English+9

The units for this semester's English class will include:
 * English 9 **
 * Literary paragraph writing (this will be our first unit...the others aren't in order).
 * Short stories
 * Poetry
 * Grammar
 * Novel study (//Whirligig// by Paul Fleischmann)
 * Play study (//"Master Harold"...and the Boys// by Athol Fugard)
 * Public speaking

If there is time, we may also have a media studies unit.

Most assignments will be posted online in the Google Classroom set up for your class. See your paper course outline for the class password. We will set up our Google Classrooms in the first week of the course.

Please note: students are expected to attend class EVERY DAY unless they are seriously ill. Students are responsible for finding out what they missed and getting caught up in a timely fashion, should they miss a day. //Getting you caught up is not your teacher's responsibility--it is YOURS. Make sure there are at least two people you can ask for assignments. "I didn't know about it because I was away" is not an acceptable excuse for incomplete work or unpreparedness for a test.//

Marks Determination: Your **final mark** is broken down: 10% Formative Assessments ("basketball practice" work--things we are trying for the first time, or practice to improve your skills and get you ready for big projects and tests) 70% Summative Assessments ("the big game" work--projects, tests and other assessments that require you to put together all the little pieces into one big show-off-what-I've-learned thing) 20% Final Exam (last week of January)Everyone writes the final exam, which is a skills-based exam.


 * Students must achieve an overall grade of 50% (C-) or better to pass English 9. Those not getting at least 50% overall are not ready for English 10, and must therefore repeat English 9. It is a good idea to aim for at least 70% in this course!**

While your report card grade will be a letter grade (A, B, C+, C, C- or I/F), your day-to-day marks, available at www.checkmymark.com, are based on a six-point scale. E = excellent (6) P = proficient (5) G = good (4) M = minimal (3) N = not yet meeting expectations (1,2) I = incomplete (0)

Note that long-term consequences for not doing assignments include possibly failing the course. Look at checkmymark.com often to see if you have missing (NHI, MIS or I) assignments.
 * Students are expected to complete all assignments in a timely fashion. Consequences for incomplete assignments may include:**
 * **home contact (phone, note or email)**
 * **detention (before or after school)**
 * **Saturday school (mandatory weekend work time)**
 * any other consequences dealt out by administration for defiance

So glad you asked! You will need:
 * What do you need to bring to English class __every day__?**
 * a pen (blue or black) (I do not accept work in pencil or other colours of ink)
 * lined looseleaf paper (You will likely use at least 300 sheets of paper in English, possibly more.)
 * a binder (preferably JUST for English, not a multi-subject binder)
 * your planner, for recording homework and other assignments
 * any texts or handouts that we might be using (class novel, class play, grammar/vocabulary handouts etc)
 * your charged laptop--there are very few plugs in the room, so be sure to charge up at home!
 * AN INDEPENDENT READING **BOOK.** Bring something at grade level that you enjoy. If you need help choosing a book, I have lots of suggestions, and so will any librarian at the public library! You may not read something that is assigned to you.

You MIGHT want or need (you might want to have available, in your bag, in your locker or at home):
 * a pencil (I don't accept work in pencil, but you might want to use it for your own notes)
 * a red pen (for marking in class)
 * pencil crayons
 * a ruler
 * scissors and/or glue
 * a pocket dictionary


 * Please do NOT bring:**
 * Food, drink, gum or candy of any sort (except water, in a resealable container). If you just made muffins in Foods class, they need to be stored in your locker or eaten outside or in the hall during break time. This includes your lunch or those muffins from Foods class--don't just "hide" them in your bag; they should be stored in your locker.
 * Your PE strip/PE bag (If you are not in gym class, it should be in your locker)
 * A lot of extra binders and textbooks--keep as much as possible in your locker; it's better for your back and it keeps extra "stuff" out of the aisles
 * A cell phone, iPad, hand-held video game or iPod (etc)--if I see them, they will simply be confiscated. If they are actually USED in class, they will be given to an administrator and you will be able to retrieve them when he feels you are ready for the responsibility.