Garfield High School, L.A.U.S.D. Interim draft, August 12, 2002CA Standards alignmnent pending

CURRICULUM FOR REGULAR ENGLISH COURSES

GRADE 10

Course Content

  1. Literature of a wide variety of styles and genres selected from, and in conjunction with, but not limited to, the course textbook and the following texts:

BradburyFahrenheit 451

GoldingLord of the Flies

HansberryA Raisin in the Sun

LeeTo Kill a Mockingbird

RoseTwelve Angry Men

ShakespeareJulius Caesar, Macbeth and/or A Midsummer Night’s Dream

WieselNight

A selection of short stories and poetry including Shakespearean sonnets

(See attached, grade-specific inventory of literature.)

  1. Concept, skill & vocabulary development
  2. Review of literary terms & concepts from grade 9 curriculum
  3. Critical thinking skills
  4. Practice in a variety of writing modes emphasizing personal experience and creative writing
  5. Media Unit for development of speaking and listening skills
  6. Introduction to and selected use of MLA-based writing format

Methodology

  1. Close reading of prose and poetry (explication, reading logs, etc.).
  2. Note-taking and outlining.
  3. Further development of composition skills based on the five-paragraph essay and process modeled in Payne’s The Lively Art of Writing.
  4. Performance activities (group work, multi-media projects, oral presentations, student-led discussions and reciprocal learning).
  5. Continued weekly formal writing assignments and reading comprehension tests (multiple-choice as well as short-answer).
  6. Independent reading of two novels of literary merit: 600 pages per semester, including use of the Star/Accelerated Reader program.
  7. Language Arts Portfolio construction. Additions to the portfolio in regular grade 10 courses will include at least three essays, an example of creative writing and a research paper, all of which will be used to document student progress, and will represent the student’s best work. The Language Arts Portfolio must contain further examples of narrative/descriptive, reflective, persuasive or expository essays demonstrating further mastery in these areas. The portfolio will contain an original piece of creative writing (a poem/sonnet or short story) and a detailed research paper word-processed in MLA-based writing format. The portfolio will be maintained by the individual student or by the teacher at the teacher’s discretion. The student will be expected to bring his/her Language Arts Portfolio to the next grade level for assessment by his/her new teacher.

Assessment

  1. Formal writing assignments, teacher-constructed tests, classroom performance and portfolio review.
  2. An Honors student must complete a substantial portion (i.e. 60%) of the above content and methodology at a minimal level of competence in order to pass the course. (Some kind of points-based grading system is recommended.)