Honors English II (Period 3AC)

Course Description and Objective:

English II is a daily course that lasts the whole school year. It is taught by a teacher trained to help adolescents become not only strong readers and writers but also life-long learners.

Beginning the first day of class, students will learn classroom routines to help them work productively. These routines will guide what happens in the classroom every day and become tools for success.

Each week, students will read rigorous texts, study key vocabulary words, listen to texts read aloud, discuss what they think about them, and practice various reading and writing skills and strategies.

Lessons and activities for this course will address the Common Core State Standards. Students will become more proficient in all strands of the English Language Arts as we work through a rigorous curriculum.

Each semester of English II is worth one half of a credit. If students successfully complete both semesters, they will earn one full credit.

Standards:

Instructional Materials:

Students should bring pens, pencils, and a single-subject composition book. A folder will be provided for your use. You must also bring your student agenda to class every day – this will serve as your hall pass.

Grading:

Students will have a variety of assessment opportunities to demonstrate learning. Students with special needs will receive accommodations on an individual basis. Assessment of assignments will fall into the following categories:

• 70% STANDARDS Major assessments/writing assignments/projects
• 30% Class work/ PerformanceStudents are assessed using standards-based grading. All assessment is based upon proficiency in the above standard categories supplemented by an assessment of overall performance. Proficiency in standards is assessed by the following:A          100C          77F          50-55Detailed rubrics will be distributed for writing assignments and projects.  B          89 – 80D          69 – 60   Every student should expect homework following every class in preparation for the next class meeting. Homework will include a variety of tasks such as independent reading and/or working on drafts of writing pieces. Other activities will be assigned when practice on skills or strategies is needed.Expectations and Rules:
• All students will be required to adhere to the CPS Code of Conduct (formerly the Uniform Discipline Code). In addition, students are expected to:
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• Homework Policy:
• Late work will not be accepted except in the event of an excused absence. Please check Student Portal daily to determine if you have any missing assignments. A copy of the missing assignment will also be placed in students’ individual folders.
• Grades are available at any time on Student Portal. Grades are updated weekly. Appointments can be made to discuss any questions you have concerning your grades.
• F          59 – 0
• C          79 – 70
• A          100 – 90
• The basic scale is as follows:
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• D          66
• B          88
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*Also, cell phones, mp3 players, other electronic devices, food, candy, and drinks (except water) are not permitted in the classroom (except on special occasionsJ).

Scope and Sequence: The year will be divided into four thematic units. The themes/genre studies are as follows:

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