John Lennon sang: "You say you want a revolution... well, you know, we all want to change the world." This quote applies quite fittingly to sophomores, as they revolutionize themselves and their worldview in what has been regarded as the most dynamic (and often most turbulent) year of high school. As we guide our students through their sophomore year at Gilmour, we hope to facilitate their personal revolutions by exposing them to revolutions in literature. And, in the end, "you know it's gonna be all right!"

The English 10 curriculum is integrated with history and shaped around the theme of humanity--how we view ourselves and our place in the universe. Students will explore how literature sparks and responds to political, social, personal, and moral revolutions. English 10 strives to make all students effective communicators, complex thinkers, collaborative learners, morally responsible people and lifelong learners.

We will be reading every day, both in and out of class. We will read novels, essays, short stories, poems, plays, and non-fiction pieces. Students will be reading some traditional texts but will be making connections with science and history on contemporary issues. They will write in response to these readings in multiple ways--in reflective reading journals, in-class writings, expository and analytic essays, and in multi-genre projects.

English Department Homework and Absence Policies
In accordance with recent research on habits of the mind, a valued skill for students to acquire is persistence, the ability to begin a task and see it through completion. This skill is directly applicable to developing the adult capacity for problem solving. Similarly meeting deadlines in timely fashion is a form of intelligent behavior and shows respect for teacher and peers. In hopes of fostering and encouraging this habit of the mind, the English department has adopted the following policies regarding late work, late work due to absences, and the legitimate use of email for submitting work:

Major Assessments: Hard copies of all assignments are due at the beginning of class. There will be a 10% deduction per calendar day late, up to a 50% deduction. Missing work will not be accepted after 2 weeks.
Homework: No late homework will be accepted without an excused absence.
Email Submissions: Emailed work may be accepted as evidence of completion, but no points will be awarded without submission of a hard copy.
Excused Absences: In the event of an excused absence, missing work is due the next class meeting following the absence. Missing work will receive an ?M? in the gradebook until submitted. If a student is absent from class yet in attendance for part of the school day, it is expected that the work still be submitted that day.
Planned Absences: If a student knows that he/she will be absent, work for that day is due before his/her absence.