Mrs. Johnson Email: cynthiajohnson@sumterschools.org Contact Info.

229-942-8519 Page 1

First Days of School

Mrs. Johnson’s Literature Class
11th Grade 2018-2019 School Year Edition 1, Volume 1

First Days of School

Welcome Parents and Students!
Welcome back to school
students! My name is Mrs.
Cynthia Johnson. It is my
pleasure to be a part of your
English/Language Arts
education here at Americus
Sumter High School. The
purpose of this Newsletter is
not only to welcome you back
but also to introduce myself to
you and share some
important information about
what you can expect Table of Contents

during the first couple of
weeks of school. This Welcome……………………Page 1
school year will allow you
to explore all genres of
Mrs. Johnson’s Educational
Literature and learn about Autobiography……..Pages 1-2
other cultures. But before
we get into these exciting
opportunities, let me Class Rules!..................Page 3
share a little bit about
myself with you. First Two Weeks of School
Calendar……………………..Page 4

Supply List………………….Page 4

Test-Taking Tips……….Page 4

“My Favorite Flower”

Interactive Fun For Parents
Mrs. Johnson’s Educational My
Autobiography
Favorite Flower!
and Students!...............Page 5

My educational philosophy is man, and just being

based on the premise that
every child deserves an
opportunity to learn without
regard to ethnicity or the
culture they embody. Having
a mind to motivate others to
achieve success in life, as well
as having a word of
encouragement for my fellow-
Mrs. Johnson’s American Literature Class
blessed with a desire to Class Projects List…….Page 6
see every child succeed 
are the building blocks,
which have helped to
mold my personal
philosophy for education.
Many of the values I now
place upon education
2018-2019 School Year
Mrs. Johnson Email: cynthiajohnson@sumterschools.org
came early in my life. When I
was a child, my father’s
constant words to me were:
“You have a good head on
your shoulders, do good with
it.”
Having those words instilled
in mind provided the fuel I
needed to propel me toward a
career in education.
Academic success has always
been a top priority in my life,
as well as the desire to
positively impact the lives of
others. As a child, I remember
always desiring to watch
movies that tested my
knowledge, such as dramas
and those involving mysteries
that required me to think and
focus attentively to solve
them. As I got older, I recall
always having an
encouraging word for my
friends; that’s when my
nurturing ability began to
take form. Many of my
friends still remind me that I
was always the mother of the
bunch; and now that I am an
adult, recalling those vital
elements of my life are what I
believe have led me to pursue
a career as an educator.
As your teacher, not only will
I utilize my professional
learning skills to enrich
student’s lives through
educational and character
development but also to
Mrs. Johnson’s American Literature Class
Contact Info. 229-942-8519
improve your academic
achievement when needed.
I will also encourage,
motivate, enrich, and provide
guidance during your High
school years, so that each of
you will have the opportunity
to become productive
contributors to society and
live more enriched lives in
your adult years. I will be
patient, understanding, but
yet firm, I will establish a
relaxed classroom atmosphere
conducive for learning. In
addition, I will only adhere to
a curriculum that yields
nothing less than the best and
brightest students assigned to
my educational instruction.
I also believe that
parents/guardians should take
an active role in their child’s
education by providing a
foundation for learning at
home. I will encourage this
by creating an open line of
communication between
myself and the
parent/guardian in an effort to
promote the academic success
of their child.
I once read a quote, which
stated, “Some of the brightest,
most shining moments in
your life came about because
someone else believed in you
Page 2
and encouraged you to fly.”
Sometimes a push can be the
greatest gift you can give or
receive. Thank God for the
motivating words of my
father, which gave me the
boost and the push I needed
to want to make a difference
in the lives of the students I
now have the privilege to
teach.
It is my life’s commitment and
goal to instill a hunger for
knowledge in the lives of my
students, which can be
effectively accomplished
through my field of study in
English. My background and
major in English has provided
the tools I need to challenge
minds through reading,
writing, and exposure to all
genres of literature, as well as
through exploring other
cultures.
Just as the 21st century
requires no less than the
highest quality of education
from its students and the
sharpest minds to compete
globally, as your teacher, I
commit myself to providing
the highest quality of
education for each of You! I
am honored to have each of
you in my class!
2018-2019 School Year
Mrs. Johnson Email: cynthiajohnson@sumterschools.org Contact Info. 229-942-8519 Page 3

Arrive Prompt & Prepared For Class.

{Come to class on time with pencil, paper, & homework each day.}

Raise Your Hand To Be Recognized.

{Avoid talking when the teacher is talking or when others are speaking.}

Be Respectful To Others & Their Property.

