English 1-2H Syllabus and Class Procedures Weekly lesson plans and other vital information will be posted on my web page. It is the student's and parent(s)' responsibility to check my web page for any assignments, especially if the student is absent.  A study buddy would also be helpful if a student is absent and would be beneficial to discuss ideas and assignments from this class at any time. How to Contact Me You can reach me by e-mail at dabbe@pvschools.net or dabbe@pvlearners.net.  I can also be reached by phone at (602) 449-7779, extension 36065.  I will answer messages within 24 hours , usually during my prep period:  8:30 - 9:00 A.M. Course Description, Goals, and Expectations Freshman Honors English is designed for high-achieving students who have been highly recommended by their 8th grade teachers as being motivated, self-directed learners.  Students will engage in a high level of language arts study aimed at preparing them for continuation in the Advanced Placement English program.  The focus will be on the refinement of literary analysis writing, speaking, listening, and critical thinking skills through the exploration of ideas, themes, and archetypes in world literature.  Class assignments, exams, and homework will be a reflection of a rigorous program designed to further enhance students' understanding of universal themes and how to communicate comprehension of those themes by making connections through analysis and synthesis.  Most literary works read are by authors who also appear on the AP curriculum. Course Readings and Writings Students will explore literature from ancient world epics through modern novels, emphasizing the various genres, authors, cultures, and history surrounding each piece of literature.  They will interpret, analyze, evaluate, and critique the literature that they read.  They will demonstrate their understanding through discussions, presentations, and writing.  Students will be able to analyze and interpret works of literary merit independently, prior to class discussions.  Students must demonstrate mastery of grammar and usage and will develop their written and spoken vocabularies.  This course begins the preparation for the junior and senior Advanced Placement English exams.  Literature to be covered includes, but is not limited to, the following:  Introduction to Myth, The Iliad, The Odyssey, Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, The Once and Future King, To Kill a Mockingbird, and various poems and short stories. The majority of writing in Honors English is based on literary analysis.  In their writing, students will interpret devices of figurative language, analyze the effect of the author's craft, compare ideas within and across literary texts to make inferences, and create responses to specified elements of these texts.  Students are expected to enter the class with strong skills in the multi-paragraph essay, and will use complete sentences in a variety of structure types.  Students will use prewriting techniques, revising, and proofreading skill regularly. A summer reading project is required for this course, in which students will read two novels and complete a dialectic journal.  Information was given to students in April and is available on Horizon's web site:  http://cmweb.pvschools.net/hhsweb  (look on the left side and click on "Summer Info.") Expectations Students are to be prepared for class every day, with the required work and a ready-to-work attitude.  Students are expected to be an active part of a cooperative and respectful learning community whose goal is to provide a rigorous education in preparation for future Honors and AP courses in literature.  It is also expected that the Honors student will have minimal, if any, absences from class. Successful Honors students are self-directed and self-motivated in their preparation for class.  In other words, students should be able to independently read and comprehend, to the absolute best of their ability, advanced work of literary merit, without dependence upon online summaries or other assistance.  A very high percentage of points earned in the course will stem from a student's ability to produce quality work on in-class writing, quizzes, and tests, rather than homework. The course will be challenging and time-consuming; students should be prepare for the dedication that a class of this level will require.  All students planning to continue in the AP English program must maintain a B average in this class. Other Formal Assessments Throughout the Year •Vocabulary tests •Grammar quizzes and tests •Quizzes and tests on rhetorical strategies and literary comprehension •Creative project synthesizing the four major archetypes •Timed, in-class essay responses on quizzes and tests over literature •Unit exams •Semester exams Please note:  minimal, if any, extra credit is offered Supplies Required textbooks and novels will be checked out to the student through the school's bookstore. Students are responsible for all books issued to them. Books are to be returned in satisfactory condition, or the student will be charged for their replacement if lost or damaged.  It is also highly suggested that students purchase their own copies of the required texts listed above so they can make notes in their books.  Post-it-notes are also an excellent tool for interacting with the text. Each day of class, students must bring the following: pencils/pens (dark blue/black ink only and red for grading purposes), completed work due that day and any required texts, 3-ring binder with college-ruled notebook paper, and student planner (students need to purchase planners on their own since the school will not provide them this year). Students are expected to keep a well-organized 3-ring binder of all course-related materials (e.g., notes, study guides, assignments, handouts, and tests/quizzes). Grades are calculated on a total point scale.  