Tri-District
Language Arts Curriculum
English
2010
Grade Ten
Mr. Patrick Fletcher
Superintendent
River Dell Regional Schools
Dr. Maria Nuccetelli
Interim Superintendent
Oradell Public School
Dr. Tova Ben Dov
Superintendent
River Edge Public Schools
Ms. Lorraine Brooks
Principal
River Dell High School
Mr. Scott Ryan
Principal
Oradell Public School
Ms. Denise Heitman
Principal
Cherry Hill School
Mr. Richard Freedman
Principal
River Dell Middle School
Ms. Suzanne Lynch
Tri-District Supervisor
Curriculum and Instruction
Mr. Tony Vouvalides
Principal
Roosevelt School
Tri-District English Committee
Carolyn Krzastek
Danielle Russo
Jeffery Williams
Kathryn Franzino
Lauren DelPolito
Suzanne DiRenno
TENTH GRADE ENGLISH CURRICULUM
AMERICAN LITERATURE
RATIONALE
This course of study is concerned with building the necessary skills to allow students to
become literate, critical thinkers by using American literature as a tool for learning.
Students will use the text as a vehicle to explore who they are as Americans, both as
individuals and as members of a community, in an effort to consider who they will
become as members of the 21st Century American community and how that will be
significant in a global context. Students will consider how being aware and informed (of
historical/cultural context, i.e. setting), understanding motivation (characterization),
evaluating relationships, experiences and societal influences (conflict and theme), and
being reflective (self-discovery) all account for an individual’s capacity to realize his or
her dreams. Individuals with the capacity to read, write, and think on this sophisticated
level enhance their appreciation of learning because they can align the characters’ selfdiscovery with their own journeys toward realizing their dreams.
Oradell, River Dell, and River Edge Public Schools
Language Arts Curriculum – English Grade Ten
Approved September 27, 2010 2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Unit 1: ORDER vs. FREEDOM
Unit 2: POWER & THE AMERICAN DREAM
Unit 3: CULTIVATING IDENTITY - THE JOURNEY TO SELF-DISCOVERY
Unit 4: AMERICA - PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE
Appendix A: Scaffolding Persuasive Literary Analysis
Appendix B: Common Benchmark Assessments based on Unknown Texts
Appendix C: Professional Resources
Oradell, River Dell, and River Edge Public Schools
Language Arts Curriculum – English Grade Ten
Approved September 27, 2010 3
BY THE END OF TENTH GRADE
ORDER vs. FREEDOM
STATE STANDARDS
The New Jersey Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts capture
literacy experiences all children need in order to grow intellectually, socially, and
emotionally to ensure that they are college and career ready. Students will study a
variety of genres representing expansive cultural, historical and social perspectives
within the context of these literacy standards for grade 10.
http://www.corestandards.org/assets/CCSSI_ELA%20Standards.pdf
BIG IDEAS/COMMON THREADS
Learning to read, write, speak, listen and view effectively enables students to
consider what it means to be an American: as an individual, in a community, and
with dreams for the future in order to discover personal and shared meaning
throughout their lives.
ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS
The conflict between individuality and conformity is an inherent and enduring
theme in America’s history, which results from the tension that perpetually exists
between order and freedom.
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
How are our identities as Americans tied to our roots and how can literature allow
us to explore the evolution of our society?
How do the stories of others affect our perceptions of ourselves?
In what ways does literature become a vehicle through which we engage in
critical thinking?
What role do the structures of society play in the life of an American individual
and of an American community?
To what extent are we agents or victims of these societal structures?
ASSESSMENTS
Students will read at least two texts (Whole Class Text and a Supplemental Text)
and engage in a range of formative reading, writing and discussion assessments,
over extended and shorter time frames.
Students will respond to a persuasive prompt about a character in the text as he
or she is influenced or motivated by the repressions of society. (Whole Class Text)
Students will create a multimedia project analyzing a character and illuminating a
theme; they will evaluate their own projects and the projects of their peers in
writing. (Supplemental Text)
Oradell, River Dell, and River Edge Public Schools
Language Arts Curriculum – English Grade Ten
Approved September 27, 2010 4
Students will compose and revise journal entries that develop upon a single idea
or observation about a text after reading a whole class text and/or mentor text;
entries should focus on personal experiences and/or explore textual relationships
(text to self, text to world, text to text, etc.).
