ENGLISH 10 HONORS
Welcome to English 10H! This course is designed to prepare you for Advanced Placement Literature and Composition. Therefore, the caliber of work expected is higher and more demanding than a core English 10 class. This year, your understanding of 'English Class' will take on a new meaning. The reading assignments are longer, the discussion questions are deeper, and the writing expectations are higher. My goal is to scaffold your critical thinking abilities and expose you to some enjoyable and some really frustrating texts. We will be studying various works and practicing many different forms of writing. In addition to reading and writing assignments, there will be discussions, presentations, and projects that assess your learning. You will develop your academic vocabulary through regular assessments. Pluralism, within a literary context, is the movement driven by the idea that "good" literature reaches within and beyond the canonical texts, including diverse texts from a wide array of authors. This course is designed to give you glimpses into unique cultures in the United States and globally.
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QUICK OVERVIEW.
VIRTUAL LEARNER RESOURCES.
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SUMMER READING ASSIGNMENT.
This summer, you are responsible for reading THREE poems from an assigned poetic movement and creating a presentation to teach a poem (just one of the three that you read) and the poetic movement to the class. This is a requirement for the honors cohort. Failure to present and/or meet precursor deadlines will result in a course change from 10H to 10C. You will present your assigned poetic movement and selected poem at the start of the school year. You have a lot of creative freedom in determining how to teach movement and poem to the class. Some options include: a PowerPoint presentation, a YouTube video (crash course style, evening news style, claymation style, etc.), a Prezi presentation, an old school poster, a Canva handout, a drama/play where you pull people in from the audience to act out a script, a spoken word piece or a song that explains the poem, a modern day translation demonstrated through a creative story for the class, or another idea that appeals to you personally and is approved by yours truly. We kickoff the year this way to break the ice, to give me an idea of who you are as a student and academic, and to provide a platform for you to practice the art of public speaking. You will need to email your topic proposals to me and get them approved beforehand. In this proposal, introduce yourself, confirm your assigned poetic movement, identify the three poems (and their poets) that you'll read, and give me an idea of what your presentation will look like come this August. Email me no later than midnight on JUNE 12th (Friday).
Then, at some point between now and JULY 31st, you need to read the poems, take notes on the guided poetry analysis handout that I'll send you, research the assigned poetic movement, and create your presentation. The poetry sheet analysis will help you remember everything that you should discuss in your poem and about your poetic movement. You need to email your presentation aid, email a copy of it, or email a picture of it if it's a poster no later than midnight on JULY 31st (Friday).
When you return to school, I will provide a presentation schedule so that you know which day that you'll present. While presenting, you'll need to demonstrate all of the cliche speech etiquette: good posture, eye contact, proper use of intonation, appropriate attire, etc. Speeches should last anywhere between 5-7 minutes. I included a rubric just to give you an idea of expectations. Below you'll find the handout and rubric for the summer assigned presentation preparation. I KNOW that this may seem like a lot, but if you get on it and have some fun with it, in the grand scheme of my class and my expectations for an honors cohort, this will not be that big of a deal. You got this.
Then, at some point between now and JULY 31st, you need to read the poems, take notes on the guided poetry analysis handout that I'll send you, research the assigned poetic movement, and create your presentation. The poetry sheet analysis will help you remember everything that you should discuss in your poem and about your poetic movement. You need to email your presentation aid, email a copy of it, or email a picture of it if it's a poster no later than midnight on JULY 31st (Friday).
When you return to school, I will provide a presentation schedule so that you know which day that you'll present. While presenting, you'll need to demonstrate all of the cliche speech etiquette: good posture, eye contact, proper use of intonation, appropriate attire, etc. Speeches should last anywhere between 5-7 minutes. I included a rubric just to give you an idea of expectations. Below you'll find the handout and rubric for the summer assigned presentation preparation. I KNOW that this may seem like a lot, but if you get on it and have some fun with it, in the grand scheme of my class and my expectations for an honors cohort, this will not be that big of a deal. You got this.
