English III Syllabus
Credits: 1.0
Course Overview/Description
English III is a survey of American Literature and literary culture from its inception through the twentieth century. Students will
explore the major literary forms, themes, authors, and periods of American Literature. They will understand how this literature
represents the experiences of people native to America, those who immigrated to America, and those who were brought to America
against their will. Emphasis is placed on a rhetorical analysis of the literature to determine how authors achieve a particular purpose
or effect. Through focused readings, composition, speaking and listening activities, vocabulary study and research, students will
continue to build the literacy skills they need to meet the challenges of high school and beyond.
To become critical consumers of text, students will be exposed to increasingly more complex texts to which they apply those skills. In
English language arts, that critical content is both rigorous and relevant and includes high‐quality contemporary works as well as the
classics of literature. In English language arts, that content includes classic myths and stories from around the world, America’s
founding documents, foundational American literature, and Shakespeare. Students will be enriched as they expand their skills and
confidence in English language arts through a comprehensive study.
Minnesota Content Standards Addressed in the Course
Standard
Reading Benchmarks: Literature 6-12
Key Ideas and Details
11.4.1.1; 11.4.2.2; 11.4.3.3
Craft and Structure
11.4.4.4; 11.4.5.5;11.4.6.6
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
11.4.9.9
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
11.4.10.10
Reading Benchmarks: Informational Text 6-12
Key Ideas and Details
11.5.1.1; 11.5.2.2; 11.5.3.3
Craft and Structure
11.5.4.4; 11.5.5.5; 11.5.6.6
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
11.5.7.7; 11.5.8.8; 11.5.9.9
Writing Benchmarks 6-12
Text types and purposes
11.7.1.1; 11.7.2.2
Writing Process: Production and distribution of writing
11.7.4.4; 11.7.5.5
Research to build and present knowledge
11.7.7.7; 11.7.8.8; 11.7.9.9
Range of Writing
11.7.10.10
Speaking Viewing Listening and Media Literacy Benchmarks 6-12
Comprehension and collaboration
11.9.1.1; 11.9.3.3
Language Benchmarks 6-12
Conventions of Standard English
9.11.2.2
Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
9.11.4.4; 9.11.5.5; 9.11.6.6
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon successfully completing the course, the student should have mastered the following concepts:
Unit 1: Intersection in a New World
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Sharpen reading skills: summary, analysis, evaluation, and interpretation.
Identify explicit and implicit meaning in early American works of historical and/or literary significance and in later
works about this time period, including where the text leaves matters uncertain.
Analyze a text from multiple perspectives (historical, literary, psychological, religious).
Analyze and evaluate different presentations and interpretations of the same text.
Analyze literary elements: narrative/poetic/dramatic structure, point of view, style, theme, purpose.
Analyze language: figurative language, imagery, tone, persuasiveness, connotation, nuance, power, beauty.
Analyze informational texts: central ideas, interaction of ideas, summarizing, point of view, purpose.
Analyze arguments: rhetoric, claim development, structure, purpose.
Sharpen writingskills:
o explanatory: responding to literature; comparing/contrasting; synthesizing information; developing and
supporting a thesis; using appropriate and varied transitions between ideas; using precise, domain‐ specific
language; and
o argumentative: making and supporting a claim; using valid reasoning; sequencing ideas; adapting to purpose,
audience, and task; using precise, domain‐specific language; using the writing process.
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Conduct research: web searches, challenging usage and vocabulary.
Participate in speaking and listening activities: analysis of oral and written speeches, collaboration with peers.
Strengthen language skills: conventions, knowledge, vocabulary acquisition and use.
Unit 2: Becoming a Nation
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Sharpen reading skills: summary, annotation, analysis, evaluation, and interpretation.
Identify explicit and implicit meaning in early American works of historical and/or literary significance, seminal
texts, and works of public advocacy.
Analyze a text from multiple perspectives: historical, literary, psychological, religious.
Analyze literary elements: narrative/poetic/dramatic structure, point of view, style, theme, purpose.
Analyze language: figurative and technical language, imagery, tone, persuasiveness, connotation, nuance, power,
beauty.
Analyze informational texts: central ideas, interaction of ideas, structure, point of view.
Analyze arguments: rhetoric, premises, claim development, structure, purpose.
Evaluate the reason and rhetoric used in seminal texts and works of public advocacy.
Sharpen writingskills:
o explanatory: responding to literature; comparing/contrasting; synthesizing information; developing a thesis and
evaluating evidence to support it; using appropriate and varied transitions between ideas; establishing and
maintaining a formal tone; using precise, domain‐specific language; using technology; peer evaluating; and
o argumentative: making and supporting a claim; using valid reasoning; using rhetorical devices to persuade;
adapting a rhetorical structure; sequencing ideas; creating cohesiveness; adapting to purpose, audience and task;
using precise, domain‐specific language; using the writing process.
Conduct research: the challenge of usage and vocabulary; evaluation of the strengths and limitations of sources in
terms of task, purpose, and audience; distinguishment between quoted material and paraphrased ideas; preparation of
papers using correct MLA guidelines for formatting, citing sources within a text, and creating a works cited page.
Participate in speaking and listening activities: analysis of oral and written speeches, evaluation of a speaker's use of
diction and tone, collaboration with peers, presentation.
Strengthen language skills: conventions, knowledge, vocabulary acquisition and use.
Unit 3: American Romanticism
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Sharpen reading skills: summary, annotation, analysis, evaluation, and interpretation.
