Cloverdale High School
Honors English III

Philosophy

Honors English III is a challenging and stimulating year-long course taken in the junior year. Students will receive ten units that will be applied to the CHS English graduation requirement and will earn/receive the inflated GPA for grades of A, B, or C. Honors English III meets the admissions requirements for CSU and UC.

Those who work diligently and enthusiastically will succeed. Daily participation and satisfactory completion of all assignments are necessary for the student to succeed in this class and be involved in a meaningful educational experience.

Prerequisites

Satisfactory completion of English I and English II with an average grade of "B" or better, or instructor recommendation. A.S. English II is highly recommended.

Occupational Clusters

Arts and Communications; Science and Technology; Business and Management; Health and Human Services

Objectives

Students will practice and improve advanced writing skills in several essays, evaluative, analytical, interpretive, reflective, autobiographical, controversial and observationasl, and will write a major research paper (estimated completion early in the second semester [before spring break]).

Students will be involved in an intense program of reading, writing, speaking and listening activities related to a variety of literature and its analysis and discussion, working toward achievement of the State Standards. Several areas of study this year will be integrated with U.S. History.

Students will work individually and cooperatively to gain a better understanding, through literature and their activities and explorations, of themselves and the world around them.

Grading Policy

Points will be given commensurate with the value of each assignment. These points will be cumulative and totaled at the end of each grading period. Semester grades are the result of the cumulative point total for the three report periods.

Homework and short assignments (vocabulary, literature logs/responses, etc.) which are required for meaningful class participation are due on the day assigned and will receive a zero credit if not presented when due. Each student will receive one "homework pass" per grading period (three per semester), which may be used by the student in an emergency situation. Late work will lose 20% of the possible total for each day that it is late. After the third day, the work will not be accepted. (If an assignment is due on Wednesday, for example, it will not be accepted after 3pm on Friday. Extended illness is, of course, an exception). Quizzes and short tests (vocabulary tests, for example) must be made up within a week of the absence during the tutorial period.

Approximately 15-20% of each quarter's grade is based on classroom participation; small group work, contributing to class discussion, reading alound, etc. The remainder of the grade is based on the student's written and oral work; homework, special projects, essays, group presentations, semester portfolio, etc. Approximately 65% of the grade for the second semester is based on the research paper. A student wishing to earn an "A" or improve his/her grade must complete a minimum of 1200 pages of outside reading and participate in book conferences each semester. At least two of the books must be chosen from a recognized recommended reading list. Total value of this reading and conference is about 10% of the semester grade. Honors English III is an intense and demanding course of study.

Materials/Requirements

  1. Books are issued to each student as-needed. The student is responsible for returning each book in good condition or replacing or paying for any book that is samaged or lost before another book is issued.
  2. Each student must bring to class each day the literature assigned, paper, pen, pencil, English notebook or binder, and a reading book.
  3. Students are responsible for any assignments missed. A brief conference with the instructor during tutorial will inform the student of any missed work.
  4. All work is due on the due date. Credit will be substantially reduced on any late work (see above). If a student is absent, the assignment must be "made-up" within the number of days of the absence. Arrangements must be made for long-term assignments to be submitted on time even if the student is absent on that date.
  5. All work in Honors English III must be submitted in ink or typed and double-spaced. All final drafts of major papers, essays, etc. must be typed (double-spaced).

This year Honors English III students will be reading and exporing in depth the following pieces of literature:

  • The Bear and/or Snow Falling on Cedars
  • The Lottery
  • The Crucible
  • The Raven
  • The Fall of the House of Usher
  • The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail
  • The Harvest Gypsies
  • The Grapes of Wrath
  • The Scarlett Letter
  • Letter From Birmingham Jail
  • Animal Dreams
  • Othello
  • Inherit the Wind

In addition to these works, students will read several other poems and short stories as well as individually selected works.

I am looking forward to a very productive and rewarding year! If you have any questions, please call me at 894-1900 ext. 35.

Candy Paulson

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Cloverdale High School
509 N. Cloverdale Blvd. | Cloverdale, CA 95425

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