English Language Arts 9

Mr. Steel

Projected Itinerary of Studies:

This year, students will be exposed to some of the following literary inquiries:

ð Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet

ð W. O. Mitchell’s Who Has Seen the Wind

ð Sophocles’ Antigone

ð The Epic of Gilgamesh

ð Short Stories

ð Children’s Stories

ð Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein

ð Visuals and Multi-Media

ð Choice Novel

ð Film Study

ð Poetry Unit

In addition to these texts and inquiry-based learning opportunities, all students will participate in my Read Across Canada program. Students will “free read” from a literary source of their choice silently for 20 minutes at the beginning of each class in order to build their literacy. Literary choices may include books, comic books, graphic novels, magazines, newspapers, or pre-downloaded internet pages. Upon completion of a literary choice, students fill out a mileage template and submit this template fully completed for credit. (NOTE: Templates are not filled out at the end of each reading session, but only when students have completed a literary selection.) Student mileage is recorded and plotted on our map of Canada. Students who read across Canada (however many times) will receive a reward. The students with the most mileage win a special prize at the end of the year.

Grammar Assignments and Vocabulary Quizzes:

In order to bolster writing skills, students will be expected to complete weekly in-class grammar assignments. In addition, every Friday, students will complete a Vocabulary Quiz. In order to be successful in these quizzes, it is imperative that each student purchase a good dictionary and ensure that it is brought to class. I will instruct the students more in class about what is a good dictionary and what is not. Without a good dictionary, students will not be able to find success in their vocabulary quizzes. These quizzes are meant to provide ELA 9 students with an early edge so that they will fare better on the reading comprehension portions of their provincial examinations.

Student Assessment:

Student work and understanding will be assessed through the following means:

ð reading comprehension exercises

ð independent research

ð group work and cooperation

ð oral communication and presentation

ð visual representation and interpretation of ideas

ð formal critical essays

ð formal government-mandated "personal responses"

ð formal multiple choice testing

Classroom Expectations:

All students will complete a student contract and ensure that this contract is signed by a parent or guardian. These contracts will be returned to me in a timely fashion.

Students ought to be punctual and prepared for class, having brought all necessary academic supplies with them. Students are expected to treat one another with respect, to listen politely and attentively, and to participate positively in classroom activities and discussions. Students who have missed work or not completed work on time will be penalized unless they have made special arrangements with the teacher. Plagiarism and cheating will not be tolerated.

Students who are late will be expected to make up for the time that they have missed in class. When students refuse to settle down in class, the entire class will be held for make-up minutes over our double periods at lunch.

NO CELL PHONES ARE PERMITTED IN MY CLASSROOM. Students who bring their cell phones to class will be asked to take these devices to the office, and to have an administrator or secretary sign-off for them. Evidence of sign-off must be brought back to me in order to gain re-admittance into the classroom.

Grade Breakdown:

Final Mark:

ELA 90.5	50%
ELA 90.3	30%
Final Exam	20%

Mid-Term Exam:

20% of January Mark

Narrative/Essay and 35 multiple choice questions

Written during one 2.5 hour time slot scheduled during exam week

Final Exam – Provincial Achievement Exam

Part A: Written – 10% of final mark

Two Assignments – Narrative/Essay and Functional Writing

Scheduled for Wednesday May 13

Part B: Multiple Choice – 10% final mark

55 questions, 7 to 10 passages

scheduled for exam week

Major Assignments	Minor Assignments	Tests	Exams
40%	30%	10%	20%

Classroom Expectations

Students will arrive to class punctually and prepared to learn. Late penalties will be imposed upon major assignments at a rate of 10% per day down to a PASS. Students are asked to abide by all the rules included on their student contracts.