English 3 Honors

Ms. S. Smith English 3H Course Information and Syllabus 2025-2026

Hello Everyone-

Welcome to English 3 Honors! I am looking forward to getting to know all of you, and I’m extremely happy to be able to get to see you this year. Please be aware, information in this syllabus is subject to change at teacher or school discretion.

Contact Information: Telephone: 864.355.3536 Email: shensmith@greenville.k12.sc.us 

*Email is my fastest form of communication - parents and students

Schedule-

1st Semester    1st English 3 Honors 2nd Planning  3rd Read 180  4th English 3 Honors

2nd Semester   1st English 3 CP  2nd English 3 CP  3rd English 3 Honors  4th Planning

Supplies: Students will need a class binder and divider tabs for 5 sections, pens, highlighters, paper, and pencils. Please ensure your student brings a charged Chromebook every day. I do not have the outlet capacity to allow everyone to charge, but  I will have  charging lines available around the classroom. It is in the student's best interest to ensure  their Chromebook is charged when they come to class. An organized student is also a prepared student. If your student will need dividers or a binder, I will have a small amount of items for them to use on a first ask  first served basis. We will consumable  textbooks and an online version available to all students, so students will not be responsible for any nor will they be bringing an English textbook home. 

Google Classroom: Google Classroom is the “hub” that English 3 Honors will revolve around. Although my website contains the English 3 Pacing Guide, everything students need will be in the classroom, including due dates etc. I will go over parameters for turn in processes when students are in class. It will be imperative that you check your Google Classroom and your school email constantly. That is how most communication will be done. I will also place missed assignments due to absence from class in google classroom. 

Attendance and Due Dates: Because we are on a block schedule, any unexcused absence in excess of  5 days may cause the student to lose credit for the course. Please be mindful of this going forward. Any early dismissals need to be turned into the attendance officer prior to the start of the school day - students will not be allowed to leave class to turn in their note. We are doing Seat Time Recovery this year, so students must be present. Should your child be absent for an extended period of time, please encourage them to be in contact with me and to be completing their work on Google Classroom. 

Tutoring/Questions: I offer tutoring by appointment. If your child needs extra help, please encourage them to reach out to me via email or in person so we can arrange a time. Mornings work best for me, but Hillcrest High offers afterschool tutoring on Tuesdays and Thursdays in the media center at 3:45 pm.. 

Cell Phone Policy: Cell phones will not be allowed from bell to bell per the School District Cell phone policy. Students who disregard the policy will be assigned detention on the first infraction and a written disciplinary referral on the second or any subsequent infraction. Cell phones are not permitted to be used, and they must remain out of sight from bell to bell. Should students violate this policy, violation will be noted, detention will be scheduled,  and parent contact will be made. Cell phone usage when not permitted causes a great deal of distraction for the student and will ultimately result in a lower grade.

Discipline Policy: 

Step 1: Issue a Warning and parent contact

Step 2: Confer with Student (teacher detention; change seating, etc…)  and parent contact

Step 3: Office Referral and parent contact *Some steps may be skipped per teacher discretion

Academic Integrity Statement: Plagiarism and AI Use: Plagiarism is very real. You will have to be extremely conscientious about your work. I can see if you copied and pasted from another classmate . I can easily see if you have copied and pasted from the internet. Please do your best original work. You will receive a zero on the assignment if it is plagiarized in any form .

Students are expected to uphold the highest standards of academic honesty. Plagiarism—the use of another’s words, ideas, or work without proper acknowledgment—is strictly prohibited and will result in disciplinary action according to school policies.

Regarding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools, students must use AI-generated content responsibly. Any work submitted must be the student’s own. Submitting AI-generated work as entirely original without disclosure is considered academic dishonesty.

Students are encouraged to develop their own ideas and writing skills. When in doubt, ask your teacher for guidance on appropriate use of sources and technology.  Please read GCS Position on Generative AI.

Course Outline and Description: We will be reading literary texts that cover all races, genders, and types over the course of the school year. These will primarily be written by American authors. These works will be plays, poems, short stories, essays, newspaper articles, etc that span from the onset of the country to present day. These works seek to expose students to the ideals of America through literature.

Unit 1  Foundations and Encounters

Unit 2 Building a Democracy

Unit 3 The Individual and Society

Unit 4 The Quest for Freedom

Unit 5 America Transformed

Unit 6 Modern and Contemporary Voices

Course Reading Texts: Students may study one or more of the following: The Scarlet Letter, The Crucible, Of Mice and Men, The Great Gatsby, The Constitution, The Bill of Rights, Martin Luther King Jr., “Declaration of Human Rights,” Sojourner Truth, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Thoreau, Fences, Japanese American Civil Rights texts, Latinx American Civil Rights texts, Indigenous Peoples Civil Rights Texts, Chicano American Civil Rights texts, poetry, and Choice Novels.

Also, texts from this list:  HHS reading list

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Classroom Expectations: Students are expected to be ready to learn every day. Students are expected to meet all guidelines laid out by their teacher. Students are expected to treat everyone in the classroom with respect - including teachers and peers. Students should be prepared daily and should keep track of their assignments and due dates. Students are expected to understand the late work policy and the plagiarism policy. Students are expected to communicate with their teacher and be self-advocates if and when they need help. Please see my classroom expectation page for more details.

Grading Scale and Policy

90-100 A       80-89 B      

70-79 C         60-69 D     

59-and below F

Grade Weights

60% Major Grades:  Tests, final essay drafts, major projects, and unit packets.

40% Minor Grades:  Quizzes, informal writing assignments, vocabulary, classwork and homework

Late Work Policy: We will follow the late work policy set forth by Hillcrest High School. Students may turn in assignments up to five days late with a 10 point per day deduction. If a student is absent, 

assignments will be placed in google classroom. It is the students responsibility to obtain, complete, and turn in  missed work due to an absence timely.  Copy of Hillcrest Late Work Policy

Goals and Outcomes: It is my goal that students enjoy English class and that they feel respected. They should grow as readers and writers throughout the semester. This should then provide them with a steady foundation as they progress in their schooling careers. 

Vision Statement:

In this class, you’ll grow as a reader and writer while exploring stories and ideas from all kinds of people. Together, we’ll build respect, honesty, and skills that help you succeed now and in the future. 

 *Syllabus is subject to change at any point in time throughout the year. 

Please review the syllabus with your child. 

Please call or email me if you have any questions. 

Please also feel free to contact me to share any other essential information that you believe I, as a teacher, need to know about your child in order to make this year as smooth as possible.

Parent Contact and Permission Form