Welcome to English 9!

Mrs. Laura Horihan
Room 303
Mabel-Canton High School

507-493-5423 ext. 253

Course Description:
English 9 is a year-long course taken by ninth grade students.  Students will practice reading, writing, critical thinking, language usage, vocabulary acquisition, public speaking, and self-reflection.  Special attention will be paid to the writing process: prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing. The course will be organized by theme, incorporating a variety of literature studies including: poetry, short stories, memoir, mythology, non-fiction, novels, and film.  Specifically, students will work with Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Homer’s The Odyssey, and Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, among others.

Expectations:

• Respect Yourself
  • Work to your fullest potential.
  • Strive for growth.
  • Use your work time wisely.  
  • Be prepared and turn assignments in on time.
• Respect Others
  • Listen when Ms.Horihan or other students are talking.
  • Be supportive of others.  Constructive criticism is helpful; put-downs are not.
  • Speak and move with kindness and respect.
• Respect the Classroom
  • Cover your textbook and keep it unmarked and undamaged.
  • Recycle paper in the recycling box, and put garbage where it belongs.
  • Handle desks and other classroom materials with respect.

 
 
Materials:  
Every day you will need: your literature book, a notebook, a folder, and something to write with.
 

Extra Credit: 
I do not allow “re-takes” on tests, quizzes, projects, or assignments.  (“Re-takes” don’t exist in college or careers.)  It is vital that you put in the time and effort to prepare for tests, quizzes, projects, and assignments before they are due.  However, if you would like to raise your grade, you may write an Extra Credit Proposal to submit to me for my approval.  If I accept the proposal, I will award you extra credit points based on the difficulty level and quality of your work. (For example: reciting a poem in front of the class might be worth 5 extra credit points, reading a book on your own and discussing it with me over lunch might be worth 10 extra credit points, creating three pages of quality creative writing might be worth 15 extra credit points.)  No extra credit proposals will be approved if you have late or missing class work.
 

Absences:
After missing a day or more of school, it is YOUR responsibility to see me BEFORE class begins to learn what you missed and get  your assignment(s). Following school policy, you will have two days (plus one day for each additional day absent) to turn in missing assignments without penalty.

Late Work Policy:
For each day an assignment is late (without an excused absence), the score will go down by one grade.  (For example, if you would have received a B, but you turned it in a day late, you will receive a B-. If you turned it in two days late, you would receive a C+.)  No late work will be accepted after we’ve completed the unit.
 

Plagiarism Policy:
Give credit where credit is due.  Borrowed words from any source MUST ALWAYS be properly cited.  Plagiarism will result in an automatic score of 0, and the principal and parents will be called.
 

Cheating Policy:
Don’t cheat.  If a student is caught cheating (whether to help themselves or another student), they will receive an automatic score of 0, and the principal and parents will be called.
 

Cell Phones:
Cell phones are not allowed to be taken out in the classroom, unless I give you permission.  If a phone is out during class, I will confiscate it and take it to the Principal’s office. All cell phones will be collected during quizzes and tests.
 

Communication:
Please email, call, or stop in to see me first hour (my prep period), before or after school.  I am available to help if you have questions, would like to practice, discuss projects, or just want to talk!