Westside High School

English III Syllabus

Instructor: Ms. Datray

Contact: or

Room: A216

This course is designed to challenge and expose you to a variety of literary genres and authors. The student will be instructed in various writing styles and will be expected to produce several out-of-class and in-class writing assignments. Upon completion of the course, the student will be more aware of how important writing and reading skills are and how to adequately create documents for both college and real-world environments.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

Students will have the opportunity to develop strategies and knowledge to:

  • Develop, apply, and demonstrate effective speaking and listening skills;
  • Develop and apply oral and presentation skills;
  • Demonstrate their comprehension of material through regularly scheduled quizzes and tests;
  • Develop test-taking skills through multiple-choice quizzes and constructed responses;
  • Compose effectively and purposely for diverse audiences through a variety of written models edited for organization, coherence, support, and Standard English (including grammar, usage, punctuation, spelling, and capitalization);
  • Gather, analyze, and organize information to support a thesis or interpretation for oral or written presentations;
  • Participate in active class analytical discussions and participate in whole group and mini-group presentations; and
  • Analyze literature for content and through writing, support a personal response to build a connection between literature and life.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

By the end of this course, students should be able to do the following:

  • Demonstrate the ability to respond to a text by employing personal experiences and critical analysis;
  • Demonstrate the ability to control language by applying the conventions of Standard English in writing and speaking;
  • Demonstrate the ability to compose in a variety of modes by developing content, employing specific forms, and selecting language appropriate for a particular audience and purpose;
  • Express analysis and practice writing skills through academic writing assignments and in-class essays; and
  • Describe how various American writers’ use of language is related to contemporary ways of thinking, cultural heritage, and cultural values.

Course Outline

*Reading selections listed below represent a sample of possible choices and may be changes or added to at teacher’s discretion.

First 6 Weeks – Truth

Essential Questions: What is Truth?

How do social expectations alter perceptions of truth?

Major Reading Selection: selections from The Things They Carried – Tim O’Brien

Minor Reading Selections: Charge of the Light Brigade – Tennyson

There Will Come Soft Rains – Teasdale

“Daemon Lover” – Jackson

Sonnet 138 – Shakespeare

Writing Focus: Argumentative Essay

Second 6 Weeks –Society

Essential Questions: How have people’s struggle for justice shaped society?

What role does language play in producing change in society?

Major Reading Selection:Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas

Minor Reading Selections: “Letters from a Birmingham Jail” – King

Nobel Peace Prize Speech – Malala

Speech Excerpts – Obama

Supreme Court Ruling Excerpts

Writing Focus: Rhetorical Analysis Essay

Third 6 Weeks –Justice

Essential Questions: How do we justify actions?
Can right and wrong be defined?

Major Reading Selection:The Crucible - Miller

Minor Reading Selections: “Young Goodman Brown” – Hawthorne

Miller’s Testimony to HUAC

Writing Focus: Interpretative Essay

Fourth 6 Weeks –Self Identity

Essential Questions: How did my sense of self develop?
How do experience and environment shape self-identity?

Major Reading Selection:Metamorphosis - Kafka

Minor Reading Selections: “How it Feels to be Colored Me” – Hurston

Selections from Mother Tongue – Tan

TEDTALKS

Writing Focus: Literary Analysis

Fifth 6 Weeks –American Identity

Essential Questions: What is my place in American society?
What is the American dream?

Major Reading Selection:The Great Gatsby - Fitzgerald

Minor Reading Selections: “Friendship in an Age of Economics” – May

“Class and the American Dream” – New York Times

“Paradox and Dream” – Steinbeck

Selections from Nickel and Dimed - Ehrenreich

Writing Focus: Rhetorical Analysis

Sixth 6 Weeks –The Future Me

Essential Questions: How do I successfully transition to adulthood?

What role do college and career choices play in shaping my future identity?

Major Reading Selection: Choice Novel

Minor Reading Selections: Research Topic-Related Sources

Writing Focus: Research-Based Expository and Informational Essays

Required Supplies:

Loose leaf, college-ruled paper

Pens (blue or black ink only)

#2 Pencils, sharpened

Digital Data Storage Device

Class Behavior Expectations:

Bring paper and pen to class every day. It is not the instructor or fellow students’ responsibility to provide you with supplies.

Bring your textbook or reading assignments to class every day. You will not be given additional copies of any work.

Arrive to class on time. You are tardy the second the bell rings. You will be asked to return to the main office and collect a tardy pass. Do not think of this as free time, since you will be missing assignments and instruction which you will not be permitted to make-up.

Be prepared to begin working as soon as you enter the classroom and be prepared to work from bell to bell.

During class, practice the principle of reciprocity. Act towards others as you expect to betreated.

No food, drink, or gum will be allowed in class. Do not bring it.

Leave the room in the same condition as you found it. If you do not respect my room, certain privileges will be revoked.

Return all correspondence to your parents in a timely manner.

Maintain a high level of academic integrity. Cheating is defined as giving or receiving aid on any assignment, be it homework or during an exam. I read every thing you complete in this class, and turning in the same homework as someone else will earn both students a zero that they can not make-up. I can not differentiate between the cheater and the cheated, so both students will suffer for making this choice.

Disruptive behavior will not be tolerated in this class. You are all nearing adulthood in legal and social terms. In this class you will be expected to conform to both school and district expectations of student behavior. Infractions for disruptions (excessive talking, sleeping, cell phone use, profanity, etc) will follow the guidelines laid out in the Student Code of Conduct. 1st infraction will be a warning. 2nd infraction will be a parent/ student conference. 3rd infraction will be a written referral to the Discipline Office. No exceptions and no excuses will be made.

