English & Reading SOL I: Course Overview
How will I learn?
Every lesson’s learning objectives will be explained and modeled. You will learn by practicing different strategies for understanding, reading, speaking, and writing English and discover the ones that work best for you. Advice: Develop strong study skills, have an open, collaborative attitude, and practice patience with yourself and others!
How will my learning be guided and graded?
Mostly, we will use the Edge text and supplemental resources, to help you to master Texas high school standards called TEKS. These standards guide our daily learning objectives. You will learn skills for working in a team and independently. We will practice rules and roles in class, and you will have grading rubrics to know my expectations. Homework and special projects will help you to master what you learn in class. You will learn to use my Weebly web page, Dropbox, and Project Share for resources, assignment schedules, and building your “e portfolio.” See page 2 for Grading Policy.
What will I learn here?
· To listen to, read, speak, and write about fiction (poems, stories, fables, dramas, films, novels) and nonfiction (narratives, articles, essays, documentaries, codices, reference books/websites);
· To find and create meaning in words but also "above" and "below" them, in the discourse and sound patterns of English;
· To understand English as "code" (a system of sound and sense);
· To participate in a cultural process or dialog that connects you, in English, with different times, purposes, values, and relationships.
In sum:
We live language. A language with no speakers, listeners, writers, or readers becomes "lost" or "dies." Each one of you enriches English with what you already know in your mother tongue. Use everything that you know in your home language to help you learn English by comparing, contrasting, and reflecting on your experiences in each language. This is how English has changed over the centuries to connect such a diverse and dynamic community of speakers and writers, and this is how it will continue to develop with future generations. I look forward to guiding your early “travels” in English, and I also expect to be learning from you.
My expectations of you: work hard, to have fun & learn a LOT!
Course Materials, Texts, Teaching Practices, and Grading Policy:
v Required Materials: Each day, please bring your planner, a #2 pencil with a good eraser, and any English homework. Your learning log, interactive notebook (INB), and Edge textbook stay in class.
v Course Organization: Your readings are organized into units guided by questions. Unit I questions are:
· What is an inference?
· How do I draw and support conclusions?
· How do I form generalizations?
· What are word parts?
· What are prefixes?
· What are roots?
· What are suffixes?
· Can I determine word meaning by knowledge of prefixes, roots and suffixes?
· How does the author’s use of particular words or phrases create a particular tone? How does the use of particular words affect meaning?
· What is context in determining vocabulary meaning?
· What types of context clues can help me determine vocabulary meaning?
· What are connotation and denotation?
· What are reference materials?
· How can I research word origins?
· What are the main characters in a short story?
· What are character traits?
· What motivates character?
· What literary terms are used to classify character in literary texts?
· What is characterization?
· What are the two types of characterization?
· What is point of view?
· How does dramatic irony create suspense in a play?
· What is a text summary?
· How is the author’s credibility determined in a text?
· How do I evaluate the credibility of information?
· Can I identify supporting ideas, describe characters in an event or a scene, and understand the author’s choice of a particular allusion, symbol, and setting?
· How do I determine the author’s motive?
· How did the author organize the selection?
· What is a short answer paragraph?
· What is a STAAR short answer paragraph?
· What are the three text structures?
· What is evidence/supporting detail?
· What is diction?
· What is tone?
· What are compound/complex sentences?
Our own questions and ideas are just as important! (What makes writing good? What makes it literature?)
v Pedagogy: Every lesson has a learning objective and closing task we will preview at the beginning and debrief at the end. You will copy the objective in your INB; after I have explained and modeled it, you will practice it with teams or partners, then independently. The work you save in your INB and binder is also your study guide for exams.
v Grading Policy: All homework and class assignments must be completed legibly and on time to receive a grade from 100% and the feedback that will help you monitor and improve your own learning. Grades show your mastery of the learning objectives. Assignments are 90% of your 9-week grade (e.g., home or class work, teamwork, quizzes, and projects). A nine-week exam or project is the other 10%. You will earn at least two recorded grades per week. There is also a state-mandated end-of-course exam in March (STAAR EOC).
