Contemporary LiteratureMrs. Ryan

PURPOSE OF THIS COURSE

This is a one semester 12th grade elective literature course. It is the study of contemporary literature—meaning all of the literature we study will only cover the last 10 years. In this course we will focus on several genres of literature and work on improving your composition skills.

UNITS OF STUDY Novels You will be expected to read four books

throughout the semester. We will read two of those novels as a class. Possible Choices: The Butterfly Garden by Chip St. Clair Between a Rock and a Hard Place by Aron Ralston Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult

Each book will be accompanied by group discussions, study guides, quizzes/tests and other activities, including short writing assignments.

 Composition Many forms of writing will be utilized. Mainly it will be in an informal capacity. Journals and personal writing will be explored the most.

UNITS OF STUDY cont’ Group projects/presentations A lot of this course

will focus on group activities and group discussions. You will be expected to work together in many capacities. One major group project will include reading a common book and then presenting it to the class complete with author information.

 Skills Revisited We will tie in vocabulary, basic grammar and usage, reading strategies and literary terms throughout each unit.

 New York Best Sellers We will examine the New York Times Best Seller’s list and talk about what Americans are reading. You will follow one book on the list.

Assigned Books

GRADING Grades will be based on daily work, quizzes, tests, journals,

and writing assignments. All major assignments MUST be completed in order to

receive a grade for the quarter (even if you receive no credit).

LATE WORK IS ONLY ACCEPTED WITH AN “I Need a Break” PASS ATTACHED! (More info to follow.)

Grading scale: A 90-100% B 80-89% C 70-79% D 60-69% F 0-59%

SUPPLIESBook you’re reading (EVERY

DAY)Writing utensilSingle spiral notebook (Journal)Folder (for handouts)USB drive/Dropbox

PANTHER Behavior Expectations Be Responsible Be Respectful Be Safe

Be Responsible BE PREPARED EVERY DAY:√ Have your book EVERYDAY!√ Have a writing utensil & appropriate

English materials√ Be ready to learn—

Head up/Active listening Engaged

Be Responsible Be on time! Be a productive member of your group

during group projects! Read through the rubric carefully before

handing in any assignment. Know due dates for assignments. Utilized enrichment/extra credit

opportunities. Make up work and tests in a timely manner.

Be Responsible (Integrity)√ No cheating. (If I don’t catch you, it will

catch up with you at some point in your life.)

√ Do your own work. (Plagiarism is cheating!)

√ Don’t give assignments to others. (You’re only helping your friend learn how to copy.)

Be Respectful Be a courteous listener to your teacher

and each others. (When someone is talking, you are not AND, remember, it doesn’t matter what you’re discussing!)

Be kind to all adults in this building. Be sensitive to others’ space and property. Don’t gather at the door prior to the bell

ringing! (It’s rude and it hurts my feelings!)

Be Safe √Follow the rights, rules and regulations Other helpful hints:

-Don’t run with scissors!-Don’t text and walk- it’s

dangerous! Of course, no one texts in class so we won’t

address that… -Blah blah blah…

Responsibility Points You will be given 50 points at the

beginning of each quarter which will be added in at the end of the quarter.

By exhibiting Panther Behavior Expectations, you will maintain all 50 points.

50 points is approximately equivalent to one test or paper.

Responsibility Point Deductions -10 unexcused absence -5 unexcused tardy -5 poor participation skills (off task) - 5 disrespectful behavior -5 electronics violation

***If you’re doing what you’re supposed doing, you will maintain all 50 points!

Panther PAWSitive Referral I will try to write one positive referral

per week! You will be handed the referral and then

you are to take it to Mrs. Vagt in the Attendance Office.

You will be handed a treat and then your name will be placed into a drawing for a big prize!

Office Discipline Referral (ODR) I handle 99% of my own discipline

issues. If something major happens, I’ll fill out

an ODR and you’ll be dealt with by administration!

This shouldn’t be an issue, as we won’t have any!

CELL PHONES/ELECTRONICS There are times when cell phones and

electronics are allowed in my classroom. I will inform of those times. Entering due dates into phones or ipods. Using internet if approved by me.

(Dictionary.com) Listening to music during quiet work time.

Otherwise, electronics should be put away at the beginning of class.

ELECTRONICS cont’ If you violate my request for no electronics,

I will confiscate it from you. The first violation I will hold your phone until

the end of the hour, any further violation will result in your phone being sent to the office.

I should never see your electronics unless I request you take them out.

You will lose 5 Responsibility points for this violation.

ELECTRONICS still cont’ Per policy by administration, your phone will be

confiscated by the teacher and returned to the nearest House office.

1st Offense: You retrieve your phone at 3:03 in the main office.

2nd Offense (and those afterwards): Your parent(s) will be required to come retrieve your phone!

I WILL BE GIVING NO WARNINGS! DO NOT USE YOUR ELECTRONICS IN MY CLASS (without permission)! (I guess this is your warning!)

“I Need a Break” PASSES(LATE WORK) You will receive two “I Need a Break” passes per quarter. In the event that you cannot turn in an assignment on

time, you can use a pass to receive full credit on an assignment.

I reserve the right to say an assignment is exempt from “I Need a Break” passes.

Once a unit is completed, no late work will be accepted from the prior unit, thus your “I Need a Break” pass is invalid.

Passes will be worth 5 extra credit points at the end of the quarter if you do not use your passes AND you have no outstanding assignments!

ATTENDANCE/TARDIES Mrs. Ryan’s Consequences

Unexcused tardy=loss of 5 Responsibility Points

Unexcused absence=loss of 10 Responsibility Points

Excessive tardiness may result in detention.

MAKE-UP POLICY If you have missed a class period, you are expected to

make up the work. Visit my website for daily lesson plans and assignments.

If you still don’t understand what you’ve missed, come see me before or after school.

You have two school days to make up work for each day you were absent.

If an assignment was DUE the day you were absent, expect to turn it in immediately upon your return. If you missed a test or quiz, be prepared to make it up on the day you return. (However, we may need to arrange another time to make it up based on that day’s lesson plans.)

FOOD/BEVERAGES No food/beverage in my classroom

unless it’s a planned class activity. You may drink bottled water. Please recycle your water bottles!

PET PEEVES Do not hand in assignments on

“fringed” paper!! Do not gather around the door before

the bell rings. It’s rude and it hurts my feelings!

Let’s Stay Healthy! I am a germ-a-phobe! Kleenex is available for you on the side

desk. Please step outside to blow your nose. Then, kindly, use some of the provided

Purell at the side desk! We need to be vigilant in not passing

germs!

CONTACT INFO Classroom: C-149 Office: C-147 Open Hours: Period 6 & 7 Testing Center: Period 3 Email: SARYAN@rochester.k12.mn.us