CURRICULUM GUIDE College Prep Honors English (full year) EN0L150 Honors College Prep emphasizes critical thinking, writing and rewriting, use of the word processor, and composition of specific essay types, including the research essay. The course also requires study of non-American literature encompassing a broad range of style, form, and concepts. First semester includes the expository essay and an extensive unit on the documented essay of literary analysis, and literature ranging from classical drama to poetry of many periods to contemporary French and Russian novels. Second semester emphasizes verse forms and improvement of individual style, with special attention to rhetorical devices. The literature studied in the second semester is essentially classical and satirical, and considers a wide variety of poetry and two novels. This course is intended as college preparation, not necessarily as college test preparation. Because of the sequential and developmental nature of this course, registration for both semesters is encouraged.

District 219 Niles Township High Schools Niles North and Niles West Skokie, Illinois Submitted by: Michael G. Conroy Charles Pratt Sanlida Cheng and Roger Stein, Directors Written July/August 2008

Table of Contents Department Stucture.......................................................p. 1 Instructional Materials...................................................p. 2 Agreed Upon Elements....................................................p. 2 Units of Instruction with Student Learning Outcomes Coded to State Goals and/or Benchmarks and Timelines by Grading Period...........................................................p. 3 Summative Assessment Descriptions...........................p. 25

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Instructional Materials Texts: The Razor’s Edge—W. Somerset Maugham (Summer—West) The Road—Cormac McCarthy (Summer—North) The Stranger—Albert Camus Candide—Voltaire Dirty Hands—Jean-Paul Sartre Macbeth—William Shakespeare Hamlet—William Shakespeare Oedipus Tyrannus—Sophocles Antigone—Sophocles

Sound and Sense —Laurence Perrine Invisible Man—Ralph Ellison One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich— Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn Films: Macbeth—Roman Polanski Hamlet—Kenneth Branagh Oedipus Rex—Tyrone Guthrie Good Night and Good Luck—George Clooney

Agreed Upon Elements Technology: use of CDs, MP3 files, Adobe InDesign PowerPoint, I-Movie, Microsoft Word and online essay draft revision. Types of assessments: analytical essays, multimedia/interdisciplinary projects, vocabulary quizzes, book reviews. oral tests, literature circles/guided discussion reports, written tests, in-class essays. Types of homework assignments: reading, viewing films, vocabulary lessons, essay revision, reviews Research, writing or work expectations: See above plus a research project Independent work expectations: Films must be viewed outside class; essay drafts may be submitted via email. Number and type of labs: Students work on PowerPoint presentations, in-class essays research papers, and vocabulary quizzes in computer lab. Grading procedures: For all except “round table” examinations (see: “summative assess- ment”) and vocabulary quizzes, rubric-based assessment and holis- tic scoring methods are employed for all assessments.

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First Semester Units of Instruction—West Self-Determination (Quarter 1) Summary: An analysis of philosophies of self-determination via literature circles, this unit incorporates a variety of supplemental readings on Deism, Christian Existentialism, Absurdism, Existentialism, and Eastern mysticism, all of which reinforce the reading and study of the summer reading selection, The Razor’s Edge (Hinduism, Zen Buddhism), Candide (Deism), Dirty Hands (Existentialism), and The Stranger (Absurdism). This analysis is conducted via literature circles. All students read supplemental and summer readings; the class is divided into thirds, with each group reading one of the literature circles works, working collaboratively within groups to produce reports on guided discussion questions regarding each work. After submission of the final reports, students are divided into “vertical slice” groups, with one student from each group forming another amalgam of three students. Using specific guidelines, students “teach” one another the books that the others have not read. The unit culminates in a “round table” test (see: “summative assessment”). Simultaneously, students work on an outside-of-class writing project: an “epiphany” essay that both reinforces the nature of self-determination and provides students with material that may be used in whole or part in the college application process. Periodically, as the need arises, students may be subject to in-class reading quizzes (in essay form) to ensure that students keep up with the reading and contribute fully to group collaboration. In addition, weekly vocabulary quizzes reinforce critical, rhetorical, and compositional skills . Student learning outcomes vis-a-vis state standards: This unit involves a thorough analysis of five separate media (supplemental materials, three novels and one play) (2. B. 5a) that reinforce the overall theme of self-determintion (1. B. 5d, 1 C. 5c, 2. B. 5b). Through explication, Socratic discussion and guided group response (1. C. 5a), students examine the ways in which the individual authors and directors portray the characters, tell the stories, reinforce the themes and develop the motifs (2. A. 5b) that contribute to the readers’ understanding of the nature of self-determination (1. B. 5b). Weekly narrative vocabulary quizzes reinforce the reading and critical thinking. (1.A. 5a). The epiphany essay (3. B. 5, 3. C. 5a) provides students with an opportunity to construct their own learning (1. C. 5e) by making connections between the events in their lives and those events’ impact on them. The essay reinforces the reading because it underscores the nature of how one’s actions produce cause and effect relationships, a notion that fits organically into the controlling ethos of the unit (1. C. 5b, 1. C. 5d). Multiple drafts review and revision facilitate this process as well as providing guidance in ways to enhance organization, syntax variety, diction, and proper use of grammatical structures (1. A. 5b, 3. A. 5).

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Key Concepts: Students are required to think critically, to analyze language from a variety of sources, to write cogently, and to collaborate. Timeline: Day 1: provide syllabus and course regulations; provide synopses of literature circles works; distribute “self-determination” supplemental reading packet. Day 2: divide class into three groups based on literature circles reading preferences; provide parameters for epiphany essay, including explanation of online review process. Days 3-4: in literature circles, collaborate on guided discussion questions on self-determination packet (SDP). Day 5: correct vocabulary lessons in class; guided discussion reports (GDRs) over SDP due. Day 6: take vocabulary quiz #1; first group (alphabetical) submits epiphany draft #1 via email. Day 7-9: discuss summer reading in guided discussion circles; second-fourth groups submit epiphany draft #1. Day 10: correct vocabulary lessons in class; GDRs over summer reading due. Day 11: take vocabulary quiz #2 in class; first group submits epiphany draft #2 via email. Days 12-14: collaborate on guided discussion of literature circles works; second-fourth groups submit epiphany draft #2. Day 15: correct vocabulary lessons in class; continue guided discussion of literature circles works. Day 16: take vocabulary quiz #3 in class. Days 17-19: continue guided discussion of literature circles works; students may consult with instructor during free periods on epiphany essay. Day 20: correct vocabulary lessons in class; continue guided discussion of literature circles works; final draft of epiphany essay due. Day 21: take vocabulary quiz #3 in class Day 22: finish literature circles; GDRs due. Day 23: begin “vertical slice” guided discussion. Day 24: continue “vertical slice” discussion. Day 25: review for “round table” examination on self-determination. Day 26: conduct “round table” round one. Day 27: conduct “round table” round two. Day 28: conduct “round table” embellishment session. Day 29: continue “round table” embellishment session. Day 30: provide overview of Greek drama; discuss one-act play writing assignment. Instructional Materials: Texts and supplemental reading Macintosh laptop computers for GDRs Internet for draft submission Computer lab PCs for vocabulary quizzes Essential Questions: 1. What are the differences among providence, predestination, and selfdetermination? 2. What are the distinctions among the various facets of self-determinate philosophies and what factors influence these distinctions? 3. How do one’s actions determine his/her path in life? 4. How does semantics influence how one views a personal philosophy? 5. Are theology and self-determination mutually exclusive? 4

Activities: Please see timeline above. Assignments (out-of-class): reading, epiphany essay, preparation for vocabulary quizzes. Student products: vocabulary quizzes guided group discussion reports epiphany essay Performance tasks: “round table” examination Individualization: email review of multiple drafts; democratic division of labor within literature circles groups. Unit assessment idea: rubric-based and/or holistic scoring assessment of epiphany essay; “round table” examination; guided discussion reports (total points).

