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Reading Syllabus


Posted Date: 11/22/2024

Tentative Course Syllabus 

-Reading III-

 

Contact information: – Ms. Deborah De Leon, English Teacher, Room 405

Email: deborah.deleon@uisd.net

Phone #: 956-473-5561 

Conference Period: 10:05 - 11:25 p.m.

 

Texts: 

  • CommonLit.com

  • HMH ED (link available on USHS homepage)

 

Supplementary Texts:  To initiate academic integrity and growth in student writing, the USHS English department supports and encourages the use of the Modern Language Association (MLA) Handbook.  Teachers of all grade and academic levels will refer to these texts in conjunction with writing instruction and recommend that students purchase both texts as course supplements.  While copies are available, students who annotate and frequently refer to these texts during their high school English career will reap maximum benefits. Both the MLA Handbook and Elements of Style may be attained at any book retailer.

 

Required Materials:  

  • Chromebook/Notebook

  • Highlighters (2)

  • Blue/black pen/pencils 

 

Structure of the Course
Reading III course is designed to strengthen and refine your ability to read and write across multiple genres and EOC. You will:

  • hone your ability to look beyond the obvious and make careful observations, inferences, and conclusions.

  • gain the analytical skills necessary to succeed on the EOC.

  • read and comprehend multiple genres and identify literary elements & rhetorical devices.

Objectives:  

  • Curriculum objectives, assignments, resources, reminders, and due dates will be posted on Google Classroom. 

  • Content Objectives 


 

GRADING

 

ABSENCES AND MAKE-UP WORK

  • `Refer to UISD Student Handbook

  • Students will be required to sign a paper and electronic (Google Classroom) Tardy Log



 

LATE WORK

  • Homework and daily assignments are due upon request as assigned; they will NOT be accepted late UNLESS VALID PARENT EXCUSE IS CONFIRMED BY TEACHER.

  • 10 points per day will apply to homework.

  • 1 letter grade for major projects & essays. 

 

PLAGIARISM STATEMENT

Plagiarism is the use of another’s words or ideas and the presentation of them as though they were entirely one’s own.  Acts of plagiarism might include, but are not limited to:

  • using words or ideas from a published source without proper documentation

  • using the work of another student (e.g. copying homework, composition, or project)

  • using excessive editing suggestions from another student, teacher, parent, or paid editor.

 

A note about what constitutes “excessive editing.”  Students learn to write well by doing just that, writing.  Struggling independently through the writing process produces growth (as well as a certain amount of agony), and eventually the student’s own voice.  When well-meaning parents, siblings, tutors, or others contribute their ideas, words, phrases, revisions, etc. to students’ writing, student writers miss the opportunity to achieve literary self-reliance.

 

So – what is helping, but is NOT excessive editing?  The answer is: questioning and cueing.  For example: “Is this word strong enough? Interesting enough? Specific enough?”  “Can you think of another word that would fit better?”  “Does this sentence seem awkward?”  “What exactly do you mean?”  “I don’t understand what you are trying to say here; can you say it more clearly?” “This sentence has a powerful verb; can you find one as powerful as that other sentence?”

 

These kinds of questions and statements allow the students to think and write independently.  Students should be allowed to find their own voices and to develop their own writing skills.  

 

Plagiarism on any project or paper will result in a zero for the assignment.  Unless strictly stipulated by the teacher, collaboration on written work is not acceptable.  Students who willingly provide other students with access to their work are in violation.


 

The syllabus below is subject to change based on the semester. 















 

Reading III Semester at a Glance (Fall 2024)

Week

Unit/ Genre

Readings

TEKS

Week 1

 

Fiction


 

  • Introduction to the course, take diagnostic exams for grammar, reading, and essay writing. 

  • Read “Nails on the Fence”

 

 

3CDE, 4ABDG,E5BC, 5C, 7A, 8BD, E9E

Week 2

 

Literary Nonfiction

Fragments and Run-Ons



 

  • Read: “By Any Other Name”

  • Literary Elements: Allusion, Imagery, Characterization, Theme, Setting, Tone & Mood, Metaphor, Conflict, Irony

  • Grammar: Fragments and Run-Ons 

  • SCR

 

 

E1A,2B, 3CDE, 4ABDG,E5BC, 5C, 7A, 8BD, E9E

Week 3

 

Argumentative

Common Usage, Comma Splices, and Run-Ons

  • Read: Wealthy Teen Nearly Experiences Consequences & Zoot Suits

  • Literary Elements: appeals, rhetorical devices, persuasion, and the author’s purpose.

  • Grammar: Comma Usage, Comma Splices, and Run-ons

  • SCR

  • ECR

    •  

  

2ABE, 3BCD, E5BC, 5AC, 6A, 7A,8BCD

Week 4

 

Fiction

Verb Tenses


 

  • Read: What, of this Goldfish, Would You Wish? 

