English Language Arts 4 (Grade 9-12)

Welcome to LA-912 – Fall 2026 – Spring 2027

In this class, we will explore the use of the English language through reading (literary, informational, poetic, and dramatic texts), writing (formal and informal), discussion, debate, and critical thinking. This college-preparatory course is designed to support California CORE standards and A-G requirements while helping students develop analytical, rhetorical, and research-based writing skills.
Throughout the year, students will study a variety of genres and themes, including identity and the American Dream, ethics and human nature, political power and corruption, and justice and moral responsibility. Major course texts include The Great Gatsby, The Screwtape Letters, Animal Farm, and Twelve Angry Men.

Parents: This class will include reading and writing that must be completed at home. Assignments will be given recommended grading and returned via Canvas. If students need additional time to work on projects due to significant absences, please contact me so that we can discuss possible solutions.

Students: I am a very tech-savvy instructor, and I take plagiarism and academic honesty very seriously. I use multiple plagiarism and AI-detection tools to help ensure that student writing is authentic and original. Submitting AI-generated writing, copied work, or heavily AI-assisted work as your own may result in a failing grade on the assignment and a parent/guardian conference.

Writing enhancement tools such as Grammarly, QuillBot, ChatGPT, or other AI-based editing programs may be used only in moderation for basic spelling and grammar suggestions. Overuse of writing enhancers that significantly rewrite, restructure, or generate ideas, sentences, or paragraphs for students is not permitted. Students are expected to develop and submit their own authentic writing voice and critical thinking.

Recommended Grading:

As an enrichment facilitator, I do not grade your students. You and/or your child’s assigned charter teacher will determine your student's final grade for the subject year. However, I will provide a recommended grade for student work performed in my class. Grades can be accessed by creating a parent or teacher account to observe your child’s progress in Canvas. Recommended grades will be given as a percentage based on work completed and participation in the course.

Canvas Learning platform:

I use the Canvas learning platform to provide feedback and recommended assignment grades. Additionally, I will upload classroom handouts and assignment details that you can access if your student loses something and needs a new one. Students will each need an account. Parents, you can also create an account, and I can set you up to monitor your child’s progress in Canvas. Register using the links below:

This course has enabled open enrollment. Students can self-enroll in the course through this URL: https://canvas.instructure.com/enroll/D3G9B4.  Alternatively, you can sign up at https://canvas.instructure.com/register and use the following join code: D3G9B4

Quarterly Assignments: 

Each Quarter, Students will be given a special assignment to work on the length of the quarter. Assignments are due by 11:59 p.m. on the Friday of the week they are due.

Q1 – Argument Essay – The American Dream

Q2 – Rhetorical/Literary Analysis – Human Nature and Influence

Q3 – Literary Analysis Essay – Power and Corruption

Q4 – Argumentative Essay/Debate – Justice and Moral Responsibility

Quizzes: 

Reading quizzes will generally be given weekly on Tuesdays to assess reading comprehension and engagement with course texts and themes.

Student Journal: 

Students must bring a composition notebook or other journal to class. Class will often begin with a 10-minute freewriting session. Journals will be collected at random times throughout the year to check for participation. Journals will not be graded on the content or structure, these checks are simply graded on engagement and participation.

Attendance 

As we only meet two times weekly, attendance is incredibly important for students to remain on pace in this course. Students may miss up to 4 times without a negative impact on their grades. Beyond that, attendance grades will be figured out on a case-by-case basis. All absences will be marked in Canvas during the semester for tracking purposes. The attendance percentage will then be adjusted at the end of the semester.

Student Engagement and participation 

Throughout our class, we will engage in discussions on the various course topics. Respectful engagement with critical thinking and debate is encouraged. Engagement is factored into the classwork grade and extra credit points may also be awarded for participation and leadership. 

Required Texts: 

Students will need the following novels to read together in class and at home. Please purchase the editions below by searching by ISBN to ensure students have the correct page numbers for class assignments and reading.

The Great Gatsby – Q1 Fall – ISBN 979-8405801308

The Screwtape Letters – Q2 Fall – ISBN 978-0060652937

Animal Farm – Q3 Spring – ISBN 9780451526342

Twelve Angry Men – Q4 Spring – ISBN 978-0143104407

If you have any questions or need to reach out here is my contact info

Thomas Hartung                    Cell: (916) 532-3312                          Email: [email protected]