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Mrs. Andrea Beerwinkle

SPRING English I Syllabus 2014-15

Class Website: www. beerwinkle.com

Email: abeerwinkle@ccisd.net
Conference Time: 3rd period and by appointment after school
Tutorials: Tuesday afternoon from 2:30-3:15 and on other afternoons by appointment

SUPPLIES
Required:
Composition notebook (needed daily for
class)
Blue/Black ink pens (needed daily for class)
Multicolored ink pens for annotating
notebook paper
charged tablet or laptop (needed daily for
class)

Highly encouraged:
keyboard and mouse for tablet (these make
tablet use for class projects much easier)
highlighters

Class Rules
1. There is no eating or drinking in Mrs. Beerwinkle's room. Food stains the carpet and attracts RATS and
COCKROACHES--EWWWW!!! Only water in a see-through PLASTIC bottle will be allowed. Failure to follow this
policy will result in the offending food item being taken up and not returned.
2. Students are counted tardy when not in the classroom before the bell rings.
3. Work productively during work times. Failure to actively work during provided class time will result in
disciplinary action. This includes having your OWN supplies. You cannot be productive without the needed
materials and others cannot be productive if you are bugging them to use their supplies. If you have trouble
obtaining your supplies, please see Mrs. Beerwinkle privately.
4. No profanity will be tolerated. The use of profanity will result in an automatic office referral and a call/email
to your parent or guardian.
5. Restroom/water breaks will not be allowed during the first and last 10 minutes of class.
6. Cell phone/device (non-Venue) use is prohibited in Mrs. Beerwinkle's class. All cell phones/devices are to be
placed and remain in backpacks, purses, etc. during your whole time in my room (this includes passing
periods). Use of a cell phone/device during class will result in confiscation of the device. If you choose to use
your device outside of my room and the bell rings, you will be counted tardy. Venues will only be allowed
when specifically stated by Mrs. Beerwinkle.

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7. Turn work in immediately. I will wait 60 seconds after the tardy bell rings. If I do not have your work by
then, it is late. I will not wait for you to staple, assemble, confer with group members, etc.
Possible Disciplinary Actions:
call/email to a parent or guardian
teacher detention
office referral

General Methods of Assessment and Grade Calculation:

Reading/Writing Assessment: 5%
Daily grades (class work and homework)/ Quizzes : 45%
Major Grades (tests, formal papers, projects, timed writings): 50%

I try to update the grades about once a week. If you check your grade and see an assignment but not a grade,
it means that I havent had a chance to put those grades in. It does NOT mean you have a zero. If you are
absent on the day an assignment is due or another grade is given, a zero will be entered for the assignment.
The zero will be removed once you turn in your work or make up the missed assignment.
Clear Lake High Schools late work policy:
1 day late: 75% of original grade
2 days late: 75% of original grade
3 days late: NO CREDIT, a zero for the assignment
Work (class work and homework) that is not turned in when called for is late unless otherwise specified. If
you need to print an assignment, do so before class or it will be considered late. If you are absent, you will
receive one day per each day missed to complete their assignments. It is YOUR responsibility to obtain the
appropriate assignment(s). The best way to do this is by coming to talk to Mrs.Beerwinkle AFTER school on the
day of your return. I will NOT have time during a regular class session to discuss make-up work.
If absent the day before a quiz or test, the student is expected to take the quiz or exam if the quiz or exam was
announced prior to the absence. You are expected to make-up tests and quizzes upon return. The day for a
day make-up time for absences applies to quizzes and exams. If you need to make up a test/quiz and you
neglect to attend the make-up within the allotted, your grade for that test/quiz will be a ZERO. If you
cannot come into make up the assignment in the allotted time, then you need to arrange another day to
come in. Requests to make up work after the make-up time has passed are likely to receive a No
response.
Extra Credit: Extra credit will not be offered. I understand that GPAs are very important and encourage you to
give every assignment your full effort and to talk to me if you would like more specific pointers on how to
improve your work.
Tablets: This semester tablets will be frequently used in class. You will need a charged tablet or laptop on a
daily basis. We will be keeping an online binder through LiveBinders. This website requires the internet. If you
do not have internet access at your home, please come speak to me so that we can discuss your options for
turning in assignments. If you have an issue with your tablet, you need to see me as soon as you are aware of
the issue. I cannot help you if you do know keep me in the loop.

