Class Disclosure
Mrs. Thurnau
English/Language Arts
9th Grade
2013 – 2014
English/Language Arts
9th Grade
2013 – 2014
Email: jacqueline.thurnau@canyonsdistrict.org
Class Website: welovelanguagearts.com
Canvas: canyons.instructure.com
Class Website: welovelanguagearts.com
Canvas: canyons.instructure.com
Welcome back! I’m excited to meet you all. I hope we have a lot of fun this year and that we’re all ready to work hard, work together, and examine the world around us.
Materials Needed
1. 1 subject notebook to be left in the class and used for starters.
2. Colored pen for in class grading (other than blue or black)
**If you are not able to get any of the materials, please talk to me, I will be able to help you.
Grades
You will be graded in the following three areas:
Assessments: tests, quizzes, essays, and projects
Assignments: journals, organizers, articles, reading, etc.
Participation: Being in class, on time, and willing to join in
Breakdown:
We use total points. Daily assignments are worth between 5 and 25 points. Essays, test, etc. generally range from 30-150.
Participation: Each one of you is given 10 points a day. If you’re here on time and staying on task, you keep your points.
Grading Scale:
A 100.00%-92.50% C+ 79.49%-76.50% D- 62.49% -59.50%
A- 92.49%-89.5% C 76.49%-82.50% F 59.49-0.00%
B+ 89.49%86.5% C- 72.49%-69.50%
B 86.49% -82.50% D+ 69.49%-66.50%
B- 82.49%-79.50% D 66.49% - 62.50%
Extra Credit
I do not offer extra credit, other than three Oops Pass, hall pass ticket, and extra book of the month. Occasionally, I will offer it, but it’s at my own discretion and should not be counted on. I do NOT offer extra credit opportunities for students with 0s or poor effort to make up work they should’ve already done.
Assignments and Procedures
Late Work:
You will receive three Oops Passes each quarter. You may use these to turn in an assignment a maximum of one week late. Your assignment must have the Oops Pass stapled to it and turned into the basket. Oops Passes will not be allowed on tests, projects, essays, Article of the Week, Book of the Month, or vocabulary packets. Any Oops Passes not used may be turned in for 10 points of extra credit at the end of the quarter. If you lose your Oops Pass, you can’t use it, so keep it safe!
Quality Work:
If I cannot read your work, you will get a Q in Skyward and your assignment will be handed back. You have one day to redo it with a 25% reduction in score. Any Q assignments not turned in are marked as a 0.
**No name papers lose 25% of assignment points automatically and are passed back to the No Name box. No name papers go on the grade as a 0; it is the student's responsibility to keep track of these assignments and to resubmit them for points.
Starters: We will have daily starters. This will be everything from vocabulary and grammar, to answering journal prompts. You should have a notebook just for journals. Your starters will be turned in every two weeks. They are worth 25 points a week, which equals a great deal of your assignment grade. Not doing your starters may also affect your participation.
Article of the Week: Every week you will get an article. You will annotate the article using your “Reading with a Pen” strategy (We’ll learn this in class). Your articles are due every Thursday. We will be using the articles for group discussions, reflections, etc. Your annotations are worth 25 points; the discussion/reflection is worth 25 points.
Canvas:
Students will be using an online classroom called Canvas. They will be turning in many assignments and taking quizzes online. Students will receive their logins during the first week of school.
Cheating: I have a no tolerance policy for cheating. If you are caught cheating on an assignment, whether it is copying and pasting a paper from the internet, copying your friend's answers on an assignment, or getting caught cheating on a test or quiz, you will automatically get a 0 on the assignment, parents will be contacted, and the administration will be notified. You will also be required to do a character building assignment that will be due ASAP. All participation points will be lost until the extra assignment is turned in.
Movie Permission:
This year we may watch one of the following films, please indicate on the parent signature form if you approve. The movies are: Wrath of the Gods: They Odyssey, The Odyssey, Once Upon a Time When We Were Colored, Romeo + Juliet, and Wall-E.
Attendance:
Absence Policy: I follow the Hillcrest High School attendance policy. If you have five or more tardies and/or unexcused absences will result in a NG for the class until you make it up in attendance school. Work for unexcused absences may not be made up
Absences: You have five days to make up what you missed. It is your responsibility to check the absent folders, calendar, and files to get assignments. All late assignments must be labeled “absent” and turned into the late/absent basket.
* If you are absent on the day an assignment is due, it is due the day you return, no exceptions!
Tardies: You will lose all participation points for each tardy. Any not in their seat when the bell rings is considered tardy.
Hall Passes
Students are given ONE hall pass per class per quarter. You will receive one hall pass ticket. You will need to use it to leave the class for any reason. You present me with the ticket.
* If you do not use your pass, it is worth 10 points extra credit at the end of the quarter.
Electronics
Cell phones and mp3 players should not be used without teacher permission. There should be no electronics out when the bell rings. You will get one warning. After this, you will lose it until the end of the day.
Class Rules
1. Be respectful of teacher and classmates.
2. Be prepared.
3. No electronics in class, unless given specific permission by me.
Consequences:
Negative
1. You will receive a warning.
2. You will lose all of your participation points for the day.
3. You will receive detention, a phone call to parents, and/or additional homework assignments.
Positive
1. You can enjoy your time in class.
2. I will send good reports home.
3. You can earn good grades.
4. I will administer random acts of kindness.
Need Help?
