English III Honors Policy and Syllabus Mr.

Nerf 2012-2013 Introduction

The English Honors program at Douglas Anderson seeks to attract students who are committed to a strong work ethic and to learning in a rigorous program in Language Arts. Courses are characterized by complex problem solving, more independent work, and less review and practice of skills. Advanced courses will include extended and complex writing components, both timed and untimed, frequent analysis of primary sources, and extensive use of documents/data for writing prompts. In general, a greater volume of complex content in a variety of texts is covered with more rigor. The expectation is that students will consistently exceed the standard. The students will be required to complete summer reading assignments and a research paper designed by the instructor. This course will further develop students' abilities as skilled readers of poetry and prose written in a variety of periods, disciplines, and rhetorical contexts and as skilled analysts and writers who can compose in a variety of modes and for a variety of purposes. The writing content will focus upon both brief and lengthy expository, analytical, and argumentative essays and creative writing that models the skills and styles of the writers and poets being studied. _____________ Parents Initials

Course Objectives
Upon completing the English III Honors course, students should be able to show competence in the Common Core Standards, Grades 11 and 12 that are available on the DCPS website. A copy of the plan is posted on the following site: https://curriculum.duvalschools.org/lvcontentitems_46/lvcontentitems_46/Attachments/1246/Common%20Core%20Standards_Grades%2011-12.pdf. I will post a link of the plan on my classroom websites link page. _____________ Parents Initials

Required Course Texts

The primary text assigned in this course and provided by DASOTA is Holts Elements of Literature. Students are expected to acquire the other major works of literature assigned in this course. Rather than library copies, I encourage each student to obtain his or her own copy of the literature. Parents who, for whatever legitimate reason, cannot obtain copies for their children may request in writing that the teacher loan them the necessary literary texts. Such requests must be submitted to me at least three weeks prior to the due date for each required novel or play so that I have time to obtain the necessary number of texts. No copies of SparkNotes or Cliffs Notes or any other literary substitute may be brought to class. If seen by me, I will confiscate them. There is no substitution for reading the original work. The specific texts required are listed below. Once the due dates have been established, students must be prepared for a comprehensive exam on the posted due date and students must bring the required book to class each day of the quarter in which the work is due: American Experiences REQUIRED READING: Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston STUDENTS READ THE FOLLOWING FROM THE HOLT TEXT (Dates TBA): Unit 1 N. Scott Momaday from The Way to Rainy Mountain p 32 Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca from La Relacion p 46 Mary Rowlandson from A Narrative of the Captivity p 64 Unit 3 Frederick Douglass from Narrative p 416 Sojourner Truth Aint I a Woman? p 442 Chief Joseph I Will Fight No More Forever p 490 American Perceptions STUDENTS READ THE FOLLOWING FROM THE HOLT TEXT (Dates TBA): Huswifery Edward Taylor To My Dear and Loving Husband Anne Bradstreet Love Is Not All Edna St. Vincent Millay The Tide Rises, the Tide Falls Henry Wadsworth Longfellow The Cross of Snow War Is Kind Stephen Crane I Celebrate Myself Walt Whitman A Child Says The Spotted Hawk When I Heard the Learned Astronomer The Soul Selects Her Own Society Emily Dickinson Much Madness 564 I Heard a Fly Buzz Richard Cory Edward Arlington Robinson Miniver Cheevy The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock T. S. Eliot The Red Wheelbarrow William Carlos Williams The Great Figure Quarter One Due 8/20, 21

