Mrs. Ritter's English III

Welcome to English III.  The most important characteristic a student can bring to the classroom is a willingness to learn.  With effort on the students’ part, every goal is accomplishable.  I look forward to a successful year.  

Materials:Students must have the following materials on a daily basis:

  • 1” three-ring binder: this is where you will store all of your English papers.  This will be your notebook, which you will be required to keep and turn in for a weekly grade.
  • Pencil/Pen – I do not loan writing utensils
  • Paper – we will use paper every day!
  • Index cards – will be required for vocabulary
  Areas of Emphasis: During the course of the year, we will focus our studies on three areas of English:  reading, writing, and grammar. 
  • Composition:  students will compose responses to literature, create poetry and other personal writings, and develop numerous essays.  Through practice, we will master the five-paragraph essay.
  • Grammar:  grammar will primarily be a review of previously learned concepts and will be applied to the writing.
  • Literature:  students will be responsible for reading selected stories and poems from the literature book as well as five novels. 
              Novels:                                                             Papers:
  • The Crucible
  • Narrative
  • Ethan Frome
  • Persuasive (x2)
  • Fahrenheit 451
  • Descriptive
  • Of Mice and Men
  • Research (expository)
  • The Great Gatsby
  • Plus additional essays we will write during EOI review.
   Late Work Policy:
  • I will accept work only one day late beginning at 50% credit.  Turning in your work on time is a great way to maintain a reasonable grade.
  • *NO late work will be accepted on the research paper!!!

 Grading Scale:

90-100 A

80-89 B

70-79 C

60-69 D

0-59 F

  Make-Up Work:
  • Students are responsible for all worked missed due to an absence.  When a student misses class, he or she is responsible for checking the make-up folder to collect the missed assignments.  Students have one day to make up work for each day they are absent.  Work not turned in on time will result in a zero.
  Tardies/Absences:
  • We will follow the policies in the student handbook.
  • Absences: students will not receive credit for this course if they are absent more than 12 days per semester; this does include check-outs.  Three tardies are equivalent to one absence.
  • Tardies: students will receive a detention for their sixth and ninth tardies; students will be sent to a principal at the12th tardy. 
  Rules:The classroom rules are simple and are expected to be followed.  Failure to do so will result in disciplinary action.
  • Be on time
  • Come to class prepared (student has writing utensil and paper, and homework is complete)
  • Show respect to teacher and fellow classmates
  • Recognize school dress code (no holes above the knee, no spaghetti straps, etc.)
  • No cell phones/mp3 players/electronic devices. Cell phones will remain out of sight. There is a functioning clock in the classroom if you need to check the time.  This is your warning; you will be sent to the office with a referral if I see your cell phone 
  • No profanity/cursing – NO tolerance
  • No food/drink
  • I, not the bell, will dismiss you. You will remain in your seat until dismissed; do not line up at the door

Consequences:

  • Step 1: Verbal warning
  • Step 2: Principal-assigned detention and call home to parent
  • Step 3: Further disciplinary action determined by principal