English III: American Literature

Mrs. Lurkins

Contact Info: PLEASE do not hesitate to contact me if you ever have any questions about an assignment or due
date. I check my email multiple times a day, every day. This is the easiest and most timely way to contact me and
receive a response, but all attempts to contact me will be responded to in a timely manner. I am here to help you…
make me earn my paycheck! 
Room: 3205
Phone: 314-415-5593
Email: dlurkins@parkwayschools.net
Class Website: http://whslurkins.weebly.com
After School Availability: MOST days from 2:30-3:30 (See me for an appointment).

Plan Periods
A Days 2nd & 5th
B Days 5th
C Days 2 (block) & 5th (hour)
nd

General Goals for Students

1. Write formally and informally using the Six Traits of Writing.
2. Read and analyze fiction and nonfiction texts, using specific reading skills.
3. Develop informational literacy skills to improve students’ ability to locate, analyze, and apply valid research to
their reasoning and arguments.

4. Develop verbal communication skills to improve students’ participation in formal and informal presentations
and discussions.

Units of Study (subject to change based on timing):

 The Crucible (literary analysis essay) – How can fear be used as a mechanism of social control?
 The Contemporary American Memoir: Choice Unit (multi-genre memoir) – How do our individual
experiences, mundane and significant, impact who we become?
 American Literary Movement short stories (timed write) – How has the American experience throughout
the centuries helped to shape literature?
 The Great Gatsby (argumentative research essay) – How does the concept of the American Dream influence
individuals?
 Division and Classification essay
 Catcher in the Rye (compare/contrast essay—timed write) – In the bumpy and often uneven process
towards a more mature perspective of the world, what is gained and what is lost?
 ***Short stories, poems, and non-fiction texts will not exist in their own units. Rather, these texts will be
dispersed throughout the other units.

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

Assessment and Evaluation:

Students will be assessed and evaluated on essays, timed writings and other written work, oral presentations,
projects, participation, homework, quizzes, and tests. Grades will be calculated based on the following weighted
scale:
 30% Process (in-class assignments, reading responses, writer’s workshop, vocabulary activities, etc…)
 70% Product (essays, presentations, vocabulary quizzes, tests, formal graded discussions, etc….)

Essay Revision Policy: Students can revise formal essays (not merely for conventions) for a higher grade.
Students must highlight the revisions they made on their newly revised copy AND turn in the original
graded essay with the revised version.

Academic Dishonesty:
Academic dishonesty is a serious violation of the trust upon which an academic community depends. Cheating will
not be tolerated. If you are found guilty of any of the following infractions you will receive a zero on the
assignment.

 Plagiarism – Plagiarism exists when all or part of an essay is copied from an author, or composed by
another person, and presented as original work. Plagiarism also exists when there is inadequate
recognition given to the author for phrases, sentences, or ideas of the author incorporated into an essay.
 Cheating – Cheating on an examination or performance event. This includes the unauthorized sharing of
material, e.g. two or more students using the same textbook during an "open book" examination; or the use
of course notes or any aids not approved by an instructor during a "closed book" examination;
unauthorized possession or use of an examination or assignment. Using or attempting to use other
students' answers; providing answers to other students; failing to take reasonable measures to protect
answers from use by other students in assignments, projects or examinations; or submitting identical or
virtually identical assignments by students who studied together are also violations of academic honesty.

Turnitin.com: To avoid plagiarism and insure that your work is your own, most of the writing assignments in
class will be turned into a website called “Turn-it-in.” Each student will be responsible for creating his/her own
account and submitting his/her papers on time. No excuses will be accepted in regards to papers not
appearing on the website, so double check that your essay was successfully turned in!

Attendance and Make-up Work:

All students should do their best to be present and on time to class every day; however, I realize sometimes
absences are unavoidable. In the case of an absence,
students will be given one day of attendance to complete
work missed for each day of an excused absence. YOU are
to initiate necessary arrangements the first day you
return to class. The first thing you should do when you
walk into the classroom after an absence is check the
absent board (directly to your left when you walk in the
door). Better yet, check the homework website
http://whslurkins.weebly.com to see what assignments
you are missing while absent. I will update this website
by 3:00pm every day. This will allow you to complete
missed assignments on the days you are absent.

Assignments made by the teacher and known by the

student prior to an excused absence of the student are to
be turned in by the student on his/her return date. The
student will take tests assigned to in advance by the
teacher, and known by the student prior to an excused
absence of the student, on the return date.

Late Work:
It is extremely important that all students turn their work in on time. “On time” means at the BEGINNING of the class
period on the due date. All late homework and classwork will automatically receive half credit (50%). Large
projects and papers turned in late will be docked 10% for each late day up to 5 days. I WILL NOT accept any late
work from a unit that is already completed.

