Syllabus for Freshman EnglishCollege Prep

2014 2015
Mrs. Martin (lmartin@uppercapetech.org)
Mrs. Ciccotelli (jciccotelli@uppercapetech.org)

Course Description: Mrs. Martins and Mrs. Ciccotellis Freshman English is a workshop class that prepares you for
real world communication as well as the rigorous studies of post-secondary schools. The classroom becomes a
place where you may explore your ideas through reading, writing, and speaking. In addition to reviewing the
basics of formal English usage and grammar, you will work to increase the sophistication of your writing style as
you search for your voice in your writing. You will study a variety of literary genre including the novel, the short
story, poetry, drama, and nonfiction.

Course Goals: The primary goal of the workshop format is to allow you to develop skills and habits that improve
reading comprehension, writing proficiency, and other communication skills. Emphasis will be placed on developing
and improving writing skills; therefore, you need to recognize that this is a writing intensive course. You will
become independent and responsible learners. Most importantly, I expect you to be energetic participants in the
classroom.

Course Outcomes: As a student of freshman English at UCT, you will work toward the following goals:
Increasing your working vocabulary;
Demonstrating mastery of the basic rules of punctuation;
Employing standard usage of formal expression;
Increasing your ability to vary sentence structure;
Writing effective paragraphs;
Using details to support general concepts;
Supporting opinions with facts;
Writing accurately and precisely for your audience;
Writing differently for different audiences;
Choosing the appropriate tone and content for essays;
Writing organized essays in a standard manner;
Researching, organizing, writing, and presenting a research project;
Demonstrating listening skills during class discussions and in learning groups;
Identifying main ideas in nonfiction literature;
Identifying significant passages from literature and explain their significance;
Recognizing and define literary elements;
Presenting information to an audience with a variety of media;
Presenting a theatrical/dramatic interpretations of literature; and
Responding to literature in a variety of ways and for a variety of purposes.
Taking the road to success or
the road to failure is your
choice.
"The choices we make,
dictate the life we lead."
Mr. Rego from Renaissance Man


Reading Selections
The school year will begin with an exploration of William Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet. Upon the completion of
Romeo and Juliet or simultaneously, may include but are not limited to:
A Midsummer Nights Dream by William Shakespeare
Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt
Animal Farm by George Orwell
Anthem by Ayn Rand
Call of the Wild by Jack London
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
The Odyssey by Homer
Treasure Island by Robert L. Stevenson
Selection of short stories and poetry
Other essays, speeches, and nonfictions

Grading:
First quarter:
Class Participation 20%
Quizzes 20%
Tests 15%
Writing Assessments 15%
Homework 10%
Summer Reading 20%

Second, third, and fourth quarter:
Class Participation 20%
Quizzes 20%
Tests 20%
Writing Assessments 20%
Homework 20%

Reading: You will read at home, in the car, on the bus and during breaks in shop. You will also read during school
vacations. Plan on it. The more you read, the more your reading comprehension and your reading rate will
increase. In general, you will read every day. Some reading will be in-class, but much will be your responsibility to
read outside of class. Plan to read 3-9 pages a day during your shop week. In addition to class reading
assignments, you will read additional books outside of class. Reading assignments will include stories, drama,
poetry, and informational text.

Writing: You will write every day. Please come prepared. Writing assignments will be worked on in class;
however, you will be expected to complete assignments at home. The writing instruction and encouragement in
this course will focus on the six-traits of writing:
1. Ideas
2. Organization
3. Voice
4. Word choice
5. Sentence fluency
6. Conventions
Additionally, you will begin to develop a clear understanding of grammar.


Most Assignments will Need to be Completed with a Pen on White-Lined Paper:
I expect that hand-written assignments to be completed neatly. Wrinkled, crumpled, ripped, torn,
or otherwise messy papers will not be accepted.
Since you will be taking ELA MCAS in March, a paper-pencil test, I expect you to complete writing
assignments on white-lined paper using a #2 pencil.
Some assignments may be completed on a computer.

Some Writing Assignment will Need to be Completed on the Computer with the Following Format:
Header should include page numbers
Margins are 1-inch margins
Use a 12-point Times New Roman font
Double-space the body of the paper
Include a single-spaced title and a heading with name, my name, period, date and e-mail address at the
top left hand corner

Absences: You are responsible for finding out what work you have missed. You will need to make-up the work and
copy any missing notes. You should have a homework buddy to turn to when you miss assignments. You have three
school days to make-up missed work for credit.

Homework: You will have some homework every night. You will have homework during your shop week; these
assignments are essential to your success. You will have some assignments that need to be completed over a
period of time. Do not wait until the night before the assignment is due.

If homework is a challenge for you, you should take responsibility and stay after school to work on
assignments. Do not be an ostrich.

Class Materials and Supplies
USB Flash Drive
iPad
Pencils (lots of pencils)
Eraser(s)
Blue or black pens (Work submitted that has been completed in funky colors will not be accepted.)
3-ring binder (at least 2-inch rings) with white-lined notebook paper already placed in the binder. The
binder should have dividers with the following labels:
o Vocabulary and literary terms
o Guided reading and worksheets
o Writing assignments and graphic organizers
o Notes from class presentations and note-taking assignments. Even if you take notes on an iPad, I
expect you to print them out an place them in your binder. All notes should have the day and
dates of the notes taken recorded at the top of the page.
All books will need to be covered, even the paperback books.

Extra Help: Extra-help is available Thursday afternoons. On occasion, I might require that you stay for a
mandatory extra-help session.