Grade 8 English 1 Honors – Curriculum Planning Guide – 2014-2015
First Nine Weeks – Unit One
Essential Question:
Is Conflict Necessary?
Subquestions:
How do we face conflict? Should we conform or not?
Reading Selections
Literature
Informational
Suggested Short Stories:
 “The Most Dangerous
Game” p. 24
 “The Gift of the Magi”
p. 52
 “Rules of the Game”
p. 64
 “The Cask of
Amontillado” p. 82
 “The Scarlet Ibis” p. 128
 “Much Madness is
Divinest Sense” p. 144
Suggested Informational
Texts:
 “My English” p. 146
 “The Case for Fitting In”
p. 156
 from “The Geeks Shall
Inherit the Earth” p. 162
 from “Blue Nines and
Red Words” p. 168
 from “The New Yorker”
p. 178
(RL.2, RL.3, RL.4, RL.5, RL.6)
Anderson School District Five
(RI.1, RI.2, RI.3, RI.4, RI.5,
RI.6)
Writing
Suggested Activities/Strategies:
 Expository Essay focusing on
literary device(s) using one
or more pieces (W.2) (RL.7)
 Assessment – Elements of
Fiction Board Game (use
with cold read short story
like “The Most Dangerous
Game”). Students create a
board game with rules to
showcase elements from
story within the game board.
(W.9) (RL.1) (SL.1, SL.4)
 Autobiographical Narrative,
p. 181 (W.3)
 Argumentative Essay, p. 182
(W.1)
 Any essay choice
(W.4, W.5, W.8, W.9)
Page 1
Speaking and Listening
Suggested
Activities/Strategies:
 Group Discussion, p.
180 (SL.1)
 Socratic Seminar
connecting a short
story, poem, and
informational piece on
the same topic (SL.1,
SL.2, SL.4)
Language





Parts of Speech (L.1)
Parts of a Sentence (L.1)
Phrases (L.1)
Clauses (L.1, L.2)
SAT Vocabulary (L.4,
L.5)
2014-2015
Grade 8 English 1 Honors – Curriculum Planning Guide – 2014-2015
First Nine Weeks – Unit Two
Essential Question:
Subquestions:
Why do people do what they do?
What motivates people? What makes people follow certain leaders? What makes certain people become leaders?
Reading Selections
Literature
Informational
Suggested Literature:
Lord of the Flies (required)
(RL.1, RL.2, RL.3, RL.4,
RL.5, RL.6) (L.5)
Suggested Informational
Texts:
 The Learning Network:
Teaching Lord of the
Flies with The New York
Times http://learning.blogs.nyti
mes.com/2010/08/05/te
aching-the-lord-of-theflies-with-the-new-yorktimes/?_php=true&_type
=blogs&_php=true&_typ
e=blogs&_r=1&
(RI.1, RI.2, RI.3, RI.4,
RI.5, RI.6)
Suggested
Activities/Strategies:
 Lessons from Literature
Unit Guide: Lord of the
Flies http://www.lessonsfromli
terature.org/docs/manua
l/Lord_of_the_Flies.pdf
Anderson School District Five
Writing
Speaking and Listening
Suggested Activities/Strategies:
 Simon’s Fate poetry –
students write a poem about
Simon’s death from another
character’s perspective (W.4,
W.9)
Suggested
Activities/Strategies:
 Groups prepare project
of teacher’s choosing
(poster or online
medium) to showcase
themes, ironies, and
symbols from the novel
with textual evidence to
share with the class
and explain. (SL.1,
SL.4, SL.5) (RL.7)
 Mock Trial debating
who should be charged
with Simon’s and
Piggy’s murders.
