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English

9-12

Course Outline

 

English 9:

Course Description:

 

English 9 provides students with the language skills needed to prepare them for college and career readiness and helps students refine the skills necessary for the development of academic literacy. These skills are developed through the active reading of literary and informational texts, academic language development of text-embedded vocabulary, oral language practice, and writing of informational, argumentative, synthetic, and narrative pieces. Students practice critical thinking, comprehension, and application skills through thematic units centered on topics, such as plot and conflict, themes and symbols, argument and persuasion, and drama. This course expands upon proficiencies in the fundamentals of reading and writing with focus on comprehension and mastery of syntax, grammar, punctuation, capitalization, spelling, and usage in written communication. Students are exposed to a variety of literary and informational texts in order to construct coherent writing pieces that help to develop their own position and perspective on a variety of topics.

 

This course includes a broad series of lessons and activities that offer a variety of modalities for ultimate student engagement and content retention. Each unit contains a series of lessons that include introduction of content, virtual demonstration of that content, and repeated opportunity to practice that content, along with a quiz per lesson, exam per unit, and final exam at the end of the course.

 

  

English 9A

 

Module 1: Foundations of Reading & Writing

 

Literature/Reading: Reading Skills

  • Infer intended meaning from a reading passage

  • Draw conclusions from reading selections

  • Refer to textual evidence to support analyses

  • Define the central idea or theme of a piece

  • Write objective summaries

  • Identify an author's purpose for a given text

  • Point out pertinent details specific to a reading selection

  • Make predictions using information given in a passage or text

 

Writing: Writing Process

  • Use effective strategies for pre-writing, such as mapping and brainstorming

  • Address audience, purpose, and task in writing

  • Establish the different types of writing styles along with examples

  • Improve sentence structure for better writing

  • Use revision techniques to fix mistakes in writing

  • Edit for mechanics and content

  • Inspect the steps required for editing content

  • Effectively use grammar and commonly confused English words

 

Grammar: Sentence Structure

  • Fragments

  • Run-Ons

 

Module 2: Literary Text Analysis & Research Skills

 

Literature/Reading: Literary Text Analysis

  • Use a step-by-step process to analyze passages of literature

  • Understand how genre and literary form impacts meaning

  • Establish the plot of a story

  • Outline and identify characterization in literature

  • Understand character aspects through the use of dialogue

  • Figure out how the setting shapes the story

  • Identify themes in literary works

  • Understand how figures of speech and dialect contribute to literary style

  • Map how traditional story, myth and religion inspire modern fiction

 

Writing: Research Skills

  • Locate and evaluate sources

  • Properly incorporate reference materials into essays

  • Summarize, quote, and paraphrase sources

  • Use in-text citations in MLA or APA format

  • Create works cited pages

 

Grammar: Pronouns

  • Subject Pronouns

  • Object Pronouns

  • Than vs. As

  • Who, Whom, Whose

 

Module 3: Literary Terms and Devices & Research Paper

 

Literature/Reading: Literary Terms & Devices

  • Describe literary devices and provide examples

  • Identify the difference between apostrophe and personification

  • Analyze the definition of allegory and its history

  • Check out the purpose of oxymoron in literature

  • Define a flashback and its function within storytelling

  • Examine the use of sarcasm in writing

  • Compare the different types of irony

 

Writing: Research Paper 

  • Practice brainstorming topics for writing

  • Utilize research techniques and strategies

  • Write first draft of a research paper

 

Grammar: Pronouns

  • Relative Pronouns

  • Vague Pronoun References

  • Antecedents

 

Module 4: Short Stories & Research Paper

 

Literature: Exploring Short Stories

  • Explain the elements within a short story

  • Review and analyze Poe's The Cask of Amontillado (or similar short story)

  • Show key themes within The Most Dangerous Game (or similar short story)

  • Determine the importance of setting within The Scarlet Ibis (or similar short story)

 

Writing: Research Paper

  • Use revision techniques to fix mistakes in writing

  • Edit for mechanics and content

  • Inspect the steps required for editing content

  • Effectively use grammar and commonly confused English words

 

Grammar: Adjectives and Adverbs

  • Choosing between adverbs and adjectives

  • Comparative and Superlative Adjectives

  • Good, better, best, bad, worse, worst

  • Comparative and Superlative Adverbs

  • Well, better, best, badly worse, worst

 

Module 5: Poetry & Research Paper

 

Literature: Exploring Poetry

  • Describe the literary terms associated with poetry

  • Understand and recognize repetition, assonance, and consonance in poetry

  • Identify the theme in 'Hope is the Thing with Feathers' (or similar short poem)

  • Analyze Poe's poem, 'The Raven' (or similar poem)

  • Examine E.E. Cummings' 'In Just' (or similar poem)

 

Writing: Research Paper

  • Use revision techniques to fix mistakes in writing

  • Edit for mechanics and content

  • Inspect the steps required for editing content

  • Effectively use grammar and commonly confused English words

  • Complete edits and revisions

  • Finalize final draft

 

Grammar: Commas

  • Commas with introductory words and interjections

  • Commas with series, dates, and places

  • Commas with compound and complex sentences

 

Module 6: Epics and Myths

 

Literature: Exploring Epics and Myths 

  • Establish what epic poetry is

  • Outline the Greek epic The Odyssey (or similar epic)

  • Evaluate whether Odysseus can be considered a hero

  • Identify themes within The Odyssey (or similar epic)

  • Relate key quotes from The Odyssey (or similar epic)

  • Describe different types of myths

  • Analyze the myth of Perseus and Medusa (or similar myth)

 

Grammar: Semicolons and Colons

  • Colons with lists

  • Semicolon Rules

 

 

 

English 9B

 

 

Module 1: Drama: Romeo and Juliet (or similar drama)

 

Literature: Exploring Drama; Romeo & Juliet (or similar drama)

  • Identify symbolism, setting, plot, and characters

  • Analyze the structure of dramas

  • Define stage directions

  • Compare tragedies from the classical era up to the modern era

  • Examine the dramatic elements of Romeo and Juliet

 

