Welcome to English 10

• Please take one copy of each handout.

• Begin by reading the handout titled “Welcome to English 10.”

• Read the Course Outline (you can keep this copy).

• Next, examine the cartoon and write a brief response to each question (these will not be handed in but they will be the basis for discussion).

• Work on these sheets quietly until the Instructor begins the class (between 5:30 and 5:45)

Icebreaker

• parents / non-parents

Icebreaker

• like math / hate math

Icebreaker

• early birds / night owls

Icebreaker

• cats / dogs / other

Icebreaker

• glass half-full / glass half-empty

Course Outline

Monday and Wednesday, 5:30-8:30 p.m.

Sept. 12th to Jan. 18th

Room 202

Instructor: Michele Sherstan

E-mail: michele.sherstan@vsbeducation.ca

School Phone: 604-713-5752

This course will focus on

• speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills

through the study of

• stories, • articles, • images,• poems, • plays,• and a novel.

This course will prepare you for

• the English 10 Provincial Exam*• English 11

*Only students on the 2004 Diploma (80 credits)

Literature 40%• in-class work 40%• homework 10%, • exams and quizzes 50%

Writing 45%• in-class work 70%• homework 10%• grammar quizzes 20%

Speaking / Listening 15%• in-class/mid-term 20%• in-class/final 30%• presentations 50%

Total 100%

Class Expectations

• Listen while others are speaking.

• Respect differences between yourself and your classmates.

• Conduct yourself in a way that supports your classmates' learning.

• Cell phones, Blackberries, iPods, etc. must be turned off during class; Plan to make and return calls, texts, and e-mails during the break (usually 6:45 or 7 p.m.).

• Food is only allowed during the break; beverages are fine anytime.

Class Expectations (Cont’d.)

• If you are late, enter quietly and wait to speak to me or your classmates until the lecture is over.

• You may leave to use the washroom without asking, as long as you do not disrupt the class.

• Do not leave before the end of class without checking in with instructor.

Absences

• It is your responsibility to find out about any work you may have missed (Ask a classmate or check the class website).

• If you are sick, or have an emergency, I expect you to contact me as soon as physically possible.

• If you know you will be away, please let me know ahead of time.

• If you do not follow these guidelines there will be no possibility of extensions or alternate assignments.

Deadlines

• I will accept late work up until the day that I give a test on that material.

• Some in-class assignments can be made up outside of class if you contact me about doing this work

• Most tests and quizzes cannot be made up unless you contact me in a timely manner with a good reason why you cannot do them at the scheduled time.

Textbooks

• Please pay your textbook deposit at the office or in Room 101 as soon as possible.

• Students experiencing financial hardship should speak to me about alternate arrangements.

• I will be handing out texts in the second week of class.

Other Supplies

Students should bring the following to class:

• Binders, lined paper, pens, and pencils

• Paperback dictionary

• Personal reading material (book, magazine, or newspaper) appropriate for a school setting

Roberts’ Rules

• Follow the “Academic Honesty Policy” and the “Code of Conduct” you signed when you registered.

• No smoking on the school grounds or directly across the street.

• Do not linger around the playground while children are playing (unless they are your own of course!)

• Enter and exit by the front doors only.

Icebreaker

• On a slip of paper, write down something about yourself that not many people know about you.

The Purpose of Discussion

• Explore different sides of a topic• Share your opinion with others• Learn what others have to say

The Purpose of Discussion

is • to understand what people think about an

issue and why

is not to• “win” an argument

Discussion Questions

• Who does the beaver represent?

• What does the word “flux” in the newspaper headline mean?

• What is the message of the cartoon?

• Do you agree or disagree with it? Why?

10 minute break

Reading: Don’t be shy, speak up!

Vocabulary Preview

1. void (n.): an empty area or space; nothingness

2. diffuse (v.): to spread out or scatter something

3. default (adj.): the automatic setting or

position if no choice is made

Vocabulary Preview

4. engage (v.): to involve, attract, or draw into 5. empathy (n.): the understanding or sharing

of another person’s thoughts, feelings, or attitudes

6. muster (v.): to gather or call up

Read the article• Read the article once through to get the overall meaning without

looking in the dictionary. Try to guess meanings of unfamiliar words using context.

• Read more closely, looking up any words you can’t guess from context.

• Answer the questions on p. 2 of the handout.

• Please write clear complete sentences.

• When you are done, hand in your work and leave quietly.

• Remember to hand in your “Welcome Sheet.”

• REMEMBER TO PAY YOUR TEXTBOOK DEPOSIT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.