Identify explicit and implicit meaning in American literature from a specific period in history.
Analyze a text from multiple perspectives: historical, literary, psychological, religious.
Analyze literary elements/devices: narrative/poetic structure, point of view, character, style, theme, purpose, irony,
allegory, symbolism, suspense.
Analyze language: figurative and technical language, imagery, tone, persuasiveness, connotation, nuance, power,
beauty.
Analyze informational texts: central ideas, interaction of ideas, structure, point of view, use of rhetoric.
Sharpen writingskills:
o explanatory: responding to literature; comparing/contrasting; synthesizing information; developing and
supporting a thesis; organizing complex ideas; using appropriate and varied transitions between ideas; using
precise, domain‐specific language; and
o argumentative: making and supporting a claim; using valid reasoning; using rhetorical devices to persuade;
adapting a rhetorical structure; sequencing ideas; creating cohesiveness; adapting to purpose, audience, and task;
using precise, domain‐specific language; using the writing process.
Conduct research: web search, vocabulary usage/etymology.
Participate in speaking and listening activities: analysis of oral and written speeches, evaluation of a speaker's use of
diction and tone, collaboration with peers, presentation.
Strengthen language skills: conventions, knowledge, vocabulary acquisition and use.
Unit 5: Regional Voices
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Sharpening reading skills: summary, annotation, analysis, evaluation, and interpretation
Identifying explicit and implicit meaning in American literature from a specific period in history, including
foundational documents
Analyzing a text from multiple perspectives (historical, literary, psychological, religious)
Analyzing literary elements/devices: narrative/poetic structure, point of view (esp. how it shapes content and style),
character, style, theme, irony, satire, understatement
Analyzing language: figurative language (esp. hyperbole and paradox), technical language, imagery, tone, diction,
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humor, persuasiveness, connotation, nuance, power, beauty
Analyzing informational texts: central ideas, interaction of ideas, structure, point of view
Evaluating the reasoning and rhetoric used in seminal texts and works of public advocacy
Sharpening writing skills
o explanatory: responding to literature, synthesizing information, developing an original thesis, supporting a thesis,
organizing complex ideas, using appropriate and varied transitions between ideas, using precise, domain‐specific
language, using the writing process
o argumentative: making a claim, supporting a claim, using valid reasoning , sequencing ideas, creating
cohesiveness, adapting to purpose, audience and task, using precise, domain‐specific language, using the writing
process
Participating in speaking and listening activities: listening to and analyzing speeches, evaluate a speaker's use of diction
and tone, collaborating with peers, presenting
Strengthening language skills: conventions, knowledge, vocabulary acquisition and use
Unit 6: American Modernism
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Sharpening reading skills: summary, annotation, analysis, evaluation, and interpretation
Identifying explicit and implicit meaning in American literature from a specific period in history
Analyzing a text from multiple perspectives (historical, literary, psychological, religious)
Analyzing literary elements/devices: narrative/poetic/dramatic structure, point of view, character, style, theme,
purpose, symbolism, satire, sarcasm, irony, understatement
Analyzing language: figurative language, imagery, tone, diction, dialect, connotation, nuance, power, beauty
Analyzing informational texts: central ideas, interaction of ideas, structure, point of view, use of rhetoric
Sharpening writing skills o
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explanatory: responding to literature, , synthesizing information, developing an original thesis, supporting a thesis,
organizing complex ideas, using appropriate and varied transitions between ideas, using precise, domain‐specific
language, using the writing process – focus on revision
narrative: using telling details, sequencing events, using the writing process – focus on revision
Conducting research: web search, vocabulary usage/etymology, evaluation credibility of sources, synthesizing
information from multiple sources, using correct MLA guidelines for formatting, citing sources within a text, and
creating a works cited page, using digital media elements, such as graphics, illustrations, sound, and interactive
elements, to enhance presentations
Participating in speaking and listening activities: listening to and analyzing speeches, evaluating a speaker's use of
diction and tone, collaborating with peers, preparing and presenting speeches
Strengthening language skills: conventions, knowledge, vocabulary acquisition and use
Unit 7: Post WW II
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Sharpening reading skills: summary, annotation, analysis, evaluation, and interpretation
Identifying explicit and implicit meaning in American literature from a specific period in history, including works
of public advocacy
Analyzing a text from multiple perspectives (historical, literary, psychological, religious)
Analyzing literary elements/devices: narrative/poetic structure, point of view, style, theme, purpose, sarcasm, irony,
humor
Analyzing language: figurative language (esp. hyperbole and paradox), technical language, imagery, tone, diction,
connotation, nuance, power, beauty
Analyzing informational texts: central ideas, interaction of ideas, structure, point of view, use of rhetoric
Sharpening writing skills –
o explanatory: responding to literature, , synthesizing information, developing an original thesis, supporting a thesis,
organizing complex ideas, using appropriate and varied transitions between ideas, using precise, domain‐specific
language, using the writing process – focus on revision, varying sentence structure and syntax to convey a certain
style or tone and to enhance reader understanding, using appropriate references for guidance in constructing artful
sentences
Conducting research: web search, vocabulary usage/etymology, generating a research question, conducting research to
answer a self‐generated question, drawing relevant evidence from text to answer research questions, Synthesize
information from multiple sources, gathering information representing a variety of perspectives, e valuating the
strengths and limitations of sources in terms of task, purpose and audience, integrating information selectively and
appropriately, preparing papers using correct MLA guidelines for formatting, citing sources within a text, creating a
works cited page
Participating in speaking and listening activities: listening to and analyzing speeches, evaluating a speaker's use of
diction and tone
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Strengthening language skills: conventions, knowledge, vocabulary acquisition and use
Literature List
The following are a sample of the literary works students will encounter
Unit 1: Intersection in the New World
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Bradford, William
o Of Plymouth Plantation
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Williams, Roger
o A Key into the Language of America
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Bradstreet, Anne
o “To My Dear Loving Husband”
o “A Letter to Her Husband, Absent upon Public Employment”
o “Upon the Burning of Our House”
o “The Prologue”
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Berryman, John
o “Homage to Mistress Bradstreet”
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Rowlandson, Mary
