ENGLISH STUDIES 12

TEACHER MS. M. RAFTER • E-MAIL mrafter@sd38.bc.ca • WEBSITE MS.RAFTER.WEEBLY.COM

“Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.”
– Anton Chekhov (1860-1904)

OVERVIEW

This class combines elements from Literary Studies 12, and Composition 12 curriculums. This course is designed to
support students in their refinement and pursuit of mastery of written communication. Students will read and study
exemplary compositions by other writers and be exposed to a variety of styles as models for the development of
their writing. They will develop their craft through processes of drafting, reflecting, and revising to build a body of
publishable work that demonstrates breadth, depth, and evidence of sophisticated and specialized writing for a
range of situations. Students will delve deeply into literary works in a variety of media to explore specific themes,
periods, authors, or areas of the world.

MARK BREAKDOWN TEXTS AND RESOURCES

 34% - Take-home composition  The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of

 24% - Timed, in-class writing Venice
 15% - Tests/quizzes William Shakespeare
 25% - Assignments  1984
 2% - Participation George Orwell
 Selected short stories
 Selected poetry

BIG IDEAS YOUR GOAL FOR THIS TERM

- The exploration of text and story deepens our understanding of

diverse, complex ideas about identity, others, and the world. __________________________________
- People understand text differently depending on their __________________________________
worldviews and perspectives.
__________________________________
- Texts are socially, culturally, geographically, and historically
constructed.
__________________________________
- Language shapes ideas and influences others.
__________________________________
- Questioning what we hear, read, and view contributes to our
ability to be educated and engaged citizens. __________________________________

-Engagement with writing processes can support creativity and __________________________________

enhance clarity of expression.
RULES AND EXPECTATIONS
ENGLISH S T U D I E S 12

COURSE WORK

1. Do not submit assignments with words/phrases that are not your own. Plagiarized work results in an
automatic zero, a phone call home, and a mark on a student’s permanent record.

2. Late assignments may be submitted by the end of the school day (by 3:00 PM), resulting in a
penalty of 10% off the total mark.

Late assignments may be submitted on the day following the due date, resulting in a penalty of
25% off the total mark.

Assignments not received the day following the due date are not accepted. Late work from the
beginning of the term submitted at the end of the semester will not be considered.

3. Take-home assignments should be finished at the start of the class. Homework completed during
class time (including Silent Reading) is considered late and is subject to penalty.

ATTENDANCE

4. Be physically in the classroom after the warning bell, and be ready to go at the second bell.

5. Absences (expected or unexpected) are to be accompanied by a parent/legal guardian’s note with a

signature and a phone number. Missed in-class work cannot be excused without parental consent.

Note: Students are expected to keep up with any missed assignments.

Unexcused absences will result in zeroes for any in-class work.

6. Field trip forms should be signed at least two days in advance. Please remind me the day before
you are scheduled to go on a field trip.

7. Please go to the washroom before class begins. You are strongly discouraged from leaving the room
when you come into class. If you need to leave the room, please ask for permission.

Per the administration’s request, no one is allowed to leave the room in the first and last ten minutes of
class.
 CLASSROOM POLICIES

1. Be attentive when people are speaking. Raise your hand if you have something to say, and build
upon others’ contributions.

2. Do not write on the desktops or store garbage inside the desks. You will be asked to clean the
classroom if writing or garbage is found.

3. Food (popcorn, chips, etc.) is not allowed. Drinks are allowed if they are in non-spill containers.
Any food/packaged drinks brought in after break/lunch should be put away.

4. Responsible use of electronics is allowed depending on the assignment type (phone camera for
notes, music during independent work, etc.). Unauthorized use of devices will result in a warning for
the first offence. Subsequent offences will result in the equipment being confiscated for the entire
day. Escalated action results in administrator intervention.

5. At the end of class, please push in your chair (or stack your chair at the end of the day) and
straighten your desk before leaving. Empty all garbage in the desk (if you placed any there), and
clean all graffiti on desktops.

SUPPLIES CHECKLIST

6. Come to class every day with the following supplies:

 Binder w/ handouts, notes, and paper  Ruler

 Textbook(s)  White-out

 Pens  Pencil(s) and eraser

7. Have ready the following supplies in your locker should they be needed:

 Pencil crayons  Glue stick

 Felt markers (fine tip)  Black fine liner

 Scissors  Highlighter