Sigonella Middle High School

Language Arts 12
Teacher: Kendra La Rocca
Course: LAE631 Language Arts 12
Textbook: Collections Houghton, Mifflin, Harcourt. 2017.
Building: 216
Room: 169
Class Day: Period 3 A Day
Email: kendra.larocca@eu.dodea.edu
Website: www.MsLaRoccasClasses.weebly.com
The Language Arts 12 course is designed to support individualized student
achievement aligned with College and Career Ready Standards for this
curriculum area.1
Major Instructional Activities:
Instructional activities will be provided using the content of British and world
literature and nonfiction. Students will read and critically respond to a wide
spectrum of challenging literary selections. Students will conduct in-depth
research on a topic to be determined later.
Major Evaluative Techniques:
Students will participate in various types of assessments: vocabulary tests,
essay tests, research projects and presentations, group activities, oral and
written reports, numerous formal writings, and a semester and final exam.
Essential Objectives:
Upon completion of the Language Arts 12 course, students should be able to:
Analyze and evaluate a wide variety of British, world, and nonfiction
and literary texts.
Critique the important works and authors of various historical periods.
Write and deliver increasingly sophisticated research reports and
multimedia presentations.
Develop and express ideas persuasively.
The full set of curriculum standards is available via the DoDEA website.
Various short stories, novels, and plays; novels and plays may
include:
Don Quixote Miguel de Cervantes
Bront
La Morte dArthur Sir Thomas Malory
Conrad
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DoDEA. (n.d.). Retrieved August 27, 2016, from http://www.dodea.edu/

Subject to change at teacher discretion

Jane Eyre - Charlotte

Lord Jim Joseph

Great Expectations Charles Dickens

Othello William
Shakespeare
Dracula Bram Stoker
Hamlet William
Shakespeare
Frankenstein Mary Shelley
The Picture of Dorian Gray Oscar Wilde
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Robert Louis Stevenson
Classroom Policies:
Assessment/Grading Policies:
Students will be evaluated for class participation; completion of reading
assignments; comprehension of material as measured by objective, essay,
and/or oral examinations; and improvement in written compositions and oral
presentations, with major emphasis on critical thinking, content,
organization, specificity and relevance of detail and evidence of reasoning,
and with secondary emphasis on skill growth in spelling, punctuation,
capitalization, grammar, and usage.
More specifically, such assignments include but are not limited to homework,
pop quizzes, group activities, class discussion, unit tests, essays, oral
presentations, vocabulary tests, research, and semester and final exams.
Each of these will fall into one of the following categories:
Categories for Grades are as Follows:
Quarter Grades
All grades

100%
Semester Grades

Quarter Grade
Cumulative Semester/Final Exams

80%
20%

DoDEA Grade Scale:

90-100 = A
80-89 = B
70-79 = C
60-69 = D
59 or below = F
Class Materials:
Current Novel, textbook, and/or supplemental materials
Notebook with lined paper and a means of organization/Three ring
binder with loose-leaf paper (AVID)
School agenda/planner
Pencils or pens/highlighter
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DoDEA. (n.d.). Retrieved August 27, 2016, from http://www.dodea.edu/

