Saint Patrick High School
Curriculum Guide
American Literature CP Semester 1
Department: English
Grade and
11 CP
Level:
Class:
American Literature
●
Required Text:
●
●
Additional
Resources (i.e.
texts, materials,
apps, etc.):
Term
First Semester
Grammar and Language Workbook
Grade 11 Glencoe
Shared PDF Material Files in iTunes U or Google Drive
Shared vocabulary list on iTunes U or Google Drive
iPad Apps
Teachers may use
● iTunes U
● Google Drive
● Showbie
● Nearpod
● GoodReader
● Keynote
● Pages
Course Description
This course will offer a survey of American literature integrated with composition. Expository,
narrative, and persuasive writing will be covered. Students will be required to complete a major
research paper. American writers, their distinctive styles and their contributions to the
development of American literature will be highlighted. Vocabulary and grammar skills will be
emphasized as needed.
Unit Themes (Table of Contents)
Theme 1:
The Romantic Period: Shadows of the Imagination; A Growing Nation
Theme 2:
Transcendentalism: The Human Spirit and the Natural World
Theme 3:
Grammar and Vocabulary: Preparation for College Standardized Testing
Theme 4:
Essay Writing Skills: The Persuasive Essay (ACT)
Theme 5:
Critical Reading and Thinking: Close Analysis of Literature
Agreed Upon Assessments
Forms of assessments may include but are not limited to….
● Persuasive Essays
● Journals
● Presentations
● Projects
● Quizzes
● Tests
● Grammar workbook assignments
● Vocabulary assignments from shared vocabulary list
Research and Writing Expectations
●
●
●
●
●
●
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Writing persuasive ACT-style essays is the focus of junior year. We will discuss and
implement the components of a good persuasive essay.
Students will write a write a persuasive essay at the end of the first semester for a major
grade.
Students will write a persuasive ACT-style essay as part of their final exam.
Excellent grammar and usage is expected on all written work. Regular grammar lessons
will transfer to student writing. (See grammar sections).
Students will write a research paper. Typically this is done in the second semester. See
next semester’s curriculum guide on this matter. Some preliminary research work/library
time can happen in the first semester.
Students will show evidence of strong writing:
Pre-writing/planning
Thesis statements/making a claim
Organization/organizational terms/sequencing
Use of examples/evidence
Proper elaboration of points/development of ideas
Transitions
7. Good description
8. Use of the best vocabulary/proper word choice
9. Counterpoints
10. Proofreading/elimination of spelling and grammar errors.
● Students will get a variety of opportunities to write journals, essays, letters, responses to
literature etc.
Unit:
Early Americans
(Note: This literature unit will
be done in conjunction with
smaller mini-lessons on
grammar, vocabulary, ACT
preparation, and writing.
These lessons are included
in this curriculum guide)
Duration:
2-3 weeks
(Note: With so much to cover this
year in American Literature, it is
important not to get bogged down
in early American writing. This is
meant to be a quick sample of the
foundations of American writing
and thought)
Essential Questions:
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
What are the foundations of American writing?
What can we learn about a people/culture/nation through its writing and stories?
What can we learn about Native Americans through readings of their myths and poems?
How did settlers view the Native Americans?
What evidence of the American spirit is evident in the earliest writings from explorers
and settlers?
What is an exploration narrative?
What is a narrative account?
How were settlers able to overcome hardships?
How does the writing of various settlers differ?
What is the Puritan influence on American culture?
What kinds of writing were popular during the early American period?
Affirmation Statements:
Students will be able to…:
● Explain/write about the life and contributions of the earliest groups in America.
● Differentiate between life in different colonists groups: Plymouth/Jamestown etc.
● Identify similarities in the experiences of various colonist groups based on their writings.
● Teach their classmates about early American attitudes through short presentations.
● Draw conclusions about life for American settlers and explorers based on the readings.
● Evaluate the choices/attitudes of these groups.
● Explain the role of oral tradition in Native American life.
● Based on readings, explain the importance of nature, dreams, and community to Native
Americans.
●
●
●
●
●
Evaluate readings for evidence of bias/exaggeration.
Trace the growth of the American spirit from our readings.
Break down the influence of Puritanism in early America.
