Honors English 9 Scope & Sequence

Basha High School 2011-2012

1st Quarter:

Reading Focus:The Novel –To Kill a Mockingbird and Secret Life of Bees

Students will analyze the elements of setting, character, plot structure, point-of-view, and theme in Harper Lee’s classic novel.

Short Story

Students will understand the elements of a variety of short stories and compare and contrast the themes of stories with novels and plays.

Outside Reading—Students will read a fictional novel and create a literary terms dictionary.

Writing Focus: The Narrative Essay

The student will create a fictional narrative that develops setting, characters, plot, and point-of-view. Descriptive details will be stressed.

Writing Focus:Paragraph Writing and the Six Traits of Writing

Students will review paragraph structure by writing a variety of paragraphs that are fully developed. Topic sentences, supporting and concluding sentences, transitions, and integration of concrete details and commentary will be reviewed. These paragraphs will be assessed using the AIMS six trait writing rubric.

2nd Quarter

Reading Focus:Epic – The Odyssey

Students will understand the elements of the epic and the hero’s journey. Structure, point-of-view, figurative language, protagonist/antagonist, themes, and archetypes will be the main focus.

A Shakespearean Play – Romeo and Juliet

Students relate to this play very well because of the similarity in age between them and the main characters. Themes such as choice are easily related to their lives. Plot, characters, setting, literary and poetic elements will also be examined. Students have an opportunity to practice with elements of drama by acting selected scenes from the play.

Outside Reading—Students will complete a project based on the SOAPSTone analysis strategy.

Writing Focus:Functional Text and Timed Writing

The students will both analyze and create functional text based on adventure/survival scenarios. They will also complete an in-class timed writing.

3rd Quarter

Reading Focus:Connecting Themes – Life of Pi and Night

Life of Pi, by Yann Martel, deals with the theme of dehumanization through the story of a young boy from India. Night, by acclaimed author Elie Wiesel, is the account of the author’s experience during the Holocaust and also centers around the theme of dehumanization.

Outside reading – Students will analyze poetry related to Life of Pi and Night.

Writing Focus:The Research Proposal

The students will write a research proposal incorporating information from a variety of reliable sources. Students will learn the research process and will write a final research proposal incorporating in text citations and a works cited page.

4th Quarter

Reading Focus: The Novel – 1984 or Anthem by Ayn Rand or Pride and Prejudice- Austen

1984, George Orwell’s legendary and terrifying vision of a dystopian future, presents an omni-present and ultra-repressive government rooted in the ominous world events of Orwell's own time. Students will explore the role of propaganda and persuasion within the novel.

Outside reading—Students will select any classic novel from the AP list. They will be assessed with an Advanced Placement-style timed writing.

Writing Focus:Persuasive Text

Students will both analyze and compose persuasive text based on the themes and elements of 1984 or Anthem.

Literary Analysis

Students will write a literary analysis of 1984 or Anthem. Pride and Prejudice may be another option this year.

The following will be integrated throughout the year:

Reading projectsAIMS PreparationPoetry

Grammar and UsageStanford 10 PreparationShort Stories

Technology SkillsDaily Warm-ups6-Trait Rubric

Pre-AP Analysis Comprehension StrategiesJournal Writing

VocabularyMLAResearch skills

Note: The teacher reserves the right to rearrange or amend this scope and sequence at any time during the year.