What Will We Be Doing in this Class?

English 11
Course Outline
Smithtown High School West
2016-2017

Ms. Barracca
www.barraccaenglish.blogspot.com
Contact: 631-382-2900
abarracca@smithtown.k12.ny.us

English 11 is a reading and writing course aligned with NYS

Common Core learning targets and designed to prepare students
for the Regents Examination; passing this exam, typically
administered in June, is a prerequisite for graduation.
Through the exploration of literature, this course also aims to foster
an appreciation for and understanding of literature, to encourage
engaging and insightful academic discussion and collaboration, to
promote and nurture critical thinking and research skills, to
guide students on how to communicate more fully their thoughts
and feelings, and to equip students with the types of skills
necessary for

The
Literature:
The Catcher
in the Rye
The
Adventures
of
Huckleberry
Finn
The Great
Gatsby
Various
short
stories,
poems,
essays,
speeches
and
historical
documents
Other- T.B.A.!

college and career readiness.

Secrets to Success : Behave responsibly, respect others, complete work on time, be

seated when the bell rings, wait to be dismissed before packing up belongings, arrive
prepared and willing to work, participate in class activities and discussions, and ask for
help when you need it.

Practice & Preparation:

Just as with sports, art, and music, at-home practice is essential for skill-mastery; in our
class, it will also help to prepare students for upcoming lessons and activities. It is
therefore expected that students will complete homework, including reading, in a timely
manner. On occasion, at-home-practice, including reading notes, will be assessed on
completeness. Homework assignments and due-dates will be posted on our class
website. Except in extenuating circumstances, late homework will not be accepted.
Students who feel they have a reasonable excuse for missing a homework assignment
should communicate this to me before class begins via a Homework Dilemma Sheet in
order not to interrupt class time; in cases of extenuating circumstances, an alternate
assignment and/or extended time may be granted.

Grading Policy:
Individual assignment grades will be posted
to PowerSchool regularly. A final grade will
be posted at the end of each quarter. This
Final Quarter Grade will be calculated as
follows: 75% based on formal assessments
(projects, papers, tests, quizzes, etc.), 5%
based on at-home practice, and 20% based
on a students earned participation grade. A
student will earn a participation grade based
on the following college and career
readiness skills: preparedness, answering
and posing text-based questions,
participating in discussions and activities,
attendance/promptness, ability to stay on
task, and overall classroom behavior.

Required Course Materials:

1. A 3 binder used solely for this
course, with dividers labeled for
the following sections:
Literature
Writing
Vocabulary
2. blue/black pens and #2 pencils
3. free accounts with
Socrative.com
Vocabulary.com
Turnitin.com
Castle Learning

R Students are to keep ALL graded work in their binder at all times; no work is to be thrown out during the course
of the year.
R Students are responsible for sharing their grades regularly with their parent(s)/guardian(s).
R Parents, please be sure to also check PowerSchool regularly and to email me any questions/concerns you have.

Statement of Integrity:

What if I am Absent?

The English Department of the Smithtown Central

School District expects the highest conduct from its
students. We encourage all of our students to work hard
and to do their own work.
Unless explicitly designated as a collaborative activity,
all assignments are to be completed independently. This
includes homework.
Students caught using material that is not their own (i.e.,
reading notes from an Internet Resource or copied from a
friend) may not earn credit for that assignment or may
receive a failing grade for that assignment.
Students plagiarizing any portion of an assignment may
not earn credit for that assignment or may receive a failing
grade for that assignment.
*Plagiarism is defined as the use of anothers idea(s)
without properly crediting the original source of that idea.
To avoid plagiarism, whenever you present an idea (an
analysis, definition, or other piece of information) that is not
yours or that is not considered common knowledge, you
must indicate this by providing the author/title of the work
where that idea originated. You must credit the source
whether you are quoting or paraphrasing.

R Homework: It is better to demonstrate effort

than to arrive unprepared, so whenever
possible, try to do your best, whatever your
best may be at that time. Late homework is
generally not accepted, but if the missed
homework is the result of an extenuating
circumstance, please be sure to communicate
that by completing a Homework Dilemma
Sheet before class begins. This way, you may
be granted extended time and/or an alternate
assignment in lieu of the one you missed.
R In the event that the homework website or
assignment is not available, contact me or one
of your Class Contacts to obtain the
assignment and any other work you missed.
R Tests/Quizzes: In general, tests must be made
up within three days of an absence and
students are expected to make up quizzes on
the day they return from an absence. Please
be sure to either see me on the day you return
or to email me during your absence in order to
schedule an appropriate time to make-up this
missed work.
R Papers/Projects: Assignments that have longestablished due-dates are expected to arrive
on time. This can be done via turnitin.com
when available, or students can email their
work to me directly. Students should notify
me as soon as possible if they have
extenuating or emergency circumstances so
that we can work out the best procedure to
avoid the assignment being counted as late.
R Field Trips, Lessons, Vacations, etc.: It is the
students responsibility to request missed
work several days in advance of being absent
for any pre-scheduled activity.
R Please see the Student Agenda for further
information regarding attendance policies.

Electronic Devices: During assessments, if the student is

caught using any kind of electronic device (including but not
limited to cell phones) or has an electronic device out, the
student may automatically fail the exam. Therefore, cell
phones and other electronic devices should be left at home
or in the students locker during exams. In addition,
attempting to give or receive assistance in any form during
an assessment may result in a failing grade for all parties
involved.

"Class Contact(s)"
(Classmates to call when you are absent)

#1: ____________________________________________

phone number:______________________________

other (email, etc.):____________________________

#2: ____________________________________________

phone number:______________________________

other (email, etc.):____________________________

I have read and understood the material above:

Student Signature: ______________________________________________________________________

Parent/Guardian Signature: ______________________________________________________________

(Please store this letter at the front of the binder you use for this course)