Explain plain style, grace, and predestination as they relate to the Puritans
Connect our readings to history/current events. (Salem Witch Trials/McCarthysism )
Readings/Topics
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
“Earth on Turtle’s Back”: Native American origin myth
La Relacion (The Account), Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca
From the General History of Virginia, John Smith
Of Plymouth Plantation, William Bradford (short selection)
Poetry of Anne Bradstreet: “Upon the Burning of Our House” and/or “To My Dear and
Loving Husband.”
Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, Jonathan Edwards (short selection)
Salem Witch Trials (various sources)
Common Assessment
Teachers may agree to assign common early American projects. Students can...
● Make a short film that depicts important events from one of our readings in the early
American unit.
● Make a graphic novel or comic version of one of our readings.
● Make a flyer or brochure that advertises life in the New World.
Teachers may also elect to have students write an end of unit essay as a common assessment:
What evidence of the American spirit is evident in the earliest writings from explorers and
settlers?
Common Core Standards for Literature
This unit is in accordance with literature standards:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.9
Demonstrate knowledge of eighteenth-, nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century foundational
works of American literature, including how two or more texts from the same period treat similar
themes or topics.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.1
Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as
well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters
uncertain.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.2
Determine two or more themes or central ideas of a text and analyze their development over the
course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to produce a complex
account; provide an objective summary of the text.
Grammar Mini Units
In the first 2-3 weeks, teachers will conduct grammar skills reviews. This review could include
grammar workbook assignments in Unit 1 of the grammar workbook. Part of speech review
includes
● nouns (concrete, abstract, proper, common, collective)
● pronouns (personal, possessive, reflexive, intensive, demonstrative, interrogative,
relative indefinite)
● verbs (action, linking, verb phrases)
● adjectives
● adverbs
● prepositions
● conjunctions (coordinating, correlative and subordinating)
Teachers may also begin lessons on phrases, clauses, sentences and fragments during this
period.
Common Core Standards for Grammar
Activities in grammar are in accordance with standards.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.11-12.1
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when
writing or speaking.
ACT Practice Testing
All juniors will take practice ACT English and reading tests during the first two weeks of school.
Students will take the same tests again at the end of the semester for comparison.
ACT Preparation
ACT preparation is also part of the curriculum. Mechanics and usage issues to be covered this
year include the following:
Commas
Apostrophes
Colons, semicolons, dashes, periods, question marks
Subject-verb agreement
Pronoun antecedent agreement
Adjectives vs. adverbs
Verb forms
Pronoun forms and cases
Sentences structure
Subordinate and dependent clauses
Run-ons
Comma splices
Sentence fragments
Misplaced modifiers
Shifts in verb tenses
Shifts in pronoun person and number
Teachers can begin to address some of these issues during grammar mini lessons. Lessons on
the topics listed above will be conducted throughout the year.
Vocabulary
Vocabulary homework and activities will also take place during the first unit. The agreed upon
vocabulary list includes the following words:
Abate, absolve, pilfer, skulk, peril, vapid, innuendo, petulant, scourge, scintillate, sundry,
loathsome, berate, blatant, concoct, epitome, desecrate, ostentatious, restitution, sedentary,
accrue, acrimonious, omnipotent, insidious, temperance, transient, umbrage, infringe, insurgent,
precocious
Common Core Standards Vocabulary
Vocabulary activities are part of the standards.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.11-12.4.c
Consult general and specialized reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries,
thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation of a word or determine or clarify its
precise meaning, its part of speech, its etymology, or its standard usage.
Unit:
Revolutionary
Duration:
Period/Age of Reason
2-3 weeks
Concurrent with
grammar lessons
Essential Questions:
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
What types of writing were popular during the Revolutionary Period?
What role did writing play in the formation of a new nation?
Why is this period referred to as the Age of Reason?
How is the thought process during the Age of Reason different from that shown in early
American writing? (Unit 1)
Who were the important writers during the Age of Reason?
What evidence of logic and clear thinking is evident in the writing?
What persuasive techniques did Revolutionary Era writers employ in their work?
What lessons about writing and clear thinking can we learn from this period?
Affirmation Statements:
Students will be able to…:
● Adapt some of the persuasive techniques used in this period into their own writing and
speech.
● Identify the popular forms of writing during the Revolutionary period.
● Explain how the ideas set forth in our reading are distinctly American.
● Point out the use of parallelism, rhetorical questions and repetition.
● Demonstrate how Benjamin Franklin embodied the spirit of the new nation/was a man of
his times.
