Sampson County Schools

English I 2012-2013
Curriculum Pacing Guide
UNIT ONE: LITERARY ELEMENTS AND SHORT STORIES (3 WEEKS)
This unit enables students to develop a common understanding of important literary elements, as well as a shared vocabulary for
discussing them.

o Essential Questions – How do we tell stories? How do artists create visual narratives in photography and painting?

COMMON CORE STATE RECOMMENDED

STUDENT OBJECTIVES KEY TOPICS AND ACTIVITIES
STANDARD ADDRESSED RESOURCES
 RL.9-10.1: Cite strong and  Identify and explain plot UNIT VOCABULARY
o (E) indicates a CCSS exemplar text;
thorough textual evidence to structure (i.e., exposition, rising  character/ization
(EA) indicates a text from a writer
support analysis of what the text action, crisis/climax, falling  figurative language
says explicitly as well as with other works identified as
action, resolution) in stories read.
 irony (e.g., dramatic, situational,
exemplars.
inferences drawn from the text.  Understand and explain why plots verbal)
 RL.9-10.5: Analyze how an in short stories usually focus on a
 narrator
author’s choices concerning how single event. SHORT STORIES
 parable
to structure a text, order events  Analyze how authors create the  Drinking Coffee Elsewhere:
within it (e.g., parallel plots), and  plot (i.e., exposition, rising
setting in a short story. Stories (ZZ Packer)
manipulate time (e.g., pacing, action, crisis/climax, falling
 Define the concept of theme and action, resolution/denoument)  “Everyday Use” (Alice Walker)
flashbacks) create such effects as
identify the theme(s) in stories (EA)
mystery, tension, or surprise.  point of view
read.
 sensory iImagery  “How Much Land Does a Man
 W.9-10.2: Write
 Identify and explain Need?” (Leo Tolstoy)
informative/explanatory texts to  setting
characterization techniques in
examine and convey complex  Points of View: An Anthology of
short stories.  style
ideas, concepts, and information Short Stories (James Moffett and
 Identify and explain the use of  symbol/ism
clearly and accurately through Kenneth L. McElheny, eds.)
figurative language in short  theme
the effective selection, (1968 edition)
stories.  time
organization, and analysis of  “The Black Cat” (Edgar Allan Poe)
content.  Analyze how authors create tone  tone (EA)
in short stories.
 SL.9-10.1: Initiate and  “The Cask of Amontillado” (Edgar
 Identify the point of view in a LESSON PLAN RESOURCES
participate effectively in a range Allan Poe) (EA)
of collaborative discussions (one- short story and analyze how point
How to Write a Critical Analysis
of view affects the reader’s  “The Gift of the Magi” (O. Henry)
on-one, in groups, and teacher-
interpretation of the story. "The Gift of the Magi" (E)
led) with diverse partners on

1
 grades 9–10 topics, texts, and  Write a coherent essay of literary "The Gift of the Magi" (Audio):  “The Kitchen Boy” (Alaa Al
issues, building on others’ ideas analysis with a clear thesis "The Gift of the Magi" (Author Aswany)
and expressing their own clearly statement, at least three pieces Info.):
 “The Minister's Black Veil”
and persuasively. of evidence from texts, and a
"The Gift of the Magi" (Study Guide (Nathaniel Hawthorne) (EA)
 L.9-10.5: Demonstrate strong introduction and and Discussion Questions):
 “The Most Dangerous Game”
understanding of figurative conclusion.
“The Most Dangerous Game” (Richard Connell)
language, word relationships, and (PowerThinking Questions):
nuances in word meanings.
 “The Overcoat” (Nikolai Gogol)
“The Most Dangerous Game”
(EA)
Activities
American Short Stories Resource
 “The Scarlet Ibis” (James Hurst)

“The Scarlet Ibis” Literature Activity  “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty”
(James Thurber) (EA)
Packet
“The Scarlet Ibis” Analysis, Context,  “The Tell-Tale Heart” (Edgar Allan

and Criticism Poe) (EA)

“The Scarlet Ibis” Reading

Comprehension Packet Art
“The Cask of Amontillado” (Audio)  Michelangelo, The Creation of
“The Cask of Amontillado” Lesson Adam, Sistine Chapel (1482)
Plan  Sultan Muhammad, From a
“The Cask of Amontillado” Powerpoint Khamsa of Nizami (1539-43)
 Jacob Lawrence, On The Way
(1990)
 Emanuel Leutze, Washington
Crossing The Delaware (1851)
SOCRATIC SEMINAR TOPICS
 Pablo Picasso, Young Acrobat on
“Is Montresor [from Poe's “The Cask a Ball (1905)
of the Amontillado”) a reliable
narrator?”  Tina Barney, Marina’s Room
(1987)
Do you believe the author of "The
 Roy DeCarava, Untitled (1950)
Most Dangerous Game" intended
the story partly as an indictment of
Media
hunting or cruelty to animals?
 Brooklyn Bridge (documentary
Do most murderers convince film, Ken Burns, director)
themselves they aren’t mad and
that they will get away with it? (Tell  BMW short films (e.g., “Chosen,”
Tale Heart) Ang Lee, director)

2
 What does the minister’s black veil
represent?

ESSAY TOPICS

Select a short story and an artwork

and write an essay in which you
discuss the use of symbolism in
each. State thesis clearly and
include at least three pieces of
evidence to support the thesis.

Select a short story and write an

essay that analyzes how a particular
literary element plays a part in the
essence and workings of one of the
chosen stories. State thesis clearly
and include at least three pieces of
evidence to support the thesis.

