Contemporary Literature                                                        Mrs. Davis’ plan times: 2nd, 5th, 7th

Course Expectations                                                                            pdavis@lps.org

Welcome!  Our goal in this class is to read a variety of literature focusing on social issues.  We will do that by reading books together, reading personal choice books, researching issues, and writing about what we find/believe.  Making connections between ourselves and literature is what all readers do.  In fact, meaning comes from both the author and from the reader. 

We need some guidelines for how class is going to run, so let me tell you what to expect.

• Be here and be on time – if tardy, I’ll follow the policy in your handbook
• Get started working right away – even before the tardy bell
• Always have your personal reading book
• Be prepared to work quietly and efficiently or to participate in discussions on the appropriate days.
• Be willing to try things that might be difficult for you
• Be respectful of other people – their thoughts, abilities and persons

Supplies for the class are a spiral notebook and a two-pocket folder.  If you need one specifically for this class, I will be happy to provide one.

Your grade will be based on a number of things, but here are the major categories:

              Class Text Reading – (50%) quizzes, writings, discussions, etc.

              Personal Reading Logs (10%)– weekly reading logs, use of time in class

              Personal Reading Projects (20%) -1 per quarter for a C, three per quarter for an A

              Social Issue Project(s) (15%) – more information to follow

              Research – (5%) articles, projects, notes, works cited, etc.

Your final grade will be an average of all of the above.

The LNE grading scale is posted on the board at the front of the classroom along with the Plagiarism/Cheating policy.  Students are expected to do their own work and receive a grade which they have earned.  We will discuss plagiarism in class, so you know what is fair. 

We will spend much of our time reading.   Expectations for what you will do during this time are:  be silent, have your book open, keep your head up and eyes open, eyes on the pages, read.

Homework:  Please plan to read outside of class.  While we will have reading days, many of you will not have time to read everything in class.  You should budget 15-20 minutes of reading time per night as regular homework. It would be best to treat it like regular homework and not read in bed right before you go to sleep.    If you are not finished with work in class and it is time to move on, you should take work home to finish it and hand it in at the earliest possible time.

Late work:  You are responsible for assignments in this class.  Although you have some flexibility depending on your skills and how long it takes you to finish things, you MUST do the work.  Not getting done on time just causes you to have more work to do.  If you are too far behind, I may schedule time when you can come in before or after school to make up your work.  We will do this with or without me contacting your parents depending on how responsible you can be.  Obviously, if you are missing too much work, you will not be able to pass the class without completing it.  I will accept daily work/homework until the end of a unit (example:  the end of a novel) and major work (papers/projects) until one week prior to the end of the quarter/semester.  You will earn credit for all work based on the quality of the work completed.

Please remember, I am always willing to help you, we just need to find a way to communicate about what needs done.