● Evaluate Franklin’s plans for moral perfection and the wisdom of his aphorisms.
● Trace the basic traits of being an American.
● Break down the arguments and structure presented in the Declaration of Independence.
Common Assessments:
Forms of assessments may include but are not limited to….
● Essays
● Presentations
● Quizzes
● Tests
● Grammar workbook and vocabulary assignments
Common Essay Assessment
Teachers will have students write an end of unit essay as a common assessment: What type of
persuasive appeal was most effective and important for political documents during the Age of
Reason?
Readings/Topics
●
●
●
●
●
●
The Autobiography by Benjamin Franklin
Selected aphorisms from Poor Richard’s Almanac, Benjamin Franklin
The Declaration of Independence
Speech in the Virginia Convention by Patrick Henry
The Crisis by Thomas Paine
Letters from an American Farmer by Jean de Crevecoeur
Common Core Standards for Literature
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.9
Demonstrate knowledge of eighteenth-, nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century foundational
works of American literature, including how two or more texts from the same period treat similar
themes or topics.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.1
Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as
well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters
uncertain.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.2
Determine two or more themes or central ideas of a text and analyze their development over the
course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to produce a complex
account; provide an objective summary of the text.
Grammar Mini Lessons
Grammar lessons continue. Concept review could include grammar workbook assignments in
Unit 2: simple and complete subjects and predicates, inverted order, direct and indirect objects,
predicate adjectives/nominatives.
Common Core Standards for Grammar
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.11-12.1
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when
writing or speaking.
ACT Preparation
ACT preparation continues with occasional practice questions. In addition to useage and
mechanical issues, teachers will also point out important rhetorical skills that are tested on the
ACT English exam. These skills include:
Proper word choice
Elimination of wordiness/redundancies
Maintaining a consistent style and tone
Avoiding ambiguous references
Use of effective opening, closing and transitional statements
Writing to an audience/maintaining a sense of purpose
Using the best organizational strategies
Teachers can begin to address some of these issues during grammar mini lessons. Lessons on
the topics listed above will be conducted throughout the year.
Vocabulary
Vocabulary homework and group assignments will also take place during the first unit. The
agreed upon vocabulary list includes the following words:
unalienable, acquiesce, parallelism, rhetorical question, astute, austere, coalition, contiguous,
corpulent, slovenly, meritorious, onus, debonair, corroborate, erudite, fortuitous, gauntlet,
thwart, subservient, adventitious, affable, caveat, connoisseur, brouhaha, buttress, cadaverous,
infer, interloper, requisite, sanctimonious, prolific, remit, vigilance, frugality, moderation, infidel,
vitriolic, transgress, ameliorate, amnesty, circuitous, commiserate, demagogue, egregious, elic,
covert, crass, equivocate, extraneous, fortuitous, inconsequential
Common Core Standards Vocabulary
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.11-12.4.c
Consult general and specialized reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries,
thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation of a word or determine or clarify its
precise meaning, its part of speech, its etymology, or its standard usage.
Unit:
The Romantic Period:
Shadows of the
Imagination; A
Growing Nation
Duration:
4-6 Weeks
(This unit will be
conducted concurrently
with lessons on
grammar and
vocabulary)
Essential Questions:
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
What are the characteristics of the writing of the Romantic Period?
What are national developments that laid the groundwork for the development of a
national literature?
Who were the leading writers in the Romantic movement?
What does a nation’s fiction reveal about that people?
Why is the imagination important?
Why were writers of the Romantic period fascinated with the fantastic and supernatural?
How did the Romantics help to shape American literature?
What contributions did the Romantics make to American writing?
What is Edgar Allan Poe’s single effect?
How did Poe use poetic devices like alliteration, consonance, assonance and refrain?
How did Poe build suspense in his stories?
How do the writing styles of Poe and Irving differ?
How is a sense of place evident in the writing of Washington Irving?
●
●
●
●
●
What influences are apparent in the writing of Washington Irving?
What issues of a developing nation are seen in Irving’s work?
What role did folk tales play in the writing of Washington Irving?
How is Poe a gothic writer?
What is gothic writing?
Affirmation Statements:
Students will be able to…:
● Find examples of Romantic period characteristics.
● Explain how national developments laid the groundwork for the writing of the Romantic
period.
● List the leading writers of the Romantic period.
● Analyze how fiction reveals national characteristics.
● Make a case for the importance of imaginative works.