{Be courteous & polite; don’t take things that do not belong to you.}

Be Productive.
{Read or do homework when class assignments are complete.}

Remain Seated Until Class Is Properly

Dismissed.
{Do not leave the classroom until you are told to do so.}

No gum chewing, eating, or drinking is

allowed in the classroom.
The First Two Weeks of School
{First time caught - A Warning is issued; Second time- You will be asked
to leave the class and will receive a ZERO for the day.}

Mrs. Johnson’s American Literature Class 2018-2019 School Year

Mrs. Johnson Email: cynthiajohnson@sumterschools.org Contact Info. 229-942-8519 Page 4

Class Calendar
Reading List Homework Bell Ringer Ticket out the Door
First Week July 19 – 23 July 19 - 23 July 19 - 23 July 19 - 23
Monday “The Kite Runner” Vocabulary List PowerPoint 5 vocabulary terms
defined
Tuesday “The Kite Runner” Analysis: Chapters PowerPoint Notes from Chapters 1-3
1-3
Wednesday “The Kite Runner” Summary Chapters Oral introduction Study guide from
4-9 Chapters 4-9
Thursday “The Kite Runner” Complete Chapter PowerPoint None
10 - Review Review
Friday Test 1- None None None
“The Kite Runner”
Chapters 1-10

Second Week July 26 – 31 July 26 - 31 July 26 - 31 July 26 - 31

Monday Teacher/Student None None None
Conferences
Tuesday Teacher/Student Watch YouTube PowerPoint Analysis of Video
Conferences Video “MacBeth”
Wednesday Class Discussion of Complete PowerPoint 3 Points from “MacBeth”
“MacBeth” “MacBeth” Study discussion
Guide
Thursday Review Study Guide “MacBeth” Teacher directed Study Guide from Acts 1-2
over “MacBeth” Locate Unfamiliar review of
Literary terms. “MacBeth”
Friday Open Book Quiz Read Acts 3-6 PowerPoint Read “MacBeth” Acts 7-8

Supply List Standardized Test-Taking Tips

 Composition Notebooks  Go to bed early: Try to get at least 7 to 8

hours of sleep before the test.
 Black Ink Pens
 Eat a good Breakfast the morning of the
 No. 2 Pencils test.
 Removable Storage Disc  Arrive at least 15 minutes early to avoid
 Three 2-Pocket Folders undue stress before your scheduled test.
 Study and review all information 1 to 2
 Notebook Paper weeks prior to test taking, so that all
questions can be addressed.
 DO NOT wait until the night before the test
to review or study!

Mrs. Johnson’s American Literature Class 2018-2019 School Year

Mrs. Johnson Email: cynthiajohnson@sumterschools.org Contact Info. 229-942-8519 Page 5
class assignment such as this, they will have the
opportunity to achieve even more reading
incentives. In an age of digital convenience, this
is just one way to get students reading again!

Newsletter
Scavenger Hunt
Unscramble the words below to reveal 3 facts
from pages 1-5 of this Newsletter.

1. My Favorite Flower:

yiads ________________________________

The 25-book reading campaign is a way for you 2. First Book Assignment:
to interact with your teen through Reading. One
of the assigned books for this semester is entitled, hte itek nerunr _______________________
“The Kite Runner.” The novel is based upon a 15
year old boy who 3. A Class Rule You Should Not Break:
resides in Afghanistan
and the turmoil he ngcehwi umg _________________________
endures at the hands of
Iraqi soldiers. The
book is very
engaging and allows students to experience what
life is like for a teenager not much different from
themselves. To encourage your teenager to
embrace the joy of Reading, throughout this
school year, I will be including activities that will
allow you to engage in the reading assignment
with them. “The Kite Runner” is the first of
several novels that students will have the
opportunity to read throughout the school year.
I have included http://justwordsearch.com/word_search_716879_
incentives for them as a
part of this Reading Use the above hyperlink to access the word
project. The first incentive search puzzle created just for our class. The first
will be for a 5-point credit person to complete it and turn it in will receive a
on the second Test if 100 daily grade! Have fun!
all assigned questions from
the novel are answered and returned on the due
date. Each time a student partakes in an out of Mrs. Johnson

Mrs. Johnson’s American Literature Class 2018-2019 School Year

Mrs. Johnson Email: cynthiajohnson@sumterschools.org Contact Info. 229-942-8519 Page 6

Class Projects List Project Description

Students are asked to introduce their culture to
About My Culture the class. Students will demonstrate a thorough
understanding of their heritage, introducing
things such as customs, family traditions, folk tales,
etc.
My News Reel Students will choose a popular News story relating
to culture or Language Arts and act as a News
reporter and make a presentation to the class.

If you are an avid reader and love novels, please

see me to receive more information about this
25 Book Reading Campaign end-of-the-year Reading Campaign. One of the
books from this campaign is “The Kite Runner.”
The other 24 books cover various literary forms as
well.

This project is based on the popular movie, “The

Understanding The Hero Archetype
Matrix.” Students will be given resources, such as
Campbell’s A Practical Guide to the Hero with a
Thousand Faces. Students will view the video
below and answer questions relating to the topic
of what classifications represent a Hero
Archetype. All information will be compiled and
presented to the class with an accompanying
PowerPoint presentation.

Students will choose a media project and fully

Media Project: Webpage creation,
Video creation, or Personal movie
creation
develop it over the course of the semester. The
webpage, video, or personal movie must
highlight what was covered throughout the
semester. Music is encouraged; however, No
offensive Rap music or obscene gestures are
allowed. Students choosing to create a Personal
movie or Video must adhere to Media creation
guidelines found in the Student Handbook.

 Students will be given two weeks during

the semester to work on projects.
 However, it is recommended that you
start early. Keep a separate notebook
for project notes is advised.
 Projects will be presented to the class
the last two weeks of the semester.
 Projects count 25% of the final grade.

Mrs. Johnson’s American Literature Class 2018-2019 School Year