(SL.1, SL.3, SL.4) (RI.8)
Page 2
Language
Suggested
Activities/Strategies:
 Transition into 4L
practice or teacher’s
choice of strategy for
practice of grammar
foundation (L.1, L.2,
L.3)
 SAT Vocabulary (L.4,
L.5)
2014-2015
Grade 8 English 1 Honors – Curriculum Planning Guide – 2014-2015
First Nine Weeks – Unit Three
Essential Question:
Subquestions:
Why do societies work or not work?
What is the foundation of a strong society? How does technology affect a society? Could censorship benefit
a society?
Reading Selections
Literature
Informational
Suggested Literature:
Fahrenheit 451 (required)
(RL.1, RL.2, RL.3, RL.4,
RL.5, RL.6, RL.9)
Suggested Informational
Texts:
Suggested
Activities/Strategies:
 “All Watched Over by
Machines of Loving
Grace,” On Line
Literature (RL.1, RL.2
RL.3, RL.4, RL.5, RL.6,
RL.9)
 The Big Read Unit Guide
for Fahrenheit 451 http://www.neabigread.
org/books/fahrenheit451
/teachers-guide/
Suggested
Activities/Strategies:
 Careers in Robotics,” On
Line Literature (RI.1,
RI.2, RI.3, RI.4, RI.5,
RI.6)
 “Team Builds ‘Sociable’
Robot,” On Line
Literature (RI.1, RI.2,
RI.3, RI.4, RI,5, RI.6)
Anderson School District Five
Writing
Speaking and Listening
Suggested Activities/Strategies:
 Create a Dystopian/Utopian
Society based on societal
outcomes of Lord of the Flies
and Fahrenheit 451 with
pamphlet explaining all
aspects. (W.1, W.2, W.4,
W.5, W.6, W.9) (RL.7)
 Compare and contrast the
dystopian societies seen in
Fahrenheit 451 and Lord of
the Flies. (W.1, W.2, W.4,
W.5, W.6, W.9) (RL.7)
Suggested
Activities/Strategies:
 Socratic Seminar
comparing the novel’s
views and uses of
technology to modern
day uses and views of
technology – students
research and bring
article to support
modern views. (SL.1,
SL.2, SL.3, SL.4) (RL.7)
Page 3
Language
Suggested
Activities/Strategies:
 Continue grammar
practice (L.1, L.2, L.3)
 Novel vocabulary (L.4,
L.5)
 Research and MLA
formatting techniques
(L.3)
2014-2015
English 1 Honors – Curriculum Planning Guide – 2014-2015
Second Nine Weeks – Unit Four
Essential Question:
How do the interactions of people affect their culture?
Subquestions:
How does people’s prejudice affect their interactions? Why do people do what they do? How do our sterotypes
control our actions?
Reading Selections
Literature
Informational
Suggested Literature:
Suggested Informational
Texts:
 “I Have a Dream” p.
242
 “On Summer” p. 208
 “First Inaugural
Address” p. 284
 from “Nothing to Fear”
p. 294
 from “Americans in the
Great Depression” p.