o A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson
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Franklin, Benjamin
o “Remarks Concerning the Savages of North America”
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Sewall, Samuel
o The Selling of Joseph: A Memorial
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Wheatley, Phillis
o “On Being Brought from Africa to America”
o “An Hymn to the Evening”
o “To His Excellency General Washington”
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Gates Jr., Henry Louis
o “Mister Jefferson and the Trials of Phillis Wheatley”
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Edwards, Jonathan
o "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God"
Unit 2: Becoming a Nation
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Franklin, Benjamin
o “The Way to Wealth”
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Henry, Patrick
o “Speech to the Virginia Convention”
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Paine, Thomas
o The American Crisis
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Declaration of Independence
Stanton, Elizabeth Cady
o Declaration of Sentiments
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Jefferson, Thomas
o “Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom”
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de Crevecoeur, Hector St. John
o “What is an American?" from Letters from an American Farmer
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Freneau, Phillip
o “The Wild Honeysuckle”
o “The Indian Burying Ground”
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Equiano, Olaudah
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Equiano’s Travels: The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano or Gustavus Vassa, The African
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Key, Francis Scott
o “The Star Spangled Banner”
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“Revolutionary Tea”
Madison, James
o The Federalist No. 10
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National Assembly of France
o Declaration of the Rights of Man
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Sess, William & Mary
o English Bill of Rights 1689
Unit 3: American Romanticism
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Irving, Washington
o “Rip Van Winkle”
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Hawthorne, Nathanial
o “Young Goodman Brown”
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Poe, Edgar Allan
o “The Black Cat”
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Emerson, Ralph Waldo
o “Self‐Reliance”
o “John Brown”
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Fuller, Margaret
o Summer on the Lakes in 1843
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Whitman, Walt
o “Song of Myself”
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Dickinson, Emily
o “This is my letter to the World”
o “Because I could not stop for Death”
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Whittier, John Greenleaf
o “To William Lloyd Garrison”
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Douglass, Frederick
o Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave
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Thoreau, Henry David
o “Civil Disobedience”
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Stowe, Harriet Beecher
o Uncle Tom’s Cabin
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Truth, Sojourner
o “Ain’t I a Woman?”
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Harper, Frances Ellen Watkins
o “The Two Offers”
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Melville, Herman
o “Bartleby the Scrivener: A Story of Wall Street”
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Garrison,WilliamLloyd
o The Liberator
Unit 5: Regional Voices
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Lincoln, Abraham
o “A House Divided” Speech
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Whitman, Walt
o “Oh Captain, My Captain”
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Addams, Jane
o “Influence of Lincoln” from Twenty Years at Hull House
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Twain, Mark
o The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
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Chopin, Kate
o “Desiree’s Baby”
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Cooper, Anna Julia
o “The Higher Education of Women” from A Voice from the South
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Jewett, Sarah Orne
o “The White Heron”
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Freeman, Mary E. Wilkins
o “The Revolt of Mother”
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Gilman, Charlotte Perkins
o “The Yellow Wall Paper”
o “Why I Wrote the Yellow Wall Paper”
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Harte, Bret
o “Tennessee’s Partner”
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Wharton, Edith
o Ethan Fromme
Unit 6: Modernism in America
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Robinson, Edwin Arlington
o “Aunt Imogen”
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Frost, Robert
o “A Servant to Servants”
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Eliot, T.S.
o “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock”
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Teasdale, Sara
o Love Songs
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Sandburg, Carl
o “Grass”
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Fitzgerald, Scott F.
o “Bernice Bobs her Hair”
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Hemingway, Ernest
o “Hills Like White Elephants”
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Wilder, Thorton
o Our Town
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Miller, Arthur
o The Crucible
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Parker, Dorothy
o “Arrangement in Black and White”
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Hughes, Langston
o “The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountains”
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Hurston, Zora Neal
o Their Eyes Were Watching God
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Baldwin, James
o “If Black English isn’t a Language Then Tell Me, What is”
Unit 7: Post WW II
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Welty, Eudora
o “’Petrified Man”
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O’Connor, Flannery
o “A Good Man is Hard to Find”
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Kennedy, John F.
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Inaugural Speech
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Lowell, Robert
o “For the Union Dead”
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Wright, Richard
o “The Man Who was Almos’ a Man”
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Dylan, Bob
o “The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll”
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Levertov, Denise
o “Life at War”
o “Overheard over S.E.Asia”
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Rukeyser, Muriel
o “Poem”
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Goines, David Lance
o “Let Sleeping Dogs Lie” from The Free Speech Movement: Coming of Age
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Mirikitani, Janice
o “Attack the Water”
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Bishop, Elizabeth
o “Sestina”
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Plath, Sylvia
o “Mirror”
Materials Needed
 The Crucible, Arthur Miller. Recommended Text: Penguin (2003), ISBN: 978-0142437339
 Their Eyes Were Watching God, Zora Neal Hurston. Recommended Text: HarperCollins, ISBN 978-0-06-083867-6
 Our Town, Thornton Wilder. Any version.
