Edgenuity English 11 Teachers Guide · 2018-08-31 · Laurence Dunbar, Naomi Shihab Nye, Richard Wright, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Kurt Vonnegut. The course includes the following:

Edgenuity English 11 Teacher’s Guide

Contents Course Overview ....................................................................................................................................... 2

Unit Overviews .......................................................................................................................................... 4

Unit One: American Roots: From Native Traditions to the American Revolution ................. 4

Unit Two: Bright Romanticism: American Individualism ........................................................ 6

Unit Three: Dark Romanticism: American Gothic ................................................................... 8

Unit Four: A Nation Dividing and Expanding: Civil War, Regionalism, and Realism ............. 10

Unit Five: Realist Novel Study: The Awakening by Kate Chopin ........................................... 13

Unit Six: Make it New!: Early Modernism ............................................................................. 15

Unit Seven: Modern Drama .................................................................................................. 18

Unit Eight: Victory and Despair: The Roaring Twenties, Modernism, and Postwar Outlooks............................................................................................................................................... 20

Unit Nine: I, too, Am America: The Harlem Renaissance and The Civil Rights Movement .. 22

Unit Ten: Cultural Rebellion: Mid-Twentieth Century Voices .............................................. 25

Unit Eleven: Heritage and Multicultural American Identities: Contemporary Voices ......... 27

Unit Twelve: Globalization and the Information Age: Postmodernism into the Twenty-First Century .................................................................................................................................. 30

Strategies for Fostering Effective Classroom Discussions ....................................................................... 34

Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 34

Promoting Effective Discussions ........................................................................................... 34

Suggested Discussion Questions for English 11 .................................................................... 35

Course Customization ............................................................................................................................. 39

Additional Supplemental Teacher Materials and Suggested Additional Readings ................................. 42

Rubrics for Writing .................................................................................................................................. 57

Narrative Writing Rubric ....................................................................................................... 58

Informative Writing Rubric ................................................................................................... 59

Argumentative Writing Rubric .............................................................................................. 60

Students Writing Samples and Exemplar Texts with Annotations ......................................................... 60

Edgenuity Argumentative Research Student Sample ........................................................... 61

Edgenuity Informative Research Student Sample ................................................................ 63

Edgenuity Narrative Writing Student Sample ....................................................................... 66

Course Overview This junior-year English course invites students to delve into American literature, from early American Indian voices through thoughtful contemporary works. Students engage in literary analysis and inferential evaluation of great texts, the centerpieces of this course. While critically reading fiction, poetry, drama, and expository nonfiction, students master comprehension and literary-analysis strategies. Interwoven in the lessons across two semesters are tasks that encourage students to strengthen their oral language skills and produce creative, coherent writing. Students read a range of short but complex texts, including works by Ralph Waldo Emerson, Emily Dickinson, Herman Melville, Sojourner Truth, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Paul Laurence Dunbar, Naomi Shihab Nye, Richard Wright, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Kurt Vonnegut. The course includes the following:

Developing habits of mind, including the value of research to explore new ideas through reading and writing

Reading texts of complexity without instruction and guidance; summarizing information

Determining major and subordinate ideas in passages and identifying the main idea of a text

Summarizing the reading, analyzing the information, and analyzing the argument

Deciphering the meaning of vocabulary by using context

Using vocabulary appropriate to college-level work and the discipline

Writing invention, including the consideration of audience and purpose

Writing arrangement, including the use of revision techniques to improve focus, support, and organization

Assessing the authority and value of research materials, and correctly documenting research materials to avoid plagiarism

Writing well-organized, well-developed essays

The course is aligned to the seven goals of the English course requirements and includes: • Instruction and activities that promote thoughtful and creative readers, writers,

listeners, and thinkers who incorporate the critical practices of access, selection, evaluation, and information processing in their own original and creative knowledge production.

• Encouragement for students to understand the ethical dimensions of academic life

as grounded in the search, respect for, and understanding of other informed viewpoints and pre-existing knowledge. Students develop the ability to question and evaluate their own beliefs, the curiosity and daring to participate in and contribute to intellectual discussions, and the ability to advocate for their own learning needs.

• Instruction and activities that include the comprehension and evaluation of complex

texts across a range of types and disciplines. Students learn to construct effective arguments and convey intricate or multifaceted information.

• In-depth practice responding to varying demands of audience, task, purpose, genre, and discipline by listening, reading, writing, and speaking with awareness of self, others, and context, and adapting communication to audience, task, purpose, genre, and discipline.

• An emphasis on the value of evidence, giving students the opportunity to analyze a

range of informational and literary texts, ask provocative questions, and generate hypotheses based on form and content of factual evidence, see other points of view, and effectively cite specific evidence when offering an oral or written interpretation of a text.

• The use of technology, multimedia, and interactive activities throughout the course

to enhance students’ reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language use.

• The opportunity to demonstrate independence by exhibiting curiosity and experimenting with new ideas.

Throughout the course, students meet the following goals:

Demonstrate knowledge of foundational and contemporary works of literature.

Analyze seminal works of literary nonfiction and evaluate their structure and reasoning.

Analyze the impact of an author’s choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a text.

Demonstrate increasing sophistication in the routine and process of writing.

Learn to use Standard English from a variety of grammar lessons.

Unit Overviews

Unit One: American Roots: From Native Traditions to the American Revolution

Estimated Unit Time: 16 Class Periods (775 minutes) In this unit, students explore a variety of literary and literary nonfiction texts. Students begin by reading the Iroquois Creation Myth "The World on Turtle's Back," exploring the cultural context and purpose of this myth as well as how to make inferences and draw conclusions in a literary texts using textual evidence. Students read the argumentative text "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God," exploring societal context, and they examine the historical significance of a primary-source document when reading “The Declaration of Independence.” Students examine the impact of a variety of text structures and analyze how language and word choice influences multiple texts. In addition to reading complex works, students explore sentence fluency, evaluate the sentence fluency of a text, and recognize and correct the sentence fluency errors in a text. Finally, students explore how to construct an objective summary of a literary nonfiction text. For example, in the lesson The Declaration of Independence, an onscreen teacher begins by explaining why the Declaration of Independence is both a primary source and also a seminal American document. The teacher then evaluates why Thomas Jefferson was chosen to write the Declaration of Independence, and examines its structure and purpose, which was to communicate a strong argument as a united front of colonists. Students then analyze Jefferson’s argument by exploring the evidence he used to substantiate the argument. The onscreen teacher also points out the intentionality of delaying until the end the mention of the American colonies. Next, by dissecting the structure of the argument in the Declaration of Independence, an onscreen teacher models how to construct an effective argument. Additionally, the onscreen teacher guides students through evaluating deductive and inductive reasoning, point out that Jefferson uses deductive reasoning in his argument in the Declaration of Independence. Finally, students complete a quiz that assesses their understanding of the lesson materials. In the lesson Female Colonial Poetry, students examine word choice and structure to compare and contrast colonial era poems. The lesson begins with a video-based based tutorial in which an onscreen teacher provides historical context and background for the authors Anne Bradstreet and Phyllis Wheatley. After providing historical context, the onscreen teacher uses an excerpt from the poem "To My Dear and Loving Husband" to model how to identify rhyme scheme in a poem, and students answer a practice problem to demonstrate their understanding of how to identify rhyme scheme in a poem. Following the practice problem, the onscreen teacher explores the use of figurative language in poetry – including extended metaphor and hyperbole. Following the video-based instruction, students read the poems “To My Dear and Loving Husband” and “To the King's Most Excellent Majesty,” and answer a series of practice questions focused on rhyme scheme and figurative language. Students then write a paragraph in which they compare and contrast how the poets use topic, rhyme scheme, and figurative language to convey their themes. After students complete their short writing, an onscreen teacher explores how poets use rhyme scheme and figurative language to develop

theme, and models how to compare themes in poems. Following the direct instruction, students answer another practice question and take a quiz to assess their understanding of the lesson materials.

Unit 1: American Roots: From Native Traditions to the American Revolution; Focus Standards

The following focus standards are intended to guide teachers to be purposeful and strategic in both what to include and what to exclude when teaching this unit. Although each unit emphasizes certain standards, students are exposed to a number of key ideas in each unit, and as with every rich classroom learning experience, these standards are revisited throughout the course to ensure students master the concepts with an ever-increasing level of rigor.

Determine two or more central ideas of a text and analyze their development over the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to provide a complex analysis; provide an objective summary of the text.

RI.11-12.2.

Analyze a complex set of ideas or sequence of events and explain how specific individuals, ideas, or events interact and develop over the course of the text.

RI.11-12.3.

Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze how an author uses and refines the meaning of a key term or terms over the course of a text (e.g., how Madison defines faction in Federalist No. 10).

RI.11-12.4.

Analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of the structure an author uses in his or her exposition or argument, including whether the structure makes points clear, convincing, and engaging.

RI.11-12.5.

Determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text in which the rhetoric is considered particularly effective, analyzing how style and content contribute to the student interpretation of power, persuasiveness, or beauty of the text.

RI.11-12.6.

Analyze foundational U.S. and world documents of historical and literary significance for their themes, purposes, and rhetorical features.

RI.11-12.9.

Cite strong, thorough, and relevant textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain.

RL.11-12.1.

Determine two or more themes or central ideas of a text and analyze their development over the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to produce a complex account; provide an objective summary of the text.

RL.11-12.2.

Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including words with multiple meanings or language that is particularly fresh, engaging, or beautiful. (Include Shakespeare as well as other authors.)

RL.11-12.4.

Demonstrate knowledge of foundational works of U.S. and world literature, including how two or more texts from the same period treat similar themes and topics.

RL.11-12.9.

Vary syntax for effect, consulting references (e.g., Tufte's Artful Sentences) for guidance as needed; apply an understanding of syntax to the study of complex texts when reading.

L.11-12.3.a.

Unit Two: Bright Romanticism: American Individualism

Estimated Unit Time: 17 Class Periods (805 Minutes) In this unit, students read a variety of American Romantic and Transcendentalist texts, including works by Emily Dickinson, Walt Whitman, and Henry David Thoreau. Students examine the sequence of events in a piece of literary nonfiction, explore the language of an argumentative test, and explore the language, theme, and structure of classic poetry by Whitman and Dickinson. In addition to exploring American Romantic and Transcendentalist texts, students explore how to capitalize correctly when writing quotations, how to use punctuation marks correctly, including commas and ellipses, and how to recognize and correct common spelling errors. Finally, in addition to their exploration of grammar and punctuation, students explore how to construct an engaging narrative essay. For example, in the lesson Walt Whitman’s "Song of Myself," students make inferences about the theme of the poem "Song of Myself" using textual evidence and support. An onscreen teacher begins by explaining the importance of making inferences in poetry and models for students how to examine word choice, tone, and voice to make inferences about a poem’s theme. Following the onscreen teacher’s modeling exercise, students complete a series of practice activities in which they identify the theme from a list of possibilities, and compose a brief written response to the poem exploring the relationship between structure and theme. Finally, students complete a quiz to assess their understanding of the lesson material.

In the lesson Writing Workshop: Narrative Writing, students explore how to develop a strong thesis statement that orients the audience, and how to generate interesting and descriptive narratives to engage the audience. The lesson begins with an onscreen teacher modeling how to read a narrative essay prompt, and how to prewrite to prepare for narrative writing. Next, an onscreen teacher explores how to generate interest and engage an audience; students analyze two examples of a narrative text, noticing that the second uses dialogue and vivid description to develop the writer’s experience. An onscreen teacher walks students through using

chronological order when sequencing events in a narrative essay, and students plan their sequence of events using chronological order. Students construct, compose, and revise a draft essay, and they explore how to revise for word choice and verb usage; they also explore how to construct a strong essay conclusion.

Unit Two: Bright Romanticism: American Individualism; Focus Standards



RI.11-12.2.


RI.11-12.4.


RI.11-12.5.


RI.11-12.6.


RL.11-12.1.


RL.11-12.2.


RL.11-12.4.

Analyze how an author's choices concerning how to structure specific parts of a text (e.g., the choice of where to begin or end a story, the choice to provide a comedic or tragic resolution) contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well as its aesthetic impact.

RL.11-12.5.

Demonstrate knowledge of foundational works of U.S. and world literature, RL.11-12.9.

including how two or more texts from the same period treat similar themes and topics.

Engage and orient the reader by setting out a problem, situation, or observation and its significance, establishing one or multiple point(s) of view, and introducing a narrator and/or characters; create a smooth progression of experiences or events.

W.11-12.3.a.

Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description, reflection, and multiple plot lines, to develop experiences, mood, tone, events, and/or characters.

W.11-12.3.b.

Use a variety of techniques to sequence events so that they build on one another to create a coherent whole and build toward a particular tone and outcome (e.g., a sense of mystery, suspense, growth, or resolution).

W.11-12.3.c.

Use precise words and phrases, telling details, and figurative and sensory language to convey a vivid picture of the experiences, events, setting, mood, tone and/or characters.

W.11-12.3.d.

Provide a conclusion (when appropriate to the genre) that follows from and reflects on what is experienced, observed, or resolved over the course of the narrative.

W.11-12.3.e.

Spell correctly. L.11-12.2.b.

Unit Three: Dark Romanticism: American Gothic

Estimated Unit Time: 15 Class Periods (730 Minutes) In this unit, students read, analyze, and critique a variety of American Gothic texts, including excerpts from The Scarlet Letter and Moby Dick. Students explore how authors develop their suspense in Gothic texts, and how authors establish mood and theme through their word choice. They also examine how to make inferences using textual evidence. In addition to classic Gothic tests, students read a literary nonfiction selection to explore how classic pieces of American Gothic have influenced contemporary horror writing. Finally, students compose a compare-and-contrast essay examining two fundraising proposals to determine which is the better selection. For example, in the lesson Symbols in Moby-Dick, students look at the topic and details – including symbols – in a text and make inferences about their meaning. An onscreen teacher begins by exploring symbolism, and students answer practice questions identifying symbols in a passage of text. After students practice identifying symbols, an onscreen teacher models how to analyze symbols, and students practice this skill on their own in a series of practice problems. An onscreen teacher then explores how to look beyond the symbol to determine the theme of a story, as well as how to use symbols to make inferences and draw conclusions about theme. Students practice using symbols to make inferences about theme, and they read a section of Moby-Dick; next, they complete a series of questions to identify symbols and make inferences about theme. Finally, students complete a quiz to assess their understanding of the lesson materials.

