English I Honors

English I Honors is a course designed to introduce the rigorous curriculum of high school, but ultimately to prepare students for college and life beyond. We will read both classic and modern novels, analyzing themes, symbols, characters, social commentary, and more. Projects and essays will be done throughout to reinforce and demonstrate the learning.

Short stories and major works we will cover:

Short Stories Drama Novels Epic

"American History" Visit to a Small Planet Speak Odyssey

"Sweet Potato Pie" The Monsters are Due on Maple Street Anthem

"The Cask of Amontillado" Romeo and Juliet

"Hop-Frog"

"The Masque of the Red Death" Mythology

"The Veldt"

"Dark They Were and Golden Eyed" D'Aulaires Book of Greek Myths

"A Sound of Thunder" Edith Hamilton's Mythology

"Good Hunting"

"The Necklace"

"The Most Dangerous Game"

"Gaston"

Reading Signposts from Notice and Note

Lesson of the unexpected Aha moment 

“Why did the character act (feel) that way?” “Why might this realization be important?”

What character action or feeling was unexpected? What words told you this was going to be an “aha moment”?

Page #? Page #?

What was unexpected about the action/feeling? What realization came to the character’s mind?

Why do you think the character acted/felt that way? How is this realization likely to be important in the story?

Tough questions Words of the wiser

“What does this tough question make me wonder about?” “How could this advice affect the character?”

How did you know this was going to be a tough question? What told you this was going to be a w-o-t-w moment?

Page #? Page #?

What did you wonder about when you thought about the questions? What advice or insight did the wiser character share? 

How is this important & how do you think the character will answer it? How this will affect the one who received the advice?

Again and again Memory moment

“Why might the author bring this up again and again?” “Why might this memory be important?”

What did you find that keeps coming up over and over again? What was happening when the character recalled the memory?

Page #? Page #?

Why do you think the author keeps repeating this? What memory came to the character’s mind?

What does this lead you to think is going to happen later in the story? Why do you think this memory is important to the story?

Contrasts & Contradictions

“Why is the character doing that?”

How did the character’s actions change or stay the same?

Page #s?

What is the relevance of the contrast/contradiction?