LESSON OBJECTIVES
Students will read a play as a whole class and...
• analyze how complex characters, including those with conflicting motivations
or divided loyalties, develop over the course of a text, interact with other
characters, advance the plot, and develop the theme, with a focus on:
¾ setting & historical context
¾ symbol & allegory
¾ juxtaposition
• analyze how an author structures a text, orders events within it (e.g., parallel
plots), and manipulates time (e.g., pacing) to create mystery, tension, or
surprise as a tool to analyze and evaluate characters and themes using:
¾ essays
¾ stage direction
¾ dialogue
• evaluate how an author’s use of language shapes meaning in a text (e.g.,
how the language evokes a sense of time and place, how it reveals
characters, and how it conveys theme) with a focus on:
¾ tone
¾ diction
¾ technical, connotative and figurative meaning
• read supporting persuasive texts and:
¾ delineate and evaluate the writer’s point of view and specific claims.
¾ analyze how these texts influence their understanding of the play.
Students will read a supplemental text in small groups and…
• apply the skills practiced while reading the play to conduct a craft study of the
new text.
• use critical thinking skills to present this text in an alternate format,
maintaining the author’s purpose (e.g. characterization and theme.)
• engage with technology both to communicate and share ideas, and to create
a final product.
• evaluate their own choices and the choices of their classmates in the
synthesis of a new product.
Students will initiate and participate in a range of collaborative discussions and
independent writing experiences.
Students will engage meaningfully in ongoing reading and writing conferences.
Students will develop persuasive and informative writing skills.
Oradell, River Dell, and River Edge Public Schools
Language Arts Curriculum – English Grade Ten
Approved September 27, 2010 5
MODULE SKILLS
Students will be able to...
• analyze character and theme to draw conclusions by initiating and
participating in a range of collaborative discussions and independent writing
experiences by:
¾ inferring
¾ predicting
¾ connecting
¾ visualizing
¾ questioning
¾ annotating historical essays
¾ supporting conclusions with textual evidence
• determine or clarify the meaning of unknown, multiple-meaning and similarmeaning vocabulary words using a range of strategies.
• create a multimedia project that reveals an effective analysis of character and
theme, practicing before and during:
¾ critical thinking skills
¾ engaging in a craft study
¾ the application of reading strategies
¾ drafting, revising, editing
¾ speaking to convey meaning
¾ listening to understand meaning
• write a reflective, on-demand evaluative piece (own project).
• write an evaluative piece (peer project).
• engage meaningfully in ongoing reading and writing conferences.
• demonstrate command of the conventions of Standard English grammar,
mechanics and usage when writing or speaking:
¾ use parallel structure.*
¾ use various types of phrases (noun, verb, adjectival, adverbial,
participial, prepositional, absolute) and clauses (independent,
dependent; noun, relative, adverbial) to convey specific meanings
and add variety and interest to writing or presentations.
¾ use a semicolon (and perhaps a conjunctive adverb) to link two or
more closely related independent clauses.
¾ use a colon to introduce a list or quotation.
¾ spell correctly.
RESOURCES
Plays/Novels: The Crucible by Arthur Miller; Our Town by Thornton Wilder; A Raisin in
the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry; A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams; Cat
on a Hot Tin Roof by Tennessee Williams; Fences by August Wilson; West Side Story
by Irving Shulman; The Laramie Project by Moises Kaufman; Ethan Frome by Edith
Wharton
Nonfiction: “Are You Now or Were You Ever” and “Tragedy and the Common Man” by
Arthur Miller; seminal US documents of historical and literary significance
Oradell, River Dell, and River Edge Public Schools
Language Arts Curriculum – English Grade Ten
Approved September 27, 2010 6
Mentor texts: “Owl Pellets” by Ralph Fletcher, “One Art” by Elizabeth Bishop, “Mending
Wall” by Robert Frost, Spoon River Anthology by Edgar Lee Masters and other selected
poems; “Gazebo” by Raymond Carver and other selected short stories, “Before He
Cheats” by Carrie Underwood and “Hands Held High” by Linkin’ Park and other selected
lyrics
Videos: O.T. – Our Town – A Documentary; Our Town; The Crucible; A Streetcar
Named Desire; Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
Multimedia: Internet; Databases; www.noodletools.com; Digital Media; PowerPoint;
PhotoStory; Audacity; MovieMaker; VoiceThread; etc.
