Greetings Mustangs,

Welcome to Morrow High School’s 2020-2021 school year! 

The courses I teach are: 9th Grade Literature and Composition                 

The syllabus is located in google classroom. The syllabus provides general information about the course, grading guidelines, and scheduled meeting times for classes.

I will provide coursework and course updates regularly through the Google Classroom for each course. Students will receive an invitation to join the classroom, and are expected to participate in classes every day, as attendance will be taken daily.

Outside of class meeting times, I am available for instructional support and tutorial assistance on Thursday's from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Also, I will host Saturday virtual lounge sessions the first Saturday of the month. During these sessions I will provide updates, resources and give my parents and students opportunities to ask questions.  Feel free to email me at deidra.wright@clayton.k12.ga.us or call me at ‪ (404) 721-2427 if you have questions. You can expect a response within 48 hours.

Let’s have a great year at Morrow High School! 

Mrs. D. Wright 

好书如挚友 hǎo shū rú zhì yǒu. A good book is a good friend.

                                            Syllabus                             

                                        9^th Grade English Literature/Composition

Semester/Year: 2020-2021                            

 

Instructor: Mrs. Deidra Wright

                                                               

Class Location: Google Classroom Code: ezpksbw

 

Class Meets Live: Monday-Thursday  

1^st Period 8:45 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.

3^rd Period 12:00 p.m. 1:15 p.m.

4^TH Period 1:25 p.m. – 2:40 p.m.

Tutorial Day and Time: Thursdays from 4 to 5 p.m.

                                                                                                                                               

Email: deidra.wright@clayton.k12.ga.us                                   

 

Teacher’s Website: https://003.clayton.k12.ga.us/teacher_sites/language_arts/ms__wright_s_site

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course is specifically designed to increase your ability to read, comprehend and critically analyze literature, and effectively construct written prose for academic, social, and economic settings, globally. The literature analyzed will incorporate a variety of genres and multi­cultural writers. Writing composition is a major component of this course, focusing on developing proficiency in argumentative, expository, narrative, and persuasive writing as well as introducing research skills.

 

LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

 

• Engage in writing as a process, including brainstorming, gathering evidence, drafting, revising, editing, and proof-reading 

 

• Engage in the collaborative, social aspects of writing, including the ability to use writing as a tool for learning 

 

• Recognize explicit and implicit main idea and supporting details

 

• Use grammatical, stylistic, and mechanical formats and conventions appropriate for a variety of audiences.

 

• Critique their own and others' work in written and oral format 

 

• Produce coherent, organized, readable prose for a variety of rhetorical situations

 

• Reflect on what contributed to their writing process and evaluate their own work 

 

• Critically analyze text(s), various mediums and music.

 

 

TEXTS, READINGS, AND INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES

 

Required Text: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Collections: Student Edition Grade 9 2017 1st Edition 

 

Collections Close Reader: Student Edition Grade 9

 

 

ACTIVITIES AND ASSESSMENTS, EVALUATION PROCEDURES, AND GRADING

 

Activities and Assessments:   

All major activities (projects, research papers, portfolios, etc.) are listed here and in the calendar. Specify expectations for synchronous and asynchronous online classroom activities.

 

Activities

Activity 1: Establish a blog, youtube or podcast for Quad D Task: 1^st two weeks of school

Date: August 12^th

LIT Labs: Are literature labs designed to teach key skills in a relevant way using music and media.

(LIT lab) Quad D Task 1: Date: August 19^th (Asynchronous)

(LIT lab) Quad D Task 2: Date: October 14^th  (Synchronous)

(LIT lab) Quad D Task 3: Date: November 18^th   (Asynchronous)

Learning Task (LIT LAB): Tuesdays and Thursdays each week .  (Synchronous)

 

 

Quizzes and Tests

Reading Comprehension Quiz: Every Friday: 17 Quizzes (Asynchronous)

Pre-Unit Assessment 1: August 13^th (tentative)

End of Unit Assessment 1: October 7^th (tentative)

Pre-Unit Assessment 2: October 15^th (tentative)

End of Unit Assessment 2(EOC): December 2^nd (tentative)

Writing Activities

Reflection Journals:  Three weekly reflections are required and must be submitted online.