In the lesson Writing Workshop: Compare-Contrast Essay, students begin by watching a video-based tutorial in which an onscreen teacher explores how to analyze a writing prompt as a prewriting strategy, and discusses various organizational strategies that are effective for crafting a compare-and-contrast essay. Students apply their understanding of this material to practice assignments and to a prewriting activity. Following the prewriting activity, students watch another series of video-based instruction where the onscreen teacher explores the drafting process, and students compose their draft essay. Once students have completed their draft essay, they watch another set of video-based tutorials in which an onscreen teacher models how to revise writing to improve flow through sentence fluency and transitional elements, and how to edit writing to identify and correct spelling errors. Students then apply their understanding of these concepts to practice assignments. Following the practice assignments, students revise their essay, submit their final draft, and take a quiz to assess their understanding of the lesson materials.

Unit Three: Dark Romanticism: American Gothic; Focus Standards



RL.11-12.1.


RL.11-12.2.

Analyze the impact of the author's choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama, including how the author develops character and setting, builds the plot and subplots, creates themes, and develops mood/atmosphere.

RL.11-12.3.


RL.11-12.4.


RL.11-12.5.

Demonstrate knowledge of foundational works of U.S. and world literature, including how two or more texts from the same period treat similar themes

RL.11-12.9.

and topics.

Introduce a topic; organize complex ideas, concepts, and information so that each new element builds on that which precedes it to create a unified whole; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., figures, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.

W.11-12.2.a.

Develop the topic thoroughly by selecting the most significant and relevant facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples appropriate to the audience’s knowledge of the topic.

W.11-12.2.b.

Use appropriate and varied transitions and syntax to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships among complex ideas and concepts.

W.11-12.2.c.

Use precise language, domain-specific vocabulary, and techniques such as metaphor, simile, and analogy to manage the complexity of the topic.

W.11-12.2.d.

Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.

W.11-12.2.e.

Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented (e.g., articulating implications or the significance of the topic).

W.11-12.2.f.

Identify and correctly use patterns of word changes that indicate different meanings or parts of speech (e.g., conceive, conception, conceivable).

L.11-12.4.b.

Unit Four: A Nation Dividing and Expanding: Civil War, Regionalism, and Realism

Estimated Unit Time: 20 Class Periods (955 Minutes) In this unit, students conduct an in-depth study of the art of reading rhetoric and analyze famous speeches by Sojourner Truth, Frederick Douglas, Chief Joseph, and Santana. Students learn to identify and analyze rhetorical devices, evaluate the structure of arguments and argumentative appeals, explore and summarize the central idea of key speeches, and investigate the historical, societal, and cultural context of these seminal texts. Students investigate the use of complex narrative structures and analyze the use of word choice – specifically focusing on the use of dialect, satire, irony, and sarcasm in the writing of Mark Twain. Finally, students learn to correctly use pronouns and subject-verb agreement, participate in a group discussion, and write a professional argumentative essay. For example, in the lesson Abolition and Women’s Rights Movements, Part 1, students evaluate how an author structures reasoning within an argument. An onscreen teacher begins by exploring and modeling strategies for analyzing and evaluating arguments, and students answer a series of questions in which they evaluate reasoning and argumentative structure in a text. Next, students read Douglass's speech “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?” and evaluate his reasoning and argumentative structure in a series of practice questions. Finally, students complete a quiz to assess their understanding of the material.

The lesson Speaking and Listening: Effective Group Discussions begins with a video-based tutorial in which an onscreen teacher prepares students with a warm-up lecture, introducing the subject, covering the goals of the lesson, and differentiating between formal and informal language. Next students examine fact and opinion, study characteristics of effective group discussions, and observe an actual group discussion. Students learn the different participants’ roles in a group discussion – specifically focusing on active listening skills. Then they use what they have learned to evaluate a speaker and a discussion. Next, students begin preparing a group discussion. Using the material they have prepared, they participate in a group discussion, and after the discussion, students use an online rubric and student guide to write a response, reflecting on their experiences. Finally, they take a quiz to demonstrate their understanding of the lesson materials

Unit Four: A Nation Dividing and Expanding: Civil War, Regionalism, and Realism; Focus Standards



RI.11-12.2.


RI.11-12.5.


RI.11-12.6.


RI.11-12.9.


RL.11-12.1.


RL.11-12.2.


RL.11-12.3.


RL.11-12.4.


RL.11-12.5.

Analyze a case in which grasping point of view requires distinguishing what is directly stated in a text from what is really meant (e.g., satire, sarcasm, irony, or understatement).

RL.11-12.6.


RL.11-12.9.

Come to discussions prepared, having read and researched material under study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence from texts and other research on the topic or issue to stimulate a thoughtful, well-reasoned exchange of ideas.

SL.11-12.1.a.

Work with peers to promote civil, democratic discussions and decision-making, set clear goals and deadlines, and establish individual roles as needed.

SL.11-12.1.b.

Propel conversations by posing and responding to questions that probe reasoning and evidence; ensure a hearing for a full range of positions on a topic or issue; clarify, verify, or challenge ideas and conclusions; and promote divergent and creative perspectives.

SL.11-12.1.c.

Respond thoughtfully to diverse perspectives; synthesize comments, claims, and evidence made on all sides of an issue; resolve contradictions when possible; and determine what additional information or research is required to deepen the investigation or complete the task.

SL.11-12.1.d.

Adapt speech to a variety of contexts, audiences, and tasks, demonstrating a command of formal English when indicated or appropriate.

SL.11-12.6.

Introduce precise, knowledgeable claim(s), establish the significance of the claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization that logically sequences claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.

W.11-12.1.a.

Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly and thoroughly, supplying the most relevant evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the audience’s knowledge level, concerns, values, and possible biases.

W.11-12.1.b.

Use words, phrases, and clauses as well as varied syntax to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims.

W.11-12.1.c.


W.11-12.1.d.

Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented.

W.11-12.1.e.

Resolve issues of complex or contested usage, consulting references (e.g., Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of English Usage, Garner’s Modern American Usage) as needed.

L.11-12.1.b.

Unit Five: Realist Novel Study: The Awakening by Kate Chopin

Estimated Unit Time: 14 Class Periods (660 Minutes) In this unit, students read Kate Chopin’s The Awakening in its entirety, and then examine how to effectively prepare for and engage in a group discussion. As they read the novel, they analyze word choice and plot structure, determining how both add to the novel’s overall aesthetic appeal. Students also examine themes and connect them to the realist approach. They make predictions and inferences about characters, and examine point of view and narrative voice. Finally, students explore how Chopin resolves the themes of the novel, relating the themes to the human condition. In the last lesson of the unit, students learn to prepare and engage in a group discussion. For example, in the lesson Realist Novel Study, Part 3, students investigate how an author’s style reflects realism and naturalism. Students begin by watching a series of video-based tutorials in which an onscreen teacher explores the role of word choice and figurative language in developing an author’s style, and students evaluate the power of word choice in a sample passage. Next, students watch a series of video-based tutorials in which an onscreen teacher explores the role of connotation and denotation in developing writing, and how these affect an author’s style, and students apply their understanding to practice questions. The onscreen

teacher then explores the common characteristics of Realist and Naturalist texts, and students continue their reading of Chopin’s The Awakening and complete a series of practice questions applying the lesson material to the reading. Following the practice questions, students watch another set of video-based tutorials in which an onscreen teacher explores the connection between word choice, mood, and theme, and how these can be used to make predictions in a text. Following the video-based tutorial, students take a quiz to assess their understanding of the lesson materials. In the lesson Research Workshop: Generating Research Questions and Evaluating Sources, students watch a video-based tutorial in which the onscreen teacher tells students that the objective of this lesson is to “conduct academic research, to prepare for a class discussion, which means you're going to be discussing your topic that you researched with peers of your own age group.” The teacher examines how to effectively research to prepare for classroom discussion or debate – including how to locate and properly source materials. Students complete an activity in which they prepare for a classroom discussion. In the activity, they brainstorm, read and evaluate sources for use in their discussion, prepare for their discussion/speech by taking notes, and construct a well-researched paragraph. Finally, students take a quiz to assess their understanding of the materials.

Unit Five: Realist Novel Study: The Awakening by Kate Chopin; Focus Standards



RL.11-12.2.


RL.11-12.3.


RL.11-12.4.


RL.11-12.5.


RL.11-12.6.

Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.

W.11-12.7.

Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the strengths and limitations of each source in terms of the task, purpose, and audience; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and overreliance on any one source and following a standard format for citation (e.g., MLA, APA).

W.11-12.8.

Unit Six: Make it New!: Early Modernism

Estimated Unit Time: 15 Class Periods (750 Minutes) In this unit, students read and analyze key works of American modernist literature, including “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” by T. S. Eliot, “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, and the poetry of Robert Frost. Students analyze literary viewpoint, narration, and structure, as well as the societal implications and context of literature. Additionally, students read pieces of literary nonfiction, exploring how text structure can be used to support an author’s viewpoint, and apply critical listening skills to a speech. Finally, students learn how language functions in different contexts, how to adjust tone and style to fit a particular audience, and how to effectively compose a research-based argumentative essay. For example, in the lesson Speaking and Listening: Evaluating a Speaker, students apply critical listening skills to a speech, identify the author’s purpose, evaluate the effectiveness of a speech, and critique the word choice and argumentative techniques (such as rhetoric and use of logic) in a speech. An onscreen teacher begins by examining how to identify a speaker’s purpose, and how to evaluate a speaker’s use of evidence in a speech. Students then complete a series of practice problems in which they listen for evidence in an argumentative speech. Next, an onscreen teacher models how to judge the effectiveness of a speaker, and students evaluate a speaker’s effectiveness in a speech. Next, an onscreen teacher models how to critique a speaker’s word choice and evaluate their use of rhetorical strategies, and students listen to a speech and practice listening critically to take notes, identify a speaker’s purpose, and evaluate a speaker’s effectiveness. Finally, students take a quiz to assess their understanding of the materials. In the lesson Writing Workshop: Literary Analysis, students write a literary analysis that draws evidence from a literary text. The lesson begins with a series of video-based tutorials in which an onscreen teacher models how to effectively analyze a writing prompt to determine audience and purpose, how to craft a thesis statement, and how to complete prewriting for a literary analysis. Students then answer a series of practice questions before completing the prewriting

portion of the lesson. Following the prewriting, students watch another series of video-based tutorials in which an onscreen teacher models how to create a literary analysis rough draft that carefully uses text-based evidence, and students answer a series of practice questions before writing their rough draft. Once students have completed their rough draft, they watch another series of video-based tutorials in which the onscreen teacher models how to revise a rough draft, and student complete and submit their final draft, then take a quiz to assess their understanding of the lesson materials.

Unit Six: Make it New!: Early Modernism; Focus Standards



RI.11-12.2.


RI.11-12.3.


RI.11-12.4.


RI.11-12.5.


RI.11-12.6.


RL.11-12.1.


RL.11-12.2.


RL.11-12.4.


RL.11-12.5.


RL.11-12.6.


RL.11-12.9.

Evaluate a speaker's point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric, assessing the stance, premises, links among ideas, word choice, points of emphasis, and tone used.

SL.11-12.3.


W.11-12.2.a.


W.11-12.2.b.


W.11-12.2.c.


W.11-12.2.d.


W.11-12.2.e.

Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented (e.g., articulating implications or the

W.11-12.2.f.

significance of the topic).

Apply grades 11-12 Reading standards to literature (e.g., “Demonstrate knowledge of foundational works of literature, including how two or more texts from the same period treat similar themes or topics”).

W.11-12.9.a.


Unit Seven: Modern Drama

Estimated Unit Time: 13 Class Periods (635 Minutes) In this modern drama unit, students explore the structure of modern drama and the themes of the early feminist drama Trifles. Students read Trifles and explore how the author uses dramatic structure to develop characters; they explore themes using text-based evidence, and they analyze and make inferences about symbols in the play. In addition to reading the play, students examine source texts and view multiple interpretations of this drama. After completing the reading of Trifles, students examine how to use punctuation and parallel structure to improve their writing and compose an argumentative essay. In the lesson Interpreting a Source Text: A Production of Trifles, students evaluate multiple interpretations of a drama, including how each interpretation handles source materials. An onscreen teacher explores different dramatic mediums. Next, students examine the source text as well as audio and film interpretations. Students answer a series of questions evaluating the various interpretations of Trifles. Finally, students take a quiz to assess their understanding of the materials. For example, in the lesson Writing Workshop: Exploring Argument, students write a clear and coherent argument taking a position on whether traditional classroom education or Internet-based learning is better. Students introduce a claim, distinguish the claim from other claims, and create a logical organization. The onscreen teacher guides students through analyzing the features of an effective argument, constructing an outline, and developing a claim when writing an argumentative essay. Students then practice developing a claim, drafting their introductions, and examining evidence that can be used in their writing. Next, students complete their drafts, and an onscreen teacher models how to revise their drafts using a formal tone and transitions to create cohesion by linking major sections of the text. In the final revision, students evaluate their drafts to improve use of transitions, style, and conventions. Finally, they submit their essays and take a quiz to assess their understanding of the materials.

