English 12 British Literature Expository Reading and Writing Ms. Stockton

Notecards NameSeat # Birthday Hobbies/sports/activities Three goals for this class Last year’s English teacher Career and college plans.

Rules RESPECT other people, your education, and yourselves. Be READY to work, in your seat with materials, when the bell rings. SPEAK APPROPRIATELY at all times. This means don’t interrupt another speaker, don’t swear, label, insult, sass, or whine. Instead, ask relevant questions, be polite, helpful, and kind to all. STAY IN YOUR SEAT unless you have permission to do otherwise. I will find opportunities for you to move around and stretch. FOLLOW all procedures, directions, and school rules.

Supplies You will need lined paper and writing utensils. You will also be provided with a composition notebook which I will collect regularly for points. This is not your source of lined paper, which should come from a separate notebook or binder.

Discipline Policy – Rude or disruptive behavior will not be tolerated. Examples of unacceptable behavior: Sneaking phone Cheating Asking silly questions Sharpening pencil during instruction Getting up during instruction Rude/negative comments Tardies Food/sticky drinks Littering Drawing on school property Sleeping Arguing

Journals We will write every day in our composition notebooks. I am looking for a full page for every journal entry. This is not a test to see how succinct you can be, but an exercise in writing. Please number the journals and make up an assignment if you are absent. Journals are springboards for class discussion, literature background knowledge, and writing assignments. You will also take notes and get points for everything.

SSR You will be assigned a book every quarter, and it makes sense to have it for SSR on Tuesdays and Thursdays. You can read whatever you like, but you must bring your own material. If you would like to borrow something from me, check it out before class.

Homework, Assignments, Tests I will regularly assign homework, which is necessary for success in our class. LATE ASSIGNMENTS WILL RECEIVE HALF CREDIT AND WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED MORE THAN ONE WEEK LATE! Students who are absent on the day of a test must make arrangements with the instructor to make it up. It is the student’s responsibility to find out what tests and assignments have been missed and make them up in a timely manner. Show pride in your work! Always hand in assignments that are written neatly and clearly—free of doodles, smudges, spiral notebook “fringe” or rips. Students whose grade falls below passing levels will be required to serve lunch detentions for mandatory tutoring and one-on-one assistance.

Grades Effort – You will not get credit for work that is illegible. You must put effort into your written work. If I cannot read it, then I cannot grade it. Grading – Standard points system. If you only do half the work, you will fail. A = 90 – 100% B = 80-89% C = 70-79% D= 60-69%

Website Mr. Olsen and I are collaborating on the English 12 curriculum, and we have created a website for you. You must be able to access it regularly. You can access from the Independence website under my link or at

Essays All formal essays must be typed and submitted electronically as well as on paper. The purpose of this is to prepare you for college and careers, as well as to prevent plagiarism. When you submit your work electronically, we run it through an anti-plagiarism site. Plagiarism results in a zero for the assignment (no make-ups) and a referral.

Bathroom Passes Each of you will receive four bathroom passes per quarter. Please do not ask to go to the bathroom, because it is usually disruptive. Simply wait for an appropriate time, then give me your little bathroom pass and take the laminated one with you. No passes the first and last ten minutes of class.