1. Welcome to ENGLISH CLASS!
Get excited.

2. 10th Grade HONORS
The year in a (tiny) nutshell: Unit 1: Narratives (plot, character) Unit 2: Arguments (point of view, narrator, voice) Unit 3: “Change can be Unexpected” (irony and summary) Unit 4: Response to Literature (symbolism/allegory, poetry) Unit 5: Consumer and Workplace Docs (Business letter) Unit 6: CAHSEE, Research Paper  (test prep, paper) Unit 7: Drama (The Play—either Julius Caesar, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Oedipus, or Antigone) Unit 8: Society and the Individual-- To Kill a Mockingbird

3. 9th Grade The year in a (tiny) nutshell:
Unit 1: Fiction (plot, setting, character, voice)
Unit 2: Themes (point of view, narrator, voice)
Unit 3: Irony and ambiguity/symbolism, allegory)
Unit 4: Intro to Mythology (Selected myths, “The Odyssey”)
Unit 5: Epic and Myth (“The Odyssey”)
Unit 6: Consumer and Workplace Docs (Business letter)
Unit 7: Literary Criticism/Biography and History (selected short stories)
Unit 8: Poetry (selected poems, writing your own!)
Unit 9: Drama: Tragedy (Romeo and Juliet—the greatest love story ever written…)
Unit 10: Novel (The House on Mango Street)

4. Grading info: Grade Categories Essays, writing, projects: 35%
Tests, quizzes: 30%
Class work, homework: 25%
Independent Reading: 5%
Class Participation: 5%
Do I round? Yes. (89.5=A)

5. CARDS…not for playing
These start on an individual basis when I decide and get enforced when necessary. Let’s review them now quickly so there is no confusion.

6. WORD DISSECTION
We will have a weekly WD quiz every Friday which WILL impact your grade and which will be multiple choice and matching.
Students must come to class prepared to take these quizzes and tests. Class time will not be given for studying.
How do you acquire your WD list? They are available on my website. I will NOT provide them. However, the library has printers.

7. Need help?
Office hours: Wednesdays 3:00-3:30 -Also, I can be found in A167 OR screaming at the copy machine every morning beginning at 7:25. When am I for sure not here? -During lunch -After school on Thursdays -On Fridays after school (YOLO)

8. Oh, you’re absent? Figure. It. Out.
I am not going to find you. I have 225 students. Get real.
If you miss work, you must seek me out, do the work, and return it to me within ONE week for full credit.

9. Oh, you missed the deadline?
For HALF credit, you have one week. Otherwise, you missed the boat. Reminder: half credit is still failing. But it IS better than ZERO credit.

10. No more baby games!
Please, do NOT whine. Do not waste time. Engage…NOW!

11. Plagiarism What is it? How can you avoid it?
Webster’s Dictionary says that plagiarism is “the act of using another person’s words or ideas without giving credit to that person” (

13. Turn it in on turnitin.com!
Class IDs and Passwords
Period 1:
ID =
PW = Jaguars2017
Period 3:
ID =
Period 4:
ID =
PW =  Jaguars2018
Period 5:
ID =
Period 6: ID =
PW = Jaguars2018
My school website is under the “Teachers” link at (Search by last name.)
Turnitin.com and other relevant, helpful information is under the “Links” tab on the left side of the page. Clicking it will allow you to find your class ID and PW. WRITE THESE DOWN NOW.

14. Paper? Pencils?
Bring them. If you don’t, it isn’t an excuse to not do your stuff. Get up and grab them.

15. What not to do. Duh.
Instead, do THIS:

16. Are you in the NBA? These guys are.

17. Oh, you’re not? Here is how it is done:
Put your trash in the trash AT THE END OF CLASS. Do NOT stand up and head that way unless you are going to throw up.

18. Need other stuff? It’s all here.

19. Read, read, read!
This is not only English class, but it is life. Reading is the study of it. Do it.

20. Everyone is doing it.
You know you love Biebs.

21. Also, you have to. Reading logs are real.
And, they’re graded. Every week.
Burn.
Also, you have book reports that count at 5% of your overall grade.
Reading logs will be here soon and will be checked every Friday.

22. Join them. Here’s how.
Sign out your books. Read them! Return them. Repeat.

23. What happens if you lose or damage the book you checked out?
Just kidding—name your firstborn child after me and we’ll be even.

24. Other stuff:
This is where the work goes when you don’t put your name on things. It’s hard to get credit for things if you make this choice.
This is my desk. It’s usually messy.

25. What do you want to see? Learn?

26. You all have BRIGHT futures ahead of you!
I am SO looking forward to helping you build tools to achieve your goals.