The following will be placed in the grade book one time per assignment…
Daily Grades, Effort Grades, Questions, Vocabulary Checks, Quizzes, etc.
The following will be placed in the grade book twice per assignment…
Tests, Formal Essays, Projects, etc.
Exceptions might occur, but this will be the usual procedure used to determine your average. Ultimately, the more labor intensive the assignment, the more it counts.
Assignments are expected on the day they are due.
- One day late = - 30 points
- Two days late = - 50 points
- Three or more days late =0
If you are absent, work that was due during the absence that you knew about is due on the day you return to school. It is the student’s responsibility to be certain that this work is turned in to the teacher.
If you are absent, it is your responsibility to find out what you missed. I will not come to you to give you your assignments. Ask a classmate what was done and pick up any handouts, etc. from the missed work stack in the front of the room.
If you miss a test or quiz, it must be made up within one week of returning to school. Make up days are Tuesdays and Thursdays, 3:15—4:15. If you cannot come in on a Tuesday or Thursday, you will need to rework your after-school schedule. If you cannot change your schedule, you can speak with me about the need for an extra make up day or time, but I cannot guarantee that one will be provided.
All handwritten assignments must be done on loose-leaf notebook paper using blue/black ink or pencil.
All typed assignments must be completed using a 12-point Times New Roman font, double spacing, and MLA formatting.
What You Can Expect
- We will complete one unit of vocabulary each week. This work is to be done in class. If you work ahead of the class, you will lose 50 points from any assignment that is checked.
- Assignments are checked at random intervals. You will always know what is assigned, but you will not know if it will be graded. Some of these grades are simply effort; some are for accuracy.
- Every Friday you will take a quiz covering spelling, pronunciation, parts of speech, definitions, synonyms, antonyms, and usage for that week’s vocabulary unit. For example, you will have a quiz this Friday, January 9 over Unit One.
- Every Monday you will take a quiz covering the definitions and spelling of all words completed so far in the semester. For example, on Monday, January 12, you will have a quiz reviewing all the words in Unit One. On Tuesday, January 18 (because we’re out on Monday), you will have a quiz covering Units One and Two.
- Vocabulary is extremely important to your average. 3,000 + points that make up your grade are taken from vocabulary alone. Be sure to study on a regular basis.
- The study of American Literature is similar to the work done in a history class. We will work chronologically through the literature of the United States. We will also be discussing historical events and moods. Our main mission will be to determine how the literature reflects the time period in which it was written.
- While others can be given, two major assignment types will be given in relation to literature. You will read works written by American authors and respond to those writings by answering questions. You will also, at least once per week, write a reader response in which you choose one of the pieces we have read and discuss theme, character, plot, etc.
- In most cases, questions will be taken up the day before a test. You will need to keep all questions and have them ready to turn in the day they are due. For example, we will be reading nine selections for our first unit of American Literature. You will need to complete the assigned questions for each of the readings and then keep them until the day before the test. Questions are usually taken up for effort grades. If you do what you are assigned, you will make a 100—most of the time. The day before the test, we will review the questions together as a review for the test.
- Reader responses will be due the day after they are assigned. They will be graded for spelling, appropriateness of the topic, and support given for your main idea.
- We will also be reading novels during this semester—The Scarlet Letter and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. More details will be provided later.
We will be writing on a regular basis throughout the semester. Some assignments will be given simply as writing practice, while others will be graded in depth. For major writing assignments, you will be given a grading sheet that will let you know what you should expect.
- We will be completing “Daily Grammar Practice” during the course of the semester. For those of you who have not done this before, you will soon get the hang of the routine. You are given a sentence and we analyze that sentence to determine parts of speech, sentence type, diagramming, etc. I will teach the first five sentences that we complete this semester. After that, you will draw numbers to see what sentence you will be teaching the class. You will be given the key and given ample time to ask any questions you might have regarding the sentence. You will be graded on your presentation of the information and how well you can explain the sentence, its words, and its parts. You will not be allowed to ask the teacher any questions on the day(s) of your teaching. If you need explanation or help, ask at least one day before your sentence is to be taught. In other words, BE PREPARED.
- Literature tests are unit-based. You will have approximately 13 major unit tests. You will be given the test date well in advance in order to prepare.
- Literature quizzes may be given at any time. They will usually cover a specific reading assignment. They are meant to check to see if you have actually read the assignment given. Some quizzes, especially covering novels, will cover more information.
- Grammar quizzes may be deemed necessary if Daily Grammar Practice seems to be a struggle. The quizzes will be designed to help you be more successful in understanding the English Language.
- Literary Term quizzes will be given on a weekly basis on Wednesdays.
- Other quizzes and tests, including vocabulary, will also be given throughout the semester when needed.
- You will have a state-mandated End of Course Test in this course. The grade you make on this test will be 15% of your overall average. This is not a test that I make, this is a computer based test written and given by the state of Georgia. We will prepare as best as we can for this test, but you will need to be certain to do your absolute best on the test when it is given in May.
If time permits, you will be giving presentations during the course of the semester. Specific criteria and grading parameters will be given to you in advance so that you will know exactly what you will need to cover and how to cover it.
