English III Honors

English III Honors Fall 2013 Instructor Information

Instructor: Alissa Hall Room Location: 103 Telephone Number: 910-865-4177 (school)

E-Mail Address: [email protected] Webpage: http://www.robeson.k12.nc.us//Domain/2626

Course Description

English III is a course that covers a variety of literature (primarily American), informational texts, writing, speakin g and listening, and language. Emphasis is placed on Common Core Standards, designed to help students be coll ege and career ready. Upon completion, students should be able to analyze and respond to literature, as well as t o informational texts. Students will be able to communicate effectively both in writing and orally. Students will al so complete a semester project which will include research writing, a community service component, a portfolio, and an oral presentation. In addition, students must pass a common exam at course end.

Course Objectives Grade 11 English Language Arts: Common Core Standards North Carolina has adopted this year the Common Core Standards for all English Language Arts classes. These common standards ensure that all students nation-wide are being held to the same standard. The Common Core Standards are designed prepare students for college and career and shifts the focus to more rigor in the classroom, a higher level of text complexity and critical thinking, product based assessment.

Each of the strands is briefly explained below in this excerpt from “Understanding the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts” by Karen Wixton, PhD.

Reading (Literature and Informational Text) -- The Reading strand has ten College and Career Readiness Standards grouped according to these four principles: • Key Ideas and Details • Craft and Structure • Integration of Knowledge and Ideas • Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity

These CCR standards are the basis for the grade-level standards, which are also broken down by literature and informational texts. The CCR standard that addresses the “Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity” derives from concerns that today’s high school graduates are not prepared to read the materials they encounter in college or in the workplace, either in terms of their knowledge base or their ability to successfully engage with complex texts. The exemplar texts are not intended to serve as a required reading list. However, the CCSS do require certain specific types of reading content for all students, including foundational U.S. documents. These requirements are borne from the perspective of the CCSS for ELA: that content knowledge is an essential component of advanced reading ability.

To build a foundation for college and career readiness, students must read widely and deeply from among a broad range of high-quality, increasingly challenging literary and informational texts. Through extensive reading of stories, dramas, poems, and myths from diverse cultures and different time periods, students gain literary and cultural knowledge as well as familiarity with various text structures and elements. By

- 1 - reading texts in history/social studies, science, and other disciplines, students build a foundation of knowledge in these fields that will also give them the background to be better readers in all content areas. Students can only gain this foundation when the curriculum is intentionally and coherently structured to develop rich content knowledge within and across grades. Students also acquire the habits of reading independently and closely, which are essential to their future success. Writing — As with the Reading strand, the Writing strand also has ten College and Career Readiness Standards. In the case of Writing, they are grouped according to these four principles: • Text Types and Purposes • Production and Distribution of Writing • Research to Build and Present Knowledge • Range of Writing

These CCR standards are the basis for the grade-level standards, which include writing of argument (opinion pieces and support for claims), informative/explanatory text, and narrative. The CCR standards for Writing that address “Research to Build and Present Knowledge” focus on students’ learning to engage in significant amounts of research and writing about the sources they are using. The CCR standards for Writing place a strong emphasis on students writing arguments and informative/explanatory texts across the curriculum. This emphasis begins right at the kindergarten level with students learning to write “opinion” pieces.

Speaking/Listening—The Speaking and Listening strand has six College and Career Readiness standards grouped according to two principles: • Comprehension and Collaboration • Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas

As with all of the strands, these CCR standards are the basis for the grade-level standards. These CCR standards focus on academic discussion in individual, small group, and whole class settings, along with an emphasis on formal presentations that include the use of technology.

Language—The Language strand also has six College and Career Readiness standards, grouped according to three principles: • Conventions of Standard English • Knowledge of Language • Vocabulary Acquisition and Use As before, the CCR standards then serve as the basis for the grade-level standards. The CCR standards addressing “Vocabulary Acquisition and Use” focus on the acquisition of general academic and domain- specific words and phrases. Wixon, Karen K., PhD. "Understanding the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts." N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Aug. 2012 http://assets.commoncore.pearsoned.com/asset_mgr/current/201133/ReaMon112600RSCommonCoreWixson_Final.pdf

Course of Study (adapted from Kentucky Core Academic Standard Curriculum Map Jefferson County Public Schools)

This year’s class will focus on an Essential Question: Where are we going? and will consist of 4 units of study. Each unit will have its own focus question, along with reading and assignments geared towards find the answer to that question. (NOTE: These modules may be taught out of the following order, based on availability of materials.) Each unit will also use poems, short stories, informational texts, and audio/ visual media to support the unit question. Students will be expected to complete a group project and individual projects and assessments.