● Break down Poe’s writing techniques and his use of the single effect.
● Identify examples of alliteration, consonance, assonance, and refrain.
● Analyze the differences in styles: Poe and Irving.
● Explain the importance of folk tales for the Romantics and Washington Irving.
Common Assessments:
Forms of assessments may include but are not limited to….
● Persuasive Essays
● Journals
● Presentations
● Quizzes
● Tests
● Grammar workbook assignments
● Vocabulary assignments from shared vocabulary list
Common Essay Assessment
Teachers will have students write an end of unit essay as a common assessment:
Washington Irving and Edgar Allan Poe are both writers of the Romantic period known for
writing dark stories. However, the two authors have markedly different styles. Explore the
differences in Poe and Irving.
Teachers may also assign group presentations. Groups will reflect on
characteristics/approaches/backgrounds of Romantic writers and share them with classmates.
Readings/Topics
●
●
●
The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe
The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe
The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe
●
●
●
The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving
Rip Van Winkle by Washington Irving
Grammar Mini Units
Distinguishing between fragments and sentences
Continued work with phrases and clauses: prepositional, gerund, appositive, infinitive, participle.
Also direct objects, indirect objects, predicate nominative, predicate adjective.
ACT Preparation
Short practice sessions continue, with discussion of the following topics:
Commas, apostrophes, colons, semicolons, dashes, periods, question marks, subject-verb
agreement, pronoun antecedent agreement, adjectives vs. adverbs, adverb forms, pronoun
forms and cases, sentences structure, subordinate and dependent clauses, run ons,
comma splices, sentence fragments, misplaced modifiers, shifts in verb tenses, shifts in
pronoun person and number
Vocabulary
Vocabulary homework and group assignments will also take place during the first unit. The
agreed upon vocabulary list includes the following words:
lurid, mitigate, nebulous, nominal, penury, precept, pretentious, repudiate, gist, gratuitous,
impromptu, inadvertent, avarice, extort, sepulcher, pensive, venerable, ominous, craven, gothic,
iniquity, implore, repose, coquette, lore, refrain, credulity, pedagogue, intrinsic, grandiose,
hackneyed, heinous, inauspicious, inception, hiatus, corpulent, intercede, remonstrate
Unit:
The Persuasive
Essay: Essay Writing
Skills (ACT)
(Note: This writing
unit will be done in
conjunction with
smaller mini-lessons
on grammar,
vocabulary, ACT
preparation, and
writing.)
Duration:
2-3 weeks
Essential Questions:
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
What is a persuasive essay?
What features are evident in a well-written persuasive essay?
How is the ACT writing test structured? What are the best strategies for writing a good
essay?
How does a good writer set up the first paragraph of a persuasive essay?
What is a thesis statement?
What is the best way to organize a persuasive essay?
How does a writer create good topic sentences?
What are transitional phrases and organizational words?
How should the writer address the opposing position in a persuasive essay?
What is cohesiveness?
What is a fully developed idea?
Why are specific examples/evidence important for a writer?
How does a writer create an effective conclusion?
Affirmation Statements:
Students will be able to…:
● Write a strong persuasive essay that develops from a strong thesis.
● Create an effective opening paragraph that catches the reader’s attention, introduces
the topic, and establishes a thesis statement.
● Devise an effective thesis statement.
● Organize their essay in a logical and cohesive way.
● Develop ideas fully.
● Use transitional phrases and organizational terms in way that improves flow and
cohesiveness.
● Use examples and evidence to support their assertions.
● Effectively point out flaws in the logic of opposing views.
● Use the best vocabulary.
● Demonstrate the conventions of English in their writing.
Common Assessments:
All classes will write a persuasive essay using an agreed upon ACT writing prompt.
Common Core Standards for Writing
This writing unit addresses various standards:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.1.d
Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and
conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.2.b
Develop the topic thoroughly by selecting the most significant and relevant facts, extended
definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples appropriate to the
audience's knowledge of the topic.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.2.c
Use appropriate and varied transitions and syntax to link the major sections of the text, create
cohesion, and clarify the relationships among complex ideas and concepts.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.1.a
Introduce precise, knowledgeable claim(s), establish the significance of the claim(s), distinguish
the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization that logically
sequences claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.1.b
Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly and thoroughly, supplying the most relevant evidence
for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the
audience's knowledge level, concerns, values, and possible biases.