Quarter Two 101 194 194 226 229 478 517 518 525 538 551 569 714 715 770 780 780

Ars Poetica Archibald MacLeish Nothing Gold Can Stay Robert Frost Mending Wall Incident Countee Cullen Homework Allen Ginsberg The Unknown Citizen W. H. Auden STUDENTS COMPLETE THE POETRY PACKET: English III Honors Poetry Packet (packet will be posted on my website) Americas Ideals REQUIRED READING: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald STUDENTS READ THE FOLLOWING FROM THE HOLT TEXT (Dates TBA): Unit 1 Jonathan Edwards from Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God p 105 Thomas Paine from The Crisis, No. 1 p 132 Benjamin Franklin from The Autobiography p 166 Unit 2 Ralph Waldo Emerson from Self-Reliance p 245 Henry David Thoreau from Walden p 245 Unit 3 Abraham Lincoln The Gettysburg Address p 503 American Life REQUIRED READING: The Crucible by Arthur Miller STUDENTS READ THE FOLLOWING FROM THE HOLT TEXT (Dates TBA): Unit 2 Washington Irving The Devil and Tom Walker p 290 Mark Twain The Lowest Animal p 646 Tim OBrien Speaking of Courage p 1196 Sandra Cisneros Straw into Gold p 1310

788 817 825 973 1015 1322

Quarter Three Due 1/23

Quarter Four Due date 4/8, 9

_____________ Parents Initials

Required Materials
You are solely responsible for being prepared for class (paper, pen, book, etc.). You may not disrupt class by asking a peer or your teacher for supplies. Students will need the following: a collegiate dictionary and a thesaurus (at home), regular access to a word processor, a printer, and the internet, dark black or blue ink pens for all written assignments, reams of paper, a sturdy 3-ring binder with dividers in which to keep class materials, good time management skills, and the assigned literary work which must be brought to class every day. Because we live in an era in which access to the internet is no longer a luxury, each student should be able to access my classroom website in order to obtain handouts, assignments, deadlines, notices, and other information pertinent to his or her success in this course. Any student who does not have access to the internet at home must consider one or more of the following options: Use the computers in the school library before school, after school, or during lunch time; Call a friend who has internet access and get the required information from him or her; Bring your own paper if you plan to print any materials from my classroom computers before school on any school day that I can be found in my classroom. Students MAY NOT print from the classroom PCs without my supervision. I do not provide paper for printouts. _____________ Parents Initials

Work Load
This is an Honors course which prepares students for college-level course work and, possibly, the Advanced Placement Literature course offered during the students senior year. Students should be aware of the rigor, intensity, and scope demanded of students in this course. The students will be required to read extra independent assignments, write a number of analytical and persuasive essays, and complete a college-level research paper during the school year. This course will further develop students' abilities as skilled readers of poetry and prose written in a variety of periods, disciplines, and rhetorical contexts and as skilled analysts and writers who can compose in a variety of modes and for a variety of purposes. The writing content will focus upon both brief and lengthy analytical and argumentative essays. Students will have some sort of English III Honors homework on most nights, weekends, and holidays. Students who enter the course with deficiencies in reading and/or writing may experience difficulties. Each student who does not read at or above grade level will find some of the reading assignments and essay assignments to be difficult. Students who experience difficulty passing the tests, essays, and other assignments should take every opportunity to complete revisions and other makeup assignments and to attend tutoring sessions offered by the teacher. _____________ Parents Initials