2 Term Papers ( Asynchronous)

1^ST Paper-Date: October 9^th (tentative)

2^nd Paper- November 21^st (tentative)

 

Evaluation Procedures:

 

High School and High School Credit Bearing Courses Grade Weights
Courses with an End-of-Course (EOC) Exam		Courses without an End-of-Course (EOC) Exam
Classwork Tests/Quizzes Projects Homework End-of-Course Exam	25% 30% 10% 15% 20%	Classwork Tests/Quizzes Projects Homework Final Exam	25% 30% 10% 15% 20%

.                              

Grading Policy:

 

Letter Grade	Performance Level	Description of Performance Level
A	90-100	Exceeding content expectations
B	80-89	Meeting content expectations
C	71-79	Working towards meeting content expectations
D	70	Inadequate progress towards meeting content expectations
F	69 and below	Did not meet content expectations
NC	No Credit	Enrolled 10 days or less
I	Incomplete	Course requirements not completed

 

Class Policies: 

1. Choose a quiet space, free from distractions, to set yourself up for class. Turn off cell phones, TVs, etc. Exit other applications on your computer prior to entering the classroom.
2. Come to class early.
3. Dress appropriately. Remember this is still a classroom setting.
4. Use your full name when you sign into the classroom.
5. When you enter the classroom, make sure to enable both audio and video. You can click “Start Video” and “Join Audio” in the bottom menu. For audio connection, you can choose to connect via the computer or dial-in on your phone. 
6. Mute your microphone during the lesson to avoid disturbing the class with any background noise.
7. Be respectful. 
8. Participate. When you have a question or comment, use the “Raise your Hand” button that can be found in the window that pops up when you click on Participants in the bottom menu. Wait to be acknowledged by the teacher before unmuting yourself to speak. You can also use the keyboard shortcut Option+Y on a Mac or Alt+Y on a PC to raise your hand.
9. Use the chat responsibly. It is meant to facilitate conversation around the lesson topic, not for sideline discussions.
10. When your class is over, leave the classroom by closing the window.

 

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Homework policy:

All homework assignments must be turned in on time; all late assignments will have points deducted.

 

MAKE-UP WORK POLICY:

All students are provided an opportunity to make up missed assignments, regardless of the reason for the absences.  It is the student and parent’s responsibility to make arrangements and/or complete all work within three school days of the student’s return to school. Students will present the make-up work to the teacher for grading.  Grading for the make-up work should be shared with the student within a reasonable period, i.e. 3-5 days.  It is the parent and student’s responsibility, as appropriate, to initiate the make-up work for missed assignments, tests, and class work.  Students must assume responsibility for obtaining the required information and making whatever arrangements are necessary with the teacher.  Parents should assist their child with requests for make-up work and other missed assignments and tests.  

 

Students may arrange times with the teacher for making up work for the mutual convenience of student and teacher.  Make-up of tests/quizzes should be done before or after school except otherwise arranged by the teacher.  Teachers may assign different work or a different test than that which was originally assigned to other students. It is critical that parents remain involved in this process to ensure academic success for the student.  Long-term assignments with preset dates are due on the assigned dates, regardless of a student’s previous absence.

 

Infinite Campus Access:

Parents can access their student’s grades and attendance online via Infinite Campus Parent Portal. Please see the parent liaison, Mr. Clifton at extension 503137 to obtain their username and password. 

 

Grade Reporting: 

Progress reports are issued every four and one-half weeks within each nine week grading period. Report cards are issued every eighteen weeks at the high school level. Report card grades will include both letter and numeric grades for all students.

