English I
Recommended Prerequisite: None
Grades Offered: 9-12
Credit: ½-1
SDE Course Code: 3001
MNPS Course Code: ENG1102
Course Description
This course encompasses a correlated study of reading, language development, literature, composition, listening, and speaking based upon the adopted District Academic Standards for Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking. In addition, this course will prepare students to demonstrate success on the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) English I End of Course Assessment. Students should be prepared to engage in process writing, as well as “on-demand first draft” writing experiences in class. A minimum of three writing assignments should be included each six weeks, and assessment/feedback should be provided using an analytical, holistic, or primary trait process. The course will emphasize the communication and critical thinking skills that empower students to function effectively in a rapidly changing world.
Course of Study
The student will develop the reading skills necessary for word recognition, comprehension, interpretation, analysis, evaluation, and appreciation of the written text.
The student will also develop the structural and creative skills necessary to produce
written language that can be read and interpreted by various audiences. Students will
learn to take detailed notes from lectures, discussions, and readings to write well-
organized, coherent essays. Additionally, the student will use, read, and view
media/technology and analyze content and concepts accurately and will express ideas
clearly and effectively in a variety of oral contexts and apply active listening skills in the
analysis and evaluation of spoken ideas. The student will continue to learn and effectively
use academic vocabulary. While this sample outline is arranged by genre and theme,
other formats may be considered. Sample units may require more or less, than six-weeks
of instruction.
Resources
MNPS Language Arts Website http://www.mnps.org/PageFactory.aspx?PageID=2287
Standards
MNPS Reading Standards http://www.mnps.org/PageFactory.aspx?PageID=3342
MNPS Writing Standards http://www.mnps.org/PageFactory.aspx?PageID=3247
MNPS Listening and Speaking Standards http://www.mnps.org/PageFactory.aspx?PageID=3352
MNPS Academic Vocabulary - http://www.mnps.org/AssetFactory.aspx?did=9874
Required State or District Assessments
TCAP English I End of Course Assessment – See Performance Indicators
http://www.state.tn.us/education/ci/standards/la/english1.shtml
For Sample Assessment Items access
http://www.k-12.state.tn.us/pdf/testingservices/tslasamf02tng.pdf
District Writing Assessment – Persuasive Writing with a Counter Argument
Textbooks
Beers, Kylene, et al. Elements of Literature: Third Course. Austin: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc., 2007. (Basal adopted 2006). http://hrw.com/
Carroll, Joyce Armstrong, et. al. Prentice Hall Writing and Grammar: Communication in Action - Gold Level. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2004. (Basal Adopted 2004)
Kinsella, Kate et. al. Prentice Hall Literature: Timeless Voices, Timeless
Themes - Gold Level. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2005.
(Complementary resource to the language arts basal)
Essential Literature Information
http://www.mnps.org/AssetFactory.aspx?did=5997
Essential Literature Student Copies (Via Library Media Center)
· A Gathering of Old Men – Ernest Gaines
· The Odyssey – Homer
· Romeo and Juliet- Shakespeare (Basal Textbook)
· To Kill a Mockingbird- Harper Lee (Honors)
· For school’s choice selection titles see English Department Chairperson or Media Specialist
Essential Literature Adapted Texts (Via Library Media Center)
· The Odyssey - Homer
· Romeo and Juliet - Shakespeare
· The Miracle Worker - Gibson
Recommended and/or Required Resources:
MNPS Graduate and 12 – K Academic Standards http://www.mnps.org/Page3241.aspx
MNPS Academic Vocabulary - http://www.mnps.org/AssetFactory.aspx?did=9874
Curriculum Alignment Guide for Reading and Writing – Grade 9 (Contact Language Arts Office)
Classroom set of Dictionaries (25 per set)
Classroom set of Thesauruses (25 per set)
Sources of Strength/Short Fiction
A Sample Unit
The following unit provides samples of texts that exemplify various types of connections (e.g., literary, thematic, skill-based etc.) The intent is to provide a springboard of ideas for teachers; it is not meant to dictate specific text choices or course structures.
-Sample Texts might include but are not limited to…
o A Gathering of Old Men-Ernest Gaines (Essential Literature)
o “The Scarlet Ibis” – James Hurst (Elements of Literature)
o “Those Winter Sundays” - Robert Hayden (Elements of Literature)
o “Women” – Alice Walker (Elements of Literature)
o A Gathering of Old Men – film clips
Please note that all numbers/letters in parentheses (e.g., 2.2.G) refer to TCAP
English I Performance Indicators
In the domain of reading, the student will… (Refer to MNPS Reading Standards)
o discern reading strategies appropriate to text.
o extend reading vocabulary.
o use comprehension strategies to enhance understanding, to make predictions, and to respond to literature.
o identify how the author reveals character (physical characteristics, dialogue, what other characters say about them, characters own actions). (2.2.G)
o draw inferences from selected passages. (2.2.A)
o discover the common theme in a series of passages.
o interpret an author’s point-of-view (1st person or 3rd person limited/omniscient). (2.2.E)
o understand and analyze the text in terms of the historical/social/cultural/ethnic context and author’s background.
o demonstrate an understanding of short story elements (plot, theme, irony, point of view, character and setting).
o differentiate among verbal, situational, and dramatic, irony. (2.2.D)
In the domain of listening and speaking, the student will… (Refer to MNPS Listening and Speaking Standards)
o demonstrate effective interpersonal skills in group discussions.
o orally respond and connect literature to real life characters.