Grammar – Dashes and Hyphens

  • Using dashes

  • Hyphens and compound adjectives

 

Module 2: The Novel: To Kill a Mockingbird, Night, Animal Farm, & A Separate Peace

 

Literature: Exploring Drama; Romeo & Juliet (or similar drama)

  • Describe themes and other literary elements

  • Identify symbolism, setting, plot, and characters

  • Analyze the structure of dramas

  • Examine historical context of each novel

  • Analyze the use of figurative language to further plot development

Grammar: Titles

  • Capitalizing Titles

  • Formatting Titles

 

Module 3: Argumentative Essay

 

Writing: Argumentative Essay

  • Explain the difference between a topic and an argument

  • Point out steps for writing a great argument

  • Review techniques for structuring arguments and essays

  • Differentiate between the various parts of an argument

  • Establish methods for developing concluding statements

  • Evaluate the validity and effectiveness of arguments

  • Inspect writing for stereotypes, assumptions, and biases

  • Apply rhetorical devices and determine their effectiveness

 

Grammar: Conjunctive Adverbs

  • Transitions with conjunctive adverbs

 

Module 4: Nonfiction Text Analysis & Informative and Technical Writing

 

Literature: Nonfiction Text Analysis

  • Describe the implied main idea of a text

  • Identify supporting details that relate to the main point

  • Detail the sequence of events occurring within informational texts

  • Analyze the structure of a nonfiction text

  • Gather information from supplemental features used in nonfiction texts

  • Understand the use of persuasion, informed opinion, and fact in nonfiction

  • Examine the 'Gettysburg Address' and provide an analysis

 

Writing: Informative and Technical Writing 

  • Write an informative essay

  • Use the five-paragraph essay structure

  • Craft topic sentences, thesis statement, and main ideas

  • Organize and categorize info, ideas, and concepts

  • Define proper sources and evaluate credibility of sources

  • Explain the organizational structures of expository writing

  • Create strong transitional sentences

  • Use precise language in essays

  • Write with an objective and formal tone

  • Draft effective conclusions

  • Create compare and contrast essays

  • Relate the uses for technical communication

  • Write business letters

  • Select two speeches, poems, or short stories to compare and contrast

  • Write first draft of compare and contrast essay

 

Grammar: Parallel structure

  • Identify sentences with parallel sentence structure

  • Use parallel structure

 

Module 5: Nonfiction Text Analysis & Informative and Technical Writing

 

Literature: Nonfiction Text Analysis

Student Outcomes:

  • Describe the implied main idea of a text

  • Identify supporting details that relate to the main point

  • Detail the sequence of events occurring within informational texts

  • Analyze the structure of a nonfiction text

  • Gather information from supplemental features used in nonfiction texts

  • Understand the use of persuasion, informed opinion, and fact in nonfiction

  • Explain the main points of George Washington's 'Farewell Address'

 

Writing: 

  • Use revision techniques to fix mistakes in writing

  • Edit for mechanics and content

  • Inspect the steps required for editing content

  • Effectively use grammar and commonly confused English words

 

Grammar: Modifiers

  • Identify misplaced and dangling modifiers

  • Use modifiers correctly

 

Module 6: Media Analysis & Speaking and Listening

 

Literature: Media Analysis

  • Interpret photography, sculptures, paintings, and other visual media

  • Find the thesis, narrative and meaning of performance art

 

Writing: Speaking and Listening

  • Establish techniques to prepare for a discussion

  • Outline methods for contributing to a discussion

  • Evaluate the speeches of other people

  • Figure out the types and purpose for informative speaking

  • Inspect strategies for helping audiences learn

  • Differentiate between the purpose, audience, and speaker

  • Apply vocal qualities to infer meaning

  • Describe dialect, articulation, and pronunciation

  • Identify the function of nonverbal communication

  • Write a business letter

 

Grammar: Frequently Confused Words

  • Identify frequently confused words

  • Identify frequently confused pronouns

 

English 10:

 

Course Description:

 

English 10 provides students with the language skills needed to prepare them for college and career readiness. These skills are developed through the active reading of literary and informational texts, academic language development of text-embedded vocabulary, oral language practice, and writing of informational, argumentative, synthetic, and narrative pieces. Students practice critical thinking, comprehension, and application skills through thematic units centered on topics, such as plot and conflict, themes and symbols, argument and persuasion, and drama. This course expands upon proficiencies in the fundamentals of reading and writing with focus on comprehension and mastery of syntax, grammar, punctuation, capitalization, spelling, and usage in written communication. Students are exposed to a variety of literary and informational texts in order to construct coherent writing pieces that help to develop their own position and perspective on a variety of topics.

 

This course includes a broad series of lessons and activities that offer a variety of modalities for ultimate student engagement and content retention. Each unit contains a series of lessons that include introduction of content, virtual demonstration of that content, and repeated opportunity to practice that content, along with a quiz per lesson, exam per unit, and final exam at the end of the course.

 

English 10A

 

Module 1: Foundations of Reading & Writing

 

Literature: Reading Skills

  • Make inferences and draw conclusions

  • Correctly cite text evidence

  • Compare and analyze related texts

  • Identify the theme or central idea

  • Analyze a text's purpose

  • Summarize a story objectively

  • Pinpoint details in a text

  • Use visualization for reading comprehension

 

Writing:  Writing Process

  • Use effective prewriting techniques

  • Identify the audience and purpose for a piece of writing

  • Organize writing by task, purpose, and audience

  • Enhance quality of writing through improved sentence structure

  • Detect improper use of words

  • Correct errors and make revisions

  • Edit for content and mechanics

 

Grammar: Fragments and Run-Ons

  • Identify sentence fragments

  • Identify run-on sentences

  • Choose punctuation to avoid fragments and run-ons

 

Module 2: Literary Text Analysis & Research Skills

 

Literature: Literary Text Analysis

  • Use a step-by-step process to analyze passages of literature

  • Understand how genre and literary form impacts meaning

  • Establish the plot of a story

  • Outline and identify characterization in literature

  • Understand character aspects through the use of dialogue

  • Figure out how the setting shapes the story

  • Identify themes in literary works

  • Understand how figures of speech and dialect contribute to literary style

  • Map how traditional story, myth and religion inspire modern fiction

 