Technology Requirements
Students need to know how to create, edit, modify and submit documents (acceptable files types listed below). Because Project
assignments may require students to create and modify documents for completing their work, students need to know how to use
documentation programs, such as Microsoft® Office and/or Google Docs. If a student uses Google Docs, they will not be able to
share the file directly from Google to their teacher. They will need to download the assignments and upload it directly into their
assignment submission box in one of the accepted file type listed below.
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The Odysseyware Learning Management System utilized is the Odysseyware LMS.
System Requirements
Microsoft Internet Explorer® Mozilla
Browser
Firefox®
Safari®
Chrome®
PDF Reader
Adobe Acrobat Reader DC®
Or the latest version of a browser that
supports built-in PDF viewing, such as
Chrome® or Firefox®
Version 11
Version 44 and 45 or higher
Version 9 or higher
Version 49 or higher
Version 2015 or higher
Browser Settings - Browsers should be configured with these recommended settings.
Passwords
Disable features that automatically save passwords
AutoComplete
Disable AutoComplete, as it often looks like a list of answers to choose from
Caching
Enable caching, but set browsers to clear the cache when closed
Javascript
Javascript must be enabled for pages to render correctly
Additionally, students have access to unlimited, toll free technical support through our Technical Support Hotline that runs MondayFriday from 7:00 am-5:00 pm CST.
Assignments/Assessments
Odysseyware courses are designed to have relevant course assignments that follow the state and national standards that the course
has been developed to meet. The course assignments are determined by the subject matter, grade level, and lesson objectives.
Assignments include guided and independent practice activities/items to assess content and concepts within each lesson. Projects,
essays, labs, collaborative activities, and performance tasks are included to invite a deeper understanding and application of learned
concepts. Odysseyware courses access higher order thinking skills through multiple question type structures and formats that access
all levels of Depth of Knowledge.
The curriculum is focused on the process of mastering content. Based on well-defined learning objectives, Odysseyware courses are
organized into sequential units that build upon each other and include a complete scope and sequence. Before progressing to the next
unit, students must reach a predetermined mastery benchmark.
Odysseyware’s standard courses provide a range of formative and summative assessments designed to gather data regarding student
progress in any given unit of study. These formative assessments are followed by summative assessments designed to provide
teachers with benchmark data at regular intervals. Summative assessments include projects and unit tests.
Odysseyware assessments utilize a variety of problem types to provide students with both constructed and selected response items.
These include, but are not limited to, essay/paragraph, multiple choice, multiple select, click-and place, fill-in-the-blank, and graphic
multiple choice. Alternative tests, randomized items, and randomized multiple choice answer order exist to preserve the integrity of
the assessment.
Assignments include guided and independent practice activities/items to assess content and concepts within each lesson. Where
appropriate, projects are included to invite a deeper understanding or application of concepts. These lessons and projects are joined in
each unit by quizzes and tests that are more summative in nature. Students are tested frequently with review questions as they move
through each unit. Additionally, quizzes serve as formative assessments to ensure students are ready for the cumulative unit test. In
the upper grades, cumulative semester and final exams are included.
Instructional Strategies
Odysseyware’s core belief is that all students are unique and deserve a personalized learning experience. We recognize that a onesize-fits-all curriculum is completely insufficient to address the needs of all students or to function in diverse instructional settings.
We provide the foundation for creating instructional goals, methods, materials, and assessments that work for everyone—not a
single, one-size-fits-all solution but rather flexible approaches that can be customized and adjusted for individual needs.
Odysseyware curriculum materials contain interactive tools that provide students the ability to “do” on screen. Odysseyware uses
live-action video in select locations to engage students, provide additional instruction, provide higher-order thinking inquiries and
demonstrations in science, provide access to first-person interviews, and to visually depict complex situations. Odysseyware
incorporates thousands of multimedia pieces to increase engagement and reinforce concepts for all. Media is created with academic
relevance in mind for direct instruction. There are Direct Instruction videos, virtual labs, investigations videos, and many guided
practice pieces to reinforce learning, maintain focus, and engage students. These include drag and drop activities, vocabulary and
spelling games as well as other guided practice elements at appropriate points in a lesson.
Students will have multiple opportunities to access Dynamic Learning Activities in guided practice, problem sets, and assessments.
These DLAs, direct-instruction videos and interactive content emphasize real world scenarios, engage through the use of rich audio
and visual components, and address diverse learning styles.
Instruction is provided by trained teachers who are state-certified in their designated subject areas. The support they provide includes
the following components:
Grading & Feedback – Although the Odysseyware system automatically grades many items that are submitted by students, as in the
case of multiple choice and matching questions, our teachers provide manual grading and targeted written feedback for constructed
response items and projects. Teachers grade most items within 2 business days (sometimes longer for large projects.)
Office Hours - Students can call or attend the live virtual classroom of their assigned teacher during that teacher’s weekly
designated office hours. Odysseyware Academy uses Adobe Connect as the live office hour portal for teachers to interact with their
students as one mode of communication and within the live lessons, students can receive additional help, feedback, and support in
their course(s). Designated days/hours vary by teacher.
Email Communication – Teachers respond to emails from their students in a timely manner; usually within 1 business day. Students
can reach out to teachers anytime via the messaging system or the embedded “help” button.
