Writing Spring 2013

Course Overview & Major Themes The focus of this course is to develop students as creative and persuasive writers. The course of study will encompass emotional and social growth as students develop and express more nuanced and complex ideas. You will apply the skills learned and practiced years earlier to more challenging texts and writing assignments. The focus of this course, broadly, is to explore the purpose, audience, and techniques used in different types of writing. From there, you will refine your own writing according to the 6+1 traits of writing:

Ideas, the main message; Organization, the internal structure of the piece; Voice, the personal tone and flavor of the author's message; Word Choice, the vocabulary a writer chooses to convey meaning; Sentence Fluency, the rhythm and flow of the language; Conventions, the mechanical correctness; and Presentation, how the writing actually looks on the page.

The most important part of this course is that you must be willing to DIG DEEP into themselves their thoughts, feelings, and opinions to create writing that is both powerful and meaningful. Goals Students will improve at least 2 points in each graded writing category. Students will showcase their voices as writers through constant writing, editing, and thoughtful revision to produce pieces of publication-worthy work. Students will learn to read, write, think, and act as young professionals. They will continue to develop as critical readers and thoughtful, reflective, persuasive writers to act as young professionals as they engage people of both similar and different cultural, racial, and gender identities in their school, community, and city. Students will express themselves through narrative/creative, informative, and persuasive writing. Required Supplies: CLA and Ms. List provide students with the textbooks, novels, and packets you need to be successful in this class. Students should supply one binder, dividers, a notebook, and for this class. If you have financial issues preventing you from buying these supplies, please come and speak to me privately and we will make sure you have what you need to learn. Students are responsible for the textbooks and novels they are assigned. If the book is lost or damaged, students are responsible for the replacement cost of the book. If a student leaves CLA for any reason, all books must be returned.

Ms. List

215.995.4055

englishwithlist@gmail.com

ASSIGNMENT OVERVIEW & TIMING

There are four main types of writing we will tackle in this class: Narrative Writing, Informational/Explanatory Writing, Argumentative/Persuasive Writing, and Response to Literature. Below are some examples of types of writing projects we will do throughout the semester. This is not a comprehensive list and may change as we work together. Type of Writing Specific Product

Narrative/Creative Narrative/Creative Narrative/Creative

Short essay: My Name ABC Story Descriptive Essay News story summary Song paraphrase Personal conversation paraphrase 2-page research paper Perfect Paragraph(s) Advertising Pitch Projects Thesis statements Perfect Paragraph(s) SAT essay(s) Letter to a Poltician Flash fiction Poetry Unit (Choices) How to/Process essay Post Secret Observational ethnography Food review Travel Project Personal statement: Common Ap College Essay

Informational/Explanatory

Informational/Explanatory Informational/Explanatory Persuasive Persuasive Persuasive Persuasive Persuasive Narrative/Creative Narrative/Creative Informational/Explanatory Narrative/Creative Informational Informational/Persuasive Persuasive/Informational/Creative Narrative

Ms. List

215.995.4055

englishwithlist@gmail.com

Class Rules: 1. Follow all school rules. 2. Speak respectfully of yourself, to your classmates, to me, and to classroom visitors at all times. If you use profanity, derogatory language or hate speech of any kind, your grade will drop. After all, you are in a classroom. Elevate your diction. You are too smart for ignorant language.

3. Maintain school property. Keep surfaces free from drawings, writing, damage. Use materials for their intended purposes only. Keep work area and room organized and clean. If you vandalize or intentionally destroy property of the school or of others, you will receive a bill for the cost of that item. These fines follow you to graduation.

4. Keep yourself to yourself. 5. Prioritize learning: There is absolutely no eating or drinking in our classroom. You may not have sunflower seeds, candy, cough drops, gum, chips, Gatorade, juice, fruit, or anything else that is a consumable. Keeping this room clean and odor-free will make it a better place for everyone to learn. Electronics are not for use in this class. I do not expect to see them. Be on time, in your assigned seat, prepared, ready to learn and work hard.