Aristotelian Tragic Heroism (Quarters 1/2) Summary: An analysis of the nature of tragic heroism as delineated in Aristotle’s Poetics, this unit incorporates a variety of supplemental readings that explore critical disagreement regarding the nature of hamartia (i.e. tragic flaw vs. tragic mistake in judgment) in two works by Sophocles, Oedipus Tyrannus and Antigone. In addition, students read Aeschylus’ Seven Against Thebes to provide background on the events that precipitate the action in Antigone. Oedipus Tyrannus is performed aloud in its entirety, while the other plays are read outside class. Simultaneously, students work on an outside-of-class writing project: a one-act play that provides them a greater understanding of the dramatic form employed by the Greek playwrights and which introduces them to Freitag’s Pyramid, the conventional structure of fiction, which will also benefit them in the completion of their literature journals (see “additional assessments” below). As is the case with the first unit, weekly vocabulary quizzes reinforce critical, rhetorical, and compositional skills. Periodically, as the need arises, students may be subject to in-class reading quizzes (in essay form) to ensure that students keep up with the reading and contribute fully to group collaboration. Student learning outcomes vis-a-vis state standards: This unit involves a thorough analysis of five separate media (supplemental materials, one film and three plays) (2 B. 5a) that reinforce the overall theme of Aristotelian tragic heroism (1 B. 5d, 1 C. 5c, 2. B. 5b). Through explication, Socratic discussion and performance (1. C. 5a), students examine the ways in which the individual authors and the director portray the characters, tell the stories, reinforce the themes and develop the motifs (2. A. 5b) that contribute to the readers’ understanding of the nature of Greek tragedy (1. B. 5b). Weekly narrative vocabulary quizzes reinforce the reading and critical thinking. (1.A. 5a). The one-act play reinforces the reading because it provides insight into the dramatic form, challenges of composition, and the nuances of Freitag’s Pyramid (1. C. 5b, 1. C. 5d). Multiple drafts review and revision facilitate this process as well as providing guidance in ways to enhance organization, syntax variety, diction, local color, and proper use of grammatical structures (1. A. 5b, 3. A. 5).

Key Concepts: Students are required to think critically, to analyze language from a variety of sources, to recognize and form opinions regarding the subtle differences in critical commentary, to write cogently, and to collaborate.



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Timeline: Day 1: assign supplemental readings, including Aristotle’s Poetics and E.R. Dodds’ “On Misintepreting the Oedipus Rex”; explain and assign one-act play. Day 2: discuss Dodds’ essay vs. conventional interpretation of tragic heroism; compare to Poetics’ definition of tragic hero. Days 3-4: perform Oedipus Tyrannus aloud; students should read Antigone and Seven Against Thebes on their own (links to online text versions provided). Day 5: correct vocabulary lessons in class; continue performance of OT. Day 6: take vocabulary quiz #4; first group (alphabetical) submits one-act play draft #1 via email. Day 7-9: continue performance of OT; second-fourth groups submit one-act play draft #1. Day 10: correct vocabulary lessons in class; continue performance of OT; literature journal #1 due via email. Day 11: take vocabulary quiz #5 in class; first group submits one-act play draft #2 via email. Days 12-14: continue performance of OT; second-fourth groups submit one-act play draft #2. Day 15: correct vocabulary lessons in class; discuss Antigone and Seven Against Thebes. Day 16: take vocabulary quiz #4 in class; students may consult with instructor during free periods on one-act play. Day 17: continue discussion of Antigone and Seven Against Thebes; students may consult with instructor during free periods on one-act play. Days 18: finish discussion of Antigone and Seven Against Thebes; review for “round table” examination on Greek tragedy; students may consult with instructor during free periods on one-act play. Day 19: conduct “round table” round 1; students may consult with instructor during free periods on one-act play. Day 20: conduct “round table” round 2; students may consult with instructor during free periods on one-act play; one-act play due via email. Day 21: conduct “round Table” embellishments. Instructional Materials: Texts and supplemental reading Internet for draft submission Computer lab PCs for vocabulary quizzes Essential Questions: 1. What are the differences among critics regarding the nuances of Greek tragedy? 2. Which intepretations seem most viable when applied to the primary source? 3. How does the nature of Greek tragedy reflect upon/reinforce the theme of overarching theme of self-determination that was introduced in the first unit? 4. Are theology and self-determination mutually exclusive? Activities: Please see timeline above. Assignments (out-of-class): reading, one-act play, literature journal/outside reading, preparation for vocabulary quizzes. Student products:

vocabulary quizzes one-act play literature journal

Performance tasks: “round table” examination, in-class performance of Oedipus Tyrannus. Individualization: email review of multiple drafts; “round table” examination. Unit assessment idea: rubric-based and/or holistic scoring assessment of one-act play; “round table” examination. 6

Shakespearean and Renaissance Tragic Heroism and Anti-Heroism (Quarter 2) Summary: An analysis of the nature of tragic heroism as articulated in William Shakespeare’s tragedies, this unit also incorporates sonnet composition and a research paper component that serves as a culminating assessment for the class’ study of heroic types. In two works, Hamlet and Macbeth, students examine the manner in which Shakespeare utilizes the notion of the “tragic flaw,” an inherent failing in character, to define his heroes. Hamlet is analyzed employing a combination of outside-of-class reading, guided discussion, in-class performance, and viewing of excerpts from Kenneth Branagh’s definitive film version of the play. Macbeth (both print and film versions) must be read/viewed outside class. Simultaneously, students work on an outside-ofclass writing project, the composition of a sonnet that familiarizes them with the rhythms of iambic pentameter, thus enhancing their understanding of the dramatic form employed by the Bard. Informed by their reading of Sophocles and Shakespeare, students explore yet another heroic type, that portrayed by George Bernard Shaw in St. Joan, a character whom critics have defined as either an anti-hero or Renaissance tragic hero, depending on the individual reader’s perspective. St. Joan is analyzed employing a combination of outside reading and in-class performance, followed by Socratic and guided discussion. In addition, students are responsible for another outside-of-class reading selection and literature journal. Unlike the first journal, this analysis is webcast via www.gabcast.com. After recording the webcast, students are required to access and critique classmates webcasts and to indicate whether they would consider reading the selections reviewed. As is the case with the first and second units, weekly vocabulary quizzes reinforce critical, rhetorical, and compositional skills. During the course of this quarter, students compose a minimum 1500-word research paper that reinforces their understanding of hero archetypes. Drawing from their experience with classical, Aristotelian, Shakespearean, Renaissance and anti-heroes, students choose a public figure from the past 50 years whose biography places him/her into one of the aforementioned categories, Students research the life of the chosen public figure and illustrate in a cogent analsysis how the person’s life illustrates his/her adherence to the criteria common to each archetype. Students are required to submit a precis, an annotated preliminary Works Cited, a rough draft, and final draft employing strict MLA guidelines. Periodically, as the need arises, students may be subject to in-class reading quizzes (in essay form) to ensure that students keep up with the reading and contribute fully to group collaboration. Student learning outcomes vis-a-vis state standards: This unit involves a thorough analysis of four separate media (two films, two plays) (2. B. 5a) that reinforce the overall theme of Aristotelian tragic heroism (1. B. 5d, 1 C. 5c, 2. B. 5b). Through explication, Socratic discussion and performance (1. C. 5a), students examine the ways in which the individual authors and the director portray the characters, tell the stories, reinforce the themes and develop the motifs (2. A. 5b) that contribute to the readers’ understanding of the nature of Shakespeareatragedy (1. B. 5b). Weekly narrative vocabulary quizzes reinforce the reading and critical thinking. (1.A. 5a). The research paper (3. B. 5, 3. C. 5a) provides students with an opportunity to construct their own learning (1. C. 5e) by making connections between the events in their lives and those events’ impact on them. The sonnet reinforces the reading because it provides insight into the meter and rhetorical devices employed by Shakespeare, and the the challenges of composition (1. C. 5b, 1. C. 5d). Multiple drafts review and revision facilitate this process as well as providing guidance in ways to enhance organization, syntax variety, diction, local color, and proper use of grammatical structures (1. A. 5b, 3. A. 5).



