Transmountain Early College High School

Syllabus
Instructors Course Requirements
I. Course and Instructor Information
English II Pre-AP
Instructor: Vivian Maguire
Tutoring hours: MWF 8:15-8:45 a.m. Tuesdays 4:00-5:00
Office phone: 236-5000
Email: vmaguire@episd.org
Website: vivianmaguire.weebly.com
Class subscription:
Text @msmagui
to 81010
II. Required Texts and Materials
Prentice Hall Literature textbook
Texas Write Source textbook
Bound composition book
Loose leaf paper
Hand sanitizer or Kleenex (extra credit 10 pts.)
III. Course Description
Students in this class will read and write daily, in class and at home. Students will learn to read
fiction and non-fiction texts critically, while responding with formal and informal essay
assignments. Students in this class will be expected to contribute to the lessons and to be
prepared to participate every day. This class requires participation. This includes sharing from
their journal, reading aloud, and formal presentations. Students will be responsible for keeping a
daily journal, for creating formal writing assignments per nine weeks, formal presentations, and
mid-term/final exams.
Essays
Students will be expected to complete formal writing projects at the end of each nine week
period. Persuasive and Research writing will be the focus of this course. There will be several
class workshops to assist students in the writing process, including outlines and revision
workshops. However, students will be expected to complete their writing projects on their own
and to make any revisions necessary to obtain the best grade possible.
Journals
Students will keep a daily journal in which they will write short answer responses to class
readings, personal reflections, and daily grammar exercises. Students are responsible for having
and keeping their journal at all times. They will be expected to share from their journal
occasionally and to participate in class discussions for a grade. There will be a short answer
assignment for our class reading due EVERY week.

Class Readings
This class will have a reading assignment EVERY weekend. There will NEVER be a weekend
without a reading assignment. Every Monday or Tuesday, there will be either a quiz or a
discussion on the previous weeks reading. If you do not know what to read, come see me. If you
receive a failing grade on a quiz or a class discussion question, you will not be allowed to makeup the assignment.
Presentations
Students will be responsible for both formal and informal presentations. There will be one formal
presentation per semester. Formal presentations will count as a project grade and will be
presented using Microsoft PowerPoint or Prezi. For informal presentations, students will present
a persuasive topic that they will support with key points or arguments before offering a final
reflection or insight on their piece. Students will schedule their presentations. If students miss
their scheduled date, it is then their responsibility to present in tutoring. Students will also be
expected to dress professionally for all formal presentations. Informal presentations will consist
of sharing from ones journal to sharing class work.
IV. Instructors Policies:
Grading
Students may actively calculate their class average by completing a traditional average
calculation. Two grades are typically entered into the grade book each week. Students may
inquire about their grades before and after school, but not during class time. Participation
grades are recorded throughout the semester, but not averaged in until the end of the
semester.
Grading expectations
Students are expected to participate actively in class every day. Students are expected to ask and
answer questions during class time and to participate in class discussions. If students are refusing
to participate, or are being disruptive rather than contributing to the lesson, parents will be
notified and the students grade will be affected.
Late Work
Excused absences will qualify the assignment for standard grading, but students only have the
equal amount of excused days to submit the assignment for full credit. An unexcused late
assignment will not be accepted. I repeat, late work will NOT be accepted under any
circumstances. Check with me frequently to see what is due, because you will not be allowed to
turn in any late assignments, whether you forgot to do it or you forgot to bring it to class.
Unexcused late work will not be accepted.
Attendance
Because most of what you learn in this course will result from your active involvement in each
class, you must attend every class. The bulk of class discussion will occur in a collaborative
setting, so it is vital that you attend class because your group members count on you to share in
the groups responsibilities. If you miss class it is your responsibility to check the syllabus

calendar and e-mails, as well as inquire about what was covered on that day. Note: Ask
about missed work at the appropriate time. Avoid interrupting active class time.
Punctuality
Late arrival primarily disrupts the class, and is discourteous to others. If you arrive late, the
material you missed will not be repeated. It is your responsibility, as a college student, to obtain
the class information you missed at the appropriate time, not during class time.
If your punctuality becomes a class problem, then action will be taken which may have an effect
on your overall course grade. Students will receive REP on Friday afternoon if they are late 3
times. There are no exceptions to this rule. Late students must sign-in on the Tardy Log
upon arrival. If a student is identified as being habitually tardy, then a parent-teacher
conference will be requested. Excessive tardiness may affect students semester grade.
Class Conduct
A students conduct, in and out of class, must not infringe on the rights of other students,
staff and faculty. Disruption of the class will not be tolerated and may result in disciplinary
action in accordance with College rules. While class discussion is encouraged, please keep
in accordance with the course content. If you engage in socially unacceptable behavior I
will ask you to leave the class, and a meeting with the campus principal will be required
before you return back to the class. Note: Students using cell phones, MP3 players, or other
electronic devices during instruction will be asked to forfeit the item. The item will then be
turned into the front office and not returned until the parent pays $15 for the item.
Academic Dishonesty
Academic dishonesty is a violation of rules and regulations and is punishable by Board policies.
Anyone found committing a single instance of academic dishonesty, which includes, but is not
limited to, cheating on quizzes, plagiarism and collusion, will at minimum fail the cheated
assignment, but depending on the severity of the plagiarism or collusion, may be taken through
the proper channels, including suspension. Also, a written report of the incident will be
forwarded to the dean for permanent posting in your records.
Plagiarism is the appropriating, buying, receiving as a gift or obtaining through the internet or
through any other means anothers work and submitting it or incorporating it as your own. You
cannot even use short phrases or parts of sentences obtained from other sources unless you
properly document those sources.
Collusion is the unauthorized collaboration with another person in preparing your written work
and submitting it as your own. In other words, you cannot have someone else write or edit your
essays or portions of them and submit them as your own work. You also, cannot split work
between yourself and other parties and then copy each other.
You will be held responsible for furnishing upon request all the sources and preliminary work
(notes, outlines, rough drafts, etc.) that you use preparing written assignments. If you cannot
produce these materials upon request, the assignment will not be accepted or evaluated.

