English III American Literature

Overview
The purpose of this course is to expose you to different subgenres and types of writing within the American Literature genre, while grasping a deeper understanding of how literature affects points in history, how history plays a part within every text, and how these pieces relate to our everyday lives in the 21st century. We will do this by examining pieces through writing, discussion, and active listening. Our curriculum is based off of College Boards SpringBoard Level 6* text, while incorporating supplemental studies in reading, writing, research, and grammar.

Mr. Benincasa
La Plata High School rbenincasa@ccboe.com MrBenincasa.com

Materials
Please be sure to bring the following everyday: ALL graded work must be kept in a three-ring binder. This will be checked periodically. Pen or pencil (no purple, pink, or red ink) Separate notebook attached to binder College-ruled filler paper in binder HIGHLIGHTER SpringBoard textbook Any text we are reading in class.

Classroom Rules
1. Be respectful. While we try to incorporate an active learning environment, it is important to not only be respectful of your teacher, but also your peers. 2. Listen to your teacher and classmates when they are speaking. 3. Follow all other school rules.

Classroom Procedures
1. Students must be SEATED by the time the late bell rings for class. Students not seated before the bell rings will be marked as tardy for the day. 2. All classes will be started by the designated students or groups for that day. The group that is labeled at the front of the class will choose a role for the day upon entering, and once the late bell rings, they will begin to read the days objective, the Word of the Day, any assignments written on the board, as well as the daily warm-up for their classmates, before beginning to complete the warm-up on the SMART Board. 3. Bathroom/water breaks are ONLY allowed during independent work time at the teachers discretion.

Book List
The following books are on the CCPS Approved Titles list and may be used throughout the year in Literature Circles* or as a whole-class reading in conjunction with SpringBoard.
In the Time of the Butterflies Julia Alvarez Into the Wild Jon Krakauer The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald The Crucible Arthur Miller The Scarlet Letter Nathaniel Hawthorne The Catcher in the Rye J.D. Salinger Their Eyes Were Watching God Zora Neale Hurston (full list on MrBenincasa.com)

Consequences
If the school rules and classroom procedures are not followed, the order of consequences typically are: 1. Verbal Warning 2. Time Out* & Student-Teacher Conference (after class) 3. Lunch detention and parent notification 4. Sent to Administrator (also for severe cases) Problems are not anticipated in our classroom, and due to their rarity they rarely escalate past student Time Out and a conference.
*= More information about the Time Out procedure, SpringBoard, and Literature Circles can be found on the classroom website, MrBenincasa.com

Late/Make-Up Work
1. If you are absent, please check the appropriate folder in class to see what material you missed. Any questions will be answered during the class independent work time. 2. The latest I will accept an assignment is THREE DAYS LATE, unless prior arrangements are made before the due date. A deduction of ten percentage points will occur for each day the assignment is late. CCPS ATTENDANCE POLICY: Students who have three unexcusable tardies during a quarter are issued an unlawful absence. Two unlawful absences during a quarter will fail the subject for that quarter.

Grading Policies
Similar to most classes at LPHS, the grading policy is as follows: A = 90-100% B = 80-89% C = 70-79% D = 60-69% F = 59-0%

Policy on Editing Student Work

Writing is one of the strongest ways for a student to display their knowledge, and is especially important in an English class, where students have the opportunity to continually improve upon their writing and communication skills. Because of this, we consistently do a lot of small writing assignments, as well as a few large projects throughout the year. Due to the number of assignments, students will be responsible for editing their own drafts, as well as their peers work, during our in-class editing time. This gives the teacher the opportunity to comment on strong points, as well as items that need to be improved before the final draft. Research shows that this separation places more emphasis on the quality of the students writing, as well as their own editing capabilities (NCTE).

Typed Work
All typed work should be 12pt., Times New Roman font, or a font of equal readability and size. All papers, unless otherwise specified, should be doublespaced. Typed papers must have a one-inch margin around the entire paper. Handwritten papers must have a one-inch margin on the left and top of the paper.

Technology In (and Out) of the Classroom

Due to the huge advancements in educational technology, we try to use as much as we effectively can in the classroom. This includes the daily use of SMART Boards, in-class computers and laptops, as well as e-readers for research. However, the out-of-class services we use for class are often even more important. For students, we hold our discussions and online literature circles on Schoology (schoology.com); students hand in larger papers for class on Turnitin.com, and of course grades are accessible 24 hours a day on Edline. We will also be using a classroom website throughout the year (MrBenincasa.com). This site will not only be beneficial to students, but will also allow parents to view upcoming assignments, print materials, and participate in the classroom environment with your child. I will also be sending out a bi-weekly email newsletter to parents regarding past and upcoming assignments, along with pictures of the student activities to keep parents informed. Students, please sign below to indicate that you have read and understand the syllabus and classroom expectations, and agree to adhere to it to the best of your ability,. Parents, please sign below indicating you have read the syllabus and agree to aide in your childs success throughout this academic year. DUE FRIDAY, AUG. 30. Student Signature Students Email Address (optional) For academic communication purposes Parent Signature Parents Email Address For classroom communication purposes