Sandra Day O’Connor High School
25250 N. 35th Avenue Phoenix, Arizona 85083
623.445.7100 623.445.7180 (fax) sdohs.dvusd.org
Course: ELA 5-6
Teacher: Ms. Andrea Wallach
Room: 404
E-mail: [email protected]
Voice Mail: 623-445-7208
Prep Hour: 2nd
ELA Mission Statement:
The mission of Sandra Day O’Connor High School’s Language Arts Department is to offer students extensive
opportunities for learning in language skills that prepare them for life after high school.
ELA Target Learning Goals:
Reading
 Students will read, evaluate and use literary and informational texts at or above grade level.
 On their own, students will read and understand a variety of texts ranging from simple to complex.
Writing
 Students will write a variety of texts clearly and coherently using research collaboration and revision
over varying lengths of time for a range of audiences.
 Students will use technology to produce and publish writing and interact and collaborate with others.
Language
 Students will demonstrate knowledge of correct grammar in writing and speech.
 Students will apply knowledge of newly learned words and phrases to reading and writing.
Speaking and Listening
 Students will listen actively to a variety of types of presentations, interpreting and evaluating them with
proficiency.
 Students will verbally present information in a variety of forms to a variety of audiences verbally,
demonstrating command of formal English when appropriate.
Course Description: This course is primarily an American Literature course that includes fiction and
emphasizes the non-fictional genres: essay, letter, pamphlet, speech/sermon, journal,
autobiography/biography, etc. It is aligned with district and state standards and incorporates common core
components. It also supports the school wide efforts in increasing student achievement.
Course Objectives/Goals: By the time students complete this course of study, they will know and/or be able
to evaluate and write personal narratives, short stories, letters, essays, poems, reports, research projects
and/or papers, and evaluations (i.e. critiques/persuasive writing). Personal Growth in this course will be
assessed through: an ability to analyze texts, to recognize and use rhetorical strategies and stylistic devices, to
analyze, formulate, and develop arguments, and to write clear, coherent prose.
Textbook: Elements of Literature. 5th course. Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 2003.
Grading Policy
A = 90-100%
B = 80-89%
C = 70-79%
D = 60-69%
F =
below 60%
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Grades are cumulative for each semester. The grade book categories (which comprise 80% of your
overall course grade) are:
Reading assessments 35%,
Writing assessments 35%
Language assessments 20%
Listening and speaking assessments 10%
The final exam will account for 20% of the overall course grade.
No extra credit will be accepted.
Powerschool Access
The Powerschools site allows parents/guardians and students to access the student’s grades, attendance,
and other information. If you need your access information, please stop by the front desk during business
hours. You will need a photo I.D. The web address is: ps.dvusd.org/public. Students must access
Powerschool themselves to be successful in this course.
Make-Up Work
Upon return to class after an absence, a student has one school day for each day missed to make up
work/test assigned during his/her absence regardless of the number of days absent. For example, if a student
is absent on Thursday and Friday, he/she will have Monday and Tuesday of the following week to make up
work and must turn in the work that was assigned during the days absent on Wednesday. It is the student’s
reponsibility to check with teachers immediately upon return for work missed. Teachers may choose to
schedule an appointment with the student to formulate a plan for the completion of make-up work.
Make-up work for extended absences may be requested through the Counseling Office and picked up there. I
keep my website updated. It is the student’s responsibility to obtain make-up work from my teacher
website and to schedule an appointment to discuss missing work/schedule make-up date. BEING IN
SWEEP DOES NOT COUNT AS AN ABSENCE; you will be sent back to class from sweep.
Note: No revised work and/or retakes will be permitted during the last two weeks of a semester.
Classroom Behavior Expectations & Consequences:
1. Enter the class in a manner that demonstrates respect for the academic endeavor, for the institution of
public education and for the struggle for democracy and freedom to which it is intimately bound, for Sandra
Day O’Connor High School, for the adults who have dedicated themselves to your well-being, and for
yourselves. This behavior is characterized as an attitude of quiet, respectful scholarship.
2. Have your materials for this class (and for this class alone) on your desk by the sound of the tardy bell.
3. Respect the teacher’s prerogative to dismiss the class. Expect class to end when the bell sounds for class
to be dismissed. Individual concerns should be presented after class. Under no circumstances should you
pack your materials away until I have indicated that it is appropriate to do so.
4. Few things are more disrespectful to your teacher and classmates than tardiness. In the odd and
unexpected event that you are unavoidably late to class WITH a tardy pass:
 do not talk to the teacher or other students as you enter;
 sit in your assigned seat;
 engage in the lesson;
5. Be prepared to learn throughout every class period.
6. You will be given 6 passes per semester for restroom purposes. This does not include visits to the nurse
or counseling office.