Parent Signature Page

(This page is an agreement between the teacher and the parent that the student is
responsible for all classroom assignments and expectations)
I, _________________________________, have been informed that

There will be a reading assignment every week and that my student will be tested
weekly on the content of the class reading.
There will be a writing assignment every week, unless my student is working on a
project for class.
Students will have to serve detention on a Friday afternoon if they accumulate 3 or
more tardies.
Students are expected to participate in class; disruptive behavior will affect their
participation grade.
Students are not allowed to have a cell phone during class time.
Students are not allowed to have head phones or ear buds during class time.
Students are expected to be respectful to the instructor and to other students in class
and on campus.
Students are expected to complete all class assignments on their own, unless they
have been assigned group workotherwise they might be held accountable for
plagiarism.
Late work will not be accepted unless the student has had an excused absence.
Students only have the equal amount of excused days to submit the assignment for
full credit.
Even if the student has completed an assignment, but has forgotten to bring it to class,
the assignment will not be accepted.

Parent Signature:_______________________________ Date:__________________

Tenative Calendar:
(Assignments and class readings are subject to change)

Week 1 8/22-8/26
Short story and archetypes
Fiction Analysis: Stages of Plot- Read- The Monkeys Paw- 32
Short Answer Response 1
Week 2 8/29-9/2
Short story and archetypes
Fiction Analysis: The Leap- 46
Elements of Fiction and Non-fiction- 6
Short Answer Response 2
Week 3 9/5-9/9
Short story and archetypes
Fiction Analysis: Occupation Conductorette- 79
Elements of Fiction and Non-fiction- 6
Short Answer Response 3
Week 4 9/12-9/16
Short story and archetypes
Non-fiction analysis NPR
Write and answer short answer response 4
Week 5 9/19-9/23
Introduction to Poetry
Poetry and Figurative Language 628-634
My City 677
Non-fiction analysis NPR
Write and answer short answer response 4
Week 6 9/26-9/30
Expository Reading: Two Friends- 1233
Poetry and Figurative Language 628-634
Making a Fist -644
Short Answer Response 6
Persuasive writing launch
Week 7 10/3-10/7
Understanding the Historical Fiction Novel: To Kill A Mockingbird
Chapters 1-2
Short Answer Response 7
Outline due

Persuasive writing research

Week 8 10/10-10/14
Understanding the Historical Fiction Novel: To Kill A Mockingbird
Chapters 3-4
Themes in Literature 1050
Persuasive outline due
Writing first draft
Week 9 10/17-10/21
Understanding the Historical Fiction Novel: To Kill A Mockingbird
Chapters 5-6
Themes in Literature 1050
Short Answer Response 9
First draft workshop
Week 10 10/24-10/28
Understanding the Historical Fiction Novel: To Kill A Mockingbird
Chapters 7-8
Themes in Literature 1050
Short Answer Response 10
First draft due
Week 11 10/31-11/4
Understanding the Historical Fiction Novel: To Kill A Mockingbird
Chapters 9-10
Themes in Literature 1050
Short Answer Response 11
Persuasive writing revising and editing final draft
Week 12 11/7-11/11
Understanding the Historical Fiction Novel: To Kill A Mockingbird
Chapters 11-12
Themes in Literature 1050
Short Answer Response 12
Persuasive writing final paper due
Week 11/14-11/18
Understanding the Historical Fiction Novel: To Kill A Mockingbird
Chapters 13-14
Themes in Literature 1050
Short Answer Response 13
Persuasive presentations
Week 13 11/21-11/25 Fall Break

Week 14 11/28-12/2
Understanding the Historical Fiction Novel: To Kill A Mockingbird
Chapters 15-16
Short Answer Response 14
Week 15 12/5-12-9
Understanding the Historical Fiction Novel: To Kill A Mockingbird
Chapters 17-19
Short Answer Response 15
Week 16 12/12-12/16
Understanding the Historical Fiction Novel: To Kill A Mockingbird
Chapters 20-21
Short Answer Response 16
Week 17 12/19-12/23
Final Exams