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NO. You should be studying your vocabulary cards every night and reading for at least half an hour on your Tuesday/Thursday book choice or rereading the material we covered in class.

How do I find out what I missed if I am absent?

You can check the class log here on the website and there are usually links to PDF copies of the handouts available.
When you get back to class you can read the class log and get the handouts from the assignment binder.

How long do I have to get the homework in for full credit if I am absent?

For assignments given while you were gone you have one day for each of the days you were absent to get them in. So, if you were in class on Friday but absent Monday, the work that was due Monday should be handed in on Tuesday when you get back but the assignments given out on Monday while you were gone won't be due until Wednesday. If they come in on Thursday they are 1/2 credit and after that they are 1/4 credit.

Does that affect assignments like the vocabulary cards that are ongoing and I know about them even if I'm not there?

No, you already know so you are accountable even if you weren't there earlier in the week.

Can I turn in late work?

Yes, but it must be complete. I you are going to just slap down a few answers and hand in some second-rate job it isn't worth my time. It is still worth only 1/4 of the credit.

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Assignment problems.

I got a "P/P" on the grade printout. What is that?

o A p/p stands for paper or pencil problems. It is scored as a 0. If you rewrite it in pen or remove the ragged edge you can turn it in again for ½ credit.

What can give you a 0 on an assignment that you actually completed.

o You wrote in pencil. This is High School English. Unless you are taking a scantron test you write in pen. Otherwise, it never happened.

o You ripped your paper out of a spiral notebook and left those shabby chads hanging off the side. No, won't even look at an assignment that is that sloppy.

o You turned it in without bothering to put your name on it. Mrs. H. isn't psychic and can't tell by holding the page that it was also touched by. . . you. It will just get dropped into the no-name box and it is your job to check the grade reports to see if it was credited to you, and if it isn't listed, track it down.

You were stamping an assignment (such as a study packet for one of the novels) and I had only one or two questions that I didn’t do. Why didn’t I get credit?

o The stamp is a way of confirming who completed the assignment on the assigned due date. By definition, missing one or two or even twenty questions is incomplete.

Does that mean I don’t get any credit for the questions I did?

o No, when you hand in the packet at the end there are points for each completed question as long as it is written in complete sentences, unless otherwise specified. The stamps are also counted into the grade, usually at 5 points each as a reward for those who kept up with their work.

I forgot it at home. Can I bring it to you tomorrow for full credit?

o No, too many kids have used that as code for I didn't do it so I'm going to scam you into giving me an extra day. Sadly, you are paying for their dishonesty.

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General Computer Issues

I tried to open a document from the website in Word and got jibberish. Isn't it a Word document?

I put the documents on the website as PDF files. You need Adobe Acrobat to open them. It is a free program but check with your parents before downloading it.

My printer ran out of ink/won’t print/blew up and I couldn’t print my assignment. What can I do?

You e-mail it to yourself at your school district e-mail account (the eight digits of your school id @hart.k12.ca.us) and go to the library to reformat it and print it before class. Printing costs 10 cents per page.

Will they charge me to print it out?

Yes, but it is only 10 cents per page, and they don't take credit cards so make sure you have some change.

I e-mailed it to my Yahoo (or any other commercial e-mail) and now I can't pull it up on the school computers.

All other e-mail is blocked. You can only use the district e-mail.

Do I have a school e-mail account?

Yes, you can't access any other e-mail from school but as a Valencia student you have an account on the district server
You can access it from home or school by connecting to the Valencia High School site and clicking on student e-mail in the right-hand column. There is also a link on the Hart District site.

How do I access my school e-mail?
All students automatically have e-mail accounts on the district server. You can access it either at home or at school from the Hart District site or through the Valencia High School webpage.

o Your username = student number

o Your password = 6 digit birthday

o E.g.062492 for June 24, 1992

8. When you are trying to open your e-mail and you are on the e-mail site - the username they are asking for is just the 8 digit student number. You are on the hart.k12.ca.us site.

What is my e-mail address to which I would send my essay?

Your 8 digit student number plus the following address: (the X’s represent your student number) XXXXXXXX@hart.k12.ca.us

I have a new computer with Vista and the newest version of Word. I e-mailed my document to school but now it won’t open. What did I do wrong?