You will need to have a three-ring binder with loose-leaf paper and section dividers. You will also need blue or black pens and lots of pencils.
The following will be placed in the grade book one time per assignment…
Daily Grades, Effort Grades, Questions, Vocabulary Checks, Quizzes, etc.
The following will be placed in the grade book twice per assignment…
Tests, Formal Essays, Projects, etc.
Exceptions might occur, but this will be the usual procedure used to determine your average. Ultimately, the more labor intensive the assignment, the more it counts.
Assignments are expected on the day they are due.
- One day late = - 30 points
- Two days late = - 50 points
- Three or more days late = 0
If you are absent, work that was due during the absence that you knew about is due on the day you return to school. It is the student’s responsibility to be certain that this work is turned in to the teacher.
If you are absent, it is your responsibility to find out what you missed. I will not come to you to give you your assignments. Ask a classmate what was done and pick up any handouts, etc. from the missed work stack in the front of the room.
If you miss a test or quiz, it must be made up within one week of returning to school. Make up days are Tuesdays and Thursdays, 3:15—4:15. If you cannot come in on a Tuesday or Thursday, you will need to rework your after-school schedule. If you cannot change your schedule, you can speak with me about the need for an extra make up day or time, but I cannot guarantee that one will be provided.
All handwritten assignments must be done on loose-leaf notebook paper using blue/black ink or pencil.
All typed assignments must be completed using a 12-point Times New Roman font, double spacing, and MLA formatting.
What You Can Expect
- We will complete one unit of vocabulary each week. This work is to be done in class. If you work ahead of the class, you will lose 50 points from any assignment that is checked.
- Assignments are checked at random intervals. You will always know what is assigned, but you will not know if it will be graded. Some of these grades are simply effort; some are for accuracy.
- Every Friday you will take a quiz covering spelling, pronunciation, parts of speech, definitions, synonyms, antonyms, and usage for that week’s vocabulary unit. For example, you will have a quiz this Friday, January 9 over Unit One.
- Every Monday you will take a quiz covering the definitions and spelling of all words completed so far in the semester. For example, on Monday, January 12, you will have a quiz reviewing all the words in Unit One. On Tuesday, January 18 (because we’re out on Monday), you will have a quiz covering Units One and Two.
- Vocabulary is extremely important to your average. 3,000 + points that make up your grade are taken from vocabulary alone. Be sure to study on a regular basis.
- The study of British and World Literature is similar to the work done in a history class. We will work chronologically through the literature of Britain and other cultures. We will also be discussing historical events and moods. Our main mission will be to determine how the literature reflects the time period in which it was written.
- While others can be given, two major assignment types will be given in relation to literature. You will read works written by American authors and respond to those writings by answering questions. You will also, at least once per week, write a reader response in which you choose one of the pieces we have read and discuss theme, character, plot, etc.
- In most cases, questions will be taken up the day before a test. You will need to keep all questions and have them ready to turn in the day they are due. For example, we will probably be reading four selections for our first unit of British Literature. You will need to complete the assigned questions for each of the readings and then keep them until the day before the test. Questions are usually taken up for effort grades. If you do what you are assigned, you will make a 100—most of the time. The day before the test, we will review the questions together as a review for the test.
- Reader responses will be due the day after they are assigned. They will be graded for spelling, appropriateness of the topic, and support given for your main idea.
- We will also be reading novels and plays during this semester. More details will be provided later.
We will be writing on a regular basis throughout the semester. Some assignments will be given simply as writing practice, while others will be graded in depth. For major writing assignments, you will be given a grading sheet that will let you know what you should expect.
- We will be completing “Daily Grammar Practice” during the course of the semester. For those of you who have not done this before, you will soon get the hang of the routine. You are given a sentence and we analyze that sentence to determine parts of speech, sentence type, diagramming, etc. I will teach the first five sentences that we complete this semester. After that, you will draw numbers to see what sentence you will be teaching the class. You will be given the key and given ample time to ask any questions you might have regarding the sentence. You will be graded on your presentation of the information and how well you can explain the sentence, its words, and its parts. You will not be allowed to ask the teacher any questions on the day(s) of your teaching. If you need explanation or help, ask at least one day before your sentence is to be taught. In other words, BE PREPARED.
Literature tests are unit-based. You will have approximately 13 major unit tests. You will be given the test date well in advance in order to prepare.
Literature quizzes may be given at any time. They will usually cover a specific reading assignment. They are meant to check to see if you have actually read the assignment given. Some quizzes, especially covering novels, will cover more information.
Grammar quizzes may be deemed necessary if Daily Grammar Practice seems to be a struggle. The quizzes will be designed to help you be more successful in understanding the English Language.
Literary Term quizzes will be given on a weekly basis on Wednesdays.
Other quizzes and tests, including vocabulary, will also be given throughout the semester when needed.
Your final average will be based on your first nine weeks average, your second nine weeks average, and your final exam. (42.5%, 42.5%, 15%)
Presentations
If time permits, you will be giving presentations during the course of the semester. Specific criteria and grading parameters will be given to you in advance so that you will know exactly what you will need to cover and how to cover it.
What you should have
You will need to have a three-ring binder with loose-leaf paper and section dividers. You will also need blue or black pens and lots of pencils.
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