Grading

All grades are based on a points system. Different assignments are worth different point values, usually from 10-100. Most writing assignments will be worth 100 points. For every writing assignment, you may choose to re-write and re-submit your work for a higher grade. Most quizzes are between 20-30 points. Your grade = the number of total points you earned The number of possible points Extra Credit Occasionally, there are extra credit opportunities in this class. Extra credit work is treating like any other assignment it must be turned in on the due date in order to get credit. Late extra credit assignments will not be counted. Extra Help It is my job to teach. It is your job to learn as much as you can AND TELL ME WHEN YOU DONT GET IT OR IF IT IS TOO EASY. If you are struggling, stuck, in over your head, confused about an assignment, or just generally lost, TELL ME. Be your own advocate: I cant help you if I dont know theres a problem. I am available to help during homeroom and study hall, after school on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, via email, text message, or phone until 10pm. No student has ever failed my class IF they worked hard on every assignment and came to me for help when they didnt understand.

Ms. List

215.995.4055

englishwithlist@gmail.com

PROCEDURE Late Work

SPECIFIC STEPS Turning work in on time is an important habit to develop, so I will hold you to high standards. Late assignments lose 10 points a day. All missed work is due by end of day every Thursday. Any late work more than a week late is an automatic zero. 1. Login to Engrade and click on the calendar to see what you missed in class that day. Extra handouts are at my desk come see me during homeroom or study hall to get papers if you need them. 2. Get notes/homework/announcements from a classmate. 3. Complete any missed work. In order for me to grade makeup work, YOU MUST STAPLE YOUR ABSENCE NOTE TO IT. 4. All absent/make up work is due on Thursdays unless you speak to me in advance.

Absent/Make Up Classwork

Absent/Make Up Quiz/Test

You have 1 week to make up tests and quizzes if you have an excused absence (with a note). Unexcused absences receive an automatic zero. Make up quizzes are to be taken after school or during lunch, not during class. The door will be closed and locked once class has begun. If you are late, wait patiently in the hall until I reach a stopping point and come let you in. Do not knock obnoxiously on the door that will result in you staying in the hallway for the entire class. Enter the room quietly. Check the pick-up bin for any handouts. Grab your binder and journal. Go to your seat and silently begin the Do Now on the board. We have 5 minutes of passing time between each class. I dont need to know if you have bubble guts - use the restroom on your own time, not mine. When class is dismissed, check around your area for any trash or supplies that need to be returned. Return all binders, notebooks, and books to their proper places and stack them neatly. Failure to neatly stack books will result in the entire class losing classwork points. Work to be turned in should be placed in the Turn In bin. You should probably take your binders home with you they will help you with your writing work. All handouts, notes, classwork, etc, should be kept in your binder. Organization is an important skill, so I will occasionally do pop binder checks. You will get a grade for the neatness, organization, and completion of your binder. If you are sick or need to use a tissue, quietly leave your seat and step into the front entrance to blow your nose. If you need to sneeze, sneeze into a tissue or in the crook of your elbow to avoid spreading germs. If you need to get a sip of water, please do so quickly and quietly. You do not need to ask permission, just try not to distract others. I do not sell or lend pens. Do not ask me to borrow these materials. I will say no. Plan ahead keep spare pens in your bag. Work done in pencil is not professional and will not be accepted. No exceptions. If you make a mistake, simply cross it out and continue writing. This is YOUR CLASSROOM and it should be treated with respect. Please collect all trash in your area (even if it is not yours), and throw it away at the end of class. Do not shoot your trash or paper balls into the trashcan. Im talkin to you Mr. LeBron Wannabe save it for the court.

Tardy

Entering the Room Going to the restroom End of Class

Notebooks/Binders

Tissues/Water

Supplies

Trash

Ms. List

215.995.4055

englishwithlist@gmail.com