Mr. Boesch’s English III Syllabus

Phone: (636) 327-3988 EXT: 27537 E-mail: [email protected] (E-mail is checked daily.) Website: www.quia.com/pages/jboesch/te3

Rationale

English III students in the Wentzville School District will continue to develop their skills in reading, writing, speaking, and listening while discovering more about themselves and their role in a global society. They will focus on many of the ideas and concepts in American literature and informational text including the American dream, the purpose of relationships, the role that conflicts play in society, and how appearances may be different than reality. In order to be college and career ready, students will use technology consistently throughout the course for a variety of purposes. As students learn throughout the course, they will recognize their purpose and role in society.

Course Description

English III students in the Wentzville School District will be actively engaged in reading, writing, speaking, and listening within four units throughout the course. Each unit includes the reading of American novels, short stories, and informational text to support the goals within each unit. Students write for a variety of purposes including argumentative, informational, and narrative writing in formal and informal styles. Students engage in the complete writing process throughout the course. Students initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions focusing on the themed units. Students continue to effectively show their command and usage of the English language.

Classroom supplies

Elements of Literature Textbook (provided) 2 “ Three-ring binder Dividers for your binder (grammar, writing, literature, journals, vocabulary) Loose-leaf paper Personal hole puncher Pens and Highlighters Google Chrome Laptops Headphones Grade Scale:

Grades are based upon the total points earned over the total points possible. Please have your parents/guardians set up a SIS portal. If you have a concern about your grade, please see me.

Activity Points

Projects/Essays…...……………………………………………………. 100 – 150 Tests …………………………………………………………………… 75 – 150 Quizzes …………………………………………………………….……10 – 50 Annotations……………………………………………………………...50 Annotations Analysis Page……………………………………………...25 Homework ………………………………………………………………10 – 50 Seminars…………………………………………………………………100 Journals…………………………………………………………………..20 each Bellringer Practice……………………………………………………….50 Choice Assignment (See Quia website for details) ……………………..10 – 75 Bonus …………………………………………………………………... 50 max.

For students with IEPs, Extended time on assignments is defined as one extra day on daily homework/classwork; or three extra days on long-term assignments. Extended time is to be allowed as long as the following two conditions are met: 1) class time given for completion of assignments is fully utilized; and 2) The student requests the extra time from the classroom or CWC teacher.

Turn in all assignments at the time they are due, including all process work. Electronic submissions are always due by midnight of the assignment’s due date. Tutoring will be offered after school in room 284 by appointment .

What We Cover in English III:

Annotations Students in Mr. Boesch’s class are expected to have a general sense of what is going on in the world around them. Twice a quarter (mid-quarter and the end of quarter), students will turn in seven non-fiction articles with seven thorough annotations on each one. This means that students will find articles from reliable sources and connect, question, predict, explain, compare, contrast, summarize, analyze, and evaluate each article. Annotations should be interesting to the student and thematic (there should be a recognizable connection the student is making)

Stapled to the seven articles will be a typed, one-page analysis of one current event. The analysis page will show the student’s insight and opinions on the topic. This is not a summary of events but rather a critical eye on the issue. Students should pay attention to their writing style during this exercise.

Seminars Students in Mr. Boesch’s class may present one seminar discussion. Topics range from current events, literature, philosophy, social science, math, physics, biology, psychology, and other various fields. Students are expected to conceptualize their topic and relay their information to the class, presenting their findings to the class. Students will share their seminar with Mr. Boesch prior to class presentations.

Journals: Students in Mr. Boesch’s class are expected to journal multiple times over thought-provoking topics that are usually connected to a reading assignment or a quarterly theme. Journals are normally 200-300 words in length and have certain requirements that students must employ in their writing. Journals are collected electronically three times per quarter. All journal prompts will be uploaded to our website’s calendar for future reference.

Vocabulary: Students in Mr. Boesch’s class are expected to learn ten new words per week. Normally the words have short definitions to better aid student retention. Please note that students will still be required to know previous lists, not just the new ones. We should never forget the old words as we move forward; in fact, the words from the list should be applicable to the class’s formal and informal writings. A list is provided. Students are quizzed weekly over a sample of the words

Literary Terms: Students in Mr. Boesch’s class are expected to learn literary terms as they pertain to the literature of English III. Students will need to be able to identify, define, and create examples of the literary terms. Students are tested over the terms regularly from first quarter to fourth quarter. A list will be provided.