LANGUAGE ACTIVITIES
o Parts of Speech Review

 Verbs: principal parts of verbs,

especially irregular past and past
participles; simple, perfect, and
progressive tenses; agreement of
subject and verb, especially with
collective nouns
 Nouns: common, proper,
concrete, abstract, countable,
collective, compound, possessive,
gerunds
Select a paragraph from the novel
and identify all the verbs. Name the
tense of each verb you find. (L.9-
10.3)

Look at a photograph, painting, or

magazine advertisement for at least

3
three minutes. On a piece of paper,
draw two intersecting lines to make
four squares (one for each category:
people, places, things, and ideas).
In each square, list the nouns by
category that you see in the image.
Note whether they are abstract or
concrete nouns. (L.9-10.3)

RESEARCH
Select one of the authors from the
short story unit and conduct an
author study. Begin by defining a
research question and refine it as
necessary. The research should
include an autobiographical or
biographical text, another story by
the same author, and/or a critical
essay that addresses a specific
aspect of the author’s style. Include
at least three references to the
author’s work and to other sources.
Cite sources carefully and
distinguish clearly between
paraphrasing and quoting. (RL.9-
10.1, RI.9-10.1, W.9-10.2, W.9-
10.7, W.9-10.8)

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 UNIT TWO: THE NOVEL (3 WEEKS). Focuses on the novel as a literary form and explores the unifying theme of “honor”. Students apply the
knowledge of literary elements explored in unit one to a new literary form, the novel, and discuss the similarities and differences between how those
elements are developed in short stories and in novels. Setting and characterization are highlighted, with particular attention paid to the question of
which characters in To Kill A Mockingbird may be called “honorable.” Paired informational texts illuminate the historical context of the Great
Depression and the Jim Crow South
 The Killer Angels (Michael Shaara) ****
 All Quiet on the Western Front (Erich Maria Remarque)
 The Color Purple (Alice Walker)
 Of Mice and Men (John Steinbeck)
 Black Boy (Richard Wright)

o Essential Questions – Is honor inherent or bestowed?

COMMON CORE STATE RECOMMENDED

STUDENT OBJECTIVES KEY TOPICS AND ACTIVITIES
STANDARD ADDRESSED RESOURCES
 RL.9-10.2: Determine a theme  Learn about the history of the UNIT VOCABULARY INFORMATIONAL TEXT
or central idea of a text and novel as a literary form.
 Antagonist Essays
analyze in detail its development  Recognize the importance of
 Characterization  “In Search of Our Mothers’
over the course of the text, historical context to the
 Characters: major and minor Gardens” (Alice Walker) (EA) (to
including how it emerges and is appreciation of setting and
accompany The Color Purple
shaped and refined by specific character.  Conflict
details; provide an objective  Identify and analyze major and  Extended metaphor Nonfiction
summary of the text. minor characters.  Motif  Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
 RL.9-10.3: Analyze how complex  Analyze and explain The Great Depression of 1929 -
 Parallel plots
characters (e.g., those with characterization techniques. 1933 (Milton Melzer)
 Protagonist
multiple or conflicting  Only Yesterday (Frederick Lewis
 Understand that novels may
motivations) develop over the  Setting
more than one plot and explain Allen) (excerpts, e.g., chapters
course of a text, interact with the use of multiple plots in To Kill
 Theme XII-XIV)
other characters, and advance Lesson Plan Resources
A Mockingbird.
Speeches
the plot or develop the theme.
 Recognize the importance of To Kill a Mockingbird (EDSITEment)
 First Inaugural Speech, March 4,
 RI.9-10.3: Analyze how the point of view in To Kill A 1933 (Franklin D. Roosevelt)
author unfolds an analysis or o http://files.harpercollins.com/OMM/t
Mockingbird and why it wouldn’t
series of ideas or events, o_kill_a_mockingbird.html Art
be the same story told from
including the order in which the someone else’s point of view.  “America from the Great
points are made, how they are o Art, Argument Writing, Oral Depression to World War II:

5
 introduced and developed, and Presentation Photographs from the FSA-OWI,
the connections that are drawn Present several photographs of 1935-1945” (Library of Congress)
between them. small southern towns during the  Selected photographs by
 W.9-10.2: Write Depression from Dorothea Lange’s Dorothea Lange, taken for the
informative/explanatory texts to or the Library of Congress’s Farm Security Administration
examine and convey complex collections and compare them to the (Library of Congress)
ideas, concepts, and information description of Maycomb in To Kill a Film
clearly and accurately through Mockingbird. Explain which
the effective selection,  Robert Mulligan, dir., To Kill A
rendering is more vivid to you and
organization, and analysis of Mockingbird (1962)
why. State your thesis clearly and
content.
include at least three pieces of
 SL.9-10.2: Integrate multiple evidence to support it. Your teacher
sources of information presented ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
may ask you to record your
in diverse media or formats (e.g.,
presentation as a podcast for
visually, quantitatively, orally),  Famous American Trials: "The
publication on the class web page.
evaluating the credibility and Scottsboro Boys" Trials (1931-
(RL.9-10.4, SL.9-10.2, SL.9-10.5)
accuracy of each source. 1937) (University of Missouri-
o Reading Literature, Informative
 L.9-10.4: Determine or clarify Kansas School of Law)
Writing
the meaning of unknown and (Note: This website contains both
multiple-meaning words and Select a quotation from one of the primary and secondary source
phrases based on grades 9–10 characters in To Kill a Mockingbird accounts of the trial.)
reading and content, choosing (or other novel, if applicable) and
 American Life Histories:
flexibly from a range of write an informative/explanatory
Manuscripts from Federal Writers
strategies. essay that explains what the
Project (The Library of Congress)
quotation reveals about the theme
 St. Louis Federal Reserve
of honor in the book. State your
Resources and References for
thesis clearly and include at least
The Great Depression
three pieces of evidence to support
it. Your teacher may give you the  The History of Jim Crow

opportunity to post your first draft (JimCrowHistory.org) (RI.9-10.2)

on a shared online document and  To Kill a Mockingbird and the

receive feedback from classmates Scottsboro Boys Trial: Profiles in
before publication. (RL.9-10.1, Courage (National Endowment for
RL.9-10.2, RL.9-10.3) the Humanities) (RI.9-10.7, RI.9-
10.8)
Film, Opinion Writing, Oral
Presentation  Harper Lee’s To Kill a
Mockingbird: Profiles in Courage
6
 Describe whether the 1962 film (National Endowment for the
version of To Kill a Mockingbird is Humanities.) (RL.9-10.2, RL.9-
faithful to the novel. Cite evidence 10.3)
for why or why not, explaining why
you think the film’s director chose to
omit or emphasize certain events.
State your thesis clearly and include
at least three pieces of evidence to
support your thesis. (RL.9-10.7,
SL.9-10.2, SL.9-10.4, SL.9-10.6)