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Key Concepts: Students are required to think critically, to analyze language from a variety of sources, to grasp the nuances of meter and figurative language, to write cogently, and to collaborate. Timeline: Day 1: explain and assign sonnet project. Day 2: discuss the concept of Shakespearean tragic heroism and its distinction from Arisotelian tragic heroism; begin peforming Hamlet aloud. Days 3-4: perform Hamlet Act I aloud, pausing to watch Branagh’s version of the great soliloquies. Day 5: correct vocabulary lessons in class; continue performance of Hamlet Act I. Day 6: take vocabulary quiz #6; first group (alphabetical) submits sonnet draft #1 via email. Days 7-9: continue performance of Hamlet, Act I; second-fourth groups submit sonnet draft #1. Day 10: correct vocabulary lessons in class; guided discussion of Hamlet Act II. Day 11: take vocabulary quiz #7 in class; first group submits sonnet draft #2 via email. Days 12-14: finish guided discussion of Hamlet Act II; second-fourth groups submit sonnet draft #2. Day 15: correct vocabulary lessons in class; view Act III, scenes one and two, of Brangh’s Hamlet; webcast of literature journal #2 due. Day 16: take vocabulary quiz #8 in class; students may consult with instructor during free periods on sonnet. Day 17: perform Act III of Hamlet ; students may consult with instructor during free periods on sonnet. Days 18: perform Act III of Hamlet ; students may consult with instructor during free periods on sonnet. Day 19: analyze Act IV of Hamlet in guided discussion groups; students may consult with instructor during free periods on sonnet. Day 20: correct vocabulary lessons in class; continue Hamlet Act IV guided discussion; sonnet final draft due. Day 21: take vocabulary quiz #9 in class; finish Hamlet, Act IV guided discussion; research paper precis due. Days 22-24: perform Hamlet, Act V, scenes 1-2 in class, augmented by viewing scenes from the Branagh film. Day 25: correct vocabulary lessons in class; finish Hamlet; research paper preliminary, annotated Works Cited due. Day 26: take vocabulary quiz #10 in class; webcast critiques due. Days 27-29: analyze Macbeth in guided discussion groups. Day 30: correct vocabulary lesson in class; rough draft of research paper due. Day 31: take vocabulary quiz #11 in class. Days 32-34: conduct Socratic dicussion of St. Joan. Day 35: polish research paper in computer lab; final draft of research paper due via email by 11:59: 59 p.m. Days 36; review for final exam over Hamlet, Macbeth, and St. Joan. Days 37-39: conduct “round table” final exam over Hamlet, Macbeth, and St. Joan (rounds 1-3); conduct embellishments during scheduled final exam period. Instructional Materials: Texts and supplemental reading Internet for draft submission Computer lab PCs for vocabulary quizzes Film versions of Macbeth and Hamlet Essential Questions: 1. What are the distinctions among the various types of literary hero achetypes? 2. Into which categories may public figures of the past 50 years be placed. 3. What are the various facets of producing a research paper? 4. What musical and rhetorical devices do poets employ to reinforce the thematic aspects of their work? Activities: Please see timeline above. Assignments (out-of-class): reading, sonnet, research paper, literature journal/outside reading/critique, preparation for vocabulary quizzes. 8

Student products:

vocabulary quizzes sonnet research paper literature journal webcast

Performance tasks: “round table” examination; in class performance of Hamlet. Individualization: email review of multiple drafts; “round table” examination.

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First Semester Units of Instruction—North Holding Out for a Hero: The Archetypal Hero (Quarter 1) Summary: This unit focuses on an analysis of the nature, definition, and archetypal representation of the Hero, in literature (classic to contemporary) as well as popular culture, including film and music. This brief introductory unit includes readings in cultural anthropology (“The Hero’s Adventure,” an interview with mythology scholar Joseph Campbell; “Progression of Heroes,” by literary critic Northrop Frye) that outline the concept of the archetypal hero as found in the myths, folkloric stories, and literature of many cultures over time. The unit also includes an examination of the archetypal “hero’s journey,” and the stages of departure, testing, fulfillment, and return. Students apply this archetypal concept to literature as well as popular culture (music and film) and utilize the heroic concepts as templates for consideration of the types of heroes they encounter in the course’s required reading that follows, including the study of poems (Houseman’s “To an Athlete Dying Young,” Updike’s “The Ex-Basketball Player,” Springsteen’s “Glory Days”) that consider the heroic concept. The unit requires collaboration through group discussion, technology (a group PowerPoint presentation on one segment of Campbell’s ideas), and written expression (journal entries, an essay on a personal hero). Student learning outcomes vis-à-vis state standards: This interdisciplinary, multimedia unit is primarily designed to create a basic framework for the rest of the semester’s tasks. The unit also reinforces a variety of Illinois state standards and benchmarks. In analyzing the readings (1.C. 5b), students gain an understanding of how to cull discreet information and apply it to a cohesive, organic analysis. (1. A. 5b). Study and explication of several poems allow students to evaluate how authors use text to express their ideas (1. C. 5e) as well as analyze the meaning of abstract concepts and the effects of particular word and phrase choices (1. A. 5b). The Joseph Campbell and Northrop Frye readings acquaint students with themes that have been explored in literature from different societies and eras (2. B. 2b). The completed PowerPoint or website product (5. C. 2a) include an overview of one section of Campbell’s argument, as well as examples gleaned from independent sources and provide opportunity for presenting oral reports to an audience (4. B. 2a). Drawing from their life experience as well as prior knowledge, students are able to craft a persuasive essay about a relative, friend, or role model whom they consider a hero (3. A. 2; 3. C. 2a; 3. C. 2b). Key Concepts: Students are required to think critically, to analyze research from a variety of sources, to write cogently, to collaborate, and to design a multimedia project.. Timeline: Days 1-2: Overview of the heroic archetype and reading and general discussion of “The Hero’s Adventure,” an interview with Joseph Campbell. Particular emphasis on the Heroic Journey. Days 3-4: Student groups appointed and begin to collaborate on their assigned section of the reading and prepare a presentation, which could be in PowerPoint format. Day 5: Group presentations of their collaborative projects and general discussion. Day 6: Presentation and discussion of Northrop Frye’s concept of the Progression of Heroes. Day 7: Reading and in-class discussion of three poems that explore the heroic concept. Day 8: Objective and short-answer quiz. Personal hero essay due. Instructional Materials: Copy of “The Hero’s Adventure” and various handouts Microsoft PowerPoint or Apple Keynotes software Microsoft Internet Explorer PC or Macintosh computers 10