Writing: Research Skills

  • Examine and develop research questions

  • Locate and assess source materials

  • Make proper use of references

  • Paraphrase, summarize and use quotations properly

  • Cite references in text using correct formatting

  • Make a works cited page

  • Correctly use the MLA and APA guidelines

 

Grammar: Phrases and Clauses

  • Phrases vs. Clauses

  • Identify prepositional phrases

  • Identify appositives and appositive phrases

 

Module 3: Literary Terms and Devices & Research Paper

 

Literature: Literary Terms & Devices

  • Define and describe metaphor, allusion, allegory, symbolism, and imagery in literature

  • Distinguish personification from apostrophe and cite examples of each

  • Explain and describe examples of sensory language and ambiguity

  • Illustrate and define oxymoron and explain the purpose for it

  • Describe and explain flashback and foreshadowing

  • Identify and define sarcasm and irony, and give examples

 

Writing: Research Paper

  • Practice brainstorming topics for writing

  • Utilize research techniques and strategies

  • Write first draft of a research paper

 

Grammar: Clauses

  • Identify dependent and independent clauses

  • Simple, complex, and compound sentences

  • Combine sentences using relative clauses

 

Module 4: Analyzing Short Stories & Research Paper

 

Literature: Analyzing Short Stories

  • Define and describe the elements of a short story

  • Summarize and analyze ''The Gift of the Magi'' by O. Henry (or similar short story)

  • Describe and explain ''The Lottery'' by Shirley Jackson (or similar short story)

  • Evaluate and discuss Charlotte Perkins Gilman's ''The Yellow Wallpaper'' (or similar short story)

 

Writing: Research Paper

  • Use revision techniques to fix mistakes in writing

  • Edit for mechanics and content

  • Inspect the steps required for editing content

  • Effectively use grammar and commonly confused English words

 

Grammar: Pronouns

  • Identify subject and object pronouns

  • Correct errors with subject and object pronouns

 

Module 5: Poetry Terms and Analysis & Research Paper

 

Literature: Poetry Terms and Analysis 

  • Analyze and identify the main themes and ideas in 'The Weary Blues' (or similar short poem)

  • Expand knowledge of poetic terms and devices

  • Identify and appreciate the imagery in 'Sonnet 18' (or similar poem)

  • Examine the relationship between the structure of a poem and its meaning

 

Writing: Research Paper

  • Use revision techniques to fix mistakes in writing

  • Edit for mechanics and content

  • Inspect the steps required for editing content

  • Effectively use grammar and commonly confused English words

  • Complete edits and revisions

  • Finalize final draft

 

Grammar: Pronouns

  • Than vs. as

  • Pronoun errors with “who”

  • Who vs. whom

  • Relative pronouns

 

Module 6: Drama Characteristics: Julius Caesar (or similar drama) & Narrative Essay

 

Literature: Drama Characteristics: Shakespeare's Julius Caesar (or similar drama)

  • Describe and explain the elements of a dramatic work

  • Identify the components of a play, including scenes, acts, etc.

  • Note and explain stage directions

  • Demonstrate how to read and interpret dialogue

  • Trace tragedy in drama from classical to modern and understand what constitutes a tragic hero

  • Compare the historical Julius Caesar to the character depicted by Shakespeare

  • Analyze Caesar's character as Shakespeare presents him

  • Explain themes, literary and rhetorical devices found in Julius Caesar

 

Writing: Narrative Essay

  • Explain the definition and characteristics of narrative essays

  • Point out the hook of narrative essays and its purpose

  • Use techniques of reflection, description, pacing, and dialogue

  • Incorporate sensory language and descriptive details

  • Use reflection to conclude a narrative

  • Practice brainstorming topics for writing

  • Utilize research techniques and strategies

  • Write first draft of Narrative Essay

 

Grammar: Pronouns

  • Identify vague pronoun references

  • Identify possible antecedents

  • Correct inappropriate shifts in pronoun number and person

 

Module 7: Drama Characteristics: Julius Caesar & Narrative Essay

Literature:

  • Demonstrate how to read and interpret dialogue

  • Trace tragedy in drama from classical to modern and understand what constitutes a tragic hero

  • Compare the historical Julius Caesar to the character depicted by Shakespeare

  • Analyze Caesar's character as Shakespeare presents him

  • Explain themes, literary and rhetorical devices found in Julius Caesar

 

Writing: Narrative Essay

  • Use revision techniques to fix mistakes in writing

  • Edit for mechanics and content

  • Inspect the steps required for editing content

  • Effectively use grammar and commonly confused English words

 

Module 8: Drama Characteristics: Julius Caesar & Narrative Essay

 

Literature: Drama Characteristics: Shakespeare's Julius Caesar:

  • Analyze Caesar's character as Shakespeare presents him

  • Explain themes, literary and rhetorical devices found in Julius Caesar

 

Writing: Narrative Essay

  • Use revision techniques to fix mistakes in writing

  • Edit for mechanics and content

  • Inspect the steps required for editing content

  • Effectively use grammar and commonly confused English words

  • Complete edits and revisions

  • Finalize final draft

English 10B

 

Module 1: Exploring Novels: Metamorphosis (or similar novel) & Argumentative Essay

 

Literature: Exploring Novels: Metamorphosis (or similar novel)

  • Summarize the plot, characters, and themes in the novel

  • Examine characteristics and elements in Metamorphosis

  • Explain and analyze irony, literary devices, symbolism, and symbols in Metamorphosis

  • Identify the author of and symbols in Metamorphosis, and analyze the novel

 

Writing: Argumentative Essay

  • Explain the difference between a topic and an argument

  • Point out steps for writing a great argument

  • Review techniques for structuring arguments and essays

  • Differentiate between the various parts of an argument

  • Establish methods for developing concluding statements

  • Evaluate the validity and effectiveness of arguments

  • Inspect writing for stereotypes, assumptions, and biases

  • Apply rhetorical devices and determine their effectiveness

  • Practice brainstorming topics for writing

  • Utilize research techniques and strategies

  • Write first draft of a research paper

 