READING
LITERATURE/INFORMATIONAL
TEXT

o In "In Search of Our Mothers’

Gardens,” Alice Walker writes,
"Guided by my heritage of a love of
beauty and a respect for strength—
in search of my mother’s garden, I
found my own.” Write an
informative/explanatory essay in
which you answer the question,
"How is The Color Purple a portrayal
of Walker's search?" (RL.9-10.1,
RL.9-10.2, RL.9-10.5, W.9-10.2)

RESEARCH

o Because All Quiet on the Western

Front offers a gruesome portrayal of
a war lost by the Germans, it
infuriated Adolph Hitler, who
ordered the book banned and
destroyed throughout Germany.
Many critics, however, consider it
the best antiwar novel ever written.
Ask each student to research one
other famous work of literature that
7
 is generally revered by critics but
that has been banned somewhere in
the world or in another part of the
country. (Make sure that they
choose different books and that the
books they have chosen are not
currently banned by your school
district.) Students should
investigate when, why, and by
whom the book was banned as well
as any attempts that were made to
defend it. They should also
investigate sources of praise of the
literature in question. What have
critics said in favor or it? When their
information is complete, have your
students each write a paragraph
describing the banning (and
reinstatement) of the book they
chose. You can then create a
banned books display in your school
library, showing copies of the
banned books along with their one-
paragraph descriptions.

Language Usage

Parts of Speech Review

 Verbs: transitive and intransitive

(action, linking), helping
 Adjectives: including correct
forms of irregular comparative
and superlative adjectives;
articles; nouns and pronouns
used as adjectives; proper and
compound adjectives
 Adverbs: of place, time, manner,

8
 frequency, manner, duration,
degree, reason; adverbs that
modify adjectives; adverbs vs.
adjectives (e.g., &Idquo;fast”);
regular and irregular comparative
and superlative adverbs
Select three paragraphs from the
novel. In one paragraph, highlight
each verb and describe what kind of
verb it is—transitive or intransitive.
(If transitive, identify the direct
object.) In the next paragraph,
highlight each adjective and identify
what type of adjective it is. In the
third paragraph, highlight each
adverb and identify what type it is.
(L.9-10.1, L.9-10.3)

SEMINAR THEMES

o Seminar: Is Atticus Finch a hero, or

was he just doing his job? This
Seminar Question may also be used
as an essay topic. Be sure to include
at least three reasons or illustrative
examples from the text to support
your thesis. Your teacher may give
you the opportunity to share your
initial thoughts on the classroom
blog in order to get feedback from
your classmates. (RL.9-10.2, SL.9-
10.1, SL.9-10.4, SL.9-10.6)

o Seminar: Is Boo Radley (from To Kill

a Mockingbird) an honorable man?
Begin by answering the question,
"What is honor?” This Seminar

9
 Question may also be used as an
essay topic. Be sure to include at
least three reasons or illustrative
examples from the text to support
your thesis. Your teacher may give
you the opportunity to share your
initial thoughts on the classroom
blog in order to get feedback from
your classmates. (RL.9-10.2, SL.9-
10.1, SL.9-10.4, SL.9-10.6)

o
ART AND INFORMATIVE
WRITING

Select a documentary photograph

from the Library of Congress’s Farm
Security Administration-Office of
War Information Collection (FSA-
OWI) website. In a well-developed
essay, explain how the image helps
illuminate your understanding of life
in the American South during the
Depression. State your thesis clearly
and include at least three pieces of
evidence to support it. (RI.9-10.7,
W.9-10.2)

10
o UNIT THREE – POETRY (3 WEEKS)

o Having studied both the short story and the novel, students now consider why poetry is different from prose. In particular, they examine the power and
expressive potential of imagery and other kinds of figurative language. They encounter poetry from a variety of cultures, noting the ways in which the
poetic form is universal. As a way of being introduced to literary criticism, students read several authors’ reflections on poetry and discuss whether they
agree or disagree with their critiques. Finally, the unit is an opportunity to introduce students to the idea of “form” in art, examining masterpieces of art
and architecture that, like poems, exhibit an excellent distillation of formal elements.

Essential Questions – How does poetry reveal what we might not otherwise recognize?

COMMON CORE STATE RECOMMENDED

STUDENT OBJECTIVES KEY TOPICS AND ACTIVITIES
STANDARD ADDRESSED RESOURCES

 RL.9-10.4: Determine the  Define and offer examples of

UNIT VOCABULARY POETRY
meaning of words and phrases as various forms of poetry.
 Alliteration  “A Lemon” (Pablo Neruda) (EA)
they are used in the text,  Identify the form, rhyme scheme,
 Analogy  "Bogland," "Digging," and/or
including figurative and and meter of poems studied.
 Assonance "The Underground" (Seamus
connotative meanings; analyze  Define and explain poetic
Heaney)
the cumulative impact of several devices, such as alliteration,  Ballad
word choices on meaning and  Blank verse  “Campo di Fiori” (Czesław Miłosz)
assonance, consonance, and
tone (e.g., how the language enjambment, and describe the  Consonance  “Dream Variations” (Langston
evokes a sense of time and ways in which they help reveal Hughes) (EA)
 Diction
place; how it sets a formal or the theme(s) of the poem.  “Elegy Written in A Country
 Dramatic poetry
informal tone). Churchyard” (Thomas Gray)
 Recognize and explain the
 Enjambment
 RI.9-10.2: Determine a central distinguishing characteristics of  Haiku selections
idea of a text and analyze its  Figurative language
various kinds of poetry, such as  “Homecoming” (Julia Alvarez)
development over the course of ballads, odes, lyric poetry, blank  Free verse
(EA)
the text, including how it verse, haiku, and sonnets.  Haiku
 “I Ask My Mother to Sing” (Li-
emerges and is shaped and  Heroic couplet
 Describe how poetry differs from Young Lee)
refined by specific details; prose and explain why authors  Imagery  “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud”
provide an objective summary of would choose one form over
 Lyric poetry (William Wordsworth)
the text. another for a particular purpose.
 Meter  “Lord Randall” (Anonymous)
 W.9-10.8: Gather relevant
 Complete a literary research
information from multiple  Narrative poetry  “Love Is” (Nikki Giovanni) (EA)
paper, citing at least three