Essential Questions: 1. What is a hero? 2. What are the archetypal characteristics of a hero, found in a variety of cultures around the world over centuries and millennia? 3. What is the Hero’s Journey and how does it surface in literature and popular culture? Activities: Please see timeline above. Assignments (out-of-class): Reading of assigned works for the unit; collaborative work on presentation; journal entries and essay. . Student products: PowerPoint presentation including the following: —Key points of Campbell’s argument in assigned section —Graphics or music that apply to the section. Performance tasks:

Submission of PowerPoint presentation; submission of essay.

Individualization: As the bulk of the project is done in class, instructor offers individual instruction. Also, deadlines may be extended for those requiring more time. Acceleration options include more in-depth analysis of social/historical elements and/or creative design. Unit assessment idea: Rubric-based assessment of presentations, assessing quality of research, analysis and facility with software; Grademaster scoring of objective quiz; holistic scoring of quiz short answers and essay. The Classical Tragic Hero: Oedipus Tyrannus and Antigone (Quarter 1) Summary: This unit examines the essential elements of classical Greek theater and drama (tragedy) and explores the broader issues of heroism, fate and free will, leadership, and social responsibility through a careful reading and analysis of two tragedies of Sophocles: Oedipus Tyrannus/Rex and Antigone. Students learn about the origins and conventions of Greek theater, the development of drama, Greek theater stagecraft, terms, and vocabulary, and Aristotle’s definition of tragedy and criteria for the tragic hero. Students also learn of the differences between the views of Aristotle and Plato as regards art and drama. Students particularly focus on the tension between self-determination and inexorable fate. Students make connections between the classic themes of these two plays and events and trends in contemporary politics and society. Students demonstrate their understanding of the plays through journal entries and by crafting an essay about one or both of the plays studied. The unit also includes selected readings in literary analysis of the plays as well as poetry (“Ozymandias”) and short stories (“King of the Bingo Game”) that relate to the plays’ themes. Student learning outcomes vis-à-vis state standards: This unit involves a thorough analysis of two plays (2. B. 5a) that represent elements of classic Greek theater and tragedy and the Greek idea of the tragic hero. Through explication, Socratic discussion, dramatic readings, and guided group response (1. C. 5a), students examine the ways in which the author portrays the characters, tells the stories, rein-forces the themes and develops the motifs (2. A. 5b) that contribute to the readers’ understanding of the nature of the Greek tragic hero (1. B. 5b). A terminology quiz assesses students’ understanding of the basic elements and terms of Greek drama (1.A. 2a). Other quizzes assess students’ familiarity with the plot and dialogue of the individual plays. The analytical essay (3. A. 5; 3. B. 5; 3. C. 5a) provides students with an opportunity to construct their own learning (1. C. 5e) by making connections between the two plays and by illustrating how each work fits organically into the controlling ethos of the unit (1. C. 5b, 1. C. 5d). Review and revision facilitate this process as well as providing guidance in ways to enhance organization, syntax variety, diction and proper use of grammatical structures (1. A. 5b; 3. A. 5). 11

Key Concepts: Students are required to think critically, to synthesize material from two major works and several supplemental sources and to analyze the characteristics of a Greek tragic hero as depicted by Sophocles, including analysis of the power of fate and/or free will, the qualities of leadership, and the characteristics of individual and social responsibility. Timeline: Day 1: Introduction to Greek drama and the story of Oedipus. Worksheet/study guide distributed. Day 2: Class discussion of the terminology of classic Greek theater. Day 3: Class discussion of Oedipus themes and essential questions. Day 4: Group collaborative work and presentations of the individual themes/questions discussed previously. General class discussion. Day 5: Quiz on Greek drama/theater terminology. Begin reading and class discussion of Oedipus Tyrannus. Days 6-9: Explication and discussion of Oedipus Tyrannus. Quizzes, journal entries, and quote identification as determined by instructor. Independent reading of Antigone assigned. Day 10: Objective test on Oedipus Tyrannus and Greek drama (terminology, quote identification, plot points). Essay prompts distributed. Day 11: Film version of Oedipus Tyrannus. Ellison’s “King of the Bingo Game” distributed. Day 12: In class discussion of Ralph Ellison’s “King of the Bingo Game” Days 12-13: Socratic seminar of Antigone. Day 14: Essay due. Class discussion. Instructional Materials: Texts, films, supplementary handouts. Essential Questions: 1. How did Aristotle and Sophocles define tragedy and the tragic hero? 2. Which force is more powerful: fate or free will? 3. What qualities make for a good king/leader? 3. What is the enduring legacy of classic Greek drama, as it continues to impact contemporary literature and popular culture? Activities: Please see timeline above. Assignments (out-of-class): Reading, essay drafts, preparation for quizzes. Student products: Performance tasks:

Vocabulary/terminology quizzes Guided group discussion reports and presentations Journal entries Comparative analysis essay Completion of all student products.

Individualization: The essay draft are reviewed and returned with comments. Acceleration is afforded by the complexity of essay topics. Extra time is afforded if needed on vocabulary/terminology quizzes, the modes of which vary. Unit assessment idea: Rubric-based and/or holistic scoring assessment of essay; Grademaster scoring of objective test.

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Writing the College Essay/Personal Statement (Quarter 1) Summary: This brief unit, offered only during the first quarter when most seniors are applying to colleges, provides assistance to students in writing their college essay/personal statement as part of the college application process. As competition for college placement increases, the college essay becomes a more important segment of the overall application. In this unit, students have the opportunity to respond to specific prompts required by the universities of their choice or to craft a response to a common application prompt. Students are provided sample essays and individual editorial commentary from the instructor as well as peer editing from classmates, and are given class time in the computer lab to write and revise their essays. Student learning outcomes vis-à-vis state standards: This unit involves the study of effective writing techniques for the practical purpose of crafting a successful college essay/personal statement as required by many colleges and institutions (3. A. 2; 3. B. 2a; 3 B. 2b; 3. B. 2c; 3. C. 2a; 3. C. 2b). Students have a choice between writing the appropriate response for a specific prompt from a selected college or university’s application or crafting a response to a broader (epiphany) prompt found on the common application. Students engage in peer editing (3. B. 2d) and receive individual instruction/advice from the instructor. Key Concepts: Students are required to think critically about personal experiences and to draft, revise and edit a successful college essay/personal statement that both reflects unique personal characteristics and demonstrates effective writing skills within a restricted word count. Timeline: Day 1: Overview of the college essay/personal statement and its importance in the college application process. Distribution of selected handouts providing pointers for crafting a successful writing effort as well as copies of model statements written by former high school students who were accepted into a variety of colleges and universities. Students are to choose to address a prompt of their choosing. Day 2: Computer Lab instruction and writing of first draft of the statement. Days 3-4: Computer Lab instruction, peer editing of first draft, and revision of edited draft. Day 5: Revised college essay/personal statement due. Instructional Materials: Handouts, including writing tips and samples of actual college statements. Essential Questions: 1. How can a relatively short writing sample reflect an individual’s personality and qualities? Activities: Please see timeline above. Assignments (out-of-class): Essay revision. Student products: College essay/personal statement. Performance tasks: Students craft their own college essay/personal statement and peer edit drafts of their fellow students’ writing. Individualization: Choice of prompts allows students to address the process in a method most beneficial to them. Extra time are afforded if needed, as well as individual instruction/assistance outside of class. Unit assessment idea: Holistic scoring assessment of the draft statements upon completion. 13