The school computers have the earlier version of Microsoft Word – Instead of "save," choose "save as" and it will give you the option, among others, of a Word 2003 or earlier document. Save with the earlier WORD and you will see a .doc at the end rather than .docx. A .doc document can be opened by the school computers.
Your other option is to embed it in an e-mail. Copy and paste it into your actual e-mail message and then cut and paste it again to put it back into a Word document at school. It will need major reformatting, but at least you have the document at school.

I typed in a document in Corel Office Works and it won’t open on a school computer.

The school computers only have the Microsoft Word. No other word processing program is compatible.

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Essay formatting:

1. How do I format my essay?

o Essays are to be typed, double spaced with one inch borders.

o Your name, class period and the date it is due should be in the upper right corner, NOT double spaced.

o Link to sample of essay format

2. How do I get my computer to do the double spacing and the right borders?

o Link to instructions on double spacing

Absence Issues

What do I do if I am absent?

You have three ways to find out what you missed - the class log in the classroom or the class website or looking at the board in the classroom to see what is still listed.
You can check the class log - a composition book in the classroom, kept on the filing cabinet next to Mrs. Huffaker’s desk. Any handouts listed in the composition book will be in the black binder.
You can go to the class website and find the link to the class log and then links to print out the handouts you missed.
Notice that asking Mrs. H. was not one of the options. She refuses to chase you down force you to find out what you missed and she is probably trying to teach and doesn't want you to get in her way.
If you ask her she will gravely tell you that all we did was grieve because you were not there. Then she will point at the class log or the board and tell you to come back after you have the instructions.

Do I have to make up the journals from when I am absent?

Of course you do. They are listed on the web, or you can find out from someone else what is written in their journal.

How many days do I have to make up the work I missed?

You have the same number of days as you were absent. You can't come in two weeks later and say, I was missing a week ago last Monday. Here is the late work. You miss one day, you have one day of grace to make up the work, two days absent and you have two days to make up the work.

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Journals

1. How do I make up journals I missed?

o If the journal was a prompt, you can get it off the class log – link on the homepage.

o If it is sentence corrections, you can come in during brunch or lunch to copy them from the book.

1. What constitutes a complete journal entry?

o Link to sample of a journal entry that is a response to a prompt.

o If we are doing sentence corrections, you must have the sentence with visible corrections and a list of the rules that apply

o Link to sample of a full page journal entry.

Vocabulary Project

What is the vocabulary project?

Link for the Friday Class Two Vocabulary Project instructions and key to the pronunciation

If I don't volunteer to take the vocabulary test on Friday during class, how long do I have to make it up?

You have through Thursday of the following week to come in before or after school, lunch or brunch, but beware. If Mrs. H. gets sick and is not available, you are out of luck.

Can I wait until Thursday night and do all the words and study for an hour or two and do well?

No. You should be finding the words and practicing them every day. Ten minutes daily will do more for you than sixty minutes once a week.

Where do I get blue 3X5 cards?

You can buy them at Office Max or you can buy them for $2.00 per pack of 100 from the Supply Shack during brunch or lunch, room 509, or Mrs. H. for $2.00 for a pack of 100 cards.

Why blue?

Mrs. H. has Irlen Syndrome. The glare off white cards gives her a headache. Since she has to test kids for 5 hours on Fridays any help to ward off the migraine is desperately needed. That is also why the lights are not all turned on in the class.

What is Irlen Syndrome?

Links to information about Irlen Syndrome

Where do I get the words?

You pay attention to what your parents say, what you read, what we study in class and you find words in context that you aren't familiar with.
You start with the sentence where you found the word.
Then you go to the dictionary and find the meaning and part of speech that match the way you see it used in the sentence.
If Mrs. H. uses a word in an assignment, test, in her instructions you can use it for your cards. Just ask her how to spell it. She'll add it to the word link.
Websites with SAT words:

http://www.vocabtest.com/
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/ (on this page is a matching game that will link you to the words and sentences for them.)
http://www.majortests.com/sat/wordlist.php
http://www.majortests.com/sat/vocabulary.php
http://www.vocabulary.com/top144satwords.html

Why can't I just open my dictionary to a random page and pick words I don't know?