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Quarter (1)
Literary Analysis
Unit A: The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer Unit B: Life of Pi by Martel Unit C: Short Stories |
Quarter (2)
Research Synthesis
Unit D: The Odyssey Unit E: Native Literature Unit F: Night by Elie Wiesel (or The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls) |
Quarter (3)
Argumentative
Unit G: Kindred by Butler Unit H: A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare |
Quarter (4)
Poetry Analysis
Unit I: Poetry Unit Unit J: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho |
READING ADVENTURES.
PERTINENT RESOURCES.
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FIRST QUARTER. QUASI SUMMER STUFF.
LITERARY ANALYSIS.
THE CANTERBURY TALES BY GEOFFREY CHAUCER RESOURCES.
The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer is my favorite piece of British literature. It was published in 1400 (so we're kicking it off with medieval literature). The English language (as we know it today) is full of influences and evolutions. Old English (like the English used in Beowulf) has a very distinct Anglo-Saxon vibe. Then, with the Roman Invasion, Latin entered the English language. Then, again, with the Norman Invasion in 1066, French started influencing the English language. For this reason, we see that English has a Germanic structure/syntax (shout-out to those Anglo-Saxons) and is semantically influenced by the Romance languages (shout-out to those Romans and Normans). Chaucer was kind of a rebel because he wrote in Middle English (the common vernacular of the day). He set the precedent for using the common, everyday language in literature. TCT is about a group of people going on a pilgrimage to pay respects to St. Thomas a Beckett at Canterbury Cathedral. This was before that more clear separation between Church and State- so Catholicism was the religious jam of the time. On the journey to the Canterbury Cathedral, each person decided to tell a story (one on the way there and one on the way back). The host of the trip was to pick the best story. HOWEVER, Chaucer died before he could finish TCT. Therefore, there are only 24 tales in TCT. In the General Prologue, Chaucer provides descriptions of each pilgrim. Then, each tale has its own set of characters and didactic plot twists. I think I will like starting off the year this way because it gives an idea of just how far we've come and evolved and piggybacked off of classic canonical literature. Plus, I want you to bracket the idea of a literary consciousness as we commence the school year.
Website for Reference: https://chaucerl305.weebly.com/
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FIRST QUARTER. PART ONE.
LITERARY ANALYSIS.
LIFE OF PI BY YANN MARTEL RESOURCES.
Life of Pi by Yann Martel is probably one of my favorite books. It wasn't always that way though. I first read it for the summer reading requirement to get into 10H when I was in high school... and since it was a summer assignment (in my mind, it was summer break for a reason- no school), I decided I wasn't going to like it. So, I didn't. Then, in college, I was studying something that cognitively reminded me of LoP. So, reluctantly, I grabbed it the next time I was home on break and re-read it. It was a wonderful text. It was complex and challenging- so brim-packed with deeper meaning and significance. So, when I started teaching, I found it in the school English department master-closet of novel class sets. My 10H students struggled with it, were frustrated by it, rolled their eyes on reading quizzes, melodramatically asked why are we reading this?, etc., etc. It was all very deja-vu for me... Because that had been me in school. And, out of the seventy students in 10H, probably only ten really loved it. So, why do I do this? Because: (1) If you read it and you hate it, then the rest of the books in this course will be a bit better by relative comparison. It's like a set the bar low, bad-news first approach, that actually yields better results long-term. (2) At a literary level, it exemplifies everything that we will cover in this course. It's complex. I want to establish the sink-or-swim nature of 10H right from the start. (3) It's deep. And, as you'll come to know, I love deep books- ones that change my perspective, surprise me, and change the way I understand something. (4) Because of neuroscience. Even if you don't absolutely love this book, you are making neural connections, shooting energy through axons, proliferating nerves, undergoing long-term potentiation, and at a scientific and real level- growing intellectually. (5) There will always be anomalies and those students that find this book completely worthy.
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For Those That Study:
Quizlet Review: https://quizlet.com/311925634/life-of-pi-literary-devices-part-way-through-assessment-flash-cards/
Reading Check Questions: https://quizlet.com/149014267/life-of-pi-unit-exam-questions-flash-cards/
Terms & Such Quizlet: https://quizlet.com/149007375/life-of-pi-unit-exam-review-terms-flash-cards/
Quizlet Review: https://quizlet.com/311925634/life-of-pi-literary-devices-part-way-through-assessment-flash-cards/
Reading Check Questions: https://quizlet.com/149014267/life-of-pi-unit-exam-questions-flash-cards/
Terms & Such Quizlet: https://quizlet.com/149007375/life-of-pi-unit-exam-review-terms-flash-cards/
SHORT STORIES RESOURCES.