Unit Seven: Modern Drama; Focus Standards

The following focus standards are intended to guide teachers to be purposeful and strategic in both what to include and what to exclude when teaching this unit. Although each unit emphasizes certain standards, students are exposed to a number of key ideas in each unit, and

as with every rich classroom learning experience, these standards are revisited throughout the course to ensure students master the concepts with an ever-increasing level of rigor.


RI.11-12.4.


RL.11-12.1.


RL.11-12.2.


RL.11-12.3.


RL.11-12.4.


RL.11-12.5.

Analyze multiple interpretations of a story, drama, or poem (e.g., recorded or live production of a play or recorded novel or poetry), evaluating how each version interprets the source text.

RL.11-12.7.


W.11-12.1.a.

Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly and thoroughly, supplying the most relevant evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the audience’ s knowledge level, concerns, values, and possible biases.

W.11-12.1.b.


W.11-12.1.c.


W.11-12.1.d.


W.11-12.1.e.

Observe hyphenation conventions. L.11-12.2.a.

Vary syntax for effect, consulting references (e.g., Tufte's Artful Sentences) for guidance as needed; apply an understanding of syntax to the study of complex texts when reading.

L.11-12.3.a.

Unit Eight: Victory and Despair: The Roaring Twenties, Modernism, and Postwar Outlooks

Estimated Unit Time: 17 Class Periods (825 Minutes) In this unit, students examine modernist literature by Ernest Hemmingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Southern Gothic literature by Flannery O’Connor. Additionally, students read literature and literary nonfiction influenced by World Wars I and II, including Art Spiegelman’s graphic novel Maus, and Elie Wiesel’s memoir All Rivers Run to the Sea. Students explore how authors develop literary texts, making inferences based on how an author develops setting, and examining the impact of figures of speech in a text while reading "The Life You Save May Be Your Own." They examine primary source documents including President Roosevelt’s Executive Order 9066, and how these primary source documents connect to literary selections like Dwight Okita’s Response to Executive Order 9066. In addition to the literature and literary nonfiction readings, students review the proper use of capitalization and how to correctly punctuate sentences using commas. Finally, students use academic vocabulary to compose a literary analysis essay comparing two texts with similar themes. In the lesson Southern Gothic, an onscreen teacher introduces the goals for the lesson in a video-based tutorial; the goals include students analyzing the characterization in a Southern Gothic text, citing examples of irony in a story, and interpreting figures of speech. Next, students learn the characteristics and elements of Southern Gothic literature, focusing specifically on how O’Connor creates compelling characters. They work through the goals of the lesson by reading the story “The Life You Save May Be Your Own,” analyzing theme, characterization, irony, and figures of speech, and then they answer practice questions about the story. The onscreen teacher continues in the next tutorial by exploring O’Connor’s use of literary techniques, such as simile, metaphor, and irony, to influence characterization. Finally, the teacher wraps up the lesson in a summary tutorial, and the students complete a quiz to assess their understanding of the lesson materials. In the lesson Writing Workshop: Comparing Texts, students begin by analyzing the writing prompt for format, topic, audience, and purpose. Students then read two texts from the same period and relate the textual evidence to the theme. Next, students evaluate how the texts treat the same topic and organize the information from the two texts. Students then examine how to develop a literary analysis, and use the steps of the writing process to outline and draft their essays. To finish, students revise, edit, and submit the final draft. Finally, students take a quiz that assesses their understanding of the lesson materials.

Unit Eight: Victory and Despair: The Roaring Twenties, Modernism, and Postwar Outlooks; Focus Standards



RI.11-12.2.


RI.11-12.6.


RI.11-12.9.


RL.11-12.1.


RL.11-12.2.


RL.11-12.3.


RL.11-12.4.


RL.11-12.5.


RL.11-12.9.

Introduce a topic; organize complex ideas, concepts, and information so that each new element builds on that which precedes it to create a unified whole;

W.11-12.2.a.

include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., figures, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.


W.11-12.2.b.


W.11-12.2.c.


W.11-12.2.d.


W.11-12.2.e.


W.11-12.2.f.

Apply grades 11-12 Reading standards to literature (e.g., “Demonstrate knowledge of foundational works of literature, including how two or more texts from the same period treat similar themes or topics”).

W.11-12.9.a.

Resolve issues of complex or contested usage, consulting references (e.g., Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of English Usage, Garner’s Modern American Usage) as needed.

L.11-12.1.b.


Unit Nine: I, too, Am America: The Harlem Renaissance and The Civil Rights Movement

Estimated Unit Time: 15 Class Periods (730 Minutes) In this unit, students explore the Harlem Renaissance and the Civil Rights Movement through the writings of Betty Smith, Langston Hughes, and James Baldwin. In addition to exploring the literature of the Harlem Renaissance and the Civil Rights Movement, students read and analyze the reasoning in the U.S. Supreme Court ruling Brown v. Board of Education.

For example, in the lesson Poetry of Langston Hughes, students explore how Hughes used imagery, repetition, rhythm, and speaker to convey theme in his poetry. The lesson begins with a series of video-based tutorials in which an onscreen teacher examines the various types of figurative language and models how to analyze an author’s use of language, and students apply their understanding of these concepts to practice questions. Next, students read the poems "Harlem" and "The Weary Blues" to analyze how imagery reveals theme, and apply their understanding of figurative language to practice questions. Following the practice questions, students watch another series of video-based tutorials in which an onscreen teacher explores an author’s use of structure – including repetition – and models how to compare and contrast poetry. Following the video-based tutorials, students take a quiz to assess their understanding of the lesson materials.

In the lesson Brown v. Board of Education, students explore how background knowledge can be used to analyze and evaluate Supreme Court opinions. Students begin the lesson by watching a series of video-based tutorials in which an onscreen teacher provides background information for the Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision, and explains how to use background information to help make meaning when reading a primary source document like a court opinion. Following the video-based tutorials, students read the Supreme Court opinion, and apply their understanding of how historical context impacts a reading to a series of practice questions. Following the practice questions, students watch another series of video-based tutorials in which an onscreen teacher explores reasoning and how to evaluate reasoning in a text, and students apply these concepts to practice questions – including a short writing assignment in which students summarize the Supreme Court’s argument in Brown v. Board of Education and evaluate its reasoning. Following the short writing assignment, students take a quiz to assess their understanding of the lesson materials.

Unit Nine: I, too, Am America: The Harlem Renaissance and The Civil Rights Movement; Focus Standards


Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence, paragraph, or text; a word’s position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.

L.11-12.4.a.


RI.11-12.1.


RI.11-12.2.


RI.11-12.3.


RI.11-12.4.


RI.11-12.5.


RI.11-12.6.

Delineate and evaluate the reasoning in seminal U.S. texts, including the application of constitutional principles and use of legal reasoning (e.g., in U.S. Supreme Court majority opinions and dissents) and the premises, purposes, and arguments in works of public advocacy (e.g., The Federalist, presidential addresses).

RI.11-12.8.


RI.11-12.9.


RL.11-12.1.


RL.11-12.2.


RL.11-12.3.


RL.11-12.4.


RL.11-12.5.

Demonstrate knowledge of foundational works of U.S. and world literature, including how two or more texts from the same period treat similar themes

RL.11-12.9.

and topics.


RL.11-12.9.


W.11-12.1.a.


W.11-12.1.b.


W.11-12.1.c.


W.11-12.1.d.


W.11-12.1.e.

Unit Ten: Cultural Rebellion: Mid-Twentieth Century Voices

Estimated Unit Time: 15 Class Periods (730 Minutes) In this unit, students read segments of Philips Caputo’s war memoir A Rumor of War and Michael Herr’s memoir Dispatches to explore their use of figurative language and paradox. Students also read from the dystopian novel Anthem by Ayn Rand, exploring how to use textual evidence to make inferences about the theme of a fiction work, and they explore the use of satire and irony in the science fiction short story "Harrison Bergeron" by Kurt Vonnegut. Following the literature lessons, students learn to use resources and reference texts to edit writing for language use, conventions, and style. Finally, students explore media techniques used in advertising, and compose a media analysis essay. For example, in the lesson Individualism, Modern Capitalism, and Dystopian Visions, an onscreen teacher introduces the goals for the lesson in a video-based tutorial; the goals include analyzing how an author uses fictional elements to develop a theme, making inferences about

themes of a fictional text, citing evidence to support analysis, and examining a text’s philosophical concepts. In the first video-based online tutorial, students analyze Ayn Rand’s use of fictional elements and themes to develop her philosophical ideas. They work through the goals of the lesson by reading chapters 11 and 12 of Anthem, analyzing her development of theme. The onscreen teacher continues in the next tutorial by exploring Rand’s use of fictional elements and themes to support Objectivism’s philosophical concepts. Finally, the teacher wraps up the lesson in a summary tutorial, and the students complete a quiz to assess their understanding of the lesson materials. In the lesson Writing Workshop: Visual Media Analysis, students examine and identify a variety of persuasive media techniques, create a media analysis essay, and revise writing for ideas, use of source materials, and organization. Students begin the lesson by viewing a video-based tutorial in which an onscreen teacher models how to analyze a media analysis writing prompt, how to analyze media, and how to prewrite using a graphic organizer. Students complete a series of practice activities applying this information before an onscreen teacher models how to structure a draft essay. Students construct a draft of their essay and an onscreen instructor explores how to revise writing for ideas, use source materials, and organize. Finally, students submit their essays and take a quiz to assess their knowledge of the material.

Unit Ten: Cultural Rebellion: Mid-Twentieth Century Voices; Focus Standards



RL.11-12.1.


RL.11-12.2.


RL.11-12.3.


RL.11-12.5.


RL.11-12.6.


RL.11-12.9.


W.11-12.2.a.


W.11-12.2.b.


W.11-12.2.c.


W.11-12.2.d.


W.11-12.2.e.


W.11-12.2.f.

Apply the understanding that usage is a matter of convention, can change over time, and is sometimes contested.

L.11-12.1.a.


Consult general and specialized reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation of a word or determine or clarify its precise meaning, its part of speech, its etymology, or its standard usage.

L.11-12.4.c.

Verify the preliminary determination of the meaning of a word or phrase (e.g., by checking the inferred meaning in context or in a dictionary).

L.11-12.4.d.

Unit Eleven: Heritage and Multicultural American Identities: Contemporary Voices

Estimated Unit Time: 20 Class Periods (955 Minutes) In this unit, students explore and read a variety of texts that focus on multiculturalism and culture as a part of the American identity. Students explore texts by contemporary American Indian writers to analyze central ideas and the use of figurative language. Students read and compare the essays “Take the Tortillas Out of Your Poetry” and “Speaking Arabic.” Throughout the unit, students evaluate the impact of an author’s word choice on seminal works of literature to determine how word choice can impact a text, and how to revise the word choice in a passage to target the correct audience and purpose. In addition to reading complex texts, students investigate how to gather, explore, and access information from multiple sources. Finally, they compose a compare-and-contrast essay that uses rhetorical techniques.

For example, in the lesson Contemporary American Indian Voices, an onscreen teacher introduces the concept of figurative language and common literary devices that are classified as figurative language, explaining, “Now, keep in mind that figurative language is language that's not intended to be taken literally. So when you spot figurative language, you really need to interpret it. Break it apart and understand what it's being used for. Now, there are many different types of figurative language...”After the onscreen teacher has explored figurative language, students practice identifying and interpreting figurative language used in literature. An onscreen teacher then examines symbolism, and students identify symbolism in a reading passage. Students read Silko’s story “The Man to Send Rain Clouds” looking for figurative language and symbols, and they complete a series of practice assignments analyzing symbolism, using figurative language and word choice to identify and analyze symbolism, and explaining symbolic meaning. Finally, students take a quiz to assess their understanding of the lesson material. In the lesson Writing Workshop: Evaluating Sources That Support a Claim, students explore how to gather, assess, and use multiple sources of information to analyze and support claims when writing. Students begin the lesson by watching a video-based tutorial in which an onscreen teacher explores how to effectively analyze an argument and how to evaluate and compare arguments. Next, an onscreen teacher explores how to analyze a writing prompt and how to structure and compose an essay that compares two editorials.

Unit Eleven: Heritage and Multicultural American Identities: Contemporary Voices; Focus Standards



RI.11-12.2.


RI.11-12.3.


RI.11-12.4.


RI.11-12.5.


RI.11-12.6.

Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words in order to address a question or solve a problem.

RI.11-12.7.


RL.11-12.1.


RL.11-12.3.


RL.11-12.4.


RL.11-12.5.


RL.11-12.9.


W.11-12.2.a.

Develop the topic thoroughly by selecting the most significant and relevant facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information

W.11-12.2.b.

and examples appropriate to the audience’s knowledge of the topic.


W.11-12.2.c.


W.11-12.2.d.


W.11-12.2.e.


W.11-12.2.f.


W.11-12.8.


Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence, paragraph, or text; a word's position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.

L.11-12.4.a.

Interpret figures of speech (e.g., hyperbole, paradox) in context and analyze their role in the text.

L.11-12.5.a.

Analyze nuances in the meaning of words with similar denotations. L.11-12.5.b.

