This document outlines the course throughlines, units, assessments, policies, and resources for a Spring 2012 English class. The throughlines focus on identity development, close reading skills, revision, and collaborative learning. The course is divided into 5 units covering short stories, poetry, memoir, Romeo and Juliet, Antigone, and a research project. Assessments include unit assignments, essays, projects, participation, and tests. Late work is not accepted and students can receive rewrite grades. Grades are calculated based on assignments, essays, participation, writing portfolio, and tests. Resources include a class blog, homework posted on Edline, grades on Engrade, and paper submissions through Turnitin. The teacher provides contact
2. COURSE THROUGHLINES
How can different reading, writing, speaking, and listening experiences help me to
understand more about my identity – both who I am and who I want to become?
How can asking more and better questions and developing close-reading skills help me
understand and connect to the works I read?
How can revising help me write pieces that communicate what I really think, feel, and
mean?
How can I contribute to the learning of the group, and how can the group contribute to my
individual learning?
How can constructing and maintaining a portfolio help me document my evolving skills and
identity as a reader, writer, learner, and person?
3. UNIT I: SHORT STORY/POETRY/MEMOIR
Discovering Who We Are/Why We Write
UNIT 2: ROMEO AND JULIET
Making Choices in the Face of Challenge
UNIT 3: ANTIGONE
Taking a Stand in the Face of Conflict
UNIT 4: UPSTANDERS RESEARCH PROJECT
UNIT 5: PERFORMANCE BASED ASSESSMENTS
Synthesizing a Semester of Study
4. Due dates in this class are absolute. That means there is no such thing
as late work. When an assignment is due, it is handed in then, or not at
all.
Smaller assignments will be graded on a 10 point scale
Rubrics are given for essays and projects.
Rewrite: This grade is given if the assignment is not of the quality where
it can be graded, or was misunderstood. An “R” means the student has
TWOWEEKS to rewrite the assignment, and receive a grade for it. After
two week, the “R” is changed to a 50%.
Students are allowed two weeks to revise any paper or quiz, but they
must complete a Revision Request/Reflection
6. Updates and news about the class is available on the
English Class Blog. Students can also access handouts
and daily class notes.
Homework for this class is posted on Edline daily.
Students can access their grades on a site called
Engrade at any time.
Students will turn in papers via a web tool called
turnitin.com, which searches the entire internet as
well as its own database for plagiarized material.
Students have been shown how to use both of the
above web tools.
7. I look forward to working with you and your
children this semester.
Please feel free to contact me at any time.
Email: nbacigalupi@cpsd.us