Grammar: Subject-Verb Agreement

  • Identify and correct errors with s-v agreement

  • Identify and correct errors with indefinite pronoun-verb agreement

  • Identify and correct verb agreement with compound subjects

 

Module2: Exploring Novels: Fahrenheit 451 (or similar novel) & Argumentative Essay

 

Literature: Exploring Novels: Fahrenheit 451 (or similar novel)

  • Summarize the plot, characters, and themes in the novel

  • Examine characteristics and elements in Fahrenheit 451

  • Explain and analyze irony, literary devices, symbolism, and symbols in Fahrenheit 451

  • Identify the author of and symbols in Fahrenheit 451, and analyze the novel

 

Writing: Argumentative Essay

  • Use revision techniques to fix mistakes in writing

  • Edit for mechanics and content

  • Inspect the steps required for editing content

  • Effectively use grammar and commonly confused English words

 

Grammar: Verbs

  • Identify shifts in verb tense

  • Identify active and passive voice

  • Rewrite sentences in active voice

 

Module 3: Exploring Novels: Of Mice and Men (or similar novel) & Argumentative Essay

 

Literature: Exploring Novels: Of Mice and Men (or similar novel)

  • Establish the plot summary of Of Mice and Men

  • Outline the themes within Of Mice and Men

  • Evaluate Of Mice and Men and its use of figurative language

 

Writing: Argumentative Essay

  • Use revision techniques to fix mistakes in writing

  • Edit for mechanics and content

  • Inspect the steps required for editing content

  • Effectively use grammar and commonly confused English words

  • Complete edits and revisions

  • Finalize final draft

 

Grammar: Participles, Gerunds & Infinitives

  • Identify participles and participial phrases

  • Identify gerunds and gerund phrases

  • Identify infinitives and infinitive phrases

 

Module 4: Nonfiction Text Analysis & Informative and Technical Writing

 

Literature: Nonfiction Text Analysis

  • Define and explain an implied main idea

  • Use supporting details to explain the main point

  • Examine structure and sequence of events in informational texts

 

Writing: Informative and Technical Writing 

  • Develop, organize, and present an informative five-paragraph essay

  • Identify and develop a sound main idea, topic sentence and thesis statement

  • Use sources and categorize information and concepts

  • Understand the organizational features of expository texts and the parts of a business letter

  • Achieve a formal tone, use precise language, and compose strong transitions

  • Create powerful and effective conclusions

  • Recognize the purpose and characteristics of technical communication

  • Examine compare and contrast essays, and evaluate the types of technical documents

  • Begin draft of business letter

  • Begin draft of resume

 

Grammar: Commas

  • Commas in compound and complex sentences

  • Commas with nonrestrictive elements

  • Semicolons and commas to separate clauses

 

Module 5: Nonfiction Text Analysis & Informative and Technical Writing

 

Literature: Nonfiction Text Analysis

  • Explain how supplemental features can enhance informational texts

  • Compare and contrast fact vs. persuasion vs. informed opinion in nonfiction

  • Summarize and analyze Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau and Letter from Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King, Jr. (or similar texts)

 

Writing: Informative and Technical Writing 

  • Use revision techniques to fix mistakes in writing

  • Edit for mechanics and content

  • Inspect the steps required for editing content

  • Effectively use grammar and commonly confused English words

 

Grammar: More Punctuation

  • Use dashes correctly

  • Use hyphens with compound adjectives

  • Use ellipses

 

Module 6: Nonfiction Text Analysis & Informative and Technical Writing

 

Literature: Nonfiction Text Analysis

  • Research technical documents online

  • Summarize technical documents

 

Writing: Informative and Technical Writing 

  • Complete edits and revisions

  • Complete final draft of business letter

  • Complete final draft of resume

 

Grammar: Adjectives and Adverbs

  • Choose the correct adjective or adverb

  • Use comparative and superlative adjectives

  • Good, better, best, bad, worse, and worst

  • Use comparative and superlative adverbs

  • Well, better, best, badly, worse, and worst

 

Module 7: Media Analysis & Speaking and Listening

 

Literature: Media Analysis

  • Interpret photography, sculptures, paintings, and other visual media

  • Find the thesis, narrative and meaning of performance art

 

Writing: Speaking and Listening

  • Establish techniques to prepare for a discussion

  • Outline methods for contributing to a discussion

  • Evaluate the speeches of other people

  • Figure out the types and purpose for informative speaking

  • Inspect strategies for helping audiences learn

  • Differentiate between the purpose, audience, and speaker

  • Apply vocal qualities to infer meaning

  • Describe dialect, articulation, and pronunciation

  • Identify the function of nonverbal communication

 

English 11:

 

Course Description:

 

English 11 builds on student literacy and language arts skills to promote effective writing, critical thinking, and analysis of literature. The course material walks students through American history through literary pieces, including short works of fiction and nonfiction, poems, novels, and plays written by a variety of authors providing varying topics and perspectives. This course expands upon proficiencies in the fundamentals of reading and writing with emphasis on comprehension and mastery of syntax, grammar, punctuation, capitalization, spelling, and usage in written communication, along with word analysis and systematic vocabulary development. Students will write informative, narrative, argumentative, and other expository texts appropriate to audience, task, and purpose, and demonstrate command of the English language. Students will also examine the influence of historical and cultural contexts and express opinions in spoken and written descriptions and arguments, developing their own perspectives while becoming lifelong learners for college and career readiness. 

 

This course includes a broad series of lessons and activities that offer a variety of modalities for ultimate student engagement and content retention. Each unit contains a series of lessons that include introduction of content, virtual demonstration of that content, and repeated opportunity to practice that content, along with a quiz per lesson, exam per unit, and final exam at the end of the course.

