English III Syllabus
Palacios High School
Mrs. Koenig
English III focuses primarily on American Literature, with some world literature examined for comparative
purposes. An emphasis is placed on helping students become skilled readers, writers, researchers and oral
communicators.
Students will read extensively in multiple genres and periods including short stories, poems, novels, dramas
and non-fiction works from pre-colonial through present day. Students will learn literary forms and terms associated
with selections being read and will analyze how historical context and other factors influenced specific literary
works.
Students will continue to refine their written communication skills by planning, drafting and completing
written compositions on a regular basis. Students will write in a variety of forms and learn to adjust their voice and
style to match their audience and purpose. Students will learn to produce writings that are clear, precise, engaging
and meet current grammar and punctuation standards.
Students will learn how to locate a range of relevant sources and evaluate, synthesize, and present ideas and
information from these sources. Students will learn to accurately cite all researched information according to a
standard format.
Students will continue to increase their listening, speaking and viewing skills through various collaborative
and individual projects. Students will prepare, organize and present informative and persuasive messages. Students
will analyze the purposes and effects of various media products.
Students’ progress will be evaluated through in and out of class writing assignments, a reader’s notebook, a
writer’s notebook, a vocabulary notebook, individual projects and team projects.
Assignments are weighted as follows: Daily Work 25%, Projects 25%, Tests 25% and Six Weeks Test 25%.
The following is a brief outline of the English III course at Palacios High School.
First Semester – Unit 01: Touring American Literature (6 weeks)
Unit 02: Conventions in American Poetry (3 weeks)
Unit 02: Themes in American Drama (3 weeks)
Unit 03: Evaluating Informational Text (6 weeks)
Literature
“A Rose for Emily,” William Faulkner
“The Necklace” Guy de Maupassant
“The Story of an Hour,” Kate Chopin
“The Three Piece Suit,” Ali Deb
“The Father of Desiree’s Baby,” Kate Chopin
Poetry – The Library of Congress Poetry 180 Project, Robert Frost, Emily Dickinson
Drama – “The Crucible,” Arthur Miller (Film)
Activities
Daily journal
Vocabulary strategies
TAKS benchmarks
Projects complementing literature read
Literary analysis essay
Personal essays
Descriptive essays
Poetry
Job interview unit
Skills
Study strategies
Vocabulary development
Elements of writing
Grammar, mechanics, usage, and editing symbols
Literary terminology
Analysis of style
TAKS test strategies
Listening/speaking
Media literacy
Analogies
Research
Interpersonal/business communication
Second Semester – Unit 04: Powerful Persuasion (6 weeks)
Unit 05A: Analyzing Genre Connections (3 weeks)
Unit 05B: Reading and Writing for College and Career (3 weeks)
Unit 06: Reliable, Valid, and Accurate Research (6 weeks)
Literature
“Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” Jonathan Edwards
“Speech to the Second Virginia Convention,” Patrick Henry
“Declaration of Independence,” Thomas Jefferson
“The Crisis, No. 1,” Thomas Paine
“The Life of Olaudah Equiano,” Olaudah Equiano
The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne
Activities
Daily journal
Vocabulary strategies
TAKS benchmarks
Projects complementing literature read
Personal essays
Broadcast journalism
Advertising strategies
Research paper
College admission process
PowerPoint project
Skills
Vocabulary development
Elements of writing
Analysis of style
TAKS test strategies
Listening/speaking
Media literacy
Idioms
Research/MLA citation
Rhetoric/persuasion
“Adam,” Kurt Vonnegut, Jr
“Of Plymouth Plantation,” William Bradford
“Upon the Burning of Our House,” Anne Bradstreet
“To My Dear and Loving Husband,” Anne Bradstreet
“La Relacion,” Àlvar Núnez Cabeza de Vaca
“Poor Richards Almanack,” Benjamin Franklin
“Dichos,”Américo Paredes
“The Pit and the Pendulum,” Edgar Allan Poe
“Joyas Voladoras,” Brian Doyle
To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee