In this course you have unlimited opportunities for extra credit. As we work throughout the curriculum to prepare you for the SAT and the required English work for the junior year you will encounter challenges with assessments that you may choose to improve through extra credit opportunities.
In English there are essentially four areas of instruction: reading, writing, vocabulary and grammar. You can improve your performance in any of these areas in a variety of ways. Listed below are suggestions for extra credit work. The instructional goal is that the more time you invest in an area of concentration the better you will learn the concept. Rarely there is time set aside during class to work on extra credit, thus you will have to make time outside of class to work on the extra credit assignments.
Reading: A number of extra initiatives are available from drawing scenes with captions indicating important events in a story, developing a Freytag’s Pyramid story summary, a Keynote slideshow or an Imovie depicting the plot. You may also choose to focus on a literary concept such as symbolism and design, using one of the mediums indicated, a project expressing that concept relative to the assigned reading. Still, you may design your own project, approved by the instructor. Whatever extra credit opportunity that you select must be related to the assigned reading expressed on the class syllabus. The value of your work will be based on the assessment of the instructor according to the quality of your submission.
Writing: Extra credit writing opportunities will prove more restrictive. In short, any writing that you compose related to an English assignment is acceptable. Your writing may be either expository or creative. Again, the quality of your work as well as the volume will influence the extra credit that you will ultimately earn.
Vocabulary: Using the vocabulary words assigned on the syllabus or words that you locate in the assigned reading you can earn extra credit by writing a story using the words in the story, creating a test using the words with answers, illustrations of the words with their definitions or other related activities which will assist you in learning the words.
Grammar: With each grammar concept there are required on-line practices located on the class website. You will earn extra credit towards the grammar concept by completing practices beyond the required standard expressed on the syllabus. You may also locate other practices using internet sites or by visiting the learning lab.
