Course Overview
English 11 focuses on the study of American literature from the 17th to 20th centuries. After completing the course, students will be able to read American literature and understand its nuances, contexts and implications on our understanding of American history; improve their overall reading, writing, listening and speaking skills; improve their knowledge of literary elements; and achieve at least 75 on the Common Core exam.
Required Text
Glencoe Literature (American Literature) and selected fiction and nonfiction. (The instructor will provides these texts.)
Required Supplies
- Notebook
- Folder/binder
- Writing utensil
- Course handouts
Course Format and Procedures
This course will feature close reading of American texts that have made a major contribution to the Western world. Class will consist of lectures and discussion, small group work and independent work.
Grading Procedures
In keeping with BP Board of Education policies:
- Grades reported on progress reports and report cards shall be derived from work that measures mastery of knowledge, skills and student learning objectives.
- When calculating student grades, more weight shall be given to assignments/assessments designed to evaluate student learning than assignments/assessments provided to practice and guide next-step instruction.
- Each assignment will be worth a minimum of 20 points. Each test, essay or project will be worth a minimum of 100 points.
Student and Parent Resources
Students: After-school help is available every day.
Parents: Parents may email the instructor. In addition, parents may search the following online resources for assistance: www.nysedregents.org and www.engageny.org.
Course Outline (tentative)
Unit 1: Colonialism
- Background on Puritans
- Short fiction
- “The Crucible” by Arthur Miller
Unit 2: American Revolution Through The Civil War (Romanticism)
- Declaration of Independence
- “Give Me Liberty”
- Benjamin Franklin
- Walt Whitman
- Ralph Waldo Emerson/Henry Thoreau
Unit 3: Civil War Through World War I (Realism)
- Mark Twain
- Emily Dickinson
- T.S. Eliot
Unit 4: Between the Wars (Modernism)
- Ernest Hemingway
- William Faulkner
- “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee
Unit 5: World War II Through the Present (Post-Modernism)
- “Slaughterhouse Five” by Kurt Vonnegut