ENGLISH 2

During this pandemic, the focus of this class has not changed. The goal of this class is to open up the opportunity to learn about the world around you, learn about your place in it, and learn about the lives of other people so that you can better contextualize your life in your community. 

Please take a moment to watch this class trailer to see some of the big ideas we will cover

C O U R S E   T R A I L E R

https://youtu.be/fDYlcUmV9VI

C U R R I C U L U M

SFUSD's English/Language Arts (ELA) Department breaks down their ELA  curriculum into 4 spirals: Narrative, Informative/Explanatory, Argument, and Research. 10th grade is defined as English/Language Arts: World Literature click on the link to see the 10th grade year-at-a-glance overview

Spiral 1 - Narrative

Open this menu for Unit details

 Spiral 1 includes the following: 

UNIT 2: Autobiographical Narrative Short Story

During the first spiral I have students learn through autobiographical short stories that focus on a sense of self and understanding one's identity through the eyes of a Filipina/o American. The stories are an unpublished series titled "Mumog" written by a colleague from my alma mater, University of San Francisco.

In this unit we cover topics such as, but not limited to: 

Click on the link below to see the unit I designed & adapted for SFUSD's Secondary Humanities Courses + Unit 1 Curriculum Writing Team

10th Grade English 2 - Unit 1: Narrative & Identity

This is a Unit Tracker that students use as a roadmap or checklist to follow along as they complete a lesson from the unit. There are certain items that require them to write down a soft deadline (e.g., "TIME CHECK!") as a pacing marker of where they should be. Other deadlines could include Socratic Seminars, Essay drafts, one-on-one check-ins and much more!

You'll notice that this unit is separated into two parts: 

In SFUSD, we work towards the Narrative spiral, where students are drawing on their prior knowledge of literary devices and linking them to concepts related to the unit. In this unit, we are looking for students to reflect on an impactful moment in their lives and reflect on how it's shaped who they are today. 

Instructional Videos

An instructional video is an informational medium that delivers the lessons, new content or instructions for assignments through video. The purpose of using instructional videos as the main learning component is to provide students access at school and at home. These videos allow students to self-direct their learning by pacing the content themselves. They are able to pick up where they left off if they were absent or on vacation. They can even return to review the material at any given time. 

Family Hxstory - Timeline Activity

The following activity is a timeline activity where I place the history of immigration [1500s - present day] along the white board. The purpose of this activity is introduce the critical concepts: Master Narrative & Counter Narrative. This activity requires students to analyze the timeline and look for what could be missing, which is their family's story. Students are tasked to interview their families [if possible] asking the following:

After conducting this activity I have a disclaimer to send out with students that I am not looking for any personal information, it just merely for students to learn about their family's narrative. Not for immigration purposes.

Students will then post and combine their information with the immigration timeline and see how or where their family fits into the Master Narrative. Or rather see the Counter Narrative that is born from our stories.

Common Core State Standards - Literacy in History/Social Studies 9-10

These examples/handouts are not restricted to just the CCSS I listed. This is often a community building activity I conduct at the beginning of a unit to compare and contrast how timelines intersect.

3. Analyze in detail a series of events described in a text; determine whether earlier events caused later ones or simply preceded them. 

6. Compare the point of view of two or more authors for how they treat the same or similar topics, including which details they include and emphasize in their respective accounts. 

This is a teacher example of how I ask students to present the information they've collected. The purposes of writing or typing it so small is to make it easier to cut out and take less space on the whiteboard

Teacher Example of Timeline Information

Autobiographical Short Stories

Following this activity we jump write into a series of unpublished short stories by a colleague from my alma mater. I use these stories to teach about the following topics shown in the slide deck below: I's of Oppression, Master & Counter Narrative, Sensory Details, Point of View, Characters.

The purpose of reading and annotating these short stories is not for a literary essay, but in preparation for one. The final assignment for this unit is a short story and presentation/introduction to the class.

A text that I've decided to incorporate in the future is The Oracles by Pati Navalta Poblete which would serve the same purpose of the short stories that I use in this 10th grade unit.

This is a student example of the literary analysis assignment students would be working with throughout this unit

Common Core State Standards - English Language Arts - Writing 9-10

CCSS - Writing Standards

CCSS for ELA - Content (CA Dept of Education) 

1. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence. 

b. Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly, supplying evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the audience’s knowledge level and concerns. c. Use words, phrases, and clauses to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims. d. Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.

2. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content. 

b. Develop the topic with well-chosen, relevant, and sufficient facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples appropriate to the audience’s knowledge of the topic. d. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to manage the complexity of the topic. e. Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing. 

4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. 

5. Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience. 

6. Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products, taking advantage of technology’s capacity to link to other information and to display information flexibly and dynamically. 

9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. 

a. Apply grades 9–10 Reading standards to literature (e.g., “Analyze how an author draws on and transforms source material in a specific work [e.g., how Shakespeare treats a theme or topic from Ovid or the Bible or how a later author draws on a play by Shakespeare]”). 
b. Apply grades 9–10 Reading standards to literary nonfiction (e.g., “Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is valid and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; identify false statements and fallacious reasoning”). 

10. Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences. 

Student Example_Short Story_Balasbas Says
Assignment Instructions/Handout

Common Core State Standards - English Language Arts - Writing 9-10

CCSS - Writing Standards

CCSS for ELA - Content (CA Dept of Education) 

3. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences. 

a. Engage and orient the reader by setting out a problem, situation, or observation, establishing one or multiple point(s) of view, and introducing a narrator and/or characters; create a smooth progression of experiences or events. b. Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description, reflection, and multiple plot lines, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters. c. Use a variety of techniques to sequence events so that they build on one another to create a coherent whole. d. Use precise words and phrases, telling details, and sensory language to convey a vivid picture of the experiences, events, setting, and/or characters. e. Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on what is experienced, observed, or resolved over the course of the narrative. 

4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. 

5. Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience. 

6. Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products, taking advantage of technology’s capacity to link to other information and to display information flexibly and dynamically. 

10. Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences. 

10th Grade_Unit 1: Autobiographical Narrative Assignment_BalasbasSays
Copy of Mr. B's short story example.pdf

Teacher short story example

Common Core State Standards - English Language Arts - Speaking and Listening 9-10

4. Present information, findings, and supporting evidence clearly, concisely, and logically (using appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation) such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose (e.g., argument, narrative, informative, response to literature presentations), audience, and task. CA 

a. Plan and deliver an informative/explanatory presentation that: presents evidence in support of a thesis, conveys information from primary and secondary sources coherently, uses domain specific vocabulary, and provides a conclusion that summarizes the main points. (9th or 10th grade) CA b. Plan, memorize, and present a recitation (e.g., poem, selection from a speech or dramatic soliloquy) that: conveys the meaning of the selection and includes appropriate performance techniques (e.g., tone, rate, voice modulation) to achieve the desired aesthetic effect. (9th or 10th grade) CA 

5. Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence and to add interest. 

Teacher example of Talambuhay - video/slides format

Spiral 2 - Informative/Explanatory

Open this menu for Unit details

 Spiral 2 includes the following: 

Unit 3: The Hate U Give 

The Hate U Give

by Angie Thomas

The Hate U Give is about 16 year old Starr Carter losing her childhood friend, Khalil, to police brutality. The story takes place in Garden Heights and Starr's school, Williamson Prep, where she navigates her identities in seeking justice for Khalil. Angie Thomas' grand story telling allows us to experience Starr's journey in finding her voice. 

In this unit we cover topics such as, but not limited to: 

This is a Unit Tracker that students use as a roadmap or checklist to follow along as they complete a lesson from the unit. There are certain items that require them to write down a soft deadline (e.g., "TIME CHECK!") as a pacing marker of where they should be. Other deadlines could include Socratic Seminars, Essay drafts, one-on-one check-ins and much more!

You'll notice that this unit is separated into three parts: 

This may seem long for your average unit and most would break this down into separate units. With SFUSD, we work towards the Informative/Explanatory spiral where students are looking at expository pieces related to the topic. In this course, we pair that expository reading/writing with a novel to apply students learning to a text and connection to the world around them.

Instructional Videos

An instructional video is an informational medium that delivers the lessons, new content or instructions for assignments through video. The purpose of using instructional videos as the main learning component is to provide students access at school and at home. These videos allow students to self-direct their learning by pacing the content themselves. They are able to pick up where they left off if they were absent or on vacation. They can even return to review the material at any given time. 

Anticipation Guide - THUG

The Anticipation Guide is a 4 corners discussion based activity where students share their [written] opinions before the class discussion activity. I usually give this as a homework assignment a few nights before the in-class activity to give students time to really think about the prompts on the sheet. Corners of the classroom are labeled as Strongly Agree, Mostly Agree, Mostly Disagree, and Strongly Disagree. I provide students 1 minute to share with a partner or anyone around them, and then share anything they want with the class before I announce the next statement for students to move to their respective corners. If students aren't prepared to share vocally in front of the class, then they can share through their written response and still earn credit for sharing their ideas. 

Common Core State Standards - English Language Arts - Writing 9-10

CCSS - Writing Standards

CCSS for ELA - Content (CA Dept of Education) 

1. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence. 

b. Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly, supplying evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the audience’s knowledge level and concerns. c. Use words, phrases, and clauses to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims. d. Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.

2. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content. 

b. Develop the topic with well-chosen, relevant, and sufficient facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples appropriate to the audience’s knowledge of the topic. d. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to manage the complexity of the topic. e. Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing. 

4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. 

5. Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience. 

6. Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products, taking advantage of technology’s capacity to link to other information and to display information flexibly and dynamically. 

9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. 

a. Apply grades 9–10 Reading standards to literature (e.g., “Analyze how an author draws on and transforms source material in a specific work [e.g., how Shakespeare treats a theme or topic from Ovid or the Bible or how a later author draws on a play by Shakespeare]”). 
b. Apply grades 9–10 Reading standards to literary nonfiction (e.g., “Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is valid and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; identify false statements and fallacious reasoning”). 

10. Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences. 

Unit 2: THUG Anticipation Guide_Balasbas Says

Literary Analysis - Annotation Organizer

This is an annotation graphic organizer for students to keep their annotations in one place rather than scattered throughout their book. The top of the document has the essay prompts students will be writing about at the end of the Unit so they can begin thinking about the larger questions that we're asking during the essay writing process. 

Unit 3: THUG Literary Analysis Organizer_Balasbas Says

Common Core State Standards - English Language Arts - Writing 9-10

CCSS - Writing Standards

CCSS for ELA - Content (CA Dept of Education) 

1. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence. 

b. Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly, supplying evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the audience’s knowledge level and concerns. c. Use words, phrases, and clauses to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims. d. Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.

2. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content. 

b. Develop the topic with well-chosen, relevant, and sufficient facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples appropriate to the audience’s knowledge of the topic. d. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to manage the complexity of the topic. e. Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing. 

4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. 

5. Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience. 

6. Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products, taking advantage of technology’s capacity to link to other information and to display information flexibly and dynamically. 

9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. 

a. Apply grades 9–10 Reading standards to literature (e.g., “Analyze how an author draws on and transforms source material in a specific work [e.g., how Shakespeare treats a theme or topic from Ovid or the Bible or how a later author draws on a play by Shakespeare]”). 
b. Apply grades 9–10 Reading standards to literary nonfiction (e.g., “Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is valid and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; identify false statements and fallacious reasoning”). 

10. Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences. 

Unit 5: A Raisin in the Sun by Angie Thomas 

A Raisin in the Sun

by Lorraine Hansberry

A Raisin in the Sun is a play that tells the tale of the Younger family in 1950s, south side of Chicago. The Younger family members all have their own dream to acheive and a legacy to fulfill for their descendants. It's a classic American story that beautifully grapples with identity, gender roles, displacement, and inequality.  

In this unit we cover topics such as, but not limited to: 

This is a Unit Tracker that students use as a roadmap or checklist to follow along as they complete a lesson from the unit. There are certain items that require them to write down a soft deadline (e.g., "TIME CHECK!") as a pacing marker of where they should be. Other deadlines could include Socratic Seminars, Essay drafts, one-on-one check-ins and much more!

You'll notice that this unit is separated into three parts: 

In SFUSD, we work towards the Argumentative/Persuasive spiral where students learn about comparing and contrasting perspectives.  In this unit, we ask students to examine historical events of prejudice in housing and make connections in how we see that in our local communities. 

Literary Analysis & Argument/Persuasive Writing

This is the same video series that is in Unit 3: The Hate U Give. I used to have different slides and the most notable difference was teaching appeals. But I ultimately decided to incorporate it into both units so my 10th graders can hone their skills