298
 “Women on the
Breadlines” p. 308
 “Bread Line, New York
City, 1932” p. 318
(RI.1, RI.2, RI.3, RI.4, RI.5,
RI.6, RI.7, RI.8, RI.9)
To Kill a Mockingbird
(required)
Suggested
Activities/Strategies:
 The Big Read Unit Guide
for To Kill a Mockingbird http://www.neabigread.or
g/books/mockingbird/teac
hers-guide/
 The Library of Congress
Unit Guide for To Kill a
Mockingbird –
http://www.loc.gov/teach
ers/classroommaterials/le
ssons/mockingbird/
 Billie Holiday Song Lyrics
“Strange Fruit” http://www.azlyrics.com/l
yrics/billieholiday/strangef
ruit.html
 PBS - The Murder of
Emmett Till –
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh
/amex/till/
 PBS - Scottsboro Trial http://www.pbs.org/wgbh
/amex/scottsboro/
Anderson School District Five
Writing
Speaking and Listening
Language
Suggested Activities/Strategies:
 Narrative Piece and
Expository Piece, pp. 321322 (could be tweaked to
connect with novel (W.2,
W.3, W.4, W.5, W.9)
 Thematic Essay (W.2, W.4,
W.5, W.9)
 Character Analysis (W.2,
W.4, W.5, W.9)
 Letter to the Editor –
students create letter
sharing thoughts of vigilante
justice based on novel and
informational texts (W.1,
W.4, W.5, W.8, W.9) (L.6)
 Thematic Children’s Book –
create children’s book based
on summary of novel aspect
and connecting theme
relating to Part 1 (W.3, W.4,
W.5, W.9) (L.6)
Suggested
Activities/Strategies:
 Great Depression Group
Discussion, p. 320
 Socratic Seminar
focusing on connection
between themes and
characters or any other
important aspect of
novel
 Allow groups to create
poster (or any other
form) connecting
themes to characters to
symbols
(SL.1, SL.3, SL.4, SL.6) (L.6)
Suggested
Activities/Strategies:
 Sentence structure,
variety, and correct
punctuation (L.1, L.2,
L.3)
 Novel vocabulary (L.4,
L.5)
 Review MLA formatting
concerning in-text
citations and works cited
(L.3)
.
Page 4
2014-2015
English 1 Honors – Curriculum Planning Guide – 2014-2015
Third Nine Weeks – Unit Five
Essential Question:
Do heroes have responsibilities?
Subquestions:
What traits does a hero display? What does society expect of a hero? Who determines who a hero is?
Reading Selections
Literature
Informational
Suggested Literature:
excerpts from Mythology
Required:
 “The Titans and the
Twelve Great Olympians”
 “The Underworld”
 “Prometheus”
 “Perseus”
 “Theseus”
 “Hercules”
 “Jason”
 “Bellerophon”
 “The Trojan War”
 “The Fall of Troy”
Optional:
 “Demeter and
Persephone”
 “Narcissus and Echo”
 “Cupid and Psyche”
 “Icarus”
(RL.1, RL.3, RL.4, RL.6)
Suggested Informational
Texts:
 from “The Ramayana” p.
860
 “The Washwoman” p.
878
 from “The Hero’s
Adventure” p. 886
 from “My Hero” p. 892
 “On Altruism, Heroism,
and Nature’s Gifts in the
Face of Terror” p. 898
(RI.1, RI.2, RI.3, RI.4, RI.5,
RI.6, RI.7, RI.8, RI.9)
Writing
Suggested
Activities/Strategies:
 Reflective Essay, p. 907
(W.3, W.4, W.5, W.6)
(L.6)
 Argumentative Essay, p.
908 (W.1, W.4, W.5,
W.6) (L.6)
.

Additional Suggested
Literature (optional):
 from The Odyssey, Part 1
p. 756
 from The Odyssey, Part 2
p. 800
(RL.1, RL.3, RL.4, RL.6, RL.9)
 “An Ancient Gesture”
p. 830
Anderson School District Five
Page 5
Speaking and Listening
Language
Suggested
Activities/Strategies:
 Group Discussion on
heroism connecting
texts, p. 906 (SL.1, SL.2,
SL.3)
 Hero Project and
Presentation – allow
students to create visual
media presentations
teaching selected heroes
from Mythology to
classmates. (SL.1, SL.2,
SL.3, SL.4, SL.5, SL.6)
(L.6) (W.2, W.4, W.5,
W.6, W.7, W.8) (RL.4,
RL.7)
 Monsters and Creatures
Project and Presentation
– teacher selects
mythological monsters
and creatures that
become important
allusions for students to
research and teach the
class about through a
visual media
presentation (SL.1, SL.2,
SL.3, SL.4, SL.5, SL.6)
(L.6) (W.2, W.4, W.5,
W.6, W.7, W.8) (RL.4,
RL.7)
Suggested Activities/Strategies:
 Subject/Verb agreement
(L.1, L.2, L.3)
 Pronoun/Antecedent
agreement (L.1, L.2, L.3)
 Parallel structure (L.1, L.2,
L.3)
 Context clues relating to
the literature (L.4, L.5)
 Focus in on indirect quotes
and their in-text citations
as well as all items on
works cited being used
within the piece (L.3)
2014-2015
English 1 Honors – Curriculum Planning Guide – 2014-2015
Third Nine Weeks – Unit Five
Reading Selections
Literature
Informational
Writing
Speaking and Listening
Language


“Siren Song” p. 832
from The Odyssey
“Prologue and Epilogue”
p. 834
 “Ithaca” p. 836
(RL.1, RL.3, RL.4, RL.6)
Anderson School District Five
Page 6
2014-2015
English 1 Honors – Curriculum Planning Guide – 2014-2015
Third Nine Weeks – Unit Six
Essential Question:
Subquestions:
Why do individual choices impact others?