Module 1: Do we find or create our true selves? English III English III Honors Taming of the Shrew – William Taming of the Shrew – William Shakespeare Shakespeare Huck Finn – Mark Twain

- 2 - Module 2: What do I want out of life? English III English III Honors A Raisin in the Sun – Lorraine A Raisin in the Sun – Lorraine Hansberry Hansberry The Color Purple – Alice Walker Module 3: Do people get what they deserve? English III English III Honors The Crucible – Arthur Miller The Crucible – Arthur Miller The Scarlet Letter – Nathaniel Hawthorne Module 4: How will today affect tomorrow? English III English III Honors To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee Lee The Things They Carried – Tim O’Brien Grammar/Language

11th grade  Direct/ Indirect Objects  Sentence patterns st 1 nine weeks  Subject complements o Predicate noun o Predicate adjective  Object complements  Diagramming 11th grade  Review four sentence types  Participial phrases/Modifiers nd 2 nine weeks o Present participles o Past participles o Participles used as adjectives o Participial phrases  Diagramming

Research Writing

Common Core Standards require a great deal of structured research activities. While students will be researching various topics and ideas throughout the semester, the formal plan for research in English III is found in the following chart:

- 3 - First Nine Weeks Second Nine Weeks Argumentative Research Project Expository Research Paper Requirements: Requirements:

 Final product is at the teacher’s discretion,  4-5 pages, MLA format but must include student generated  At least 1 primary source research, documentation, an oral  At least 4 secondary sources presentation, and a written product  Minimum of 6 source cards  Must take a position on the issue  Notecards: must be a mixture of direct  Must have at least 5 sources quotes, paraphrases, and summaries (15  Source cards and notecards are minimum, at least 3 from each source) recommended; however, at the teacher’s  Formal Outline discretion, alternative methods of research  Works Cited page using MLA format documentation, such as a working bibliography or photocopies of articles may be used.  Works Cited page using MLA format Suggested topics/products: Suggested topics/products:

 The research activity should be related to a  Research paper must be related to contemporary American issue, which could American history (such as an historical be considered debatable. event) or American Literature (such as a  Student must take a position on the issue. literary period or author)

Research Paper Survival Guide Fayette County Schools June 2009 (revised November 2011) http://www.fcboe.org/files/curriculum/survival_guide.pdf Revised for SPHS by Angela Ivey, 2012

Semester Project

The English III Semester Project is designed to showcase the student’s best work throughout the English III semester and involve students as active members of the community. The primary focus of the project will be the research paper and the presentation of the topic, showing some type of community service. The portfolio assessment and the project process will allow the student to have a great deal of freedom over his or her own learning experience. We will provide more information about this project as the semester progresses. Every aspect of the Semester Project supports the Common Core Standards for English Language Arts recently adopted by NCDPI.

Methods of Assessment

Students will take formal assessments (such as standardized tests and quizzes), complete individual and group project assignments, write both short and long essays, write research papers (expository and argumentative), make oral presentations and participate in class discussions.

The Final Exam grade (25% of the total grade) for this course will consist of a common exam as required by NCDPI.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Materials Needed

 #2 Pencils  Pens

- 4 -  Notebook paper  Highlighters  Flash drive  3-ring binder (1 in.) for class notebook  Dividers for the notebook (labeled SAT Vocabulary, Module 1, Module 2, Module 3, Module 4, and Semester Project)  3 ring binder (at least 1.5 in.) for Semester Project (needed 2nd nine weeks)  Sheet Protectors (needed 2nd nine weeks)  Colored pencils (optional)

Required Textbooks  Taming of the Shrew – William Shakespeare  A Raisin in the Sun – Lorraine Hansberry  The Crucible – Arthur Miller  To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee  Huck Finn – Mark Twain (Honors only)  The Color Purple – Alice Walker (Honors only)  The Scarlet Letter – Nathaniel Hawthorne (Honors only)  The Things They Carried – Tim O’Brien (Honors only)

Note: Students may purchase the above literary works, check them out from a library, upload a Kindle version, or use a PDF version which can be found online. It is important that the student have the novel or play in class daily during the unit.

