English/ Language Arts Syllabus2015-2016

Instructor: Mrs. Robyn A. Dalton

Web Page: la.mcstryon.org
rdalton@mcstryon.org

Email:

Welcome to our class!

My goals for each of you:

Grow as readers, writers, and critical thinkers.

Prepare to meet/exceed the state standards in reading and writing.

To achieve these goals, I will:
Provide sustained time to read and write.
Introduce/ reinforce learning important concepts and skills.
Conference with you and your parents/guardians about your progress.
Respond to your writing.
Assess your skills and progression in meeting our course objectives.
To achieve these goals, you must:
Prepare for class by completing assignments, reviewing notes, and preparing for
assessments.
Use class time effectively.
Respect the rights of fellow classmates to learn.
Respect my right to facilitate learning.

Course Objectives/Nebraska Standards . . .

READING: Learn and apply reading skills and strategies to comprehend text.
1. WORD ANALYSIS: Use knowledge of phonetic and structural analysis to read and
write grade-level text.
2. FLUENCY: Read a variety of grade-level print/digital texts fluently with accuracy,
appropriate pace, phrasing,
and expression to support comprehension.
3. VOCABULARY: Build and use conversational, academic, and content-specific grade-level vocabulary.
4. COMPREHENSION: Construct meaning by applying prior knowledge, using text information,
and monitoring
comprehension while reading increasingly complex
grade-level literary and informational text.
WRITING: Learn and apply writing skills and strategies to communicate.
1. WRITING PROCESS: Apply the writing process to plan, draft, revise,
edit, and publish writing using correct
spelling, grammar, punctuation, and other conventions of standard English
appropriate for
grade-level.
2. WRITING MODES: Will write in multiple modes for a variety of purposes and audiences.
SPEAKING AND LISTENING: Develop and apply appropriate speaking and listening skills and
strategies to communicate for a
variety of purposes.
1. SPEAKING: Develop, apply, and refine speaking skills and strategies to communicate
key ideas in a variety of
situations.
2. LISTENING: Develop and apply active listening skills across a variety of situations.
3. RECRIPRICOL COMMUNICATION: Develop, apply, and adapt reciprocal
communication skills.
MULTIPLE LITERACIES: Apply information fluently and practice digital citizenship.

1. INFORMATIONAL FLUENCY: Students will evaluate, create, and communicate

information in a variety
of media and formats .
2. DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP: Students will practice the norms of appropriate and responsible
technology use.

Academic Responsibilities . . .
1.

Bring your assigned text, assignments, planner, binder, supplies, and an AR book to
class EVERY time we meet.
2. Assignments should be completed by the beginning of the class.
Turn in all homework assignments to the blue box.
--Late assignments receive a 10% deduction if hand-delivered to me by the end of the
day the assignment is due.
--Late assignments past the due date receive a 30% deduction and hand-delivered to
me.
Submit all typed assignments to Google Classroom by the scheduled date and time.
Submit assignments before you leave for an activity otherwise, they will be considered
late.
3. Use only blue or black ink for graded assignments (unless typing is required) and looseleaf composition notebook paper.
I will NOT grade papers prepared in colors other than blue or blackSORRY!
I will NOT grade papers torn from notebooks even if the perforated edges have been torn
awaySORRY!
Write legibly--It is impossible to grade any work that is difficult to read.
Please use colored pens and highlighters to take notes and reflect on your learning.
4. Head papers on left-hand side, using MLA formatting:
Tom Sawyer
--your name
Mrs. Dalton --my name
English 8, 2 --course title and period number
15 August 2015
--the date written just like this with day/month/year
(Optional: Name of assignment
--could be pages, exercises, title, etc.)
5. Complete all make-up work to receive credit.
Check the language arts web page for assignments and handouts.
Turn in your makeup work promptly, per school policytwo days to make up one day of
work; three days to make up two days, etc.
Remember, work due the day you were absent is due the day you return. Therefore,
if you come to school later in the day, (after our class) be sure your homework is submitted
on this same day; otherwise, it will be late.
6. Do your own work.
Academic dishonesty: cheating/copyingno credit; plagiarismconference with
principal, teacher, and student to determine consequence. According to the
handbook, these are grounds for an administrative suspension.
Since the burden of proof rests with you, be sure to keep all draft and source materials
when completing assignments involving research.
7. Plan to work only on Language Arts during our class period.
8. Seek assistance promptly when you need it, but not minutes before an assignment is
due.
I am available before school, during my plan, and after school. Take advantage of this
opportunity.
9. Keep your binder neat and well organized at all times.
File ALL handouts, class notes, activities, and assignments in their proper divider areas.

NEVER throw a returned assignment away until after the grading period ends.

Supplies. . . PLEASE HAVE ALL SUPPLIES BY MONDAY,

AUGUST 17TH
Bring the following to class EVERY day:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

A LARGE three-ring notebook/binder with a HARD, DURABLE cover to be used exclusively

for this class.
One package of three-ring dividers for five different sections.
One package of loose-leaf, college-ruled notebook paper. Use this for preparing
assignments.
One 70-page, college-ruled notebook.
A three-ring pencil and supply pouch that MUST stay in your notebook at all times.
Please fill this pouch with the following items:
A blue or black pen
A red, purple or green colored ink pen
A pencil with a good eraser
Four highlighters: Green, pink, blue, yellow
Sticky note

Grading. . .
GRADE SCALE: A--100-93; B--92--85; C--84-77; D--76-70; F--69 and below.
Semester exams: 15% of final grade-----Assignments: 85% of final grade
MUGS: MECHANICS, USAGE, and GRAMMAR
Mug paragraph quizzes
25 pts.
NO RED INK daily assign
0-25 pts. Completion grade
NO RED INK quizzes
50 pts.
NO RED INK tests
100 pts.
PERSONAL READING AND JOURNAL RESPONSE
Wkly reading grade
50 pts.
Wkly reading response
50 pts.
VOCABULARY
Vocabulary wkbk
Vocabulary sentences
Vocabulary tests

5 pts. per section for completion

50 pts.
200 pts.

LITERATURE & COMPOSITION

Daily work
50 pts
Quizzes
50 pts.
Paragraph writing
45-75 pts.
Unit exams
300 pts.
Essay compositions
200-300 pts.
PROJECTS AND LONG-TERM ASSIGNMENTS
Special projects:
grades varyusually, 20 pts. per day.
Quarter Notebook grades
100 pts.
EXTRA CREDIT
Bonus questions on quizzes and exams.
Extra points on projects for exceeding the assignment requirements.
Finding and reporting this years vocabulary words in personal reading.
FAILED ASSIGNMETS
May receive invitation for retake/redo if your grade is below a 70.

 Must be completed by the scheduled time.

(cut here and return)

PARENT/STUDENT SIGNATURE SLIPplease return by Monday, August 17th

Parents:
Please take time to read our class syllabus. The students and I will discuss it in class, too. If
you have any questions, please contact me. This syllabus will be on our la.mcstryon.org web
page for future reference. Thanks, Mrs. D
I have read and understand the guidelines, rules, and expectations set forth in the syllabus for
this course.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________
(Parent/ Guardian signature)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------(Student signature)

(Date)

(Date)