It is often confusing to try to guess how the word is used properly just from the definition. Remember the story of the girl who found that "cudgel" meant "a club" but thought it was a place you go dancing. WRONG - it is a big gnarly stick used to beat people up. It would have been obvious if she had seen it in context.
Start from the sentence in context - not from a random dictionary entry!!!!

Mrs. H. uses some fancy words in class and they end up written on the board. Can I use them?

Of course, that is why I put them there. I sometimes purposely use a more complex word just to provide you with this opportunity. If you need help remembering the sentence where they were used, ask Mrs. H. or check out this link.

I have a large vocabulary and I don't encounter words I don't know.

Pick something harder to read - classic literature, the opinion section of a major newspaper, actually check out the words that you gloss over but don't actually know. You might be surprised at some words you have ignored up to now. If they mean exactly what you thought they did, skip on to something you don't already know.

This is a basic word I have used for years but I can't recite the dictionary definition. Can I use it for my cards?

No. If you recognize it and understand it when you see or hear it and you could use it yourself accurately then it is a class one word. Why waste your time and mine?

I have all kinds of weird words in my science class that I don't know, and some from History, too. Can I use them?

NO. Specialty words that only turn up in certain classes, or the names of obscure animals, fish, currency or plants are class three - NO, you may not use them.

I have lists of SAT words. Can I use those?

Yes, just watch out for the context. Does your list give you sentences? If not, you better be able to come up with some pretty good ones or ask Mrs. H for help.

What has to be on the card?

side one (the lined side)

sentence
definition

side two

word
pronunciation (not just the word broken into syllables)Symbols key link
part of speech as it is used in the sentence.
Your initials and class period.
You can add other forms of the word when you learn that it changes in another part of speech. eg. civil (adj) civility (noun) civilize (verb)

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Classroom rules

1.     Be prepared (That means having pens, paper, assignments completed) link to materials needed

2.    Follow directions (Read the directions. Use this site to find out)

3.    Show respect (To the teacher, one another and to the school, no putdowns or derogatory remarks are welcome here.)

4.    Behave with class (No gum chewing or personal grooming)

Why can't I chew gum?

It is against official school rules
It results in gross stuff stuck to the desk or carpet.
It makes you look like a cow and, trust me, they are NOT intelligent beasts.
You are supposed to be learning how to behave in the outside world and what is accepted among your peers will make you look seriously tacky and will convince serious employers that you will not represent their company well. . You should be more classy than that.
Yes, I know that you see adults doing it. It is still tacky and we will assume they just don't know any better and refrain from making judgments about how they were raised.

But I had onions and garlic for lunch and I have bad breath.

That is what breath mints are for.
Have a "tic-tac." Just finish it before you get to class.
You are worried about how rude it is to have bad breath but not about the rudeness of chewing in someone's face? Please!

What on earth is Personal Grooming and why can't I do it in class?

Personal grooming is brushing or fussing with your hair (or anyone else’s – remember you are not a tribe of monkeys), putting on make-up , checking your teeth, putting on lotion, or checking yourself out in a mirror.
This is another of those issues of behaving with class. It is rude and demonstrates that you are not listening or paying attention and if you think about it, in the movies that is how they show that someone is self-centered or stupid. Hopefully that is not the image you are trying to project.

But it's just chapstick...

I don't care what color it is. Personal grooming is not a spectator event.

But what if my lip cracks?

If you are a hemophiliac we will call for an ambulance.
Drink more water.
Put on your chapstick between classes.

Can I go to the bathroom whenever I want?

You will have one bathroom pass, which you may sign over and use any time. However, if you can return it to me unused during your final at the end of the semester, you can earn bonus points. The pass is on the back of your syllabus.

But what if I really have to go?

You are not five years old. In the real world many people do not just get to walk away from their job and go to the bathroom any time. Plan ahead. That is actually part of what the brunch and lunch breaks are for. Think back to the days when your Mom or Dad would make you go the bathroom and try just before strapping you into your carseat for a long drive. It still works.

I forgot to bring a pen. Why do I need to give up my shoe to borrow one from you?