In the domain of writing, the student will… (Refer to MNPS Writing Standards)
o write frequently for a variety of purposes including narration, description, persuasion, exposition, and personal, creative expression.
o identify and write for a variety of audiences.
o use literature as a model for student writing.
o use dialectical journals.
o revise sentences to strengthen an argument. (1.2.E)
o write vivid words to strengthen a description (verb, adjective or adverb). (1.2.G)
o place quotation marks correctly in relation to end marks. (1.2.L)
Sample Writing Assignments for Assessment (Refer to MNPS Writing Standards)
Please note that a minimum of three writing assignments should be assessed each six weeks.
· Personal narrative or journal entry about a time in the student’s life when he/she took a position on an issue
· Character Analysis
· Transform a scene from A Gathering of Old Men into another genre
· Description of a place where the student feels comfortable
Triumph of the Human Spirit/Nonfiction
A Sample Unit
The following unit provides samples of texts that exemplify various types of connections (e.g., literary, thematic, skill-based etc.) The intent is to provide a springboard of ideas for teachers; it is not meant to dictate specific text choices or course structures.
- Sample Texts might include but are not limited to…
o Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story- Ben Carson (Essential Literature- Choice List)
o “Ex-refugee is Nominated for Justice Post – Dena Bunis and Anh Do (Elements
of Literature)
o “Liberty” -Julia Alvarez (Elements of Literature)
o “Internment”- Juliet S. Kono (Elements of Literature)
o “The Courage That My Mother Had” - Edna St. Vincent Millay (Elements of Literature)
o Film clip from a scene of a surgery (e.g., E.R., Patch Adams, etc.)
In the domain of reading, the student will… (Refer to MNPS Reading Standards)
o discern reading strategies appropriate to text.
o extend reading vocabulary.
o use comprehension strategies to enhance understanding, to make predictions, and to respond to literature.
o pinpoint cause and effect relationship using a graphic organizer. (2.2.C)
o identify how the author reveals character. (2.2.G)
o recognize bias and stereotype.
o distinguish fact from opinion in a passage. (2.1.B)
In the domain of listening and speaking, the student will… (Refer to MNPS Listening and Speaking Standards)
o demonstrate orally an understanding of autobiographical material.
o demonstrate effective interpersonal skills in group discussions.
o orally respond and connect literature to student experiences.
o organize a series of note cards in the most effective order for an oral presentation. (4.1.A)
In the domain of writing, the student will… (Refer to MNPS Writing Standards)
o write frequently for a variety of purposes including narration, description, persuasion, exposition, and personal, creative expression.
o identify and write for a variety of audiences.
o use literature as a model for student writing.
o use dialectical journals.
o revise sentences to strengthen an argument. (1.2.E)
o use vivid words to strengthen a description (verb, adjective or adverb). (1.2.G)
o recognize correct use of quotation marks in direct and indirect quotations. (1.2.M)
o distinguish fact from opinion from a passage or writing sample. (2.1.B)
Sample Writing Assignments for Assessment (Refer to MNPS Writing Standards)
Please note that a minimum of three writing assignments should be assessed each six weeks.
· Letter to a person who has had a positive impact on his/her life
· Comparison and/or contrast of one’s self with a character from the texts studied
· Persuasive essay in response to a reading selection or prompt including a counter argument
The Power of Love/Multiple Genres
A Sample Unit
The following unit provides samples of texts that exemplify various types of connections (e.g., literary, thematic, skill-based etc.) The intent is to provide a springboard of ideas for teachers; it is not meant to dictate specific text choices or course structures.
- Sample Texts might include but are not limited to…
o Romeo and Juliet-William Shakespeare (Essential Literature), (Elements of
Literature)
o Romeo and Juliet - film clips
o “The World is Not a Pleasant Place to Be” – Nikki Giovanni (Elements of Literature)
o “Your Laughter” – Pablo Neruda (Elements of Literature)
o “How Do I Love Thee?” Elizabeth Barrett Browning (Elements of Literature)
o “The Sniper” – Liam O’Flaherty (Elements of Literature)
In the domain of reading, the student will… (Refer to MNPS Reading Standards)
o discern reading strategies appropriate to text.
o extend reading vocabulary.
o use comprehension strategies to enhance understanding, to make predictions, and to respond to literature.
o pinpoint cause and effect relationship using a graphic organizer. (2.2.C)
o identify how the author reveals character. (2.2.G)
o recognize bias and stereotype.
o identify the conflict in a nonfiction selection.
o select the correct paraphrase of a given passage. (2.2.H)
In the domain of listening and speaking, the student will… (Refer to MNPS Listening and Speaking Standards)
o demonstrate effective interpersonal skills in group discussions.
o orally respond and connect literature to student experiences.
