PETERS TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL

COURSE SYLLABUS: ACA DEMIC ENGLISH 10

Course Information
Course Length: Full Year
Class Location: 122
Teacher Website: www.hanleyt.weebly.com

Teacher Information
Name: Tim Hanley
Phone: 724.941.6250 ext. 5355
Email: hanleyt@pt-sd.org

Course Overview and Essential Skills

This course involves review of grammatical principles with the emphasis upon mechanics and usage.
Students refine their understanding of more complex aspects of literary analysis. Students are taught to
recognize their personal needs in communication and work for personal improvement in informal as well
as formal communication. Students involve themselves in prewriting and revision activities and become
more familiar with all aspects of the writing process. Academic English 10 focuses on reviewing the basics
of the writing process. Specifically we will focus on recognizing the importance of different writing
structures in sentence and paragraph units, as well as applying editing/revising strategies to improve our
content, organization, grammar, mechanics, and overall writing style. We will also develop our
study/reading skills, build our vocabularies, master the elements of literature, and perfect our writing skills
(with some help from the MLA Handbook) as we complete our readings.
Course Textbook and Required Materials

Title: Elements of Literature Fourth Course with Readings in World Literature 0-03-067282-1
Other: Fahrenheit 451, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Book Thief
Every student should come to class with a textbook and pencil. In addition, each student will need a folder
(something with pockets) preferably a three-ring binder which will serve as your notebook. It need not be
exclusively for English. It can be shared with other subject areas.

Teacher Grading Policy:

All graded assignments will be given a point value.

Assignments submitted late will not receive full point value. Generally, late papers will be docked ten percent of the
original value (after grading) for each day the assignment is overdue. Late papers will not be accepted after three
days. Once the three days have passed the grade becomes a zero. Daily homework assignments will not be
accepted late! (Unless you are absent see 8b below).

Tests will carry more weight than quizzes. All tests will be announced ahead of time; quizzes may or may not be
announced. Note: Quizzes will be given more frequently than tests.

Rubrics will be provided for each major composition, project, presentation, etc

Class discussion and participation will be considered in determining ones grade. This includes a students willingness
to ask as well as answer questions.

Classroom Procedures and Expectations:

1.) Watch Your Mouth Students will exhibit courtesy and respect toward all other students at all times. Disrespectful
comments concerning race, gender, sexuality, political views, appearance, or of any other type will not be tolerated;
this applies to serious as well as joking comments. NO PROFANITY.
2.) Keep Your Hands to Yourself Physical contact of any kind is not permitted. Violations of this simple rule will result
in the most severe consequences possible.
3.) Stay in Your Seat Do not walk around during class unless directed to do so. Have everything you need ready before
class begins. For instance, do not leave your seat to sharpen your pencil, throw away trash, or examine the bulletin
board during a class discussion, lecture or demonstration.
4.) Leave the Food at Home Students may not eat or drink in the classroom. (Gum chewing is permitted if done quietly
and is not a distraction to the class.)
5.) I Need to See Your Eyes Students may not sleep in class. To prevent this, students eyes must be open and visible to
me at all times.
6.) No Personal Grooming This is a classroom, not a beauty shop. Students should not comb their hair, re-style their
hair, apply make-up, nail polish, etc
7.) Not for Sale This is a classroom, not a store. Please refrain from selling candy, ribbons, magazine subscriptions, etc.
during class. Even though these fund raisers are often related to a school activity, they will not be tolerated during
the class period. Take care of these sales before the late bell rings or after the class has been dismissed. NOTE: This
also means that money from these sales should NOT be counted during class.
8.) Technology The Peters Township School District Board supports the use of the Internet, other District computer
networks and technical resources in the District's instructional programs. These resources are made available in order
to facilitate learning and teaching through interpersonal communications, access to information, research and
collaboration. The use of technology resources shall be consistent with the curriculum adopted by the School District,
as well as the varied instructional needs, learning styles, abilities, and developmental levels of students. Furthermore,
technology resources will be utilized where District operations can be enhanced by their use. District technology
resources refer to all District networks, computer software, computer hardware, digital image and audio devices,
peripheral devices, computer services and the Internet. Use of personal electronic devices within the classroom will
be at the teachers discretion. If students are not told to utilize their personal electronic devices, such devices must
remain off and out of sight.

A. IF YOU CHOOSE TO BREAK A RULE:

Punishments will always fit the crime. Of course, there are behaviors that will warrant an Office Referral immediately.
Examples of this include gross insubordination or violent behavior. Behaviors that are less severe, but in violation of the basic
rules of the class will be dealt with in the manner described below. This format is no way all-inclusive and is subject to
change:
1st Incident Warning
2nd Incident Phone call home and teacher detention

VIOLATION OF PERSONAL ELECTRONIC DEVICE POLICY Electronic device confiscated and secured in my desk until the end of
the day. Consider today your warning.
B. TARDY AND LATE

Students are expected to arrive to class on time. There are four minutes allotted between each class period for students
to travel to their next class. If a student knows he/she will be late to class, a pass must be obtained from the teacher of
the previous class. Habitual tardiness will result in disciplinary action.
PROCEDURES
1.

