Syllabus for English 12th Grade College Prep
Whitewater High School 2011-12 (both semesters)
Dr. Tom Lewis
Contact Information:
lewis.tom@fcboe.org (school—email address)
Use google docs to submit papers.

General Objectives: The course is designed to allow the student to
• Develop and utilize a vocabulary through reading and writing
• Use the writing process to communicate effectively
• Produce a variety of writings using a variety of structural patterns for specific purpose
• Apply the conventions of American English
• Read for different purposes
• Recognize reading and writing as life skills
• Appreciate and respond to various forms of literature especially poetry, drama, and novel.
• Become familiar with acceptable manuscript form
• Use the media center and other informational sources to conduct research
• Organize researched information in a prescribed format.

Texts: The primary text for this course is The Language of Literature, British Edition, McDougal-Littell. The replacement cost for a lost book is $74.04. In addition to the primary text I will supplement with handouts, tradebooks, and class sets of books as needed.

Materials: Students need to provide a loose-leaf notebook that will be used for notetaking, compositions, and maintaining handouts. This notebook should be a binder, not a spiral notebook. In addition, students will needs pens and pencils in class each day. Other materials will be identified as needed.

Policies and Procedures: Grades will be calculated on total points and are recorded on mygradebook.com. This online account is accessed via the student’s password and classcodes provided by the teacher. The classwork assignments account for 60% of the student’s grade each semester. The final exam accounts for 20% of the grade, and each semester the research paper/project accounts for 20% of the semester grade. Failure to complete the research component may not necessarily cause failure for the student, but it could severely affect the student’s qualifying for the HOPE scholarship.

Make up work will be discussed before or after school or during Instructional Focus time(not before, during, or after class), so the student should see me the day he/she returns to school to schedule the due date for the work.
Late work may be accepted at the discretion of the teacher. Full credit may or may not be awarded depending upon the circumstances involved in the lateness.

Be familiar with school policies and procedures listed in your student handbook because these will be adhered to. These include but are not limited to tardiness to class, food and drink in the classroom, classroom behavior, academic honesty and plagiarism.

Academic honesty is expected in this class. Students found cheating or plagiarizing will lose academic credit and receive administrative referral even on the first offense in this class.

Success in this class is a joint effort. I will do everything I can to help you be successful. I am usually available before and after school (I usually get to school between 7 and 7:30 am), and you may contact me at home for extra help after 6:30 pm or on weekends. I am an adjunct professor at Clayton State University/Morrow Campus, and I teach there Monday and Wednesday evenings. I will not be available to answer questions until after classes on those nights.

You should use my school email addresses for communication, and I usually check that account before 10 pm at night. Email notifications go to my smartphone too. In turn, I expect you to come to class on time and prepared to participate in class activities, and to seek extra help if you need it. It goes without saying that your attendance is imperative. Much of what transpires during this class period through discussion cannot be duplicated; therefore, it cannot be made up or simply sent home as an email or via notes. Please make every effort to be in class.

There are no current calendar items.

Whitewater High School
Tom Lewis