Designed for honors students, this course offers a challenging combination of English 8 and United States History, offering two credits, and therefore requires a significant amount of time and effort at home. Homework time will average forty-five minutes to an hour each night (this includes home reading and current events). If students don’t procrastinate, it will be easier than it sounds. All students are expected to use their Student Agenda to monitor upcoming assignments, especially if they are absent. Absent students are expected to contact their study partner to catch up on missed work.

Benchmark Assignments
Key assignments in the class will be designated as Benchmark Assignments when their scores are placed on the computer. Students must earn 70% or higher on all Benchmark Assignments to receive a passing grade in the class. Benchmark Assignments are used to demonstrate basic competency of the core curriculum and district standards. These assignments will include end of unit tests, packets, major writing assignments, and others. In addition, an average of 70% over the term will need to be earned on vocabulary tests to demonstrate basic competency in that area and receive a passing grade in the class.

Late Work
Students may hand in missing assignments or take missed tests within one week after the original due date. All make-up and late work must be taken care of during Academic Assistance rather than during class. Absent students will receive the full credit earned; otherwise, 70% is the highest possible score. The one week deadline still applies. (Of course, that won’t happen because everyone will study hard the first time.) THERE WILL BE NO LATE WORK ACCEPTED OR RETAKES OFFERED AFTER ONE WEEK FROM THE ORIGINAL DUE DATE!

Work Ethic / Integrity
A major emphasis of the class will be on group discussion and problem solving. Students will often be asked to work in groups or with partners to accomplish various tasks. This type of discussion and assistance to one another is appropriate; however, all assignments that are turned in must be the student’s own, individual work. Students are not allowed to copy work or responses and should not collaborate to come up with “one best response” unless directed in writing in the assignment instructions.

Extra Credit
Although most students will not need it, some extra credit points will be available each term. The main way to earn extra credit is through submission of a book review for the class Web site (see Great Books). There will also be a video extra credit option during 2nd and 4th terms. Occasionally other opportunities will arise and will be posted on the Web site under "term news" on the home page. Extra credit points will be applied at the end of the term to the overall grade. Extra credit will not compensate for benchmark assignments that are below passing.