Grammar and ACT prep:

Students in Mr. Boesch’s class are expected to understand the nuances of basic and more complex syntactic structures. Our hope is to prepare ourselves for analysis of various authorial writings, enhancing our own writing repertoire, and preparing for the English section of the ACT.

Literature/ Readings:

Students in Mr. Boesch’s class are expected to read from a variety of theme-based fiction and nonfiction. English III is an accelerated, reading intensive course that places strong emphasis on independent reading of American authors, analysis of writing, and active student participation in reading discussions.

In addition to mastery of key literary concepts, students are required to complete two independent readings from established American authors. Students will be expected to complete and carefully consider all assignments in order to consistently participate in classroom discussions and dialecticals. At the end of a literary unit, expect a comprehensive test. Study guides are posted on the Quia website and review is normally just before testing.

Students will study American literature from four thematic units.

You will explore the writings and lives of Anne Bradstreet, Mary Rowlandson, Jonathan Edwards, Thomas Jefferson, Ben Franklin, Olaudah Equiano, Patrick Henry, Edgar Allan Poe, Emily Dickenson, Henry David Thoreau, Walt Whitman, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Herman Melville, Mark Twain, Jack London, Ambrose Bierce, Stephen Crane, Charlotte Shirley Jackson, Frederick Douglass, Katherine Anne Porter, Claude McKay, Zora Neale Hurston, Abraham Lincoln, Kate Chopin, Ernest Hemingway, and F. Scott Fitzgerald among others. Writing Formal and Informal Essays:

Students in Mr. Boesch’s class are expected to write one major essay per quarter. We will look at the writing process, MLA style, diction, syntax, and voice as when necessary. Our goal is to mature as writers, recognizing other writers’ styles while developing our own. Our purpose in each essay will be to inform (expository), entertain (narrative), analyze, and argue.

Expect to spend at least four hours per week on outside-of-class assignments, with extra time needed to complete major projects. For this class, there is always something to study.

Quia: We use our quia website on a regular basis; the site offers activities, printable downloads, links, and information pertaining to our class. Please visit it regularly for updates.

Classroom Expectations:

Respect peers, property, and professor Come to class on time and prepared Technology will be used for academic purposes

Plagiarism/Cheating:

1st offense: 5 days to re-do work – Score starts at 70% of the assigned value – Conference with parents 2nd offense: 0 for the assignment with no chance to re-do work – Conference with parents Plagiarism/ Cheating offenses are counted among all departments. Please consider all assignments to be done on an individual basis, unless otherwise noted. All written assignments are subject to Turnitin.com.

Course Outline Follows English III Syllabus by Quarter

School-year Theme: Universal Obligation (The idea that everyone has a responsibility to make a positive impact). Look to see which literary characters fulfill this idea.

1st Quarter (August-October)

Transfer Goal: Students will be able to independently use their learning to draw upon historical and contemporary texts as a guide for making decisions about their personal American Dreams.

Writing Process: The Research Essay

Literature: Theme: The Quest for the American Dream Novel: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Short Stories: “The Narrative of the Captivity,” “Crisis No. 1,” “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge,” ”Declaration of Independence,” “Preamble to the Constitution,” “Bill of Rights,” “Abraham Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address”

Cross-Curricular Connections: Stockholm Syndrome (a connection to Mary Rowlandson’s captivity) Understanding Adolescent Behavior Juvenile Jail Systems A Psychological Look at Family Types Synthesis Packet on an American value Philosophy: Utilitarianism vs. Libertarianism (Argumentation) The Philosophies of Justice (Argumentation) Film: Analyze textual close reads to clips of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Literary Terms (see handout)

Seven annotated articles

Grammar, Punctuation, and Style: Essential MLA Rules Works Cited Page Pagination Framing Device Brackets and Parentheses Building Syntactic Variation Through Commas, Colons, and Semicolons Understanding Active and Passive Voice Varying Sentence Length and Sentence Beginnings in Writing Samples

Vocabulary: List 1 and List 2 2nd Quarter (October-December)

Transfer Goal: Students will be able to independently use their learning to draw upon text and life experiences to understand the value of relationships, both good and bad.

