English III Syllabus 2015-2016
“I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you, and that’s
why.” John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men
Teacher:
Ms. Whitten, Room 401
E-mail:
cwhitten@madisonvillecisd.org
Phone:
936-348-2721
Conference: 4th Period
Course Description: Eleventh grade English is designed to develop students’
awareness of the major works of American Literature and the development of
American culture and society from the pre-Colonial period to the present day.
Selected pieces of fiction and non-fiction will be used to practice reading for
depth of understanding. Students will enhance their writing skills through in-class
and assigned short answers, formal essays, and research. Students will also
expand and improve their vocabulary, reading, speech, and grammar.
Grading Policy:
Daily Assignments (warm-ups, homework, quizzes):
Major Grades (tests, major essays, research paper):
40%
60%
Late Work Policy:
Late work is unacceptable. Work not turned in when I call for it will be
considered late work. Late work will receive a maximum grade of 70, IF
TURNED IN BY THE END OF SCHOOL ON THE NEXT CALENDAR DAY.
After the end of the following school day, late assignments will not be
accepted.
***If you know you will miss class for a Dr.’s appointment or extracurricular
activity, it is your responsibility to pick up your assignments BEFORE you leave.
All work will be due when you return to school. ***
Extra Credit:
As a rule I do not give extra credit. You will have many opportunities for grades
during each 9 weeks. Keeping up with your journal entries is an easy way to
boost a lagging average!
Classroom Expectations:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Listen and follow directions.
Use school appropriate language.
Respect your classmates and your teacher.
Keep, hands, feet, and objects to yourself.
Supplies Needed:
1.
2.
3.
4.
A pen or pencil (you will need something to write with every day)
A 2 inch binder
Notebook paper or spiral notebook
A composition notebook (journal)
Tentative Schedule
FALL SEMESTER:
I. The Puritan Era:
Students will read The Crucible, by Authur Miller and selected Puritan and early
American writings.
Assignments include:
The American Dream project
Exam over The Crucible
Vocabulary and quizzes
II. The Age of Reason:
Students will read selected works by early American writers such as, Thomas
Paine, Thomas Jefferson, Abigail Adams, Patrick Henry, and Benjamin Franklin.
Assignments include:
III. Romanticism:
BYOD Allusion Assignement
Essay and projects related to the American
Revolution
Exam over the Age of Reason
Vocabulary and quizzes
Students will read selected works by Edgar Allen Poe, Emily Dickenson, Walt
Whitman, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and/or James Fennimore Cooper.
Major work: Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Assignments include:
Figurative language and poetry analysis
Exam: Of Mice and Men
Creative projects relating to Romanticism
Vocabulary and quizzes
IV. Transcendentalism/Anti-Transcendentalism:
Students will read works by various Transcendentalist/Anti-Transcendentalist
writers including, but not limited to, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau,
and Herman Melville.
Assignments include:
Projects related to Transcendentalism
Persuasive essay
Transcendentalism exam
Vocabulary and quizzes
SPRING SEMESTER:
V. Realism, Naturalism, and Regionalism:
Students will read selected works by realist, naturalist, and regionalist writers,
including Stephen Crane, Kate Chopin, and William Faulkner, among others.
Assignments include:
Essays and projects relating to Realism, Naturalism,
and Regionalism
Vocabulary and quizzes
VI. The Harlem Renaissance and Modernism:
Students will read The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald and selections from
Langston Hughes and other significant Harlem and modernist writers.
Assignments include:
The Great Gatsby compare/contrast essay
Vocabulary and quizzes
VII. Contemporary American Literature
Students will read selected works by post-modern and present day authors.
Authors include, but are not limited to: Stephen King, Flannery O’Conner, and
Tim O’Brien. Major work: Susan Glaspell’s Trifles.
Assignments include:
Short story analysis
Analytical literary essay
Vocabulary and quizzes
VIII. Research Unit
Students will be expected to complete a 750 - 1000 word research paper on an
American author of their choice. The research paper will be assigned mid February 2016 and due mid-March.
I have read Ms. Whitten’s English III Syllabus. I understand that I am responsible
for the information in the syllabus. I understand that disruptive behavior will not
be tolerated in Ms. Whitten’s class. If I choose to be continually disruptive my
parents will be notified, and I will receive a referral to the office.
_____________________________
Student’s Name
__________
Period
_____________________________
Student’s Signature
__________
Date
Dear Parent(s),
I look forward to teaching your child this school year. I have high expectations for
your child in my class. Communication is the key to your child’s success, and I
look forward to meeting each of you. If you will please provide your contact
information below, I would greatly appreciate it.
_____________________________
Parent/Guardian Name
_____________________
Phone number
_____________________
E-mail address
I prefer to be contacted via _____ e-mail.
I prefer to be contacted by _____ telephone.
_____________________________
Parent Signature
***This form must be returned by Friday, August 28, 2015***