesday 7:30am-7:55am in room 215

Meetings by appointment (please no drop-ins)

 

Course Overview:

 

This year long course builds on the literary analysis foundation students received in 9th grade English.  It will focus on developing the skills needed for the advanced literacy and composition courses offered to upperclassmen, specifically skills around sophisticated textual analysis, author’s style and purpose study, rhetorical inquiry and vocabulary mastery.  We will evaluate the reoccurring themes of freedom, justice and the pursuit of happiness using a diverse range of literature.  Throughout the year students will read multiple acclaimed novels, which will be supplemented with plays, short stories, essays, poems, excerpts, and historical nonfiction.  Students will demonstrate their learning in writing through regular written assignments that represent mastery of the argumentative, technical, and creative writing genres. This class will address the 10th grade grammar, spelling and usage skills which will be assessed on formal assessments such as the ACT.  Students are invited to take this course for honors, and will need to complete an Honors Contract with Ms. Broyles during the first 2 weeks of school.

  

Rules and Expectations:

• Students will act with respect and use respectful language towards the teacher, their fellow students, and all staff and visitors in our classroom.  In return, I will always treat you and your family with respect.

• Students will check my website daily and will self-advocate and ask for help/come to office hours when they need more support.

• No food or drink is allowed in the classroom, with the exception of water in a sealed container.

• Cameras and over recording devices are allowed only with prior approval.

• Students who ditch class on the day of a major assignment, test or presentation will NOT be allowed to make up what they missed.

• Cheating and sharing of work without explicit permission to do so will result in a zero for both the cheater and the student who allowed their work to be copied.

• Student will assume everyone’s positive intentions and will bring their materials and good attitude to class each day.

• CELL PHONE POLICY: If I see a cell phone out during class I will take it.  The first time this happens, I will lock it up and give it back to the student at the end of the school day.  Any additional instances, I will lock it up until a parent comes to get it from me.  Please do not call or text your student during class, call the front office and they will send a note to your student.  By signing this syllabus, parents and students are acknowledging this classroom policy.

 

Materials:

Students must have a three ring binder filled with lined paper dedicated only to English 2 in class each day.  I will give out all handouts as 3-hole punched and I expect these handouts to be organized and present in class each day.  Students should label their dividers Quarter 1, Quarter 2, Quarter 3 and Quarter 4.  I have found that students who struggle in this class almost always also struggle to keep their materials organized.  A three ring binder is not only required for this course, but it will help place all students on the path to organizational success as well.

 

This year we will read the following texts:

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neal Hurston (purchase by September 6)

A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry (provided)

Othello by William Shakespeare (provided)

The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy (purchase by January 3)

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz (bring to class by April 4, can be a library copy)

 

Students will need to purchase three novels for English 2 this year (see above).  These texts can be purchased from a local bookstore or from online vendors.  Amazon.com offers these titles for as low $5 for a used copy.  Students will need to bring their copy of the book every day to class while we are working on these texts.  They will receive credit for their annotations and highlighting of the text, so it is important that they have a blank copy that they can write it.

 

Students will need a pencil and highlighters daily for class, in addition to their English 2 student notebook.

 

Grading:

Grades will be made available to students and parents through Infinite Campus.  A student’s grade will consist of 40% for process assignments (homework, academic participation) and 60% for product assignments (tests, quizzes and projects) per quarter.  In accordance with district policy each quarter will be entered as a stand-alone grading period. Each quarter will count as 45% of the semester grade with the remaining 10% coming from the final semester assessment.

 

**Emailed assignments will not be accepted, unless previously arranged with Ms. Broyles.  Please turn in all late and missing assignments to the late work folder in class.

 

DPS District Grading Rubric:

93-100% = A, 90-92% = A-, 87-89% = B+, 83-86% = B, 80-82% = B-

77-79% = C+, 73-76% = C, 70-72% = C-, 60-69% = D, 0-59% = F  

 

Honors:

All students in Ms. Broyles’ English 2 class are invited to take this class for honors.  Students who take this course as honors will be challenged through additional readings and assignments to explore the unit themes in greater depth.  It will include additional homework and intensive reading and writing outside of class.   First semester, students will read an additional independent novel and write an essay which reflects the themes of the semester in that text.  Second semester, students will work with a partner to read and analyze classically paired novels.   In return, students who pass Honors English 2 will receive weighted credit for this class in their G.P.A.  If a student receives an F in Honors English 2 at the semester, they will not be allowed to take this course for honors during second semester.  Students will be asked to sign an Honors Contract with Ms. Broyles during the first 2 weeks of school to indicate if they will take Honors English 2.  Once a student is committed to taking an honors course they cannot reverse their decision until the end of the semester.  All students and their parents should consider the student’s strengths, needs, and prior schedules this year before committing to taking any honors course.

 

Absences and Make-Up Work:

DSA policy states that students will not be academically penalized for their first 5 excused and/or unexcused absences for the whole school year.  After these first 5 absences, students must present appropriate documentation in order for additional absences to be excused and to have the ability to complete make up work.  Students with unexcused absences after the first 5 absences will not have the ability to complete make up work and will receive a “0” for any missed work.  Students have 48 hours to turn in any make-up work (see page 20 of the DSA Student Handbook).  If a student misses this 48 hour window, but turns the assignment in within one week of their original absence, they will receive half credit for the assignment. 

 

Important: If students are considered present at DSA, but are not in class (particularly for pull-outs, midday rehearsal/performances and/or field trips) it is their responsibility to contact me in reference to work and tests they may miss as early as possible (at least 1 class period in advance). Unless previously discussed, all work for these days will be due on the original due date.
 

Late Work:
Homework and other “process” work will be accepted late for one calendar week for 50% credit.  After one week the student will receive a zero.  Major assignments, papers, and other “product” work will be docked 10% for each day it is late for one calendar week.  After one week the student will receive a zero.

 

 

Academic Integrity:

Academic honesty is a fundamental principal of learning; therefore, written or other work which students submit must be their own and must follow proper citation guidelines. Please become familiar with the citation formats that will be used in this class. Presenting someone else’s work as your own, no matter where it originated, is cheating. If you choose to cheat on an assignment you will earn no credit for the assignment and a referral will be sent the Dean’s Office. 

 

 

 Students and parents, please a take moment to become familiar with this syllabus and sign below before September 2nd.  Please note that I reserve the right to make modifications to the course outline as necessary to best meet the needs of our class.  I look forward to learning together this year!

 

***The best way to contact me is (circle one):                          phone                                     email

 

The phone number or email address Ms. Broyles should use is:­­­­­­­­­­______________________________________________________

 

 

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(student signature)                                                                  (date)

 

 

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(parent signature)                                                                    (date)