Unit Twelve: Globalization and the Information Age: Postmodernism into the Twenty-First

Century

Estimated Unit Time: 13 Class Periods (615 Minutes) In this unit, students explore Postmodernist literature and contemporary informational texts. Students examine ambiguities and narration in the novel Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. They also and identify central ideas and analyze arguments after reading segments of Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything and Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal. In addition to analyzing Postmodern fiction and contemporary informational texts, students participate in a research-based discussion group. They also examine how to recognize and correct errors in pronoun reference, how to identify

and correct errors in subject-verb agreement, and how to locate and correct dangling, misplaced, and other troublesome modifiers. Finally, students compose an argumentative, research-based essay using proper citation, and convert this essay to a formal multimedia presentation. For example, in the lesson Ordering the Chaos of the Contemporary World: An Introduction to Freakonomics, an onscreen teacher introduces the goals for the lesson in a video-based tutorial; the goals include summarizing central ideas in a text, analyzing the development of the central idea, analyzing an argument for structure and logic, and evaluating evidence in an argument. In the first video-based online tutorial, students get ready for the lesson by actively listening as the onscreen teacher introduces the goal. In the next tutorial, the onscreen teacher models how to analyze an argument and how to use central ideas to find a claim. Next, students examine inductive and deductive reasoning, and use that knowledge to practice dissecting an argument. Students continue working through the goals of the lesson by reading an excerpt from Freakonomics, analyzing how Levitt and Dubner use data to make sense of the world. Finally, the teacher wraps up the lesson in a summary tutorial, and the students complete a quiz to assess their understanding of the lesson materials. In the lesson Research Workshop: Writing and Presenting the Argumentative Essay, Part 2, students create a presentation that makes strategic use of a variety of digital media, and they clearly present information with supporting evidence for the targeted audience. An onscreen teacher begins by exploring how students can use multimedia to enhance the effectiveness of an argumentative presentation. Next, an onscreen teacher examines how to use textual evidence effectively in an argumentative presentation; after exploring the use of texts, an onscreen teacher explores and models the appropriate use of images and visuals in multimedia argumentative presentations. Finally, students apply their newly acquired knowledge when they turn their argumentative essay from the lesson Research Workshop: Writing and Presenting the Argumentative Essay, Part 1 into a multimedia presentation.

Unit Twelve: Globalization and the Information Age: Postmodernism into the Twenty-First Century; Focus Standards



RI.11-12.2.


RI.11-12.3.


RI.11-12.4.


RI.11-12.5.


RI.11-12.6.

Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words in order to address a question or solve a problem.

RI.11-12.7.


RL.11-12.1.


RL.11-12.3.


RL.11-12.4.


RL.11-12.5.


RL.11-12.9.

Come to discussions prepared, having read and researched material under study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence from texts and other research on the topic or issue to stimulate a thoughtful, well-reasoned exchange of ideas.

SL.11-12.1.a.

Work with peers to promote civil, democratic discussions and decision-making, set clear goals and deadlines, and establish individual roles as needed.

SL.11-12.1.b.

Propel conversations by posing and responding to questions that probe reasoning and evidence; ensure a hearing for a full range of positions on a topic or issue; clarify, verify, or challenge ideas and conclusions; and promote

SL.11-12.1.c.

divergent and creative perspectives.

Respond thoughtfully to diverse perspectives; synthesize comments, claims, and evidence made on all sides of an issue; resolve contradictions when possible; and determine what additional information or research is required to deepen the investigation or complete the task.

SL.11-12.1.d.

Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) in order to make informed decisions and solve problems, evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source and noting any discrepancies among the data.

SL.11-12.2.

Present information, findings, and supporting evidence, while respecting intellectual property; convey a clear and distinct perspective, such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning, address alternative or opposing perspectives, and use organization, development, substance, and style that are appropriate to purpose, audience, and a range of formal and informal tasks.

SL.11-12.4.

Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence and to add interest.

SL.11-12.5.

Adapt speech to a variety of contexts, audiences, and tasks, demonstrating a command of formal English when indicated or appropriate.

SL.11-12.6.


W.11-12.1.a.


W.11-12.1.b.


W.11-12.1.c.


W.11-12.1.d.


W.11-12.1.e.

Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products in response to ongoing feedback, including new arguments or information.

W.11-12.6.

Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.

W.11-12.7.


W.11-12.8.

Strategies for Fostering Effective Classroom Discussions

Introduction

Listening comprehension and speaking skills that are utilized in classroom discussions are crucial to learning and to the development of literacy (Horowitz, 2015 citing Biber, 2006; Conley 2013; Hillocks, 2011; and Kellaghna, 2001). Classroom discussions help students become personally involved in their education by helping both teachers and students achieve a variety of important goals. Effective classroom discussions enhance student understanding by broadening student perspectives, adding needed context to academic content, highlighting opposing viewpoints offered by other participants, reinforcing knowledge, and helping establish a supportive learning community.

Promoting Effective Discussions

Edgenuity lessons set the foundation for rich, in-depth student discussions that can be facilitated by a classroom instructor, and directed using the guidelines that follow. Excellent discussions often begin with well-planned questions that students personally connect to and are engaging or capture their imagination.

• As the class begins, use material that is familiar or comfortable for students personally, and then progress toward ideas central to course content.

• If a question fails to garner a response or doesn’t seem to gain the interest of your students, trying rephrasing or provide an example. Even the best instructors ask questions that go nowhere; the trick is to keep trying.

• Encourage students to create and ask their own discussion questions, gradually shifting the responsibility for moving discussions forward from the instructor to the students as students demonstrate readiness.

• Support students who struggle with articulating and supporting their views by providing some of the discussion questions to them beforehand. The opportunity to process the question and make notes can help reticent students participate more readily.

• Questions that draw upon knowledge (Remembering) • Use Blooms verbs to develop questions that allow students to demonstrate

understanding at multiple levels. For example: o Questions that ask students to demonstrate comprehension:

What is meant when the author writes…? Will you state or interpret in your own words…? What is the difference between…? What is the central idea of…?

Which statements support…? o Questions that encourage reasoning or analysis of a text:

I wonder why…? What would happen if…? What could have been the reason…? What conclusions can you draw . . . ?

o Questions that promote evaluation of a text or idea: What might be better…? Would you agree that…? What is your opinion…?

o Questions that promote synthesis of a concept: Can you propose an alternative…? How could you change (modify) the plot (plan)? What motive is there…? What can you infer from…? Can you make the distinction between…?

Effective discussions usually begin with clear ground rules. Make sure students understand your discussion guidelines. For example:

• Allow students to challenge one another, but do so respectfully. Participants may comment on the ideas of others, but must refrain from criticizing individuals.

• Encourage students who are offended by anything said during discussion to acknowledge it immediately.

• Encourage students to listen actively and attentively. • Do not allow students to interrupt one another. • Do not allow students to offer opinions without supporting evidence. • Make sure students avoid put-downs (even humorous ones). • Encourage students to build on one another’s comments; work toward shared

understanding. • Do not allow one student or a small number of students to monopolize

discussion. • Some instructors ask each class to develop its own rules for discussions. The

instructor must then take care to honor those rules and to make sure students honor them as well.

Suggested Discussion Questions for English 11

Research supports building in time for students to talk about texts after they read them. This time should enable readers to recompose, self-reflect, analyze, and evaluate the meaning of the text (Lent & Gilmore, 2013; Horowitz, 2015). Please use the questions located below to guide your English 12 in-class discussions.

Unit One: American Roots: From Native Traditions to the American Revolution; Discussion Questions

How does the Iroquois creation myth “The World on Turtle’s Back” compare to other creation stories with which you are familiar?

A symbol of the Iroquois Constitution is a white pine tree, or “Tree of Peace.” Why is this an appropriate symbol for the Iroquois Constitution?

The world we live in today is in many ways very different from the world in which Jonathan Edwards preached “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” How do you think audiences today would respond to the sermon as compared to audiences in the 1700s?

Do you think the poem “To My Dear and Loving Husband” is simply about love and devotion? Or is there a deeper meaning behind it? Discuss your answer.

How does Thomas Paine use “The Crisis #1” to inspire the troops of the Continental Army? Do you think the same message would be inspiring to soldiers today? Why or why not?

One of the great ironies of the Declaration of Independence is that in spite of the notion that “all men are created equal,” this was not the case when the document was written. Do you think it is the case today? Why or why not?

Unit Two: Bright Romanticism: American Individualism; Discussion Questions

Why do you think the fireside poets were so popular in the 1800s? What was it about their poetry that appealed to many people in the United States?

Today, people are more connected than ever before, and yet, in many ways, people still feel isolated. How do you think the transcendentalist poets would have viewed life and solitude as we know it today?

Are Thoreau’s ideas in “Civil Disobedience” compatible with democracy? Why or why not?

Why is Walt Whitman’s “Song of Myself” a quintessential Transcendentalist poem?

How did Emily Dickinson’s poetry differ from other poets of the same period? How was her poetry similar?

Unit Three: Dark Romanticism: American Gothic; Discussion Questions

Now that you’ve read and studied examples of both bright and dark Romantic poetry, which do you prefer and why?

What techniques does Poe use to create a sense of terror and foreboding in “The Fall of the House of Usher?” Discuss the emotions you experienced as you read the short story.

The events in the short story “The Adventure of the Mysterious Picture” take place almost entirely at night. How would the story be different if it took place in the daytime? What is it about night that makes scary stories more effective?

In The Scarlet Letter, is religion portrayed in a positive or negative light? Explain your answer.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of living in a small community?

Unit Four: A Nation Dividing and Expanding: Civil War, Regionalism, and Realism; Discussion Questions

Is Mark Twain’s Life on the Mississippi a memoir, a piece of fiction, or both? Explain your answer.

What techniques are used in regionalism and realism texts to enhance the story? Do you find it easier to visualize the story setting than in other types of literature? Why or why not?

Douglass’s speech “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?” speaks to the challenge of honoring the founding of the United States while also acknowledging the horrors of racism and slavery present at that founding. Do you agree with Douglass’s position? Why or why not?

Is Sojourner Truth’s message in “Ain’t I a Woman?” still applicable today? Explain your answer.

In “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge,” is Ambrose Pierce an impartial author, or does he seem to favor one side over the other? Give examples to support your answer.

In his speech “An Indian’s View of Indian Affairs,” Chief Joseph says, “I believe much trouble and blood would be saved if we opened our hearts more.” Is his message still relevant today? Why or why not?

Unit Five: Realist Novel Study: The Awakening by Kate Chopin; Discussion Questions

How does Edna view children? Support your answer with examples from The Awakening.

Consider the male characters of The Awakening. Which is the most unlikeable? The most sympathetic? Why?

In the novel, Mademoiselle Reisz says it takes courage to be an artist. Do you think this is true today?

What does The Awakening have to say about the tension between freedom and responsibility?

Do you think Edna is brave or cowardly at the end of the novel? Explain your answer.

Unit Six: Make it New!: Early Modernism; Discussion Questions

What was your response to Pound’s “In a Station of the Metro?” Can a short poem have just as much impact as a long one? Why or why not?

In “The Yellow Wallpaper,” what is the significance of the color yellow? How did that particular color make you feel while reading the story? Could the wallpaper have been any color and still given the same impression?

Is the setting in “The Yellow Wallpaper” crucial to the story, or could it have taken place in any period or setting?

What is the irony of the wall in Frost’s “The Mending Wall?” Explain your answer.

Discuss the persuasive techniques President Wilson uses in his War Message to Congress. Do you think the same type of speech would be effective today? Why or why not?

Unit Seven: Modern Drama; Discussion Questions

How is Trifles an ironic title for the play? How does the title influence the play’s meaning?

In Trifles, do you the think the women were right to choose to hide the evidence? Why or why not?

How would Minnie Wright’s trial be different if it was conducted today?

How is Minnie Wright related to the canary?

What is the underlying societal message in King Arthur’s Socks? Is that message still relevant today?

Unit Eight: Victory and Despair: The Roaring Twenties, Modernism, and Postwar Outlooks; Discussion

Questions

In Chapter IX of A Farewell to Arms, the character Passini claims the war will never end unless one side decides to stop fighting. Do you agree with him? Why or why not?

In Chapter 1 of The Great Gatsby, what are some of the examples of boredom demonstrated by the “haves?”

After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Japanese Americans were placed in internment camps in the United States. Do you think this type of situation could be possible in the U.S. today? Explain your response.

How did you feel reading the excerpt from Maus? Do you think it is an effective way to tell the stories of the Holocaust? Why or why not?

In “The Life You Save May Be Your Own,” who is worse, Mr. Shiftlet or Mrs. Crater? Explain your answer.

Unit Nine: I, too, Am America: The Harlem Renaissance and The Civil Rights Movement; Discussion

Questions

What problem does Hughes outline in “The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain?”

Explain the relationship between death and blues portrayed in Hughes’ poem “The Weary Blues.”

In Chapter 16 of Their Eyes Were Watching God, how does Mrs. Turner feel about black people? How does she feel about Janie?

Describe Richard’s feelings toward his father in Black Boy. Why does he grow tired of the “endless talk” about his father?

The Brown v. Board of Education decision called for desegregation in schools to happen with "all deliberate speed." How quickly — and how fully — do you think school systems desegregated?

Unit Ten: Cultural Rebellion: Mid-Twentieth Century Voices; Discussion Questions

In the excerpt you read from On The Road, what draws the narrator and Dean together?

In Anthem, Rand’s narrator states “For the word ‘We’ must never be spoken, save by one’s choice and as a second thought.” What does Rand mean by this? Do you agree with her? Why or why not?

How does the speaker in “A Supermarket in California” feel about consumerism? Explain your answer.

How did you feel after reading “Ambush” by Tim O’Brien? Did it change any of your perspectives about war and warfare? Explain why or why not.

“Harrison Bergeron” is a satire on the pursuit of equality in our society. Do you think there can come a point when there is “too much” equality in our society? Explain your answer.

Unit Eleven: Heritage and Multicultural American Identities: Contemporary Voices; Discussion Questions

Why does Sandra Cisneros use the term “the awful grandmother” in “Mericans?” What is the grandmother doing that the narrator considers awful?

How does Cristina García create a picture of Cuba in Dreaming in Cuban?

What is the impact of having English and Spanish words together in “The Latin Deli: An Ars Poetica?”

How does Anaya view cultural censorship in “Take the Tortillas Out of Your Poetry?” Do you agree with his position? Why or why not?

Who do you think has a greater impact on a person’s language: family or friends? Explain your answer.

Unit Twelve: Globalization and the Information Age: Postmodernism into the Twenty-First Century;

Discussion Questions

Did you think of America in a new way after reading excerpts from The Namesake? Did you think of India in a new way? Explain your response.

