English II Hon Overview

Mandarin High School

Instructor: Mr. Santana Phone: 260-3911 ex. 1135
Room: L108 Class Web Site: becoolsantana.weebly.com
Email: santanam@duvalschools.org Office hours: By prior request after school until 2:30
*Email is my preferred method of contact
and will generally provide the timeliest turnaround.

1. COURSE CONTENT

Primary Text Book: HMH Collections Please note: Text books can be accessed online, each student
will be given a username and password to access all text material online. Other supplemental
materials and readings will be utilized throughout the year as well.

Course Description: This ELA course promotes student understanding of literature’s major genres:
non-fictional prose, narrative fiction, poetry, and drama. Students will understand and develop a
working familiarity with the characteristics of each of these genres, as well as an understanding of
universal themes (such as conflict and challenge). They will learn about the literary devices inherent
to good literature. This knowledge will serve as the groundwork for subsequent high school English
classes

2. COURSE EXPECTATIONS
While studying literature, students will also practice a good deal of writing. Students will better
understand the “how” and “why” of the entire writing process. Students will be engaged in writing
assignments and projects during each session that require higher level thinking skills, research,
original, and creative expression, and a personal commitment to improving language.

Objectives: Students will…

 Respond to texts and put texts in context
 Interpret and analyze the communication context, text elements, and structures
 Reflect on and direct processes for constructing meaning
 Engage ideas and audiences through texts
 Present technically sound texts
 Research, cite, and evaluate sources

Essentials to maximize the ease of success in this class:

Technology
- Access to the internet from home, an electronic device, or a neighborhood library
- Access to a working printer from home or from a neighborhood library. You may print in my
classroom before/after school and during lunch. NEVER during class.
- A thumb drive/memory stick (as a back-up for saving typed essays and projects)
General Supplies
- Pencils or Pens (BLUE OR BLACK INK), pencils & highlighters
- Notebook paper (just incase)
- Access to a dictionary from home (printed, online, or electronic)

Classroom Rituals, Routines & Rules:

 Students are expected to be prompt, prepared, polite, productive, positive and HONEST.
  Students are expected to participate, show respect for others, and raise their hands before
they speak. Please STAY SEATED while the teacher, sub or any student is addressing the
class.
 Students are expected to adhere to all school policies and procedures.
 Students will be held accountable for their behavior. Inappropriate behavior will be dealt with
through nonverbal and verbal redirections. Please avoid becoming a victim of your own
snowball effect. If something from outside of class really has you stressed or angry please let
me know when you come in and refrain from taking out your emotions in a negative way that
will only get you in trouble and create more stress or anger. If at any point you need to cool
down you may take some time in the “Be Cool” desk by the window.
 Remember the “BE” attitudes: Be Kind, Be Cool, Be Focused

 Electronic devices:
This is a computer based course. The majority of assignments will be completed in the
OneNote Online Notebook and assignments will be submitted through OnCourse.

When told, you will be permitted to use your electronic devices for on-task purposes during
certain activities. For example, while texting, updating a Facebook status, and traditional
phone calls are NEVER permitted in class, you MAY use your electronic device to look up word
meanings, conduct project research, or access the online textbook with prior approval from the
teacher. Electronic devices are NEVER to be used, however, when students are testing or
drafting an essay, as such use will be interpreted by the teacher as cheating and result in a
zero for that assessment.

 Hall Passes:
The restroom must be used during class changes. Hall passes will be given only in
EMERGENCY cases. You will be granted the hall pass three times a quarter.

3. ATTENDANCE & GRADING

Attendance, Tardiness, and Make-Up Work: Regular attendance is crucial for success. Students
are tardy when they are not in the door when the bell finishes ringing. Students have one class day
per class day absent to make up work for 100% credit. It is the student’s responsibility to arrange a
time with me to make up missed essays, tests or quizzes due to absence.

Turning in work: (DO IT!) Assignments due by a particular day are to be submitted through
OnCourse, unless instructed otherwise by the date/time assigned. Anything not submitted by the
date/time will be considered late.

Plagiarism & Cheating: (DON’T DO IT!) PLAGIARISM IS UNNACCEPTABLE AT ALL TIMES!

Plagiarism includes cutting and pasting from the internet, copying the exact wording from a book,
internet source or other student, and even copying books or internet sites such as, Cliffsnotes,
Sparknotes, Wikapedia, etc. to answer questions about a novel or story. If a student plagiarizes it will
result in an automatic zero for the assignment and a referral. Also, the plagiarized assignment
CANNOT be made up.

Required remediation, safety nets & extra credit:

 Make-up work is the responsibility of the student. If a student is absent on the day that the
assignment is due, the student is expected to turn in the assignment immediately upon his or
her return. Late work will only be accepted up until the Friday after the original due date
 for 100% credit. After that the assignment is a zero, unless you speak with Mr. Santana
prior.
 Any test or quiz that you fail may be retaken for full credit. Additional remediation may also be
done at teacher’s request to improve scores.
 Essay final drafts and projects will be accepted any day during the week they are due without
penalty. Essays and projects that are one week late will incur a -50% penalty.
 Opportunities for required remediation and optional extra credit and may be offered at my
discretion at various times throughout the year. The nature of remediation assignments may
vary from student to student depending on need. Extra credit opportunities are available for
from time to time, given prior teacher approval.

Ways to get make-up work:

 Check the website: becoolsantana.weebly.com
 Check the whiteboard agenda for homework reminders/daily assignments.
 Ask a classmate.
 For extra assistance, please set an appointment with Mr. Santana during after school. Please
keep in mind that excessive absences will adversely affect a student’s ability to be successful
in this class. Attendance is essential because discussions, cooperative learning strategies,
and other oral assignments cannot be made up.

Grading breakdown: Assignments are categorized and are by points:

CW/HW: 0-10 points each

Quizzes: 0-20 points
Tests/Essays/Final projects: 0-50 points

Scholarship warnings (if necessary) will be issued on dates to be determined near the midpoint of
each quarter. Additional scholarship warnings may be issued during the eighth week of each quarter
if necessary. Please note that categories and total assignment points may fluctuate from quarter to
quarter based on the nature of what content and skills are covered.

Final Note: Please sign up for my reminder texts.

Text the #: 81010
A1: @a1eng2h B5: b5eng2
A2: @a2eng2h B6: b6eng2h
A3: @a3eng2h B8: b8eng2
___________________________________________________________________________________

**Print out the parent letter. Fill it out and return next class, signed by parent, for
a 10 point homework grade.
 DEAR PARENT:
Thank you for taking the time to read through this course syllabus
with your son or daughter. Please acknowledge your receipt and
awareness of this document by sending me an email with your name,
contact information, and the statement “I have read the syllabus.” You
may also let me know by filling out the lines below and returning this
slip to me via your child.

STUDENT NAME: ________________________________________________________________________

PARENT NAME: _________________________________________________________________________

PARENT SIGNATURE: ___________________________________________________________________

PARENT EMAIL: _________________________________________________________________________

PARENT PHONE NUMBER DURING SCHOOL HOURS: ______________________________________

ALTERNATE PHONE NUMBER: ___________________________________________________________

Thank you.