Proactive Communication – At a minimum, students will receive weekly proactive communication from their teachers, in the form
of emails, phone calls, or text messages. This communication is targeted specifically to each student’s needs, so that they know what
they’re doing well and what they need to work on. Communication may include encouragement, helpful hints, status updates, and
resources for enrichment or remediation.
Students also have the opportunity to receive synchronous help by calling the Academic Hotline, which is available each weekday
and is manned by certified teachers who are subject matter experts. This gives students the chance to interact with teachers and
receive assistance on their school work.
Student Expectations
To be most successful in their online courses, students are expected to:
 Log in daily and make progress in their course(s).
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Be willing to put forth effort and complete the course(s) in the allotted time frame.
Attend regularly scheduled teacher office hours when requesting help.
Receive regular instructor communication through grading, phone or messaging.
Reach out to their instructor(s) for help.
Contact Technical Support for any software issues.
Complete student orientation.
Inform Odysseyware virtual teacher ahead of time when they are not going to be active in their course for
one week or more.
Use proper or formal language when communicating with instructors or academy staff via messaging (this
includes lessons, quizzes, projects, and tests).
Complete their own course and maintain academic integrity at all times.
Always use their given name when attending live sessions or training, or when turning in projects or
assessments.
Always respond to teacher messages and staff messages that require a response.
Time Requirements
Though Odysseyware does not specify the amount of time that a student works on a course each day, we do expect that students
work regularly and stay on pace in their course(s). To stay on pace, students should follow the due dates for assignments listed in
their Gradebook. The amount of time a student need to dedicate to stay on pace in their course(s) will be dependent upon grade
level of work and subject matter.
Students can only work on assignments in sequential order that are assigned to them. Projects can be worked on concurrently, but a
student will not be allowed to advance to the next unit until everything for the current unit has been completed (this includes
projects). Students should plan accordingly for projects that may require more than one day for completion. We do not have time
limits for tests and quizzes, but do require they be completed in one sitting.
Grading Policy
Odysseyware full credit courses (or full school year courses) are divided in two parts (Part A – Semester 1, and Part B –
Semester 2). This is in place for all grade levels (elementary, middle school, and high school). Each unit is weighted as an
equal part of the semester average. Individual unit grades are calculated using the following grading scale and weighting
for assessments.
A+
97.00-100%
A
93.00-96.99%
A-
90.00-92.99%
B+
87.00-89.99%
B
83.00-86.99%
B-
80.00-82.99%
C+
77.00-79.99%
C
73.00-76.99%
C-
70.00-72.99%
D+
67.00-69.99%
D
63.00-66.99%
D-
60.00-62.99%
F
0-59.99%
Units With Projects
Tests= 30%
Quizzes= 25%
Projects= 25%
Lessons=20%
Test/Quiz Retake Policy
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Odysseyware students can retake one quiz per unit and one test per course.
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Tests and quizzes are to be completed in one sitting. Occasionally due to technical issues, a student may need a quiz or test
unlocked to allow them to access it again.
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Student should not move onto new quizzes or tests until issue is resolved.
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Student must work with Tech Support to resolve current issue before proceeding.
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If excessive unlock requests continue, the teacher explains that quizzes and tests should be completed in one
sitting. If available, the teacher can assign an alternative quiz/test.
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After two unlocks on the same test/quiz, the student is informed that this is their final attempt. If the student does
not complete the final attempt, he/she receives a zero on the assignment.
Contact Policy
Teachers communicate frequently with students and their support network. Although much of the communication necessary for
students to complete their coursework is asynchronous, such as emails, system messages, feedback, etc., students may often need live
support, in the form of a quick phone call or a more extensive live lesson or tutoring session. Teachers hold weekly office hours
(through Adobe Connect) at a schedule time posted in the Student Information System.
Students and parents/guardians can contact the teacher via phone, live office hours, email, and messages sent through the Learning
Management System. To send an email through the student information system, students can navigate to the Course Information
page which contains an Email Teacher link that students can use to send a message to their teacher.
Teachers and Odysseyware staff respond to communication sent by students and parents within one business day. Teachers respond
to grading within one business day for assignments and four business days for projects/essays.
Accommodation and Accessibility
Odysseyware offers a number of built-in supports, instructional tools and customization features to address students with diverse
learning styles. Below are the built in supports available to all students:
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Vocabulary- Odysseyware provides students with numerous opportunities to acquire and apply new vocabulary. Students
can listen to, speak, read and write the content vocabulary in an interactive setting with activities such as Flash Cards and
the Spelling Bee.
Reference-The Reference function supports ELL students by helping them to understand, spell, and pronounce English
words and/or phrases in the lessons.
Translation-The translate function translates any selected words or phrases included in the lessons from English to a
variety of supported languages, including Spanish, French, German and Chinese. Translation can help students who have
literacy skills in their home language to gain fast access to the lesson content.
Text-to-Speech-The Text-to-Speech function provides spoken word support for any word or phrase in the lesson. Learners
can choose between a selection of voices. The text is enlarged and highlighted as the application reads the words to the
student.
Transcripts-Transcripts are available for every video in every course.
Custom Course Thresholds-The ability to choose pass thresholds and weighting of course components empowers teachers
to make individualized instructional delivery adjustments for students according to their unique needs.
Academic Snapshot-Our interface is ideal for many of our students who struggle with organization. Our Academic
Snapshot feature allows a student to always see how they are doing in the class and if they are ahead or behind. This feature
allows
students to instantly see if
they are
on pace/ahead, behind in
their
courses, logging into the
course
frequently enough, and are
earning
grades needed to pass the
course.
