• English 11 Course Overview

    Mrs. Kaminski

    Lake Shore Senior High School

    2022-2023

     

    Welcome to 11th grade English!  Our curriculum for this year will focus on the Next Generation Learning Standards for Reading, Writing, Speaking & Listening, and Language.  We will be conducting an in-depth study of several novels, plays, and shorter works.  You will also complete at least one research-based project and write a number of pieces of varying lengths.  Each of you will also be required to read two full-length literary works of your own choice.  In addition, we will prepare you for the English Language Arts Regents exam, so that each of you will successfully complete the Regents exam in June.  I am excited about the upcoming school year, and I am looking forward to getting to know each of you and studying literature together.

     

    Your junior year is a rigorous and important one academically.  I am committed to helping you through this year by creating a curriculum and class environment in which each of you will be able to succeed.  If you wish to succeed, then you should be prepared to read all assigned works, participate in class discussions, thoughtfully complete homework, quizzes, and tests, write meaningful essays, and come to class prepared and ready to work.  I will be prepared to create challenging and interesting lessons and assignments and to provide extra help or clearer explanations when it becomes necessary.  

     

    Rules

     

    Of course, all school rules will be closely observed in this class.  Come to class on time. Follow the school dress code and rules for hall passes. Do not bring into the classroom your hat, ear buds/headphones, coat, or book bag. If I see or hear a cell phone during instructional time, it will be confiscated (first offense:  remains with me for the rest of the period; subsequent offenses:  discipline referral with phone sent to main office).  I will clearly communicate the specific times when you may be allowed to use a phone during class. 

     

    Supplies

     

    For this class you will need (1) a bound composition notebook to use as a journal and (2) a folder with some looseleaf paper. Do not throw away any handout on colored paper: those should be saved all year.

    Every day you should bring your charged Chromebook, folder, pen/pencil, and the book we are currently reading.  Journals will remain in the classroom, and you should bring your outside book on Fridays.  

     

    Grading

     

    My grading policy is straightforward and should become clear early in the school year.  I will grade on a point system, in which larger assignments are worth more points.  For example, journal entries will be worth about 10 points, homework assignments and quizzes 10 to 30 points, and essays and tests will be worth 50 to 100 points. 

     

    At the end of the quarter, I will add up the number of points you have earned and divide it by the number of points possible.  That percentage will be your grade for the quarter.  The four quarter grades and your Regents exam grade will each be worth 1/5 of your final course grade for the year. 

     

    An important part of each quarter’s grade is your participation grade.  Verbally participating in a discussion actually helps you learn the material and formulate your thoughts; it will be an important skill in many of your college classes.  Every day in class, I will keep track of your involvement in class discussion and activities.  Unexcused tardies will lower your participation grade, as will distracting or inattentive behavior.

     

    Absences

     

    If you are absent, check the stream in Google Classroom. I post an update in the stream every single day for absent students. Contact me if you have any questions while you are out.

     

    For each full day that you are absent, you have one day to make up the work from the absence. After that, it is late. (For example, if you are absent four full days in a row, you have four school days to make up the missing work and turn it in.) See me if there are extenuating circumstances. If you are in school for most of the day but you miss my class, I expect you to stay caught up on the classwork that you missed. See me in the morning or afternoon of the class that you missed if you have any questions. If you have a music lesson, see me before class to find out what you will miss. If you are truant (skip class), then you receive a zero for the classwork you miss that day.

     

    Homework/late work

     

    I believe that homework is necessary in order to follow up a lesson, prepare for a lesson, practice a specific skill, or help you to think about a certain topic, so I will assign a reasonable amount of homework almost every class period.  I expect assignments to be completed carefully and thoughtfully.  Each assignment that you hand in should be your own original work; copying and plagiarism are serious offenses with serious consequences.  If you hand in an assignment that is not your own work, it will receive a zero.  If this happens again, the consequences will be more serious. After an assignment has been graded and returned on Google Classroom, do not resubmit it. Consult me if you would like permission to resubmit an assignment.

     

    Homework assignments will be accepted for full credit in the class period they are due.  For the first 35 weeks of the school year, if an assignment is late for any reason other than absence, the grade earned will be reduced by 10 percent per school day.  If at any point in the year you feel that you are not able to succeed in my class, please discuss this with me so we can work out a plan together.  I will be available for extra help after school almost every day.  I would be happy to meet with any of you for any reason.

     

    For the last five weeks of the school year, late work will automatically earn a zero.  See me privately if there are extenuating circumstances during that time.

     

    Communication

     

    Google Classroom will be the central hub for all information for this class. Check Google Classroom for weekly and daily assignments, announcements, handouts, Google Meet link, etc. I will post assignments under “classwork” and announcements under “stream.” 

     

    I check my e-mail each school day and am happy to hear from you or your parents at any time (heidi.kaminski@lscsd.org).  You may also reach me by phone through leaving a message on my voice mail (549-2300 x2278).  I will be using Remind for those of you who would like to receive text message reminders of major due dates, classroom announcements, etc.  To subscribe to my text messages, send a text with the message @mrshkami to the number 81010.