Once the grades are calculated, students' grades will be determined as follows: A 90-100% B 80-89% C 70-79% D 60-69% F 0-59% Students working at the A level fully engage in every assignment and demonstrate an ability to examine their own thinking and assumptions.  All work reflects a level of thinking far beyond the obvious and the superficial.  Students come to class fully prepared to discuss assigned readings and to participate actively in all phases of the class.  All assignments are submitted on time and all make-up work from authorized absences is managed in a timely fashion.  All work is the student's own. Students working at the B level competently engage in every assignment and consistently attempt to examine their own thinking and assumptions.  The majority of the students' work reflects a level of thinking beyond the obvious and the superficial.  Students come to class fully prepared to discuss assigned readings and to participate actively in all phases of the class.  Most assignments are submitted on time and most make-up work from authorized absences is managed in a timely fashion.  All work is the student's own. Students working at the C level do not yet engage in every assignment and inconsistently demonstrate an ability to examine their own thinking and assumptions.  Only a minor portion of the student's work reflects a level of thinking beyond the obvious and the superficial.  Students are reluctant to challenge themselves beyond what they have already accomplished in reading and writing, and thus, show little or no growth in those areas.  Students come to class minimally prepared to discuss assigned readings and to participate actively in all phases of the class.  A majority of assignments are submitted on time and most make-up work from authorized absences is managed in a timely fashion.  All the work is the student's own. Grades will be updated biweekly on pOGB. The web site for this grading system is pOGB web site Students who receive a semester grade of D or F will not be recommended by the teacher for Honors English next year. Passwords will be given to students through their 3rd hour teacher within the first two weeks of school. It is the student's and parent(s)' responsibility to periodically check pOGB and to contact the teacher if there are any concerns. Tests/Quizzes Students can expect pop quizzes for most reading selections in any of the texts. Tests will be given periodically as well. Test/Quiz Procedures No talking until all tests/quizzes have been collected. No electronic devices may be out at any time.  If an electronic device is seen or heard, the student will receive       a "0" on his/her test/quiz; no exceptions! Sit facing the front of the room and keep your eyes on your own paper. Clear desks of everything except the test paper and pencil/pen. ALWAYS have something quiet to do at your desk in case you finish early (e.g., book, magazine, or homework from another class). Test/Quiz Make-ups If a student misses a test or quiz, the student may make up the test during the next period he/she is in class. It is the student's responsibility to see the teacher to obtain the test/quiz. Please note that the student will still be responsible for all work missed during that period while he/she was taking the test.  Students have as many days as their absence was excused to make up a quiz test.  If a student makes up a quiz/test after those days have expired, he/she will be deducted 10% for each day the student was late in making up the quiz/test. Late Work All work needs to be finished on time; no credit will be given for late work.  Students may use a "late pass" once per quarter.  This pass will allow them to turn in ONE assignment that quarter ONE DAY LATE only for full credit.  Students must write LATE PASS on the top of the particular assignment they are turning in one day late that quarter.  The late pass only pertains to homework, not long-term projects or tests/quizzes. Assignments Assignments will be randomly checked for points and discussed the day they are due. Since students will not know which assignments I will check for points in the class, it is imperative that students are conscientious and complete ALL of the required work on time.  The teacher will list on the white board in class every assignment that was checked, the day it was checked, and how many points it was worth.  If the student is absent, it is the student's responsibility to check the board at the beginning of each class period to see if any work was checked/collected. Notes Notes will be given from time to time in class.  It is the student's responsibility to obtain the notes from another student if absent.  A student will not be excused from the notes because of an absence, and the teacher will not provide a copy of the notes for students who were absent. Make-Up Work Make-up work is accepted for all excused absences. Students have the amount of time equivalent to the number of days absent to make up work missed during the absence. It is the student's responsibility to check the web site or call a study buddy to determine what was missed. It is also the student's responsibility to see the teacher to turn in any missing work. If the student forgets, he/she will not receive credit for work that was due. NOTE: Excused absences do NOT receive extra days on long-term assignments/quizzes/tests that the student knew about in advance. (See the make-up work procedure that is listed in the Horizon Student Handbook at Horizon's main web site).  If a student turns in ANY long-term assignment late, students will be deducted 10% each day that assignment is late.  