English III Honors Policy and Syllabus Mr. Nerf 2012-2013 Student Expectations, Progress toward Standards, Safety Nets, and Grade Recovery
An end-of-course exam (EOC) will be administered during the fourth quarter. DCPS creates and administers this exam. This course is designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to pass this exam. In this course, a students quarterly grade will be determined primarily by his or her success in the following types of assignments: essays (200 points each), tests (50-100 points each), research paper assignments (100 points each for quarters 1-3; of 4th quarter grade), class work and homework (20 points each). Occasionally, projects (100 points) will be assigned. During the 4th quarter, the research paper will be due and will count approximately of the total 4th quarter grade. Class work/ homework assignments are designed to help students learn the skills and concepts required to master the course objectives. Such assignments, by their design, will be graded more leniently. Students will receive full credit (20 points) for following teachers directions and attempting all requirements to the best of their abilities. Students may receive credit (10 points) or no credit (0 points) if I determine that the student did not make a legitimate attempt to complete the assignment and/or follow my instructions. Quarterly grades will be determined by the percentage of points earned. All class work and homework assignments must be made up in a timely manner in accordance with DCPS policy in the event of a students absence from class. Late work is penalized 50% per day (weekends and holidays not included). Any absences from class caused by arts-related requirements are excused per school policy; however, the student must make plans with me prior to the absence with regard to any assignments that are due. Per DCPS, the attendance policy states the following: In order to earn a passing quarter grade in a course, a student who misses more than four (4) classes, not including school-related absences, will be required to pass a comprehensive quarter exam or project, in addition to having an overall passing grade for the quarter. A student must be in class for at least half the period to be considered present. If any student misses my class due to school-related absences, the student must provide documentation (a note or list of attendees signed by the teacher) to me in a timely manner. Any of my students who miss more than four (4) classes during any quarter will take an attendance policy makeup exam on the morning of that quarters planning day from 8:00-10:00 AM. The exam will cover concepts and skills taught up to that particular point in the school year. In order to be eligible to take the exam, the student must first have a passing grade (60% of all possible points or better). The student must pass the exam to maintain his or her quarter average. If the student fails the exam, the students quarter grade will be reduced by one letter grade. IN THE CASE OF A MISSED TEST OR ESSAY DUE TO ABSENCE, the student must be prepared to make up the missed assignment on the day he or she returns to class. Under special circumstances, I may schedule the makeup at a time convenient for teacher and student. Failure to complete the makeup test or essay in a timely manner will result in the student receiving a grade of zero for the assignment. Safety nets designed for this course include, but are not excluded to, the revising of essays (the revision process includes class sessions of peer evaluations, self evaluations, modeling, and teacher commentary), the repeated practice of necessary ELA skills through in-class and homework assignments, completion grades that allow the student to earn relatively easy grades while learning how to acquire and use the rhetorical skills required of this course, dropping of low test grades (the number of which will be determined by me each quarter). School Board policy requires that I offer you the opportunity for learning recovery. Learning recovery should be an ongoing process throughout the grading period. It is meant to assist students who have not yet mastered required course standards. To be eligible for the Learning Recovery Program at the end of a quarter, a student must have earned a D or F as a quarter grade. must have been given the opportunity to complete all work that was missed due to a violation (or a sanction for a violation) of the Student Code of Conduct and opportunities for make-up work as specified in the attendance policy as determined in the School Board Policy Manual: File: JH (2) Missed work shall be made up for all absences; a day of make-up work shall be allowed for each day of absence, when appropriate, pursuant to the Student Progression Plan Appendix D. Each student shall receive full credit for such work. must complete learning recovery using the district-approved program, when available, prior to the end of the following grading period, unless the principal determines that an extension of time is appropriate, must have completed a minimum of 75% of the class assignments for the nine weeks. must have taken advantage of available learning recovery options during the nine weeks, must begin immediate recovery if he/she is making less than satisfactory progress at any point in the 4th quarter and must complete the recovery prior to the end of the school year, unless the principal determines that an extension of time is appropriate. The extension of time should be based on individual review on a case by case basis. must have a parent or guardian participate in a required parent/teacher conference, phone conference, email conference, or learning recovery orientation at their school to review the expectations and timelines for learning recovery.

A student who participates in the Learning Recovery Program to improve a quarterly grade of D or F may not receive a grade higher than a C. A Learning Recovery Program grade of 60-69% will result in a quarterly grade of D. A Learning Recovery Program grade of 70% or higher will result in a quarterly grade of C. Students mus t demonstrate mastery of the skills to be awarded the higher grade.

