English II
Course Outline
First Semester:
Week l: Class rules. Book list. Syllabus review. Discussion and testing for
summer reading: Of Mice and Men and Night.
Week 2: Grammar overview: parts of speech and parts of the sentence.
Week 3: The Iliad. Mythology. Vocabulary.
Week 4: Introduction to the short story. List of literary terms: plot, characterization,
setting, symbol, theme, tone and irony. “Lather and Nothing Else”: setting and mood.
Week 5: “The Open Window”: plot and conflict. “By the Waters of Babylon”:
symbolism. Paragraph writing. Discuss outside reading book review.
Week 6: Essay introduction: Jane Schaeffer Writing Packet. “The Necklace”: motive
and characterization. Vocabulary.
Week 7: Informal essay writing (3 paragraphs). “Rules of the Game”: point of view.
Grammar: coordination and subordination.
Week 8: Book review due. “After You My Dear Alphonse”: characterization.
Vocabulary.
Week 9: “Chee’s Daughter”: setting and tone. Grammar: clear reference.
Week 10: “The Adventure of the Speckled Band”: narrator and plot. Review for
Midterm exam. Midterm exam.
Week 11 Begin A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Vocabulary.
Week 12: Parallel structure in writing.
Week 13: A Christmas Carol. Vocabulary.
Week 14 Analysis of A Christmas Carol.
Week 15: Formal essay writing (5 paragraphs).
Week 16: Catch-up week for grammar, Short Stories and A Christmas Carol. Review for
semester exam.
Week 17: Assign Book Analysis. Semester Exam.
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English II
Second Semester
Week 1: Book Analysis Due. Introduction to poetry. Poetry Terms. Vocabulary.
Week 2: Narrative/Dramatic/tone and lyric poetry. Free Verse poetry composition.
Week 3: Poetry form and theme. Poetry recitations. Vocabulary.
Week 4: Poetry Test. Introduction to Drama.
Week 5: History of Julius Caesar. Drama: Julius Caesar. Begin quizzes on each Act.
Week 6-7: Julius Caesar. Vocabulary. Writing.
Week 8: Introduction and history of the novel: A Separate Peace by John Knowles.
Week 9-11: A Separate Peace. Assign groups for reading and quizzes. Vocabulary.
Week 12-14: Mythology/Legends: Arthurian Legends. Begin the Research Paper.
Vocabulary.
Week 15-17: Complete Research Paper. Vocabulary.
Week 18: Writing portfolios. Review for final exam.
Week 19: Semester exam.
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Texts & Supplemental Instructional Materials
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Literature and the Language Arts, Understanding Literature
Night Eli Wiesel
Of Mice and Men John Steinbeck
A Christmas Carol Charles Dickens
A Separate Peace John Knowles
The Iliad Homer
Selected Arthurian Legends
Mythology Edith Hamiliton
Key Assignments
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Literary Journal
Book Analysis
Writing Portfolios
Research Paper
Free Verse Poetry project
Instructional Methods and/or Strategies
These are some of the specific strategies used in the class:
 Lecture
 Discussion
 Group reading/review
 Individual conference
 Library research and methods
 Instructional videos/DVDs
 Essay writing and editing
 Peer presentations
Assessment Methods and/or Tools
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Tests
Quizzes
Rubrics
Peer correcting and editing
Group quizzes
Student instruction/presentations
Assessment Criteria
Grades are assigned on the basis of accumulation of points. Letter grades are assigned
according to BMHS grading scale.
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