This course is the first year of a college preparatory English sequence. Content is organized thematically and will employ the use of essential questions to guide critical thinking about texts that include short stories, novels, nonfiction, drama and poetry. There is a clear emphasis on the progressive development of skills identified in the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts (9-10) including: reading for key ideas and details, reading for craft and structure, reading for integration of knowledge and ideas, writing a variety of text types, writing for a variety of purposes, understanding the writing process, speaking and listening skills, knowledge and practical application of Standard English (grammar and mechanics) and in-context vocabulary acquisition. English I places special emphasis on developing student writers who can produce well crafted, organized, multi-paragraph essays written for a variety of audiences, with a focus on evidence-based analyses of multiple sources. Students will be assessed, in part, through the use of regular district-wide benchmark assessments.