Welcome to Red Team Language Arts!
What does Mrs. Tortora expect from me?
I expect you to:
- Read, write, edit and revise, listen, speak, and research to the best of your ability.
- Show up to class prepared as if it is your job to learn and hold me accountable for it being my job to teach you.
- Do your classwork AND homework. This is NOT optional. It is a MUST.
- Advocate for yourself and gain independence in your education.
- Be truthful and honest.
- Have some fun while working hard.
- Collaborate with others and have your voice heard.
- Follow the three B’s: Be respectful, Be responsible, and Be safe.
What can you expect from me?
You should expect me to:
- Be very friendly, fun-loving, understanding, and patient, but also very determined, serious, and hard-working.
- Believe in you.
- Teach you, guide you, and allow you to be independent to the best of your ability.
- Treat you with the respect and honesty.
- Challenge you and allow for you to challenge me so that we can grow together.
- Accept nothing less than what you are capable of.
- Dance, make jokes, and smile a lot.
- Sometimes share my treats……
Thematic Units of Study
1. Belonging
( a deep study of character) in a narrative unit
-Genres for close reading and teaching targeted skills include short stories, poetry, literary non-fiction, and a play
-Individual choice books in fiction
-Choice writing project in narrative
2. Decisions that Matter (tapping into the power of non fiction) in an informational unit
-Genres include biography, autobiography, memoir, poetry, short stories, news articles, and TV newscasts
-Individual choice books in biography or autobiography
-Choice writing project in informational essay or informational children's book
3. Wicked
(play)
-Read-a-thon choice books
4. Overcoming Obstacles in Society
(persuasive techniques) in an argumentative unit
-Genres include informational articles,short stories, and poetry
Individual choice reading - any genre
-Choice writing project in argumentative writing
5. Where the Red Fen Grows
(literary analysis)
6. Making your voice heard
(poetry, slam poetry, songs)
Grading
If you take the time to do it, I take the time to grade it! All of the work assigned to you is graded.
No matter the assignment, you will have clear directions and a description of how the work will be graded.
Assignments and possible points include:
- Classwork: 1-25 points
- Homework: 1-5 points
- Quizzes: 5-50 points
- Projects and Written assignments: 10-125 points
Homework
Homework is expected to be in class on the day it is due.
If it is not, you will have a working lunch to get caught up and not fall behind. I call this a “lunch detention.”
The assignment will be marked “late” with no points given on Power School.
Absences
If a student is absent from school for 1-2 days, he or she should:
1. Email me for the missed work.
2. See me first thing in the morning upon return to school to receive extra help and/or collect assignments to be completed at a date that is reasonable upon returning to school.
If a student has a prolonged absence for more than 2 days, he or she should email me (team leader) and/or the guidance counselor to have the missed assignments emailed or picked up in guidance by an adult.
If a student is aware ahead of time of an absence, the student should request the work from me at least a few days prior to missing school.
Extra help / Extra Credit
Extra help is given as needed outside of class time. Students may use their study hall time or lunch with me to receive reinforcement.
Any student who needs extra help after school is encouraged to set up an appointment with me.
Extra credit is NOT given in my class. There are plenty of opportunities to get help BEFORE an assignment is handed in to be graded.
Class Schedule