o determine the most effective methods of engaging an audience during an oral presentation. (4.3.A)
o determine appropriate preparation for an oral presentation to a specified audience or a special interest group. (4.2.A)
In the domain of writing, the student will… (Refer to MNPS Writing Standards)
o write frequently for a variety of purposes including narration, description, persuasion, exposition, and personal, creative expression.
o identify and write for a variety of audiences.
o use literature as a model for student writing.
o use dialectical journals.
o revise sentences to strengthen an argument. (1.2.E)
o use vivid words to strengthen a description (verb, adjective or adverb). (1.2.G)
o recognize a shift in any of the following: verb tense, point of view, tone, or pronoun usage within a writing sample.
o evaluate the relevance of supporting sentences by deleting an irrelevant sentence in a passage. (1.2.D)
o revise for correct subject/verb agreement with confusing intervening elements. (1.2.A)
o identify the topic sentence in an original paragraph. (1.1.F)
o create the most appropriate title for a passage. (1.1.D)
Sample Writing Assignments for Assessment (See MNPS standards)
Please note that a minimum of three writing assignments should be assessed each six weeks.
· Annotated family tree using the characters from Romeo and Juliet
· Comparison and/or contrast of the characters from Romeo and Juliet with characters from a different text studied
· Rewrite of a scene from the play using a different time and place
· Rewrite of the ending to Romeo and Juliet
Journey and Adventure/Poetry and Prose
A Sample Unit
The following unit provides samples of texts that exemplify various types of connections (e.g., literary, thematic, skill-based etc.) The intent is to provide a springboard of ideas for teachers; it is not meant to dictate specific text choices or course structures.
- Sample Texts might include but are not limited to…
o The Odyssey - Homer (Essential Literature - Basal)
o The Odyssey- film clips
o “The Most Dangerous Game”- Richard Connell (Elements of Literature)
o “Heroes with Solid Feet” – Kirk Douglas (Elements of Literature)
o “An Ancient Gesture” – Edna St. Vincent Millay (Elements of Literature)
o Nonfiction texts to provide context for Homer and Greek Mythology
In the domain of reading, the student will… (Refer to MNPS Reading Standards)
o discern reading strategies appropriate to text.
o extend reading vocabulary.
o use comprehension strategies to enhance understanding, to make predictions, and to respond to literature.
o pinpoint cause and effect relationship using a graphic organizer. (2.2.C)
o identify an author’s point of view. (2.2.E)
o recognize bias and stereotype.
o Discern an implied main idea from a passage. (2.2.F)
o identify and analyze types of poetry: narrative, lyric, and dramatic.
o draw inferences from a selected passage. (2.2.A)
o identify and use poetic terms in responses: alliteration, onomatopoeia, personification, rhyme scheme, simile, and metaphor. (2.1.A)
In the domain of listening and speaking, the student will… (Refer to MNPS Listening and Speaking Standards)
o demonstrate orally an understanding of poetic elements and figurative language.
o demonstrate effective interpersonal skills in group discussions.
o orally respond and connect literature to student experiences.
o organize note cards in the most effective order for an oral presentation. (4.1.A)
o determine appropriate preparation for an oral presentation to a specified audience or a special interest group. (4.2.A)
In the domain of writing, the student will… (Refer to MNPS Writing Standards)
o write frequently for a variety of purpose including narration, description, persuasion, exposition, and personal, creative expression.
o revise to correct run-on sentences by using a comma and coordinating conjunction, subordinate conjunction, or semicolon to strengthen an argument. (1.2.B)
o identify the topic sentence in a self-written paragraph. (1.1.F)
o use editing skills to correct comparative and superlative forms of adjectives or adverbs. (1.1.A)
o use dialectical journals
o correct a sentence fragment by using sentence combining techniques. (1.1.H)
o use correct subject-verb agreement when encountering confusing intervening elements. (1.2.A)
o evaluate the relevance of supporting sentences by deleting irrelevant sentence in a passage. (1.2.D)
Sample Writing Assignments for Assessment (Refer to MNPS Writing Standards)
Please note that a minimum of three writing assignments should be assessed each six weeks.
· An odyssey with a new character with a voyaging hero/heroine
· Journal entry telling four ways in which The Odyssey speaks to the student
· Character analysis of one of the many characters in The Odyssey
· Interview in which Odysseus must defend himself against the accusations of the interviewer
Search for Justice/Multiple Genres
A Sample Unit
The following unit provides samples of texts that exemplify various types of connections (e.g., literary, thematic, skill-based etc.) The intent is to provide a springboard of ideas for teachers; it is not meant to dictate specific text choices or course structures.
· Social Commentary/The Novel
-Sample Texts might include but are not limited to…
o Animal Farm- George Orwell (Essential Literature-Choice),
o “Ballad of Birmingham”- Dudley Randall (Elements of Literature)
o “The History Behind the Ballad” – Taylor Branch (Elements of Literature)
o Animal Farm – film clips
o Print and non-print sources related to European History from 1917-1939
In the domain of reading, the student will… (Refer to MNPS Reading Standards and English I End of Course Reading Indicators)
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