Unit:
Close Reading and Analysis of Duration:
Literature: Emphasis on
gaining independent skills for
reading literature
2 weeks
Essential Questions:
To assist students in becoming stronger independent readers and thinkers, teachers will review
close reading techniques. These skills will become important in the second semester when
novel and drama studies move to the forefront and more independent work occurs.
1. Read for first impressions. What do you notice about the wording/mood/message/style?
What is going on?
2. Address the vocabulary: What words do you notice? What terms are familiar? Look up
unfamiliar words.
3. Look closer: What is the point of view? What is included? What is left out? Evaluate
author’s choices. Review structure. What patterns develop? Are there paradoxes? What
larger messages are emerging?
4. Make connections to a larger picture: What are the symbols/metaphors/controlling
metaphors? What are the connections between this piece of writing and others? What
message is conveyed? How does this apply to my life? How does it apply to the whole?
Common Assessments:
Teachers will have students read short American literature samples and practice these skills.
Students can work in groups and present their findings to classmates.
Grammar Mini Units
Continued work from Chapters 3-4 in the Glencoe grammar book. Main clauses. Types of
clauses. Fragments. Run ons.
Unit:
Transcendentalism: The
Human Spirit and the Natural
World
Duration:
2-3 weeks
Note: Because of second
semester time constraints,
teachers can agree to shorten or
bypass this unit. This will be a
joint decision.
Essential Questions:
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
What is Transcendentalism?
What role did Transcendentalist thought play in the development of American literature?
Who are the important Transcendentalist figures?
What are important characteristics found in Transcendentalist writing?
How do the Transcendentalists feel about intuition?
What role should intuition play in one’s decisions?
What are the most famous quotes from the Transcendentalists?
What lessons can be learned from these writers?
Which Transcendentalist views, if any, are still evident in our nation today?
Which ideas from the Transcendentalists did not survive?
When, if ever, is nonconformity an appropriate direction?
What did Thoreau achieve by living at Walden Pond?
Affirmation Statements:
Students will be able to…:
● Respond in discussion and writing to the ideas expressed by the Transcendentalists.
● Argue a position on Transcendentalist attitudes.
● Explain this line from Emerson: “A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.”
● Respond to this quote from Emerson: “Whoso would be a man must be a
nonconformist.”
● Explain the role of trusting oneself in decision making.
● Evaluate Thoreau’s reasons for living at Walden Pond.
● Discuss Thoreau’s belief in simplicity, especially with the complexity of modern life.
● Evaluate Thoreau’s wish to “live deep and suck the marrow from life.”
ACT Preparation
ACT preparation continues with occasional practice questions. In addition to useage and
mechanical issues, teachers will also point out important rhetorical skills that are tested on the
ACT English exam. These skills include:
Proper word choice
Elimination of wordiness/redundancies
Maintaining a consistent style and tone
Avoiding ambiguous references
Use of effective opening, closing and transitional statements
Writing to an audience/maintaining a sense of purpose
Using the best organizational strategies
Teachers can begin to address some of these issues during grammar mini lessons. Lessons on
the topics listed above will be conducted throughout the year.
ACT Practice Testing
Before the end of the semester, students will re-take the ACT practice test that they took at the
beginning of the semester. Students can track their progress since the beginning of the
semester.
Saint Patrick High School
Curriculum Guide
American Literature Semester 2
Department:
English
Grade and
Level:
Class:
American Literature
Term (Semester Second Semester
or Year):
Required Text:
●
●
●
●
Additional Resources (i.e. texts,
materials, apps, etc.):
11
Grammar and Language Workbook
Grade 11 Glencoe
Shared PDF Material File in iTunes U.
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
(electronic version or text)
Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller
(electronic version or text)
iPad Apps
● iTunes U
● Google Drive
●
●
Showbie
Nearpod
Course Description
The course description remains the same as the one used in the first semester. This course will
offer a survey of American literature integrated with composition. Expository, narrative, and
descriptive writing will be covered. Students will be required to complete a major research
paper. American writers, their distinctive styles and their contributions to the development of
American literature will be highlighted. Vocabulary and grammar skills will be emphasized as
needed.