 

Progress Report Dates:

Semester One:      September 3                          October 13                            November 16                       January 6

Semester Two:     February 9                            March 16                               April 26                                 May 28

 

CLASS OUTLINE/CALENDAR (Tentative) 

                                                 

Week #	Major assignments (i.e. research papers, projects, portfolios)	Due Date	Readings for class Additional assignments, etc.
Week 1	Learning Assessment Activity 1 Pre-Unit Assessment Getting to Know You Activities	August 10th-August14th	How to write an argumentative essay by Thoughtco.com https://newsela.com/read/lib-writing-argumentative-essay?utm_source=email&utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=web   These Are the Americans Who Live in a Bubbleby Emma Green https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2019/02/americans-remain-deeply-ambivalent-about-diversity/583123/   What It Means to Be ‘Latinx,’ and What That Means for America https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/14/books/review/latinx-ed-morales.html   What We Look Like: 11 Asian-American artists celebrate their experiences of culture and identity with illustrated self portraits. by Antonio de Luca and Jaspal Riyait https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/06/us/coronavirus-race-artists-asian-american-identity.html A Debate Over Identity and Race Asks, Are African-Americans ‘Black’ or ‘black’? by John Eligon https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/26/us/black-african-american-style-debate.html
Week 2	Quilt Activity 2 Writing “LIT” Lab (Quad D Task) Quiz Reflections Close Reading Exercises	August 17th-August 21st	Quilt of a Country by Anna Quindlen How to write an argumentative essay by Thoughtco.com https://newsela.com/read/lib-writing-argumentative-essay?utm_source=email&utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=web   These Are the Americans Who Live in a Bubbleby Emma Green https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2019/02/americans-remain-deeply-ambivalent-about-diversity/583123/   What It Means to Be ‘Latinx,’ and What That Means for America https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/14/books/review/latinx-ed-morales.html   What We Look Like: 11 Asian-American artists celebrate their experiences of culture and identity with illustrated self portraits. by Antonio de Luca and Jaspal Riyait https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/06/us/coronavirus-race-artists-asian-american-identity.html A Debate Over Identity and Race Asks, Are African-Americans ‘Black’ or ‘black’? by John Eligon https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/26/us/black-african-american-style-debate.html
Week 3	Reading “LIT” Lab Quiz Reflections Close Reading Exercises	August 24th-August 28th	Making a Better Future Newsela Articles How to write an argumentative essay by Thoughtco.com https://newsela.com/read/lib-writing-argumentative-essay?utm_source=email&utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=web   These Are the Americans Who Live in a Bubbleby Emma Green https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2019/02/americans-remain-deeply-ambivalent-about-diversity/583123/   What It Means to Be ‘Latinx,’ and What That Means for America https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/14/books/review/latinx-ed-morales.html   What We Look Like: 11 Asian-American artists celebrate their experiences of culture and identity with illustrated self portraits. by Antonio de Luca and Jaspal Riyait https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/06/us/coronavirus-race-artists-asian-american-identity.html A Debate Over Identity and Race Asks, Are African-Americans ‘Black’ or ‘black’? by John Eligon https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/26/us/black-african-american-style-debate.html
Week 4	Writing “LIT” Lab Quiz Reflections Close Reading Exercises	August 31st-September 4th	Making a Better Future Newsela Articles How to write an argumentative essay by Thoughtco.com https://newsela.com/read/lib-writing-argumentative-essay?utm_source=email&utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=web   These Are the Americans Who Live in a Bubbleby Emma Green https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2019/02/americans-remain-deeply-ambivalent-about-diversity/583123/   What It Means to Be ‘Latinx,’ and What That Means for America https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/14/books/review/latinx-ed-morales.html   What We Look Like: 11 Asian-American artists celebrate their experiences of culture and identity with illustrated self portraits. by Antonio de Luca and Jaspal Riyait https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/06/us/coronavirus-race-artists-asian-american-identity.html A Debate Over Identity and Race Asks, Are African-Americans ‘Black’ or ‘black’? by John Eligon https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/26/us/black-african-american-style-debate.html