7. Establish and maintain a learning environment:
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Assume a posture of scholarly attentiveness when you are seated at your desk (no sleeping).
Do nothing that would either suggest inattentiveness or interfere with your attention (no hoods,
sunglasses, personal electronic devices unless directed by teacher, etc.).
Do not eat or drink in class (only exception – bottled water).
Use language appropriate for the classroom. Formal language is the standard, and even the least
profanity is not tolerated.
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Groom elsewhere.
Dress appropriately; I follow the dress code.
Do not make unnecessary noise of any sort when the teacher or another student addresses the class.
Greet and address your teacher and classmates politely and with sensitivity to their well-being.
Do not concern yourself with affairs irrelevant to this class during our class time.
Do not ask questions that are irrelevant to the topic at hand.
Leave the classroom cleaner than you found it.
Be rid of garbage or recycling, sharpen pencils, and address individual concerns before or after, rather
than during, class.
8. Be at all times aware of the nature of class discussion and participate accordingly: linear vs. open
discussion.
9. Debate with great fervor ideas about literature and life; accept and respect your teacher’s expectations,
procedures, and evaluation.
10. Trust and respect yourself, your classmates, and your teacher at all times.
If you do not adhere to the above expectations, detentions will be assigned and/or parent phone calls
will be made. If you act in a disrespectful manner, a student disciplinary report will be filed with the
conduct office, where the school’s disciplinary code will be enforced.
Electronic Device Use: Technology (cell phones, iPods, hand-held devices, etc.) use in the classroom is
intended to enhance the learning environment for all students; however, any use of technology that
substantially degrades the learning environment, promotes dishonesty or illegal activities, is prohibited. If the
instructor determines that the use of technology is a distraction to the learning process, either of the student
using the technology or to those around him/her, the student may, at the discretion of the teacher, be asked to
discontinue the use of technology in the classroom.
Personal Electronic Devices include cell phones, iPods, other mp3 players and similar technology devices
used for entertainment and communication/social media. Students are expected to refrain from the use of
electronic devices for personal entertainment and/or communication (i.e email, instagram, facebook, etc.)
during instructional time (as determined by the teacher or classroom designee). While students may freely use
these devices before and after school, during passing periods, and at lunch, the teacher will limit the use of
personal devices and for which purposes during class to ensure that all students are focused and ready to
learn.
Bring Your Own Device and Use of Electronic Devices to Facilitate Learning:
Sandra Day O’Connor High School will integrate the use of tablets, laptops and smart phones as learning
tools in the classroom. Once the technology tools are added to the classroom for learning, the classroom
teacher will inform students as to when they may use their device and for which purposes. Students must
adhere to their teacher’s guidelines for use and appropriate times for use.
Please note: Students may not access their personal devices, whether for entertainment or learning, if
the teacher has stated that the classroom activities at that time do not warrant use (e.g., during testing
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or assessments). If the student disregards the directives, parents will be notified and the conduct
office will be notified in writing. The student will be subject to disciplinary action as per the student
handbook.
Academic Integrity: Adherence to the O’Connor Academic Integrity Code
All students enrolled in ELA 5-6 will adhere to the framework and Adherence to the O’Connor Academic
Integrity Code. Cheating and Plagiarism will not be tolerated. The purpose of this code is to promote a
positive learning environment for all involved. As humans, we will make mistakes as we grow. It is
understood that we can learn from those mistakes and become better individuals in the future. Any student
who violates this code will be referred to the Students Rights and Responsibilities handbook and assignment of
appropriate consequences.
Plagiarism and Cheating: In cheating, a student is taking the work of another, on any assignment, and
claiming it as his/her own. At SDOHS, cheating includes but is not limited to:
 copying and/or offering homework verbally, in written form, or by electronic means from/to another
student.
 copying and/or offering questions and/or answers on tests or quizzes verbally, in written form, or by
electronic means from/to another student.
 pressuring other students to copy and/or offer homework, answers and/or questions on tests or quizzes
verbally, in written form or by electronic means.
 bringing in and using unauthorized information during class time, including information stored in any
electronic device.
 offering or receiving information under circumstances in which information is not to be shared.
 having anyone, including parents or tutors, complete assignments and submitting the work as one’s own.
 presenting collaborative work as independent work and independent work as collaborative. (In group
work, one person should not and will not bear the burden for the entire group assignment.)
 copying answers from answer guides in texts.
 fabricating data, information, or sources. Presenting made up material as authentic.
Plagiarism and/or Cheating will result in disciplinary actions and a 0%, with no option to redo/retake. No
exceptions. You are expected to demonstrate the highest level of academic integrity. Cheating of any sort will
not be tolerated. Violations of this policy will result in disciplinary actions. If you violate my trust, expect the
consequences. Trust, if lost, is a difficult thing to recover. Remember that in regard to cheating and all
things else, you can never know beforehand all the possible consequences of your actions
Loss of Credit Due to Absences: Upon reaching 5 unexcused absences or a combination of 12 unexcused
and/or excused absences, a student may lose credit in any given class.
