Juniors

ENGLISH/LANGUAGE ARTS 11

English/Language Arts 11 develops students’ writing skills, emphasizing clear, logical writing patterns, word choice, and usage, which students apply to compositions that utilize research and rhetoric. Students read nonfiction and literary works as a means to understand the world and to inform their writing. Literary conventions and stylistic devices may receive greater emphasis than in previous courses. Participation in class dialogue and delivering presentations are expectations of this course. 

Jefferson County 11th Grade Year at a Glance

Semester 1

Analyzing Literary Texts

Cornerstone Genre: Literary Analysis

The Evolution of Ideas over Time

Cornerstone Genre: Civic Position Statement

 

Semester 2

The Arguments in Our World

Cornerstone Genre: Critical Review

Approaches, Choices and Impact

Cornerstone Genre: Contemporary Memoir (Blending Modes) 


Grades

90-100         B 80-89         C 70-79         D 60-69         F 59-0

Be responsible for your grade. Know what your current grade is via Parent Portal and GAS.

General Policies

Students are expected to know and follow the Jefferson County Public Schools Conduct Code as well as the Arvada West Conduct Code.

Student Lessons

short stories         poems     cooperative groups     research papers    grammar    tests      quizzes        

 observations     vocabulary presentations         reading comprehension          silent sustained reading

Integrity

Complete your own work. (Don’t cheat) Take pride in what you do. (Don’t cheat) 

Reminders

HLT (use higher level thinking)                Pen (must be used)              Folder (must be kept accurately) 

Stop Rule (use when you don’t understand)                                     GAS (update graded assignment sheet)

6 Ps

Prompt                     Prepared             Polite Positive Mental Attitude             Participate             Produce


Late Work/Make up Work

The Jefferson County Public Schools Conduct Code policy will be followed regarding late work for excused, unexcused absence, and any late or missing assignments.


Make-up Work for Excused Absences

It is essential that students absent from school make up work missed.

It is the responsibility of the student and parent or guardian to initiate requests for and pick up

makeup work on the day he or she returns to class from an excused absence.

Makeup work should reflect class assignments missed during the absence, and a reasonable

amount of time should be allowed for work completion. Time allowed to make up work is

twice the number of classes or days missed (two days allowed for make-up work for each day

of absence); however, an extension of this time limit may be approved by the school

administration. Students who complete makeup work within the required timeline will

receive full academic credit earned for the makeup work.

Unexcused Absences

Unexcused absences are defined as absences not covered by the grounds for excused

absences, including students leaving class without permission of the teacher or administrator

in charge, students missing a class without parental approval, “sneak days”, “ditch days”, and

“prank days”, and circumstances determined by the principal. Each unexcused absence shall

be entered on the student’s record and the parents or guardian of the student receiving an

unexcused absence shall be notified orally or in writing by the school. Unexcused absences

will subject the student to appropriate consequences, including school sanctions and/or the

imposition of academic sanctions for classes missed. At the senior high school level,

persistent unexcused absenteeism may, in the judgment of the teacher and school

administration, result in a failing grade.


Court action may be initiated by the designated school authorities when deemed necessary in

order to enforce school attendance requirements. The maximum number of unexcused

absences a student may incur before judicial proceedings are initiated to enforce compulsory

attendance is four days in one month or 10 days in one year.

For attendance purposes, any absence from school resulting from suspension will be

considered an "unexcused" absence. Such absences due to suspension, however, shall not be

counted in the total of unexcused absences when determining if a student is "habitually

truant."

Make-up Work for Unexcused Absences

Classroom instruction and interaction with teachers are essential to a student’s education.

Because of the importance of classroom instruction and learning, students with unexcused

absences will be expected to complete classroom assignments to demonstrate their learning

on content standards and to meet the academic expectations of the teacher. As with excused

absences, time allowed to make up work is twice the number of classes or days missed (two

days allowed for makeup work for each day of absence); however, an extension of this time

limit may be approved by the school administration. Students who complete the required

makeup work within the required timelines will receive academic credit earned for the

makeup work as described below.

• Grades nine through twelve:

° With the first two unexcused absences from a class, makeup work will be

allowed for credit with one grade reduction for all work completed.

° After the first two unexcused absences from a class, makeup work will be

allowed for credit with two letter grade reductions for all work completed.

° When an assignment has been given with a specific due date and the student

does not turn that assignment in because of an unexcused absence on the due

date, the teacher will enforce the original stated expectations regarding grading

of the assignment if it is turned in late.

° When a student has missed classroom discussions or classroom work that

cannot be duplicated through a simple assignment, the teacher may elect to

request that the student create a method for demonstration of the learning or the

teacher may elect to assign specific work to demonstrate the learning. If the

student fails to complete the work, no credit will be given.


Colorado Department of Education

Standards in Reading, Writing, and Communicating


Standards are the topical organization of an academic content area. The four standards of Reading, Writing, and Communicating are:


1. Oral Expression and Listening

Learning of word meanings occurs rapidly from birth through adolescence within communicative relationships. Everyday interactions with parents, teachers, peers, friends, and community members shape speech habits and knowledge of language. Language is the means to higher mental functioning, that which is a species-specific skill, unique to humans as a generative means for thinking and communication. Through linguistic oral communication, logical thinking develops and makes possible critical thinking, reasoning, development of information literacy, application of collaboration skills, self-direction, and invention. 


Oral language foundation and written symbol systems concretize the way a student communicates. Thus, students in Colorado develop oral language skills in listening and speaking, and master the written language skills of reading and writing. Specifically, holding Colorado students accountable for language mastery from the perspectives of scientific research in linguistics, cognitive psychology, human information processing, brain-behavior relationships, and socio-cultural perspectives on language development will allow students to master 21st century skills and serve the state, region, and nation well.

2. Reading for All Purposes

Literacy skills are essential for students to fully participate in and expand their understanding of today’s global society. Whether they are reading functional texts (voting ballots, a map, a train schedule, a driver’s test, a job application, a text message, product labels); reference materials (textbooks, technical manuals, electronic media); or print and non-print literary texts, students need reading skills to fully manage, evaluate, and use the myriad information available in their day-to-day lives. 


3. Writing and Composition

Writing is a fundamental component of literacy. Writing is a means of critical inquiry; it promotes problem solving and mastering new concepts. Adept writers can work through various ideas while producing informational, persuasive, and narrative or literary texts. In other words, writing can be used as a medium for reasoning and making intellectual connections. As students arrange ideas to persuade, describe, and inform, they engage in logical critique, and they are likely to gain new insights and a deeper understanding of concepts and content.


4. Research and Reasoning

Research and Reasoning skills are pertinent for success in a postsecondary and workforce setting. Students need to acquire these skills throughout their schooling. This means students need to be able to distinguish their own ideas from information created or discovered by others, understand the importance of creating authentic works, and correctly cite sources to give credit to the author of the original work. 

Website by SchoolMessenger Presence. © 2024 SchoolMessenger Corporation. All rights reserved.