English 12 Roy C.

Ketcham
High School
Mr. Guay 2008-
2009

Website: http://rcktwelve.blogspot.com/
Email: mark.guay@wappingersschools.org
Office Phone: (845) 298-5100 x 151

Dear Students and Parents:

It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to your final year of English and your
final year of high school! I am thrilled to be working with all of you and eagerly
looking forward to an intellectually stimulating year! Over the course of the year, we
will use our time to prepare for college- and career-level writing and discussions.

Participation is crucial to the success of our class since the majority of our classes
will be based bending our minds and discussing content pulled from the course
texts. To achieve this goal, you’ re going to need to open up and explore yourselves,
discover your strengths and your weaknesses, share with your classmates, and
work together to sharpen your skills. To have a successful year and successful class
discussions, there must be full participation from each and every member of the
class.

Communication is also of the utmost importance. To aid in communication, I

maintain a website/class blog that has the class calendar, homework assignment,
and other information that might be helpful. Please check the website regularly for
updates and class assignments. Class discussions will almost always continue on
the class blog. This means that you may have to find time in school to access the
web if you do not have access to the Internet at home.

If you are having difficulty with any part of the class or if you just need clarification
or moral support, please come and talk to me. When I’m not teaching, I can usually
be found in the English Office. I stay after nearly every day (check first to make
sure). Email is usually the best medium to contact me.

Again, I look forward to working with you and exploring the power of both the pen
and mind!

Sincerely,

Mr. Guay

Please sign in the allotted space below to verify that you have read and understand
the course syllabus. By signing this contract, you swear that you will put forth your
greatest effort. Don’t forget, your education starts with you.
Student ________________________________ Guardian
________________________________

*Special note to guardians: If you have any questions, thoughts or concerns, please
do not hesitate to contact me. I look forward to meeting you all at the open house.
English 12 Adventures in Writing and Literature
Syllabus 2008-2009
Code: E672 Full Year (12) (rank weight: 1.0) Prerequisite: passed English 11
Adventures:
Before pulling the parachute cord, skydivers free-fall, an experience they say allows
the human body to become an instrument of flight, exactly like a bird: dipping,
diving, twisting, and gliding. Leaping from a plane at 15,000 feet above the earth is
undoubtedly one of life’s Great Adventures. Extreme physical tests such as
skydiving, climbing to the summit of Mt. Everest, scuba-diving 100ft below sea level
in the pitch black of night or running besides the bulls at Pamplona are not the only
Great Adventures life and literature have to offer.

While the body has its limitations, the human spirit of adventure is boundless. One
never needs to leave home to experience a Great Adventure. Plumbing the depths
of the human psyche can be as perilous and inspiring as any physical adventure.
While it may be virtually impossible to experience all of the above in a lifetime, a
reader can equally experience an adventure through the art of the pen.

This course will explore the boundless human spirit of adventure. As a result of
adventures, whether they are the thrill-seeking variety or interior journeys, the self
is developed and defined. If one circumnavigates the globe or tests his or her mettle
from the comfort of an armchair, the resilience of the human spirit persists. The
unlimited capacity to grow is revealed with each new challenge.

Essential Question:
What do adventures teach us about ourselves?

Core Literature: Writing Assignments:

• Hamlet • Plagiarism Awareness
• Death of a Salesman • Genre Essay
• College/Personal Essay
• I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (selections)
• The Things They Carried (selections) • Critical Analysis
• Various poetry, short stories and essays • Narrative Essay
Optional Texts: • Journal Entries and Responses
• Coyote Waits • Letter Format
• Dracula
• Characterization Analysis
• Frankenstein
• The Greatest Generation • Poetry Appreciation
• In the Heart of the Sea • Research Project
• Lord of the Flies • Senior Memory Book
• The Maltese Falcon Other Assignments:
• The Hobbit • Independent Reading Projects (SSR)
• Approaching Literature in the 21st Century
• Listening Activites and Exercises
• Oral Presentations
• Literary Terms and Devices
• Vocabulary from Literature
• Grammar
Final Grade: Senior Thesis Project (50%). Students choose a topic related to a theme from course
readings. Literary Portfolio (50%). For info on the NYS English Language Arts Stds & Core Curriculum see
http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/ciai/ela/elacore.htm.

Yearly Projects:

The projects listed below will span out throughout the entire year, one small step at
a time. Think of them as part of the class routine.
• Word of the Day (WOD) – Just like a guitarist practices a little bit each day, a
great way to expand one’s vocabulary is one word at a time. Every day there will
be a word on the board for you to copy in your “vocab” section of the binder.
Every Friday we don’t have SSR, there will be a vocabulary quiz. If you are
absent, you must make up the quiz the next day you are in.
• Silent Sustained Reading (SSR) – Unless otherwise specified, every other
Friday, we will have Silent Sustained Reading. I will explain this to you further,
but, in short, this will serve as your own independent reading requirement where
you will have a project and points tied to the book of your choice. This is not a
free-for-all reading day. Once you choose a book, you must stick with it. 

