Lake Travis High School
English III-AP: English Language and Composition Course Syllabus 2013-2014
Instructor: Janice Bech
Room K-109
Email: bechj@ltisdschools.org
Phone: 533.5883
Conference period: 8:45am (1st period both days)
Course Description: The English Language and Composition AP course engages students
in becoming skilled readers of literary works written in a variety of periods, disciplines, and
rhetorical contexts, and in becoming skilled writers who compose for a variety of purposes.
This course acquaints students with the historical, moral, social, and philosophical forces
that have impacted selected works of fiction and non-fiction and challenges them to analyze
the interactions among a writer’s purpose, audience expectation, and subject, as well as the
way the resources of language contribute to effectiveness in writing. Students develop a
personal style as they write in a variety of modes for various audiences through both process
(requiring multiple drafts) and timed writing assignments. Analysis of visual media such as
paintings, photographs, films, advertisements, and cartoons will accompany the students’
study of rhetoric. In addition, students will synthesize materials from primary and
secondary sources and write documented argument essays, citing sources using Modern
Language Association (MLA) format.
Textbooks:
Holt McDougal Literature Grade 11. Evanston, Ill.: Holt McDougal, 2010.
Shea, Renee; Scanlon, Lawrence; and Aufses, Robin. The Language of
Composition. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2008.
Trimble, John. Writing with Style: Conversations on the Art of Writing.
2nd ed. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 2000.
Other works: Bradbury, Ray. Fahrenheit 451 (summer reading)
Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter (summer reading)
Miller, Arthur. The Crucible
Twain, Mark. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Douglass, Frederick. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby
Cohen, Samuel, ed. 50 Essays: A Portable Anthology (selected essays)
Assorted non-fiction pieces (essays, speeches, articles, letters, etc.)
BRING THE FOLLOWING SUPPLIES TO EVERY CLASS MEETING:
1. Loose-leaf notebook paper (spiral notebook paper will not be accepted, unless it
has a perforated edge).
2. Blue or black ink pens (pencils will be needed for Scantron tests)
3. A notebook OR a section in a notebook that is for English III only.
4. A Working System to record homework—such as a planner.
5. Your Language of Composition textbook and/or the novel currently being studied
**Though certainly not required, Ms. Bech would be forever grateful if you would be
willing to bring a package of dry erase markers for our classroom supplies.
Policies and Procedures
Reading:
 Students generally find that close, critical reading provides one of the
biggest challenges in English III-AP. Students read a variety of texts and
are accountable for comprehension, vocabulary, and interpretation.
 Annotating closely and/or keeping a reading journal for notes, questions,
and comments facilitates understanding, improves scores on reading
quizzes, and contributes to the student’s ability to participate in class
discussions.
Composition:
 Students will write a variety of types of essays. Many are process papers
where revising, editing, and typing are required. Most rough drafts will be
written in class and checked by the instructor prior to being taken home for
completion of the process.

In preparation for the AP English Language and Composition exam,
students will also be required to write in-class essays under time
constraints. These will be graded using AP timed-writing rubrics.
 Students will write a major researched argument essay during the spring term.
Seminar Class Discussion:
 Students will be assigned seminar leadership throughout the year to
facilitate class discussion. Criteria for these seminars will be provided, and
students will be expected to come prepared to lead a worthy discussion over
reading. Some seminars will require students to bring in outside material,
including visuals, to enhance the discussion.
 All students must be prepared to participate in all seminars.
Make-up Work/Retesting:
 Make-up work is the student’s responsibility. Always check my website
and/or email me for assignment updates, resources, and make-up work
when you are absent.
o If a student misses class on the day of a test or quiz, he/she should
expect to make up the test or quiz within one week (or within a
reasonable amount of time established by the instructor).
o If a student misses class the day before a reading quiz, he/she will
still be expected to take the quiz with his/her classmates (unless
arrangements are made with the instructor prior to class…not at the
beginning of class or when quizzes are being passed out!).
o If a student misses class on the day a paper/project is due, he/she is
still expected to turn the paper/project in on time to turnitin.com and
to email the instructor.
 All other make-up work must be done within the allotted time, according to
school policy. Students should not expect to make up tests, quizzes, or inclass essays during class time.
 Students missing class for extra-curricular activities or any other planned
absences are expected to meet the same deadlines as his/her classmates and
should arrange for making up and gathering work prior to the anticipated
absence.
 English teachers will follow the campus retest policy guidelines.
