1. Welcome to English 12
As you enter, please take one of each of the provided papers/packets.
(You should end up with 4)

2. Class Expectations and Requirements
Please read “Class Expectations and Requirements” for homework.
Answer the questions on the ½ sheet of paper about the information in the syllabus.
Both the signed “Class Expectations” and the “Syllabus Worksheet” will be due at the beginning of class on Thursday.

3. Why isn’t this a normal English class?
Please read the provided articles SILENTLY to yourself.
As you read, mark any sentences or paragraphs that you think are important.
Be prepared to discuss in 15 minutes.
If you don’t finish all 3, that’s okay. Focus on understanding what you DO read.

4. Why isn’t this a normal English class?
What sentences or paragraphs in “Congratulations! You’re About to Fail” do you think are important?
According to the article, what big problem are students running into when they get to college?
Is this a problem for students at our school?
Could this be a problem for you?

5. Why isn’t this a normal English class?
What sentences or paragraphs in “I Won’t Hire People Who Use Poor Grammar. Here’s Why.” do you think are important?
Do you think that it’s fair for employers to refuse to hire people who use poor grammar? Should they be able to fire people for it?
Do you think that you would be prepared to pass a grammar test to get a job if you had to take one today?

6. Why isn’t this a normal English class?
What sentences or paragraphs in “Other People’s Children.” do you think are important?
What do you think the author means by “culture of power.”
What do you need to know in order to be successful in the “political power game” that the author talks about?

7. Grammar
If you want to be successful in the “culture of power” (college and the workplace), you need to be able to communicate effectively in Standard American English.
Do you need to talk like this all the time? No. You need to learn to “code switch.”

8. Nouns What do the words in red have in common?
The cup and plate are on the table.
Love and kindness are often greater motivators than threats.
The teacher’s books are available to students to borrow.
The book’s cover is torn.

9. Nouns Definition: A noun is a person, place, thing, or idea.
Types of nouns:
Singular (one thing): boy, girl, book, shoe, computer
Plural (more than one thing): two boys, three girls, many books, a pair of shoes, 100 computers
Possessive: boy’s car, girl’s hair, book’s title, shoe’s laces, computer’s keyboard
Proper (names): John, Jasmine, United States, Los Angeles, Coca-Cola, English, Spanish
Common (not names): man, cow, country, city, soda, math, science, history

10. Nouns Types of nouns (continued) Count: cars, items, bottles, money
Non-count: traffic, stuff, water, wealth
Abstract: love, hate, ability, energy, intelligence

11. Nouns Common mistake #1: Plural vs. Possessive
How do you know if you need an apostrophe ( ‘ ) before an s?
Plural nouns are talking about more than one of something.
Ex: There are 30 students in this class.
NO apostrophe!!!
Possessive nouns are talking about someone or something owning something else.
Ex: That is the student’s backpack.
The apostrophe is needed to show the student owns the backpack

12. Nouns Common mistake #2: Capitalization
Common nouns are only capitalized at the start of a sentence or in a title.
Ex: The boy wanted to go to a foreign country to see some famous landmarks.
Ex: When my friend doesn’t like the food served by my school, she just eats chips for lunch even though she knows she’ll be hungry in 6th period math.
Proper nouns are always capitalized.
Ex: Mark wanted to go to France to see the Eiffel Tower.
Ex: When Mary doesn’t like the food served by MASS, she just eats hot Cheetos for lunch even though she knows she’ll be hungry in 6th period English.

13. Nouns
Complete the “Independent Practice: Nouns” worksheet using the time left in class.
If you need more time, finish it for homework.