Cell Phone Policy:

Please make sure to turn your phone off or at least to “silent” mode in the classroom. If the phone rings (or
vibrates) in class, consequences will be determined based on the situation. Phones out during exams or quizzes
can result in that student receiving an immediate zero on their work as well as the phone being confiscated. Of
course, outside circumstances could warrant the need to receive a phone call, but if this is the case, please speak to
me ahead of time to allow for special circumstances. There may also be times in which we use your phones for
class activities. In this case, you are expected to use your device for ONLY the purpose designated by me.

TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASSROOM:

Class Website:
 Our comprehensive class website can be found under my name on the Parkway West Staff Directory or at
the following address: http://whslurkins.weebly.com. This website will feature my contact information and
a tab for English IV, which contains the following items:
o Course Syllabus
o Instructions to access our Schoology page
o Instructions to access our Google Classroom page
o Unit Calendars, published throughout the semester

Schoology: Schoology is an online bank of all the class materials, tools, handouts, and readings that we will use
throughout the year. The resources will be organized in folders by topic, unit, and date. This will be a valuable
resource if materials are lost, students are absent, or if certain materials need revisiting outside of school. Several
electronic quizzes and assignments will also be posted to Schoology. Students will complete assignments within
Schoology and/or complete assignments outside of Schoology and submit them to a Schoology assignment drop-
box. Students will be automatically loaded into their individual courses in the first week of school. Because this is
open only to students, parents/guardians who wish to have assignment updates can log in with their student to
orient themselves with course content.

Google Classroom: Parkway has given you a google account. This is your Novel Username @ parkwayschools.net. I
will use Google Classroom primarily for assignments that require ongoing check-ins, interaction, or feedback (i.e.:
reading logs, process writing pieces, essay drafts, etc.). Because Google Classroom allows me to provide you
ongoing feedback, I expect that you compose all essays through Google Docs. You will connect to this site in class
during the first week of school. Because this is open only to students, parents/guardians who wish to have
assignment updates can log in with their student to orient themselves with course content.
 Class Expectations (Designed by YOU!)

As upperclassmen, this is not your first rodeo in a high school classroom. By now, you know what kind of
learning environment works best for you. Here is your chance to create that kind of atmosphere. Our
goal here is to create a list of expectations that will help to create a safe and effective learning
environment for you AND your peers. Here are some areas in which we need to create expectations:
 Turning in work
 Participation
 Respecting others
 Behavior during discussions/group work
 Overall behavior
 Effort
 Responsibility (what does this look like in a classroom)
 Etc…
You will participate in the expectation activities as a class, and when Mrs. Lurkins shares the final draft of
expectations with you, copy them on the lines below:

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By following these agreed upon expectations, I have no doubt that we will have a fantastic year. I cannot
express how pumped I am to be your English teacher this year, and I can’t wait to get to know and work
with all of you. Let’s do this!
Parents and Guardians:

Hello and welcome! My name is Diana Lurkins, and I will be your child’s instructor for English III this
year. This is my 10th year teaching English, my 4th at Parkway West High School, and I am ecstatic to be
teaching your child. I am looking forward to getting to know you and your child very well throughout the
course of the school year. I would like to take this opportunity to invite you to visit with me during West
High Open House on Thursday, August 23rd from 6:30-8:30pm. Through events such as Open House and
parent-teacher conferences I will be able to keep you informed and involved in the classroom. In between
time, do not hesitate to call (314-415-5593) or email (dlurkins@parkwayschools.net) me if you have any
questions, comments or concerns. I am always happy to help! I also have a website that I update
everyday where you can find a calendar, homework assignments, and other resources to help your child
be successful in English III. The website can be found at http://whslurkins.weebly.com.

Please take some time to read and discuss the attached syllabus with your child and sign in the
designated spaces below as a confirmation of your child’s agreement to abide by the policies and
expectations outlined in the class syllabus. Again, I look forward to working closely with you and your
child this year in an effort to help mold him/her into a curious, capable, and confident learner!

Sincerely,
Mrs. Diana Lurkins

Students: Please sign and print your name below after you have read the syllabus and agree to adhere to
the policies and expectations for this course.

Print Name: ____________________________________________ Signature: ____________________________________________

Parents/Guardians: Please indicate below your preferred method of contact and sign indicating that
you have reviewed the contents of this syllabus with your child.

Phone: __________________________________________________ Email: ________________________________________________

I prefer to be contacted by _____________________________________ (phone or email)

Print Name: ____________________________________________ Signature: ___________________________________________

What questions do you have for me? ___________________________________________________________________________

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