After reading the excerpt from Fast Food Nation, can you see problems with our society’s obsession with getting what we want as quickly and cheaply as possible? If so, what are they? If not, why not?

Did Neil DeGrasse Tyson’s writing style help you understand how a black hole works? Do you believe more people would be interested in science if concepts were explained in this style?

Do you think the author of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close accurately captures the voice of a nine-year-old child? Give examples from the text to explain your response.

How do morality and economics intersect, according to the excerpt from Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything?

Course Customization Edgenuity is pleased to provide an extensive course customization toolset, which allows permissioned educators and district administrators to create truly customized courses that can meet the demands of the most rigorous classroom or provide targeted assistance for struggling students. Edgenuity allows teachers to add additional content two ways:

1) Create a brand-new course: Using an existing course as a template, you can add

lessons from the Edgenuity lesson library, create your own activities, and reorder

units, lessons, and activities.

2) Customize a course for an individual student: Change an individual enrollment to

add lessons, add individualized activities, and reorder units, lessons, and

activities.

Below you will find a quick start guide for adding lessons in from a different course or from our lesson library.

In addition to adding lessons from another course or from our lesson library, Edgenuity teachers can insert their own custom writing prompts, activities, and projects.

Additional Supplemental Teacher Materials and Suggested Additional Readings

Unit One: American Roots: From Native Traditions to the American Revolution; Additional Readings

Native American Indian Legends and Folklore A collection of Native American folktales and traditional stories that are indexed by tribe to make them easier to locate. Please note that variants on the same native legend are often told by American Indians from different tribes, especially if those tribes are kinfolk or neighbors to each other. http://www.native-languages.org/legends.htm Memoir and Poems of Phillis Wheatley, a Native African and a Slave written by Phillis Wheatley A digital copy of Phillis Wheatley’s memoir and selected poetry archived by the University of North Carolina https://docsouth.unc.edu/neh/wheatley/wheatley.html

http://www.native-languages.org/legends.htm

https://docsouth.unc.edu/neh/wheatley/wheatley.html

Unit One: American Roots: From Native Traditions to the American Revolution; Additional Resources

"Common Sense": The Rhetoric of Popular Democracy This lesson plan asks student to look at Thomas Paine and at some of the ideas presented in “Common Sense,” such as national unity, natural rights, the illegitimacy of the monarchy and of hereditary aristocracy, and the necessity for independence and the revolutionary struggle. https://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plan/common-sense-rhetoric-popular-democracy Thomas Paine | Writer and Revolutionary Students will learn about the powerful writing and strong convictions of Thomas Paine, author of “Common Sense,” one of the most influential books in American history. After watching a short video about Paine, students will examine both the cover and some of the contents of his most famous work. To conclude the lesson, students will write eulogies for Paine that summarize his greatest accomplishments as a writer and advocate for American independence. This lesson, targeted towards middle school level readers, is a perfect resource for scaffolding the writing of Thomas Paine for struggling readers. https://az.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/americon-lp-thomas-paine/thomas-paine/#.W1HX3_ZFzIU The Declaration of Independence: Created Equal? This lesson focuses on a few key concepts of the Declaration of Independence, beginning with the phrase "All men are created equal." Students gain an appreciation of Thomas Jefferson's efforts to deal with the complex issues of equality and slavery in the Declaration of Independence. http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/lessons/equal/ John Locke Mini-lesson This mini-lesson created by iCivics introduces students to the ideas and writings of John Locke that influenced the likes of Thomas Jefferson and other Founding Fathers. https://www.icivics.org/teachers/lesson-plans/john-locke-mini-lesson

Unit Two: Bright Romanticism: American Individualism; Additional Readings

Walt Whitman This website, created by the Academy of American Poets, the largest membership-based nonprofit organization advocating for American poets and poetry, contains a biography of Walt Whitman as well as a collection of writings about Walt Whitman’s life and writing, and a selection of his work. https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poet/walt-whitman Emily Dickinson This website, created by the Academy of American Poets, the largest membership-based nonprofit organization advocating for American poets and poetry, contains a biography of Emily Dickinson as well as a collection of writings about Emily Dickinson’s life and writing, and a selection of her work. https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poet/emily-dickinson

https://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plan/common-sense-rhetoric-popular-democracy

https://az.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/americon-lp-thomas-paine/thomas-paine/#.W1HX3_ZFzIU

https://az.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/americon-lp-thomas-paine/thomas-paine/#.W1HX3_ZFzIU

http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/lessons/equal/

https://www.icivics.org/teachers/lesson-plans/john-locke-mini-lesson

https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poet/walt-whitman

https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poet/emily-dickinson

The American Transcendentalists: Essential Writings by Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Margaret Fuller Transcendentalism was the first major intellectual movement in U.S. history, championing the inherent divinity of each individual, as well as the value of collective social action. In the mid-nineteenth century, the movement took off, changing how Americans thought about religion, literature, the natural world, class distinctions, the role of women, and the existence of slavery. Edited by the eminent scholar Lawrence Buell, this comprehensive anthology contains the essential writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Margaret Fuller, and their fellow visionaries. There are also reflections on the movement by Charles Dickens, Henry James, Walt Whitman, Louisa May Alcott, and Nathaniel Hawthorne. This remarkable volume introduces the radical innovations of a brilliant group of thinkers whose impact on religious thought, social reform, philosophy, and literature continues to reverberate in the twenty-first century.1

Unit Two: Bright Romanticism: American Individualism; Additional Resources

An Exploration of Romanticism Through Art and Poetry In this lesson, students use art and poetry to explore and understand major characteristics of the Romantic period as seen in England. First, students are introduced to the historical, societal, and literary characteristics of the Romantic period. Next, students deepen their understanding of Romanticism through an evaluation of William Wordsworth's definition of poetry. Students then complete an explication of a painting from the Romantic period, noting its defining characteristics. They use the TP-CASTT method to complete a literary analysis of Wordsworth's poem "The World is Too Much With Us," using their knowledge of Romantic characteristics to classify the poem as Romantic. In the final session, students begin to write an essay showing their understanding of Romanticism. http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/exploration-romanticism-through-poetry-1142.html Examining Transcendentalism through Popular Culture After a brief introduction to the transcendentalist movement of the 1800s, students develop a working definition of transcendentalism by answering and discussing a series of questions about their own individualism and relationship to nature. Over the next few sessions, students read and discuss excerpts from Emerson's “Nature” and “Self-Reliance” and Thoreau's Walden. They use a graphic organizer to summarize the characteristics of transcendental thought as they read. Students then examine modern comic strips and songs to find evidence of transcendental thought. They gather additional examples on their own to share with the class. Finally, students complete the chart showing specific examples of transcendental thought from a variety of multimodal genres.

1 The American Transcendentalists: Essential Writings: Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Margaret

Fuller: Amazon.com: Books.” Amazon, Amazon, https://www.amazon.com/American-Transcendentalists-Essential-Writings-Classics/dp/081297509X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1532095272&sr=8-1&keywords=transcendentalists

http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/exploration-romanticism-through-poetry-1142.html

http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/exploration-romanticism-through-poetry-1142.html

http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/examining-transcendentalism-through-popular-320.html

Unit Three: Dark Romanticism: American Gothic; Additional Readings

The Cambridge Companion to American Gothic Edited by Jeffrey Andrew Weinstock The Cambridge Companion to American Gothic offers an accessible overview to both the breadth and depth of the American Gothic tradition. This subgenre features works from many of America's best-known authors: Edgar Allan Poe, Toni Morrison, Stephen King, Anne Rice, Henry James, Edith Wharton, William Faulkner, and Flannery O'Connor. Authored by leading experts in the field, the introduction and sixteen chapters explore the American Gothic period chronologically, in relation to different social groups, in connection with different geographic regions, and in different media, including children's literature, poetry, drama, film, television, and gaming. This Companion provides a rich and thorough analysis of the American Gothic tradition from a twenty-first-century standpoint, and will be a key resource for undergraduates, graduate students, and professional researchers interested in this topic.2 Moby Dick; or The Whale by Herman Melville Project Guttenberg whole text digitization of Herman Melville’s classic novel Moby Dick. https://www.gutenberg.org/files/2701/2701-h/2701-h.htm

Unit Three: Dark Romanticism: American Gothic; Additional Resources

Nathaniel Hawthorne and Literary Humor Nathaniel Hawthorne' stories are more often associated with dark examinations of complex systems of morality than any sense of conventional comic humor. And yet Hawthorne's subtle satiric wit oftentimes offered equally piercing insights into the human psyche. In this lesson, students read a humorous story by Nathaniel Hawthorne and, as part of a curriculum unit on American literary humor, compare it to other American literary humorists in order to gain perspective on each writer's brand of humor and its significance within the context of American literary tradition. After debating the merits of "moral" humor like Hawthorne's as compared with the "folk" humor of Harris and Twain, students test the possibilities of blending these traditions by recasting a paragraph of Hawthorne's story in dialect style. https://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plan/nathaniel-hawthorne-and-literary-humor The Birthmark by Nathaniel Hawthorne This lesson plan is to accompany the American Stories series episode The Birthmark by Nathaniel Hawthorne. This lesson plan, designed for English language learners, is based on the CALLA Approach to English language learning. It teaches the strategy, “classify,” to help students understand the story. https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/3940248.html

2 The Cambridge Companion to American Gothic Edited: Jeffrey Andrew Weinstock: Amazon.com: Books.”

Amazon, Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Cambridge-Companion-American-Companions-Literature/dp/1107539781/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1532097223&sr=8-1&keywords=american+gothic+literature



https://www.gutenberg.org/files/2701/2701-h/2701-h.htm

https://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plan/nathaniel-hawthorne-and-literary-humor

https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/3940248.html

Ghosts and Fear in Language Arts: Exploring the Ways Writers Scare Readers What is scary, and why does it fascinate us? How do writers and storytellers scare us? This lesson plan invites students to answer these questions by exploring their own scary stories and other scary short stories and books. The lesson culminates in a Fright Fair, where students share scary projects that they have created, including posters, multimedia projects, and creative writing. http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/ghosts-fear-language-arts-237.html

Unit Four: A Nation Dividing and Expanding: Civil War, Regionalism, and Realism; Additional Readings

“The Outcasts of Poker Flat” by Bret Harte

"The Outcasts of Poker Flat" is an example of naturalism and local color writing popular during

this literary period. “The Outcasts of Poker Flat” was first published in January 1869 in the

magazine Overland Monthly; this is a digital copy of the text.

https://www.bartleby.com/310/4/2.html

"A Wagner Matinee" by Willa Cather "A Wagner Matinee" is a short story by Willa Cather. It was first published in Everybody's Magazine in February 1904; this is a digital copy of the text. https://cather.unl.edu/ss011.html

Unit Four: A Nation Dividing and Expanding: Civil War, Regionalism, and Realism; Additional Resources

“Twelve Years a Slave” Analyzing Slave Narratives In this lesson, students are asked to identify and analyze narrative passages that provide evidence for how slavery undermined and perverted marriage and the family. They will be challenged to go beyond the literal meaning of the text, and to make inferences using their prior knowledge, including knowledge of narratives’ antislavery mission. Northup collaborated with a white ghostwriter, David Wilson. Students will read the preface, and identify and analyze statements Wilson makes to prove the narrative is true. Students are encouraged to go beyond the literal meaning of the text and to make inferences about Wilson’s purposes for writing the preface. https://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plan/twelve-years-slave-analyzing-slave-narratives Crane, London, and Literary Naturalism In this lesson plan, students learn the key characteristics that comprise American literary naturalism as they explore London's "To Build a Fire" and Crane's "The Open Boat." https://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plan/crane-london-and-literary-naturalism

http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/ghosts-fear-language-arts-237.html

http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/ghosts-fear-language-arts-237.html

https://www.bartleby.com/310/4/2.html

https://cather.unl.edu/ss011.html

https://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plan/twelve-years-slave-analyzing-slave-narratives

https://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plan/crane-london-and-literary-naturalism

Unit Five: Realist Novel Study: The Awakening by Kate Chopin; Additional Readings

Our Deportment, or the Manners, Conduct, and Dress of Refined Society by John H. Young In “Our Deportment, or the Manners, Conduct, and Dress of Refined Society,” John H. Young explains the rules of etiquette during the nineteenth century. In this excerpt, Young explains the proper etiquette for wives and husbands during the time the work was published in 1881. https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/our-deportment-or-the-manners-conduct-and-dress-of-refined-society A Respectable Woman by Kate Chopin A short story that pairs well with “The Awakening.” Throughout the reading, ask students to compare the portrayal of women and of gender roles in this short work. How is this piece similar to “The Awakening?” https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/a-respectable-woman Why Do We Judge Parents For Putting Kids At Perceived — But Unreal — Risk? by Tania Lombrozo Tania Lombrozo talks to three researchers who conducted an experiment exploring how people judge others’ actions as parents, and how they determine if a child is at risk in a situation. Pair this with “The Awakening,” and discuss the differences in between the perceived role of the mother and the father in “The Awakening” and in modern times. What does this research tell us about gender roles? https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/why-do-we-judge-parents-for-putting-kids-at-perceived-but-unreal-risk

Unit Five: Realist Novel Study: The Awakening by Kate Chopin; Additional Resources

Kate Chopin’s “The Awakening” In this curriculum unit, students will explore how Chopin stages the possible roles for women in Edna's time and culture through the examples of other characters in the novella. By showing what Edna's options are, Chopin also exhibits why those roles failed to satisfy Edna's desires. As students pursue this central theme, they will also learn about Chopin, her life, and the culture and literary traditions in which she wrote. Many late 19th century writers reacted against an earlier wave of sentimental writings, focusing instead on an approach more akin to “realism”—studies of daily affairs and commonplace events. Part of Chopin's realism relies on regionalism or local color writing, a style of writing that emphasizes regional differences in terms of language, dialect, religion, cultural expectations, class societies, and so on. Readers follow Edna—a Protestant from Kentucky—in her encounters with Catholic Creole society in Louisiana. Edna's role as “outsider” allows for a comparison between two different Southern cultures and her awakening in part results from the clash of the two worldviews. https://edsitement.neh.gov/curriculum-unit/kate-chopins-awakening