I might change this up as the year progresses and I discover new short stories and what not. Nonetheless, here is the tentative game plan for the short story unit. I'm thinking we kind of build up to Halloween with a unit on what it means to be "crazy." Since the views on mental health are rapidly evolving this century, it is interesting to postulate contemporary classifications of craziness. Plus, it's a good place to start with denotative and connotative differences between words, word-specific analysis, and all that fun stuff. So, we will read Charlotte Perkins Gilman's short story "The Yellow Wall-Paper," which, well, I won't spoil it for you. Then, we will venture to one of my favorite short stories by Edogawa Rampo called "The Human Chair," which will most likely change your attitude regarding chairs. Nonetheless, it is one of those stories that have multiple plot twists. I think I have it pegged and then, twist, I am back to square one.
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LITERARY ANALYSIS.
I start with literary analysis, because you know it like the back of your hand... which maybe for some of you isn't that well. But, practice makes perfect. It is a good foundational point, because we will analyze literature throughout the rest of this year... and then even more intensively next year (if you take AP Literature & Composition).
Literary Analysis Guided Pre-Test | |
File Size: | 1178 kb |
File Type: | pptx |
FIRST QUARTER. PART TWO.
PERSONAL NARRATIVE.
PERSONAL NARRATIVE WRITING.
Originally, I had this planned for the fourth quarter. If you are ever super bored and peruse through the Indiana Academic Standards, you will notice three major categories for grade 9-10 writing. These categories include: narrative, expository, and argumentative. So... guess what the three potential categories on the ISTEP essay prompt are? YEP: narrative, expository, or argumentative. Therefore, I want to expose you to narrative writing earlier rather than later... just in case it shows up on this year's ISTEP prompt. AND, because narrative writing is enjoyable and a good way for me to get to know more about you as a person. Personal Narratives and memoirs fall under the autobiographical branch of writing. They are considered nonfiction... however, that classification is a current debate topic in literary circles. Some scholars prefer the term "first fiction." NEVERTHELESS, it is important to understand the fundamental difference between a personal narrative and a memoir. A PERSONAL NARRATIVE RECOUNTS ONE SIGNIFICANT LIFE EVENT. A memoir recounts multiple life events. A personal narrative fulfills one plot diagram (a.k.a. Freytag pyramid); while a memoir might include multiple plot diagrams. Let's do this.
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SECOND QUARTER.
RESEARCH & EXPOSITORY.
NATIVE LITERATURE RESOURCES.
We talk a lot about racism in America. A Lot. Just look at Netflix options, social media posts, Gambino's latest music video, Beyonce's Lemonade album, BLM, etc. And, I am not saying this is a good or bad thing, I am simply recognizing its prevalence in the world of multimedia we live in. However, the information almost always centralizes in racism between Blacks and whites... as if those are the only two races (and all the ethnic categories within those) that exist in the States. And, we know that America is a lot more diverse than media gives it credit for. I think it's strange that we live in a state named 'Indiana,' but don't really study contemporary 'Indian' literature. When I was in Paris, I saw a restaurant called Indiana. I got super excited (because I was moderately homesick). When I went inside, there were just pictures of Native Americans. Everywhere. Then, it dawned on me... I am so small-minded. Indiana is a state (a home to me), but it means land of Indians. We have that history. Our state is named for the land that was basically commandeered from the Indigenous tribes in Indiana before and after the Indian Removal Act of 1830. And, today, there is still a lot of implicit (and explicit) forms of oppression facing our nation's Indigenous people, but there is also a wealth of history that exceeds the establishment of the United States. So, in this unit, we will explore some of the literary creations written and/or made by Indigenous writers and artists in the US today.
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NIGHT BY ELIE WIESEL RESOURCES.