Oradell, River Dell, and River Edge Public Schools
Language Arts Curriculum – English Grade Ten
Approved September 27, 2010 7
BY THE END OF TENTH GRADE
POWER AND THE AMERICAN DREAM
STATE STANDARDS
The New Jersey Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts capture
literacy experiences all children need in order to grow intellectually, socially, and
emotionally to ensure that they are college and career ready. Students will study a
variety of genres representing expansive cultural, historical and social perspectives
within the context of these literacy standards for grade10.
http://www.corestandards.org/assets/CCSSI_ELA%20Standards.pdf
BIG IDEAS/COMMON THREADS
Learning to read, write, speak, listen and view effectively enables students to
consider what it means to be an American: as an individual, in a community, and
with dreams for the future in order to discover personal and shared meaning
throughout their lives.
ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS
Americans can discern the power structures in our nation and among their
communities, large and small, subtle and overt, through astute observation of
individuals’ actions and the actions of the group.
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
How is the dichotomy of power and powerlessness displayed in these works as a
conflict rooted in American society?
How do people navigate the power structures inherent in their communities in an
effort to find or create pathways to their dreams?
How are people victimized by the power structures inherent in their communities?
To what extent can we engage in constructive dialogue regarding the power
structures of our nation and its communities?
ASSESSMENTS
Students will read at least two texts (a novel and a supplemental text) and
engage in a range of formative reading, writing and discussion assessments,
over extended and shorter time frames.
Students will construct two persuasive literary analysis essays (scaffolded by skill
and expectation) in response to themes.
Students will write and perform or create and display digitally, an original
representation of a literary work emphasizing a theme using literary techniques to
develop and shape the purpose of the product.
Oradell, River Dell, and River Edge Public Schools
Language Arts Curriculum – English Grade Ten
Approved September 27, 2010 8
Students will compose and revise journal entries that develop upon a single idea
or observation about a text after reading a whole class text and/or mentor text;
entries should focus on personal experiences and/or explore textual relationships
(text to self, text to world, text to text, etc.).
LESSON OBJECTIVES
Students will read a novel as a whole class and...
• analyze a theme including how it emerges and how it is developed, shaped
and refined by specific details exploring:
¾ character
¾ conflict
¾ setting
¾ plot structures (e.g. circular plot)
¾ imagery
¾ allusion
¾ symbol
¾ extended metaphor
¾ motif
• read supporting persuasive texts on a power related social issue and:
¾ delineate and evaluate the writer’s point of view and specific claims.
¾ identify and analyze the components of an effective persuasive text.
¾ analyze how these texts influence their understanding of the novel.
Students will read another full length work from a controlled choice list and practice
literary analysis skills both independently and collaboratively by:
• applying active close reading strategies.
• annotating the text.
• blogging.
• engaging in small group discussions.
MODULE SKILLS
Students will be able to...
• analyze theme to draw conclusions about humanity by initiating and
participating in a range of reading, discussion and writing experiences
through:
¾ inferring
¾ predicting
¾ connecting
¾ visualizing
¾ questioning
¾ annotating Literary Criticism
¾ supporting conclusions with textual evidence
• write a persuasive literary analysis essay:
¾ construct a provocative thesis statement
¾ brainstorm for details and supporting evidence and examples
¾ organize the details and gathered supporting evidence and
examples
Oradell, River Dell, and River Edge Public Schools
Language Arts Curriculum – English Grade Ten
Approved September 27, 2010 9
•
•
¾ provide background information to lead into constructed thesis
statement
¾ create effective topic sentences
¾ introduce and signal direct quotations
¾ use inter-textual citation
¾ describe in detail how the evidence and examples support the
thesis statement
¾ draft
¾ participate meaningfully in Writers’ Workshop with instructor
¾ revise and edit
¾ publish
demonstrate command of the conventions of Standard English grammar,
mechanics and usage when writing or speaking:
¾ use parallel structure.*
¾ use various types of phrases (noun, verb, adjectival, adverbial,
participial, prepositional, absolute) and clauses (independent,
dependent; noun, relative, adverbial) to convey specific meanings
and add variety and interest to writing or presentations.
