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Non-Fiction Project
Students must click the link below in order to review their Non-Fiction Project
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Welcome 9th Graders
Course Objective:
Through the study of short stories, novels, non-fiction, poetry, and drama, students will increase their understanding of, and appreciation for literature and reading. Students will improve their writing skills through a process approach to composition. Students will also be introduced to the basic elements of the research paper. A program of regularly expanded vocabulary, a unit on library research, and a unit on speaking and listening skills and grammar study are included in this course.
Through the study of short stories, novels, non-fiction, poetry, and drama, students will increase their understanding of, and appreciation for literature and reading. Students will improve their writing skills through a process approach to composition. Students will also be introduced to the basic elements of the research paper. A program of regularly expanded vocabulary, a unit on library research, and a unit on speaking and listening skills and grammar study are included in this course.
Grading Guidelines
Shared Responsibilities:
Students and Parents
The overall success of the student grading plan is dependent upon the cooperation, interest, and assumption of responsibilities by teachers, parents, and students. I believe that students and parents should:
• Understand that student academic success is tied to attendance. If the student is to have the greatest opportunity to learn, consistent attendance is essential.
• Understand the course expectations and grading practices, asking questions if needed.
• Stay informed of progress. Parents can gain information by discussing progress with students regularly and by asking teachers. Students are required to keep a grade spread sheet in their notebooks, which will be used to document classroom performance.
• Understand how things are going at school. Know why a student's grade is—or is not— up to family standards. It is the parent's responsibility to communicate with the teacher if additional information or help is needed at home to improve a student's grades.
If a parent or student disagrees with a grade received, a review may be initiated by contacting the teacher by either email or phone. If the matter is not resolved, the parents or student may then contact the Department Chair, Paul Ciavola.
Students and Parents
The overall success of the student grading plan is dependent upon the cooperation, interest, and assumption of responsibilities by teachers, parents, and students. I believe that students and parents should:
• Understand that student academic success is tied to attendance. If the student is to have the greatest opportunity to learn, consistent attendance is essential.
• Understand the course expectations and grading practices, asking questions if needed.
• Stay informed of progress. Parents can gain information by discussing progress with students regularly and by asking teachers. Students are required to keep a grade spread sheet in their notebooks, which will be used to document classroom performance.
• Understand how things are going at school. Know why a student's grade is—or is not— up to family standards. It is the parent's responsibility to communicate with the teacher if additional information or help is needed at home to improve a student's grades.
If a parent or student disagrees with a grade received, a review may be initiated by contacting the teacher by either email or phone. If the matter is not resolved, the parents or student may then contact the Department Chair, Paul Ciavola.
Grading Specifics
Most of the English classes are two semester (4 term) courses. A mid-term examination will be held at the end of the first semester (January 20 - 25) and a final examination will be issued at the closure of the school year (June 10 - 15).
• Each examination is worth 10% of the students overall grade, for a total of 20%
• Each term grade (four terms total) is worth 20% each, for a total of 80%
Term grades will be determined utilizing the following matrix.
1. Class Participation - Asks questions, gets involved in discussions, offers opinions, reads aloud in class, etc.
2. Quizzes - Short assessments will be conducted periodically throughout the term. The purpose of quizzes is to evaluate the students understanding of a small amount of material.
3. Notebook - Students are required to keep a notebook for summarizing lectures, classroom discussions, journal entries, tracking their grades, etc.
4. Tests - Lengthy assessments will be conducted periodically throughout the term. The purpose of the test is to evaluate the students overall understanding of a large piece of material and/or subject matter.
5. Projects - Each student will be required to prepare a comprehensive project that may include research, analysis, hypotheses development, an oral presentation, etc.
6. Homework - Each student will be required to do a minimum of two hours (three hours for honor classes) of homework per week. Homework will be turned in to determine both effort and accuracy.
CLASS PARTICIPATION 2 POINTS
NOTEBOOK 1 POINTS
HOMEWORK 3 POINTS
QUIZZES 4 POINTS
TESTS 6 POINTS
PROJECT 3 POINTS
20 Points per Term
Materials for Class
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Book: Literature - Gold. New York; Prentice Hall, 2003 |
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Works that may be Reviewed
Romeo & Juliet,
The Miracle Worker,
Hoops,
Toning the Sweep,
To Kill a Mockingbird, and
The Old Man and the Sea
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