Parental Contacts

Parents will be notified by interim progress reports and by report cards of your child’s progress. In an attempt to teach my students responsibility and due to the number of students I have, I will call you only if there is a significant problem; however, feel free to contact me at any time to discuss your child’s progress. I can be contacted at school or on-line.

Class Website

The class website can be accessed by going to the SPHS web page and choosing Teacher Websites. The website includes handouts, powerpoints, links, and other information that students will need throughout the semester. ALL coursework will be found on the website. In addition, this is where students will find the BLOG topic(s) that they must respond to for each unit.

Cell Phones and Electronics

Cells phones and other electronics must be kept out of sight and turned off during class time. Electronics used during class time will be confiscated for the remainder of the day or longer. EXCEPTION: Sometimes students will be allowed to use a smartphone or other electronic device (Kindle, Ipad, Laptop) for class assignments. During these times, students must be on task (not surfing the web or social media, texting, etc.). Unauthorized use of electronic devices will result in a suspension of privileges.

Grading Criteria

Tests 30% Formal Papers/Projects/Portfolios 30%

Quizzes 20% Classwork/Homework 20%

Grading Scale: A 94.5-100 A- 92.5-94.499 B+ 90.5-92.499 B 86.5-90.499 - 5 - B- 84.5-86.499 C 78.5-82.499 D+ 74.5-76.499 D- 69.5-71.499

C+ 82.5-84.499 C- 76.5-78.499 D 71.5-74.499 F 0-69.499

Plagiarism and cheating

Plagiarism and cheating on any assignment will result in a zero grade for that assignment which cannot be made up. Cheating includes but is not limited to copying another student’s work or allowing one’s work to be copied.

SPHS English Department Plagiarism Policy (adopted December 2008 and adapted from: http://mail.baylorschool.org/~jstover/plagiarism/intent.htm

Intentional and unintentional plagiarism

The recent sixth edition of the MLA Handbook includes a chapter on plagiarism and makes the point that plagiarism can be unintentional: "as when an elementary school pupil, assigned to do a report on a certain topic, goes home and copies down, word for word, everything on the subject in an encyclopedia" (69-70).

Even beyond elementary school, students may fail to understand how to quote accurately and paraphrase effectively, and as indicated by the right-hand list below, it is possible for students to plagiarism without realizing they are doing so.

Whether a teacher judges an instance of plagiarism as intentional or not depends on three factors: the age of the student, the nature of the offense, and the scope of the offense.

Age of the student: A freshman or sophomore with little research experience might argue successfully that poor paraphrasing (for example) was unintentional--the student simply did not know better. A junior or senior who has completed several research assignments should know better, and for such students, carelessness or hastiness does not excuse plagiarism.

Nature of the offense: It is one thing to include a word used by an author without understanding what it means or to paraphrase inadequately so that a paragraph sounds too much like the original. It is another to insert whole chunks of an author's work into an essay without quotation marks.

Scope of the offense: One passage that is poorly paraphrased in an otherwise meticulous essay, or one citation that is missing, or even one short quotation that is not enclosed in quotation marks--these are a far cry from an essay that is packed with such errors.

To generalize, a teacher would judge as unintentional the plagiarism of a younger student committing any of the errors listed below on the right a handful of times in an essay A teacher would judge as intentional the plagiarism of an older student committing such errors throughout an essay. The point, of course, is not to embarrass or punish any student; it is to prepare all students for the rigorous standards of American colleges, which assume that students understand plagiarism and which treat all cases as intentional.

Intentional Plagiarism occurs when writers or Unintentional Plagiarism occurs when writers and researchers know full well they are passing off researchers use the words or ideas of others but fail to quote someone else's words or ideas as their own. or give credit, perhaps because they don't know how. When Purchasing pre-written research papers through in doubt, students must check with a teacher or librarian. the mail or via the Internet is probably the most blatant form of intentional plagiarism (and the easiest to detect).