11
 authoritative print and digital sources  Octet  “Mending Wall” (Robert Frost) (E)
sources, using advanced  Ode  “Morning Glory” (Naomi Shihab
searches effectively; assess the Nye)
 Rhyme
usefulness of each source in
 Rhyme scheme  “Ode on a Grecian Urn” (John
answering the research question;
Keats) (E)
integrate information into the  Rhythm
 Sestet  “Ozymandias” (Percy Bysshe
text selectively to maintain the
Shelley) (E)
flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism  Sonnet (petrarchan,
and following a standard format shakespearean)  “Phantom Limbs” (Anne Michaels)

for citation.  “Poetry” (Marianne Moore)

 SL.9-10.5: Make strategic use of Lesson Plans Resources  Psalm 96 (King James Bible)
digital media (e.g., textual, Dream Variations (L. Hughes)  “Saturday’s Child” (Countee
graphical, audio, visual, and Cullen) (EA)
interactive elements) in Poetry Achieve – Access to a variety  “Sonnet 73” (William
presentations to enhance of poetry and lesson plans Shakespeare) (E)
understanding of findings,
The Mending Wall (EdSitement)  “The Darkling Thrush” (Thomas
reasoning, and evidence and to
Hardy)
add interest. Reading Poetry, Argument
 “The Lady of Shalott” (Alfred,
 L.9-10.1: Demonstrate Writing, Oral Presentation
Lord Tennyson)
command of the conventions of Discuss whether you agree with
 “The Raven” (Edgar Allan Poe)
Standard English grammar and Seamus Heaney when he credits
(E)
usage when writing or speaking. poetry "because credit is due to it,
in our time and in all time, for its
 “The Reader,”“In Trackless
 L.9-10.3: Apply knowledge of
Woods” (Richard Wilbur)
language to understand how truth to life, in every sense of that
language functions in different phrase.” Say why or why not, and  “The Sound of the Sea” (Henry

contexts, to make effective give examples from poems studied Wadsworth Longfellow) (EA)

choices for meaning or style, and or other poems to illustrate your  “Walking Distance” (Debra
to comprehend more fully when position. State your thesis clearly Allbery)
reading or listening. and include at least three pieces of  “We Grow Accustomed to the
evidence to support it. Your teacher Dark” (Emily Dickinson) (E)
may ask you to record your
INFORMATIONAL TEXT
presentation as a podcast for
publication on the class web page. Nonfiction
(RL.9-10.4, RL.9-10.5, RI.9-10.6,  “Crediting Poetry,” the Nobel
SL.9-10.4, W.9-10. 1, SL.9-10.2, Prize Lecture, 1995 (Seamus
SL.9-10.6) Heaney) (excerpts)

12
 Reading Poetry, Media,  Faulkner in the University: Class
Language Usage, Informative Conferences at the University of
Writing, Poetry Writing Virginia 1957-1958 (William
Read and listen to or watch Seamus Faulkner, Frederick L. Gwynn,
Heaney read "The Underground.” ed.) (excerpts)
Identify and read more about the
ART, MEDIA, MUSIC
literary and other allusions in the  Art
poem and explain why they might
 Chartres Cathedral (1193 and
enhance appreciation of the poem.
1250)
(Extension: Discuss how the use of
enjambment adds layers of meaning  Frank Lloyd Wright, Frederick
to the poem. Try writing a poem C. Robie House (1909)
using enjambment to achieve the  Greek, Terracotta Hydria (ca.
same effect.) (RL.9-10.4, RL.9-10.9, 510 BCE)
W.9-10.2, W.9-10.7, SL.9-10.5)  Leonardo da Vinci, Mona Lisa
(1503-06)
SOCRATIC SEMINAR TOPICS  Michelangelo, David (1504)

Seminar: Which is a more effective  Sandro Botticelli, The Birth of

form of communication—literal Venus (1486)

language or figurative language?  The Parthenon (447-432 BC)
This seminar question may also be  Vincent van Gogh, Starry Night
used as an essay topic. Be sure to (1889)
include at least three reasons or  Music
examples from texts to support your
 Giacomo Puccini, “O mio
argument. Your teacher may give
babbino caro” (Gianni Schicchi,
you the opportunity to share your
1918)
initial thoughts on the classroom
 Giacomo Puccini, “Un bel di,
blog in order to get feedback from
vedremo” (Madama Butterfly,
your classmates. (SL.9-10.1, RL.9-
1904)
10.3, RL.9-10.4, RL.9-10.6, SL.9-
10.1, SL.9-10.3)

o Seminar: Are poems better when

they follow a strict rhyme or meter?
Why or why not? This seminar
question may also be used as an
13
essay topic. Be sure to include at
least three reasons or examples
from the texts to support your
argument. Your teacher may give
you the opportunity to share your
initial thoughts on the classroom
blog in order to get feedback from
your classmates. (SL.9-10.1, RL.9-
10.3, RL.9-10.4, RL.9-10.6, SL.9-
10.1, SL.9-10.3)

Research, Reading Poetry,

Reading Informational Text,
Informative Writing

Select a poet and write a research

paper in which you analyze the
development of the writer’s poetry
in his/her lifetime, using at least
three poems and citing at least
three secondary sources. Begin by
defining a research question and
refine it as necessary as you
conduct your research. Cite sources
carefully and distinguish clearly
between paraphrasing and quoting.
Your teacher may give you the
option of adding a multimedia
component to your paper, such as a
digital slide presentation, to
highlight your key points. You might
include links to YouTube and/or
online images that illustrate the
information you want to share.
(RI.9-10.1, RI.9-10.5, RI.9-10.6,
W.9-10.2, W.9-10.7, W.9-10.8,
SL.9-10.2)