This constant stream of
feedback
is a perfect match for
students
who struggle with
executive
planning and organization.
Odysseyware offers Extended Services for students who may lack basic skills, have significant learning gaps, or have attendance or
behavior issues, resulting in the need for an increased level of support from their teachers. These students receive Basic Instructional
Services (support, grading, and feedback from the Odysseyware virtual teacher, access to weekly live office hours, and access to the
Academic Hotline) as well as additional, personalized help/services (adjusted course settings, a weekly phone call and weekly live
tutoring sessions with their teachers, etc.)
Course Outline
Unit 1: Intersection in the New World
Assignments
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5.
6.
English III
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Course Overview
Early American Literature: Themes
Of Plymouth Plantation: Puritan Literature
A Key into the Language of America: Analysis
"To My Dear and Loving Husband" and "A Letter to
Her Husband": Poetic Theme
"The Prologue" and "Verses upon the Burning of the
House": Poetic Devices
"Homage to Mistress Bradstreet": Structure and
Meaning
Project: Anne Bradstreet Biography
Quiz: Puritan Poetry
Alternate Quiz: Puritan Poetry ‐ Form A*
Alternate Quiz: Puritan Poetry ‐ Form B*
The Narrative of Captivity and the Restoration of Mrs.
Mary Rowlandson: Literary Perspective
"Remarks Concerning the Savages of North America":
Franklin's Satire
Academic English
Project: Discuss and Present Ideas Across Texts Using
Graphic Organizers*
Project: Compare and Contrast Essay on Puritans*
Quiz: American Narrative
Alternate Quiz: American Narrative ‐ Form A*
Alternate Quiz: American Narrative ‐ Form B*
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"The Selling of Joseph: A Memorial": Antislavery
Argument
"On Being Brought from Africa to America" and "To
His Excellency General Washington": Poetic
Structure
Literary Criticism: Henry Louis Gates Jr.
Project: Comparative Analysis Essay with Research*
"Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God": Diction,
Imagery, Style
Project: Argumentative Essay ‐ "Sinners in the Hands
of an Angry God"
Using References to Understand Archaic Language
Quiz: Wheatley and Edwards
Alternate Quiz: Wheatley and Edwards ‐ Form A*
Alternate Quiz: Wheatley and Edwards ‐ Form B*
Special Project*
Review
Test: Intersection in the New World
Alternate Test: Intersection in the New World ‐
Form A*
Alternate Test: Intersection in the New World ‐
Form B*
Glossary and Credits
Unit 2: Becoming a Nation
Assignments
1.
English III
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3.
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18.
Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights, and "The
Indian Burying Ground": American Identity
"The Way to Wealth": Franklin's Style and Rhetoric
Patrick Henry's Speech to the Virginia Convention:
Rhetoric
The American Crisis: Rhetoric and Tone
Project: Persuasive Essay
Quiz: Rhetoric and Persuasion
Alternate Quiz: Rhetoric and Persuasion ‐ Form A*
Alternate Quiz: Rhetoric and Persuasion ‐ Form B*
Declaration of Independence: Central Ideas and Word
Meanings
Declaration of Sentiments: Rhetoric and Inference
Compare and Contrast: The Declaration of
Independence and the Declaration of Sentiments
Project: Write a Declaration*
Quiz: Declaration of Independence
Alternate Quiz: Declaration of Independence ‐ Form
A*
Alternate Quiz: Declaration of Independence ‐ Form
B*
Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom: Annotation
and Meaning
"What is an American?": Primary and Literary Sources
"The Wild Honeysuckle" and "The Indian Burying
Ground": Figurative Language
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The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah
Equiano: Literary Nonfiction
Project: Compare and Contrast Essay: Equiano and
Bradford
Quiz: American Identity
Alternate Quiz: American Identity ‐ Form A*
Alternate Quiz: American Identity ‐ Form B*
Federalist No. 10: Reasoning and Rhetoric
Preamble and Bill of Rights: Purpose and Structure
Project: Informative Essay: Tone with Textual
Evidence*
"The Star‐ Spangled Banner" and "Revolutionary Tea":
Technical and Connotative Meaning
Project: Research Paper: Significance of Early
American Writings
Sentence Structures in Archaic Writing
Quiz: Meaning in Early American Writing
Alternate Quiz: Meaning in Early American Writing ‐
Form A*
Alternate Quiz: Meaning in Early American Writing ‐
Form B*
Special Project*
Review
Test: Becoming a Nation
Alternate Test: Becoming a Nation ‐ Form A*
Alternate Test: Becoming a Nation ‐ Form B*
Glossary and Credits
Unit 3: American Romanticism
Assignments
1.
2.
3.
4.
English III
5.
6.
7.
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English III
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27.
