English 10A
Grades: 9, 10, 11, 12
Credits: 0.50
Description:
This is the first of two courses that comprise English 10. In this course, the student will explore
the timeless themes of world literature, including works from the Americas, Europe, and Africa.
In reading these diverse selections, the student will gain a thorough understanding of fiction
genres, including classics, contemporary fiction, poetry, and drama. The student will also read
Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. John Steinbeck’s novella Of Mice and Men may
be read instead of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. In reading these American literature
selections and creating a multimedia presentation, the student will understand longer works of
literature in their historical and literary context. Writing instruction guides the student through
the process of composing expository and analytical essays. It also provides opportunities for the
student to write creatively; the student will compose a short story and poem.
Throughout the course, the student expands his vocabulary in context. The mastery of both
critical vocabulary and grammar skills helps the student become a more thoughtful and
effective reader and writer.
Units:
The Literature of the Americas
In this unit, you will not only read a selection of literary works from the Western hemisphere,
but you will also analyze literary concepts such as theme, tone, mood, and dramatic irony. You
will explore fictional stories, drama, and poetry as well as nonfiction essays and famous United
States historical documents. During your study of grammar, you will review the eight parts of
speech and apply your knowledge of those as you compose summaries, multi-paragraph essays
and an informal letter. You will use a wide variety of study skills to master the concepts covered
in this unit.
The Literature of the Americas II
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In Unit 1, you read selections from several writers in the Americas. You learned about literary
techniques such as tone, theme, imagery, and stage direction. In Unit 2, you will continue
reading short stories and poems written by authors from the Americas.
Selections in this unit include writings by authors from St. Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica,
Puerto Rico, Brazil, Argentina, and Chile. The stories cover topics such as reconciliation, death,
acceptance, anger, and relationships. There is a wealth of insight and emotion in the writings.
As you read, you will learn new literary elements such as paradox, personification, and
situational irony. You will also become familiar with additional techniques such as magical
realism and repetition, which enable literature to engage an audience from beginning to end. In
this unit, you will write a compare and contrast essay on a topic of your choice. You will select a
topic, create a rough draft, revise, and edit your essay over the course of the unit. Additionally,
you will review and apply your knowledge on the components of sentences and common
sentence errors.
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Mark Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is the story of a free-thinking kid, Huck Finn, and a
slave named Jim, both of whom choose to flee their oppressive lives. The two set out on a trip
down the Mississippi River that is filled with adventures and experiences that are unique to the
particular class of characters and setting of the mid-nineteenth century. The novel’s title is
sometimes extended to include Tom Sawyer’s Comrade to indicate to readers that this is a
companion novel to The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, told as a first-person narrative from Huck’s
point of view. Prior knowledge of Tom Sawyer is not required. In this unit, you will identify
literary elements, analyze characters, use comprehension strategies to make connections and
draw conclusions, and define unfamiliar vocabulary words. You will also create a multimedia
presentation for Unit 3's portfolio assessment.
Of Mice and Men may be read instead of the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn with prior teacher
approval. Lessons and activities for Of Mice and Men will appear on the lower half of the page.
Do not proceed with Of Mice and Men unless you have received approval from your teacher.Of
Mice and Men is the story of two men, George Milton and Lennie Small, living a hardscrabble
existence as migrant workers during the Great Depression. Smart and practical, George has
spent years looking after Lennie. Lennie is hardworking and kind, but feeble-minded. Each man
is the only "family" the other one has. As George and Lennie move from place to place and job
to job, they hope to save enough money to buy a place of their own. Soon their dream seems
within reach, but forces beyond their control threaten to ruin their hopes forever. In this unit,
you will identify literary elements, analyze characters, use comprehension strategies to make
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connections and draw conclusions, and define unfamiliar vocabulary words. You will also create
a multimedia presentation for Unit 3's portfolio assessment.
Europe I
Europe has endured many conflicts that have influenced its literature—world wars, the
Holocaust, and the collapse of the Soviet Union are examples. Writers are among the first
targets of totalitarian regimes. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, who was twice sent to Siberia, is one of
many European authors who were exiled, imprisoned, or silenced. However, he refused to stop
criticizing Russia’s Communist regime, believing that “literature that is not the breath of
contemporary society, that dares not transmit the pains and fears of that society, that does not
warn in time against threatening moral and social dangers—such literature does not deserve
the name of literature; it is only a façade. Such literature loses the confidence of its own
people, and its published works are used as wastepaper instead of being read.”In this unit, you
will read, analyze, and interpret selections that express some of the hopes, disappointments,
and fears of the writers and of the citizens of the European states, including W.H. Auden and
Graham Greene. You will continue to develop your writing skills as you compose an expository
essay.
Selections include writings such as the following:
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“from Ten Songs”, a poem by W. H. Auden, which looks at his perceptions of what was
happening in Germany during the time of Hitler
“The Destructors,” a story by Graham Greene, which offers an English man’s perspective
on the effects of World War II
As you read, you will learn new literary terms, such as rhyme scheme and allusion. You will be
introduced to different character types, such as round characters, flat characters, and stock
characters. You will also write an expository essay—andother type of writing that you can add
to your growing portfolio. Additionally, you will review and apply your knowledge of a variety of
grammatical phrases, such as prepositional, appositive, participial, gerund, and infinitive .
Europe II
In this unit, you will continue to read selections that express some of the hopes,
disappointments, and fears of the writers and of the citizens of the European states. Selections
you will read include a fable, short stories, one short story adapted from a play, and poetry
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from European writers. As you read, you will learn literary devices used to create compelling
stories or poems such as: allegory, author’s purpose, character development, dialogue, and
hyperbole. You will also practice using various clauses and different kinds of sentence
structures to enhance your writing. Additionally, you will create a personal narrative about a
subject of your choice and have the opportunity to draft a couple of different business
communications in the form of a letter of complaint and a letter of application.
Africa
The African continent includes more than 50 countries and more than 800 languages. The
writers you will study in this unit, who come from various regions of Africa, faced the challenge
of telling their stories in languages that honor their heritage while reaching a wide audience.
Most authors write in French and English, the languages spoken by European colonizers. But
one, Kenyan author Ngugi wa Thiong’o, writes primarily in his native language, Gikuyu.You will
read stories that reflect the authors’ analyses of life before and after colonization. They deal
with subjects such as the griot storytelling tradition, the clash of European and African cultures,
and the pervasive effects of apartheid. Selections you will read include an epic poem, a firstperson narrative, and several short stories. As you read, you will learn about literary devices
that writers use to create interesting stories and poems. These devices include personification,
plot, tone, characterization, humor, theme, and setting. You will also practice using various verb
forms and learn how to strengthen your writing through the use of vivid verbs. Additionally, you
will learn elements of poetry such as sound devices, rhythm, meter, and figurative language;
you will also explore various forms that poems can take. Finally, you will use the information
you learned about poetry to create a poem.
Review and Exam
In this unit, you will have the opportunity to prepare for and take the final exam on the
concepts you learned. Since this is a comprehensive exam, it may be helpful to organize your
notes in the order of the course outline before you begin to review. Using the test-taking
strategies that you have previously learned can help you be successful with both objective and
essay questions.
Online Text/eBook
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iText Reading the World
iText The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
iText The Importance of Being Earnest
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Toll-free 877-804-NACA (6222)
www.connectionsacademy.com/national [email protected]
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iText Writing with Power 10 (Yellow) Student Ed
National Connections Academy 1001 Fleet St. 5th Floor Baltimore MD 21202
Toll-free 877-804-NACA (6222)
www.connectionsacademy.com/national [email protected]