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On Going Assignments
Reading Response
The best way to become a better reader and writer is to read. Students are expected to read a minimum of
one book of their choice each nine weeks.
Every Monday, students will submit a 150 word typed response to the book they are reading. This response
should be focused on one of the reading/thinking questions provided. The reading response will be typed in
the designated Google Doc set up at the start of the semester. Reading responses will be checked weekly, but
only one will be selected for grading every three weeks.
The grading for reading responses will be as follows:
10 points- reading response is in Google Doc, includes title of book, author, the page the student is
currently on in the book (-2 points for each missing title, author, or page number) (total of 30 pts, 10 pts
per reading response)
70 points- reading response is a minimum of 150 words, minimal summary, clearly addresses the question
selected and provides quoted text evidence to support response.
56 points- reading response is between 120-149 words, some summary, somewhat addresses the
question, no text evidence or very weak evidence
42 points- reading response is less than 120 words, all summary, does not address a reading/thinking
question
0 points- no reading response was submitted
Reading/Thinking Questions
1. I wonder what this means
2. I really dont understand this part because
3. I really like or dislike this book because
4. This character, __________ , reminds me of somebody I know because
5. This character, __________ , reminds me of myself because
6. This character, __________ , is like __________ in __________ because
7. I think this setting is important because
8. This scene reminds me of a similar scene in __________ because
9. This part is very realistic or unrealistic because
10. I like or dislike this style of writing because
11. This section makes me think about __________ because
12. This section is particularly effective because
13. I think the relationship between ________ and _______ is interesting because
14. The ideas here remind me of the ideas in __________ because
15. I like or dislike the character, __________ , because
16. This situation reminds me of a similar situation in my own life when
17. The character I most admire is __________ because
18. If I were __________ at this point, I would

Book Reports
Book reports will be submitted to e4 (Blackboard) on Feb. 26 and May 28. A hard copy of the book report must
also be turned in on Feb. 27 and May 29. The book report must pertain to a book you have been reading for
your reading response assignments. Failure to turn in book report on time to e4, without a good faith effort to
contact Mrs. Beerwinkle, will result in a zero. Failure to have a hard copy of the assignment on Friday, without
a good faith effort to contact Mrs. Beerwinkle, will result in a 10 point deduction.

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Article of the Week
Every Monday, students will pick up an article pertaining to a current event. The article will be briefly introduced in class
and then students will be required to annotate the article and write a reflection sharing their thoughts on the article. By
Friday, students will submit a picture of their annotated article to the article of the week section of their Livebinder.
Students will also have written a 150 word reflection with text evidence in the designated Google Doc for articles of the
week. In their reflections, students will also be expected to correctly use the grammar skill of the week.
The grading for the article of the week annotations and reflections will be as follows:
Annotations- (40 points)
40 points- 2 or more thoughtful and mature comments or questions
32 points- 1 thoughtful and mature comment or questions
24 points- there are annotations but they are not thoughtful or mature (OMG, ?, IDK, etc.)
0 points- there are no annotations
Response- (60 points)
60 points- 150 words or more and shows strong effort, text evidence is used to support every
claim/idea(highlighted), correctly uses the grammar skill of the week at least twice(highlights)
48 points- between 120-149 words and/or shows some effort, text evidence is used to support some
claims/ideas(highlighted), correctly uses the grammar skill of the week once (highlighted)
36 points- less than 120 words and/or shows little effort, mostly a summary not a response, text evidence is not
used to support claims/ideas, does not correctly use the grammar skill of the week or did not attempt to use it (no
highlighting)
0 points- no response was submitted

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Please take a few moments to read through the spring syllabus, complete the bottom
portion of this page, and have your child return it to me quickly.
If you wish to meet with me anytime during the year, please contact me so that we can
schedule the meeting. I am accessible via e-mail. I generally return any e-mails within 24
hours.
Andrea Beerwinkle

Childs name: _____________________________________________________________Class period______

Parent/Guardians name:_____________________________________________________________________
Parent/Guardian e-mail:______________________________________________________________________
Parent/Guardian phone #:____________________________________________________________________
Additional information I might need to know, as your childs teacher:
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
I have read and understand the guidelines and procedures for this course.

Student signature:______________________________________________________ Date:________________

Parent/Guardian signature:_______________________________________________ Date:________________