14
 o Reading Poetry, Informative
Writing

Write an informative/explanatory
essay that compares and contrasts
the use of a literary device in two
different poems. Discuss at least
three aspects. Your teacher may
give you the opportunity to write
your first draft on a shared online
document and receive feedback
from classmates before publication.
(RL.9-10.4, W.9-10.2)

o Art, Reading Poetry, Informative

Writing

What similarities can we find

between great poems and
masterpieces of visual art? Choose
one of the following formal elements
of poetry: rhythm, tone, structure,
or imagery. How might these poetic
elements compare to the formal
elements of art, such as line, shape,
space, color, or texture? Choose a
painting such as The Starry Night or
The Birth of Venus and examine its
formal elements. How does the
artist utilize each element in the
artwork? Now think of one of the
poems that you’ve read. Select a
formal element in each work and
write an essay discussing how the
author and the painter develop
those elements, comparing the two
when appropriate. Cite at least
three pieces of evidence for each

15
 work. (RL.9-10.7, W.9-10.2)

Reading Poetry, Narrative

Writing, Language Usage

(The creative writing assignment

below follows the reading and close
study of "Mending Wall,” by Robert
Frost.) In "Mending Wall,” Frost
uses an extended metaphor (the
wall) to convey an idea. Consider an
idea that you want to express and
then think of a metaphor that will
enable you to convey your idea in a
poem.

 Once you select the metaphor,

create a web that depicts the
metaphor (e.g., a volcano would
likely generate words like: noisy,
ash, red, burn, majestic)

 Begin to string words (e.g., "the

burning ash of morning/creeps
into my aching heart …”)

 Using the generated phrases,

compose a poem (RL.9-10.4,
W.9-10.3)
o Reading Poetry, Informative
Writing

Select a poem (from the list of

Exemplar Texts) and perform the
following tasks:

 Annotate the poem for the poet’s

use of poetic devices
 Using your annotations, explicate
the poem

16
In a single paragraph (at least one
hundred words long), discuss the
poem’s theme and the way in which
the poet’s use of these devices
illuminates the theme. (RL.9-10.4,
W.9-10.2)

17
o UNIT FOUR: DRAMA/FATE (3 WEEKS)

o Students read Antigone or Oedipus the King, learning about the classic form of the Greek tragedy. Students examine Aristotle’s Poetics and his definitions
of comedy and tragedy to deepen their understanding of tragedy. They read Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet and compare and contrast the ways in
which the plays treat the related theme of fate versus free will. Building on the poetry unit, students also will consider Shakespeare’s use of rhythm,
punctuation, and imagery and the ways in which they help convey the motives, thoughts, and feelings of the characters. This unit will confirm students’
shared understanding of the elements of drama, preparing them for the study of other dramatic works throughout high school.

Essential Questions –Are we governed by fate or free will?

COMMON CORE STATE RECOMMENDED

STUDENT OBJECTIVES KEY TOPICS AND ACTIVITIES
STANDARD ADDRESSED RESOURCES
UNIT VOCABULARY LITERARY TEXT
 RL.9-10.3: Analyze how complex  Identify and explain the elements  Aside
characters (e.g., those with of drama in general, and in Greek  Drama
multiple or conflicting  Blank verse
drama in particular (see  Antigone (Sophocles) (EA)
motivations) develop over the  Classical allusions
Terminology section).
 Oedipus the King (Sophocles)
course of a text, interact with  Comedy
 Explain the structure of the (E)
other characters, and advance
plot(s) and describe the dramatic  Dialogue
the plot or develop the theme.  Romeo and Juliet (William
techniques the playwright uses to  Dramatic irony
Shakespeare) (E)
 RL.9-10.5: Analyze how an advance them.  Foil
author’s choices concerning how INFORMATIONAL TEXT
 Trace the development of major  Greek chorus
to structure a text, order events
and minor characters and explain Nonfiction
within it (e.g., parallel plots), and  Heroic couplet
how characterization advances  “Poetics” (Aristotle) (excerpt on
manipulate time (e.g., pacing,  Iambic pentameter
the plot or theme. comedy and tragedy)
flashbacks) create such effects as  Irony: dramatic, situational,
 Understand Aristotle’s definitions  "The Visual Artistry of Romeo
mystery, tension, or surprise. verbal
of comedy and tragedy and and Juliet" (James
 RL.9-10.9: Analyze how an  Monologue
explain how the other works Black) (Studies in English
author draws on and transforms  Protagonist
studied exemplify the term Literature, 1500-1900, Vol. 15,
source material in a specific work
tragedy.  Soliloquy No. 2, Spring 1975: 245-256)
(e.g., how Shakespeare treats a
 Analyze the playwrights' use of  Stasimon
theme or topic from Ovid or the ART, MUSIC, MEDIA
irony.  Tragedy
Bible or how a later author draws  Art
on a play by Shakespeare).  Identify the poetic devices used  Tragic hero
 Artemisia Gentileschi, Judith
in Romeo and Juliet and explain
 RI.9-10.1: Cite strong and  Tragic flaw and Her Maidservant with the
their effect
thorough textual evidence to  Tragic illumination Head of Holofernes (1625)
18
 support analysis of what the text Lesson Plan Resources  Michelangelo Merisi da
says explicitly as well as Antigone (EdSitement website) Caravaggio, The Death of the
inferences drawn from the text. Virgin (1604-1606)
 W.9-10.2: Write  Pablo Picasso, The Tragedy
Art, Reading Literature,
informative/explanatory texts to (1903)
Informative Writing, Oral
examine and convey complex
Presentation
ideas, concepts, and information
Examine the rendering of
clearly and accurately through
Caravaggio’s The Death of the
the effective selection,
Virgin. How does the artist choose
organization, and analysis of
to create dramatic effects? For
content.
instance, note the nuances of light
 SL.9-10.1: Initiate and
and shadow, mood, composition of
participate effectively in a range
the figures, and illusion of depth.
of collaborative discussions (one-
Note the curtain the painter has
on-one, in groups, and teacher-
included to "reveal” the scene. How
led) with diverse partners on
do these elements direct your eye?
grades 9–10 topics, texts, and
Does the curtain draw you into a
issues, building on others’ ideas
certain part of the painting?
and expressing their own clearly
Compare the Caravaggio with the
and persuasively.
Gentileschi. What are both of these
 L.9-10.1: Demonstrate artists doing with color and light?
command of the conventions of How are these paintings different?
Standard English grammar and Can you find similarities between
usage when writing or speaking. the Caravaggio and Act V, scene iii,
 L.9-10.6: Acquire and use of Romeo and Juliet? Describe and
accurately general academic and explain the significance of at least
domain-specific words and three examples. (RL.9-10.7, SL.9-
phrases, sufficient for reading, 10.1, SL.9-10.2
writing, speaking, and listening at
o Reading Literature, Informative
the college and career readiness
Writing
level; demonstrate independence
in gathering vocabulary Write an informative/explanatory

