9th Grade ELA Syllabus

Instructor
Ms. Liu

Contact Information
Email: dliu3@schools.nyc.gov

Course Description
The 9th grade English Language Arts or Freshman Composition Course will teach students to develop
and strengthen writing through the extended practice in the development of each stage with special
emphasis on revising and editing. Through engaging in a challenging curriculum of writing, reading,
listening, and speaking in accordance with the New York State Standards, students will develop the skills
to compose the various modes of writing and be expected to compose several major written products.
Students will be able to demonstrate a command of the conventions of standard English grammar,
mechanics, and usage by editing and revising their work. The course will teach students to effectively use
both written and oral skills to present information and evidence appropriate to purpose, audience and task
and make strategic use of digital media in presentations to enhance understanding and add interest.
Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of a variety of literary devices and explicate
various genres of literature, including fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and drama, including works by
Shakespeare.

Course Objectives
This course seeks to have each student develop both academically and socially in the English classroom.
Through close readings of selected texts, both fiction and non-fiction, students will gain a deeper
understanding as to how to analyze and critically think about texts. Furthermore, students will develop
college level writing while improving their current skills and knowledge. This means that students of this
class will be actively reading, writing, and discussing texts with their peers to foster heightened levels of
critical thinking, peer-collaboration, and speaking skills. Activities that will help facilitate these goals will
include debates, essays, literary responses, and presentations. Ultimately, this course is designed to
promote university readiness for the 9th Grade community (ourselves included) through English
instruction.

Department-Wide Grading Criteria

● Assessments (Quizzes/ Tests/ Projects/ etc): 50%
● Homework: 25%
● Classwork/Participation: 25%

Required Materials
In this class, you will required to read, write, and speak about various topics. To do these things well, you
must be well-prepared. The required materials for 9th Grade ELA are:
● A three-ring binder (1-1.5”)
 ● Five dividers for the binder labeled Notes, Classwork, Homework, Quizzes and Tests,
and Essays and Projects
● College Ruled Loose-leaf paper for the binder
● Black/blue pens and pencils
● Post-It Notes

Brooklyn Tech provides students with copies of each text read. To allow direct annotation and close-
reading, students may also purchase post-it notes. If students lose any books, they will be responsible for
paying the replacement fees back to Brooklyn Technical High School. The main texts, which will be
supplemented with additional reading, are:

Possible Texts
● House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
● Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
● Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
● Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
● The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
● The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan

Classroom Rules/Expectations
In order to promote active attention and presence in the classroom, students are not allowed to have
electronic screens of any sort displayed without my permission. Students are also not allowed to chew
gum and must place backpacks and bags on the floor at all times. Warnings will be given before penalties
are enacted. All students are required to follow the school-wide rules along with the following rules for
our class:
Show respect (for yourself, your classmates, and your instructors).
● No foul language.
● Keep your hands and your body parts to yourself.
● Respect the space and property of others.
Be prepared.
● Be on time. Lateness is not allowed.
● Have all required materials during class (binder, loose-leaf, book in-use, pens/pencils,
paper).
Be responsible.
● Be accountable for yourself and any homework/assignments that are due. We expect
scholars and their parents to keep up with his or her student’s academic progress.
● Pull your weight in group assignments. Failure to do so will thoroughly affect your
participation grade.

Plagiarism/Cheating
Plagiarism is the unauthorized, un-cited use of another person’s words and/or ideas and is ILLEGAL.
Cheating (copying, “sharing”, use of cheat notes or information in a written, verbal, or electronic nature)
is against school and classroom policy. Any such act will result in a call home and to the dean. Any
subsequent offense will result in a 0 for the assessment. IT IS NOT WORTH IT. The classes and teachers
are here to help you succeed, and it is possible to do so without cheating.
Classroom Procedures
● Students should use the bathroom before or after class. Students will not be able to casually go to
the bathroom.
● Everyday, when scholars arrive to class, they will immediately be seated and begin the Do-Now
assignment on the board. They must also write the Aim/Guiding Question and homework
assignment down in their notebooks as soon as they enter. Homework from the previous night is
typically checked or collected upon completion of the Do-Now.
● Late homework is not accepted unless a student has a note from a parent/guardian.

Office Hours
On-going communication is encouraged in order for this class to be meaningful and successful. Please
feel free to come talk to me with any concerns you have about the class, your grade, course work, time
constraints, and other topics. You may contact me by email or by attending one of my office hours. Office
hours are by request only; please set an appointment with me at least 24 hours in advance if you need to
do so.

_________________________________________________
Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s),
Thank you for taking your time to read through the course description and syllabus with
your child. I am confident that together, we can make this a productive, exciting, year filled with
new experiences and learning. I am excited to go on this journey with you and your child, but
one of the ways it can be successful is to keep the lines of communication open. Please set up a
Skedula account to access your child’s assignments and/or contact me. Feel free to send me an
email with any concerns or questions that you may have. Please provide me with the best way to
contact you.

DO NOT SIGN UNTIL YOU HAVE READ THIS DOCUMENT FULLY

For Student: I acknowledge I have read and accepted all the above as the rules and policies
of the classroom.

Print Name_______________________________ Period:_______________________

Sign Name________________________________

For Parent/Guardian: I acknowledge I have read the syllabus thoroughly and accept the
rules and policies of the classroom.

Print Name______________________________

Sign Name_______________________________

Contact Information (email and/or phone)___________________________________________

English Department Contract 2017-2018

Welcome to a new school year! Please review this department contract with your families, ask
questions about anything that needs clarification and sign below that you are understand the
following policies for the English Department.

Course Credits
Ø Students are required to earn eight English credits to graduate from high school. You will take
one credit each semester. Thus, every English class you take is a credit for graduation.

Regents Exam
Ø Students will take the Common Core ELA Regents exam in January of their 11th grade year.
Ø Student scores on Regents exams make up 20% of the course grade in the semester the student
takes the exam. (See the grade distribution below.)

Advanced Placement Exams

Ø Students in an AP class are required to take the corresponding exam. Failure to do so will
result in a course grade no higher than 65.

Grade Distribution
Ø English class grades are calculated according to the following distributions:
Semesters Semester
without Regents with Regents

Assessments (Essays, Tests, Projects, 50% 40%

Speeches, Presentations)

Classwork (Quizzes, Preparation, 25% 20%

Accountable Talk, In-Class Assignments)

Homework 25% 20%

Regents Exam 20%

Testing
Ø The English Department will give tests only on Wednesdays and Fridays in the 10th, 11th and
12th grades. In 9th grade English, which meets every other day, a test can be given on any day of
the week.
Ø Full period assessments will be announced at least five days in advance.

BTHS Student Behavioral Contract

By signing, I certify that my child and I have read the Citywide Behavioral Expectations and
agree that my child will adhere to all of the Student Responsibilities stated on p. 18 of that
document. I further certify that my child and I have read and that my child will adhere to all
Rules and Policies of Brooklyn Technical High School including those addressing:

· Academic Integrity: http://www.bths.edu/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=229361&type=d

· Cell Phones & Electronics:

http://www.bths.edu/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=263690&type=d

· Dress Code:
http://www.bths.edu/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=229357&type=d&termREC_ID=&pREC_
ID=444742
_________________________________________________
“By signing below, I certify that my student and I have read and understand the policies of
Brooklyn Tech’s English department and the school’s behavioral expectations.”

Student Name (print): _____________________________________

Student Signature: _____________________________________ Date: ______________

Parent Name (print) _____________________________________

Parent Signature: _____________________________________ Date: ______________