K.

Mitchell

University High School Charter

English Language Arts Department

Expository Composition Course Syllabus (Grade 12)

Instructor: Ms. K. Mitchell
Email: kdm4952@lausd.net
Website: http://msmitchellsclasses.weebly.com

Course Description
The major purpose of this semester course is to provide experiences in writing that are characterized by logical and coherent organization, clarity of
expression, and suitability in style, usage, and the conventions of writing. The student is required to read closely within and across expository and
informational genres (e.g., essays, biographies, critiques, précis, and news and magazine articles) for literal and implied meaning and to
demonstrate through classroom discussion, oral presentation, and written expression an understanding of the text(s). Emphasis in this course is on
expository reading and writing and the essential skills of editing, although the course provides some practice in other domains of writing.

The curriculum of this semester course was developed by a collaborative group of California State University and high school faculty to help
students meet the expectations of college and university faculty, meet the California English/Language Arts Common Core Standards, and develop
literacy skills critical to lifelong participation to the worlds of work and community. Students learn to make predictions about texts, analyze both
the content and the rhetorical structures, and properly use materials from the texts they read in supporting their own oral and written arguments.

Students are expected to write and revise several academic compositions within the twelfth grade year, including timed writing pieces, research
papers and developed compositions. The CA Common Core Language Arts standards requires that students in the twelfth grade are expected to
read two million words of running text annually on their own, including a good representation of classic and contemporary literature, magazines,
newspapers, and online articles. Students will apply and refine their command of the writing process, writing conventions, and rhetorical strategies
of narration, exposition, persuasion, and description to produce texts of at least 1,500 words each. Expository Composition fulfills a B requirement
of the UC/CSU Subject Area Requirements.

Focus Standards - For explanation of California Common Core standards, please visit:
http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/W/11-12/

English Language Arts Standards » Writing » Grade 11-12

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.1 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.4 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.7 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.10

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.2 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.5 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.8 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.3

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.6 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.9

Representative Performance Outcomes and Skills

In this course, students will know and be able to:
➢ Read a wide variety of complex informational and expository texts, organized around topics or issues.
➢ Demonstrate an understanding of the elements of discourse (e.g., purpose, speaker, audience, form) when completing expository and
persuasive writing assignments.
➢ Identify, analyze, discuss, describe, and use appeals to pathos, ethos, and logos and other rhetorical strategies that writers employ to
craft an argument.
➢ Analyze the content, complexity, and structure of the language employed to convey a writer’s perspective.
➢ Demonstrate control of grammar, diction, and paragraph and sentence structure and an understanding of English usage.
➢ Critique the power, validity, and truthfulness of arguments set forth in public documents; their appeal to both friendly and hostile
audiences; and the extent to which the arguments anticipate and address reader concerns and counterclaims.
➢ Examine models of effective academic, professional, and business writing and speaking: college application essays, introductory and
business letters, résumés, and interviewing techniques.
➢ Develop presentations by using clear research questions and creative and critical research strategies (e.g., field studies, oral histories,
interviews, experiments, electronic sources).
➢ Reflect appropriate manuscript requirements in writing.
 K. Mitchell

UNITS MAY INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING TOPICS

Text: 12th Grade Expository Reading and Writing Course

UNIT 1 Power of the Press / Skills: Aristotelian Rhetoric / persuasive appeals / persuasive techniques / faulty
Persuasion & Satire logic / satirical elements / thesis development / essay content and structure /MLA

UNIT 2 Language, Gender & Culture
UNIT 3 Racial Profiling / Race,
Culture and Ethnicity & The
New Jim Crow
UNIT 4 Making a Change / Life
After High School– Facing
the future and confronting
the present & past
Unit 5 Juvenile Justice
Skills: analyzing rhetorical devices and patterns of organization/ Documentation
Strategies / Explain how language and cultural norms shape identities / Analyze and
use personal experience, their own and others’, as evidence / Evaluate and describe
authors’ stylistic choices / Use writing to propose social change
Skills: Argumentation / Research strategies / collecting, organizing and synthesizing
data/ MLA format and citation/ quote integration
Skills: Become familiar with college and career expectations for reading
independently / Become familiar with the intellectual habits necessary for success in
college and careers / Organize information from online research and textual study
for use in developing writing/ Manage information gathered through reading in
preparation for writing / Develop academic vocabulary through reading and writing/
Write prose that is coherent, clear, and organized / Personal statement writing
Skills: Identify the main ideas, including the author’s main argument/claim within a
text / Summarize and respond to a text / Analyze the impact of the author’s ethos on
the credibility of an argument / Compare different arguments and the rhetorical
strategies of their writers / Construct an argument using sources / Revise rhetorically
to establish a clear focus for their essay / All skills used in previous units will be
utilized in this unit as you work towards developing and presenting arguments for a
class project.