Policies, Procedures and Routines:
1. We work bell to bell. Before the tardy bell rings, put your backpack in the designated area (where you will collect it after the end-of-period bell rings). You only need a pencil, planner, and binder at your table. Sit down right away and do the warm-up assignment. I will collect any personal electronic device in use or in our workspace. The Business Office will allow you to pick it up at the the end of the day after paying a $15 fee. Handouts on your table go into your binder as the first page in the correct section. (I will grade your notebook and binder for completeness and accuracy, your log for depth of thinking, and all assignments for mastery.) Bring homework on time, named, and dated, and put it in the bin when you enter the room and put away your pack. Late work earns no more than 70%. I am often in the room before 8 a.m.; come in for help early, the next day. (Don’t wait until the day the assignment is due.)
2. Team organizers will bring extra materials to your table at the beginning of the lesson and return them to the shelves/boxes at the end, but everyone is responsible for their own learning log and binder. These materials stay in the classroom; so does your textbook. Practice books may go home if you can be responsible with them; otherwise, take home only the assigned pages.
3. After you put away your pack, turn in homework, and put any handouts into your binder, do the assignment that "warms you up" for the day's lesson.
4. Write, practice, and annotate the learning objectives in your notebook. After an excused absence, you are responsible for any missed assignments. Ask a responsible team member to let you copy any missed objectives and notes. Handouts will be in your binder. You have one day to make up work for each day of excused absence. Work is always due when you enter.
5. Please review school Attendance and Make Up Work policies in your school-issued planner. Bring it to every class to record announcements, notes home, and homework or project due dates. You can also check my website: http://jlcamp.weebly.com. Use handouts, comments on returned work, and your notes to review for exams and build study skills.
6. We will document and evaluate teamwork in class. For that, you will design and use rubrics for "self,” “peer,” and lesson assessment. This will help you evaluate your own learning and support that of your classmates.
NOTES:
· At the end of Parent-Teacher Conference Day, October 30, I invite you and your family to come to Room 106 to celebrate your learning with refreshments and view your portfolio (best) work and our class book!
· You may check this website for due dates, information, and other links.
How will I learn?
Every lesson’s learning objectives will be explained and modeled. You will learn by practicing different strategies for understanding, reading, speaking, and writing English and discover the ones that work best for you. Advice: Develop strong study skills, have an open, collaborative attitude, and practice patience with yourself and others!
How will my learning be guided and graded?
Mostly, we will use the Edge text and supplemental resources, to help you to master Texas high school standards called TEKS. These standards guide our daily learning objectives. You will learn skills for working in a team and independently. We will practice rules and roles in class, and you will have grading rubrics to know my expectations. Homework and special projects will help you to master what you learn in class. You will learn to use my Weebly web page, Dropbox, and Project Share for resources, assignment schedules, and building your “e portfolio.” See page 2 for Grading Policy.
What will I learn here?
· To listen to, read, speak, and write about fiction (poems, stories, fables, dramas, films, novels) and nonfiction (narratives, articles, essays, documentaries, codices, reference books/websites);
· To find and create meaning in words but also "above" and "below" them, in the discourse and sound patterns of English;
· To understand English as "code" (a system of sound and sense);
· To participate in a cultural process or dialog that connects you, in English, with different times, purposes, values, and relationships.
In sum:
We live language. A language with no speakers, listeners, writers, or readers becomes "lost" or "dies." Each one of you enriches English with what you already know in your mother tongue. Use everything that you know in your home language to help you learn English by comparing, contrasting, and reflecting on your experiences in each language. This is how English has changed over the centuries to connect such a diverse and dynamic community of speakers and writers, and this is how it will continue to develop with future generations. I look forward to guiding your early “travels” in English, and I also expect to be learning from you.
My expectations of you: work hard, to have fun & learn a LOT!
Course Materials, Texts, Teaching Practices, and Grading Policy:
v Required Materials: Each day, please bring your planner, a #2 pencil with a good eraser, and any English homework. Your learning log, interactive notebook (INB), and Edge textbook stay in class.
v Course Organization: Your readings are organized into units guided by questions. Unit I questions are:
· What is an inference?
· How do I draw and support conclusions?
· How do I form generalizations?
· What are word parts?
· What are prefixes?
· What are roots?
· What are suffixes?
· Can I determine word meaning by knowledge of prefixes, roots and suffixes?