¾ use a semicolon (and perhaps a conjunctive adverb) to link two or
more closely related independent clauses.
¾ use a colon to introduce a list or quotation.
¾ spell correctly.
illuminate a theme in a synthesized original product:
¾ identify author’s purpose
¾ employ elements of strategic planning, decision making, and critical
thinking
¾ emphasize presentation elements that convey a specific message
RESOURCES
Novels: Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck; Native Son by Richard Wright; To Kill a
Mockingbird by Harper Lee; A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines; The House on
Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
Plays: A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry; A Streetcar Named Desire by
Tennessee Williams; Having Our Say by Emily Mann (Adapted from The Delaney
Sisters)
Nonfiction: “I Have a Dream” by MLK, Jr.; “I Remember the Thirties” by John Steinbeck
and other selections; “Of Mice and Men: The Dream of Commitment” by Louis Owens;
“Notes on a Native Son” by James Baldwin
Mentor texts: Signet Book of Short Plays and other dramatic selections or excerpts;
Harlem Renaissance Poetry and other selections or poetry or short prose
Videos: Of Mice and Men; Native Son; To Kill a Mockingbird; A Raisin in the Sun; A
Streetcar Named Desire
Multimedia: Internet, Databases, Digital Media, PowerPoint, PhotoStory, Audacity,
MovieMaker, VoiceThread, etc.
Oradell, River Dell, and River Edge Public Schools
Language Arts Curriculum – English Grade Ten
Approved September 27, 2010 10
BY THE END OF TENTH GRADE
CULTIVATING IDENTITY: THE JOURNEY TO SELF-DISCOVERY
STATE STANDARDS
The New Jersey Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts capture
literacy experiences all children need in order to grow intellectually, socially, and
emotionally to ensure that they are college and career ready. Students will study a
variety of genres representing expansive cultural, historical and social perspectives
within the context of these literacy standards for grade 10.
http://www.corestandards.org/assets/CCSSI_ELA%20Standards.pdf
BIG IDEAS/COMMON THREADS
Learning to read, write, speak, listen and view effectively enables students to
consider what it means to be an American: as an individual, in a community, and
with dreams for the future in order to discover personal and shared meaning
throughout their lives.
ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS
All individuals experience “coming of age” on the journey to adulthood. Reading,
writing, sharing, and reflecting upon coming of age experiences allows for
plurality of truth, responsibility that comes with awareness, and creates not only
literate individuals but also readers and writers of humanity.
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
Who am I and how do I know?
What are the struggles of coming of age?
How and why do we need others even though we desire to cultivate our
individual identities?
What makes me American and what is my place in society?
ASSESSMENTS
Students will independently read at least two texts and engage in a range of
formative reading, writing and discussion assessments, over extended and
shorter time frames.
Students will compose and revise journal entries that develop upon a single idea
or observation about a text after reading a whole class text and/or mentor text;
entries should focus on personal experiences and/or explore textual relationships
(text to self, text to world, text to text, etc.).
Students will read a variety of short, self-selected stories, personal narratives,
personal essays, etc. about American life based on themes or topics of interest.
(“This American Life” project)
Oradell, River Dell, and River Edge Public Schools
Language Arts Curriculum – English Grade Ten
Approved September 27, 2010 11
Students will compose a variety of short stories about American life.
Students will compose a synthesis essay with a common theme, message, or
argument based on the question, “What does it mean to be an American?” (“This
American Life” project)
note: “This American Life” project may be adapted to include other pieces of
literature instead, using “This American Life” stories as preliminary reflection
experiences. This project must include research concepts, such as MLA style
formatting, integrated into a final research paper using literary criticism to be
completed at the start of the next unit.
LESSON OBJECTIVES
Students will independently read at least two texts and…
• analyze the various crafts an author uses to create, develop and sustain the
themes of a coming of age story focusing on how a theme emerges and how
it is developed, shaped and refined by specific details exploring:
¾ character
¾ conflict
¾ setting
¾ point of view
¾ voice
¾ foreshadowing
¾ symbol
¾ extended metaphor
¾ motif
• practice literary analysis skills both independently and collaboratively by:
¾ applying active close reading strategies
¾ conducting craft studies
¾ annotating the text
¾ journaling
¾ blogging
¾ engaging in small and large group discussions
• compare and contrast the choices that different authors make in two or more
personal narratives, personal essays, or coming of age texts and the
motivations and results of such choices, concerning structure, language and
diction, order of events, point of view, dialogue, etc.