Unit Themes (Table of Contents)
Theme 1
Research Paper: MLA Conventions
Theme 1
Civil War Era: Realism, Naturalism and Frontier Voices
Theme 2:
Novel Studies: Fitzgerald, The Jazz Age, and The Great Gatsby
Theme 3:
The American Theater: Arthur Miller and Death of a Salesman
Theme 4:
Grammar and Vocabulary: Preparation for College Standardized Testing
Theme 5:
ACT test preparation
Agreed Upon Assessments
Forms of assessments may include but are not limited to….
● A major research paper
● Persuasive essays
● Journals
● Presentations
● Quizzes
● Tests
● Grammar workbook assignments
● Vocabulary assignments from shared vocabulary list
Research and Writing Expectations
●
●
●
●
●
A research paper is the major project of this semester. See the plans listed under the
research paper unit.
Continued emphasis of the skills emphasized in last semester’s persuasive writing unit.
Students will write a persuasive ACT-essay as part of their final exam.
Excellent grammar and usage is expected on all written work. Regular grammar lessons
will transfer to student writing.
Students will show evidence of strong writing:
1. Pre-writing/planning
2. Thesis statements
3. Organization/organizational terms/sequencing
4. Use of examples/evidence
5. Proper elaboration of points
6. Transitions
7. Good description
8. Use of the best vocabulary/proper word choice
9. Counterpoints
10. Proofreading/elimination of spelling and grammar errors.
●
Unit:
Students will get a variety of opportunities to write journals, essays, letters, responses to
literature etc.
Writing a Research
Paper: MLA
Conventions
Duration:
5 weeks
(Note: This literature
unit will be done in
conjunction with
smaller mini-lessons
on grammar,
vocabulary, ACT
preparation, and
writing. See the
attached addendum.
Essential Questions:
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
What is the definition of a research paper?
What constitutes good research?
What is a reliable source?
How is information found using the library database?
What is plagiarism?
What is proper MLA parenthetical citation?
How should citation be integrated into the paper?
What is paraphrasing? Summary?
What are direct quotations?
What are lead ins?
What is the proper method for creating a research paper outline?
What is a thesis statement?
What are topic sentences?
●
●
●
●
●
●
What is the proper heading and format of a research paper?
How should a research paper be organized?
What elements should go into the opening paragraph of a research paper?
How does a writer create a strong body paragraph?
How should a research paper conclude?
What is an MLA works cited page? What elements should be included.
Affirmation Statements:
Students will be able to…:
● Write a thesis focused research paper that follows MLA guidelines. The paper should
integrate source material and student analysis in a cohesive fashion.
● Differentiate between a credible source and one that is not.
● Find effective information for the paper using the library database.
● Develop a thesis statement. The thesis should not be too broad or narrow.
● Demonstrate the proper format for MLA parenthetical citation.
● Show their ability to incorporate paraphrasing, summary and direct quotations into a
paper.
● Properly integrate source material into a paper.
● Develop an appropriate research paper outline.
● Write an opening paragraph that hooks the reader, introduces the topic, and delivers the
thesis.
● Effectively develop topic sentences that connect with the thesis.
● Write the paper in proper MLA format.
● Maintain a sense of cohesion using transitional phrases and organizational terms.
● Write a works cited page in proper MLA format.
Readings/Topics
●
Research paper material from the department.
Common Assessment
All juniors will write a research paper. Juniors in CP will write 8 paragraphs of 5-7 sentences.
Five sources will be required.
Common Core Standards for Research
The research paper meets several standards for research:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.7
Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a
self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate;
synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under
investigation.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.8
Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced
searches effectively; assess the strengths and limitations of each source in terms of the task,
purpose, and audience; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of
ideas, avoiding plagiarism and overreliance on any one source and following a standard format
for citation.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.9
Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
ACT Preparation
ACT preparation is also part of the curriculum. Mechanics and usage issues to be covered this
year include the following:
Commas
Apostrophes
Colons, semicolons, dashes, periods, question marks
Subject-verb agreement
Pronoun antecedent agreement
Adjectives vs. adverbs
Verb forms
Pronoun forms and cases
Sentences structure
Subordinate and dependent clauses
Run-ons
Comma splices
Sentence fragments
Misplaced modifiers
Shifts in verb tenses
Shifts in pronoun person and number
Teachers can begin to address some of these issues during grammar mini lessons. Lessons on
the topics listed above will be conducted throughout the year.