The Shakespearean Tragic Hero: Macbeth and Hamlet (Quarter 1) Summary: This unit examines the essential elements of Elizabethan theater and Shakespearean tragedy and explores the broader issues of heroism, ambition, self-determination, leadership, loyalty, and rebellion through a careful reading and analysis of two tragedies of Shakespeare: Macbeth (main text) and Hamlet (independent reading). Students explore the essential elements of Shakespearean tragedy as well as the specific themes of these two plays. Students become familiar with Shakespearean language and stagecraft and be able to compare and contrast the drama of Shakespeare and classical Greek drama. Students engage in careful character analysis, both of the plays’ protagonists and subordinate characters. Students also participate in reader’s theater presentations of scenes from the plays. Students recognize that many commonly used expressions are rooted in Shakespeare’s language and discern how Shakespeare’s classic themes have been reiterated in numerous settings and staging, with no diminution of their power. Student learning outcomes vis-à-vis state standards: This unit involves a thorough analysis of two plays (2 B. 5a) that represent elements of Elizabethan theater and the Shakespearean concept of the tragic hero. Through direct instruction, explication, Socratic discussion, dramatic readings, and guided group response (1. C. 5a), students examine the ways in which the author portrays the characters, tells the stories, rein-forces the themes and develops the motifs (2. A. 5b) that contribute to the reader’s understanding of the nature of the Shakespearean tragic hero (1. B. 5b). Various quizzes familiarize the students with theater terms and the plot, characters, and dialogue of the plays (1.A. 2a). The analytical essay (3. A. 5; 3. B. 5; 3. C. 5a) provides students with an opportunity to construct their own learning (1. C. 5e) by making connections between the two plays and by illustrating how each work fits organically into the controlling ethos of the unit (1. C. 5b; 1. C. 5d). Review and revision facilitate this process as well as providing guidance in ways to enhance organization, syntax variety, diction and proper use of grammatical structures (1. A. 5b; 3. A. 5). Key Concepts: Students are required to think critically, to synthesize material from two major works and several supplemental sources and to analyze the characteristics of a Shakespearean tragic hero, including analysis of the power of fate and/or free will, the qualities of leadership, the importance of the “tragic flaw,” and the manifold characteristics of individual and social responsibility. Timeline: Day 1: Overview of the unit; assignment of outside-of-class reading (Hamlet); group activity and discussion to introduce key themes of Macbeth. Day 2: Group activity to prepare and present short presentations/skits illustrating the thematic ideas presented and discussed previously. Days 3-15: Guided group reading and discussion of the five acts of Macbeth, which also includes viewing clips of the Polanski film version of the play and brief quizzes before discussion of each act. Day 16: Objective test on Elizabethan theater, Shakespearean tragedy, and Macbeth. Essay prompts distributed. Days 17-19: Socratic seminar/discussion of Hamlet; journal entry; film clips. Day 20: Essays due. Film clips. Instructional Materials: Texts, films, handouts. Essential Questions: 1. How does the Shakespearean tragic hero differ from the Aristotelian tragic hero? 2. Is the character of Macbeth, in fact, a hero? 3. How does Macbeth consider the concepts of ambition, loyalty, leadership, and rebellion? 4. How do the following themes impact Macbeth: ambition, evil, order and disorder, appearance and reality, equivocation, violence and tyranny, guilt and conscience? 5. What are the similarities and differences in the plays of Macbeth and Hamlet as well as the protagonists and other characters of the plays? 14

6. What universal truths, if any, can be drawn from these plays? Activities: Please see timeline above. Assignments (out-of-class): Reading, viewing films, preparing for quizzes. Student products: Content and vocabulary quizzes Journal entries Analytical essay Performance tasks:

Completion of all student products.

Individualization: As the bulk of the discussion is done in class, instructor offers individual instruction. More time is allowed for the quizzes and tests for those who need it, and the deadline may be extended for the essay. Acceleration options include more in-depth analysis of literary and social/historical elements. Unit assessment idea: Rubric-based and/or holistic scoring assessment of journals and essay; Grademaster scoring of quizzes and objective test.

The Hero as Victim: Saint Joan (Quarter 2) Summary: This unit examines yet another aspect of the literary hero – the hero as victim –as well as the broader issues of self-determination, nationalism and patriotism, leadership, and social responsibility through a careful reading and analysis of the play Saint Joan (1923) by George Bernard Shaw. The unit also explores political, religious, and social structures and ways they impact the lives of determined individuals, from concepts as simple as peer pressure to the power of law to determine life or death. The unit explores how heroic individuals survive and triumph over adversity. Ancillary readings (Orwell’s “Shooting and Elephant,” Thomas’s “Do Not Go Gentle,” Sillitoe’s “The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner”) further inform student discussion of the central focus of the unit. Student learning outcomes vis-à-vis state standards: This unit involves a thorough reading and analysis of a modern British play (2. B. 5a) that presents a strong female hero, as well as appropriate ancillary readings. Through direct instruction, explication, Socratic discussion, dramatic readings, and guided group response (1. C. 5a), students examine the ways in which the author portrays the characters, tells the stories, rein-forces the themes and develops the motifs (2. A. 5b) that contribute to the reader’s understanding of the nature of the hero as victim (1. B. 5b). Quizzes familiarize students with the plot and dialogue of the play (1.A. 5a). Journal entries (3. B. 5, 3. C. 5a) provide students with an opportunity to construct their own learning (1. C. 5e) by making connections between the plays and their own lives. and by illustrating how this play fits organically into the controlling ethos of the unit (1. C. 5b; 1. C. 5d). Key Concepts: Students are required to think critically, to synthesize material from the play, its extended preface, and several supplemental sources and to analyze the characteristics of the hero as victim as depicted by Shaw, including analysis of self determination, nationalism/patriotism, the qualities of leadership, and the characteristics of individual and social responsibility. Students are required to make connections between the supplementary reading and the chief text and demonstrate their understanding through class participation and in-class writing. 15