Late Work:
 Students are expected to complete all work on time. Any homework
assignment not turned in on time will result in a zero. However, students
will be allowed one FUDGIE per nine weeks. With a FUDGIE, students
can turn in one homework assignment one class period late with no penalty.
If a student does not use his or her FUDGIE, he/she will receive one
additional point to his/her nine weeks average.
 A major assignment will be penalized 10% for each calendar day that it is
late.
Academic Integrity:
 Students who plagiarize the work of others or commit other forms of
academic dishonesty will be disciplined according to school policy. A zero
may be given on the assignment, and proper disciplinary action will be
taken. Students must not share work or steal writing from published
authors. When outside sources (original work of any kind, including ideas,
artwork, written pieces, and so on) are used in completing an assignment,
students must use proper citation format to give credit to the original
creator.
 When writing a process paper, students will complete and submit all steps
of the writing process before receiving credit for the final paper.
Downloading papers from the Internet and/or “sharing” other students’
writing will not be tolerated. All designated work must be submitted to
Turnitin.com, according to the instructor’s direction.
 Permitting another student to copy homework answers or informing other
students about questions or prompts on a quiz or test without prior
permission from the instructor is unfair assistance, a form of cheating.
 Students talking, passing notes, using an electronic device, or
communicating in any way during testing will be regarded as cheating and
will be disciplined according to school policy.
Electronic Devices:
 Students must turn off and put away all electronic devices prior to the
beginning of class. If the instructor observes unauthorized use of these
devices during class, he or she may confiscate the device and turn it into the
office.
 Instructors may choose to collect electronic devices during class at their
discretion.
Tutorials:
 Individual instructors will set tutorial times either before school or after
school.
Grading:
Daily grades (40%):
o Reading accountability quizzes
o Vocabulary quizzes based on vocabulary from reading
o Homework annotation/analysis assignments
o Seminar discussion participation
Major grades (60%):
o Cumulative vocabulary tests
o In-class essays
o Major papers (two grades: process and final)
o Major projects
MS. BECH’S CLASSROOM EXPECTATIONS
1. Be on time.
2. Bring required materials with you. **See list below
3. Stuff superfluous to scholarship stays stashed out of sight! (unless
given prior permission)
(cell phones, iPods, other electronic devices, grooming accoutrements, work
for another class)
4. Be kind and respectful to everyone and everything in class—even
when it’s difficult.
5. One person speaks; the rest of us listen.
6. Take care of personal business outside of class.
7. Keep your head up and be an awake, alert, and active learner.
LAKE TRAVIS HIGH SCHOOL
MS. BECH’S ENGLISH III-AP CLASS
STUDENT
I have read, am familiar with, and accept the requirements and expectations
of the entire syllabus packet for Ms. Bech’s English III-AP class.
Student signature: ______________________________________________
Printed student name: ___________________________________________
PARENT/GUARDIAN
You have two options. You can sign and fill out the form below, or you can
email me at bechj@ltisdschools.org to acknowledge that you have read the
syllabus packet. If you email me, make sure to identify the name of the
student in the subject line. Also, please respond to the video consent form on
the back. This also gives you an opportunity to communicate any
information you feel is important for me to know so that I can help your son
or daughter to be successful in English III-AP this year.
________ (initial) I will email you regarding syllabus and video consent.
If you are unable to email me, please sign and fill out the information
below.
Yes, I have read the syllabus, including the assignment and classroom
expectations for Ms. Bech’s English III-AP class.
Parent/Guardian signature: _______________________________________
Printed Parent/Guardian name: ____________________________________
Email address: _________________________________________________
Home telephone: _______________________________________________
Work telephone: _______________________________________________
WAIT, THERE’S MORE! VIDEO CONSENT FORM ON THE BACK
Lake Travis High School
3324 Ranch Road 620 South
Austin, Texas 78738
CONSENT FORM FOR CLASSROOM VIDEO/FILM
PRESENTATION
CONSENT TO PARTICIPATE
Student’s Name: ________________________________
Please check the responses below that apply to your consent.
_____Yes, my child has my permission to watch the film adaptation of The Great
Gatsby and of the play The Crucible (both PG-13).
_____ Yes, my child has my permission to watch appropriate film and video clips
that pertain to educational study this year in English III-AP.
_____No, I have concerns about my child viewing The Great Gatsby, The Crucible, or
other video clips in the classroom and will contact you to discuss
arrangements for alternative activities.
Signed by parent or guardian
Date
**If emailing me your acknowledgment of reading the syllabus, please include your
consent/response regarding the films and clips as well.
I LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING YOU AT BACK TO
SCHOOL NIGHT ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 16th!