 

English 11A

 

Module 1: Reading Skills & The Writing Process

 

Literature: Reading Skills

  • Draw conclusions from texts and cite evidence in order to support an analysis

  • Define theme and central idea, and demonstrate how to find them in stories

  • Analyze two texts individually and synthesize their information

  • Identify and analyze the primary purposes of texts

 

Writing: Writing Process

  • Apply effective prewriting techniques

  • Properly organize their writing

  • Improve sentence structure

  • Understand how word choice and language affects tone

  • Focus an essay based on the writing prompt

  • Revise and fix writing mistakes

  • Avoid common writing pitfalls

 

Grammar: Fragments and Run-Ons

  • Identify sentence fragments

  • Identify run-on sentences

  • Choose punctuation to avoid fragments and run-ons

 

Module 2: Literary Text Analysis & Research Skills

 

Literature: Literary Text Analysis

  • Know the steps needed to effectively analyze a literary passage

  • Draw inferences in works of fiction

  • Analyze plot, characters, setting and theme

  • Understand character roles and characterization

  • Define structure, voice, and style in fiction writing

  • Appreciate how fiction draws from different works, such as myths, religious works, and traditional stories

 

Writing: Research Skills

  • Understand what research questions are

  • Answer research project questions

  • Find, evaluate, quote, paraphrase and summarize research sources

  • Use reference materials

  • Know how to make in-text citations

  • Format MLA and APA citations

  • Create a works cited page and bibliography

 

Grammar: Phrases and Clauses

  • Phrases vs. Clauses

  • Identify prepositional phrases

  • Identify appositives and appositive phrases

 

Module 3: Literary Terms and Devices & Research Paper

 

Literature: Literary Terms & Devices

  • Define literary terms related to prose

  • Know the differences between personification, simile, and metaphor

  • Comprehend how symbolism and imagery are applied in literature

  • Understand the functions of flashbacks, foreshadowing and sarcasm in literature

  • Differentiate between types of irony

  • Explain types of humorous writing

  • Analyze the purpose of understatement and litotes

  • Find examples of literary devices such as anaphora, antithesis, euphemism, and analogy

 

Writing: Research Paper

  • Practice brainstorming topics for writing

  • Utilize research techniques and strategies

  • Write first draft of a research paper

 

Grammar: Clauses

  • Identify dependent and independent clauses

  • Simple, complex, and compound sentences

  • Combine sentences using relative clauses

 

Module 4: Analyzing Short Stories & Research Paper

 

Literature: Analyzing Short Stories

  • Understand interactions between story elements

  • Summarize and analyze several short stories, including 'The End of Something', 'The Story of an Hour' and 'A Ghost Story' (or similar short stories)

  • Find examples of Romantic and Gothic literary elements

 

Writing: Research Paper

  • Use revision techniques to fix mistakes in writing

  • Edit for mechanics and content

  • Inspect the steps required for editing content

  • Effectively use grammar and commonly confused English words

 

Grammar: Pronouns

  • Identify subject and object pronouns

  • Correct errors with subject and object pronouns

 

Module 5: Poetry Terms and Analysis & Research Paper

 

Literature: Poetry Terms and Analysis

  • Define literary terms and devices related to poetry

  • Interpret a poem's main idea and theme

  • Understand how a poem's structure affects its meaning

  • Know how to infer mood in poetry

  • Summarize and analyze poems by John Keats, Emily Dickinson, and Robert Frost, and others (or similar authors)

 

Writing: Research Paper

  • Use revision techniques to fix mistakes in writing

  • Edit for mechanics and content

  • Inspect the steps required for editing content

  • Effectively use grammar and commonly confused English words

  • Complete edits and revisions

  • Finalize final draft

 

Grammar: Pronouns

  • Than vs. as

  • Pronoun errors with “who”

  • Who vs. whom

  • Relative pronouns

 

Module 6: Drama Characteristics: The Tempest (or similar drama) & Narrative Essay

 

Literature: Drama Characteristics: Shakespeare's The Tempest (or similar drama)

  • Analyze works of drama

  • Identify forms of verbal and nonverbal communication between characters

  • Interpret a scene's main idea and purpose

  • Summarize and analyze Shakespeare's The Tempest

 

Writing: Narrative Essay

  • Identify narrative hooks found in writing

  • Use dialogue, pacing and other the narrative techniques to engage the reader

  • Draw readers in by using descriptive details and sensory language

  • Use reflection to conclude a narrative

  • Practice brainstorming topics for writing

  • Utilize research techniques and strategies

  • Write first draft of Narrative Essay

 

Grammar: Pronouns

  • Identify vague pronoun references

  • Identify possible antecedents

  • Correct inappropriate shifts in pronoun number and person

 

Unit 7: Drama Characteristics: Death of a Salesman (or similar drama) & Narrative Essay

 

Literature: Drama Characteristics: Death of a Salesman (or similar drama)

  • Analyze works of drama

  • Identify forms of verbal and nonverbal communication between characters

  • Interpret a scene's main idea and purpose

  • Study quotes, themes, allusions, irony, logical fallacies, and allegories found in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman

 

Writing: Narrative Essay

  • Use revision techniques to fix mistakes in writing

  • Edit for mechanics and content

  • Inspect the steps required for editing content

  • Effectively use grammar and commonly confused English words

 

Module 8: Drama Characteristics: Pygmalion (or similar drama) & Narrative Essay

 

Literature: Drama Characteristics: Pygmalion (or similar drama)

  • Analyze works of drama

  • Identify forms of verbal and nonverbal communication between characters

  • Interpret a scene's main idea and purpose

  • Study quotes, themes, allusions, irony, logical fallacies, and allegories found in George Bernard Shaw's, Pygmalion 

 

Writing: Narrative Essay

  • Complete edits and revisions

  • Finalize final draft

 

English 11B

 

Module 1: Exploring Novels: Catcher in the Rye & Persuasive Essay

 

Literature: Exploring Novels: Catcher in the Rye

  • Summarize the plot, characters, and themes in the novel

  • Examine characteristics and elements in Metamorphosis

  • Explain and analyze irony, literary devices, symbolism, and symbols in Catcher in the Rye

  • Identify the author of and symbols in Catcher in the Rye, and analyze the novel

 

Writing: Persuasive Essay

  • Write a persuasive essay by understanding the four basic parts of establishing a position