Subject to change at teacher discretion

Students are required to have the following materials in class daily: one
three-ring binder with dividers, loose-leaf paper, pens and/or
pencils, highlighters, agenda planner, any assignments due. AVID
students will have sections in their AVID binder. Students will need to keep
the class syllabus, notes and handouts from class in his/her binder. It is
essential that students bring everything they need with them as they will not
be able to return to their lockers after class begins.
Due Dates:
Assignments are due on the date given. Any homework or other assignment
given is always due at the beginning of class.
Late Work:
Late work for high school students may be accepted by negotiating with your
teacher, in writing, before the due date.
Make-up Work:
If a student is absent from class, it is his/her responsibility to take care of
any missed work. Students are encouraged to have multiple study buddies
to get notes from for days they are absent. Quizzes and exams can be
scheduled for a seminar class or Cyber Cafe. You may not do this during the
regular class period.
Homework:
Student should have all homework completed and with them in class. Failure
to bring in homework will result in a zero grade for that assignment. There is
no opportunity to turn in late homework as we will have already reviewed it.
Tutoring:
Students are encouraged to come to my room for assistance during Period 8
Seminar. Please let me know ahead of time if you need assistance so we
can plan accordingly. I can also work with students during lunch. Please
schedule lunch assistance in advance!
Plagiarism:
Students are responsible for understanding plagiarism. Merriam Webster
defines the term plagiarize as to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of
another) as one's own: use (another's production) without crediting the
source to commit literary theft. Plagiarism will result in a zero grade.
The possibility of redoing the assignment can be discussed; however, full
credit will not be given.
Classroom Management:
All guidelines for student behavior are included in the Student Handbook.
Please note the following rules for our class:
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DoDEA. (n.d.). Retrieved August 27, 2016, from http://www.dodea.edu/

Subject to change at teacher discretion

Be on time for class.

Bring all materials needed for class (including homework and
assignments).
Whether moving in the halls or in the classroom, please do so quietly
and orderly.
Be respectful of students as well as teachers.
When in class discussion, raise your hand to speak.
Ask permission to leave the room and obtain a pass before doing so.
Be considerate of the opinions and viewpoints of others.

Consequences of Misbehavior:
First Offense: Verbal warning to student student will sign a form
indicating his/her understanding of the formal warning.
Second Offense: Call home to parent time/date of call documented on
form identifying first offense.
Third Offense: Student sent to office administration will decide how to
proceed from this point.
Cheating in any form is not tolerated. If a student is caught cheating he/she
will receive a zero on that particular test/exam. If a student is cheating off
another students paper/test, both people involved will receive a zero. This
policy stands, even if the other student was unaware that someone was
looking at his/her paper. The idea is to not only keep your eyes on your own
paper, but to also keep your paper covered.
Additional Information:
Every student is expected to come to class completely prepared. This
includes the following points:
As stated earlier, students should have all homework completed and
with them in class. Failure to bring in homework will result in a zero
grade for that assignment. There is no opportunity to turn in late
homework as we will have already reviewed it.
Students should have textbooks, handouts, binder, pencil/pen, paper
with them as they will not be allowed to return to their locker or to
another teachers room to retrieve their materials.
When the bell rings for class, students should be in their seats with
work out ready for class.
Students should do their work in the format given for class: Cornell
Notes (CN) with additional information required. Examples will be
given in class. Failure to use CN will result in a zero for that
assignment or a loss of points on the binder check.
Students should keep all work in a Three-Ring Binder. All work for this
class should be kept together. There will be random binder checks
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DoDEA. (n.d.). Retrieved August 27, 2016, from http://www.dodea.edu/

Subject to change at teacher discretion

throughout the year (rubric to be given in class). Failure to have your

binder will result in a zero grade. There are no late binder checks
unless you have an excused absence.
With regard to writing, students should understand that the following
expectations apply:
All essays should be in MLA format. An MLA handbook and sample
essay/works cited will be given at the beginning of the year. Pay
attention, keep the sample given and follow the format precisely. If
you do not follow MLA format, the essay will be returned for corrections
and late penalty will be given.
There is no use of 1st person allowed. If you do this, the essay will be
returned for corrections and late penalty will be given.
There is no use of 2nd person allowed. If you do this, the essay will be
returned for corrections and late penalty will be given.
There is no use of contractions allowed. If you do this, the essay will
be returned for corrections and late penalty will be given.
There is no use of fragments and/or run-ons. If you do this, the essay
will be returned for corrections and late penalty will be given.

DoDEA. (n.d.). Retrieved August 27, 2016, from http://www.dodea.edu/

Subject to change at teacher discretion