Unit Six: Make it New!: Early Modernism; Additional Readings

“A Mad Dash to Disaster”: The First World War by Mike Kubic

https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/our-deportment-or-the-manners-conduct-and-dress-of-refined-society

https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/our-deportment-or-the-manners-conduct-and-dress-of-refined-society

https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/a-respectable-woman

https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/why-do-we-judge-parents-for-putting-kids-at-perceived-but-unreal-risk

https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/why-do-we-judge-parents-for-putting-kids-at-perceived-but-unreal-risk

https://edsitement.neh.gov/curriculum-unit/kate-chopins-awakening

On June 28, 1914, a Serbian nationalist assassinated the heir presumptive to the Austrian throne, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, setting off a chain of events that would culminate in the First World War. But how could the death of one man spark a conflict so catastrophic that it would take the lives of over 17 million people and injure millions more? This article will attempt to untangle this web of complex alliances, longstanding rivalries, and the consequences of WWI. Mike Kubic is a former correspondent of Newsweek magazine. https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/a-mad-dash-to-disaster-the-first-world-war?search_id=413285 Dreamers by Siegfried Sassoon Siegfried Loraine Sassoon (1886-1967) was an English writer, poet, and soldier. “Dreamers” is inspired by Sassoon’s own experiences in World War I, the conflict that launched the world into modern warfare and ended with a massive amount of casualties before unseen in European military history. https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/dreamers Opposition to the Women's Rights Movement by Anonymous This text from 1852 written anonymously—though it is suspected that John L. O’Sullivan (1813–1895) may have authored this text—was submitted to The Democratic Review in 1852. It was designed as a rebuttal to Dr. Dewey, who, in defense of women’s rights, denied Biblical justification for the subjugation of women to their husbands. https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/opposition-to-the-women-s-rights-movement

Unit Six: Make it New!: Early Modernism; Additional Resources

Faulkner's As I Lay Dying: Form of a Funeral In this lesson plan, students will explore the context of the novel As I Lay Dying, examining background information on social and economic conditions in the rural South in the first decades of the twentieth century. This background will enable the teacher and students to "place" Faulkner's novel historically and sociologically; Faulkner wrote about his own time and a place he knew well. Faulkner's life is presented briefly so parallels can be drawn between his life and the life depicted in the text. Faulkner grew up in a small Mississippi town in a middle-class family and saw in his surroundings perfect models for characters like the Bundren family and their neighbors. In the lessons of this curriculum unit, students explore the use of multiple voices in narration, learn about the social and economic conditions of the rural South in the 1920s and about William Faulkner's life, and read, annotate, and discuss the text in class and in groups. https://edsitement.neh.gov/curriculum-unit/faulkners-i-lay-dying-form-funeral Introduction to Modernist Poetry This three lesson curriculum unit begins with Lesson One: “Understanding the Context of Modernism Poetry,” followed by Lesson Two: “Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird,” which features “warm-up” exercises to give students initial bearings for reading and analyzing modernist poetry. The curriculum unit ends with T.S. Eliot’s “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock”; this lesson requires students to analyze modernist poetry in more depth and detail.

https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/a-mad-dash-to-disaster-the-first-world-war?search_id=413285

https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/a-mad-dash-to-disaster-the-first-world-war?search_id=413285

https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/dreamers

https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/opposition-to-the-women-s-rights-movement

https://edsitement.neh.gov/curriculum-unit/faulkners-i-lay-dying-form-funeral

You may extend the unit by teaching additional modernist poets such as Marianne Moore, Jean Toomer, William Carlos Williams, and Ezra Pound. https://edsitement.neh.gov/curriculum-unit/introduction-modernist-poetry

Unit Seven: Modern Drama; Additional Readings

‘You Have the Right to Remain Silent’: A History of the Miranda Rights by Jessica McBirney Can your rights protect you if you don’t even know what they are? Supreme Court case Miranda v. Arizona answered that question by requiring police officers to read the “Miranda Rights” when making an arrest. This text will explain the court case, its impact on justice in America, and the details behind the phrase “you have the right to remain silent.” https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/you-have-the-right-to-remain-silent-a-history-of-the-miranda-rights The Code of Hammurabi by Unknown 1772 BCE The Code of Hammurabi is a well-preserved Babylonian law code of ancient Mesopotamia that dates back to about 1772 B.C. Hammurabi I, the sixth Babylonian king, enacted The Code which consists of 282 laws and corresponding punishments. The Code is based on the concept of an “eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.” Pair this with “Trifles” and have students discuss crime and punishment. https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/the-code-of-hammurabi Our Town: A Play in Three Acts by Thornton Wilder Our Town was first produced and published to wide acclaim in 1938. This Pulitzer Prize-winning drama of life in the small village of Grover's Corners, an allegorical representation of all life, has become a classic. It is Thornton Wilder's most renowned and most frequently performed play. 3

Unit Seven: Modern Drama; Additional Resources

“Trifles” Timeline An illustrated timeline of the writing of “Trifles: A One-Act Play” by Susan Glaspell. This timeline situates the playwright and the play’s writing within the context of the life and times of Margaret Hossack, the real-life Iowa farmwoman whose murder trial, covered by Glaspell as a reporter for the Des Moines Daily News, inspired her to write the play. The timeline can be a valuable resource for instructors teaching the play. https://blogs.shu.edu/glaspellsociety/trifles-timeline/ Dramatic and Theatrical Aspects in Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town” In this lesson, students are required to be active observers, sensitive to the playwright’s subtle use of dramatic and theatrical devices to shape his drama. Students will focus on the sights and sounds of the play to discover their impact on mood and theme; they will scrutinize Wilder’s character development to understand the many individual dramas that constitute the

3 Our Town: A Play in Three Acts by Thornton Wilder: Amazon.com: Books.” Amazon, Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Our-Town-Three-Perennial-Classics/dp/0060512636/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1532359157&sr=8-1&keywords=our+town

https://edsitement.neh.gov/curriculum-unit/introduction-modernist-poetry

https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/you-have-the-right-to-remain-silent-a-history-of-the-miranda-rights

https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/you-have-the-right-to-remain-silent-a-history-of-the-miranda-rights

https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/the-code-of-hammurabi

https://blogs.shu.edu/glaspellsociety/trifles-timeline/

overarching drama; and they will investigate conflicts and contrasts whose resolutions or lack thereof have made the play meaningful to so many readers and audiences.4

Unit Eight: Victory and Despair: The Roaring Twenties, Modernism, and Postwar Outlooks; Additional

Readings

You Can Buy Happiness, If It's An Experience by Maanvi Singh This NPR article discusses the findings of a study published in Psychological Science focused on how different purchases affect happiness. This article was published on Shots, NPR’s Health News blog. https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/you-can-buy-happiness-if-it-s-an-experience?search_id=415256 The Lost Generation by Mike Kubic In this article, Mike Kubic, a former correspondent of Newsweek, discusses the circumstances under which America’s “Lost Generation” came to be. The phrase refers to the citizens who reached maturity after World War I, and whose adolescences were thus defined by a consciousness of mass carnage and destruction. Particularly prominent artists and writers who belonged to the generation include F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, Gertrude Stein, Ezra Pound, T. S. Eliot, James Joyce, and Sherwood Anderson. Winesburg, Ohio by Sherwood Anderson Sherwood Anderson's classic collection of stories about small-town life in Ohio. Following the life of the character George Willard, the stories relate the feelings and experiences of the town's inhabitants. The stories include: The Book of the Grotesque, Hands, Paper Pills, Mother, The Philosopher, Nobody Knows, Godliness, A Man of Ideas, Adventure, Respectability, The Thinker, Tandy, The Strength of God, The Teacher, Loneliness, An Awakening, The Untold Lie, Drink, Death, Sophistication, and Departure.5 “A Good Man is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor "A Good Man Is Hard to Find" is a short story written by Flannery O'Connor in 1953. The story appears in the collection of short stories of the same name. This is a University of Virginia digital publication of the text. http://xroads.virginia.edu/~drbr/goodman.html

4 Our Town: A Play in Three Acts by Thornton Wilder: Amazon.com: Books.” Amazon, Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Our-Town-Three-Perennial-Classics/dp/0060512636/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1532359157&sr=8-1&keywords=our+town 5 Winesburg, Ohio: Sherwood Anderson: Amazon.com: Books.” Amazon, Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Winesburg-Ohio-Sherwood-Anderson/dp/1974184382/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1532100579&sr=8-2&keywords=winesburg+ohio+by+sherwood+anderson

https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/you-can-buy-happiness-if-it-s-an-experience?search_id=415256

https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/you-can-buy-happiness-if-it-s-an-experience?search_id=415256

http://xroads.virginia.edu/~drbr/goodman.html

Unit Eight: Victory and Despair: The Roaring Twenties, Modernism, and Postwar Outlooks; Additional

Resources

Sherwood Anderson’s “Winesburg, Ohio”: A Group of Tales of Ohio Small-Town Life This curriculum unit includes three lessons. The first lesson introduces students to the concept of the grotesque, central to the Winesburg, Ohio story cycle, through a close reading of two stories: “The Book of the Grotesque” and “Respectability.” The second lesson focuses on character development within the short story sequence to analyze the experiences of the character, George Willard. While George is not mentioned in a few of the stories and figures only fleetingly in others, he dominates much of the action across the story cycle and serves as the central thread running throughout the text. This lesson has students focus on the evolution that George undergoes in the course of the following stories: “Mother;” “Nobody Knows;” “An Awakening;” “Death;” “Sophistication;” and “Departure.” The third lesson returns to the concept of the grotesque, and teachers model an analysis of this literary element in the story, “Adventure.” Students are then given the opportunity to independently investigate additional stories in the cycle for applications of this literary element. Extending the lesson activities provides a host of additional research, creative writing, and project opportunities. https://edsitement.neh.gov/curriculum-unit/sherwood-andersons-winesburg-ohio-group-tales-ohio-small-town-life

Flannery O’Connor’s “A Good Man is Hard to Find”: Who's the Real Misfit? In this lesson, students will explore dichotomies (Good vs. evil, immoral vs. moral, etc.)—and challenge them—while closely reading and analyzing "A Good Man is Hard to Find." In the course of studying this particular O'Connor short story, students will learn about the 1950s south, including the evolving U.S. transportation system, which was fueled by the popularity of the family car and the development of the highway system. Students also learn about the landmark Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court case that helped divide the "Old South" from the "New South," and about the literary genre known as the "Southern Gothic," or "Southern Grotesque." https://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plan/flannery-oconnors-good-man-hard-find-whos-real-misfit#sect-thelesson

Unit Nine: I, too, Am America: The Harlem Renaissance and The Civil Rights Movement; Additional

Readings

Jean Toomer Biography and Selected Readings This website, created by the Academy of American Poets, the largest membership-based nonprofit organization advocating for American poets and poetry, contains a biography of Jean Toomer as well as a collection of writings about Jean Toomer’s life and writing, and a selection of his work. Jean Toomer (1894—1967) was a poet, playwright, and novelist. Toomer’s most famous work, Cane, was published in 1923 and was hailed by critics for its literary experimentation and portrayal of African-American characters and culture. https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/jean-toomer#tab-poems

https://edsitement.neh.gov/curriculum-unit/sherwood-andersons-winesburg-ohio-group-tales-ohio-small-town-life

https://edsitement.neh.gov/curriculum-unit/sherwood-andersons-winesburg-ohio-group-tales-ohio-small-town-life

https://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plan/flannery-oconnors-good-man-hard-find-whos-real-misfit#sect-thelesson

https://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plan/flannery-oconnors-good-man-hard-find-whos-real-misfit#sect-thelesson

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/jean-toomer#tab-poems

To One Coming North by Claude McKay Claude McKay (1889-1948) was a Jamaican-American writer and poet. He was also an influential figure in the Harlem Renaissance, a cultural, social, and artistic movement that took place in Harlem, New York. In this poem from his book Harlem Shadows, a speaker describes coming north. https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/to-one-coming-north Storm Ending by Jean Toomer Jean Toomer (1894-1967) was an African American poet and novelist, as well as an important figure in the Harlem Renaissance and modernism. Toomer’s novel Cane is about the experiences of African Americans in the United States and includes his poem “Storm Ending.” In the poem, a speaker describes a storm above them. https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/storm-ending If We Must Die by Claude McKay Claude McKay (1889-1948) was a Jamaican-American writer and poet who was a seminal figure during the Harlem Renaissance. McKay dedicated his life to fighting for the rights of oppressed people through his writing, and “If We Must Die” reflects McKay’s perspective on the black experience in America during the early 20th century. https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/if-we-must-die

Unit Nine: I, too, Am America: The Harlem Renaissance and The Civil Rights Movement; Additional

Resources

A Harlem Renaissance Retrospective: Connecting Art, Music, Dance, and Poetry The goal of this unit is to help students understand the historical context of the Harlem Renaissance and what kind of impact it had on African Americans in the United States. Critical thinking, creativity, and interdisciplinary connections are emphasized. http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/harlem-renaissance-retrospective-connecting-252.html The Harlem Renaissance – Lesson Plan Students will learn about the social, cultural and political circumstances that gave rise to the Harlem Renaissance. They will also learn about the influences that inspired the work of the Harlem Renaissance’s artists and musicians. Finally, students will be given several opportunities to create their own Harlem Renaissance inspired work. http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/lessons-plans/the-harlem-renissance/