• cultivate their narrative, informative and persuasive writing skills through a
variety of experiences with text.
MODULE SKILLS
Students will be able to...
• analyze theme to draw conclusions about coming of age by initiating and
participating in a range of reading, discussion and writing experiences
through:
¾ inferring
Oradell, River Dell, and River Edge Public Schools
Language Arts Curriculum – English Grade Ten
Approved September 27, 2010 12
•
•
•
•
•
¾ predicting
¾ connecting
¾ visualizing
¾ questioning
¾ annotating and outlining literary criticism
¾ supporting conclusions with textual evidence
write a synthesis essay that merges narrative, informative and persuasive
writing and:
¾ construct a provocative thesis statement
¾ brainstorm for details and supporting evidence and examples
¾ organize the details and gathered supporting evidence and
examples
¾ provide background information to lead into constructed thesis
statement
¾ create effective topic sentences
¾ introduce and signal direct quotations
¾ use inter-textual citation
¾ describe in detail how the evidence and examples support the
thesis statement
¾ draft
¾ participate meaningfully in Writers’ Workshop with instructor
¾ revise & edit
¾ publish
write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas,
concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective
selection, organization, and analysis of content.
write engaging narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events
using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event
sequences.
produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization,
and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
demonstrate command of the conventions of Standard English grammar,
mechanics and usage when writing or speaking:
¾ use parallel structure.*
¾ use various types of phrases (noun, verb, adjectival, adverbial,
participial, prepositional, absolute) and clauses (independent,
dependent; noun, relative, adverbial) to convey specific meanings
and add variety and interest to writing or presentations.
¾ use a semicolon (and perhaps a conjunctive adverb) to link two or
more closely related independent clauses.
¾ use a colon to introduce a list or quotation.
¾ spell correctly.
RESOURCES
Novels: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain; To Kill a Mockingbird by
Harper Lee; America by E.R. Frank; The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger; The
Oradell, River Dell, and River Edge Public Schools
Language Arts Curriculum – English Grade Ten
Approved September 27, 2010 13
House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros; I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by
Maya Angelou; Hard Love by Ellen Wittlinger; Brighton Beach Memoirs by Neil Simon;
The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri; A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith; The Red
Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane; Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
Nonfiction: “Autobiography” by Benjamin Franklin; “Self Reliance” by Ralph Waldo
Emerson; “The Rights of Man” by Thomas Paine; “The Declaration of Independence” –
Thomas Jefferson; An American Childhood by Annie Dillard; Listening is an Act of
Love: A Celebration of American Life from the StoryCorps Project – David Isay
Mentor Texts: “The Last Kiss” by Ralph Fletcher; “Rite of Passage” by Sharon Olds;
“Theme for English B” by Langston Hughes and other selected poems; “A Perfect Day
for Bananafish” by J. D. Salinger and other selected short stories
Videos: To Kill a Mockingbird; Born Rich – Jamie Johnson; America – Lifetime movie
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9a8quJo04A;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPMmkYkn9Kc
Multimedia: YouTube video on The Catcher in the Rye; Archives of “This American
Life”; StoryCorps archives; VoiceThread; Prezi; Audacity; This American Life;
StoryCorps; This I Believe
Oradell, River Dell, and River Edge Public Schools
Language Arts Curriculum – English Grade Ten
Approved September 27, 2010 14
BY THE END OF TENTH GRADE
AMERICA- PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE
STATE STANDARDS
The New Jersey Common Core State Standards for English Language Artscapture
literacy experiences all children need in order to grow intellectually, socially, and
emotionally to ensure that they are college and career ready. Students will study a
variety of genres representing expansive cultural, historical and social perspectives
within the context of these literacy standards for grade 10.
http://www.corestandards.org/assets/CCSSI_ELA%20Standards.pdf
BIG IDEAS/COMMON THREADS
Learning to read, write, speak, listen and view effectively enables students to
consider what it means to be an American: as an individual, in a community, and
with dreams for the future in order to discover personal and shared meaning
throughout their lives.
ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS
What does it mean to be an American? Our stories, experiences, decisions,
behaviors, and culture are shaped and help reshape past, present and future
definitions so that we must continually ask “what does it mean to be an
American” as our nation evolves and diversifies.
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
What does it mean to be American?
How has my past influenced who I am today or who I am going to be in the
future?
How do human experiences unite and divide us on our life journeys?
Has the American dream changed?
How can we use what we know about America’s past to inform the present and
the future?
ASSESSMENTS
Students will read a text and engage in a range of formative reading, writing and
discussion assessments, over extended and shorter time frames.
Students will read abstracts and literary criticism in order to analyze and predict
the ways in which the author constructs a sophisticated argument.
Student will write a persuasive literary analysis essay.
Oradell, River Dell, and River Edge Public Schools
Language Arts Curriculum – English Grade Ten
Approved September 27, 2010 15
Students will design a project based on a concept or idea of interest and present
his or her project via a multimedia presentation to be evaluated by members of
the class.
Students will compose and revise journal entries that develop upon a single idea
or observation about a text after reading a whole class text and/or mentor text;
entries should focus on personal experiences and/or explore textual relationships
(text to self, text to world, text to text, etc.).
LESSON OBJECTIVES
Students will read a text and literary criticism and…
• identify and apply effective strategies and tactics for presenting an argument
to a whole class.
• discuss, practice, and apply the skills necessary to evaluate a presentation
and/or persuasive argument.
• identify and analyze the components of an effective persuasive literary essay.
• research, document, and effectively use appropriate information needed to
support a persuasive literary essay.
• synthesize an understanding of the elements of an effective persuasive
literary essay through short written responses to model texts.
MODULE SKILLS
Students will be able to...
• read an unknown text and analyze:
¾ plot/conflict
¾ setting
¾ character/point of view
¾ symbol
¾ motif
¾ theme
• write a persuasive literary analysis essay and:
¾ brainstorm for details/supporting evidence of examples of
character/setting/plot/conflict
¾ organize the details/evidence of examples of
character/setting/plot/conflict
¾ read and apply research to support an idea or point
¾ use inter-textual citation
¾ use MLA style documentation
¾ create useful topic sentences
¾ design a provocative thesis statement
¾ draft
¾ peer review
¾ revise and edit
¾ publish
• construct and present a persuasive literary argument:
Oradell, River Dell, and River Edge Public Schools
Language Arts Curriculum – English Grade Ten
Approved September 27, 2010 16
•
•
¾ abridge persuasive literary essay to suit the needs and purpose of
the presentation.
¾ consider audience and purpose.
¾ develop handouts or supplemental materials for the audience.
¾ practice and apply appropriate body language.
¾ use appropriate and effective software and/or include technological
components to enhance the presentation.
¾ use clear and effective speech.
view a presentation of a persuasive literary argument:
¾ develop a rubric to assess the presentation.
¾ ask appropriate and meaningful questions.
¾ generate meaningful and constructive feedback during and after the
presentation.
demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar,
mechanics and usage when writing or speaking:
¾ use parallel structure.*
¾ use various types of phrases (noun, verb, adjectival, adverbial,
participial, prepositional, absolute) and clauses (independent,
dependent; noun, relative, adverbial) to convey specific meanings
and add variety and interest to writing or presentations.
¾ use a semicolon (and perhaps a conjunctive adverb) to link two or
more closely related independent clauses.
¾ use a colon to introduce a list or quotation.
¾ spell correctly.
RESOURCES
Novels: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald and/or any other full length work listed
in previous units
Nonfiction: selected literary criticism from online databases
Videos: Born Rich; The Cove; King Corn; Who Killed the Electric Car?; The 11th Hour;
An Inconvenient Truth
Multimedia: VoiceThread; Prezi; PowerPoint; MovieMaker; PhotoStory; “The Art of
Choosing,” On the Media (podcast)
Oradell, River Dell, and River Edge Public Schools
Language Arts Curriculum – English Grade Ten
Approved September 27, 2010 17
TENTH GRADE ENGLISH CURRICULUM
APPENDIX A: SCAFFOLDING PERSUASIVE WRITING
OVERVIEW
According to Jerome Bruner who is known to have been influenced by Lev Vygotsky’s
Zone of Proximal Development, “Scaffolding refers to the gradual withdrawal of adult
control and support as a function of children’s increasing mastery of a given task.”
