PLANNED COURSE OF STUDY Course Title Foundations of High School English Language Arts - Academic Grade Level Ninth Grade Credits 2 Content Area / Dept. English Language Arts Length of Course One Year Author(s) Becky Edelmayer, Jennifer Freed, Eric Gershman Course Description: Foundations of ELA 9 AC is designed to take students on an exploration of both classic and contemporary texts from a variety of literary traditions and experiences. Students will engage in a study of the poetics and structure of language through a reading of core texts--Gene Luen Yang’s American Born Chinese, Maya Angelou’s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Sandra Cisnero’s The House on Mango Street, Homer’s The Odyssey, Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, and other works including poetry and short stories/works. Additionally, students will delve into the many themes that abound in the aforementioned works: the journey as a metaphor, fate vs. free will, trust, coping with change, the struggles of overcoming obstacles, and perseverance in the face of adversity and stereotypes. While actively seeking and recognizing these thematic strands within the texts, students will be encouraged to form personal and creative connections to their lives and to the world around us. ELA 9 AC is a reading and writing intensive course that challenges students throughout the year to be cognizant about their own learning and voice (speaking and writing), as well as their contribution to the group process. In the academic classroom, the teacher differentiates pace and instructional support to guide students through the challenging learning activities in the classroom environment. Teachers assist students in the development of critical thinking, literacy skills, and research skills as they examine and write about literature and nonfiction sources. Students should demonstrate motivation for growth as they gain independence and develop meaningful skills and processes essential for success in college. Course Rationale: Many of the works read in our ninth-grade curriculum are the most celebrated canonical pieces of their time. These narratives, along with select contemporary texts, engage students in conversations about the complexities of our reality. When students see their lives through the lens of these stories, they extend their critical and analytical understanding of societal issues. The chosen narratives address complex themes, such as learning to persevere, choosing a path, and going beyond stereotypes. Through these experiences, students wrestle with how authors form, perceive, and develop identity in literature. They ask the same questions of their own society and themselves. As citizens of 1 Foundations (Academic Level) Summer 2017 the world, we need to work through the language and the diverse cultures that surround us. In this way, students learn to see history, literature, and identity as interwoven experiences that shape one another. Essential Questions for the Course: ● How does traditional mythology and folklore inform/influence culture, customs, and values? How does it manifest in literature? ● How can a hero be defined? How is the archetypal hero motif woven into classic and contemporary literary landscapes? ● What insight is gained by seeing life through another’s eyes? How does one build empathy toward others? ● How does vocabulary increase one’s capacity to navigate and understand literature and, consequently, society? ● How does vocabulary support an individual’s capacity for creativity and invention? ● How does an individual develop a sense of independence in reading? ● How can I communicate effectively in speaking and writing to achieve academic and personal goals? 2 Foundations (Academic Level) Summer 2017 Curriculum Map Month Weeks Topics Covered this Month September 4 weeks Summer Reading> American Born Chinese (Perseverance Through Obstacles) October 4 weeks American Born Chinese (Complete)> Foundations of Poetry (Literary Devices)> Literature Circles November 3 weeks Foundations of Poetry Unit (Complete)> The Odyssey December 3 weeks The Odyssey January 4 weeks The Odyssey February 4 weeks I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings> Short Story Unit> Independent Novel Reading March 4 weeks Short Story Unit> Independent Novel Reading April 4 weeks Romeo and Juliet May 4 weeks Romeo and Juliet June 2 weeks Character Analysis: Romeo and Juliet 3 Foundations (Academic Level) Summer 2017 Unit Title Perseverance through Obstacles Essential Questions & Do you let your world control you, or do you control your world? Enduring Understandings How can we understand the ongoing battle against the exploitation of the weak by the strong? What is an individual’s responsibility to his or her society? How do stereotypes affect