Hamiota Collegiate, 2014-2015

Grade 10 English Language Arts, Course Outline

Teacher: Ms. B. Hammond
Contact Information: bhammond@pwsd.ca
Class Website: www.hciela9.weebly.com
Period 1/2

Semester Two (February 4-March 27 = Ms. Hammond)

Room 13

Course Overview: Welcome to Grade 9 English! This course is designed to build upon the language arts
abilities youve obtained in your previous years as a middle school student. Over the next 2 months you will
explore, develop, and enhance skills within each of the 6 strands of language arts: writing, reading, speaking,
representing, viewing, and listening. To do this, you will be studying texts from a variety of forms and genres,
and working with both pragmatic (50%) and aesthetic (50%) versions.

General ELA Outcomes:

Students will listen, speak, read, write, view, and represent to
1. Explore thoughts, ideas, feelings, and experiences
2. Comprehend and respond personally and critically to oral, print, and other media texts
3. Manage ideas and information
4. Enhance the clarity and artistry of communication
5. Celebrate and build community
*For more information visit: http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/cur/ela/curdoc.html

General Assessment Guidelines:

There are 2 major purposes for assessment in this course:
1. Assessment for learning (formative assessment): This helps me gain insight into what you
understand so that I may plan and guide instruction based on your educational needs, and give you
the practice and feedback necessary to excel at summative assessments. Formative assessments are
not worth marks.
2. Assessment of learning (summative assessment): This informs me, you and your parents of your
progress at achieving the ELA outcomes once we have finished a segment of study. Summative
assessments are worth marks.

MY Assignment Guidelines:

Assignments are due at the beginning of class on the predetermined due date
o If this is a problem, you are expected to discuss this with me ahead of time
Late assignments will result in a phone call home, then time spent working at noon hours
If you are willing to put in the effort, I am willing to help you succeed. If you bomb an assignment,
you are welcome to re-do, then re-submit it as long as the original copy was submitted on time.
If you miss a class, or come in late, it is your responsibility to find out what you missed and access
the materials (I will keep them archived on the class website).

Classroom Rules & Expectations: All members of the classroom will

1.

Commit to making the classroom a safe space. Therefore:

a. All members of the classroom will be respectful of the opinions, ideas, culture, and
overall person of other members of the classroom, whether they agree with them or not
2. Respect their classmates right to learn & work within a school environment. Therefore:
a. There will be no talking while the teacher is giving instruction to ensure that students receive
complete and uncompromised instruction AND there will be no distracting behaviour to
ensure that students have a work-conducive environment to work on their assignments
3. Will put forth their best effort to hand in their best work by the end of the unit in order
to learn responsibility, stay organized, and avoid worrying their parents
4. Will remain quiet during Oh Canada out of respect for the wonderful country they live in, and
during announcements out of respect for the wonderful school that they go to
5. All members of the classroom must use technology in a relevant and respectful manner.

Hamiota Collegiate, 2014-2015

a.

Cell phones and other electronic devices can be an asset to the classroom when used
academically for research, voice recording, note-taking, typing, or video recording, and so,
for these reasons ONLY will they be permitted in class.

Unit Descriptions
My Brain & I (February)
20% of Course Grade
In this introductory unit, students will explore what makes the community brain, their own brain, and the
teenage brain, in general, function. They will explore who they are as individuals and members of the larger
learning community by exploring concepts such as multiple intelligences, goal-setting, blogging, reflecting,
and organizing ideas. Students will be expose to, and then create, a number of nonfiction pragmatic texts in
the form of charts, websites, articles, and documentaries. Assignments may include:
Personal Web Site (anthology)
30%
Facebook Profile: My Intelligences
20%
Autobiography: My Life
40%
Responding to Text Blog Post(s)
10%
Short Stories (March)
25% of Course Grade
During the unit, students will learn about the elements of fiction (character, setting, plot, conflict, theme,
point of view, and style) that work as the building blocks of narrative writing! They will also develop their
ability to work in groups, practicing skills such as positive feedback, constructive criticism, and compromise.
Students will be exposed to a number of short stories, memoirs, and television shows with various conflicts
and themes, so that they have many examples to draw on when it comes time to create their own piece of
writing. Assignments may include:
Mini-Activities: Elements of Fiction
30%
Create-Your-Own Short Story
30%
Create-Your-Own Movie Group Project
30%
Responding to Text Blog Post(s)
10%
Independent Novel Study (Ongoing)
05% of Course Grade
Students will read one novel over the next two months. For this novel students should be prepared to discuss
the characters, plot, setting, and themes during class discussion. Assignments may include:
Sharing Ideas/Participation
100%

Final Note for Students: I look forward to getting to know you, and to teaching you one of my favorite
subjects on the planet! I hope that you enjoy your Grade 9 English course as much as I did, back in the day. I
want you to know that I am dedicated to helping you succeed in this class, and will do my very best to make
myself available during noon hours and after school, should you need any assistance outside of class. If you
are a social savant, extra-curricular extraordinaire, or plain ol workaholic, and you dont have time to meet,
DO NOT be afraid to shoot me an email or shoot up your hand in class. Best wishes heading into Grade 9
ELA heres to a fantastic semester!

Final Note for Parents: I look forward to working with your teen, and helping to explore his/her
identity, dreams, and goals. Just as I welcome your son or daughter to be a part of the classroom community,
I welcome you as well! I encourage you to call, email, or stop by the classroom as much as you like. If you
have any questions, comments, or concerns however large or small please, do not hesitate to contact me.

Hamiota Collegiate, 2014-2015

After BOTH you AND

your parents have
read through this course outline:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Throw down your signatures!

Rip this sheet off the course outline!
Hand it in to me for a chance to win the first SWEET PRIZE of the school year!
KEEP the rest of the course outline in your binder! Seriously. I mean it.

I have read the Grade 9 ELA course outline and am familiar with its contents. I have reviewed the
classroom rules and expectations and am prepared to participate in a positive way according to
these rules and expectations. I understand that this is a classroom contract and will try my best
uphold it.

Date Read: ____________________________________________

Students name: ________________________________________________________

Students signature: _____________________________________________________

Parent/Guardians name(s): ________________________________________________

Parent/Guardians signature(s): _____________________________________________
Any initial comments or concerns: ____________________________________________
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