  • Support a position using details

  • Analyze texts with opposing positions

  • Assess a position's validity and effectiveness

  • Evaluate an essay's reasoning

  • Recognize biases, assumptions, and stereotypes in written works

  • Identify and evaluate rhetorical techniques in persuasive and other written texts

  • Identify a topic or position for the persuasive essay

  • Begin first draft of persuasive essay

 

Grammar: Subject-Verb Agreement

  • Identify and correct errors with s-v agreement

  • Identify and correct errors with indefinite pronoun-verb agreement

  • Identify and correct verb agreement with compound subjects

 

Module 2: Exploring Novels: The Great Gatsby (or similar novel) & Persuasive Essay

 

Literature: Exploring Novels: The Great Gatsby (or similar novel)

  • Summarize the plot, characters, and themes in the novel

  • Examine characteristics and elements in The Great Gatsby

  • Explain and analyze irony, literary devices, symbolism, and symbols in The Great Gatsby

  • Identify the author of and symbols in The Great Gatsby, and analyze the novel

 

Writing: Argumentative Essay

  • Use revision techniques to fix mistakes in writing

  • Edit for mechanics and content

  • Inspect the steps required for editing content

  • Effectively use grammar and commonly confused English words

 

Grammar: Verbs

  • Identify shifts in verb tense

  •  Identify active and passive voice

  • Rewrite sentences in active voice

 

Module 3: Exploring Novels: Catch 22 (or similar novel) & Persuasive Essay

 

Literature: Exploring Novels: Catch 22 (or similar novel)

  • Establish the plot summary of Catch 22

  • Outline the themes within Catch 22

  • Evaluate Catch 22 and its use of figurative language

 

Writing: Argumentative Essay

  • Complete edits and revisions

  • Finalize final draft

 

Grammar: Participles, Gerunds & Infinitives

  • Identify participles and participial phrases

  • Identify gerunds and gerund phrases

  • Identify infinitives and infinitive phrases

 

Module 4: Historical Documents & Nonfiction and Technical Writing

 

Literature: Analysis of Historical Documents & Nonfiction

  • Draw inferences from informational texts

  • Understand implied main ideas

  • Identify an informational text's organizational structure

 

Writing: Informative and Technical Writing 

  • Approach and write different essay types, including analytical, informative and compare and contrast essays

  • Draft effective main ides, thesis statements and topic sentences

  • Identify the organizational features of expository texts

  • Write strong transitions, transitional sentences, and conclusions

  • Understand the importance of precise language in writing

  • Outline the technical writing process 

 

  • Grammar: Commas

  • Commas in compound and complex sentences

  • Commas with nonrestrictive elements

  • Semicolons and commas to separate clauses

 

Module 5: Nonfiction Text Analysis & Informative and Technical Writing

 

Literature: Nonfiction Text Analysis

  • Interpret graphics in expository, persuasive, and functional texts

  • Analyze nonfiction texts from a variety of authors, including the Declaration of Independence and the preamble of the U.S. Constitution

 

Writing: Informative and Technical Writing 

  • Analyze informational texts

  • Organize technical information derived from analyzed documents

 

Grammar: More Punctuation

  • Use dashes correctly

  • Use hyphens with compound adjectives

  • Use ellipses

 

Module 6: Nonfiction Text Analysis & Informative and Technical Writing

 

Literature: Nonfiction Text Analysis

  • Research technical documents online

  • Summarize technical documents

 

Writing: Informative and Technical Writing

  • Write a summary of a historical document of your choice analyzed in this unit

 

Grammar: Adjectives and Adverbs

  • Choose the correct adjective or adverb

  • Use comparative and superlative adjectives

  • Good, better, best, bad, worse, and worst

  • Use comparative and superlative adverbs

  • Well, better, best, badly, worse, and worst

 

Module 7: Media Analysis & Speaking and Listening

 

Literature: Media Analysis

  • Interpret photography, sculptures, paintings, and other visual media

  • Find the thesis, narrative and meaning of performance art

 

Writing: Speaking and Listening

  • Enter discussion ready to engage about topics, texts, and issues

  • Contribute to a classroom discussion with confidence

  • Enhance critical listening skills by evaluating others' speeches

  • Identify the purpose and types of informative speaking

  • Help audiences learn during informative speeches using specific strategies and tips

  • Discuss factors that influence a speech's style

  • Convey meaning in public speaking through the use of vocal qualities

  • Explain why and how to consider pronunciation, articulation, and dialect in public speaking

  • Describe the importance of nonverbal communication during speech delivery

  • Ensure effective use of visual aids by taking specific steps before and during the speech

 

English 12:

 

Course Description:

 

English 12 builds on student literacy and language arts skills to promote effective writing, critical thinking, and analysis of literature. The course material walks students through British literary pieces, including short works of fiction and nonfiction, poems, novels, and plays written by a variety of authors providing varying topics and perspectives. This course expands upon proficiencies in the fundamentals of reading and writing with emphasis on comprehension and mastery of syntax, grammar, punctuation, capitalization, spelling, and usage in written communication, along with word analysis and systematic vocabulary development. Students will write informative, narrative, argumentative, and other expository texts appropriate to audience, task, and purpose, and demonstrate command of the English language. Students will also examine the influence of historical and cultural contexts and express opinions in spoken and written descriptions and arguments, developing their own perspectives while becoming lifelong learners for college and career readiness. 

 

This course includes a broad series of lessons and activities that offer a variety of modalities for ultimate student engagement and content retention. Each unit contains a series of lessons that include introduction of content, virtual demonstration of that content, and repeated opportunity to practice that content, along with a quiz per lesson, exam per unit, and final exam at the end of the course.