  • Literary Elements: inferences, irony, personification

  • Grammar : Verb Tense

  • SCR

  • ECR

  

 2ABE, 3BCD, E5BC,5AC, 6A, 7A,8BCD,9ABCE,E11

Week 5

 

Argumentative

Phrases, Prepositions, Appositives, and Verbal

 


 

  • Read RO/CON: Cellphone bans in schools & Julius Caesar Act 3 Scene 2.

  • Literary Elements: argument, claim, counterargument, concession, rebuttal, refutation, rhetorical question, anaphora, 

  • persuasive 

  • Grammar: Phrases: Prepositional, Appositive, and Verbal 

  

2A 2B 2C 4E 4G 4H 5B 5C 5D 5G 7Di 7Ei 7Eiii 8A 8E 8G 9Bi 9Dv 10C 

Week 6

 

Informational

Pronoun Antecedent

  • Read; From Simplexity 

  • Literary Elements: Author’s Purpose, Metaphor, Repetition, Text Structure, Main Idea, Supporting Details, textual structure, and author’s purpose.

  • Grammar: Pronoun Antecedent

  

ABC 4EFGH 5BC 9Bi 9CD 10D  

Week 7

 

Informational 

Poetry

Participial Phrases

  • Read: A Community Forever Altered by a Forgotten Massacre and I am the People.

  • Literary Elements: Diction, Tone, Figurative language, Text Structure, Simile, Metaphor, Imagery, Personification

  • Grammar: Participial Phrases 

  

2AE, 3BCD, 4G, 5AC, 6A, 8BCD

Week 8

 

Literary Nonfiction  Poetry



 

  • Read: The Hawk Can Soar and An Obstacle.

  •  Literary Elements: tone and mood and other literary conventions.  

  • Grammar: Active and Passive Voice

 

2ABE, 3BCD, E5BC,5AC, 6A, 7A,8BCD,9ABCE,E11

Week 9

 

Fiction, Argumentative, & Poetry

  • Read Triplet: The Wife’s Story, Hope for Animals and Their World, and Trophic Cascade 

  • Literary Elements: Tone, Author’s Purpose, Details, Diction

  • Grammar: Midterm

  

 

1B 2ABE 3CD 4ACDFE 5BCG 6A 8ABD 9BBiCD 10B

Week 10

 

Fiction

Informational

Phrases and Clauses

  • Read: The Landlady & Dream Jobs: Hotel manager 

  • Literary Elements: characterization and author’s purpose.

  • Grammar: Phrases and Clauses

 

2ABC, 4CG, 5BCD, 6ABCD,8D

Week 11

 

Literary Nonfiction

Parallel Structures


 

  • Read: Joyas Voladoras 

  • Literary Elements: tone/mood, imagery, similes and metaphors.

  • Grammar: Parallel Structures 

 

2AB, 4EF,5C, 6A, 7A, 8D, 10B

Week 12

 

Drama/Play

Sentence Structures


 

  • Read The Tragedy of Macbeth Act I Scs 3 and 5,

  • Literary Elements: symbolism & motif, character development, tragic hero, foil, and theme.

  • Grammar: Phrases and Clauses

 

2AB, 4C, 6ABC, 7C

Week 13

 

Drama/Play

Phrases and Clauses

  • Read The Tragedy of Macbeth Act I Sc 7, Act II Sc 2, Act IV Scs 1 and 3

  • Literary Elements: symbolism & motif, character development, tragic hero, foil, and theme.

  • Grammar: Sentence Structures

 

2ABC, 3, 4CF, 5C, 6B, 7AC, 8G

Week 14

 

Drama/Play

Pronoun Antecedent


 

  • Read The Tragedy of Macbeth Act V Scs 1, 5, and 8

  • Literary Elements: symbolism & motif, character development, tragic hero, foil, and theme.

  • Grammar: Pronoun Antecedent, Parallel Structure 

 

2ABE, 3BCD, E5BC,5AC, 6A, 7A,8BCD,9ABCE,E11

Week 15

 

STAAR Academy


 

  • Reading, All Genres

 

2ABE, 3BCD, E5BC,5AC, 6A, 7A,8BCD,9ABCE,E11

Week 16

 

STAAR Academy


 

  • Reading, All Genres

 

2ABE, 3BCD, E5BC,5AC, 6A, 7A,8BCD,9ABCE,E11

Week 17

 

STAAR EOC TESTING


 

  • Reading, All Genres

 

2ABE, 3BCDE, 4D 5BC,5AC, 6A, 7A, 8BCD, 9ABCE,E1110AB

Week 18

 

FINAL EXAM

  • Final Exam

  • PLB Presentations

 

2ABE, 3BCDE, 4D 5BC,5AC, 6A, 7A, 8BCD, 9ABCE,E1110AB