Vocabulary
Vocabulary homework and activities will also take place this semester. The agreed upon
vocabulary list includes the following words:
Abate, absolve, pilfer, skulk, peril, vapid, innuendo, petulant, scourge, scintillate, sundry,
loathsome, berate, blatant, concoct, epitome, desecrate, ostentatious, restitution, sedentary,
accrue, acrimonious, omnipotent, insidious, temperance, transient, umbrage, infringe, insurgent,
precocious
Grammar
Unit 6 and 7: Verb tenses and subject verb agreement.
Unit:
Civil War Era:
Realism, Naturalism
and Frontier Voices
Duration:
3-4 weeks
(Note: This literature
unit will be done in
conjunction with
smaller mini-lessons
on grammar,
vocabulary, ACT
preparation, and
writing. See the
attached addendum)
Essential Questions:
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
What impact did the Civil War have on American writing and thought?
Why is Realism a natural outgrowth of its time?
Why is the reality depicted in these works always a harsh one? Is reality truly harsh?
How does Realism differ from the Romanticism that was popular before the war?
What examples of Realism are evident in the writing of our current time?
What characteristics are evident in Naturalism?
What elements of Naturalism exist in our writing today?
Can man truly overcome the harsh forces of nature?
What forces lead writers to depict man as powerless against the forces of nature?
In what way does Mark Twain’s love of the Mississippi contribute to his success as a
writer?
What traits make Mark Twain one of the giants of American literature?
How is Twain distinctly American?
How does Twain’s childhood ambition reflect the American spirit that gave rise to the
settlement of new frontiers?
What importance does region play in American writing?
Affirmation Statements:
Students will be able to…
● Analyze stories to find elements of Realism and Naturalism.
● Trace the shifts in the point of view and time in “Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge.”
Explain their importance.
● Analyze “Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” for clues that explain the surprise ending.
Apply careful reading skills.
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
Analyze the deliberate writing decisions made in “Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” that
bring a sense of suspense.
Classify the traits that make “Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” a work of Realism.
Identify examples of regional dialect in the writing of Mark Twain.
Find examples of exaggerated/absurdist humor in the writing of Mark Twain.
Explore the role and nature of humor through the context of Twain. What makes
something funny?
Infer details about Twain’s characters through their actions.
Break down the homespun wisdom of Mark Twain through his quotes.
Analyze the choices made by the man in “To Build a Fire.”
Evaluate the story’s outcome: Is the outcome of the story due to fate, the man’s
character or some other forces?
Think carefully: What does the story suggest about human strength in the face of
nature’s power?
Compare the conflict in this story to historical conflicts between man and nature.
Readings/Topics
●
●
●
●
●
●
Crane’s “War is Kind”
Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address“
Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” by Ambrose Bierce
“To Build a Fire” by Jack London
“The Boy’s Ambition” from Life on the Mississippi by Mark Twain
“The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County” by Mark Twain
Vocabulary
Vocabulary homework and group assignments will also take place during the first unit. The
agreed upon vocabulary list includes the following words:
Provocative, precipitate, potpourri, scintillating, sepecious, stalwart, lurid, ascribe, autonomy,
collate, consternation, decadence, definitive, demeanor, elicit, ennui, novice, infer, infirmity,
intrinsic, motley, suffrage, dilapidated, superfluous, sublime, posterity, benevolent, consecrate,
obstinate
Common Assessment
Common test and quiz questions will come out of this unit.
Unit:
Novel Studies:
Fitzgerald, the Jazz
Age and the Great
Gatsby.
(Note: This literature
unit will be done in
Duration:
3-6 weeks
conjunction with
smaller mini-lessons
on grammar,
vocabulary, ACT
preparation, and
writing. See the
attached addendum)
Essential Questions:
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
How is “The Great Gatsby” reflective of life in the “Roaring 20s and the Jazz Age”? How
does the novel serve as a symbol of its time?
What features of The Great Gatsby make it particularly American?
How does this novel relate to themes and ideas we have discussed this year in
American Literature?
Why is The Great Gatsby regarded as one of the greatest novels of the ages?
How does F. Scott Fitzgerald stand out in his use of language. How is this language use
similar to or different from other material we have read?
How does this novel relate to the life of F. Scott Fitzgerald?
What role does wealth play in this novel? What role does it play in our society?
The narration of Nick Carraway is important to this novel. How important is for a novel to
have an honest narrator?
What role do dreams and failed dreams play in this novel?
What message is present regarding the American dream?
What is the novel’s message about truth, lies, and recklessness.
How does love figure into this story? True love vs. unfaithfulness.
