Chetek-Weyerhaeuser High School
American Literature Units and Learning Targets
Unit 1 Reading and Writing Review (5 Days)
Learning Targets
1. I can distinguish the different parts of speech as well as identify and correct common
grammatical mistakes (subject-verb agreement, pronoun-antecedent agreement, verb tense,
word usage).
2. I can examine punctuation usage in writing and determine which punctuation is appropriate
as well as identify and correct common punctuation mistakes (comma usage, possessives with
apostrophes, semicolon/colon usage, punctuation with quotation marks, hyphen/dash usage).
3. I can recognize writing conventions and determine appropriate usage depending on genre,
purpose, and audience as well as identify and correct common convention errors
(capitalization, numbers, italicizing, quoting).
Unit 2 The Beginning (5 Days)
Learning Targets
1. I can draw logical conclusions in challenging passages.
2. I can summarize key supporting ideas and details in challenging passages.
3. I can identify clear cause-effect relationships in challenging passages.
4. I can interpret words and phrases as they are used in challenging passages, including
technical, connotative, and figurative meanings.
5. I can provide an appropriate introduction and conclusion to an essay.
Unit 3 Romanticism and Transcendentalism (1800-1860) (10 Days)
Learning Targets
1. I can categorize the differences between Romanticism and Rationalism.
2. I can use revision to delete redundant and wordy material while using words or phrases most
appropriate in terms of content.
3. I can understand point of view in challenging passages.
4. I can enumerate the tennets of transcendentalism.
5. I can draw conclusions using information from two literary narratives.
6. I can recognize and correct expressions that deviate from idiomatic English.
7. I can ensure subject-verb agreement when there is some text between the subject and verb.
Unit 4 Realism (1860-1914) (5 Days)
Learning Targets
1. I can evaluate the differences between romantic literary characteristics and realist literary
characteristics by comparing subjects, themes, heroes, and settings.
2. I can analyze the overall structure of somewhat challenging passages.
3. I can identify a clear central claim in somewhat challenging passages.
Mr. Rykal
6/27/2016
1
Unit 5 Modernism and The Harlem Renaissance (1914-1939) (10 Days)
Learning Targets
1. I can identify the shift in techniques of writing (heroes, protagonists, styles, formats, etc.)
during the modernist movement and explain why they are significant to the literature of the
time.
2. I can order simple sequences of events in challenging literary narratives.
3. I can analyze how the choice of a specific word or phrase shapes meaning or tone in
challenging passages.
4. I can determine the need for transition words or phrases and logically arrange sentences in a
straightforward paragraph.
5. I can use the correct comparative or superlative adjective or adverb form depending on
content.
6. I can paraphrase nonfiction sources which provide background information to understand the
influence of family, religion, and music on African American writers of the 1920’s.
7. I can analyze texts written by authors of the Harlem Renaissance and express in writing how
the influences are shown in the texts.
Unit 6 American Author Research Paper (10 Days)
Learning Targets
1. I can conduct effective academic research on an author of my choosing and create an
annotated bibliography containing at least five sources.
2. I can compose a research paper of no less than five paragraphs, using proper MLA
formatting, and containing a Works Cited page with at least five sources.
3. I can use grammar, punctuation, and mechanics accurately in my writing.
4. I can use the revision process in order to improve both the quality and content of my writing.
Unit 7 Contemporary Literature and American Drama (1940-Present) (10 Days)
Learning Targets
1. I can differentiate between contemporary literature themes, subjects, and styles and previous
literary movements.
2. I can understand the development of American Drama from an historical perspective and as it
relates to previous literary movements.
3. I can identify themes and characterization techniques used by Arthur Miller in the play Death
of a Salesman.
4. I can synthesize written evaluations of the play using my understanding of theme, story
elements, point of view, characterization, and conflict.
5. I can compose a narrative text which documents the cultural/historical influences affecting
current society.
6. I can use commas to set off simple parenthetical elements.
7. I can determine the need for conjunctions to create straightforward logical links between
clauses.
Mr. Rykal
6/27/2016
2