Unit Ten: Cultural Rebellion: Mid-Twentieth Century Voices; Additional Readings

In Danang, Where U.S. Troops First Landed, Memories of War Have Faded by Michael Sullivan Beginning in 1964, the United States got involved in a war in the small Asian country of Vietnam. Vietnam was split into two halves, north and south, and the northern half had come under the control of communist rule in 1954. At the time, many Americans were afraid of

https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/to-one-coming-north

https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/storm-ending

https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/if-we-must-die

http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/harlem-renaissance-retrospective-connecting-252.html

http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/harlem-renaissance-retrospective-connecting-252.html

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/lessons-plans/the-harlem-renissance/

communism – to them, it represented the opposite of freedom. The United States decided to intervene on the side of South Vietnam in an attempt to defeat the communist North Vietnamese forces. After over one million people died in the ten-year-long conflict, the U.S. eventually withdrew from the war. Today, even after the violence of the war, Vietnam and the United States are on friendlier terms. https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/in-danang-where-u-s-troops-first-landed-memories-of-war-have-faded?search_id=418081 Teaching Kids in Vietnam to Avoid a Deadly, Everyday Legacy of War by Michael Sullivan From 1955 until 1975, the United States dropped around seven million tons of explosives on Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. More than one million people were killed during the Vietnam War. Today, the legacy of that conflict lingers with thousands of unexploded bombs spread throughout Vietnam. This text describes some of the ways that American and Vietnamese experts are still working to protect civilians from these unexploded bombs. https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/teaching-kids-in-vietnam-to-avoid-a-deadly-everyday-legacy-of-war?search_id=418155 Birth of the Beat Generation: 50 Years of 'Howl' Robert Siegel Fifty years ago, poet Allen Ginsberg gave the first public reading of "Howl" at a gathering in San Francisco. It was a literary milestone: Many consider that night the birth of the Beat Generation. Ginsberg's friend and fellow poet, Gary Snyder also read that night, and recalls the event. https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4950578

How David Bowie, Kurt Cobain & Thom Yorke Write Songs with William Burroughs’ Cut-Up Technique William S. Burroughs and painter Brion Gysin developed a literary take on the collage technique used by avant-garde artists like Georges Braque and created by Surrealist Tristan Tzara, who “proposed to create a poem on the spot by pulling words out of a hat.” Burroughs talks about how provocative the method was in his essay “The Cut-Up Method,” which inspired a generation of artists. http://www.openculture.com/2015/02/bowie-cut-up-technique.html

Unit Ten: Cultural Rebellion: Mid-Twentieth Century Voices; Additional Resources

Poetry on Film: Interpreting ‘Howl’ in the 21st Century In this lesson plan from the New York Times, students are asked to consider how poetry can both reflect and transcend the era in which it is written. How can looking at a poem from multiple perspectives illuminate its meaning? In this lesson, students consider a film about Allen Ginsberg’s “Howl,” study the poem, and express their ideas about poetry, their generation and life in writing and on film. https://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/07/poetry-on-film-interpreting-howl-in-the-21st-century/

https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/in-danang-where-u-s-troops-first-landed-memories-of-war-have-faded?search_id=418081

https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/in-danang-where-u-s-troops-first-landed-memories-of-war-have-faded?search_id=418081

https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/teaching-kids-in-vietnam-to-avoid-a-deadly-everyday-legacy-of-war?search_id=418155

https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/teaching-kids-in-vietnam-to-avoid-a-deadly-everyday-legacy-of-war?search_id=418155

https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4950578

http://www.openculture.com/2015/02/bowie-cut-up-technique.html

https://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/07/poetry-on-film-interpreting-howl-in-the-21st-century/

https://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/07/poetry-on-film-interpreting-howl-in-the-21st-century/

The Pros and Cons of Discussion In this lesson, students use a Discussion Web to engage in meaningful discussions. Students work in groups to answer the question, "Are people equal?" analyzing all sides of the response, forming a consensus, and presenting it to the class. Students then read "Harrison Bergeron" by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., and use supporting details to complete another Discussion Web that looks at whether people are equal in the story. Groups form a consensus, present their position to the class, and engage in class discussion. Free-writes, a persuasive essay, computer activities, and an informal class debate help students extend and apply knowledge. http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/pros-cons-discussion-819.html

Unit Eleven: Heritage and Multicultural American Identities: Contemporary Voices; Additional Readings

For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf by Ntozake Shange From its inception in California in 1974 to its highly acclaimed critical success at Joseph Papp's Public Theater and on Broadway, the Obie Award-winning “for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf” has excited, inspired, and transformed audiences all over the country. Passionate and fearless, Shange's words reveal what it is to be of color and female in the twentieth century. First published in 1975 when it was praised by The New Yorker for "encompassing...every feeling and experience a woman has ever had," “for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf” will be read and performed for generations to come. Here is the complete text, with stage directions, of a groundbreaking dramatic prose poem written in vivid and powerful language that resonates with unusual beauty in its fierce message to the world.6 Gorilla, My Love by Toni Cade Bambara In these fifteen superb stories, this essential author of African American fiction gives us compelling portraits of a wide range of unforgettable characters, from sassy children to cunning old men, in scenes shifting between uptown New York and rural North Carolina. A young girl suffers her first betrayal. A widow flirts with an elderly blind man against the wishes of her grown-up children. A neighborhood loan shark teaches a white social worker a lesson in responsibility. And there is more. Sharing the world of Toni Cade Bambara's "straight-up fiction" is a stunning experience.7

6 For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf by Ntozake Shange: Amazon.com:

Books.” Amazon, Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Colored-Girls-Considered-Suicide-Rainbow/dp/0684843269/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1532370117&sr=8-1&keywords=for+colored+girls+who+have+considered+suicide 7Gorilla, My Love by Toni Cade Bambara: Amazon.com: Books.” Amazon, Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Gorilla-Love-Toni-Cade-Bambara/dp/0679738983/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1532370599&sr=8-2&keywords=Toni+Cade+Bambara

http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/pros-cons-discussion-819.html

http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/pros-cons-discussion-819.html

I Am Joaquin/ Yo soy Joaquin by Rodolfo Corky Gonzales I Am Joaquin is an epic poem associated with the Chicano movement of the 1960s in the United States that speaks of the struggles the Chicano people have faced in trying to achieve economic justice and equal rights in the United States. http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/latinos/joaquin.htm

Unit Eleven: Heritage and Multicultural American Identities: Contemporary Voices; Additional Resources

Assessing Cultural Relevance: Exploring Personal Connections to a Text As a class, students evaluate a nonfiction or realistic fiction text for its cultural relevance to themselves personally and as a group. They first write about a story they identify with and share their responses as a group. As a class, they then analyze the cultural relevance of a selected text using an online tool. After completing this full-class activity, students search for additional, relevant texts, each choose one, and write reviews of the texts they chose. Selected texts can be any nonfiction or realistic fiction piece—books, documentaries, television programs, or films, and students are encouraged to choose texts that are personally relevant to themselves and their peers. This lesson is an especially powerful choice for English language learners. http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/assessing-cultural-relevance-exploring-1003.html?tab=1#tabs Behind the Masks: Exploring Culture Through Art and Poetry This unit engages high school students in a study of the relationship between masks and cultures. Students research mask making from various cultures, draw sketches of the masks, and take notes that highlight the connections between the masks and the cultural practices of the people who created them. Using this information, students recreate cultural masks and compose poetry to reveal their understanding and appreciation of these cultural artifacts. Students then analyze aspects of their own culture and create personal masks and poetry to reflect their culture and themselves. http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/behind-masks-exploring-culture-395.html Comic Makeovers: Examining Race, Class, Ethnicity, and Gender in the Media Stereotyped images create false ideals that real people can't hope to live up to, foster low self-esteem for those who don't fit in, and restrict people's ideas of what they're capable of. In this lesson, students explore representations of race, class, ethnicity, and gender by analyzing comics over a two-week period and then re-envisioning them with a "comic character makeover." This activity leads to greater awareness of stereotypes in the media and urges students to form more realistic visions of these images as they perform their makeovers. http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/comic-makeovers-examining-race-207.html

http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/latinos/joaquin.htm

http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/assessing-cultural-relevance-exploring-1003.html?tab=1#tabs

http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/assessing-cultural-relevance-exploring-1003.html?tab=1#tabs

http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/behind-masks-exploring-culture-395.html

http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/behind-masks-exploring-culture-395.html

http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/comic-makeovers-examining-race-207.html

http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/comic-makeovers-examining-race-207.html


Additional Readings

When Good People Do Bad Things by Ann Trafton

Rebecca Saxe, an associate professor of cognitive neuroscience at MIT, and her colleagues

conducted an experiment to study the way people behave in groups.

https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/when-good-people-do-bad-things?search_id=419140 The Curse Of The Inability To Imagine by Tania Lombrozo An NPR article from 13.7 Cosmos & Culture, Commentary On Science And Society section which asks if we can adequately imagine the past and future. https://www.npr.org/sections/13.7/2016/06/20/482756327/the-curse-of-ignorance-and-the-curse-of-knowledge Capitalism will eat democracy — unless we speak up | Yanis Varoufakis Filmed December 2015 at TEDGlobal: Geneva Have you wondered why politicians aren’t what they used to be, why governments seem unable to solve real problems? Economist Yanis Varoufakis, the former Minister of Finance for Greece, says that it’s because you can be in politics today but not be in power — because real power now belongs to those who control the economy. https://www.ted.com/talks/yanis_varoufakis_capitalism_will_eat_democracy_unless_we_speak_up/transcript?language=en Editorial Observer; What Adolescents Miss When We Let Them Grow Up in Cyberspace An opinion piece that explores how teenagers today are both more connected to the world at large than ever, and more cut off from the social encounters that have historically prepared young people for the move into adulthood. https://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/29/opinion/editorial-observer-what-adolescents-miss-when-we-let-them-grow-up-in-cyberspace.html


Additional Resources

Analyzing the Purpose and Meaning of Political Cartoons The decisions students make about social and political issues are often influenced by what they hear, see, and read in the news. For this reason, it is important for them to learn about the techniques used to convey political messages and attitudes. In this lesson, high school students learn to evaluate political cartoons for their meaning, message, and persuasiveness. Students first develop critical questions about political cartoons. They then access an online activity to learn about the artistic techniques cartoonists frequently use. As a final project, students work in small groups to analyze a political cartoon, and determine whether they agree or disagree with the author's message. http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/analyzing-purpose-meaning-political-794.html?tab=1#tabs

https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/when-good-people-do-bad-things?search_id=419140

https://www.npr.org/sections/13.7/2016/06/20/482756327/the-curse-of-ignorance-and-the-curse-of-knowledge

https://www.npr.org/sections/13.7/2016/06/20/482756327/the-curse-of-ignorance-and-the-curse-of-knowledge

https://www.ted.com/talks/yanis_varoufakis_capitalism_will_eat_democracy_unless_we_speak_up/transcript?language=en

https://www.ted.com/talks/yanis_varoufakis_capitalism_will_eat_democracy_unless_we_speak_up/transcript?language=en

https://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/29/opinion/editorial-observer-what-adolescents-miss-when-we-let-them-grow-up-in-cyberspace.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/29/opinion/editorial-observer-what-adolescents-miss-when-we-let-them-grow-up-in-cyberspace.html

http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/analyzing-purpose-meaning-political-794.html?tab=1#tabs

http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/analyzing-purpose-meaning-political-794.html?tab=1#tabs

And the Question Is... Evaluating the Validity of a Survey Surveys are an important tool when doing research and learning to evaluate information. In this lesson, students consider the purpose and meaning of surveys, learn what types of questions are asked, evaluate the validity of a specific survey, and write in their journals to reflect on what they have learned. http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/question-evaluating-validity-survey-1080.html

Rubrics for Writing Edgenuity rubrics are available in the teacher view of the LMS. Additionally, copies of the writing rubrics can be found below:

http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/question-evaluating-validity-survey-1080.html

http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/question-evaluating-validity-survey-1080.html

Narrative Writing Rubric

Informative Writing Rubric

Argumentative Writing Rubric

Students Writing Samples and Exemplar Texts with Annotations Edgenuity understands that students often find it difficult to understand assessment criteria and what represents “quality” work in a given writing mode. A useful teaching strategy to help students understand the nature and characteristics of quality writing in the different modes is to analyze and discuss exemplar student work prior to students tackling their own related task. Teachers may be reluctant to show exemplar writing assignments that exactly match the given task for fear that students may rely too heavily on these exemplars, or that students will assume there is an expected answer. However, Edgenuity has provided the following recommended resources that contain multiple exemplars of the different writing modes that can be used to further writing instruction. Common Core Appendix C Writing Sample with Annotations http://www.corestandards.org/assets/Appendix_C.pdf Achieve the Core Writing Samples with Annotations https://achievethecore.org/category/330/student-writing-samples

http://www.corestandards.org/assets/Appendix_C.pdf

https://achievethecore.org/category/330/student-writing-samples

In addition to the above-annotated exemplars, Edgenuity has provided the following argumentative, informative, and narrative student writing samples. These deliberately flawed samples can be used in the teaching of writing workshops as a guide for students’ writings of varying ability levels.

Edgenuity Argumentative Research Student Sample

The Benefits of Genetically Modified Foods

What will happen when we can no longer produce food quickly enough to feed the Earth’s growing population? Scientists have a solution: genetically modified foods. A genetically modified food is a food that has been genetically altered to possess some characteristic that the food does not naturally have. According to geneticists, plants can be genetically modified to grow in almost any condition, whether that be a small plot of land or in nutrient-devoid soil (such as in soil that has been over-farmed). Much controversy unnecessarily surrounds this scientific practice, despite the countless advantages and solutions genetically modified foods provide. Society should embrace the cultivation and consumption of genetically modified foods (GMOs) because GMOs generate food security and offer numerous economic, environmental, and health benefits.

