Course Syllabus

Who is Ms. Hardin?

This is Ms. Hardin's second year at Verona Area High School after five years total teaching experience at both Beaver Dam High School and Poynette High School. She is a 2009 graduate of the University of Wisconsin School of Education with a Bachelors of Science in Education, and intends to begin work on her Masters of Science in Educational Psychology at UW in the spring. Ms. Hardin lives in Verona with her husband and two cats. She loves reading, creative pursuits, and traveling the world. Her favorite place to travel to is Austin, TX.

Contact Ms. Hardin

EMAIL: hardinm@verona.k12.wi.us

Highlights of the Year

We will explore many different kinds of literacies this year including…

• Making an argument: THE MELCON
• Literary Terms and Techniques
• Literary Analysis
• Public Speaking & Debate
• Persuasion and Propaganda

As we investigate these literacies, we will read and analyze several pieces of contemporary and classic literature including…

• To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
• WWII era novels and nonfiction
• The poetry of the Harlem Renaissance
• A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry
• The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien

Logistics and Rules

Now that you are in high school, you are expected to take on greater ownership and responsibility in your learning. I will give you as many tools and opportunities to learn as I can, but in the end, it is up to you to put in the work necessary to succeed. As a high school student, you will be expected to do the following…

Turn in work on time and to the best of your ability

Late work will be accepted at my discretion depending on the situation. Late work will not be accepted after the final unit assessment, essay, or test. However, you will find that in many cases, the work that is to be done is needed to move on to the next step in our learning process; therefore, it is to your advantage to keep up with your work as you will find it very difficult to continue with out doing so.

Know that redos on major assignments, assessments, and essays will be given on a case by case basis.

If you wish to redo a major assignment, assessment, or essay, you must first ask me for permission to do so. You must also make an arrangement to meet with me for a conference outside of class time and must have all necessary missing work turned in. This means if you didn’t do any of the practice work and then failed a test, you must do the practice work before earning a redo. If you are interested in redoing major assignments, please just ask.

Be responsible for your own learning.

You, the student, are in charge of making sure you are caught up on all of the work, including any activities or assignments done on days on which you were absent. We will use an online learning tool called Canvas which will help you keep track of assignments and assessments. You are also expected to use your time wisely in class in order to get the most out of their learning opportunities.  You must also keep your behaviors in check to make sure that you are not affecting the learning of those around you. Disruptive behavior will not be tolerated as it prevents all learners (including yourself) from learning and succeeding. Make sure to sign up for REMIND . COM reminders to get updates from Ms. Hardin via text message!

Bring required materials and respect classroom materials.

All English I students will need highlighters, a 3-ring binder with pocket dividers, college ruled loose leaf paper, and plenty of pens and pencils. In addition, students in Ms. Hardin’s class are encouraged to donate one pack of  notecards and one box of tissues for whole class use. Furthermore, students in Ms. Hardin’s class are strongly urged to bring a pack of Post-It flags or small 1x1 sticky notes for annotating texts, as well as a stylus and earbuds/headphones for use with your iPad. You will be expected to keep your materials organized.  You will also be asked to bring all required materials to class each day, including any and all textbooks or novels. Any common materials (colored pencils, notecards, tape, scissors) must be used with respect and not wasted. Finally, it is important that your iPad be charged everyday, and remain in good repair.

Use hall passes sparingly and come to class on time!

Class begins promptly when the second bell rings, so you should be in your desk and ready to learn as soon as the last bell rings. Take advantage of the ten minute passing periods to use the restroom, catch up with friends, or get classroom materials from your locker. If you absolutely need to use the restroom, please raise your hand and ask permission to the leave the room using the red, plastic pass. In case of an emergency (e.g. illness), you will be allowed to forgo the hall pass.

Use technology wisely.

You will be using your iPad in class and out of class to aid in your learning. When using your iPad or other technology, you must stay on task and use the device for its intended purpose. If you misuse any hardware or software you may lose technology privileges. Furthermore, cellphones must remain off and not in use unless given permission. You may be allowed to use your phone’s calendar, internet access, and music player with clear and explicit permission from Ms. Hardin. If the phone is being used at the wrong time, Ms. Hardin will come up and nicely ask you to put your phone in the charging station in the front of the room. If you refuse, Ms. Hardin will contact the Dean of Students and/or principal, and perhaps even contact your parents. Furthermore, you may not record photo, audio, or video of any person, item, or event in the class without clear and explicit permission from Ms. Hardin. Therefore, you may not post any photo, audio, or video recorded in class to ANY social media account, including but not limited to Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Vine, or Snapchat.

Grading and Assessments

Grades will be determined using the Verona Area High School grading scale.

• Points will be awarded to assignments and assessments according to the academic significance of the item. For example, a three question grammar check will be given fewer points than a three page MELCON essay. As a general rule of thumb, you can count on tests, assessments, essays, speeches and larger projects on making up the majority of your grade.
  
  
• All academic activities will be focused on mastering a learning goal. Therefore, small homework assignments or in class activities will act as practice for mastering the learning goal. Assessments, usually in the form of essays, structured writing responses, speeches, etc, will be for measuring the level of proficiency and mastery of the learning goal. All learning goals are aligned with the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts as well as Verona Area High School English power standards.
  
  
• To help measure student success, rubrics will be used. We will be constantly using rubrics to measure our growth as readers and writers and critical thinkers. The rubrics will be referred to during class and will be used to aid in the instruction of learning goals. Parents, guardians, and students are encouraged to read all rubrics on their own as well. If you have any questions regarding a rubric, please do not hesitate to email Ms. Hardin your question.

Tips and Tricks for Success in English 9 (also known as English 1)

• Do all of the assigned reading the night it is assigned. This makes you more prepared for discussion the next day, and therefore will help you learn the material better.
  
  
• Take notes. Then make sure to review and study those notes before tests and quizzes.
  
  
• Pay attention during lectures and discussions. They happen for a purpose and you will most definitely need to use the information again, so listen up!
  
  
• Take advantage of redos when they are offered. Not only will they help your grade, but they will help you develop better literacy skills.
  
  
• Ask Ms. Hardin for help when you need it. She is pretty nice and will do anything she can to help you!

Browse more about English I below, or download the pdf here!