Writing Process: Literary Analysis Essay Nuanced Words Essay (collected in journals)

Literature: Theme: Relationships Novel: The Great Gatsby Independent Novel Short Stories and Letter: “Winter Dreams,” “The Storm,” and “Letter to Sarah Ballou” Excerpts from Ben Franklin

Cross-Curricular Connections: Argue the Quintessential Elements of Byronic Heroes in Pop Culture American History: A History of the Roaring 20s Comparing an early 20th century song to an early 21st century song Contemporary Issues: Social Media’s Benefits and Detriments A Socratic Seminar on the Definition of “Love” (Argumentation) Analyze the Comedy of Two Distinct Comedians (A Look at Satire, Irony, and Sarcasm) Music: Comparing The Great Gatsby to Passenger’s “Walk You Home” Film: Analyze textual close reads to clips of The Great Gatsby (starring Robert Redford)

Poetry: “Richard Cory” “Nothing Gold Can Stay” “World in Hounding Me…”

Seven Annotated Articles

Grammar, Punctuation, and Style: Phrases and Clauses Creating Simple, Compound, and Complex Sentence Structures Pronoun/Antecedent Agreement

Vocabulary: List 1, List 2, and List 3 3rd Quarter (January-March)

Transfer Goal: Students will be able to independently use their learning to understand that conflicts help shape our communities and our country.

Identify and empathize* with all sides of a conflict in order to construct an argument and support it with relevant and reliable information.

*Empathy: Simon Baron-Cohen (2003): Empathy is about spontaneously and naturally tuning into the other person's thoughts and feelings, whatever these might be [...]There are two major elements to empathy. The first is the cognitive component: Understanding the others feelings and the ability to take their perspective[...] the second element to empathy is the affective component. This is an observer's appropriate emotional response to another person's emotional state.

Writing Process: Argumentative Essay

Literature: Theme: Conflicts in America Novel: The Crucible Short Stories: “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County,” “The Feather Pillow,” “A Rose for Emily,” “A Mystery of Heroism”

Cross-Curricular Connections: Argument-based Murder Mystery (connected to “The Feather Pillow” and another for The Crucible Sociology: Research Findings on the Tells of a Liar History: The Establishment of Puritanism in America A Study of Frogs and Their Biology Create a Solution to Cohabitation of Highway and Fauna Psychology: The Milgram Experiment and Groupthink Theory Rhetoric: 20 Fundamental Fallacies Film: Analyze textual close reads to clips of The Crucible (starring Daniel Day Lewis) Comparative analysis of the opening scene to Dances with Wolves and the short story “A Mystery of Heroism"

Seven Annotated Articles

Grammar, Punctuation, and Style: Commonly Confusing Words Reducing Wordiness A Review of Common Punctuation Marks

Vocabulary: List 1, List 2, List 3, and List 4 4th Quarter (March-May)

Transfer Goal: Students will be able to independently use their learning to question the author’s purpose and evaluate the validity of the text.

Writing Process: Narrative Essay Six-Word Stories

Literature: Theme: Appearance vs. Reality Novel: The Old Man and the Sea Independent Novel (Student’s Choice) Short Stories: “Game,” “To Build a Fire,” “Pit and the Pendulum,” “The Lottery,” and “Dr. Heidegger’s Experiment”

Cross-Curricular Connections: Close read: A Study of Sharks and Their Biology A Look at Cuba’s Infrastructure and Culture Law: The Queen vs. Dudley and Stephens Case Music: Listen to Classical Music to Decipher the Composition’s Tone Film: Analyze textual close reads to a clip from “To Build a Fire”

Current Events-Seven Annotated Articles

Grammar, Punctuation, and Style: Hyphens and Dashes Developing Breaks in Writing Conventions to Convey an Attitude or Tone

Vocabulary: List 1, List 2, List 3, List 4, List 5, and List 6

This syllabus complies with those standards established by the Missouri Learning Standards Initiative. As the school year progresses, please consider this outline to be a tentative syllabus.