St John Catholic High School
Department of English
Course of Study
English, Grade 9/10, Locally Developed
ENG1L/2L
Ms. Geddes
2013-2014
Course Description:
This course provides foundational literacy and communication skills to prepare students for success in their daily lives, in the workplace, and in other course. The course is organized into strands that develop listening and talking skills, reading and viewing skills, and writing skills. In all strands, the focus is on developing foundational literacy skills and on using language clearly and accurately in a variety of authentic texts. Students developing strategies put into practice the processes involved in talking, listening, reading, viewing, writing, and thinking, and reflect regularly upon their growth in these areas.
Course Texts:
Prose, Poetry and Dramatic Selections from:
Inside Track 1
Inside Track 2
Local Newspapers
Novel Study and Independent Reading:
War Horse
Independent selections as part of Accelerated Reader program
Evaluation: Term Work (70%) + Culminating Tasks (30%) = 100%
Term Work (Strands):
Developing/Extending Reading and Viewing Skills: 30%
Developing/Extending Writing Skills 30%
Developing/Extending Listening and Talking Skills 10%
Culminating Tasks: Portfolio 30%
English Curriculum - Overall Expectations
Developing/Extending Listening and Talking Skills
- use listening skills to participate in formal and informal classroom discussions;
- use talk to develop thinking skills in small and large group discussions;
- contribute ideas and converse while participating in classroom activities;
- identify their strengths as oral communicators and reflect on next steps in further developing listening and talking skills
Developing/Extending Reading and Viewing Skills
- develop reading and viewing strategies to understand and make connections with texts that are part of school, workplace, and everyday life;
- read and recognize a variety of short, engaging, authentic, and relevant print and non-print text forms, both teacher and student selected;
- identify their strengths as independent readers and viewers and reflect on next steps in further developing their reading and viewing skills.
Developing/Extending Writing Skills
- apply the writing process by generating and organizing ideas, writing a draft, revising, and editing to produce a variety of short written texts;
- convey the information and ideas clearly in a variety of short written forms;
- identify their strengths as writers and reflect on next steps in further developing their writing skills
Course Units
Each unit is designed to develop and improve fundamental literacy skills to support student learning across the curriculum. Unit orders and assignments are subject to change.
Unit One: Explorations 20 Periods / 20%
This first unit will be a chance for the teacher and student to initially assess his/her strengths. This until is all about YOU, the student. Through a variety of short stories and essays in Inside Track 1 and/or Inside Track 2 text, students will begin to develop listening, reading and writing skills, and will explore articles on the trades. Developing proper paragraph writing will be the primary writing focus for the unit.
1. Reflections & Goal Setting Activities
2. Supported Opinion Paragraph
3. Reading/Viewing Tasks
4. Speaking/Listening Tasks
Unit Two: Accelerated Reader Program Continuous / 10%
The first fifteen minutes of each class will be dedicated to personal reading. Students will choose from a variety books included in the Accelerated Reader program. Novels in this program are scored based on reading level, and each student will begin at a level determined by consultation with their instructor. Each student is to read a minimum of one personal novel. Focus of this unit is making it applicable for you.
1. Novel Activities: (AR quizzes, goal setting, and reflections)
2. Presentation or media work on novel of choice
Unit Three: Class Novel 25 Periods / 20%
Students will read a novel of their choice together in small groups, while using a variety of strategies to increase reading level and vocabulary. As students progress with the text, they will learn to connect with the content by using appropriate reading strategies. They will engage in discussions, writing responses, and small group presentations. The primary writing focus will be developing a news article and building a TEAM to read and work with.
1. Goal Setting Activities and Reading Circles
2. News Article on event(s) from the Novel
3. Novel Test
Unit Four: Teens and the Media 20 periods / 20%
The goal of this unit is to develop media savvy teens and create an awareness of how each is targeted, represented and exploited. The focus will also remain on developing reading, viewing and writing skills. The primary writing task will be developing a summary and distinguishing between FACT and OPINION.
1. Reflections and Goal Setting
2. Written Summaries
3. Advertisement (Viewing)
Final Assessment Tasks: Portfolio 25 Periods / 30%
Students will look back on the work they have accomplished throughout the semester and demonstrate, through a portfolio assignment, the skills and strategies developed throughout the course. This portfolio will include a series of student reflections and examples of polished work students have created throughout the school year. They will share these portfolios with their peers.
1. Reading and Viewing Responses
2. News Articles, Summaries, and Opinion Paragraphs
3. Presentation and Listening Task
This mark will be the result of 20 periods of in-class work, involving skills students have had the opportunity to practice throughout the semester. General Expectations Be punctual. Three (3) lates result in detentions beginning, as per the school’s late policy. All subsequent lates result in detention and will be dealt with by administration.
Keep up-to-date. If you are absent from class, it is your responsibility to catch up on any work missed. Check the school website, ask a friend from class to get the assignment and any missed notes or speak to your teacher after class for assistance.
Be prepared. Come to class with all your necessary materials: pencils, erasers, pens, lined paper, 3-ring binder, and textbooks.
Be organized. Assignments must be handed in on time. Late assignments may result in Study Hall referrals, phone calls home and/or deducted grades.
Show respect to yourself, your peers, your teacher and our learning environment. This is easily achieved by using appropriate language, by dressing appropriately, by participating but not at inappropriate times, and by displaying learning-oriented behaviour.
-Listen when others talk
-Put up hand and ask to get up
-Follow instructions the FIRST time they are given
-If you are unsure- ASK!
-Participate- Put forth your best efforts