how we view others both physically and intellectually? What is freedom, and how do we define it in a variety of contexts? What is the impetus for change? How do differing perspectives impact change? How can poetry be defined? Why is imagery as a poetic/literary device important to the understanding/appreciation of poetry? How can one define “free verse” as a poetic form? How can one utilize life experiences as a foundation for creative and expressive writing? What do personal artifacts indicate about our values, attitudes, and beliefs? How does responding to what you read impact your understanding of a piece of literature? How does knowledge about an author’s personal experiences impact the reading interpretation of their work? What does learning about ourselves teach us about others? ANCHOR TEXT UNIT FOCUS American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang 4 Foundations (Academic Level) Summer 2017 To open the year, we will be studying a variety of texts that speak to the idea of RELATED TEXTS perseverance through obstacles. Throughout this unit, students come to understand how we Informational Texts ● “Self-Reliance” by Ralph Waldo define control: control over our world and control over one another. Students will begin to Emerson question an individual’s responsibility to his or her society. They analyze how we can Poetic Texts identify examples of social/cultural abuses in our world. Students will converse with a ● “I, Too” by Langston Hughes ● “The Cleaving” by Li-Young Lee myriad of philosophical questions, ranging from “what is freedom?” to “what ways ● “Different” by Vincent Tabatha perception can define and affect reality?” Students are encouraged to see themselves as ● “Introduction to Poetry” by Billy “agents of change” as they investigate themes, such as stereotypes/racism, social justice, and Collins activism. ● “The Summer I Was Sixteen” by Students explore the power of written language to educate and influence others. They read Geraldine Connolly various argumentative essays and engage in virtual collaboration to develop their own ● “From the 104th Floor” by Leda Rotis arguments. They also research a self-generated question related to issues of racism, ● “The Willow and the Ginkgo” by Eve Merriam creativity, and the evolution of social inclusivity in America. Students will come to understand the importance of reading, writing, books, and stories. Context Texts ● The Absolutely True Diary of a Part- The unit also includes: Time Indian by Sherman Alexie ● The Running Dream by Wendelin Van LEVELED RESOURCES Draanen ● Night by Elie Wiesel ● House of the Scorpion by Nancy Support Resources: Accelerated Resources (Not Honors Only): Farmer ● The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver Political cartoons: Argumentative essays ● SLAM! by Walter Dean Myers ● White Man’s Dinner ● Chinese Cinderella by Adeline Yen “The Rainbow Passage” - studying dialect ● The Anti-Chinese Wall (stereotyping) Mah ● Chinese Hugging Whiskey NY Times articles (“Asian-Americans and ● “The Chinese Invasion” 5 Foundations (Academic Level) Summer 2017 Argumentative essays Stereotypes,” “The Asian Advantage,” “Mother Tongue” - Amy Tan “Success Story - Japanese-American Style,” NY Times articles (“Asian-Americans and “Asian American Students and School Stereotypes,” “The Asian Advantage,” Stereotypes”) “Success Story - Japanese-American What is a Graphic Novel? PowerPoint Style,” “Asian American Students and School Stereotypes”) Common Core Standards PA Core Standards Reading (CC.9-10) Reading R.L.1, R.L.2, R.L.3, R.L.4, R.L.5, R.L.6, R.L.7, R.L.9, R.L.10, 1.2.9.A, 1.2.9.D, 1.3.9.C, 1.1.9.C, 1.3.9.B, 1.1.9.A, 1.1.9.D R.I.2, R.I.3, R.I.4, R.I.5, R.I.6, R.I.7, R.I.10 Writing Writing (CC.9-10) 1.8.9.A, 1.8.9.C, 1.5.9.A, 1.5.9.B, 1.5.9.C, 1.5.9.D, 1.4.9.B, 1.4.10.B, W.1: W.1.a, W.1.b, W.1.c, W.1.d, W.1.e 1.5.9.B, 1.5.9.C, 1.5.10.B, 1.4.C.B, 1.5.C.B, 1.5.C.C, 1.5.9.F, 1.7.9.A, W.2: W.2.a, W.2.b, W.2.c, W.2.d, W.2.e, W.2.f 1.7.10.A, 1.5.C.D, 1.5.C.E, 1.5.C.F, 1.9.9.A, 1.9.C.A, 1.8.10.A, W.3: W.3.a, W.3.b, W.3.c, W.3.d, W.3.e 1.8.10.B, 1.8.10.C, 1.8.C.A, 1.8.C.B, 1.8.C.C W.4 W.5 Speaking & Listening W.6 1.6.9.A, 1.6.9.B, 1.6.10.A, 1.6.10.B, 1.9.9.A, 1.9.9.B, 1.9.10.A, W.7 1.9.10.B, 1.8.9.B., 1.1.9.B., 1.1.9.C, 1.3.9.D W.8 W.9: W.9.a, W.9.b W.10 Speaking & Listening (CC.9-10) SL.1: SL.1.a, SL.1.c, SL.1.d SL.2 6 Foundations (Academic Level) Summer 2017 SL.3 SL.4 SL.5 SL.6 Language (CC.9-10) L.1: L.1.a, L.1.b L.2: L.2.a, L.2.b L.3: L.3.a L.4: L.4.a, L.4.b, L.4.c, L.4.d L.5: L.5.b L.6 Key Unit Vocabulary Academic Literary Text-Dependent Writing ● Theme ● Coeur D’Alene ● Evaluate ● Inference ● The Monkey King ● Analyze ● Free Verse ● Chinese American ● Revision ● Rhyme Scheme Exclusion/Inclusion (NYHS) ● Editing ● Imagery ● Mandarin vs.