Feel free to talk to me whenever you need to. I’m an avid emailer and I have a teacher Facebook account. You can also keep up with class on the class calendar or blog.
Materials Needed
1. 1 subject notebook to be left in the class and used for starters.
2. Colored pen for in class grading (other than blue or black)
**If you are not able to get any of the materials, please talk to me, I will be able to help you.
Grades
You will be graded in the following three areas:
Assessments: tests, quizzes, essays, and projects
Assignments: journals, organizers, articles, reading, etc.
Participation: Being in class, on time, and willing to join in
Breakdown:
We use total points. Daily assignments are worth between 5 and 25 points. Essays, test, etc. generally range from 30-150.
Participation: Each one of you is given 10 points a day. If you’re here on time and staying on task, you keep your points.
Grading Scale:
A 100.00%-92.50% C+ 79.49%-76.50% D- 62.49% -59.50%
A- 92.49%-89.5% C 76.49%-82.50% F 59.49-0.00%
B+ 89.49%86.5% C- 72.49%-69.50%
B 86.49% -82.50% D+ 69.49%-66.50%
B- 82.49%-79.50% D 66.49% - 62.50%
Extra Credit
I do not offer extra credit, other than three Oops Pass, hall pass ticket, and extra book of the month. Occasionally, I will offer it, but it’s at my own discretion and should not be counted on. I do NOT offer extra credit opportunities for students with 0s or poor effort to make up work they should’ve already done.
Assignments and Procedures
Late Work:
You will receive three Oops Passes each quarter. You may use these to turn in an assignment a maximum of one week late. Your assignment must have the Oops Pass stapled to it and turned into the basket. Oops Passes will not be allowed on tests, projects, essays, Article of the Week, Book of the Month, or vocabulary packets. Any Oops Passes not used may be turned in for 10 points of extra credit at the end of the quarter. If you lose your Oops Pass, you can’t use it, so keep it safe!
Quality Work:
If I cannot read your work, you will get a Q in Skyward and your assignment will be handed back. You have one day to redo it with a 25% reduction in score. Any Q assignments not turned in are marked as a 0.
**No name papers lose 25% of assignment points automatically and are passed back to the No Name box. No name papers go on the grade as a 0; it is the student's responsibility to keep track of these assignments and to resubmit them for points.
Starters: We will have daily starters. This will be everything from vocabulary and grammar, to answering journal prompts. You should have a notebook just for journals. Your starters will be turned in every two weeks. They are worth 25 points a week, which equals a great deal of your assignment grade. Not doing your starters may also affect your participation.
Article of the Week: Every week you will get an article. You will annotate the article using your “Reading with a Pen” strategy (We’ll learn this in class). Your articles are due every Thursday. We will be using the articles for group discussions, reflections, etc. Your annotations are worth 25 points; the discussion/reflection is worth 25 points.
Canvas:
Students will be using an online classroom called Canvas. They will be turning in many assignments and taking quizzes online. Students will receive their logins during the first week of school.
Cheating: I have a no tolerance policy for cheating. If you are caught cheating on an assignment, whether it is copying and pasting a paper from the internet, copying your friend's answers on an assignment, or getting caught cheating on a test or quiz, you will automatically get a 0 on the assignment, parents will be contacted, and the administration will be notified. You will also be required to do a character building assignment that will be due ASAP. All participation points will be lost until the extra assignment is turned in.
Movie Permission:
This year we may watch one of the following films, please indicate on the parent signature form if you approve. The movies are: Wrath of the Gods: They Odyssey, The Odyssey, Once Upon a Time When We Were Colored, Romeo + Juliet, and Wall-E.
Attendance:
Absence Policy: I follow the Hillcrest High School attendance policy. If you have five or more tardies and/or unexcused absences will result in a NG for the class until you make it up in attendance school. Work for unexcused absences may not be made up
Absences: You have five days to make up what you missed. It is your responsibility to check the absent folders, calendar, and files to get assignments. All late assignments must be labeled “absent” and turned into the late/absent basket.
* If you are absent on the day an assignment is due, it is due the day you return, no exceptions!
Tardies: You will lose all participation points for each tardy. Any not in their seat when the bell rings is considered tardy.
Hall Passes
Students are given ONE hall pass per class per quarter. You will receive one hall pass ticket. You will need to use it to leave the class for any reason. You present me with the ticket.
* If you do not use your pass, it is worth 10 points extra credit at the end of the quarter.
Electronics
Cell phones and mp3 players should not be used without teacher permission. There should be no electronics out when the bell rings. You will get one warning. After this, you will lose it until the end of the day.
Class Rules
1. Be respectful of teacher and classmates.
2. Be prepared.
3. No electronics in class, unless given specific permission by me.
Consequences:
Negative
1. You will receive a warning.
2. You will lose all of your participation points for the day.
3. You will receive detention, a phone call to parents, and/or additional homework assignments.
Positive
1. You can enjoy your time in class.
2. I will send good reports home.
3. You can earn good grades.
4. I will administer random acts of kindness.
Need Help?
Feel free to talk to me whenever you need to. I’m an avid emailer and I have a teacher Facebook account. You can also keep up with class on the class calendar or blog.