Do our differences define us? Does love really conquer all? What impact does family have on an individual?
Reading Selections
Literature
Informational
Suggested Literature:
Suggested Informational
Texts:
 ABC News – Study:
Teen Love Hurts http://abcnews.go.com/
Health/story?id=117623
 Auschwitz-Birkenau
State Museum “Tragic
Love at Auschwitz” http://www.google.com/
culturalinstitute/exhibit/t
ragic-love-atauschwitz%C2%A0/gRat
YvcU?hl=en
 Biography.com “The Real
Bonnie and Clyde”
http://www.biography.co
m/news/bonnie-andclyde-9-facts-lifetimemovievideo#awesm=~oHE3XZ
o3572Vkr
The Tragedy of Romeo and
Juliet (required) (RL.1, RL.2,
RL.3, RL.4, RL.6, RL.7, RL.9)
“Pyramus and Thisbe” p. 640
(optional) (RL.1, RL.3, RL.4,
RL.6)
Anderson School District Five
Writing
Suggested
Activities/Strategies:
 Character Analysis (W.2,
W.4, W.5, W.9)
 Saturation Paper – take
on the persona of a
character and expand on
a single event from the
play adding creative
details and relevant
information (W.3, W.4,
W.5, W.6, W.9)
Speaking and Listening
Suggested
Activities/Strategies:
 Background knowledge
about William
Shakespeare, time
period, and The Globe
(SL.1, SL.2, SL.4, SL.5)
(RI.3, RI.5, RI.7)
Language
Suggested Activities/Strategies:
 Play vocabulary (L.4, L.5)
 Figurative language study
(L.5, L.6)
 Holistic grammar review
(L.1, L.2, L.3)
.
Page 7
2014-2015
English 1 Honors – Curriculum Planning Guide – 2014-2015
Fourth Nine Weeks – Unit Seven
Essential Question:
Dependent on teacher selection
Subquestions:
Dependent on teacher selection
Reading Selections
Literature
Informational
Suggested Literature:
Choose from Optional List
 Animal Farm
 Cyrano De Bergerac
Suggested Informational
Texts:
Choose from Optional List
 excerpts from The
Suggested
Activities/Strategies:
 Whichever text is chosen,
teacher should focus on
reviewing all standards
previously covered in
preparation for EOC
 Practice EOC questions


Tipping Point
Something to Declare
The Carolina Way
Writing
Speaking and Listening
Language
Suggested
Activities/Strategies:
 Focus writing on research
and proper MLA format
along with writing skills
 Practice EOC questions
Suggested
Activities/Strategies:
 Students continue
effective classroom
discussions showing their
understanding of
material
 Students should make a
presentation on teacher
selected material or topic
Suggested Activities/Strategies:
 Holistic grammar review
 Context clue practice
 Practice EOC questions
.
Suggested
Activities/Strategies:
 Practice EOC questions
Anderson School District Five
Page 8
2014-2015