Romanticism
Reference Materials: Vocabulary Journal
"Rip Van Winkle": Theme and Language
"Young Goodman Brown": American Gothicism and
Symbolism
"The Black Cat": Inferences from the Text
Project: Analytic Essay ‐ "Young Goodman Brown"
Project: Analytic Essay: "Rip Van Winkle," "Young
Goodman Brown," and "The Black Cat"*
Quiz: Romanticism and Gothicism
Alternate Quiz: Romanticism and Gothicism ‐ Form A*
Alternate Quiz: Romanticism and Gothicism ‐ Form B*
"Self‐ Reliance": Transcendentalism
Summer on the Lakes: Themes
"Song of Myself": Free Verse
"Belle of Amherst": Structure and Meaning
Project: Explanatory Paragraph Identifying
Transcendental Elements*
Quiz: Transcendentalism
Alternate Quiz: Transcendentalism ‐ Form A*
Alternate Quiz: Transcendentalism ‐ Form B*
To William Lloyd Garrison: Inference and Historical
Context
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: Tone and
Point of View
"Civil Disobedience": Rhetoric and Structure
"John Brown" Speech: Interpretation
Quiz: Abolitionists
Alternate Quiz: Abolitionists ‐ Form A*
Alternate Quiz: Abolitionists ‐ Form B*
Uncle Tom's Cabin: Stowe's Context
Uncle Tom's Cabin: Characterization Through
Dialogue ‐ Chapters 1‐ 5
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Uncle Tom's Cabin: Tone and Romanticism ‐
Chapters 6‐ 10
Uncle Tom's Cabin: Figurative Language ‐ Chapters
11‐ 15
Uncle Tom's Cabin: Theme and Characterization ‐
Chapters 16‐ 20
Uncle Tom's Cabin: Denotation and Connotation ‐
Chapters 21‐ 25
Uncle Tom's Cabin: Theme and Central Ideas ‐
Chapters 26‐ 30
Uncle Tom's Cabin: Tracing Theme ‐ Chapters 31‐ 35
Uncle Tom's Cabin: Making Inferences and
Predictions ‐ Chapters 36‐ 40
Uncle Tom's Cabin: Themes ‐ Chapters 41‐ 45
Quiz: Uncle Tom's Cabin
Alternate Quiz: Uncle Tom's Cabin ‐ Form A*
Alternate Quiz: Uncle Tom's Cabin ‐ Form B*
"Ain't I a Woman?": Abolitionists and Romanticism
"The Two Offers": Inferring and Ellipses
Project: Explanatory Essay ‐ African American
Women*
"Bartleby the Scrivener": Theme and
Characterization
Project: Close Reading and Recorded Presentation
Quiz: Truth, Harper, and Melville
Alternate Quiz: Truth, Harper, and Melville ‐ Form A*
Alternate Quiz: Truth, Harper, and Melville ‐ Form B*
Special Project*
Review
Test: American Romanticism
Alternate Test: American Romanticism ‐ Form A*
Alternate Test: American Romanticism ‐ Form B*
Glossary and Credits
Unit 4: Semester Review and Exam
Assignments
1.
2.
Review
Exam: English III Semester I
3.
Alternate Exam: English III Semester I ‐ Form A*
Unit 5: Regional Voices
Assignments
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2.
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11.
English III
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24.
Historical Context and Universal Theme
"House Divided": Lincoln's Rhetorical Devices
"O Captain! My Captain!": Poetic Structures and
Devices
"Influence of Lincoln": Supporting a Thesis
Project: Expository Essay ‐ "A House Divided," "O
Captain! O Captain!," "Influence of Lincoln"
Quiz: Historical Context
Alternate Quiz: Historical Context: Form A*
Alternate Quiz: Historical Context: Form B*
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: Realism in
America
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: Theme and
Character ‐ Chapter 1
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: Tone and
Character ‐ Chapters 2‐ 3
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: Dialogue and
Dialect to Characterize ‐ Chapters 4‐ 5
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: Setting and
Word Choice ‐ Chapters 6‐ 9
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: Satire and
Theme ‐ Chapters 10‐ 13
Quiz: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: Chapters
1‐ 13
Alternate Quiz: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn:
Chapters 1‐ 13 ‐ Form A*
Alternate Quiz: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn:
Chapters 1‐ 13 ‐ Form B*
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: Theme ‐
Chapters 14‐ 16
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: Using Sources
to Understand Text ‐ Chapters 17‐ 19
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: Realism vs.
Idealism ‐ Chapters 20‐ 22
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: Humor and
Irony ‐ Chapters 23‐ 25
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: Theme of Moral
Awakening ‐ Chapters 26‐ 28
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: Vernacular and
Tone ‐ Chapters 29‐ 31
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: Figures of
Speech and Context ‐ Chapters 32‐ 35
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The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: Explicit and
Implicit Meaning ‐ Chapters 36‐ 39
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: Resolution ‐
Chapters 40‐ 43
Project: Persuasive Essay: "Defining Freedom as
Found in the Theme(s) of The Adventures of
Huckleberry Finn"
Quiz: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: Chapters
14‐ 43
Alternate Quiz: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn:
Chapters 14‐ 43 ‐ Form A*
Alternate Quiz: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn:
Chapters 14‐ 43 ‐ Form B*
"Désirée's Baby": Themes
The Essay: Understanding Format and Rhetoric
"The White Heron": Narration and Figures of Speech
"The Revolt of Mother": Local Color and Dialogue
Quiz: Theme, Figures of Speech, and Rhetoric
Alternate Quiz: Theme, Figures of Speech, and
Rhetoric ‐ Form A*
Alternate Quiz: Theme, Figures of Speech, and
Rhetoric ‐ Form B*
"The Yellow Wallpaper": Analyzing Symbolism
Project: Discussion ‐ "Why I Wrote The Yellow
Wallpaper"
Project: Argumentative Essay: American Women
Writers
"Tennessee's Partner": Narrative Point of View and
Local Color
Project: Literary Circle: Discussion of Edith
Wharton's Ethan Frome
Quiz: American Women Writers
Alternate Quiz: American Women Writers ‐ Form A*
Alternate Quiz: American Women Writers ‐ Form B*
Special Project*
Review
Test: Regional Voices
Alternate Test: Regional Voices ‐ Form A*
Alternate Test: Regional Voices ‐ Form B*
Glossary and Credits
Unit 6: Modernism in America
Assignments
1.