Students will arrive in grade 10 with the ability to respond to a persuasive prompt about
literature by delineating instances in a text that serve as examples to support a
generalized argument about a text.
It is our goal to move students from this generalized approach of recognizing instances
of textual evidence to analyzing patterns of textual evidence in an effort to support a
self- generated sophisticated argument about a text (thesis statement).
It is our goal to scaffold the writing experience by building bridges from one assessment
to the next, subsequently transferring more autonomy to the students.
PROTOCOL
Students will compose one persuasive literary essay at the close of Unit 1 and two
persuasive literary essays throughout Unit 2. Grade 10 teachers must come together to
establish a scaffolding approach specific to the existing skill sets of their students at the
start of the school year. This approach must be revisited and revised upon the
completion of the first persuasive literary essay. Then, upon completion of the next two
essays, teachers must come together again to explore pedagogical approaches to
extend the writing experience to include literary criticism as supporting evidence as well
as the application of the persuasive writing process to other more sophisticated
products that require deeper and broader synthesis of materials and design.
A suggested approach to begin is as follows:
• Unit 1- essay: Provide students with a thesis statement that they must
support.
• Unit 2 - 1st essay: Provide students with a topic and allow students to work in
groups to develop several potential thesis statements from which individual
students can choose to guide their writing.
• Unit 2 - 2nd essay: Require students to individually craft a thesis statement to
guide their writing.
Oradell, River Dell, and River Edge Public Schools
Language Arts Curriculum – English Grade Ten
Approved September 27, 2010 18
TENTH GRADE ENGLISH CURRICULUM
APPENDIX B: COMMON BENCHMARK ASSESSMENTS
OVERVIEW
A common benchmark assessment has been built in to each unit of the grade 10 course
of study, as per the absence of a standardized state-wide or district-wide assessment.
These common benchmark assessments have been included to supplement the range
of formal and informal assessments that have also been included in each unit to allow
for flexibility and differentiation of instruction. Thus the common benchmark
assessments will become an objective tool with which to assess the progress of the
students in relation to the standards that have been established, as well as enhance
horizontal articulation among tenth grade teachers so the needs of our students may be
better determined allowing teachers more authentic opportunities to align instructional
practices in the classroom.
PROTOCOL
These common benchmark assessments will be given at the end of each unit at the
same time by every tenth grade teacher, and will be scored using a common rubric.
Teachers will also analyze their assessment results in collaboration to embark on a
shared action plan to reach the needs of individual and/or groups of students.
Each student will be provided with a common unknown text. Students will be required
to answer questions and/or craft a written response to this unknown text. The design of
each common benchmark assessment will be geared toward measuring each student’s
progress in meeting the lesson and skill objectives for each unit.
Oradell, River Dell, and River Edge Public Schools
Language Arts Curriculum – English Grade Ten
Approved September 27, 2010 19
TENTH GRADE ENGLISH CURRICULUM
APPENDIX C: PROFESSIONAL RESOURCES
Lessons that Change Writers by Nancie Atwell; The No-Nonsense Guide to Teaching
Writing by Judy Davis; GenreStudy: Reflective Essay, (Teacher Edition); Study Driven:
A Framework for Planning Units of Study in the Writing Workshop by Katie Wood Ray;
Discovering Voice by Nancy Dean; 100 Quickwrites by Linda Rief; The Art of the
Personal Essay by Philip Lopate; Understanding by Design by Grant Wiggins; Lesson
Plans for Creating Media-Rich Classrooms ed. by Mary T. Christel and Scott Sullivan;
The Art of Choosing by Sheena Iyengar (book, video and podcast); On Writing: A
Memoir of the Craft, Stephen King; Daybook of Critical Reading and Writing by Fran
Claggett, Louann Reid & Ruth Vinz
Oradell, River Dell, and River Edge Public Schools
Language Arts Curriculum – English Grade Ten
Approved September 27, 2010 20