In order for you to have the chance to recover your grade, you must resubmit any written assignment or retake any test for which you received a grade less than a D or C depending upon the grade recovery goal. Upon receiving at least one letter grade higher on those written assignments, you will then take a grade recovery exam to be administered on a day to be determined. The date on which the grade recovery exam will

be administered will be determined based on my availability. Failure to take the exam on the date administered will automatically disqualify you from the grade recovery process. Participation in the grade recovery process does not guarantee a grade change. If all resubmitted written requirements are successfully completed and you pass the grade recovery exam, an F or a D may be changed to a higher grade based on the level of mastery evidenced by the students score on the grade recovery exam. _____________ Parents Initials

Student Integrity and Decorum

All students are here to learn and make adequate progress toward meeting the course standards. Therefore, students are expected to be active participants in the learning process and uphold the academic integrity policy. Students are also expected to maintain an acceptable level of behavior. Since disruptive behavior is a disservice to the learning process, those students engaging in such behavior will be dealt with according to teacher, school, and county policies. While there will be ample opportunities for students to collaborate on some assignments, each student must be aware that he or she is required to submit original work free from plagiarism. No electronic devices may be used during class. More and more, electronic devices can be used for cheating. Appropriate action will be taken if electronic devices are used; such action may include assigning a grade of zero, giving the device to the dean, and/or writing a referral. _____________ Parents Initials

Miscellaneous Class Policies and Procedures Punctuality is essential. Late work is unacceptable; absences can be detrimental. All homework must be typed. See the composition format instructions below. If a student experiences unavoidable technical glitches, a handwritten
homework assignment will be accepted if accompanied by a note of explanation from a parent/guardian. Essay revisions and formal research paper assignments may never be handwritten. Under no circumstance will I accept work written in pencil. Such work will receive a grade of zero and may not be resubmitted at a later date. You are solely responsible for being prepared for class (paper, pen, book). You may not disrupt class by asking a peer or your teacher for supplies. Late assignments will receive a failing grade: 50% per day late. The late penalty begins immediately upon the day and period it is not submitted. Each day of school is counted toward the penalty; therefore, a student who waits until the next meeting date of class has already accrued a 100% penalty since it will have been two school days since the original due date of the assignment. A student who is legitimately absent on the due date of an assignment is not penalized. He or she must submit the assignment upon the return to my class with an acceptable note of explanation written at the top of the page. At the top of all make-up work (tests included), the student must write a note informing the teacher why the work is being submitted on a date later than the assignment was originally due. Failure to provide the note will result in a 5-point grade penalty. Long-term research paper assignments must be submitted on their original due dates. Even legitimate absences can affect their scores. Because the assignments are long-term ones, your careful planning is required to avoid last-minute panics of anxiety if/when something goes wrong. Dont come to me after the fact with a sob story. I am warning you now that your research paper assignments must be submitted on time. THERE ARE NO SHORTCUTS IN THIS CLASS. All reading and writing assignments should be completed in order to gain the skills necessary to pass the AP exam in May. Due to the availability of my class website, all assignments and tests missed due to absences will be posted. Students are required to access the site to get any missed work. Submit the assigned work upon your immediate return to class. If computer troubles prevent you from getting the information from my website, you must call a classmate to get the information. All absences require you to return to class with the necessary assignments ready to be submitted. I strongly suggest that you take home all notebooks and texts related to this class because you may need them in case of an unexpected absence. If I fail to post the necessary information on my website, you will be allowed to acquire the assignment instructions upon your return and submit the work to me for full credit during the next class period. If a student misses school for an extended period of time due to illness, I will work with him/her in order to alleviate the burden brought on by the extenuating circumstances. A parent/teacher conference, in person or by telephone, must be initiated as soon as possible. I can be reached at nerfj@duvalschools.org, or you can call the Guidance Department and make an appointment to meet with me. Unless you provide a doctors note, I restrict access to the hall pass for emergencies only. The student may not use the pass to retrieve items from a locker. Any student who is out of the room for an inordinate amount of time may receive a referral for skipping class. Cliffs Notes and other analytical aides are no substitute for reading the literature. Do not bring them to class. I will confiscate such materials. _____________ Parents Initials