 

English 12A

 

Module 1: Reading Skills & The Writing Process

 

Literature: Reading Skills

  • Draw conclusions from texts and cite evidence to support an analysis

  • Define theme and central idea, and demonstrate how to find them in stories

  • Analyze two texts individually and synthesize their information

  • Identify and analyze the primary purposes of texts

 

Writing: Writing Process

  • Utilize brainstorming, mapping, and other important prewriting techniques

  • Choose a purpose and audience and take other steps to organize writing

  • Discuss how language and word choice can set the tone of an essay

  • Ensure writing responds directly to an essay prompt

  • Choose a point of view and remain consistent when writing

  • Use diction to develop style and point-of-view

  • Determine the best audience for an essay

  • Practice self-editing and avoid common writing pitfalls

  • Use parallel structure in writing

 

Grammar: Fragments and Run-Ons

  • Identify sentence fragments

  • Identify run-on sentences

  • Choose punctuation to avoid fragments and run-ons

 

Module 2: Literary Text Analysis & Research Skills

 

Literature: Literary Text Analysis

  • Interpret literary meaning using the text as a guide

  • Spot standout moments in literary texts, and dissect literary nuances

  • Draw inferences from fictional works

  • Analyze plot, theme, characters and setting, and explain how they work together in a story

  • Determine the structure in a text, and explain how it affects meaning

  • Explain how fiction draws on themes, patterns, events, and character types from other works

 

Writing: Research Skills

  • Define and explain the purpose of the research question

  • Answer a question with a research project

  • Broaden a research project by choosing more questions

  • Find and evaluate sources, and use reference material in writing

  • Quote, paraphrase and summarize research

  • Make in-text citations and a works cited page

  • Describe MLA format, and format APA citations

  • Provide the meaning of the bibliography, and explain when to write one

 

Grammar: Phrases and Clauses

  • Phrases vs. Clauses

  • Identify prepositional phrases

  • Identify appositives and appositive phrases

 

Module 3: Literary Terms and Devices & Research Paper

 

Literature: Literary Terms & Devices

  • Discuss the basics of prose, and identify symbolism and imagery in literature

  • Identify types of foreshadowing, and explain the use of sarcasm in literature

  • Provide details about types of humorous writing, including satire, parody, and spoof

  • Differentiate between understatement and litotes

  • Describe the use of parallelism as a literary device

  • Locate and discuss use of anaphora, antithesis, conceit, and analogy in literature

  • Share differences between synecdoche and metonymy, and demonstrate how to find them in a piece of prose or poetry

  • Explain how clichés, paradoxes and equivocations can strengthen or weaken writing

  • Provide the definition and use of a euphemism

  • Describe how juxtaposition is used as a literary technique

 

Writing: Research Paper

  • Practice brainstorming topics for writing

  • Utilize research techniques and strategies

  • Write first draft of a research paper

 

Grammar: Clauses

  • Identify dependent and independent clauses

  • Simple, complex, and compound sentences

  • Combine sentences using relative clauses

 

Module 4: Analyzing Short Stories & Research Paper

 

Literature: Analyzing Short Stories

  • Identify short story elements, and explain how they influence and interact with one another

  • Describe elements Poe used in his short story The Fall of the House of Usher (or similar short story)

  • Explain the plot and describe characters in Chopin's Story of an Hour (or similar short story)

 

Writing:  Research Paper

  • Use revision techniques to fix mistakes in writing

  • Edit for mechanics and content

  • Inspect the steps required for editing content

  • Effectively use grammar and commonly confused English words

 

Module 5: Poetry Terms and Analysis & Research Paper

 

Literature: Poetry Terms and Analysis

  • Identify and describe devices used in poetry

  • Decipher meaning in poetry using form and content

  • Identify and draw inferences from a poem's figurative language

  • Analyze use and depiction of emotion in poetry

  • Explain what occurs in the English epic Beowulf and why it has a lasting legacy

  • Discuss the summary and theme of Paradise Lost

  • Analyze Tennyson's poem Ulysses   

 

Writing: Research Paper

  • Use revision techniques to fix mistakes in writing

  • Edit for mechanics and content

  • Inspect the steps required for editing content

  • Effectively use grammar and commonly confused English words

  • Complete edits and revisions

  • Finalize final draft

 

Grammar: Pronouns

  • Identify subject and object pronouns

  • Correct errors with subject and object pronouns

 

Module 6: Drama Characteristics: Hamlet (or similar drama) & Narrative Essay

 

Literature: Drama Characteristics: Shakespeare's Hamlet (or similar drama)

  • Analyze a dramatic work using a four-step process

  • Explain how verbal and non-verbal communication are used in drama

  • Discuss how Hamlet bends and breaks the rules of tragedy in literature

 

Writing: Narrative Essay

  • Identify narrative hooks found in writing

  • Use dialogue, pacing and other the narrative techniques to engage the reader

  • Draw readers in by using descriptive details and sensory language

  • Use reflection to conclude a narrative

  • Practice brainstorming topics for writing

  • Utilize research techniques and strategies

  • Write first draft of a research paper

 

Grammar: Pronouns

  • Than vs. as

  • Pronoun errors with “who”

  • Who vs. whom

  • Relative pronouns

 

Module 7: Drama Characteristics: Hamlet (or similar drama) & Narrative Essay

 

Literature: Drama Characteristics: Hamlet (or similar drama)

  • Identify and describe three major themes in Hamlet

  • Share the significance of Hamlet's use of a play-within-a-play

  • Detail how directors and actors have interpreted Hamlet in film

 

Writing: Narrative Essay

  • Use revision techniques to fix mistakes in writing

  • Edit for mechanics and content

  • Inspect the steps required for editing content

  • Effectively use grammar and commonly confused English words


 

Grammar: Pronouns

  • Identify vague pronoun references

  • Identify possible antecedents

  • Correct inappropriate shifts in pronoun number and person

 

Module 8: Drama Characteristics: A Streetcar Named Desire & Narrative Essay

 

Literature: Drama Characteristics: A Streetcar Named Desire (or similar drama)

  • Analyze works of drama

  • Identify forms of verbal and nonverbal communication between characters

  • Interpret a scene's main idea and purpose

  • Study quotes, themes, allusions, irony, logical fallacies, and allegories found in Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire

 

Writing: Narrative Essay

  • Use revision techniques to fix mistakes in writing

  • Edit for mechanics and content

  • Inspect the steps required for editing content

  • Effectively use grammar and commonly confused English words

  • Complete edits and revisions

  • Finalize final draft

 

English 12B

 

Module 1: Exploring Novels: Great Expectations (or similar novel) & Argumentative Essay

 

Literature: Exploring Novels: Great Expectations (or similar novel)