Any student may be placed on an Attendance Contract upon accumulating multiple excused and unexcused
absences. Any student with excessive absences may:
 lose credit in one or more classes.
 lose parking privileges.
COMMUNICATION: Please contact the teacher for any student concerns. It is crucial that students, parents,
and teachers maintain open lines of communication in order to ensure the best support for student success.
Please respect the professional “chain of command” for communication: always talk to me first. The
“chain of command” is teacher, dept. chair, counselor, administrator. Contact information is provided at the top
of the first page of this course guide.
TIPS FOR SUCCESS IN THIS CLASS:
1. All assessments (essays, research papers, etc.) must be turned in at the beginning of class on the
designated due date. Please come prepared to turn in hard copy assignments when asked, having
printed the assignment and stapled any pages together before you arrive in my classroom. In
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many instances, I will not ask for or accept hard copy assignments, only papers submitted to
turnitin.com. Always write down the instructions, your e-mail address used to create your account
(and your password), and/or check my teacher website. No late work is accepted.
2. Materials:
Please bring the following materials with you to class every day:
 A composition book to serve as your journal
 Ink pens
 Any assignment that is due
 All other materials necessary for participation
3. DISCIPLINE POLICY
Discipline will be administered on an individual basis as needed. Discipline is a necessary part of life and
sometimes many of us do not like to “play by the rules.” Unfortunately, when this occurs, we infringe upon
other people’s rights. It is the right of every student to have an environment that is conducive to learning.
Therefore, I will not accept behaviors that have a detrimental effect on the overall feeling tone or learning
atmosphere of my classroom. If you are disruptive or disrespectful, I will send you to another teacher’s
classroom with a signed pass, and will follow up with the discipline policy listed below (1-4).
Repeat: No student has the right to interfere with another student’s learning opportunities.
Failure to follow all course expectations as outlined within the course description will result in a student being
disciplined using the following procedure:
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Teacher-student conference regarding the inappropriate behavior and possible reassignment to
another teacher’s classroom.
Teacher-student conference regarding the inappropriate behavior AND assigned lunch or after school
detention.
Teacher-student conference regarding the inappropriate behavior, teacher-parent conference via
telephone or e-mail.
Teacher-student conference regarding the inappropriate behavior, teacher-parent conference via
telephone or e-mail, AND incident report to discipline office.
4. COMPUTER PROBLEMS:
We all have them. Please let your parents know well in advance when you have an assignment due; no parent
wants to “run out” to get a new printer cartridge or deal with computer problems the night before an assignment
is due--especially if YOU did not tell them the due date for an assignment. You must be responsible; your
parents are not taking this course—you are!
There are some things you can do if your computer fails the night before something is due: 1) Try a
Kinko’s printer or a computer at a friend’s house. 2) Hand-write your paper neatly in black ink and turn it in on
time to show me that you have the assignment; you must resubmit it typed the next day.
DO NOT hand me your disk to print out your paper for you.
DO NOT e-mail me your paper and expect me to format it, save it, and print it out for you.
DO NOT ask me the day your assignment is due to go to the library to print out your paper there during class.
5. Teacher’s Desk and Desk Area:
Do not get materials off my desk or go into my desk area. Some student materials may be found on the back
tables. You are welcome to use materials (scissors, colored pencils, pens, etc.) from this area only.
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ANCILLARY NOVELS: The following novels may be used to supplement the adopted curriculum in this year’s
English language arts class:
Novel Title: The Scarlet Letter (selected chapters)
Author: Nathaniel Hawthorne
The Scarlet Letter is famous for presenting some of the greatest interpretive difficulties in all of American
literature. After it was published in 1850, critics hailed it as initiating a distinctive American literary tradition. The
main character of the novel is condemned to wear a scarlet “A” for her adultery and tries to resolve her inner
torment. The novel subsequently explores the theme of sin and traces the consequences of different kinds of
sin for three different characters. For this reason, the novel is called the first psychological novel in American
Literature. Hawthorne’s rich use of theme, symbol, characterization, irony, and story development will be the
focus of our class study.
Novel Title: The Great Gatsby
Author: F. Scott Fitzgerald
The whirlwind pace of the post-World War I era is captured in Fitzgerald's Gatsby, whose tragic quest and
violent death foretell the collapse of that era and the onset of disillusionment with the American dream. The
discrepancy between Gatsby's dream vision and reality is a prominent theme in this book. Other motifs include
Gatsby's quest for the American Dream, class conflict (the Wilsons vs. the Buchanans and the underworld
lowbrows vs. Gatsby), the cultural rift between East and West, and the contrast between innocence and
experience in the narrator's life. A rich aesthetic experience with many subtleties in tone and content, this novel
can be read over and over again for new revelations and continued pleasure.
Novel Title: Of Mice and Men
Author: John Steinbeck
This is a novel set on a ranch in the Salinas Valley in California during the Great Depression of the 1930s. It
was the first work to bring John Steinbeck national recognition as a writer. Steinbeck conceived Of Mice and
Men as a potential play. Each chapter is arranged as a scene, and each scene is confined to a single space: a
secluded grove, a bunkhouse, and a barn. The action of the novel occurs over the course of three days and
portrays a class of ranch workers in California whose plight had been previously ignored in the early decades
of the twentieth century. In fact, George and Lennie are like mice in the maze of modem life. The great
friendship they share does not prove sufficient to allow them to realize their dream.
Novel Title: Cold Sassy Tree
Author: Olive Ann Burns
The fabric of Southern community life at the beginning of the 20th century is convincingly narrated by the 14
year old protagonist, Will Tweedy in the fictional town of Cold Sassy, Georgia. A May-December romance
scandalizes the rural community as one of the town's leading citizens, E. Rucker Blakeslee, marries a milliner
employed at his store, only three weeks after the death of his wife of 36 years. The marriage brings not only
the disapproval of the townsfolk but of his two married daughters as well. An emerging portrait of love amid
scorn is recounted by Will Tweedy as he poignantly comes of age.
Novel Title: The Help
Author: Kathryn Stockett
Written about the quest for humane and egalitarian treatment, set amidst real life racial conflicts in the U.S.,
The Help tells the story of Aibileen, Minnie, and Skeeter as they navigate the world of black maids and their
white employers. Many historical details are peppered throughout the novel, but it’s ultimately a tribute to the
resilience of the human spirit in times of intense personal suffering and discrimination
Fall Semester Movies
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Approximate Viewing Dates
1. American Dreamers video accompaniment to
Aug.
textbook
(Viewed many times throughout the year)
2. The Scarlet Letter – PBS/WBGH edition
Aug.
in four parts with detailed study guides
3. The Crucible – PG-13 with Daniel Day Lewis & Winona Ryder
Sept.
4. Little Women – PG
Dec.
Spring Semester Movies
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Approximate Viewing Dates
The Great Gatsby – PG
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? Documentary
Of Mice & Men – PG 13
Places in the Heart -- PG
The Help –PG 13
Feb.
Feb.
Feb.
Mar.
Apr.
Clips throughout the year—for journal entries/literary terminology (in conjunction with district & state
standards as time allows):
Avatar—PG-13
John Adams--HBO
Cinderella Man—PG-13
A Civil Action—PG-13
Clash of the Titans—PG-13
Contact—PG
End of the Spear—PG-13
Gattaca—PG-13
Into the West—not rated
The Mission—PG
Out of Africa—PG-13
The Pursuit of Happyness—PG-13
A River Runs Through It—PG
School of Rock—PG-13
Shadowlands—PG
Signs—PG-13
Simon Birch—PG
Star Trek: First Contact—PG-13
The Village—PG-13
The Island—PG-13
The Impossible—PG-13
Into The Wild—PG-13
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The Deer Valley Unified School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national
origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs and activities. For any inquiries regarding
nondiscrimination policies contact the Superintendent's Department, 20402 N. 15th Avenue, Phoenix,
AZ 85027. 623.445.5000.
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Please return this page by August 22, 2014.
I have read and understand the Course Expectations and Guidelines.
We, the undersigned, have read (and we understand) Mrs. Moore’s requirements and expectations for ELA 5-6
in all areas, with special emphasis on attendance, absences and make-up work, the policy on personal
electronic devices, required materials for class, directions for specific assignments, computer assignments,
plagiarism, additional help, following school rules, and expectations for appropriate behavior in the classroom.
We also understand the consequences for inappropriate behavior and/or rules infractions.
(Please complete this form in ink.)
Parents:
In addition to the above, the parent/guardian signature also indicates that:
1. I have reviewed the ancillary novels in this class. If I have a problem with any ancillary novel read in this
class, I will notify the teacher in a timely manner.
2. I have reviewed the movies (and clips) that may be shown in this class. If I have a problem with any
movie/clip, I will notify the teacher in a timely manner.
Student’s Printed Name ______________________________________ Class Hour ____
Student’s Signature: ________________________________________________________
Parent’s phone # (where parent can be reached): _________________________
Parent’s e-mail address: ____________________________________________________
Parent’s preferred means of communication: ___________________________________
Parent’s Printed Name: ____________________________________________________
Parent’s Signature: ________________________________________________________
Date: ___________________________________________________________________