Growing genetically modified food creates food and economic security. This is because technology can create foods that yield more quickly (Bawa and Anilakumar 2012)—which saves farmers time, effort and money. They can also be engineered to produce larger crops in the same amount of time as non-genetically engineered crops do (“Genetically Modified Foods”). Genetically modified foods can also yield in inclement weather, in subpar soil, and during what traditionally would be their off season (Bawa and Anilakumar 2012). This allows food to be grown in developing countries that may be prone to drought or incompetent soil, providing both food security and a source of income for impoverished nations (“Genetically Modified Foods”). Finally, GMOs can be altered to have a longer shelf life (Bawa and Anilakumar 2012)—saving everyone money, from the farmer to the consumer, as well as potentially less food waste.

Genetically modifying our foods provides environmental benefits. Because GMOs can be engineered to resist pests and withstand below-quality soil, farmers can use much less fertilizer and pesticides (Schneider, Schneider, & Richardson 2002), leading to less chemicals in our environment. Another way GMOs help us protect the environment is with the growth of plants that can be transformed into biodegradable plastics (Bawa and Anilakumar 2012). Finally, with the growth of GMOs, farmers can better manage their land. Genetically modified plants are better equipped to resist weeds—for the environment, this means soil conservation with less tilling of land, water retention, and less fuel used by tractors and other farm equipment. It also means less land has to be dedicated to growing our food ("Are there environmental…”)!

Eating genetically modified foods has numerous health benefits. For example, foods can be genetically modified to contain vaccines against infectious diseases—like a banana that was produced to protect against Hepatitis B. This could potentially become a much cheaper alternative to traditional intravenous vaccines (“Genetically Modified Foods”). Another health benefit is that there will be less chemicals in our food supply (Bawa and Anilakumar 2012),

again to the reduction in pesticides and fertilizers farmers use. Foods can also be engineered to have more vitamins, minerals, and other healthy properties, which will especially aid malnourished countries (Schneider, Schneider, & Richardson 2002). Finally, with genetically modified food, we can control and potentially eliminate food allergies by removing the allergenic properties of commonly allergenic foods such as peanuts (Bawa and Anilakumar 2012).

Many people resist the growth and consumption of GMOs for various reasons. These concerns include health risks and environmental, ethical, and cultural concerns. One health concern is that the GMOs will potentially cross-contaminate with common allergenic foods, such as peanuts, which will be unknowingly ingested. However, there have been no cases of this nature to date. In fact, scientific evidence bolsters the necessity of GMOs and their safe use (Schneider, Schneider, & Richardson 2002). According to one study, growing GMOs already caused a significant reduction of carbon dioxide emissions, fuel burning, and pesticide use in 2014 ("Are there environmental…”). Companies producing GMOs should be required to label foods so that groups concerned about the ethical or cultural implications of GMOs can choose to avoid them. Thus, while concerns about GMOs are viable, they do not outweigh the benefits, nor do they solve the issue of the increasing need to feed the growing human population.

In conclusion, the food and economic security, environmental benefits, and health perks make growing and eating genetically modified foods a decision you can make in confidence. Growing GMOs increases our food supply and reduces cost for farmers and potentially consumers. It provides economic security, reducing poverty and starvation in poor countries. GMOs help preserve the environment by using less land, releasing less toxic chemicals, depleting less soil, and offering environmentally friendly alternatives such as biodegradable plastic. Finally, GMOs improve nutrition, reduce chemicals in our bodies, and can help eradicate disease and allergies. Adopting genetically modified foods is not an attempt to take away consumer choice or food safety—it is about ensuring future generations have the fresh food supply and the healthy environment they deserve.

Works Cited

“Are There Environmental and Economic Benefits to GMO Crops? Study Claims $150 Billion

since '96.” Genetic Literacy Project, Genetic Literacy Project, 12 Jan. 2018,

geneticliteracyproject.org/2016/06/08/environmental-economic-benefits-gmo-crops

study-claims-150-billion-since-96/.

Bawa, A. S., and K. R. Anilakumar. “Genetically Modified Foods: Safety, Risks and Public

Concerns—a Review.” Journal of Food Science and Technology50.6 (2013): 1035–

1046. PMC. Web. 20 Aug. 2018.

“Genetically Modified Foods.” Learn Genetics,

learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/science/gmfoods/.

Schneider, Keith R, et al. “Genetically Modified Food.” Genetically Modified Food, Jan. 2002,

certify.ag/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/FS08400.pdf.

Edgenuity Informative Research Student Sample

Write an informative research essay in which you explain how climate dictates lifestyle. It is no surprise that climate dictates our lifestyle. Does it rain all the time? If so, then kids aren’t outside on the playground much. Too hot? Strenuous outdoor work is done in the early morning or evening when the sun isn’t out. There are various ways in which our lifestyle is affected by the climate in which we live. Some ways that are affected are: shelter, dress, work, and what we eat. It is no surprise to anyone that people who live in the Tundra climate need to have a home that is air-tight to keep out the freezing winds and harsh snowy conditions. Whereas someone who lives in the desert their house may be made of clay bricks, materials not found in below freezing regions. Areas where there are forests, houses are typically built using wood, as can be found in Canada and the US. In contrast, areas with few trees have homes built with tile, concrete, or stone as can be seen in China. Areas that are prone to tropical storms may have homes built on stilts so that water does not flood the home and breezes can flow through underneath, cooling the house. What is sitting in your closet right now can tell a person about the climate you live in. Do you have more than one pair of heavy boots? How many pairs of flip-flops do you own? Is your coat heavy enough to break the hanger or do you even own a jacket? There are obvious differences between what we wear in a cold climate versus what we wear in the desert – heavy coat covering all extremities, or a lightweight light-colored linen or cotton ensemble. In warmer weather, it is important to stay cool so one’s clothing needs to provide protection without causing overheating. Fabrics that are lightweight and breathe help keep your body temperature down and reduce sweating, along with lighter colors that reflect the heat versus dark colors that absorb heat. Conversely, in cold climates, it is important to wear multiple layers to help insulate the heat and keep dampness away from your body. While cotton is great in warmer weather, it has the opposite effect if used as your first layer in cold weather “…because it absorbs water and holds the water next to your skin where it will cool you off.” In cold weather you want to keep your skin dry, not damp. In warm weather when you sweat cotton or linen absorb moisture and help keep you cool. Jobs can require specific uniforms or equipment to be worn, so climate does impact one’s lifestyle in regards to employment. Farmers working in rice paddies in Southeast Asia need to dress in comfortable clothing that will get wet as they work in the paddies bent over the stalks. Farming employs about 75% of Cambodia’s population, which would not be possible if this was a tundra climate, the majority of the population would be working elsewhere. Hunting and mining employ people in tundra climates, as farming is not much of an option in the cold climate. Miners must wear clothes to keep them covered and safe, so their heavy equipment would not be conducive to bending over in the sun and/or rain all day in a rice paddy. Mining is a profession that spans climates, especially oil, as well as travel and tourism jobs. A lifeguard

may have a difficult time finding work on the coast of the Artic while a glaciologist may need to come up with a new profession if living in the Sahara. The evening question, “What’s for dinner?” may be the same for those living in freezing temperatures as well as in sweltering deserts, but what appears on their plates will certainly not be the same. Cold climates are not as conducive to agriculture and farming as temperate climates, so those living in the Arctic region will have a diet heavy in meat, “In a place of rock and ice, nothing dares to grow except some berries in the brief summer. All food not brought in from elsewhere must come from the animal world.” While meat is eaten in other climate regions, more agricultural products make their way to the dinner table than you’d find in the tundra region. People living in extreme climate regions have to rely on what can grow and what they can harvest as their meal source, while in more temperate/mild regions, one can be selective in what they eat. Here in the US, people can be vegetarian because there is a plethora of choices for their diet restrictions and conversely people can have meat on their table at each meal. If someone from Canada’s Northwest Territories were told they had to relocate to El Azizia, Libya their life would be completely turned upside down. While they may have been used to stepping out of their house onto snow to watch their children play hockey at noon, they will now have to wait until late in the day when the sun is setting to venture outside to avoid heatstroke. Their mud room at the front of the house will be replaced with a small courtyard with a high roof and small opening above the door to help with ventilation into and out of the home. Closet space will improve, no longer will they need heavy jackets, multiple layers, and heavy boots. Instead, their wardrobe will be replaced with light colored linens and cotton apparel, possibly a nice bright scarf. Mealtime would be quite different as well, with more pasta, fruits, and vegetables. How the climate dictates our lifestyle does not normally occur to us, we just live, eat, work, and play according to what everyone else does around us. But once we step outside our climate zone, the diversity of how others live becomes apparent.

A group of children play hockey on the snow in Cape Dorset, Northwest Territories. Read more: http://www.everyculture.com/Bo-Co/Canada.html#ixzz5OqwJhBgn

http://www.everyculture.com/Bo-Co/Canada.html#ixzz5OqwJhBgn

Inuit “Country food” http://www.followmefoodie.com/2012/08/follow-me-foodie-to-food-day-canada/ Photo from northtonunavut.blogspot.ca

The 9th July district in Misurata, Libya favored by expats, us included. http://www.diaryofaserialexpat.com/travels/libya/

Bazin (center) served with a stew and whole hard-boiled eggs By Libiya11 - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=19825762

Works Cited

https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=19825762

“Our cottage-style home in the middle of the Arctic tundra” May 29 2013. Retrieved from: https://offbeathome.com/arctic-home/ Tyman, John “John Tyman's Cultures in Context Series EGYPT and the SAHARA” Retrieved from: http://www.johntyman.com/sahara/25.html Centeno, Antonio “5 Principles for Hot Weather Clothing | How to Dress Cool in Warm Weather | Dressing For The Heat” Retrieved from: https://www.realmenrealstyle.com/dress-smart-hot-weather/ Neverman, Laurie “The 4 Layers of Cold Weather Clothing Everyone Should Know” November 27, 2017. Retrieved from: https://commonsensehome.com/best-cold-weather-clothing/ Thompson, Nathan “What it’s like to be a rice farmer” December 29, 2014. Retrieved from: https://www.pri.org/stories/2014-12-29/what-it-s-be-rice-farmer Jensen, William “Human Activities in the Tundra Climate” Updated September 26, 2017. Retrieved from: https://bizfluent.com/info-8433092-human-activities-tundra-climate.html Paley, Matthieu “We Are What We Eat: In the Arctic, It’s All About Meat” September 30, 2014. Retrieved from: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/photography/proof/2014/09/30/we-are-what-we-eat-in-the-arctic-its-all-about-meat/

Edgenuity Narrative Writing Student Sample

How My Brother made me Who I Am

I recognized the sensation…that raging, fiery feeling in my stomach. I knew injustice was

taking place and I knew I had to somehow, someway, put a stop to it. Watching from a few

seats over in my poorly-managed sophomore Spanish class, one of my ignorant peers was

taunting a mentally disabled classmate relentlessly. I was bursting at the seams–I needed to

stand up for him. I rose from my chair, and with authority, walked up to the bully, looked him

square in the eye, and told him to shut up and leave Zach alone. Maybe embarrassed, maybe

humbled, possibly both, he stopped immediately, and I returned to my desk with his dignity. Of

course, I did not actually make this dramatic scene. Class was in session as I sat there, helpless

and feeling guilty that I could accomplish nothing to save him at the time. But it was my moral

duty to stand up for Zach. This may appear dramatic, but my feelings stem from reason. My

little brother Elijah is autistic, and that has shaped me into the person I am today.

I did not always feel this strongly. I used to be humiliated when Elijah threw tantrums in

public—not the kind of embarrassing when your uncle interrogates your current boyfriend to

make sure he is “safe”—but the kind of embarrassing where your shorts get ripped in the

bottom on the playground and you are forever known as Captain Underpants. It was a

challenge for my single mother and me; he would have episodes throughout the day, every day.

https://offbeathome.com/arctic-home/

https://www.realmenrealstyle.com/dress-smart-hot-weather/

https://www.realmenrealstyle.com/dress-smart-hot-weather/

https://commonsensehome.com/best-cold-weather-clothing/

https://www.pri.org/stories/2014-12-29/what-it-s-be-rice-farmer

https://bizfluent.com/info-8433092-human-activities-tundra-climate.html

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/photography/proof/2014/09/30/we-are-what-we-eat-in-the-arctic-its-all-about-meat/

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/photography/proof/2014/09/30/we-are-what-we-eat-in-the-arctic-its-all-about-meat/

In elementary school, people would belittle him, and I was referred to as “Elijah’s sister.”

Everywhere we went, my whole family was shot strange looks. The tantrums, teasing, and my

identity being tied to his made me bitter towards him for the longest time.

As I matured, I started to have a change in perspective. I began to have compassion for

Elijah, knowing he can’t help his condition, and knowing he needs full support from his family. I

learned that I could be the one to stop bullying and make people more accepting of people with

special needs. I became Elijah’s protector, his guardian, his proud big sister, and even his best

friend. I understand him like no one else can. Realizing all of this transformed my relationship

with my brother and even with strangers.

Now, rather than harboring embarrassment or resentment, I beam with pride. I

appreciate his unique characteristics, even his quirks: like his impressive creativity with printer

paper and miles of Scotch tape. He never acts maliciously or tries to hurt people. Knowing Elijah

makes me strive to be like that: an unconditionally well-intentioned individual. Knowing Elijah

causes me to be slow to judge and quick to be compassionate with people. Knowing Elijah

influences me to be tolerant of others with differing backgrounds, conditions, and situations.

Every experience with my brother shapes my character today. I now see life in a

completely different light. For example, I am accepting of governmental programs that serve no

benefit to me, such as disability acts. I don’t get mad when the person in front of me is driving

under the speed limit anymore, because the person might be learning to drive. I am patient

with people I don’t know because I never know what people are going through. These shifts in

my character made me into the person I am today—an advocate of compassion, empathy, and

open-mindedness.

Documents

Edgenuity English 11 Teachers Guide · 2018-08-31 · Laurence Dunbar, Naomi Shihab Nye, Richard Wright, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Kurt Vonnegut. The course includes the following: