Course Description

Focused on application, this sophomore English course reinforces literary analysis and 21st-century skills with superb pieces of literature and literary nonfiction, application e-resources, and educational interactives. Each thematic unit focuses on specific literary analysis skills and allows students to apply them to a range of genres and text structures. As these units meld modeling and application, they also expand on training in media literacy, 21st-century career skills, and the essentials of grammar and vocabulary. Under the guidance of the eWriting software, students will also compose descriptive, persuasive, expository, literary analyses, research, narrative, and compare-contrast essays.

Course Objectives

Throughout the course, you will meet the following goals:

• Read age- and grade-level-appropriate literature from various genres
• Analyze texts by focusing on elements, structure, and characteristics of literature
• Make connections between themes and ideas in literature
• Examine texts and documents for socio-cultural contexts, influences, and biases
• Apply 21st-century skills, which are essential for becoming critical and informed citizens
• Complete a variety of writing assignments, applying the conventions of standard written English

Student Expectations

This course requires the same level of commitment from you as a traditional classroom course. Throughout the course, you are expected to spend approximately 5–7 hours per week online on:

• Interactive lessons that include a mixture of instructional videos and tasks
• Assignments in which you apply and extend learning in each lesson
• Assessments, including quizzes, tests, and cumulative exams

Communication

Your teacher will communicate with you regularly through discussions, email, chat, and system announcements. You will also communicate with classmates, either via online tools or face to face, as you collaborate on projects, ask and answer questions in your peer group, and develop your speaking and listening skills.

Grading Policy

You will be graded on the work you do online and the work you submit electronically to your teacher. The weighting for each category of graded activity is listed below.

​Grading Category / Weight

Assignments / 10%

Essays / 20%

Lesson Quizzes / 20%

Unit Tests / 30%

Cumulative Exams / 20%

Additional / 0%

Scope and Sequence

When you log into Edgenuity, you can view the entire course map—an interactive scope and sequence of all topics you will study. The units of study are summarized below:

1. Unit 1: Dealing with Difficulty
2. Unit 2: Searching for Peace
3. Unit 3: The Search for Cultural Identity
4. Unit 4: Novel Study: Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift
5. Unit 5: Research and Persuasion
6. Unit 6: Classical Greek Literature: Edith Hamilton and Antigone by Sophocles
7. Unit 7: Elizabethan Drama: The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare
8. Unit 8: World Literature