Grading:

The Westside Grading Policy is as follows:

  • The division between major and minor grades for all curriculum teams is 70%-30%.
  • All Curriculum Teams will have the same major grades (quantity, weights, and content). Minor grades will be similar but are not required to be uniform.
  • Teachers must post at least one grade to Grade Speed every week.
  • Teachers must have a minimum of three major grades each grading cycle unless otherwise notified by the principal.

RETAKE POLICY

HISD School Guidelines explain that “a student may be allowed a reasonable opportunity to make up or redo a class assignment or examination for which the student received a failing grade.”

At Westside, a retake is an assessment that matches the rigor and objectives of an original exam. Retakes often increase a student’s grade, but they may not. The primary purpose is a secondopportunityto demonstrate mastery of course material.

Student Retake Eligibility

Only major grades are eligible for a retake.

At the teacher’s discretion, students may be required to complete a remediation task prior to retesting. Potential tasks may include:

  • Attend tutorials
  • Complete alternative assignment
  • Complete prerequisite homework
  • Complete test corrections

Retake must be completed within one week of original test grade being posted in Grade Speed.

Retakes are for grades 70 and below only.Retakes are not allowed for final exams.

Students with absences still have the opportunity to have a retake once they make-up an exam.

Alternative major grades (projects, labs, essays, other long term assignments, etc.) are subject to teacher discretion for retake approval. Teachers will share retake eligibility on these grades.
NOTE: Be prepared at any time for an evaluation of your progress. SOME UNANNOUNCED QUIZZES WILL BE GIVEN AT THE TEACHER’S DISCRETION.

All assignments (including tests) must be completed on time. LATE WORK WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED FOR CREDIT! Students who are absent on the day an assignment is due are expected to turn in the assignment upon their return to the class.

A student absent on the day of a test is expected to make up the test after school on their return to campus. If the student does not report to make up the exam within the previously stated time frame, NO CREDIT (0%, ZERO) will be given for that test. Be advised that make-up exams will be more rigorous due to the student having more time to prepare. It is in your best interest to be present on all exam days.

If a student is absent, any make-up work may be retrieved from the daily envelopes in the room. There is a folder for each class period where copies of missed assignments may be found. Do not come and ask me what you missed. Do not ask me for notes. Ask a classmate you trust to let you copy their notes.

***Extra credit will rarely be made available. These assignments are not mandatory and will be at teacher’s discretion.***

Remember that your grade is your responsibility. If you have any questions or concerns, it is up to you to make an appointment with the instructor for additional tutoring or assistance. The instructor will always be available during conference periods or after school. Parents are welcome and encouraged to visit at any time to assess how the student is progressing toward successful completion of this course.

Attached is a “Kill the Alibi” handout that will be located next to the homework bins. This handout can ONLY be used for homework, it can be used only 2 times per six weeks, if completed it will only be VALID if it is placed in my hand personally by the responsible individual. It must be filled out in complete sentences that make logical sense, and it has to be turned in by the end of your class period in order to receive 25 points, as opposed to a 0, in the grade book. Please Note: A grade of 25 on multiple homework assignments is not going to get you very far in this class, so it would be in your best interest to not depend on this “help”.

TUTORIAL SCHEDULE FOR ENGLISH III:

Ms Datray (A216)
Wednesday—A Lunch
Friday—7 AM – 7:40
By appointment / Ms. Guerrero (E113)
Monday—7 AM – 7:40
Friday—7 AM – 7:40
By appointment
Ms. Gonzalez (E130)
Wednesday—A Lunch
Tuesday—7 AM – 7:40
By appointment / Mr. Siegmund (E232)
Monday—A Lunch
Wednesday—A Lunch
By appointment

Caveat

This is a liberal arts course, which means that the student will be expected to be open-minded and willing to explore new ideas and concepts. Mutual respect will be a mandatory in this class room. You will be asked to challenge preconceived notions. You will be invited to discover new truths. Be prepared for this.

“A man is but the product of his thoughts; what he thinks, he becomes.”

~Mahatma Gandhi~

Kill the Alibi

Ms. Datray’s English Class

Name: ______Class Period: ______Date: ______

Assignment: ______Assignment Due Date: ______

Was your failure to turn this assignment in due to absences? Yes No

Why did you not complete this assignment? ______

What skills was I expected to demonstrate by completing this assignment?

______

I understand that by my failure to complete this assignment I will receive a grade of zero. However, I also understand that by filling out this sheet and turning it in, Ms. Datray will rehabilitate my grade by twenty-five points only if I, personally, turn it in to her hands by the end of my class period and I have written my excuse in complete sentences. I also understand that I will only be allowed 2 “Kill the Alibi’s” per six weeks.

______

Student's Signature

Please Detach and Return this Sheet

WESTSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

MS. DATRAY’SENGLISH III CLASS

Return by Friday, September 1, 2017

STUDENT

I have read, am familiar with, and accept the requirements and expectations of the entire syllabus packet for Ms. Datray’s English III class.

Student signature: ______

Printed student name: ______

Class Period: ______

Student email address (one that you check regularly, please): ______

PARENT/GUARDIAN

You have two options. You can sign and fill out the form below, or you can email me at to acknowledge that you have read the syllabus packet. If you email me, make sure to respond with your complete contact information (phone numbers and alternate email addresses). This way I will have your correct email address already on file, and it 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 this year. Just make sure you include the name of your son/daughter in the subject line of the email.

If you are unable to email me (or do not wish to do so), please sign and fill out the information below.

I have read the syllabus, assignment and classroom expectations for Ms. Datray’s English III class.

Parent/Guardian signature: ______

Printed Parent/Guardian name (please print): ______

Email address: ______

Home telephone: ______

Work telephone: ______

Please offer any additional information you would like to share here: