- West Port High School
- Intensive Reading Syllabus
LIPARI, NICHOLAS
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Intensive Reading
-
Reading Syllabus
Instructor: Mr. Lipari
Contact Information: Nicholas.Lipari @marion.k12.fl.us
(352) 291-4000 ext. 59825 (work)
(352) 462-3988 (cell to text)
Building 8, Room 002
Description/Objectives
Course Description (from CPALMS website): The purpose of this course is to provide instruction that enables students to accelerate the development of reading and writing skills and to strengthen those skills so they are able to successfully read and write grade level text independently. Instruction emphasizes reading comprehension, writing fluency, and vocabulary study through the use of a variety of literary and informational texts encompassing a broad range of text structures, genres, and levels of complexity. Students enrolled in the course will engage in interactive text-based discussion, question generation, and research opportunities. They will write in response to reading and cite evidence when answering text dependent questions orally and in writing. The course provides extensive opportunities for students to collaborate with their peers. Scaffolding is provided as necessary as students engage in reading and writing increasingly complex text and is removed as the reading and writing abilities of students improve over time.
Class Objective: Students will obtain the reading comprehension and fluency skills they need in order to be successful in their academic classes as well as prepared for work and college.
Reading is not only important; it is necessary. Reading is a tool that enables us to change our world and change ourselves. In my class, you will learn how to use reading as a tool to help you become the person you want to be. Our mantra for this year is, “Never underestimate the power of YOU.” As your teacher, I am going to provide you with information, advice, and techniques, but then the ball is in your court: you have the power to decide what to do with those things. I cannot wait to see what you decide to do with all that power!
Materials needed
- #2 pencils (wooden #2 pencils needed for the ACT practice tests)
- Notebook paper
- 1 spiral notebook (for ACT vocabulary and practice)
- 2 Duo-tang folders with pockets and prongs (1 is provided to you already)
- Highlighters (any color other than yellow)
Grading/Evaluation
Grading Procedures:
- 10% Homework: Reading Plus weekly sessions, Reading Plus weekly writing assignments
- 45% Classwork / Quizzes: Group rotations and work within these groups (daily), bell work, weekly Reading Plus comprehension grades
- 45% Tests/Projects: Assessments (ACT/SAT Prep work), short responses, first SeeReader of the week
Classroom Procedures/Rules
Monday – Wednesday
- 5 minutes for Bell Work (usually we are getting into our class rotations following our timed reading, where students work on their fluency by reading passages daily and documenting their daily fluency improvement.)
- 25-30 Group Rotations: Computers - Reading Plus and Small Group - Direct Instruction
Thursday – Friday
- 5 minutes- Timed Reading
- 40 minutes- ACT Practice Test/Strategies/Grading
- 45 minutes Group Rotations/Reading Plus
Shared reading: Eventually we will figure out a way to incorporate the books that we will be reading together in our instruction. You will have your own copy and follow along as I read aloud to you.
Small Groups/Channels: Students will engage in small group activities that are aligned with the Florida State Standards and based on the student’s individual needs. Small Group will focus on vocabulary exercises, grammar practice, and reading standards. We will be reading high interest passages that will help you get where you need to be in reading so you can meet the reading requirement for graduation.
Bathroom Policy: Students will have five restroom breaks per quarter and should use them wisely. Students will need permission from the teacher and as long as it’s an agreeable time, they will need to sign out and must use their bathroom pass. Once students have used their pass, they must put the pass in the pass return basket.
Cell Phone Policy: Students may not have cellphones, headphones, earbuds, AirPods, etc., out in class unless the teacher has requested it for a lesson. Students will be warned once and then if caught again a consequence will be given.
Tardy Policy: 1st Offense Verbal Warning; 2nd Offense Parent Contact – Document in Behavior Tracker; 3rd Offense ALPHA TIME Detention; 4th Offense - Referral
Students will consistently meet the WPHS expectations:
- Be on time (PROMPT)
- Bring all required materials to class (PREPARED)
- Put forth effort to attempt and complete all assignments (PRODUCTIVE)
- Listen, follow directions, treat others with respect and cooperate (POLITE)
Assignments/Homework Procedures:
- Students will complete all homework by the next class period.
- Assignments are due on the announced date.
- Reading Plus homework sessions will be completed each week and run from Monday to the following Sunday night before midnight for credit. You cannot make up a previous week’s Reading Plus homework session. This is not conducive to developing good reading habits. Plus, you should be reading each and every day.
- Khan Academy is another program you will work on during this class. It is a great program to build your grammar in order to meet your reading requirement on both the ACT and the SAT.