2.
3.
4.
English III
5.
6.
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8.
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32.
An Introduction to Modernism in America
"Aunt Imogen": Theme and Structure
"A Servant to Servants": Structure and Technique
"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock": Form, Imagery,
and Theme
Sara Teasdale: Lyric Poetry
"Grass": Realism and War
Project: Analyzing Themes of Loss and Isolation in
Modernist Poetry
Quiz: Modernism and Realism
Alternate Quiz: Modernism and Realism ‐ Form A*
Alternate Quiz: Modernism and Realism ‐ Form B*
Modernism in the 1920s
"Hills Like White Elephants": Analysis
Project: Literary Analysis of "Hills Like White
Elephants."
Project: Narrative Essay
Project: Revision of a Student Piece
Our Town: Universality in Literature
Our Town: Inference ‐ Act I
Our Town: Set and Characters ‐ Act II
Our Town: Set, Tone, Theme ‐ Act III
Project: Our Town: Presenting an Argument
Quiz: Modernism
Alternate Quiz: Modernism ‐ Form A*
Alternate Quiz: Modernism ‐ Form B*
The Crucible: Hysteria and Propaganda
The Crucible: Setting ‐ Act I
The Crucible: Characterization ‐ Act II
The Crucible: Themes ‐ Act III
The Crucible: Symbolism ‐ Act IV
The Crucible: Truth in Fiction
The Crucible: Character Analysis
The Crucible: Historical Context
Project: Argument Essay ‐ John Proctor*
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Quiz: The Crucible
Alternate Quiz: The Crucible ‐ Form A*
Alternate Quiz: The Crucible ‐ Form B*
"Arrangement in Black and White": Satire and Writer
Purpose
"The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain": Harlem
Renaissance
Project: Web Quest: The Life and Art of Zora Neale
Hurston
Quiz: Harlem Renaissance
Alternate Quiz: Harlem Renaissance‐ Form A*
Alternate Quiz: Harlem Renaissance‐ Form B*
Their Eyes Were Watching God: Figurative Language
Their Eyes Were Watching God: Setting
Their Eyes Were Watching God: Literary Elements
Their Eyes Were Watching God: Themes
Their Eyes Were Watching God: Language and
Imagery
Project: Essay: Searching for Love and Self in Their
Eyes Were Watching God
"If Black English Isn't a Language, Then Tell Me What
Is?": Language Structure
Project: Essay with Textual Evidence ‐ Slide Show
Presentation
Quiz: Their Eyes Were Watching God
Alternate Quiz: Their Eyes Were Watching God‐
Form A*
Alternate Quiz: Their Eyes Were Watching God‐
Form B*
Special Project*
Review
Test: Modernism in America
Alternate Test: Modernism in America ‐ Form A*
Alternate Test: Modernism in America ‐ Form B*
Glossary and Credits
Unit 7: POST‐WORLD WAR II
Assignments
English III
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
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16.
English III
English III
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19.
The Literary Scene in Post ‐ World War II America
"The Petrified Man": Southern Gothic and Language
"A Good Man is Hard to Find": Drawing Inferences
and Word Meaning
Quiz: Southern Gothic
Alternate Quiz: Southern Gothic ‐ Form A*
Alternate Quiz: Southern Gothic ‐ Form B*
John F. Kennedy's Inaugural Address: Analysis
"For the Union Dead": Poetic Devices
"The Man Who Was Almost a Man": Literary Elements
Quiz: Kennedy, Lowell, and Wright
Alternate Quiz: Kennedy, Lowell, and Wright ‐ Form
A*
Alternate Quiz: Kennedy, Lowell, and Wright ‐ Form
B*
"The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll": Meaning of
Lyrics
"Over S.E. Asia": Theme of War
"Poem": Interpretation
"Let Sleeping Dogs Lie": Analyzing Satire as a Tool of
Criticism
Message and Media
"Attack the Water": Archetypes and Structure
Quiz: Theme, Archetype, and Interpretation
20.
31.
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34.
35.
36.
Alternate Quiz: Theme, Archetype, and
Interpretation ‐ Form A*
Alternate Quiz: Theme, Archetype, and
Interpretation ‐ Form B*
"Sestina": Analyzing Form and Meaning
"The Problem that Has No Name": Women and
Cultural Context
"Mirror": Analysis
Project: "The Quilt of a Country": Slideshow
Presentation
Project: College and Career Research and
Presentation
Writing Conventions: American Standard English
Quiz: Analysis of Post WWII Writing
Alternate Quiz: Analysis of Post WWII Writing ‐
Form A*
Alternate Quiz: Analysis of Post WWII Writing ‐
Form B*
Special Project*
Review
Test: Post‐ World War II
Alternate Test: Post‐ World War II ‐ Form A*
Alternate Test: Post‐ World War II ‐ Form B*
Glossary and Credits
3.
Alternate Exam: English III Semester II ‐ Form A*
2.
Alternate Exam: English III Final ‐ Form A*
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30.
Unit 8: Semester Review and Exam
Assignments
1.
2.
Review
Exam: English III Semester II
Unit 9: Final Exam
Assignments
1.
Exam: English III Final