Units may be changed or added by instructor if deemed necessary

Grading / Assessments - Note: Your work will be assessed based on quality, not simple completion.
•Teacher-designed quizzes and tests •Oral presentations and discussions •Class work
•Essays and other student written •Participation •Group & individual projects
texts •Homework

Grading Scale
Numerical Average Letter Grade
90-100 A
80-89 B
70-79 C
60-69 D
below 60 F

LATE WORK WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED

I DO NOT accept late work. Turn it in on time, or you will earn a zero for the assignment. Those on a team are
expected to turn work in on the day that it is due – being on a team is not an excuse to turn in assignments late.

***Please be aware that timeliness is of the utmost importance. Tardiness may affect your grade by causing
you to miss assignments given at the beginning of the period. Further, excessive tardiness will result in
reduced credit for homework.
 K. Mitchell

Materials Needed
3 ring binder (NO SPIRAL NOTEBOOKS PLEASE), paper (lined and white computer paper), colored pencils or
crayons, black or blue pens, red pen (for grading only), #2 pencils, flash drive & several report covers with
three-hole metal clasps. DISTANCE LEARNING REQUIREMENTS WILL NEED ADJUSTMENTS – SCHOOLOGY
PORTFOLIOS MAY BE USED INSTEAD.
Cheating
Cheating is defined as practicing fraud or deceit. It is a person who acts dishonestly, deceives, or defrauds. All of these behaviors are
frowned upon and prohibited in this class, as they display a lack of character and strong moral fiber. Anyone who is caught cheating
(looking at someone else’s test; attempting to use pre-copied notes or electronic devices to answer test questions; copying someone
else’s homework; or allowing someone else to copy their homework will receive an automatic zero on the assignment and will be
suspended from class for 2 days.

Plagiarism Policy:
I take plagiarism & cheating very seriously. Using someone else’s words as your own is immoral, unethical, and does nothing
to further your education. With the availability of search engines like Google that search in-text for documents, it is easy to
catch someone if they have bought or copied information from the Internet.

My definition of plagiarism is:

• Buying or borrowing a paper from someone and turning it in as your own work.
• Extracting the exact words from a document without placing the text in quotation marks and citing the author.
• Using someone else’s published ideas without giving them proper cited credit.
• Having a parent, friend, etc. write part or all of your paper for you.

If you are caught violating my rules on plagiarism, you will receive an automatic zero (0) on the assignment and be referred to
the proper authorities. Make sure your work is your own!

“What Makes Plagiarism a Serious Offense?

Plagiarists are seen not only as dishonest but also as incompetent, incapable of doing research and expressing
original thoughts. When professional writers are exposed as plagiarists, they are likely to lose their jobs and
are certain to suffer public embarrassment, diminished prestige, and loss of future credibility. The same is true
of other professionals who write in connection with their jobs, even when they are not writing for publication.
The charge of plagiarism is serious because it calls into question everything about the writer’s work: if this
piece of writing is misrepresented as being original, how can a reader trust any work by the writer? One
instance of plagiarism can cast a shadow across an entire career.

Schools consider plagiarism a grave matter for the same reason. If a student fails to give credit for the work of
others in one project, how can a teacher trust any of the student’s work? Plagiarism undermines the
relationship between teachers and students, turning teachers into detectives instead of mentors, fostering
suspicion instead of trust, and making it difficult for learning to take place. Students who plagiarize deprive
themselves of the knowledge they would have gained if they had done their own writing. Plagiarism also can
undermine public trust in educational institutions, if students are routinely allowed to pass courses and
receive diplomas without doing the required work.”
---"The MLA Style Center." Plagiarism and Academic Dishonesty –. Web. 17 Aug. 2016
 K. Mitchell