One of my students told me that in English class, we only read depressing stories. I had to stop and think about it. And, I had to agree. Almost all of the literature I read has a section of "depressing story" present. I think this is for several reasons. (1) I think writing is cathartic (meaning a good way to deal with unsettled emotions). (2) I think it is in human nature to assume the best and remember the worst. Most of us get up every day expecting our legs to work properly (expecting the best), but if we pull a muscle, we will recount that inconvenience with fervor (we remember the worst). (3) I think writing is storytelling. Storytelling records history; and, unfortunately, there are a lot of depressing histories. (In French, the word for story is "histoire." That is where we get the English word 'history.') So, this unit will look at a depressing history: the history and one man's story (Elie Wiesel) of the Jewish Holocaust. I know we embed this in your consciousness ardently in American education... Maybe so much so that the first thing we think of when we hear 'Germany' is Hitler and Nazis, (when maybe we should think Wagner's opera or fairytales, because those originated in Germany too). However, the reason this is so impressed into American consciousness, is because people never want to forget the depths to which human nature has fallen in the past. It is not primarily intended to depress us (though it should and does), but rather to remind us of the pertinence of human compassion and equity. Despite everything, all the negative, depressing stories, compassion and civil rights are still the core ideals of American consciousness.
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RESEARCH PAPER RESOURCES.
Both Wiesel's Night (autobiographical memoir) and the former selections of literary works by Indigenous writers are categorized as works of nonfiction (meaning they aren't made up- they are built on real events). Therefore, nonfiction, history, etc. all synthesize well through research and expository writing practices. So, we will work on research and expository writing.
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THIRD QUARTER.
ARGUMENTATIVE.
KINDRED BY OCTAVIA E. BUTLER RESOURCES.
Kindred was the first work of science fiction published by a Black female writer. Octavia E. Butler is a phenomenal writer. In Kindred, the protagonist, Dana, time travels (which sounds tacky- but it's actually uniquely implemented) back to the antebellum South to save an accident-prone ancestor (which will secure her blood line). The only issue is that this ancestor is Caucasian and Dana is Black. Therefore, every trip to rescue him is increasingly dangerous for Dana due to racist social and cultural norms perpetuated by the institution of chattel slavery. In the past, my 10H students vote this novel as their favorite. I think you all will most likely share the sentiment.
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A Mid-Summer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare Resources.
So, I will just go ahead and say it: I don't like Shakespeare. Yeah, I said it... and I know that is a cardinal sin in the world of English literature. But, it's the truth. In my mental idea of Shakespeare, he was pretty selfish. He got married, had children, then left to pursue a career in the arts... and I have little respect for people who walk out on their families. Yes, I know, all of the information I read might not be true, but as it stands, if it is, I don't like Shakespeare. I also realize that judging a person without meeting them in person is not best practice. But... he's dead. So, I don't have much of an alternative. And, Romeo and Juliet? What's the hype with that? Plus, I think he stole that story anyway. But, once I get past all of that, I have to say that A Mid-Summer Night's Dream is by far, hands-down, my favorite Shakespearean play. I think you can like something and not like the person who wrote it. That's my theory, and I'm sticking to it. It's a comedy (not like "haha," but one with a marriage and a happy ending). It is like miles ahead of a complicated love triangle. There's a lot happening- fairies, aspiring actors, a royal wedding, the quest for true love, forbidden love, a donkey, love potion, etc. So, that's where we'll jump in.
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PAST ELECTRONIC LEARNING
Once upon a time, there was a global pandemic. This global pandemic led to the closure of schools in the spring of 2020... but learning persisted. Even though it sounded like the premise of a terrible late eighties, sci-fi film about the future of education, we called it e-Learning... short for electronic learning [imagine dramatic music interlude right here]. Dear English 10 Honors scholars, I know that you are probably mourning the loss of the copious amounts of work I assign, lamenting over the fact that you won't take the Kindred examination this school year, and truly sinking into a cesspool of despair over the fact that you don't have the torture of seeing me every day. It will be hard.... I know. But, hang in there. Since I don't quite have everything together just yet, reference Canvas. I will keep Canvas up-to-date and then tackle this website if I have time. Email me if you have questions. AND, check your email. That is how I will contact you.