For our first unit of the year we will take a quick look at the expectations of the G7 ELA classroom as well as how we read, write, and communicate in the ELA classroom. Starting the year right, knowing what your teacher expects as well as having an idea of your own abilities and goals will benefit the classroom as a whole, as we line up what we need to know and do with what we want to know and do.

With this unit, we will be refreshing some memories on figurative language as well as rethinking how we can improve our writing through stronger word choice and a better understanding of the English language and all of its idiosyncrasies. 

With this unit, we will be approaching a larger work of fiction and analyze how the author uses figurative language, develops themes, and creates dynamic characters through indirect characterization.  We will also look at how these elements fit into a greater narrative arc.

Within this unit, we will look at I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai in how these authors construct compelling, descriptive, yet highly personal memoirs. As we go through these memoirs, we will construct a list of memoir-writing rule that will eventually inform our own written creative non-fiction.

In this unit, we will look at how to create a works cited page and in-text citations for research papers. We will explore various sources such as paper books, academic journals, and credible YouTube channels. This unit will help students develop their research skills and teach them how to use sources effectively to support their arguments. Additionally, students will learn how to evaluate the credibility of sources and avoid plagiarism. By the end of the unit, students will have gained the essential skills to write a research paper while using proper MLA formatting for sources and citations.

Generative AI is a technology that uses algorithms to create new content, such as images, music, and even text. Through this unit, students will discover AI's capabilities, limitations, and the data sets on which it's trained. As an editor, students will work with AI technologies to create and edit content. Using the skills learned in the research writing unit, students will see how co-authoring their previous work with AI has benefits and pitfalls; students will be required to provide in-text citations and works cited, all done by hand.