Week 5	Reading “LIT” Lab Quiz Reflections Close Reading Exercises	September 8th-September 11th	Making a Better Future Newsela Articles How to write an argumentative essay by Thoughtco.com https://newsela.com/read/lib-writing-argumentative-essay?utm_source=email&utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=web   These Are the Americans Who Live in a Bubbleby Emma Green https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2019/02/americans-remain-deeply-ambivalent-about-diversity/583123/   What It Means to Be ‘Latinx,’ and What That Means for America https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/14/books/review/latinx-ed-morales.html   What We Look Like: 11 Asian-American artists celebrate their experiences of culture and identity with illustrated self portraits. by Antonio de Luca and Jaspal Riyait https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/06/us/coronavirus-race-artists-asian-american-identity.html A Debate Over Identity and Race Asks, Are African-Americans ‘Black’ or ‘black’? by John Eligon https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/26/us/black-african-american-style-debate.html Additional poetry and music will be assigned.
Week 6	Writing “LIT” Lab Quiz Reflections Close Reading Exercises	September 14th-September 18th	The Namesake a novel by Jhumpa Lahiri Additional poetry and music will be assigned.
Week 7	Reading “LIT” Lab Quiz Reflections Close Reading Exercises	September 28th-October 2nd	The Namesake a novel by Jhumpa Lahiri Additional poetry and music will be assigned.
Week 8	Unit 1 Assessment Reflections Close Reading Exercises Paper 1 Due	October 5th-October 9th	“The Interlopers” Short Story by Saki “Once Upon a Time” Short Story by Nadine Gordime
Week 9	Reading “LIT” Lab (Quad D Task) Intro to Unit 2 Quiz Reflections Close Reading Exercises	October 12th-October 16th	“I Have a Dream” Speech By Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “America The Story of Us - March on Washington” Video by History Channel Sick and Tired Fannie Lou Hamer’s speak BLM Movement (Recent news on the movement)
Week 10	Writing “LIT” Lab Quiz Reflections Close Reading Exercises	October 19th-October 23rd	“The Censors” Short Story by Luisa Valenzuela From “Reading Lolita in Tehran” Memoir by Azar Nafisi SNCC & Social Activism( Past and recent news analysis) Grace Boogs: Asian American Activist https://www.teenvogue.com/story/grace-lee-boggs-asian-american-labor-organizer-writer-og-history
Week 11	Reading “LIT” Lab Quiz Reflections Close Reading Exercises	October 26th-October 30th	“I Have a Dream” Speech by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Malcolm X Speech: Ballad or the Bullet http://www.edchange.org/multicultural/speeches/malcolm_x_ballot.html
Week 12	Writing “LIT” Lab Quiz Reflections Close Reading Exercises	November 2nd-November 6th	“I Have a Dream” Speech by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Ceasar Chavez speech Wraths of Grapes Boycott: http://www.emersonkent.com/speeches/wrath_of_grapes_boycott.htm
Week 13	Reading “LIT” Lab Quiz Reflections Close Reading Exercises	November 9th-November 13th	Achieve 3000 TBA
Week 14	Writing “LIT” Lab (Quad D Task) Quiz Reflections Close Reading Exercises Paper 2 Due	November 16th-November 20th	Achieve 3000 TBA
Week 15	Reading “LIT” Lab Quiz Work on Paper Reflections Close Reading Exercises	November 30th-December 4th	Achieve 3000 TBA
Week 16	Quiz Reflections Work on Paper Close Reading Exercises	December 7th-December 11th	Achieve 3000 TBA
Week 17	Reading “LIT” Lab Reflections Close Reading Exercises Work on Paper	December 14th-December 18th	Achieve 3000 TBA
Week 18	Unit Assessment Research Paper	December 14th-December 18th

 

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

Students are expected to submit work for evaluation that has been completed solely by that student, unless group assignments have been so designated. Academic integrity is expected at all times.  If a student is found cheating on a graded assignment, the student will not receive credit for that assignment and will face possible disciplinary action. Cheating and plagiarism are considered very serious academic offenses. Any student who plagiarizes or cheats on an assignment and/or test should be referred to the administrator.

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*Any changes to this document must have approval from an Administrator.

 

 

___________________________: Student Name

___________________________: Signature

 

___________________________: Parent(s) Name

___________________________: Signature(s)