knowledge when considering a essay in which you discuss the

word or phrase important to extent to which one of the dramas

comprehension or expression. studied adheres to Aristotle’s

definition of tragedy. State your

19
 thesis clearly and include at least
three pieces of evidence to support
it. Your teacher may give you the
opportunity to write your first draft
on a shared online document and
receive feedback from classmates
before publication. (RL.9-10.2,
RL.9-10.3, W.9-10.2)

o Reading Literature, Informative

Writing

 Write an informative/explanatory
essay that compares and contrasts
aspects of tragic illumination in the
tragedies of Romeo and Juliet and
Antigone (or Oedipus the King).
State your thesis clearly and include
at least three pieces of evidence to
support it. Your teacher may give
you the opportunity to write your
first draft on a shared online
document and receive feedback
from classmates before publication.
(RL.9-10.2, RL.9-10.3, W.9-10.

o Reading Informational Text,

Reading Literature, Informative
Writing

In his essay "The Visual Artistry of

Romeo and Juliet,” James Black
argues that "Romeo and Juliet is an
especially 'visual' play.” He notes
that the "story is told and its
tragedy unfolded in a series of
pictures as well as in dialogue; and

20
 indeed the play is a brilliant exercise
in suiting the action to the word in
such a way that both actions and
words are given special intensity.”
To prepare for writing an
informative/explanatory essay,
students will:

 Select a specific scene from the

play

 Note the action in the scene

 Examine the ways that the
dialogue "depicts” the action
Write an informative/explanatory
essay in response to the following
prompt: How does the dialogue in
the scene that you selected
contribute to the visual presentation
of the action and, by extension, to
the play’s theme? (RL.9-10.4, RL.9-
10.5, L.9-10.3, L.9-10.4, L.9-10.5)

SEMINAR TOPICS

o Seminar: How does free will play a

part in Romeo and Juliet’s destiny?
This seminar question may also be
used as an essay topic. Be sure to
state your thesis clearly and include
at least three pieces of evidence to
support it. Your teacher may give
you the opportunity to share your
initial thoughts on the classroom
blog in order to get feedback from
your classmates. (RL.9-10.1, RL.9-
10.4, SL.9-10.1)
Seminar: Oedipus - In what way has
21
 the “story already happened” even
before the play begins?

Antigone Socratic Seminar

Questions

UNIT FIVE: EPIC POETRY – HEROISM (2 Weeks)

o Students read excerpts of Homer’s The Odyssey or Virgil’s The Aeneid, with special attention to the hero’s journey, and learn about the characteristics of
an epic hero. They become familiar with classic Greek and Roman mythology and consider the role of the gods in the hero’s adventures. Building on
themes in the previous unit, they may discuss the role of fate. Through pairings of these works with informational texts, students learn about the ancient
city of Troy and the story of the Trojan War for historical context. They may also encounter informational texts that describe the experience of soldiers
going to or returning from war in contemporary times; they may compare and contrast these accounts with the experiences of Aeneas or Odysseus.
Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s “The Lotos-Eaters” is included in the unit so that students may explore how authors draw on the works of other authors to
examine related themes. “The Song of Hiawatha” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is included so that students can compare a classic epic with a more
recent one. As a segue to the next unit on memoir, William Manchester’s Goodbye Darkness allows students to delve more deeply into the themes of
bravery and heroism. Teachers may also choose to read excerpts from the Indian epic The Ramayana to explore an epic from yet another culture.

Essential Questions –Are epic heroes brave, smart, or lucky?

COMMON CORE STATE RECOMMENDED

STUDENT OBJECTIVES KEY TOPICS AND ACTIVITIES
STANDARD ADDRESSED RESOURCES
 RL.9-10.2: Determine a theme  Identify and explain the UNIT VOCABULARY LITERARY TEXT
or central idea of a text and elements of an epic poem.  Allusion
analyze in detail its  Poetry
 Identify and explain the  Archetype
development over the course of  “Endymion” (John Keats) (EA)
characteristics of an epic hero.  Arete
the text, including how it (excerpts)
 Analyze the relationship  Chronological order
emerges and is shaped and  The Aeneid (Virgil)
between myths or legends and  The classical epic poem
refined by specific details;
epic poetry.  “The Lotos-Eaters” (Alfred, Lord
provide an objective summary  Epic poetry
Tennyson)
of the text.  Examine the historical context
 Epic/homeric simile
of literary works.  The Odyssey (Homer) (E)
 RL.9-10.3: Analyze how  Epithet
 The Ramayana (attributed to
complex characters (e.g., those  Compare and contrast how
 Evidence
related themes may be treated the Hindu sage Valmiki)
with multiple or conflicting
in different genres (here, epic  Hero (excerpts)
motivations) develop over the
poetry and contemporary  Heroic couplet  “The Song of Hiawatha” (Henry
course of a text, interact with
22
 other characters, and advance nonfiction).  Iambic pentameter Wadsworth Longfellow) (EA)
the plot or develop the theme.  Hone effective listening skills  Invocation  Stories
 RI.9-10.7: Analyze various during oral presentations and  Narrative  Mythology (Edith Hamilton)
accounts of a subject in class discussions.
 Oral tradition INFORMATIONAL TEXTS
different mediums (e.g., a
 Thesis statement
person’s life story told in both Nonfiction
print and multimedia), Lesson Plan Resources  “Going to War” (Second
determining which details are Lieutenant Kelley Victor
emphasized in each account. The Ramayana (EdSITEment)
Gasper)
 W.9-10.9: Draw evidence from YouTube Video: Song of Hiawatha  Goodbye, Darkness: A Memoir
literary or informational texts to of the Pacific War (William
support analysis, reflection, and Argument Writing
Manchester) (excerpts)
research. Select someone you know or
 Odysseus in America: Combat
 SL.9-10.3: Evaluate a someone famous in contemporary
Trauma and the Trials of
speaker’s point of view, history, and write an argument that
Homecoming (Jonathan Shay)
reasoning, and use of evidence explains why you think this person
(excerpts)
and rhetoric, identifying any exemplifies the characteristics of an
 Operation Homecoming: Iraq,
fallacious reasoning or epic hero. Be sure to include at least
Afghanistan, and the Home
exaggerated or distorted three specific characteristics and
Front in the Words of U.S.
evidence. offer examples from the person’s
Troops and Their Families
"journey” to support your opinion.
 L.9-10.1: Demonstrate (Andrew Carroll, ed.)
(W.9-10.1)
command of the conventions of
 “Poetics” (Aristotle) (excerpt on
Standard English grammar and comedy and tragedy)
usage when writing or Narrative Writing, Poetry
Writing, Language Usage  Soldier’s Heart: Reading
speaking.
Literature Through Peace and
Write a poem or prose narrative
War at West Point (Elizabeth D.
about a journey you or someone
Samet)
you know has taken, using epic
similes, epithets, and allusions.  "The Devious Narrator of The
(W.9-10.3 Odyssey" (Scott
Richardson, The Classical
o Reading Literature, Informative Journal, Vol. 101, No. 4, pp.
Writing
337-359)
Write an informative/explanatory
 The Gold of Troy (Robert
essay in which you describe how Payne)
Aeneas or Odysseus (or a
 The Hero with a Thousand
23
 contemporary soldier from another Faces (Joseph Campbell)
reading) exhibits the characteristics  Unbroken: A World War II Story
of an epic hero. State your thesis of Survival, Resilience, and
clearly and include at least three Redemption (Laura Hillenbrand)
pieces of evidence to support it.
ART, MUSIC AND MEDIA
(W.9-10.1)
 Art
o Art, Informative Writing,
 Greece, Relief Plaque (ca. 450
Opinion Writing BCE)