Students will NOT receive credit for any work/test/quiz missed during an unexcused absence (truancy). Students who miss English but are on campus for any other part of the same day must turn in any work that was due in English that day. Late Work All work needs to be finished on time; no credit will be given for late work. Individual Work All tests/quizzes, homework/classwork, projects, and other activities must be completed individually unless specified otherwise.  Any of the following will be considered a violation of academic honesty: copying another's test, assignment, or any other work to be graded inappropriately collaborating on work (i.e. both students writing down the exact same answers and then claiming that they "worked" together on it) using "cheat sheets" or other prohibited test-taking aids (unless authorized by the teacher) getting tests, papers, or other assignments from others with the intent to copy answers or present the work as your own watching a video or reading a summary of an assigned book instead of the actual book plagiarism (presenting another's words, thoughts, or ideas as your own) Students who do any of the above will receive NO CREDIT (F) for the assignment/test/paper (this includes both students: the person who let his/her work be copied and the person who copied it). Students will then have to write a statement of what occurred and obtain a parent's signature. If a student continually violates his/her academic integrity, further disciplinary action will be taken. Behavior Expectations Since there is ample passing time between classes, students are expected to use the restrooms/drinking fountains between classes.  Students will only be allowed to leave the classroom four times per quarter.  After that, a parent note will need to be given to the teacher explaining why the student needs to be out of class more than four times a quarter. Students are expected to follow all Horizon High School rules and policies (see the Horizon Student Handbook) and the following expectations for this classroom: No food (including candy) and no drinks (except water). Phones must be turned off and no other electronic devices are to be used or seen. If any electronic device is seen or heard, the student will be told to put the device away.  If this device is out during a test/quiz, the student will receive a "0" on the assessment.  If a student frequently ignores this rule, a discipline referral will be written. Be prompt. Students should be in the room preparing for class by the time the final bell rings. Be prepared. Expect to show or turn in homework at the beginning of the hour. Be respectful of everyone in the room. Teasing, swearing, or harassing of any kind will not be tolerated. Keep your hands, feet, and objects to yourself. Raise your hand to be heard; do not speak out in class. Do not wear hats in class. Do not line up by the door, waiting for the final bell to ring.   Tardy(Truancy) Policy: The school's tardy/truancy policy is the one that will be followed in this classroom. Ways to be Successful in English 1-2 Honors Parents: Check your child’s grades on pOGB regularly at  https://hhspogb.pvschools.net/index.php?page=logout.  If your child has a zero on an assignment, question him/her about that assignment.  If your child has a low grade on a quiz/test/assignment, speak with your child about that particular grade and why it was so low. Check my web site regularly for exactly what work is done in class as well as homework for that particular week:   http://cmweb.pvschools.net/~dabbe/. Once you’ve checked the web site, monitor your child’s completion of that work, making sure it is done and in his/her notebook for return to school the next day. If there is a quiz/test scheduled for the next day (according to the teacher’s web site), ensure that your child spends adequate time studying/preparing for that quiz/test. Contact the teacher if you have questions (e-mail usually works best). Do all of the above activities regularly--don’t wait until it is too late for your child to improve his/her grade for that quarter. Students: Come to class regularly with the required materials and assignments completed. Ask questions of the teacher when you do not understand something.  If embarrassed to ask in front of the class, stay after and ask the teacher for additional clarification/help. Write the homework in a planner like the teacher instructs you to do every day (as well as checking the teacher’s web site every day). Complete ALL of your work in a timely fashion and bring it back to class with you the next day. Take good notes in class, like the teacher has instructed you to do. Spend at least half an hour or longer studying for a quiz/test that you know you have in class the next day. When absent, check the teacher’s web site BEFORE you come to class the next day so that you know what you missed. Call a study buddy if absent or if struggling with a certain concept like the teacher has instructed you to do since the first week of school. When you come back after an absence, immediately check the white board to see if the teacher collected any work or if there was a test/quiz.  If you do check,  make sure you get that work to the teacher immediately. When the teacher gives you class time to work on assignment (as she does quite frequently), actually work on the assignment--do not “blow it off”, thinking you’ll get it done at home. If you’re having a difficult time focusing in class, discuss this with your teacher so that your seat may be changed to avoid any unnecessary distractions. Behave appropriately and pay attention.  Class is not for goofing off, trying to check your text messages, or chatting with your friends! Do not wait until the end of the quarter to finally start worrying about your grade.  Do all of the above activities regularly so that you develop good habits that will help you in all of your classes. Other Suggestions/Ideas •Weekly Reports are also available at the Counseling Clerk’s desk. •Contact the counseling office for additional help/services.