Timeline: Day 1: Introduction to Shaw, the historical Joan of Arc, and the time in which the play was written. Worksheet/ study guide distributed. Days 2-10: Reading, explication and discussion of Saint Joan. Quizzes, journal entries, viewing of film clips, and quote identification as determined by instructor. Day 11: In-class essay on Saint Joan and the concept of the hero as victim. Instructional Materials: Text, films, supplementary handouts. Essential Questions: 1. How does Joan, an illiterate adolescent who claims to hear “voices,” represent the idea of heroism? 2. What is the difference between madness and devotion? 3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of nationalism, within the contexts of the Middle Ages and contemporary global politics? 4. What qualities make for a good king/leader? 5. What qualities help shape a person as a “hero” despite the fact that they are victimized by forces beyond their control? 6. What are the repercussions of succumbing to outside forces, ranging from peer pressure to state institutions? Activities: Please see timeline above. Assignments (out-of-class): Reading, preparation for quizzes. Student products: Plot and character quizzes Analytical in-class essay Performance tasks: Completion of all student products. Individualization: Acceleration is afforded by the complexity of essay topics. Extra time is afforded if needed on quizzes, the modes of which vary. Unit assessment idea: Rubric-based and/or holistic scoring assessment of in-class essay; Grademaster scoring of objective quizzes. The Epic Hero: Beowulf (Quarter 2) Summary: This unit explores the beginnings of English language and literature through an overview of the Anglo-Saxon (Old English) language and poetry; more particularly it examines the characteristics of epic poetry and the larger-than-life epic hero as well as the concepts of fame, loyalty, leadership, and self-sacrifice through a reading and analysis of the first written work of English-language literature – Beowulf. The reading of the poem is supplemented by other Old English poems (“The Wanderer,” “The Seafarer”). Some time is devoted to the evolution of the English language, from its Anglo Saxon origins through Middle English (Chaucer) to Modern English (Shakespeare) as well to discussions of Anglo Saxon ideals as reflected in the poem and speculation about the continuation of the epic hero in the guise of the contemporary popular culture superhero. Student learning outcomes vis-à-vis state standards: This unit involves a thorough analysis of a poem (in translation) (2. B. 5a) that represents a classic example of the epic hero. Through direct instruction, explication, Socratic discussion, dramatic readings, and guided group response (1. C. 5a), students examine the ways in which the anonymous author portrays the characters, tells the stories, reinforces the themes and develops 16

the motifs (2. A. 5b) that contribute to the reader’s understanding of the nature of the epic hero and the Anglo Saxon ethos (1. B. 5b). Various quizzes familiarize the students with Anglo Saxon poetic terms and the plot and characters of the poem (1.A. 5a). A group presentation (3. B. 5, 3. C. 5a) allows students to construct their own learning (1. C. 5e) by crafting a presentation that illuminates a specific section of the poem. (1. C. 5b, 1. C. 5d). Key Concepts: Students are required to think critically, synthesize material from one major works and several supplemental readings/sources and to analyze the characteristics of Anglo Saxon values and the epic hero, including analysis of the power of fate and/or free will, the qualities of leadership, the importance of loyalty, and the manifold characteristics of individual and social responsibility. Timeline: Days 1-2: Overview of the evolution of the English language, from Celtic dialects through the development of Anglo Saxon and subsequent impact of the Norman invasion (1066), followed by Middle English and Modern English Shakespeare). Distribution of study guide and text of Beowulf (in translation). Day 3: In-class discussion of sample Old English poems (“The Seafarer,” “The Wanderer”). Day 4: Introduction to the poem and reading and class discussion of the prologue. Assignment of sections of the poem to groups for preparation of their presentations. Film clip if time allows. Days 4-5: Groups read and prepare presentations for their section of the poem, including assignment of roles and script writing. Days 6-7: Group presentations. Day 8: Objective test on Anglo Saxon poetry and Beowulf. Instructional Materials: Text, films, handouts. Essential Questions: 1. What are the particular qualities and values of Anglo Saxon culture and poetry? 2. How does the epic hero differ from the Shakespearean tragic hero and the Aristotelian tragic hero? 2. Are there commonalities between Beowulf and the protagonists of the plays by Sophocles, Shakespeare, and Shaw? 3. What echoes of the epic hero can be found in contemporary representations of the pop culture superhero? 4. How has the English language developed over time? Activities: Please see timeline above. Assignments (out-of-class): Reading, preparing for presentation and quiz. Student products: Group presentation Content and terminology quizzes Performance tasks: Completion of all student products. Individualization: The group presentation allows students to select a role suitable for individual interests and abilities. More time is allowed for the quiz for those who need it. Acceleration options include more in-depth analysis of literary and social/historical elements. The Ironic Hero/Antihero: Getting Acquainted with The Stranger (Quarter 2) Summary: This unit explores what literary scholar and critic Northrop Frye describes as the antihero or the ironic hero, modern/postmodern hero that plays against the conventional wisdom. The ironic hero is one who 17

“triumphs” only because he is able to endure trials and suffering, either because he does not care about pain or reward or because he has no belief in himself or the world. This is a difficult concept to grasp, and quite at odds with the other heroic types considered this semester. Through a careful reading of The Stranger by Albert Camus, as well as supplementary texts and literary analysis, the unit considers what heroic qualities, if any, mark the postmodern absurdist hero. Through class discussion, students recognize absurdist echoes in popular culture and consider the question: Is this the appropriate hero for our times? Student learning outcomes vis-à-vis state standards: This unit involves a thorough analysis of a novel (in translation) (2. B. 5a) that represents a modern example of the ironic hero. Through direct instruction, explication, Socratic discussion, and guided group response (1. C. 5a), students examine the ways in which Camus portrays the protagonist and other characters, reveals a theme, and develop his notion of heroism in the modern world (2. A. 5b). Computer lab and library research allow students to construct their own learning (1. C. 5e). Students work in groups to research and prepare a presentation (5. B. 5a; 5. C. 5a) and then conclude the unit with an essay in which they compare this hero to other characters studied during the semester (5. B. 5a). Key Concepts: Students are required to think critically, synthesize material from one major work and several supplemental readings/sources and to analyze the characteristics of existentialism/absurdism and the ironic hero, including analysis of the power of fate and/or free will, the importance of integrity, and the manifold characteristics of individual and social responsibility. Timeline: Day 1: Overview of the novel, the author, and the key concepts of the literature of the absurd and existentialism. Distribution of a study guide. NOTE: Depending on the timing of the semester, it is likely that the students will have read the novel as their Winter Break reading assignment. Day 2: Research on assigned topics in the Computer Lab or IRC. Days 3-4: Groups prepare and present their projects on the assigned topics. Day 5: Socratic seminar. Day 6: In-class essay. Instructional Materials: Text, handouts. Essential Questions: 1. What are the particular qualities and values of the ironic hero/antihero? 2. What is absurdism? 3. What is existentialism? 4. Are there commonalities between Meursault and the protagonists of the plays by Sophocles, Shakespeare, and Shaw? 5. Is Meursault the appropriate hero for our times? 6. Does heroism make sense anymore? Activities: Please see timeline above. Assignments (out-of-class): Reading, preparing for presentation, and in-class essay. Student products:

