• I can increase my understanding  of the text by:

(1) using context clues to infer the meaning of words in a text

(2) explaining and applying strategies for annotating texts

• I can make thematic connections to other texts, ideas, cultural perspectives, eras and personal experiences.

• I can apply close reading skills (annotation, context clues, etc.) to comprehend a historical text.

• I can develop a central idea and support it using relevant evidence from the text.

• I can make a claim and support it with evidence from a text.

• I can apply writing strategies to strengthen an argument.

• I can annotate and analyze a poem for meaning and literary devices.

• I can contribute to a literary discussion while voicing my opinion, respecting the opinions of others, and synthesizing information from all sides.

• A Raisin in the Sun (play)

• “A Dream Deferred” (poem)

• The Great Gatsby (novel)

• “What is the Great American Novel?” (Article)

• F. Scott Fitzgerald: The American Dreamer (Documentary)

• Film excerpts to provide context, juxtaposition and summarization of the text

• “Indian Boarding Schools: The Runaways” (poem)

• “A New Beginning” (Short Fiction)

• Ted Talk: How to Disagree Productively

• Elements of argumentation (ethos, pathos & logos)

• Various excerpts from literary and fictional texts to support skills and connections