WELCOME TO
ENGLISH 10
Mrs.
Kurucz
So,
you survived freshman year? Do you
think you can survive sophomore year?
IÕll help you, but realize that it is really your choice. Choose to be positive, a class
participant, and a student willing to try his best and you will not only
survive but find great success!
There
are a few general rules for you to remember this year:
1. Care about Class: Come to class on time and prepared to
work with all the appropriate materials.
If you need to leave class, remember to sign in/out on the sheet
provided; you will be allowed to leave only once for no longer than 3 minutes,
so plan accordingly. I dismiss you
from class, so do not pack up and wait by the door until given permission.
2. Care about Yourself and
Others: Think about the questions
you ask and the comments you make – are they appropriate and on
task? Become familiar with
yourself as a learner and work respectfully both independently, with a partner,
and in groups. Learn to advocate
for yourself with a thoughtful approach.
We all need to be active listeners, tolerant of mistakes, and
participants in class – all in a respectful manner.
3. Care about your
Environment: You may have bottled
beverages ready before class begins (no visits to the vending machines
allowed), but no other drink or food.
Everyone helps to clean up at the end of a period to prepare the room
for the next class. Keep your cell
phone and ipods in your backpacks – they should not be visible for any
reason, or they may be taken from you.
Respect personal property and personal space.
Materials:
•
Binder with dividers for organization -- only for English
•
Loose leaf paper in binder
•
Pen -- blue or black ink; work will not be accepted in pencil
•
School Planner
•
Work for the day -- homework, books, etc.
Quarter Grading:
Unit Grade -- 40% Comprehensive grade for a given literature unit
Daily Work – 20% Class work & homework; also part of the unit grade
Tests / Quizzes – 10% May be part of the unit grade or separate
Final Products – 15% Unit assessments; essays, orals, projects
G&V Activities – 15% Grammar and vocab assignments
Some work can be made up as long as we did not grade it in class. Make-up dates
may change as the year progresses. The work assigned is to help you understand
the material not busy work.
Course
Grading:
Each
quarter is 20% (20%x4 = 80%)
Final
project is 20% (20% + 80%= 100%)
**
The final project is important, so check the course syllabus.
Tardy? Entering
the class after it has begun means you must fill out the “tardy sign
in” sheet. If you are tardy to class 3 times, you owe me a break detention.
If you do not show up at your appointed time, you will face an office detention
and possibly insubordination. Watch the clock!
Absent? If you
are absent, any work due the day of your absence will be due upon your return.
The block you return, you will receive any work missed during
your absence, which will be expected due the next block. In block scheduling,
it is very easy to fall behind if absent. When absent, try to see your teacher
immediately when you return and be prepared to stay after school. Also, check
the “absent” folder for assignments -- but still check in with
me!
Homework: Whether you are absent or forgot to write your homework in your planner,
there are no excuses for not knowing the assignment. It is online at:
http://kuruczschool.googlepages.com/english10assignments
Substitutes? Just a quick reminder that if a substitute is present, you are to
conduct yourselves as if the regular teacher was present. If I receive negative
reports, there will be negative consequences!
Academic Integrity
Policy: Helping each other is usually acceptable but having word-for-word answers
is not. If an assignment is to be totally independent without
discussing it with classmates, then I will inform you. If you have any question
as to the level of “help” then please ask! See the student handbook.
After School Help:
I am at school until 3:15 every day and later if needed. Please make arrangements
with me for help so that I can plan accordingly. Free periods:
4 & 8 (some of these are with an AcLab)
My e-mail at school: ckurucz@tvhs.k12.vt.us
English 10
World
Literature
Course
Syllabus
Mrs.
Kurucz
What
is ÒWorld Literature?Ó
We will be reading literature from
various parts around the globe.
Each selection that we read will tie into some geographical region. Looking at the culture of the region
will be as important as examining the literature itself. Naturally, we will continue to develop
writing skills with the primary focus on essay writing. Along with the reading and writing,
a study of Latin roots will help to break down some of those tough SAT
vocabulary words. Listed below are some (but not necessarily all) of our focus
areas for English 10:
Literature
Units
Literature Units
Unit 1: Ancient Cultures – Oedipus the King (Sophocles)
Unit 2: Japan – Hiroshima (Hersey)
Unit 3: Non-Fiction Literature Circles – Book choices may include My
Forbidden Face, Falling Leaves, Kaffir Boy, We Are All the Same.
Unit 4: China – The Good Earth (Buck)
Unit 5: Cultural Research based on a choice of geographic region. Independent
novel choice along with a research paper.
Unit 6: Fiction Literature Circles – Book choices may include Chu Ju’s
House, Waiting for the Rain, Nectar in the Sieve, Shabanu, When the Emperor
was Divine.
Unit 7: Mexican-American Literature: The House on Mango Street (Cisneros)
Grammar
Focus Writing
Focus Skills
Focus
Sentence
Complements Thesis
use
of wiki/blog
Types
of Sentences Essay
writing Internet
research
Mechanics
in context Summary
writing Website
evaluation
Quotations Latin
roots
Listening
skills
Oral
presentations
TVHS
Expectations for Student Learning: While English 10 may address other
expectations, our primary objective is to address expectation 1.0 – Communication
in that a TVHS graduate clearly communicates ideas and information in
a variety of circumstances and media. A student:
• Comprehends main and supporting ideas in written work (Reading)
• Expresses main ideas and key points clearly and succinctly (Writing)
• Uses verbal and nonverbal skills to express himself or herself effectively
(Oral)
A
few special notes:
1. Homework grading will be
done through the use of an Òassignment rubric.Ó You may be asked to or choose to redo assignments that do
not meet the "4" criteria. This
will help with your unit and overall grades.
2. Unit grading consists of
40% of a quarter average and places a great deal of responsibility on the
student. Please keep a copy of the
unit requirements for your reference and ask if you have any questions.
3. Final Project: In order to receive credit for English 10,
you must complete the final project! It is also 20% of your final course average.
It consists of:
•
Writing portfolio (50%): This will contain 5 major pieces of writing in it,
which may include a research paper, narrative, response to literature, critical
analysis, independent project, and/or a theme report. Each of these will be
worked on during the course of the year and will be part of a unit grade as
well.
•
Book Presentation (50%): You will need to read a book independently of class
and give an oral presentation about it. You will receive details when you need
them.
4. Modifications are made in order to meet the needs of those
students who receive remediation or special services. I am available to meet with students who need individual
attention. In the English 10
class, there is:
5.
Communication is easiest through email (ckurucz@tvhs.k12.vt.us); however,
grade updates are typically made available on Monday mornings. Be sure to
obtain your power school password so that you can keep track of your child’s
grades. If there is a concern, I often leave comments under the “parent
note.” Again, my assignments can be found at: http://kuruczschool.googlepages.com/english10assignments
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Please
sign and return this section to verify you have read and understand the
syllabus.
_____________________ ____________________
Student Parent/Guardian