"Learning isn't a way of reaching one's potential, but rather a way of developing it" - Anders Ericsson

Sophomore English

Love, Hate, or Fear: What Gives Someone Power?

Course Description

This course is designed for students who have demonstrated an understanding of language and literature. Emphasis will be placed upon the appreciation and understanding of different genres and literature as an art form reflecting human experience. Instruction will be thematic based and driven by essential questions in order for students to make connections. Stress will be on an in-depth understanding of our language and the mastery of English usage through developing reading, writing, and speaking skills and in order for students to become better communicators.

Essential Questions

Is censorship in any form justified?

What are the costs and benefits of technology?

Why are reading and technology important for society? What are the dangers that can come with a lack of knowledge?

Why is it so important for us to ensure that our lives have meaning?

How do relationships with others change us?

How can the power of the medium affect the power of the message?

When is it appropriate to challenge the beliefs or values of society?

Does labeling and stereotyping influence how we look at and understand the world?

How does society influence our identity and the choices we make?

Does fate have an impact on the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness?

To what extent does power/greed affect individuals or relationships?

Competencies

Reading

Demonstrate the ability to comprehend, analyze and critique increasingly complex literature in a wide range of formats and multiple genres to build an understanding of the many dimensions (e.g., philosophical, ethical, aesthetic) of human experience.

Writing

Students will use the writing process to demonstrate the ability to analyze, critique, and create texts with different styles and topics. These concepts include but are not limited to supporting claims and reasoning with sufficient evidence for an intended purpose and audience, focusing on word choice, tone, and perspective, and utilizing the correct MLA format and citations.

Research

Demonstrate the ability to effectively engage in ethical inquiry and research practices - managing multiple streams of information, evaluating sources, analyzing information, and presenting results. *

Listening/Speaking/ Viewing

Demonstrate the ability to listen and view critically as well as participate effectively in academic discourse – speaking purposefully and responding thoughtfully while demonstrating respect for diverse perspectives and making strategic decisions about content, language use and discourse style. *

Technology

Students will demonstrate the ability to use the tools of technology (including digital media and the Internet) to ethically and responsibly gather, interpret, analyze information, create shareable products and reflect on individual performance. *

*As specified in course specific criteria for each semester.

By the end of Sophomore year, students will be able to:

Craft a compelling argument and support that argument with clear organization
Work toward a shared goal
Apply knowledge and comprehension to make insightful connections among ideas, texts, etc.
Demonstrate flexibility or original thinking
Be proactive by defining and acknowledge problems that may arise. Use executive functioning skills to plan, organize, and time manage
Understand and showcase a Growth Mindset by focusing on the process rather than the end result
Appreciate multiple perspectives within the communities;
Provide context with carefully selected evidence. Able to properly integrate quotations into their own sentences when applicable. (weaving quotes)
Delegates roles throughout and share in the contribution of the final product
Analyze and evaluate authors’ intentions and use of literary elements
Effectively use a process that leads to a product or solution
Be flexible and creative, devising alternatives and showing perseverance
Showcase a reflection of their learning; through self awareness and character development (personal growth as well as through work samples)
Viewing issues from the school, local, national, global, and/or digital community level.
Use analysis and specific details to show significance rather than tell supporting subject matter
Engage in self regulation while managing conflict if it shall arise
Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text
Use visuals to showcase understanding and depth of knowledge
Be able to stay on task and utilize resources (meta-cognition) in order to successfully complete goal
Consistently taking ownership of their learning through time management, meeting deadlines, and by being self starter.
Make clear transitions between ideas and paragraphs
Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.
Learn to give and receive constructive criticism
Begin to develop a unique voice
Showcases understanding through utilizing annotations to analyze a seminal part of work, to make connections, or as support
Diagnose learning needs realistically with help from facilitators and peers.
Come to discussions prepared, having read and researched material; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence from texts and other research on the topic or issue to stimulate a thoughtful, well-reasoned exchange of ideas.
The ability to select effective strategies for making use of learning resources and to perform these strategies skillfully and with initiative
Propel conversations by posing and responding to questions that relate the current discussion to broader themes or larger ideas; actively incorporate others into the discussion; and clarify, verify, or challenge ideas and conclusions.
Respond thoughtfully to diverse perspectives, summarize points of agreement and disagreement, and, when warranted, qualify or justify their own views and understanding and make new connections in light of the evidence and reasoning presented

Enduring Understandings:

Enduring understandings are statements summarizing important ideas and core processes that are central to a discipline and have lasting value beyond the classroom. They synthesize what students should understand—not just know or do—as a result of studying a particular content area. Articulate what students should “revisit” over the course of their lifetimes in relationship to the content area.

Effective communication relies on the usage of proper forms
Writers have a purpose for writing
Listening skills are critical for learning and communicating
Ideas can be represented in a variety of mediums and may vary
Reading novels by different authors and cultures, builds an understanding of the human experience.
Reading is a process that includes applying a variety of strategies to improve comprehension, interpretation and evaluation of texts.
Engaging in research /inquiry to investigate topics and to analyze, integrate, and present information and validate sources gives depth of knowledge
Demonstrate the ability to use the tools of technology to gather, interpret, and analyze information and create sharable products
6 Traits - with a focus on: Voice and Diction

Corrine Murphy

English Teacher

Adult Education Teacher

Student Activities Advisor

Special Needs Advocate

LiteraryLancer@gmail.com

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