Pre-AP English II Syllabus

Mrs. McCasland

kmccasland@atlisd.net

903-796-4411, ext. 5139

conference: 1:00-1:45

Course Description: The standards for this class are set to challenge students to a greater level than a regular English class.  Over the course of this school year, we will be reading a variety of literature and writing often. We will focus on reading skills, structured writing, grammar, vocabulary, and composition.                                                                                              

1st Six Weeks: Foundations of Reading, Responding, and Interacting with Literature

• summer reading- Inherit the Wind

• novel- TBA

• fiction- short stories & nonfiction

• grammar, vocabulary, and STAAR preparation, persuasive essay writing, analytical essay writing

2nd Six Weeks: Analyzing and Composing Literary Text

• poetry selections by various authors; play scripts by William Shakespeare and by Sophocles

• grammar, vocabulary, and STAAR preparation, persuasive essay writing, analytical essay writing

3rd Six Weeks: Analyzing and Composing Informational and Argumentative Texts

• informational and argumentative text selections

• novel- TBA

• grammar, vocabulary, and STAAR preparation, persuasive essay writing, analytical essay writing

4th Six Weeks: Rhetorically Analyzing and Producing Argumentative Texts

• persuasion- fallacies, persuasive techniques

• novel- TBA

• grammar, vocabulary, and STAAR preparation, persuasive essay writing, analytical essay writing

5th Six Weeks: Connecting Messages across Literary, Informational, and Argumentative Texts

• various reading selections with thematic connections

• novel- TBA

• grammar, vocabulary, and STAAR preparation, persuasive essay writing, analytical essay writing

6th Six Weeks: Researching, Synthesizing, and Producing in Multiple Genres and Modes

• research papers- Topics will be assigned to each student.  We will cover the research paper process and correct MLA format.  It will be typed and submitted to turnitin.com and will count as 2 test grades.

• college, career, future planning, & life skills

• grammar and vocabulary

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Reading material is available one or more of the following ways:

• classroom textbook

• novels available in school library

• online material in public domain

• Google Classroom

What you need…

• computer 

• wide-ruled notebook paper

• pencils and pens

• folder

Classroom Rules

• Be responsible.

• Be respectful.

Late work policy- student handbook policy 

1 day late -20 points 

2 days late -30 points 

3 days late -40 points 

4 days late -50 points 

5 days late -50 points

work not accepted after 5 days…grade goes in as a zero

*The teacher can approve extenuating circumstances.

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*If an assignment is due by the end of class and is turned in after class -10 points.

Homework is due at the beginning of class.  If turned in after the first 10 minutes or by the end of the day -10 points.  The teacher can approve extenuating circumstances.

Make-up work

The student is responsible for make-up work.  Make-up assignments will be located on Google Classroom OR in the make-up folder in my classroom.  

Unexcused Absences 

The grade for make-up work after an unexcused absence shall be zero.