Make-Up work Procedures:
Students will have two days after returning to class to stop by my classroom during ALPHA Time and receive their make-up work. It is YOUR responsibility to see if you have missed any work. I am free during the entire ALPHA Time period. You can also access my teacher website or email me during your absence.Testing Procedures:
Students will test for concept mastery at the end of each reading assignment and learning unit.
Weekly Reading Plus:
- 3 SeeReaders at 80% or higher and 5 Read Arounds due by EVERY Wednesday night.
- The first Reading Plus SeeReader comprehension score completed in class for the week pulled as a test grade. If you complete more than one during the school day, I will take the highest score. For example, if you complete a SeeReader during class and your score was a 56% and you come back during ALPHA Time and complete one and you score an 84%, I will take the 84%. This must be done by the end of ALPHA Time and in my classroom.
- ALL 10 Reading Plus assignments (5 SeeReaders and 5 Read Arounds) due by EVERY Sunday night.
- Reading Plus Writing entries will begin later in the semester.
- Reading Plus Reflection Folder: You must record your SeeReader scores and the appropriate sections that go with this in your folder daily. Two grades per quarter come from the Reading Reflection folder. Please make sure that you are filling this out daily when you complete a SeeReader.
- Khan Academy is a College Board website used to prepare you for the SAT, as well as the ACT and the FSA. You will work on grammar and master the skills needed to excel on these exams. This will be another weekly grade.
- Cheating or plagiarizing is against the school code of conduct. If you allow others to copy your work or do work for you, then you are cheating. You will NOT receive any credit if cheating occurs and Guidance will follow up with disciplinary measures.
Extra Credit:
If you do seven SeeReaders at 80% or higher every week of the quarter you will receive extra credit at the end of the 9 weeks.
* If you come to my classroom for 20 minutes to work on Reading Plus at least ONCE per week every week during ALPHA Time for ALL 9 weeks, you will get extra credit.
* This is the only extra credit I will accept and must be completed for ALL 9 weeks. If you miss a week you have lost the extra credit, but speak with me and we may be able to double up the following week ONLY for the ALPHA Time every week extra credit.
To login to Reading Plus:
Click login - then click student login
Site code: westporths (no caps and no spaces)
Username: student/lunch number
Password: student/lunch number
The Reading Plus program will build your reading fluency, endurance, comprehension, and vocabulary. When you first login to Reading Plus, you will take an assessment. This assessment levels you in the Reading Plus program, so it is extremely important that you try to do your best. The first section is vocabulary and the second section is reading comprehension. The reading section does not allow you to go back into the passage. Pay attention and focus when you read.
Whether you sign up for the ACT or the SAT, it is imperative that you complete these assignments daily and do more. The more assignments you complete on Reading Plus, the higher the level you can reach in the reading and vocabulary sections, the better the chance you have at meeting your reading requirement for graduation on one of the tests. Do not worry about completing IB (IBalance). This is not for you.
Khanacademy.org is free and a great way to work on grammar strategies. Make an account if you do not already have one, go to SAT Test Prep, click on Reading/Writing, scroll down below the Reading practice and you will see tons of grammar practice. These are quick practice questions to see what you know and what you need to review. Working on this for twenty minutes or more each day will help you earn that score of 480 on the SAT (reading and grammar combined score) or an 18 composite score (reading and grammar combined score) on the ACT.
Concordant Score Needed:
ACT: 18 composite score of English and Reading
****Seniors are GRANDFATHERED IN for previous requirement- The above requirement OR earning a score of 19 or higher on the reading section only; however, you must sit for all four sections of the test.
SAT: Earning a 480 on the reading and writing/grammar combined score
****Seniors are GRANDFATHERED IN for previous requirement- earn a 430 on the reading and writing/grammar combined score OR a 24 on just the reading section.
If you have any questions or need help, please stop by and see me in building 8 room 002.
Teacher Webpage and Learning Management System:
We will be using Microsoft Teams this year for assignments. Writing assignments and other work will be submitted through Teams. We will also be using Turn-It-In, a program that checks documents for plagiarism. You should regularly check my teacher webpage, too, as I update it with announcements and important dates.
My teacher webpage:
https://www.marionschools.net/Domain/13345
The school homepage:
https://www.marionschools.net/wph
Marion County Public Schools desktop login:
https://desktop.marion.k12.fl.us/LoginPolicy.jsp
To find Microsoft Teams:
- Access your student portal through Google Chrome
- Click on Office 365
- Click on Teams
- Find your class on Teams