- 6 - Some specific examples of intentional Some specific examples of plagiarism that may be plagiarism: unintentional:

(1) Passing off as one's own pre-written papers (1) Paraphrasing poorly: changing a few words without from the Internet or other sources. changing the sentence structure of the original, or changing the sentence structure but not the words. (2) Copying an essay or article from the Internet, on-line source, or electronic database without (2) Paraphrasing poorly: using words from the original that quoting or giving credit. aren't part of one's vocabulary.

(3) Cutting and pasting from more than one (3) Quoting poorly: putting quotation marks around part of a source to create a paper without quoting or giving quotation but not around all of it, or putting quotation marks credit. around a passage that is partly paraphrased and partly quoted. (4) Allowing someone else to write the paper or do the work. (4) Citing poorly: omitting an occasional citation or citing inaccurately (5) Borrowing words or ideas from other students or sources (such as Cliff's Notes) without giving credit.

(6) Failing to put quotation marks around the words of others.

(7) Fabricating a quotation or a source.

(8) Pretending that an instant translation is one's own work. (Not only is such a practice dishonest-- but the instant translations give miserable results.

Penalties:

Intentional Plagiarism: Student receives a 0 on the work in question.

Unintentional Plagiarism: Student will receive a failing grade on the work and may, at the teacher’s discretion, be allowed to resubmit the assignment for consideration.

Student Attendance and Tardy Policy

See student handbook for school rules regarding tardies and absences. Students must sign in on the tardy log each time they come tardy to class.

If a student accrues three or more tardies per 9 weeks, he or she will forfeit the privilege of visiting the concession stand during PAWS each week.

Absences in excess of 5 will result in class failure. Absences may be made up in Learning Center (2 for 1) or in Saturday Academy.

Additional Information from the Instructor/ Miscellaneous

Make-up and late work

All missed work must be made up within 5 days of the student’s return to class from an excused absence. - 7 - Late work will be accepted ONLY at Learning Center and for a reduced grade. Work not made up within that time period will receive a grade of zero.

The student is responsible for knowing what has been assigned and what notes have been given in class.

Learning Center

Learning Center will be held on Thursdays in order for students to make up missed work. You must complete a REQUEST FOR WORK form at least one day prior to attending Learning Center or you will not be allowed to attend. There will be NO tardies to Learning Center. Students who do not need to make up work but seek additional help should see Mrs. Hall.

Lesson Plans/ Missed Work

All student assignments are available weekly on the class website. A unit plan will be provided at the beginning of each 4 week unit to help students stay on course. Students may work ahead if needed, but ALL work is expected by the due date, regardless of absence.

Buyback Revisions

Within two weeks of making lower than a 60 on a writing assignment or module test, students must conference with and receive extra help from the teacher during learning center, then revise the assignment/test and resubmit it. In this manner, students will be able to buyback points to add to the assignment/test.

Movement

There should be no movement during a lecture. During classwork, you may move about the class as needed to complete your assignments. NO STUDENT WILL BE ALLOWED TO LEAVE THE ROOM WITHOUT A PASS. BE SURE TO SIGN OUT AND BACK IN ON THE HALL PASS LOG.

Instructor Expectations

As upperclassmen, students need to prepare for the world outside of high school. They are expected to behave in an adult manner. In this class I expect that students will:

 Treat other students and faculty with respect and treat the classroom as a professional environment.  Accept the challenge of studying, thinking, and learning as a junior in high school.  Anticipate that the level and quantity of work in this course will exceed prior experiences.  Be informed about instructors’ policies presented in the course syllabus, as well as the policies of the St. Pauls High School and the Public Schools of Robeson County.  Attend all classes, except when emergencies arise.  Be an active participant in class.  Study course material routinely.  Let no temptation cause you to compromise or surrender your integrity, ethics, or morals.

- 8 - Course Syllabus Course Syllabus Acknowledgement Form

Please return to Mrs. Alissa Hall for a grade.

Acknowledgment of General Class Information and Procedures

I have read the preceding information and know what is expected of me (and my child). My signature below indicates my agreement to abide by the terms of the class in order to be successful in the class.

Parent/guardian name: ______

Phone number (please indicate home or work) ______

Best time to call: ______

Parent/guardian EMAIL ADDRESS: ______

______

Student signature Date

______

Parent signature Date

If you would like to schedule a conference with Mrs. Alissa Hall, please call 910-865-4177 between 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Monday-Friday or email her at [email protected].