  • Summarize the plot, characters, and themes in the novel

  • Examine characteristics and elements in Great Expectations

  • Explain and analyze irony, literary devices, symbolism, and symbols in Great Expectations

  • Identify the author of and symbols in Great Expectations, and analyze the novel 

 

Writing: Argumentative Essay

  • Use reasoning and evidence to support claims in writing

  • Anticipate and refute opposing views in writing

  • Analyze two texts with opposing arguments

  • Examine the validity and effectiveness of an argument

  • Evaluate reasoning and recognize biases, assumptions, and stereotypes in written works

  • Use rhetorical techniques in persuasive texts, and evaluate rhetorical devices in writing

  • Identify and avoid logical fallacies in arguments

  • Describe the three ways to appeal to an audience in essays

  • Practice brainstorming topics for writing

  • Utilize research techniques and strategies

  • Write first draft of a research paper

 

Grammar: Subject-Verb Agreement

  • Identify and correct errors with s-v agreement

  • Identify and correct errors with indefinite pronoun-verb agreement

  • Identify and correct verb agreement with compound subjects

 

Module 2: Exploring Novels: Wuthering Heights (or similar novel) & Argumentative Essay

 

Literature: Exploring Novels: Wuthering Heights (or similar novel)

  • Summarize the plot, characters, and themes in the novel

  • Examine characteristics and elements in Great Expectations

  • Explain and analyze irony, literary devices, symbolism, and symbols in Great Expectations

  • Identify the author of and symbols in Wuthering Heights and analyze the novel 

 

Writing: Argumentative Essay

  • Use revision techniques to fix mistakes in writing

  • Edit for mechanics and content

  • Inspect the steps required for editing content

  • Effectively use grammar and commonly confused English words

 

Grammar: Verbs

  • Identify shifts in verb tense

  • Identify active and passive voice

  • Rewrite sentences in active voice

 

Module 3: Exploring Novels: Cantebury Tales (or similar novel) & Argumentative Essay

 

Literature: Exploring Novels: Cantebury Tales (or similar novel)

  • Establish the plot summary of Cantebury Tales

  • Outline the themes within Cantebury Tales

  • Evaluate Cantebury Tales and its use of figurative language

 

Writing:  Argumentative Essay

  • Use revision techniques to fix mistakes in writing

  • Edit for mechanics and content

  • Inspect the steps required for editing content

  • Effectively use grammar and commonly confused English words

  • Complete edits and revisions

  • Finalize final draft

 

Grammar: Participles, Gerunds & Infinitives

  • Identify participles and participial phrases

  • Identify gerunds and gerund phrases

  • Identify infinitives and infinitive phrases

 

Module 4: Word Choice and Tone & Informative and Technical Writing

 

Literature: Word Choice and Tone

  • Define the literary terms tone and mood, and demonstrate how to find them in literary passages

  • Explain how authors influence the meaning and tone of a sentence through word choice

  • Share the meaning of nuance and how connotation and subtext can create nuanced pieces

  • Determine the meaning of words using context

  • Use specific methods to refine the meaning of a term

  • Interpret puns, idioms, verbal irony, and other figures of speech

 

Writing: Informative and Technical Writing 

  • Write informative essays

  • Develop a quality thesis statement and topic sentences

  • Identify and use the organizational features of expository texts

  • Create strong transitions and transitional sentences

  • Discuss the importance of using precise language in writing

  • Create a formal and objective writing tone using specific tools

  • Write effective conclusions utilizing informative tips

  • Describe characteristics of the compare and contrast essay and evaluative essay

  • Utilize the correct structure when writing an analytical essay

  • Prewrite, write and rewrite effectively during the technical writing process

 

Grammar: Commas

  • Commas in compound and complex sentences

  • Commas with nonrestrictive elements

  • Semicolons and commas to separate clauses

 

Module 5: Nonfiction Text Analysis & Informative and Technical Writing

Literature: Nonfiction Text Analysis: 

  • Interpret graphics in expository, persuasive, and functional texts

  • Analyze nonfiction texts from a variety of authors, including the Declaration of Independence and the preamble of the U.S. Constitution

  • Draw inferences from informational texts

  • Analyze the content and style of Ralph Waldo Emerson's Self Reliance and Other Essays

  • Identify implied main ideas

  • Use transitions to determine the text structure of a passage

  • Interpret graphics in expository, persuasive, and functional texts

  • Discuss Henry David Thoreau's Walden and Civil Disobedience

 

Writing: Informative and Technical Writing 

  • Analyze informational texts

  • Organize technical information derived from analyzed documents

 

Grammar: More Punctuation

  • Use dashes correctly

  • Use hyphens with compound adjectives

  • Use ellipses

 

Module 6: Nonfiction Text Analysis & Informative and Technical Writing

 

Literature: Nonfiction Text Analysis: 

  • Research technical documents online

  • Summarize technical documents

 

Writing: Informative and Technical Writing

  • Write a summary of a historical document of your choice analyzed in this unit

 

Grammar: Adjectives and Adverbs

  • Summarize technical documents

  • Choose the correct adjective or adverb

  • Use comparative and superlative adjectives

  • Good, better, best, bad, worse, and worst

  • Use comparative and superlative adverbs

  • Well, better, best, badly, worse, and worst

 

Module 7: Media Analysis & Speaking and Listening

 

Literature: Media Analysis:

  • Interpret photography, sculptures, paintings, and other visual media

  • Find the thesis, narrative and meaning of performance art

 

Writing: Speaking and Listening:

  • Entering a discussion ready to engage about topics, texts, and issues

  • Contributing to a classroom discussion with confidence

  • Enhancing critical listening skills by evaluating others' speeches

  • Identifying the purpose and types of informative speaking

  • Helping audiences learn during informative speeches using specific strategies and tips

  • Discussing factors that influence a speech's style

  • Conveying meaning in public speaking using vocal qualities

  • Explaining why and how to consider pronunciation, articulation, and dialect in public speaking

  • Describing the importance of nonverbal communication during speech delivery

  • Ensuring effective use of visual aids by taking specific steps before and during the speech

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