John W. Hallahan Girls’ High School ELA I - Introduction to Genre Miss Hannigan 2011-2012
Objective:		Based on the Common Core Standards, this course provides students with the skills and knowledge to become critical readers and writers by analyzing key ideas and details, craft and structure, and the integration of knowledge and ideas in literature and informational text. Students will develop their writing skills by examining text types and purposes and by writing arguments, explanatory/informational texts, and narratives. Using the full writing process, students will learn how to produce and distribute quality writing using technology’s capacity to produce, publish, and share writing products. Students will conduct short research projects and will participate in a range of collaborative discussions integrating multiple sources of information. This course will advance students’ knowledge of the conventions of Standard English and will strengthen vocabulary acquisition and use.
Expectations:		1. Come to class on time and be in your seat ready to work when the bell rings. 2. Complete all reading assignments and homework in the specified time. 3. Bring all needed materials to class each day. 4. Respect and be polite to each person and their property in the class. 5. All school rules will apply in this class. (i.e.- dress code, no food)
Failure to abide by classroom and school rules will incur the following punishments: demerits and/or detention. Work is not an excuse for missing detention. Do not earn detention if you cannot attend! Please familiarize yourself with all the rules and regulations of the school.
Materials: Required daily		1. Pencil/Pen and highlighter 2. 1 1/2 inch binder with loose-leaf and four dividers (notes, classwork, homework, tests) 3. Textbook
Absent Students:		When you are absent from school, it is your responsibility to check the website to see what work you have missed. YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL WORK MISSED. Assignments will be updated weekly on gradeconnect.com. Do not tell me on the day of a quiz or test that you were absent on a given day and are unable to take the quiz or test.
Homework & Projects:		Any homework is to be handed in either neatly written on loose leaf or typed with a MLA heading. Torn edges, such as paper torn out of a spiral notebook, will not be accepted. Any sloppy work or illegible writing will not be given credit. Each assignment will have a due date. Assignments are to be handed in on the due date or e-mailed the same day. All projects will be both e-mailed to the teacher the day they are due and a hard copy will be handed in. In order to e-mail a project or homework please use the class period as the address. (ex. Period1@misshannigan.com, Period2@misshannigan.com, etc.). Students may also be expected to participate in the class discussion board. The discussion board will be used instead of paper homework to varying degrees and hopefully we can eliminate a great deal of paper waste. Postings will count as a homework grade.
Late Assignments:		If you know you will be absent for whatever reason, please hand in or e-mail the assignment on the day before it is due. If you are absent due to illness, the assignment is due upon returning to school. Absence is no excuse for not handing in an assignment. In cases of extreme illness, exception may be made at the teacher’s discretion. If a project is late, 10 points per day late will be deducted. If the project is not handed in within 3 school days, you will receive a zero for the assignment. Late homework will not be accepted!
Tests & Quizzes:		All tests will be announced within a week of the test. If you are going to be absent on the day of a test, it is your responsibility to see me and make-up the test. After your return to school you will have two days to schedule a make-up of the quiz or test. All quizzes and tests will be made up after school or during your free period. You will not miss another class to take a quiz or test. If the quiz/test is not made up in the specified time period, you will receive a zero for the grade. There will be a review before every test and I am available before or after school for extra help.
Cheating:		While every possible circumstance cannot be listed here, any action by a student that constitutes cheating will receive an immediate zero. Some examples of cheating include but are not limited to: 1. Cheating on a test/quiz. 2. Copying homework (both receive a zero) 3. Using work from the internet and/or any publication and passing it off as your own (also known as plagiarism which is not only a zero but is also illegal) 4. Wandering eyes during a test or quiz (very noticeable)
Grading:		1. Tests at the end of each section. 2. Periodic quizzes (announced and unannounced). 3. Writing assignments 4. In-class and outside of class projects. 5. Homework 6. Discussion Board 7. Classwork and Participation 8. Semester Assessments
Grades are based on a points system. For the quarter grade, total earned points are divided by total possible points. Earned points x 100 = Quarter grade Possible points			For the Semester grade: The semester assessment counts as 20% of the grade.
				First Quarter x 2
			+	Second Quarter x 2
			+	Semester Exam x 1
				Total = Semester Grade 5
Class Websites:	www.misshannigan.com Become familiar with the class website. This website is for students and parents to view notes and assignments for the class. All works covered in class are available online. All projects in their entirety are also posted. www.gradeconnect.com All assignments and grades are posted weekly.
Hopefully this year will be both successful and wonderful for all of us! Miss Hannigan teacher@misshannigan.com hanniganj@jwhallahan.com