English Language and Composition

English III Ms. Powell [email protected] 2016-2017 Student Tutoring Hours: Monday and Friday before school, or by appointment. English Department Testing Days: Wednesdays and Fridays

"The role of education is to prepare students to face complexity and not freak out." - Dr David Cohen, Professor of Mathematics, Smith College

Description of Course One key objective is for students to develop clear, crisp, and coherent writing abilities to support their academic and professional career goals. Students will have many opportunities to write in class and on their own. Students will participate in collaborative peer-editing sessions, and regular formal writing workshops to hone their writing abilities, brush up on structural elements, grammar, and the mechanics of effective writing. Writing instruction and assignments will include the narrative, expository, analytical, and argumentative essay forms. This is a skills based course.

Students in English III analyze United States Literature as it reflects social perspective and historical significance by continuing to use language for expressive, expository, argumentative, and literary purposes. Students will consider the ways that audience, author’s purpose, point-of-view, and context shape oral communication, written communication, and media and technology. The emphasis in English III is critical analysis of texts through reading, writing, speaking and listening and using media. Students will:

 Relate the experiences of others to their own; students will express reflections and reactions to literature to their personal experiences through Literature Circles and class discussions  Research the diversity of the American Experience  Examine relationships between past and present  Build increasing sophistication in defining issues and using argument effectively to take and support an informed opinion  Participate in conversations about written analysis of literary genres, elements, and traditions  Create authentic products and presentations which maintain standard oral and written grammatical conventions, and are creative, compelling, and thorough

Students will explore and examine various literary genres, evaluate the effectiveness and purpose of each. Students will have many opportunities to refine their written and oral skills through constructing and presenting persuasive speeches. Students are encouraged to take risks in their writing and include examples from, and make connections to, their own rich, individual, and relevant personal experiences. Students will evaluate, analyze, and synthesize various fiction and non-fiction texts, materials, films, visual images, graphics, and audio texts including public speeches. Students will be challenged to think and write beyond the predictable, simplistic, formulaic structures (like the five-paragraph essay) to create organic and purposeful work as they begin to develop their own unique voice.

Next, students will learn about, use, and properly cite a variety of relevant sources to support an argument. Students will become proficient in using the MLA Style and become familiar with the methods used to evaluate the legitimacy and purpose of source materials rather than merely being able to cite them. Students will read, evaluate, analyze, and synthesize fiction and non-fiction readings representing a wide variety of prose styles including poetry, essays, biographies, journalism, history, documentaries, short stories, and critical/opinion/editorial texts.

Finally, throughout the course, students will collect, self-select, and assemble their work and showcase the final versions of their personal best work from the year to demonstrate progressive growth.

General Student Supplies: 3 highlighters (at least 2 different colors) Lined paper and 3-ring binder Writing Journal Black or blue ink pens, AND pencils with erasers 1 Guilford County School Grading Scale: A - 90-100 B 80-89 C - 70-79 D - 60-69 F - 59 or below

Late Work and Work not Handed in: Students are expected to learn how to plan ahead, manage their time wisely, and respect deadlines as they would in college and in the professional world.

There will be a 10% penalty assessed for all late work. In order for your instructor to read, assess, grade, and return your work in a timely manner, no late work will be accepted after three school days from the due date of an assignment, unless there are extenuating circumstances discussed with the instructor in advance.

Assessments: (Student work will be assessed and evaluated with rubrics)

Weight of Assessments per Quarter Major Assignments 50% Class work/Homework/Discussions/Journals* 30% Quizzes 20%

Attendance Requirement: We count on you to be in class, on time, and prepared, everyday. When you are absent, tardy, or unprepared for class we all miss the opportunity to hear and understand what YOU have to say! Please review Guilford County Schools’ Student Handbook for specific policies on student absences and tardies.

Classroom Expectations:

1.) Respect yourself, each other, your teacher, and your school. Every student has the right to a safe and healthy learning environment free from distractions; your actions (verbal and non-verbal) should enhance the rights of others to learn.

2.) Honor the right of others to have opinions that may differ from your own. It is UNLIKELY that we will all completely agree, about everything, all the time.

3.) Act intentionally with integrity and honesty at all times.

4.) Be on time and be prepared to participate in class every day. If you must miss a class, it is your responsibility to get your missed work; please do this before or after school.

5.) Students may have bottled water in the classroom, please clean up after yourself and remember to re-cycle. No food in the classroom or project rooms please!

6.) All electronic devices (cell phones, Bluetooth, MP3s, iPODs and any other personal technology) must be turned off and concealed.

Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism: “GCS Student Handbook Rule 3. Cheating -- Students shall not engage in any act of deception or falsification of work product. This includes cheating by receiving any unauthorized aid or assistance or the actual giving or receiving of unfair advantage on any form of academic work, plagiarism by copying the language structure, idea and/or thought of another and representing it as one's own work, and a verbal or written statement of untruth. Consequences: ISS, up to three days OSS. Zero on the assignment.”

Teacher Contact Information: Email: [email protected] Phone: (336) 643-8449

2 NOTE: The classroom can always use tissues all year, if you can donate a box!