Entering the Classroom Students are expected to be seated and ready for class when the tardy bell rings. You
are to enter the room in an orderly manner. Students who fail to do this will be asked to leave the room and
reenter as expected. As soon as you enter, check the homework board and write down your assignment then
complete the Focus Assignment. You should get anything you need around the room (sharpen pencil, tissue, etc.)
prior to the bell ringing. Once the bell rings, you must be in your seat working on the Focus Assignment.

2.

Ready for class-- means each student should have his/her English binder, a pencil and/or pen, and the
appropriate textbook or reading material.
3. Picking up Materials for the Day Any handouts that you will need on a given day will be found in the tray marked
Please Take One. If the tray or sign isnt there, you dont need to pick up anything, just begin the Focus
Assignment.
4. Handing in Homework - If there is an assignment that you need to hand in, place it in the appropriate tray on the
bookcase marked Please Deposit Homework Here If the tray or sign isnt there, you dont need to turn in
anything.
5. Assignments - All homework papers, tests, and quizzes should contain the proper heading:
Your name

Unless otherwise directed, put this in

Mr. Hanley

the upper left hand margin

Academic English 10
Date (military style)
a. When class time is allotted for English Assignments, DO NOT work on assignments for other classes.
b. You are responsible for your own work.
c. On individual assignments you must do your own work. Answers that are obviously the result of group work
(unless of course we are working in groups) will result in NO CREDIT FOR ALL PARTIES INVOLVED.
d. Academic Honesty it is expected that students will use genuine, sincere, and fair means for the accomplishment
of the tests, tasks, or projects from which evaluations of progress shall be determined. Students found
plagiarizing, copying or cheating in any way will receive automatic zeros and have phone calls made to their
parents. In addition, a write up of the incident will be given to the students counselor. Flagrant or repeated
offences will result in a failing grade for the quarter or semester depending on the nature of the incident.
6.

Coming to attention Throughout the year I anticipate that we will be working in small groups, pairs, or as a
whole class. When I need to quiet the class during any of these collaborative activities, I will turn off the lights.
When the lights are off you are expected to stop your conversations, look at me, and wait for instructions. This is
only complete when the class is quiet.

7. Leaving the Classroom The bell does not dismiss the class, I do. Please do not pack up until I dismiss the class.
Please do not leave your seats until I dismiss the class.
8. Absences On the day that you return from any absence you should arrive early to class to discuss what we did
while you were out.
A.

If you are absent from class at the time an assignment is due but you are in the building on that day, you are
expected to hand in that days assignment. (Ex. You have a special excuse for a dentist appointment and will miss
Western Civilization class the day a composition is due. To receive full credit for that assignment, you must hand
it in before you leave for the appointment. If you wait until the next day the paper will be considered a day late
and the grade will be lowered 10 %. No papers will be accepted after three days.)

B.

Students who are LEGALLY absent have ONE DAY upon their return to complete the make- up work. Exceptions
will be made for students who are absent over a long period of time. Note: Students who do experience a
prolonged absence should contact the Guidance Office in order to have work sent home. THESE STUDENTS WILL
HAND IN BOTH THE ASSIGNMENT SHEET AND THE COMPLETED WORK UPON THEIR RETURN TO CLASS.

C. Please DO NOT expect me to remind you of your make-up work. It is your responsibility to see me before or after
school not during class- for make-up assignments.
D. Class cuts will be dealt with in the office. However, in addition to whatever punishment the principal selects, the
student will be given a zero for that days work.
9. Extra Handouts If you need a handout because you are absent or just lost your first one, go to the appropriate
web page (http://hanleyt.weebly.com/). Do not ask me for handouts go straight to the web page.
Note: Please do not lose your original handouts. Although more copies will be available, once these are gone, I will
not make additional copies. You may also find extra handouts on your class web page.
10. Make-Up Tests If you are absent for a test (not the day before a test) you will have to arrange for a make-up
test. Make up tests are done on Thursdays in the morning, before school or in the afternoon, after school. You
will sign up for the test and receive a green reminder slip. Make these appointments before class begins, after
class, or after school. Arranging a make-up requires signing in with the instructor. A missed make-up appointment
without notice will result in a zero. Quizzes are not to be made up. Instead, the previous nights homework will be
handed in and graded in place of the quiz.
11. Using the Restroom The restroom may only be used in emergencies. A pass is needed for leaving the class. Do
not ask to use the restroom or go to your locker before class begins; just go before you get to class. Anyone late
for any reason is late.
a. Hall passes will be limited to THREE per nine weeks. Dont abuse that privilege. Exceptions will be made for
students with District approved medical excuses
b. Sign out on the Hall Pass Record.
PROCEDURES MAY BE CHANGED OR ADDED BY THE INSTRUCTOR. ALL PROCEDURES WILL BE THOROUGHLY REHEARSED AS A
CLASS.