Composition Format Homework assignments, formal research assignments, and essay revisions must be typed. They must be double-spaced with standard 1 margins and
have a 12-point Times New Roman font. At the top left of the first page, use the MLA format for headings: on four separate lines in the upper lefthand corner of the first page, list your name, your instructor's name, the course and period, and the date. All successive pages must have your last name and page number at the top right. Two valuable bits of advice: keep a copy of each assignment and always have a rough draft of some type. Many tears have been shed over computers that have crashed, wiping out days worth of work. Prepare for potential problems. All in-class essays, including timed writings, must be legibly written on one side of the page in dark black or blue ink with the appropriate MLA heading at top left of the front page. If I cant read your writing, I cant properly evaluate it. You may be asked to take the assignment home and

English III Honors Policy and Syllabus Mr. Nerf 2012-2013

type it for me. If so, your grade will be reduced by 10% because I could not read it when it was originally submitted. _____________ Parents Initials

TEACHER ACCESSIBILITY
Conference Periods 3rd period on A and B days Help Day Sessions Generally speaking, it will be more convenient for tutoring and make-up work sessions to be conducted prior to the start of the school day. I will be available at 7:30 AM by appointment only. Students must register on my appointment calendar prior to the tutoring/makeup day. I am willing to schedule after school sessions with students who have transportation home from the session. I am not able to stay at school with any student and wait for his or her transportation to arrive. Students must make an appointment for after-school help on my appointment calendar.

Internet Accessibility
Find helpful information on our class website: http://teacherweb.com/FL/DouglasAndersonSchooloftheArts/JonNerf. You may email me directly at nerfj@duvalschools.org. _____________ Parents Initials

ENGLISH III HONORS PARENTAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FORM This course is designed to accommodate the Honors student of Language Arts. The English Honors program at Douglas Anderson seeks to attract students who are committed to a strong work ethic and to learning in a rigorous program in Language Arts. Courses are characterized by complex problem solving, more independent work, and less review and practice of skills. Parents and students should be aware of the rigor, intensity, and scope required of this course. This course includes extended and complex writing components, both timed and untimed, frequent analysis of primary sources, and extensive use of documents/data for writing prompts. In general, a greater volume of complex content in a variety of texts is covered with more rigor. The expectation is that students will consistently exceed the standard. The students will be

required to complete summer reading assignments and a research paper designed by the instructor. This course will further develop students' abilities as skilled readers of poetry and prose written in a variety of periods, disciplines, and rhetorical contexts and as skilled analysts and writers who can compose in a variety of modes and for a variety of purposes. The writing content will focus upon both brief and lengthy expository, analytical, and argumentative essays and creative writing that models the skills and styles of the writers and poets being studied. I have provided a comprehensive Policy and Syllabus handout for my course. You and your child should read all parts of it together and discuss the policies therein. If you have any questions about my policies, please call guidance to set up a Parent-Teacher conference. We can meet face-to-face or via telephone. You may forego the guidance office and email me directly at nerfj@duvalschools.org. After each of the major divisions on my Policy and Syllabus handout, I have inserted a place for you, the parent, to initial. Your initials provide to me your acknowledgement that you have read my handout and understand my expectations and requirements. Furthermore, I require your permission for your child to read, study, and discuss the literature required of this course. If you are unfamiliar with any of the works listed, you might want to go to an Internet site, such as Amazon.com, that provides summary information about such works of literature. Complete the form below and indicate whether or not your child has permission to read all of the required works of literature. I, ________________________________________ , the parent/guardian of Print parents/guardians name ________________________________________ , Print students name

(Circle or highlight one of the bulleted items below)

AGREE to allow my child to read the works of literature on the syllabus. HAVE RESERVATIONS about some aspects of the syllabus. Please note my concerns, which I have written and attached to this form.

________________________________________ Parents/Guardians Signature

_______________________ Date

________________________________________ Students Signature

_______________________ Class Period