Group presentation Journal entries Essay

Performance tasks: Completion of all student products. 18

Individualization: The group presentation allows students to select a role suitable for individual interests and abilities. More time is allowed for the quiz for those who need it. Acceleration options include more in-depth analysis of literary and social/historical elements. The Senior Research Paper Unit (Quarters 1,2) Summary: This unit, which overlaps with other units during two quarters, is designed to fulfill the District 219 requirement that seniors create and complete a successful research paper to pass the class and as a condition for graduation. In Honors College Prep, the research paper is an original piece of scholarly literary analysis of a novel, a poem of sufficient length (at least 30 lines), a short story, or a play. Students analyze their selected work(s) by examining what other scholars have written about the subject. Students become acquainted with the many resources available to the contemporary scholar. After research and the collection of information, students then posit a thesis which offers an original interpretation of this work, then progress through the stages of annotated bibliography, note cards, outline, and drafts and revisions. Although a number of class days are devoted to this important unit, most of the effort is carried out independently. Class time is provided for general commentary about the process, research in the computer lab or IRC, peer editing, and consultation with the instructor. Student learning outcomes vis-à-vis state standards: This unit involves a thorough analysis of a work of literature (2. B. 5a) and scholarly commentary about that work. Through direct instruction, independent reading, peer editing, and consultation with the instructor (1. C. 5a), students select a topic, prepare an annotated bibliography, create a thesis, and write a sophisticated work of literary analysis (3. A. 5; 3. B. 5; 3. C. 5a; 5. A. 5a; 5. B. 5b). Computer lab and library research (5. C. 5b) allow students to construct their own learning (1. C. 5e) and familiarize themselves with contemporary resources for scholarly research (5. C. 5a). Key Concepts: Students are required to think critically, synthesize material one or more major works and numerous supplemental readings/sources and to craft a successful paper (in proper Modern Language Association format) that posits a thesis and then supports that thesis with solid evidence. NOTE: Days devoted to in-class activities for this unit are chronological, although not necessarily sequential, and distributed throughout the semester. Most of the student work is performed outside of class. Some activities require only a portion of one day’s class time. Timeline: Day 1: Introduction to the research paper. Distribution of guidelines and timeline. Topic brainstorming and selection. Days 2-3: Research in Computer Lab and IRC. Day 4: Fundamentals of a good thesis statement, including evaluation and discussion of examples. Day 5: Peer editing of thesis statement and drafting of introductory paragraph. Days 6: Instruction on annotated bibliography, outline, note cards, in-text citations. Day 7: Research and writing in Computer Lab or IRC; individual consultations with instructor. Day 8: Peer editing of first draft; revisions. Days 9-10: Writing and revising in Computer Lab or IRC; individual consultations with instructor. Day 11: Peer editing of second draft. Day 12: Revision of draft and final peer editing or individual conference with instructor. Day 13: Collation and submission of final draft of senior research paper and portfolio packet. Instructional Materials: Handouts. Essential Questions: 1. What are the elements of a successful research paper? 2. What resources are available 19

to the contemporary student research? 3. What skills and techniques are required to craft a successful persuasive essay that examines a work of literature? Activities: Please see timeline above. Assignments (out-of-class): Reading, research, writing, revision of the senior research paper. Student products: Performance tasks:

Senior research paper Supporting materials in portfolio Completion of the senior research paper.

Individualization: Students may select a topic suitable for individual interests. More time is allowed for those who need it, and instructor provides individual consultations. Acceleration options include more in-depth analysis of literary and social/historical elements.

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Second Semester Units of Instruction Free Verse and Fixed Forms: Analysis and Composition of Modern Poetry (Quarter 3) Summary: This unit examines modern poetic forms, including song lyrics, free verse, and concrete and acrostic poems. Students analyze genre characteristics, identify rhetorical devices, interpret themes, and compose their own verse, employing the elements of each genre and a wide range of figurative language Student learning outcomes vis-à-vis state standards: This unit involves thorough analysis of free verse (1. C. 5e) including identification of rhetorical devices (1. A, 5a) paraphrase, interpretation and composition. Through explication, Socratic discussion, dramatic readings, and guided group response (2. A. 5a), students will examine the ways in which poets craft verse forms, manipulate meter, employ figurative language, and relate themes to their readers (1. A. 5b, 2. A. 5b). Holistic scoring of sample poems (1. b. 5c) provides students with an opportunity to construct their own learning and to determine the relative quality of a work of verse. Group examination of 20th Century free verse (1. C. 5b) promotes understanding of figurative language in the paraphrasing of poems for the purpose of interpretation. Review and revision facilitate this process as well as providing guidance in ways to enhance organization, syntax variety, diction and proper use of grammatical and rhetorical structures (1. A. 5b; 3. A. 5). After analyzing verse forms, students illustrate their understanding of verse forms by composing their own free verse, acostic, and concrete poems (3. A. 5), employing both Microsoft Word and Adobe InDesign in the construction thereof (3. B. 5, 5. C. 5a). Key Concepts: Students will be required to think critically, to synthesize material from a variety of poems and songs and to illustrate their critical thinking skills by analyzing published poems and peers’ work and by composing their own poetry. Timeline: Day 1: introduce verse forms; assign song project (for day 8). Day 2: discuss Chapters 1-2 in Sound and Sense. Day 3: discuss Chapters 3-5 in Sound and Sense. Day 4: discuss Chapters 6-9 in Sound and Sense. Day 5: discuss Chapters 10-12 in Sound and Sense Days 6: conduct group explication of and identification of rhetorical devices in “Waiting in Fronf of the Columnar High School,” by Karl Shapiro. Day 7: finish explication of Shapiro poem; group reports due; assign the following project: Compose a free verse poem of at least 250 words in length, reinforcing a theme and employing at least three examples of each rhetorical device studied, including metonymy, synecdoche, allusion, etc. Days 8-12: explain ong project: Students share a favorite song (via CD or MP3 file) that employs a broad range of rhetorical devices. As song is played, students provide lyrics on the overhead projector. Students make note of the songs’ lyrics and choose three songs in which they must identify the rhetorical devices employed. Students solicit classmates to provide lyrics. Explicated songs are due on day 18. Day 13: conduct group explication of W.D. Snodgrass’ “Pow Wow”; first draft of free verse due for group one (alphabetized). Day 14: finish group explication of Snodgrass poem; first draft of free verse due for group two. Day 15: discuss concrete poems and assign composition of a minimum 150-word concrete poem; provide instruction in Adobe InDesign (software used to produce the concrete shape of the poem); group explication reports due. Day 16: conduct group explication of “Living in Sin,” by Adrienne Rich; second draft of free verse due for group one. Day 17: finish group explication of Rich poem; second draft of free verse due for group two. 21