Student Expectations
1. Students will come to class on time and be prepared to work (have all necessary materials). I define on time as in your seat
and ready to work BEFORE the tardy bell rings. BE HERE ON TIME. If you are late, you are to pick up and complete a Demerit
for Irresponsible Behavior (to be kept of file by the teacher). For every minute you are late, you will receive 30 minutes of
detention.
2. Students with unexcused tardies may not receive full credit for the previous nights’ homework.
3. Coming to Attention: When the bell rings you are expected to end all conversations, immediately. I need to take roll, and if
I have to wait, you will owe me time, later.
4. When Class Begins: You must be in your seat, quiet, and beginning your daily journal or grammar assignment when the bell
rings. If you are not in your seat ready to start your work, you are tardy. Being tardy three times earns a U in cooperation
on your report card. These will also affect your class participation grade.
5. There should not be anything on your desk except the materials you are working with. No backpacks or purses on the
desks. I would also prefer if they are not in your lap. If the floor looks dirty, feel free to ask to sweep it.
6. Please remove ALL head coverings that cover ears / This includes hats, hoodies, bonnets, etc…
7. Homework is an obligation for this class. Failure to complete your homework will result in a lower grade.
8. Take care of your beauty and bathroom needs BEFORE you get here. YOU HAVE PLENTY OF TIME BETWEEN CLASSES AND
DURING NUTRITION OR LUNCH. HALL PASSES WILL BE VERY LIMITED. *In the event of an extreme emergency, you will be
allowed out of class. However, for every minute that you are gone, you will owe double at the end
9. Turn ALL electronic devices OFF and keep them put away. Any cell phone that rings or radio that comes on during class
time will be confiscated and turned in to the Dean’s Office. THEY ARE NOT ALLOWED UNLESS INSTRUCTED BY TEACHER.
10. There is no eating allowed in class. You may, however, have gum and drink water (no sweet drinks, please)
11. Raise your hand to speak or if you need help. DO NOT YELL across the room.
12. Moving around the classroom: You may only leave your seat with permission from me. NEVER just get up to do anything
unless I have given you permission. Do not raise your hand to ask about throwing trash away. Hold it at your desk until the
end of class. If you sit near a trashcan, do not throw papers in there from your seat. Do not crumple up papers when you
make mistakes. It is loud and disrupts the class; just set that piece aside and throw it away as you leave the room.
13. Respect: In this classroom, every student has the right to express his or her opinions, thoughts, and ideas. This should be
done in a thoughtful and genuine manner. Although disagreements will certainly arise, it is never acceptable to attack
another person for his/her opinions.
14. Do not use foul, obscene, or offensive language in this classroom. Find another way to make your point. The use of such
language can hurt you severely in the future, so learn how to control your mouth now. Additionally, when you use those
words, you show a severe lack of respect for whomever you are talking to. Swearing may be a habit of yours, but learn how
to control it now. For every word your say that is a swear word, you will owe me outside-of-class time, during your lunch or
after school. A no-show will also affect your participation grade. A research essay will be assigned to the whole class if
profanity is used. There is a time and a place for everything. School is not the place for the actions listed above.
15. Everything on my desk is my personal property. If you need something that is on my desk (the stapler, hole-punch, or
tissue) please ask, do not just take things.
16. Respect yourself and others. No swearing, teasing, name-calling, pushing, kicking, or yelling. A research essay will be
assigned to the whole class if profanity is used. There is a time and a place for everything. School is not the place for the
actions listed above.
17. Copy your homework upon entering class and then begin the warm up (journal) activity, IMMEDIATELY. Failure to do so will
result in loss of positive participation points.
18. Do all homework and classwork on time. NO LATE WORK WILL BE ACCEPTED. There are deadlines in the real world and
you will practice meeting them, now. Three missed assignments will severely affect your grade, will result in detention and
will result in a U in work habits.
19. No make-up exams will be given without prior arrangements. Be here on test days or make prior arrangements for excused
absences.
20. Bring your own class supplies.
21. Honesty is the best policy: No matter what the circumstances, always be honest. Even if you have done something wrong,
it is best to admit it, because I will respect that, and often will forget any disciplinary measures because of your honesty.
However, I have the habit of calling those who tell lies liars. If you do not want to be called a liar, do not lie. Take
responsibility for your actions. If you do something and I ask you about it, own up to what you did. This will be good
practice for when you become an adult.
22. Everything else: Before you do something, please consider whether it might be rude to others, including the teacher. Do
not sleep during class, no personal grooming during class (I will confiscate these items), and please do not conduct another
conversation (verbal, visual, technological, or written) while I am speaking. Especially do not do these things when your
 K. Mitchell

classmates are speaking to the class. They are all very rude. Do not write or pass notes in this class. If you need to tell
someone something, do it during the appropriate times, not during class. Do not spend your time drawing.
23. Turn ALL electronic devices OFF and keep them put away. No electronics may be used in this room unless specifically
assigned to do so by me. These items will also be confiscated and turned in to the Dean's Office. THEY ARE NOT ALLOWED
TO BE ON DURING CLASS TIME AT SCHOOL.
24. Dismissal: You may begin to pack up to leave when I tell you to. If you pack up early, I might make you get everything back
out.
25. The bell does not dismiss you, I do. You should leave your area as neat as it was when you arrived. Look around before the
bell rings to make sure your area is clean so I will not hold you after the bell to clean.

Late Work:

I DO NOT accept late work. Turn it in on time, or you will earn a zero for the assignment. Those on a
team are expected to turn work in on the day that it is due – being on a team is not an excuse to turn in
assignments late.

Tests:
There will be a test at the end of each unit. You will need to make arrangements to take it early in the event
of a planned absence or sporting event.

After you have read and discussed this with your parent(s) /
guardians(s), please click on the following link to a Google Form to
submit confirmation and communications regarding the syllabus:
Syllabus Signature