Most students don't steal pens on purpose; they just forget. Giving me one of your shoes ensures that you remember as you walk out the door that there is a reason your foot is cold. You just return the pen and get your shoe back.
Other items have in the past been stolen by other students. Your phone or i-pod or wallet are not things I want to be responsible for. Few people would steal a single shoe.

Does the same apply to pencils on a scantron test?

Yes. Sadly, students were not faithful in returning them so I had to replace them all.

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Reading

Do I really have to read on my own?

Yes. Reading it all to you defeats the goal of teaching you the skills to practice figuring out meanings on your own. Some we will read in class - especially when we are doing Shakespeare.
If you have no other homework you should be reading your Tuesday/Thursday novel for at least one half hour.

What is the criteria for the books I have to bring on Tuesdays and Thursdays?

This applies only to ninth grade: The books should be school appropriate, High School level, and at least 120 pages long. You get 5 points if you bring your own book and actually read it during the reading time.

You have shelves of books that look interesting. Can I check out a book from you?

Yes, you may come in at brunch, lunch or before or after school and check out a book. You fill out a sticky note with your name and class period, the book, author, and the date you check it out. You are responsible to keep it with you and read it on your own as well as in class. When you return the book you MUST come to me to get the sticky note so I know that you have returned it. DON'T JUST PUT IT BACK ON THE SHELF.

If I forget to bring a book on Tuesday or Thursday, what happens?

You get 0 instead of 5 points. You still have to grab something like an English texbook to read but it doesn't count for points.

We are reading a novel in class, can I use that for the Tuesday/Thursday reading?

o No, it is treated as a textbook and I would like you to be reading a book outside of the required curriculum.

How I submit a book recommendation and what do I get out of it?

Book Recommendations: 4 points each for a maximum of 20 points

Submit book recommendations for Reading Recommendation list. To submit you must send me an edited, spell-checked, complete e-mail at bhuffak@hartdistrict.org that includes:

1.the name of the book,

2.author,(last name first please)

3. the genre (such as Historical fiction, war story, biography, sci-fi, fantasy etc.), Please remember that a story can be realistic, set in a modern place and time and still be fiction. The distinction is whether or not it actually happened.

4. a few sentences that give just a little bit about the book

5. the reason you recommend that book, what you found especially appealing about it

6. your name,

7.whether it is in the Valencia High library. Check the library catalog to find out. You can recommend books that are NOT in our library but you must check to see if it is available here even if the copy you read came from another source.

It will be rejected until you have all seven elements and have corrected any spelling, capitalization and punctuation errors.

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How do I access the Quizlet tests?

1. Link to Quizlet

2.    2. Create a unique name (please have it recognizable as you – like a version of your name) and password (of your own choosing)

3.    Use your school e-mail address.

4.    It will send a confirmation e-mail to your account. Link to student e-mail (On this site when it asks for your username it is only the 8 digits.)

5.    Once you reply you can add groups.

6.    Search for the group named "Valencia English 9" or “Valencia Honors 10” and the group password is 504 (the number of our classroom). USE THE QUOTATIONS AROUND THE GROUP NAME OR IT WILL GIVE YOU EVERY ANSWER OR GROUP THAT INCLUDES "English" OR THE NUMBER 9.

7.    It will tell you that there are so 0 terms, 1 group, 0 users and so on.

8.    Click on 1 group and it will show you our class and list the sponsor as Mrs. Huffaker at Valencia High School.

9.    Click on that class and when it tells you that this group requires a password, type in 504.

10.          Now when you click on “My groups” it should show the Valencia English 9 group with the particular tests that I have posted for my English classes.

11.          Link to Quizlet.com

12.          There are many available quizzes to study for. Click on them and then try some of the games at the top of the page. When you think you are ready click on quiz. See how you do.

13.          You can search for quizzes on any topic of interest and add them to your “favorites” on your dashboard so you can go back to them and use them again, for example, Spanish verbs, table of elements, Presidents of the United States...

14.          Link to instructions on how to create tests of your own

Another test support site:

Take interactive tests to prep for the STAR testing.

Go to www.linkstolearning.com

Choose tests from California and your grade level. The tests that will help you for this class are Reading and English/Language Arts, but you can use any other tests you choose to help you study for your other classes.