Day 18: conduct holistic scoring of sample free verse poems (from ’07-’08 classes); explication of song project lyrics due. Day 19: work on final drafts of free verse in computer lab and consult on drafts; group reports on Rich poem due. Day 20: discuss Chapters 13-14 in Sound and Sense; final draft of free verse due. Day 21: import concrete poem drafts to InDesign. Days 22-24: work on concrete poems in class; consult on drafts. Day 25: discuss acrostic poems and conduct blind draw of polysyllabic adjectives to be employed in composing a minimum 200-word acrostic poem, Note: Drafts for this poem will be accepted during the next unit. Instructional Materials: Texts and supplemental reading Internet for draft submission Adobe InDesign Essential Questions: 1. What are the distinctions between poetry and prose? 2. What rhetorical devices do poets use to express in a few words what the prose writer expresses in hundreds? 3. How can the reader “literalize” poetry so as to understand its meaning and intepret its themes? 4. How does writing one’s own verse assist in the interpretive process? 5. What is free verse and how does it differ from metered poetry? 6. What are fixed forms and what characteristics indentify the genres? 7. How does an examination of modern music enhance one’s understanding of rhetorical devices? Activities: Please see timeline above. Assignments (out-of-class): reading, music project, free verse, concrete poem, acrostic poem. Student products: group explication reports; free verse, concrete poem, lyrics analysis, acrostic poem. Performance tasks: presentation of favorite songs, lyrics. Individualization: email review of multiple drafts; democratic division of labor within discussion groups. . Philippic Literature: The Novel as Social Critique (Quarters 3/4) Summary: This unit examines the manner in which two novelists, one from each of the 20th Century “superpowers,” examine the ills of their respective societies through their recounting of the lives of the protagonists, two men on the fringe of mainstream society in the USSR and the United States in the 1930s-50s. This is accomplished through Socratic discussion, in-class essay, a personal experience essay, guided group analysis, and two literature journals that reinforce the controlling ethos of the unit. Student learning outcomes vis-a-vis state standards: This unit involves a thorough analysis of four separate media (two novels, two films) (2. B. 5a) that reinforce the overall theme of social criticism (1. B. 5d, 1 C. 5c, 2. B. 5b). Through explication, Socratic discussion and guided group response (1. C. 5a), students examine the ways in which the individual authors and directors portray the characters, tell the stories, reinforce the themes and develop the motifs (2. A. 5b) that contribute to the readers’ understanding of the nature of oppression (1. B. 5b). Weekly objective vocabulary quizzes reinforce the reading and critical thinking. (1.A. 5a). A personal experience essay (3. B. 5, 3. C. 5a) provides students with an opportunity to construct their own learning (1. C. 5e) by making connections between the events in their lives and those events’ impact on them. The essay reinforce the reading because it underscores the nature of how one’s actions produce cause and effect relationships, 22

a notion that fits organically into the controlling ethos of the unit (1. C. 5b, 1. C. 5d). Multiple drafts review and revision facilitate this process as well as providing guidance in ways to enhance organization, syntax variety, diction and proper use of grammatical structures (1. A. 5b, 3. A. 5). Key Concepts: Students are required to think critically, to analyze language from a variety of sources, to write cogently, and to collaborate. Timeline: Day 1: provide historical overview of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States from the post-bellum era to the present; assign guided discussion groups; first draft of acrostic poem due for group one. Day 2: assign literature journal webcast/critique (see first semester overview) on a novel by an African-American author; first draft of acrostic poem due for group two. Days 3-4: discuss Prologue-chapter 2 in Invisible Man (IM) in guided discussion groups (GDGs). Day 5: take vocabulary quiz #1 over IM; prologue- 2 guided discussion reports (GDRs) due. Days 6-7: conduct GDGs over chapters 3-6 in IM; second draft of acrostic poem due. Day 8: assign personal experience essay: “Chronicle a situation in which you were oppressed, discriminated against, or otherwise harmed simply because of your race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, etc.” analyze sample essays; 3-6 GDRs due. Day 9: compose in-class essay over chapters 4-7 in IM. Day 10: take vocabulary quiz #2 over IM; final draft of acrostic poem due. Days 11-12: conduct IM 4-7 GDGs; first draft of personal experience essay due. Day 13: compose In-class essay over chapters 8-11 in IM; 4-7 GDRs due. Days 14: conduct IM 8-11 GDGs. Day 15: take Vocabulary quiz #3 over IM. Day 16: continue IM 9-11 GDGs; second draft of personal experience essay due for group one. Day 17: provide historical overview of American Communist Party; second draft of personal exprience essay due for group two; 9-11 GDRs due. Day 18: conduct GDGs over IM chapters 12-15. Day 19: work on final draft of personal experience essay in computer lab and consult on drafts. Day 20: take Vocabulary quiz #4 over IM; final draft of personal experience essay due. Day 21: continue GDGs over IM 12-15. Day 22: compose in-class essay over IM chapters 16-18; 12-15 GDRs due. Day 23-24: conduct GDGs over IM chapters 19-21 Day 25: take vocabulary quiz #5 over IM; African-American literature journal webcast due. Days 26-27: conduct GDGs over IM 19-21. Day 28-29: view Ralph Ellison PBS documentary. Day 30: take vocabulary quiz #6 over IM; 19-21 GDRs due. Days 31-35: conduct GDGs over IM 22-epilogue; literature journal webcast critiques due. Day 36: provide overview of One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich (ODITLOID), Soviet Communism, and the gulag system. Day 37: compose in-class essay over pp. 1-20 in ODITLOID; assign literature journal (written) over novel by non-American writer. Day 38: conduct full-class discussion of 1-20 in ODITLOID. Day 39: conduct full-class discussion of 21-40 in ODITLOID. Day 40: take vocabulary quiz #1 over ODITLOID. Day 41: conduct full-class discussion of 41-60 in ODITLOID. Day 42: provide historical overview of Stalin’s Five-Year Plans. Day 43: compose in-class essay of 61-80 in ODITLOID. Day 44: conduct full-class discussion of 61-80 in ODITLOID. 23

Day 45: take vocabulary quiz #2 over ODITLOID. Day 46: conduct full-class discussion of 81-100 in ODITLOID. Day 47: conduct full-class discussion of 101-120 in ODITLOID. Day 48: conduct full-class discussion of 121-140 in ODITLOID. Day 49: Compose in-class essay over 141-160 in ODITLOID. Day 50: take vocabulary quiz #3 over ODITLOID. Day 51: conduct full-class discussion of 141-160 in ODITLOID. Day 52: conduct full-class discussion of 161-180 in ODITLOID. Day 53: conduct full-class discussion of 180-203 in ODITLOID. Day 54: finish ODITLOID. Day 55: provide historical overview of McCarthyism; non-American novelist literature journal due. Days 56-60: view Good Night and Good Luck. Days 61-62: review for final examination. Instructional Materials: Texts and supplemental reading Internet for draft submission Macintosh laptops for GDRs Essential Questions: 1. How does one cope in a hostile environment? 2. Is Marxism a nationalist ethos or global philosophy? 3. What do the oppressed members of any society have in common? 4. How do both Invisible Man and One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich reflect upon the social milieu of the 1930s-50s? 5. What do the authors have in common thematically, structurally, and sylistically? Activities: Please see timeline above. Assignments (out-of-class): reading, literature journals, pesonal experience essay drafts, acrostic poem drafts. Student products: GDRs, literature journals, personal experience essay, acrostic poem. Performance tasks: literature journal webcast. Individualization: email review of multiple drafts; democratic division of labor within discussion groups . Unit assessment idea: rubric-based and/or holistic scoring assessment of projects; GDRs (total points).



Additional Assessments

During the course of each emester, each student must submit two literature journals, one written and one webcast, over works not covered in class. A template is provided. In addition, a minimum of 10 webcasts must be accessed and reviewed by each student, indicating whether the student would be interested in reading the selection. Extra credit is awarded for additional reviews.

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Summative Assessment Description In a “round table” configuration and proceeding in the order of a blind draw of numbers, students are queried over three separate aspects of the works. Each question is worth five points After each answer the instructor articualtes the number of points garnered and whether or not more information could be provided on the topic (2. B. 5b). Students must keep track of those questions for which additional points are available (4.A. 5a). At the end of the third round, students have an opportunity­—in order of need—to embellish upon any answer given previously for which points are available or for which further information could be provided (4. a. 5b, 4. B. 5a). Scores and corresponding grades: 17-18: A 15-16: B 13-14: C 11-12: D 10 or below: F Please note that merely answering one’s three questions is not sufficient to garner an A. Some embellishment by each student is required.

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