Which flaws are apparent in the characters?
What events lead to Gatsby’s downfall?
How can readers apply the messages in this story to their lives? How are these
messages applicable to our current times?
Affirmation Statements:
Students will be able to…
● Break down Fitzgerald’s writing style: poetics, dialogue, images.
● Find examples of beautiful/effective language and explain how they are effective.
● Discuss and evaluate advice given in the opening chapter: “Whenever you feel like
criticizing someone, remember that not everyone has had your advantages.”
● Compare/contrast characters in terms of their overall truthfulness. List in depth traits for
each character.
● Evaluate Gatsby’s dream. Is it worthwhile? Realistic?
● Trace Gatsby’s rise and fall.
● Explore references made to American literature in the last chapter of the book (Gatsby’s
childhood letters/first Dutch explorers).
● Find evidence that Tom, Daisy, and Jordan Baker are reckless people.
●
●
●
●
Offer alternatives for Gatsby that could have resulted in a happier life.
Share carefully considered thoughts on the nature of wealth and class.
Think deeply: Did the American dream exist in the 1920s? Does it exist now? Did it
ever exist at all?
Explore feelings of isolation and dissatisfaction present in the novel.
Readings/Topics
●
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Vocabulary
Vocabulary homework and group assignments will also take place during the first unit. The
agreed upon vocabulary list includes the following words:
supercilious, infinite, perish, vulnerable, pompous, resolve, infidelity, monotonous, hallow, mar,
temperament, dilapidated, elation, prominent, tangible, deft, reproach, remiss, mercurial,
turbulent
Common Assessment
Common projects to be developed.
ACT Preparation
ACT preparation continues with occasional practice questions. In addition to useage and
mechanical issues, teachers will also point out important rhetorical skills that are tested on the
ACT English exam. These skills include:
Proper word choice
Elimination of wordiness/redundancies
Maintaining a consistent style and tone
Avoiding ambiguous references
Use of effective opening, closing and transitional statements
Writing to an audience/maintaining a sense of purpose
Using the best organizational strategies
Teachers can begin to address some of these issues during grammar mini lessons. Lessons on
the topics listed above will be conducted throughout the year.
ACT Practice Testing
Students will take their third and final ACT practice test before the April ACT testing date. This is
the third testing this year. A record of student scores/progress will be recorded in a database.
Unit:
American Theater:
Duration:
Arthur Miller and
Death of a Salesman.
3-4 weeks
(Note: This literature
unit will be done in
conjunction with
smaller mini-lessons
on grammar,
vocabulary, ACT
preparation, and
writing. See the
attached addendum)
Essential Questions:
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
What are some important characteristics of the American theater?
What are some important dramatic conventions?
How does “Death of a Salesman” relate to themes we have discussed in American
Literature this year?
What criticisms dos the play have of our capitalist society?
What message does this play have about the relationship between fathers and sons?
Why were Willy’s daunting expectations harmful to his sons?
Where has Willy Loman gone wrong in his career? in being a father?
Why is the relationship between Biff and Willy so complex?
What is the flaw in Willy’s belief in likeability and personal attractiveness?
What role do trees, leaves, and greenery play in this play?
How could Biff and Willy have mended their relationship and had a healthier life?
What is Willy’s relationship with his wife, Linda?
What role should career play in one’s life?
What lies are told in this family? What impact have they had?
Affirmation Statements:
Students will be able to…
● Make carefully thought out comparisons between the main characters.
● Make connections between the flashback sequences and their impact on Willy’s current
existence.
● Find evidence that supports Biff’s declaration that “We never told the truth for ten
minutes in this house.”
● Evaluate Biff’s assertion of Willy that “the man didn’t know who he was.”
● Identify important symbols in the play: seeds, trees, fire, diamonds.
● Trace the alteration of characters through the progression of the years.
● Find evidence of the faults of each characters.
● Examine the role that lies and truth play in this family.
●
Suggest alternatives that could have led to a happier outcome.
Appendix
CCSS Resources
Common Core Website: http://www.corestandards.org/read-the-standards/
Common Core App:
Essential Questions
Essential Questions help structure and plan an academic unit. For information regarding
developing Essential Questions, please refer to the file shared with you on Google Drive.
Affirmation Verbage (Action Words)
Examples of Action Verbs:
Discuss, recall, state, measure, identify, collect, create, hypothesize, analyze, identify, define,
describe