· How does the author’s use of particular words or phrases create a particular tone? How does the use of particular words affect meaning?
· What is context in determining vocabulary meaning?
· What types of context clues can help me determine vocabulary meaning?
· What are connotation and denotation?
· What are reference materials?
· How can I research word origins?
- What is theme?
- What is the difference between a main idea and a theme?
- How do I determine theme?
- What details support the theme?
- What are the elements of plot?
- How does each element of the plot contribute to a short story?
- What is setting?
- How does setting contribute to plot?
- What purpose does setting have in the development of a literary text?
- What is conflict?
- What are the basic types of conflict?
- How are conflicts resolved?
· What are the main characters in a short story?
· What are character traits?
· What motivates character?
· What literary terms are used to classify character in literary texts?
· What is characterization?
· What are the two types of characterization?
· What is point of view?
· How does dramatic irony create suspense in a play?
· What is a text summary?
· How is the author’s credibility determined in a text?
· How do I evaluate the credibility of information?
· Can I identify supporting ideas, describe characters in an event or a scene, and understand the author’s choice of a particular allusion, symbol, and setting?
· How do I determine the author’s motive?
· How did the author organize the selection?
· What is a short answer paragraph?
· What is a STAAR short answer paragraph?
· What are the three text structures?
· What is evidence/supporting detail?
· What is diction?
· What is tone?
· What are compound/complex sentences?
Our own questions and ideas are just as important! (What makes writing good? What makes it literature?)
v Pedagogy: Every lesson has a learning objective and closing task we will preview at the beginning and debrief at the end. You will copy the objective in your INB; after I have explained and modeled it, you will practice it with teams or partners, then independently. The work you save in your INB and binder is also your study guide for exams.
v Grading Policy: All homework and class assignments must be completed legibly and on time to receive a grade from 100% and the feedback that will help you monitor and improve your own learning. Grades show your mastery of the learning objectives. Assignments are 90% of your 9-week grade (e.g., home or class work, teamwork, quizzes, and projects). A nine-week exam or project is the other 10%. You will earn at least two recorded grades per week. There is also a state-mandated end-of-course exam in March (STAAR EOC).
Policies, Procedures and Routines:
1. We work bell to bell. Before the tardy bell rings, put your backpack in the designated area (where you will collect it after the end-of-period bell rings). You only need a pencil, planner, and binder at your table. Sit down right away and do the warm-up assignment. I will collect any personal electronic device in use or in our workspace. The Business Office will allow you to pick it up at the the end of the day after paying a $15 fee. Handouts on your table go into your binder as the first page in the correct section. (I will grade your notebook and binder for completeness and accuracy, your log for depth of thinking, and all assignments for mastery.) Bring homework on time, named, and dated, and put it in the bin when you enter the room and put away your pack. Late work earns no more than 70%. I am often in the room before 8 a.m.; come in for help early, the next day. (Don’t wait until the day the assignment is due.)
2. Team organizers will bring extra materials to your table at the beginning of the lesson and return them to the shelves/boxes at the end, but everyone is responsible for their own learning log and binder. These materials stay in the classroom; so does your textbook. Practice books may go home if you can be responsible with them; otherwise, take home only the assigned pages.
3. After you put away your pack, turn in homework, and put any handouts into your binder, do the assignment that "warms you up" for the day's lesson.
4. Write, practice, and annotate the learning objectives in your notebook. After an excused absence, you are responsible for any missed assignments. Ask a responsible team member to let you copy any missed objectives and notes. Handouts will be in your binder. You have one day to make up work for each day of excused absence. Work is always due when you enter.
5. Please review school Attendance and Make Up Work policies in your school-issued planner. Bring it to every class to record announcements, notes home, and homework or project due dates. You can also check my website: http://jlcamp.weebly.com. Use handouts, comments on returned work, and your notes to review for exams and build study skills.
6. We will document and evaluate teamwork in class. For that, you will design and use rubrics for "self,” “peer,” and lesson assessment. This will help you evaluate your own learning and support that of your classmates.
NOTES:
· At the end of Parent-Teacher Conference Day, October 30, I invite you and your family to come to Room 106 to celebrate your learning with refreshments and view your portfolio (best) work and our class book!
· You may check this website for due dates, information, and other links.