Describe what the text does to the

 India, Folio from The Ramayana
of Valmiki: Rama Shatters the
manuscript page from The
Trident of the Demon Viradha
Ramayana. Even though you cannot
(1597-1605)
read the text, how does it enhance
or detract from the image? Write  Music
what you believe the text says. If  Henry Purcell, Dido and Aeneas
there were text in the Greek relief, (1689)
what do you think it would say?
(W.9-10.1, W.9-10.3)

o Art, Speaking and Listening

Compare the Greek relief and the

page from The Ramayana. Both
show scenes from epic stories. How
do they convey heroism? How would
you describe the main characters in
the scenes? Do you know who the
main characters are? Without
knowing any additional information
about these images, provide some
insight into what you see. How is
the artist telling these stories?
(SL.9-10.1, SL.9-10.2)

o Music, Reading Literature,

Speaking and Listening

Play excerpts from Henry Purcell’s

24
opera Dido and Aeneas and lead the
class in a discussion on whether this
rendering of an epic in another
medium is or is not "faithful” to the
original. Discuss why or why not.
Ask classmates to provide specific
evidence for their opinions. (RL.9-
10.7, SL.9-10.2, SL.9-10.3, SL.9-
10.4)

SEMINAR TOPICS
Seminar: Is Aeneas (or Odysseus)
courageous? The seminar question
may also be used as an essay topic.
State your thesis clearly and include
at least three pieces of evidence to
support it. (RL.9-10.3, SL.9-10.1,
SL.9-10.4, SL.9-10.6

25
 UNIT SIX :LITERARY NONFICTION – REFLECTION (THE MEMOIR, THE ESSAY, AND THE SPEECH) (2 WEEKS)

o The unit allows students to recognize and appreciate the effective use of literary devices in nonfiction. Students are exposed to memoirs from various
cultures and look for common techniques, such as the emphasis on a particularly significant event or time period in the author’s life. Works of art that
address similar goals, such as self-portraits, are also examined to compare presentation. Students also consider the ways in which essays and speeches
may exhibit the same reflective qualities, whereby the authors or orators engage readers or listeners to think carefully about literature, events, or ideas
in a new way.

Essential Questions –How is reflecting different from remembering?

COMMON CORE STATE RECOMMENDED

STUDENT OBJECTIVES KEY TOPICS AND ACTIVITIES
STANDARD ADDRESSED RESOURCES
 RL.9-10.4: Determine the  Identify and explain the UNIT VOCABULARY INFORMATIONAL TEXTS
meaning of words and phrases as characteristics of a memoir  Abstract/universal essay
Articles
they are used in the text,  Alliteration
 Distinguish between an  "The Coming Merger of Mind and
including figurative and autobiography and a memoir.  Autobiography Machine" (Ray Kurzweil) (E)
connotative meanings; analyze
 Identify and explain the effect of  Chronological order
the cumulative impact of several Essays
stylistic devices used in memoirs.  Classification and division
word choices on meaning and  “Lincoln and the Gettysburg
tone (e.g., how the language  Identify and explain the  Compare-and-contrast essay Awakening” (Glenn LaFantasie)
characteristics of various types of
evokes a sense of time and  Ethos, pathos, logos (excerpts)
essays (e.g., literary and
place; how it sets a formal or  Exemplification
narrative).
 “Avant-Garde and Kitsch”
informal tone). (Clement Greenberg)
 Extended metaphor
 Identify and analyze the effect of
 RI.9-10.3: Analyze how the
 Memoir  “Lear, Tolstoy, and The Fool”
rhetorical strategies in speeches
author unfolds an analysis or (George Orwell)
such as alliteration, repetition,  Objective/factual essay
series of ideas or events,
and extended metaphors.  Personal/autobiographical essay  Life on the Mississippi (Mark
including the order in which the
Twain) (EA) (excerpts)
points are made, how they are  Repetition
introduced and developed, and
 “Politics and the English
 Satire
Language” (George Orwell) (E)
the connections that are drawn
between them. LESSON PLAN RESOURCES  “Preface to Lyrical Ballads”
(William Wordsworth)
 RI.9-10.9: Analyze seminal U.S. Life on the Mississippi
documents of historical and (EDSitement website)  Excerpts from The 100 Most
literary significance (e.g., Influential Books Ever Written:
Washington’s Farewell Address, The King Center Website The History of Thought from