The username and password are california (case sensitive, so no capital there) and 2101. When it asks you for an e-mail choose from either your teacher or your parent and it will score your test and tell you what the correct answers would be. This is only available for extra credit until April 21, 2009, but you can use it for preparation and study any time.

How do I use Turnitin? (Link to printable version of these instructions)

Contents:

To get to the Turnitin site

To sign on the first time

To add a new class

To submit a paper

To change or correct your e-mail

Only for Fall ‘09

Turnitin Class ID

Enrollment Password

Period 2 (AP Lang and Comp)

2756592

Valencia504

Period 3 (AP Lang and Comp)

2756592

Valencia504

Period 4 (English 9A)

2756590

Valencia504

Period 6 (English Honors 10A)

2756589

Valencia504

Period 7 (English 9A)

2756590

Valencia504

TO GET TO THE TURNITIN SITE

1.    Go to Library Web Page on ValenciaVikings.com.

2.    Scroll down and Click on TURNITIN.

3.    Go to: http://turnitin.com/static/index.html

TO SIGN IN THE FIRST TIME:

1.    When you get on TURNITIN, click on the "new users click here" button on the right side about 2 inches down.

2.    Go to the left column, down to the second gray box that says "New Students start here"

3.    It mentions a class ID and password. (See your teacher for the number for YOUR class. There is a new number each semester)

4.    Click on Create a user profile

5.    On the next screen click student

6.    In the first box put the Class ID number for your specific period (provided each semester by your teacher).

7.    In the next box put the class password. It is case sensitive, so pay attention to capitals.

8.    Fill out the rest of the items requested.

9.    When it asks for your email, USE YOUR SCHOOL E-MAIL account. (the 8 digits of your school ID @hart.k12.ca.us)

10.                    Make sure your password is at least 6 letters long and includes a combination of letters and numbers.

11.                    You must agree to the terms before it will create an account. You click a button at the bottom of the page to accept.

12.                    The program will send a confirmation e-mail to the account you listed – SHOULD BE YOUR SCHOOL E-MAIL!!!

13. Before you can upload an essay you must respond to the confirmation e-mail on your school e-mail account.

IF YOU ALREADY HAVE A PREVIOUS ACCOUNT

1.    Your account should stay active the entire time you are in High School and you just add each class that requires you to turn your essays in to the TURNITIN site.

2.    You must add each new class even if you have had that same teacher for the same subject in a previous semester. Every new semester the numbers change.

3.    Sign in to your account. It will list your past classes, unless you have dumped them by clicking on the trash can.

4.    To the left of your list, click on the “Add a class” link.

5.    Provide the class ID and class password for the new class and confirm on your e-mail.

TO SUBMIT A PAPER

1.    Click on the name of your class to open your portfolio—you may have several classes.

2.    Click the submit icon to upload your paper.

3.    Once you have located your paper and entered a title, click submit

4.    Select cut and paste with the pull-down to submit a paper in a file format Turnitin does not accept.

5.    Make sure you select the correct paper; click “yes, submit” to finalize your submission

6.    Click the portfolio icon to return to your portfolio and view your submission

7.    Write down your digital receipt # after submission.

TO CORRECT OR CHANGE YOUR E-MAIL, SO THAT IT IS THE CORRECT SCHOOL E-MAIL ADDRESS

1.    Sign on with your existing e-mail address.

2.    You should have 3 tabs near the top of the page: my classes, user information, and messages.

3.    Click on user information.

4.    It should show you the information you submitted originally.

5.    Make whatever changes are necessary. Make sure that your e-mail is your school e-mail – your 8 digit school id@hart.k12.ca.us

6.    Scroll to the bottom and click submit.

7.    It should send a confirmation to your school e-mail, to which you need to respond in order to make it valid.

Only for Fall ‘09	Turnitin Class ID	Enrollment Password
Period 2 (AP Lang and Comp)	2756592	Valencia504
Period 3 (AP Lang and Comp)	2756592	Valencia504
Period 4 (English 9A)	2756590	Valencia504
Period 6 (English Honors 10A)	2756589	Valencia504
Period 7 (English 9A)	2756590	Valencia504