Ms. Taylor                         English III               Spring 2021

Charlotte.taylor@cabarrus.k12.nc.us

(704) 260-6600 ext. 41306               

Please be aware of your current academic standing within the class at all times by viewing assignments and grades in PowerSchool. Per CMHS policy, they will be updated within 7 days, unless otherwise noted in PowerSchool.

Course Description:

In this class, students will analyze American literature as it reflects social perspective and historical significance by continuing to use and analyze language for expressive, expository, argumentative, and literary purposes.  We will be following the state’s Common Core Standards, which are broken up into reading for literature and nonfiction texts, writing, speaking and listening, and language.  In addition to reading novels, short stories, and poems, we will read articles and other nonfiction texts, write a variety of essays as well as a formal research paper, participate in presentations and collaborative speaking and listening exercises, and write routinely over extended and short time frames for multiple purposes.

In the Honors class, there will also include be an Honors Paper/Project. More information will be given regarding this as the semester progresses.

Expectations:

This classroom will provide a safe, positive learning environment which promotes cooperation, creativity, and academic success for all participants.

• All students will be active participants in the educational process in order to achieve their full potential.

• Students will stay on task at all times. Use of phones and personal devices for personal, non-academic use is prohibited.
• Students will show respect to themselves, their classmates, their teacher, and their environment.
• Students will come to class on time, prepared, and with all supplies and assignments.

Possible Progression of Consequences:

•         Verbal Warning
•         Contact Parent or Guardian
•         Classroom Removal
•         Written Referral

Please note that this may be adjusted based on the severity of the behavior.

 Academic integrity:

Students' work should demonstrate academic integrity, which includes, but is not limited to:

• completing all work independently (and/or per teacher's instruction).
• not allowing other students to copy one's work.
• avoiding using outside sources unless the teacher calls for them
• If the teacher allows the use of outside sources, the sources should be integrated appropriately (summarized, paraphrased, etc.) AND cited appropriately. 
• Students should not re-submit work that they have previously submitted for other classes. All work should be original. No collusion. 

 If students have questions about how to avoid plagiarism or if a case constitutes plagiarism, they should speak with the teacher.

Consequences may include….

• Reduced grade OR a zero
• Depending upon severity, students may be asked to choose a new topic and rewrite the paper for partial credit.
• Students may be referred to administration and/or face potential disciplinary consequences.

 Attendance:

Students are expected to be on time and in class at all times.  It is your responsibility to check with classmates, your teacher, and Remind for any classwork and/or homework you miss.  You are responsible for ALL work that you miss during an absence, regardless of the purpose of/reason for the absence.

Makeup work that is not turned in within five school days will lost 10 points per day late.

Technology Use:

Cell phones will not be used during class unless the teacher has given permission to the entire class or a student has been granted permission.  If a phone is out without permission, it will be taken and held in the Control Room until the end of the day.   

 In addition to the CCS policy “Student Use of Social Networking Sites, Blogging and the Internet” (Policy Code 4313), students are responsible for understanding and following any future CMHS technology policies. Information will be sent to parents and posted on the school webpage as updates arise. The “Bring Your Own Device” Policy will be implemented at teacher discretion. Abuse of new procedures will revoke BYOD privileges. 

 Testing Procedures:  

Classroom testing procedures will mirror EOC/NCFE testing procedures.  Upon entering the classroom on testing days, students will be expected to do the following.

1. Turn cell phones (and other devices such as tablets or Apple watches that can connect to the Internet) off and place in the bin labeled “phone jail” on the front table.  This bin will be monitored by the teacher as students add their devices and during the testing session.
2. Line book bags on the floor along the front wall under the white board/smart board.
3. Any student caught talking to a classmate or using a phone or device before ALL testing materials have been collected will immediately be considered cheating and subject to the penalties laid out under plagiarism/cheating.
4. After all of the testing materials have been collected, the teacher will redistribute phones/devices individually and students will have an opportunity to collect their book bags.

 Late Work: 

• Unless otherwise noted, assignments are due at the beginning of class. If the student does not have the assignment ready for any reason, it will be considered late. Any assignment in the category of homework/classwork submitted late will have a ten point reduction per day. After that time, the grade will remain a zero. Please note: online assignments such as CommonLit and Flocabulary have an end date and the window closes.  Students must complete these online assignments prior to the due date. Anything submitted after the window closes will result in a zero.
• Assignments worth quiz or test grades submitted late will earn a reduction of ten points per school day.
• A composition due to turnitin.com is due by the time assigned by the teacher.  Even if absent, student is still responsible to make sure paper is turned in on due date.
• English teachers will no longer drop a class/homework grade at the end of a nine week period; a practice from our former policy.

Materials

• Notebook (composition preferred)
• Blue or Black Pens AND/OR Pencils
• Highlighters
• Earbuds or head phones
• Colored pencils/markers/glue

Texts: online texts until further notice.  When we are able to return to school, the following will apply:

Online texts:

Use these quick links for finding online versions of the texts we read in class.

The Crucible: http://bit.ly/39BAU2Q

Of Mice and Men:https://bit.ly/33PaBof

The Great Gatsby: https://bit.ly/3gNc8ki

All texts assigned to you are your responsibility. If you lose, damage, or write in the text, you must pay to have it replaced. 

During non-Covid years, novels will be provided and assigned to the student; however, students are welcome to purchase their own copy as well as this can make annotated reading easier for those who prefer to write in the text.  We will be accessing texts online until we return to school.

Honors Expectations:
English III Honors is intended to provide students with a strong base in reading, questioning, critical thinking, and academic writing.  Much of the daily content of the class is similar to the regular English III course, but the pace is faster, the work more independent, and the level of critical thinking and questioning deeper.  Students will be expected to do the reading outside of the classroom in order to form the foundation of the discussion and activities that will then occur within the classroom.  In an English III classroom much of the reading is done within the room in order to stop, discuss, and question as a group rather than a sole individual.  Honors students are expected to be able to do much of the reading, questioning, predicting, and critical thinking on their own whereas regular English III students may require assistance and instruction on the "good reader" skills honors students are expected to already possess.  Honors students will read novels independently, as opposed to in class, and will complete the traditional "English III research paper" as well as an additional "Honors paper/project” (typically a literary analysis).

Support is offered to all students at all times.  If an Honors student is ever struggling with any of the literacy skills he or she should advocate for help and assistance.  Being an Honors student also comes with the expectation that they have an academic focus and wish to be prepared for a collegiate education following high school.  Honors English courses help prepare students for this collegiate format as they are run with more of a seminar/discussion basis than a traditional English class.  Additionally, as a college student would seek out time with their professor, Honors students should be self-advocates when facing academic struggles, looking for reinforcement, or simply performing a self-check on their progress within the course

Once you and your parent/guardian have read all of the aforementioned policies and expectations, complete the parent/student contact information google form found on my homepage.  Thank you!