Upward Bound Saturday Academy

English 10—Course Syllabus

Ms. Socorro Plazola

Classroom:

Email: socorroplazola@yahoo.com

Website: http://www.oocities.org/socorroplazola/. Google is a good search engine to use in order to access this site.

Course Description: This class will be an intensive 8 week course designed to provide academic enrichment for 10^th grade students. Weekly sessions will address the California English/Language Arts Standards. Students will participate in sessions designed to enrich and strengthen their knowledge and understanding of their 10^th grade English class.

---------This is not a tutoring class.--------

The lessons designed for this class, however, will address common areas of weakness in reading and writing for most students.

Texts: I will provide all required handouts and reading materials as the quarter progresses.

Student Requirements:

1. Students must come to class prepared with pen/pencil and plenty of paper.
2. Students will bring a personal novel to read when assignments are completed early.
3. Students will be asked to keep a weekly log of their progress in their regular English class. This will be used during Saturday sessions for various activities.

Expectations:

1. Students must attend all sessions. Frequent absences may result in being dropped from the program. 3 tardies = 1 absence. 3 absences = Dropped from program.
2. Students must be on time. We have a lot of work to do!!! Tardiness will delay the entire class!!!
3. Students must participate in all assignments/ activities. Preparation time will be given for writing or presentation assignments.

Each session will consist of the following:

1. Review of weekly log. Students will use this log to keep track of issues or concerns they have concerning their reading and writing progress.
2. Weekly journal (in class)
3. Introduction of new material
4. In-class practice (activities). Class assignments will be collected.
5. Presentation/ Discussion of new material
6. Building your portfolio.

Course Outline

This outline is subject to change as I see fit. If you have any questions or will be absent, but do not want to miss out on the information, let me know ahead of time!!!

Note-taking and reading strategies will be taught throughout the sessions. Several of the class handouts will be available on my website.

OUTLINE OF WEEKLY SESSIONS

Session 1: Building Your Vocabulary

· Introductions: You, Me, the Syllabus

· Vocabulary strategies you can do on your own

· Grammar Review

Session 2: Writing the Autobiography

· Active voice, sequence of events, sensory details

· Organizing

· Write a short autobiographical composition

Session 3: Descriptive Writing

· Masterpiece sentences and sensory details

· Write a short descriptive composition, while in character.

· Descriptive writing in poetry.

Session 4: Active Reading

· Literature excerpts read out loud and analyzed

· Character traits identified and conflict analyzed

· Using character maps and quickwrites

Session 5: Writing the Paragraph

· Basic paragraph structure

· Write on character and/or conflict

Session 6: The Essay. (This will take sessions 6 and 7)

· Elements of the Essay: Introductions, body paragraphs, and concluding paragraphs

· Student samples and handouts will be distributed

· Organizing and writing

· Write the introduction and a body paragraph

Session 7: The Essay (continued)

· Review essay elements

· Elements of the essay: Concluding Paragraphs

· Write the concluding paragraph.

Session 8: What makes a good speech/presentation?

· Organization

· Cues and tricks for introducing and ending a speech

· Organize and present your own short informal speech or work from class.

· Review and Reflect on Your Portfolio!!!

Session 9: UPWARD BOUND ACTIVITY DAY!!!

If you finish assignments early, feel free to ask me about assignments from your regular English classes.

I will be available in the classroom by 9:30 every morning. Feel free to stop by and ask for help with personal class assignments.