Welcome!

Mr. Davidson says,

Welcome to the Little Rock Help Center.

Your child will be in 9th,10th or 12th grade English this year.

Students will be required to take three (3) test over there lessons

Course Information	Teacher Information
Credit Hour: 2 (required)	Name: Mr Davidson
Marking Period: Full Year Course	Phone: 501.412.5520 ext. 7334
Class Location: 334	Office Location: Room 334
Time: Blocks 1,2,3	Office Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 2:40-3:10
Teacher Website: http://seandlrhelp.educatorpages.com	E-Mail: sean.davidson@lrhelp.org

School Attributes

The manner in which we prepare students at Little Rock Help Center is informed by four attributes: (1) Dedicated faculty who will hold themselves to, at minimum, to the same standards as the students we teach; (2) Positive relationships developed and nurtured between and among adults and students; (3) A high level of rigor included in instructional practices via standards aligned and contextually driven instruction; and (4) Connecting positive relationships with effective instruction for positive academy RESULTS!

Course Description:

Students enrolled in the Honors Program will experience the greatest challenge in their classes. The work that is offered to these students is most difficult and is presented at a rapid rate. They will read and interpret great works of literature, as well as learn to appreciate the finer points of style and writing. They will practice writing their own stories and poems, along with various examples of narrative, expository, and persuasive writing. Students who are in this program should expect large amounts of both class work and homework.

Course Competencies/ Learning Objectives

Students who successfully complete English I Honors will be competent in the following areas:

Students will be able to write original pieces employing the writing process.
Students will be able to locate, evaluate, and utilize viable sources for research.
Students will be able to conduct and present research both written and orally.
Students will be able to write and speak using proper grammar.
Students will be able to use new vocabulary words correctly, using context clues, knowledge of root words, and word origins as well as reference sources to decode and understand new words.
Students will be able to read, understand, and respond to essential content in a variety of nonfiction and fiction texts and documents.
Students will be able to define and identify literary terms.
Students will be able to explain the format of drama.
Students will be able to explain the format of poetry/epic poetry.

Student Evaluation

The grading system for the English Department at Little Rock Help Center is as follows:

Tests, Projects, & Major Papers	-	40%
Quizzes, Classwork, & Minor Assignments	-	30%
Attendance & Class Participation	-	20% (school wide)
Homework	-	10% (school wide)

The above areas will be used as the basis for 80% of your grade per semester. The midterm and/or final exam will constitute the remaining 20% of your grade per semester.

Attendance Policy

Regular and prompt class attendance is an essential part of the educational experience. Little Rock Help Center expects students to exercise good judgment regarding attendance and absences. Students will accept full responsibility for ensuring their work does not suffer because of absences. All students are expected to attend every scheduled class on time. Exceptions may be made for illness and valid emergencies.

Classroom Expectations

1. Students will come to class on time prepared and ready to learn.

2. Students will complete all assignments, including homework, by all deadlines. Make-up work is only accepted after an excused absence. It is your responsibility to see me for your work before or after school.

3. All students will be silent and respectful while other students read aloud.

4. The teachers and students will work together for a respectful, safe classroom.

5. Participation in class discussions will enhance all students’ learning experiences.

6. Students are expected to have all assigned readings completed; this may require some reading to be completed outside of the classroom.

7. Cell phones, iPods, mp3 players, and any other personal items are prohibited in class at any time.

Class Requirements

Students will be required to complete and pass writing assignments, research projects, tests/exams, and homework. Students will also be required to read outside of class, participate meaningfully and respectfully in classroom discussions, maintain good attendance, have a respectful and positive attitude, and come to class ready to learn!

Rewrite Policy

Any written assignment that receives a less than desirable grade may be revised and rescored, so long as it was initially submitted on time, a student-teacher conference has taken place, and the rewritten assignment is resubmitted in a timely fashion (no more than 3 days after the assignment was returned to the student).

Plagiarism, Cheating, and Academic Integrity

Plagiarism is the practice of copying words, sentences, images, or ideas for use in written or oral assessments without giving proper credit to the source. Cheating is defined as the giving or receiving of illegal help on anything that has been determined by the teacher to be an individual effort. Both are considered serious offenses and will significantly affect your course grade. Please refer to the Student Code of Conduct booklet for additional information.

Methodology

A combination of lecture, class discussion, presentations, videos, cooperative learning, and problem-based learning will be used in this course. Grades will be determined by the satisfactory and timely completion of assignments. The grade of each assignment is based on the prerequisite given for each assignment. Below is an overview of topic/ units and major assessments/assignments for this course. Please note dates/timeframes are subject to change and are an estimate.

Unit/ Topic	Course Activities	Assessments/Assignments	Month/ Timeframe
Introduction	Read, interpret, analyze, and summarize various types of writing, practice reading and writing in the content area, and complete a diagnostic test	Diagnostic assessments	September
Narrative Structure	Read, interpret, analyze, and summarize short pieces of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry	Written and oral responses, tests, and projects	October
Historical Fiction	Read, interpret, analyze, and summarize short pieces of fiction, a novella, nonfiction, and poetry	Written and oral responses, essays, tests, projects, and a webquest	November/December
Symbolism and Irony	Read, interpret, analyze, and summarize short pieces of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry	Written and oral responses, tests, and projects	December/January
Propaganda and Persuasion	Read, interpret, analyze, and summarize short pieces of fiction, a novella, nonfiction, and poetry	Written and oral responses, tests, projects, research paper and presentation	January/February
Mythology and Epic Poetry	Read, interpret, analyze, and summarize myths, epic poetry, and nonfiction	Written and oral responses, tests, and projects	March
Shakespearean Connections	Read, interpret, analyze, and summarize drama, poetry, and nonfiction	Written and oral responses, tests, and projects	April/May
Science Fiction	Read, interpret, analyze, and summarize short pieces of fiction, a novel, nonfiction, and poetry	Written and oral responses, tests, and projects	May/June

Please acknowledge that you have read and understand the information explained above.