SSR and Vocab Quiz Dates –

SSR – (19 days) Vocab (19)
Friday – Sept 19th Tuesday -Sept 12th , 26th
Oct 3rd, 17th, 31st Oct 10th , 24th
Nov 14th, 21st Nov 7th, 20th (thurs)
Dec 5th, 19th Dec 12th
Jan 16th, 30th Jan 9th, 23rd
Feb 13th, 27th Feb 6th, 20th
Mar 13th, 27th Mar 6th, 20th
Apr 17th Apr 3rd, 24th
May 1st, 15th, 29th May 8th, 21st( thurs)
June 12th June 5th, 11th(bonus)

• Senior Memory Book (SMB)- Throughout the course of the year, beginning in
September and ending in May, you will create an autobiographical collections of
writings, memorabilia, visuals, and general reflections on your life, its influences,
your goals, wishes, dreams (shattered, realized or not-yet achieved),
commentary on life events, questions and observations. The book will be called
The Senior Memory Book, and divided into guided chapters. There will be
approximately two chapters due each month.

SMB Due Dates

Ch. 1 – Sept Ch. 7 – Dec 17th
17th Ch. 8 – Jan 7th
Ch. 2 – Oct 1st Ch. 9 – Jan 28th
Ch. 3 – Oct Ch. 10 – Feb 11th
22nd Ch. 11 – Mar 3rd
Ch. 4 – Nov 5th Epilogue – Mar
th
 Final Book Due – Monday, April 13th, 2009
Book Presentations – April 13th, 14th, 15th
Guideline for a Successful Year

1. General Classroom Procedure

• Be in your seat and ready to begin class before the late bell rings.
• At the beginning of every class, there will be a word of the day to copy in your
notebook. I expect you to take out your binder and begin this immediately after
the bell rings.
• Class ends when the bell rings and no sooner. Please do not take it upon yourself
to pack up early and do not line up at the door.
• All essays and research projects will be submitted to www.turnitin.com.

A word about attendance: “The secret of life is just showing up.” Be here and
be on time. Absenteeism is the #1 cause of failure; therefore you need to be here
as often as humanly possible. 

Daily Materials Needed: You need these items EVERYDAY 

• 1.5-2.0 inch binder (durable/heavy duty suggested)
- 5 tab dividers: Notes / Vocab / Handouts / Quizzes – Tests / Essays -
Writing
- Journal (3-hole 1 subject to put in binder)
• Blue or Black ink pens
• #2 Pencils
• Current Text and relevant handouts

Tardiness: Class begins with the bell. If you are late to class without a pass, sign
the late clipboard. As per office policy, after the first warning, three lates = phone
call home. Failure to sign the clipboard will result in an immediate detention. This is
an office policy. Lateness will not only affect your grade, more importantly, it will
affect your education. Remember, your education starts with you.

Absenteeism: When you are absent, you are responsible for making up any missed
work. Students are required to make-up all missed work due to an absence within
two days of their return to school, which includes tests and quizzes. It is the
student’s responsibility to find out what was missed during an absence. Most
assignments will be up on the class blog, however, there may be other assignments
due as well. Check with a classmate.

2. Understand that this class moves forward whether or not you are
present.
The following is a list of your responsibilities:
 • Get worksheets or handouts from designated location. There will be a folder
labeled “Mr. Guay English 12-Handouts.” In there you will find copies of the
past several worksheets.
• I will collect assignments at the beginning of the class they are due.
• There will be a legal envelop labeled “Mr. Guay – In Box.” I will empty this
every day, but this is where you want to put anything you want to hand in to
me. Put any late work in there. If you are absent, write “absent” and the date
you were absent on the handout to ensure you don’t get marked off for being
late. i.e. “Absent 10-17-2008”
• Make up tests or quizzes within two days of an absence.
• If you arrive late or leave school early, find me to hand in or pick up any
work.
• The majority of writing should be typed, unless the writing is done in class
(12pt, Times)

Due Dates

“Get out of jail free card” We’re all human and sometimes mistakes happen.
Such is the nature of life. Every quarter you have the chance to push a due date one
day further. Use this wisely! Below are general rules on due dates.

Homework Policy: If the assignment is used in the following class or necessary to

class discussion, the assignment will not be accepted late.

Major Assignment Late Work Policy: Our class will follow the English
Department’s Late Work Policy. Final essays and major assignments will be
penalized 10 pts per day.

3. Be Responsible. You are responsible for managing your progress and grades.
Always be aware of your assignments, due dates, and work owed. Each quarter your
grade will be weighted as follows:

25% Writing
15% Tests
20% Projects
15% Quizzes
10% Homework
15% Class Participation

4. Communicate. I’m here for you. If you are having trouble with ANYTHING,
please see me or e-mail me. If you need extra help, I am available after school by
appointment. I stay after nearly every day. If you are having a bad day, talk to me. I
can usually be found in the English office.
Frequently check the website for updates on assignments, homework, and calendar.
5. Behaviors to Exhibit.
• R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Aretha and I agree – respect is of utmost importance. We’re
going to do a lot of talking and discussing. And so, it is essential that
everyone respect each other. In my class, you must be tolerant of difference.
Disagreeing is fantastic, but do so in a mature manner, using school
appropriated language.
• Exuberance and Staying Awake.
• The Cell Phone. Learn discretion – keep it hidden and turned off.
• Participate!

“Education is meant to open the mind, not close it.”

-Edwin Dannen ‘ 08