26
 the Gettysburg Address, Ancient Times to Today (Martin
Gettysburg Address YouTube-
Roosevelt’s Four Freedoms Seymour-Smith)
Jeff Daniels Narrator
speech, King’s “Letter from  “The Lost Childhood” (Graham
Birmingham Jail”), including how Brandenburg Address YouTube- Greene)
they address related themes and Ronald Reagan Video
concepts.
Memoirs
LANGUAGE USAGE, LANGUAGE  “A Four Hundred Year Old
 W.9-10.3: Write narratives to
MECHANICS Woman” (Bharati Mukherjee)
develop real or imagined
experiences or events using Review interjections and their  “A Sketch of the Past” (Virginia

effective technique, well-chosen punctuation. Identify the Woolf)

details, and well-structured event interjections in a passage from one  "Learning to Read and Write"
sequences. of the memoirs. Explain why their (Frederick Douglass) (EA)
use is appropriate. Would there
 SL.9-10.3: Evaluate a speaker’s  A Childhood: The Biography of a
have been another way to write the Place (Harry E. Crews)
point of view, reasoning, and use
sentences(s) in which the
of evidence and rhetoric,  In Search of Our Mothers’
interjections are used—and still
identifying any fallacious Gardens (EA)
have the same effect? Why or why
reasoning or exaggerated or  Notes of a Native Son (James
not? (L.9-10.1, L.9-10.2)
distorted evidence. Baldwin)
 L.9-10.1: Demonstrate READING INFORMATIONAL
 One Writer’s Beginnings (Eudora
TEXT, PERFORMANCE
command of the conventions of Welty)
Select a one-minute passage from
Standard English grammar and
one of the speeches here and recite  Running in the Family (Michael
usage when writing or speaking
it from memory. Include an Ondaatje)
introduction that explains:  The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of
a Girlhood Among Ghosts
 The occasion/context of the
(Maxine Hong Kingston)
speech
 Its literary and historical Speeches
significance  “Brandenburg Gate Address”
(Ronald Reagan)
Record your recitation using a video
camera so you can evaluate your  “Gettysburg Address” (Abraham
performance for accuracy. (SL.9- Lincoln) (E)
10.6)  "Letter from a Birmingham Jail"
(Martin Luther King Jr.) (E)
NARRATIVE WRITING,
SPEAKING AND LISTENING  “Address at the March on
First, students will interview an Washington” (Martin Luther

27
adult member of their family. The King, Jr.) (E)
interview must be substantive; if  Nobel Prize in Literature
transcribed, it should be at least one Acceptance Speech, 1949
thousand words. Then, they will (William Faulkner) (EA)
compose memoirs in the voice of
 “Second Inaugural Address”
the relative. (SL.9-10.1, SL.9-10.2,
(Abraham Lincoln) (E)
W. 9-10.1, L.9-10.4, L.9-10.5)
 “Sinews of Peace Address”
NARRATIVE WRITING (Winston Churchill)
Write a memoir (perhaps after the
Art, Music and Media
style of one of those read)
 Art
recounting a specific person, place,
experience, event, day, moment,
 Albrecht Durer, Self-Portrait at
the age of 13 (1484)
work of art, or another specific thing
and convey its significance to you.  Artemisia Gentileschi, Self-
Your teacher may give you the Portrait as the Allegory of
option of adding a multimedia Painting (1630s)
component to your memoir, such as  Balthus, Le roi des chats (The
a digital slide presentation, for king of cats) (1935)
posting on the class web page.  Francis Bacon, Self-Portrait
(W.9-10.3, L.9-10.5, SL.9-10.5) (1973)

READING INFORMATIONAL  Gustave Courbet, The Desperate

TEXT, READING LITERATURE, Man (self-portrait) (1843)
INFORMATIVE WRITING
 Jacob Lawrence, Self-Portrait
Write an informative/explanatory (1977)
essay in which you discuss how two
 Jan van Eyck, Self-Portrait
literary texts studied this year
(1433)
illustrate Faulkner’s thesis in his
1949 Nobel Prize acceptance  Leonardo da Vinci, Possible Self-
Portrait of Leonardo da Vinci
speech. State your thesis clearly
(c.1513)
and include at least three pieces of
evidence to support it. Your teacher  Louisa Matthíasdóttir, Self-
may give you the opportunity to Portrait with Dark Coat (No Date)
post your first draft on a shared  Pablo Picasso, Self-Portrait
online document and receive (1907)
feedback from classmates before  Rembrandt van Rijn, Self-Portrait
publication. (RL.9-10.2, RI.9-10.9, at an early age (1628)
28
W.9-10.2)  Rembrandt van Rijn, Self-Portrait
at the Age of 63 (1669)
ART, INFORMATIVE
WRITING, ORAL  Vincent van Gogh, Self-Portrait
PRESENTATION (1889)
Examine the artworks listed. Begin
by comparing Rembrandt’s Self-
Portrait at an early age with his
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Self-Portrait at the Age of 63. How
 Online Bank of American
has the artist depicted himself in
Speeches (americanrhetoric.com)
both paintings? Although you can
infer from the titles and dates of the  Annotated List of Memoirs

works that the artist has aged, what (ReadWriteThink)

visual clues is Rembrandt giving  Introducing the Essay: Twain,

you? How is he drawing you, as the Douglass, and American
viewer, into the work of art? Is he Nonfiction (National Endowment
telling a story through these for the Humanities) (RI.9-10.5)
portraits—and if so, how? Now view
two very different self-portraits—by
Jacob Lawrence and Pablo Picasso.
How has self-portraiture changed,
and remained the same, over time?
What similarities can you find in
these self-portraits? (RL.9-10.7,
SL.9-10.1, SL.9-10.2, SL.9-10.5)

ART, SPEAKING AND

LISTENING
Examine Courbet’s The Desperate
Man and Matthíasdóttir’s Self
Portrait with Dark Coat. How has
each artist chosen to depict himself
or herself? What mood is each
painter trying to depict, and what
visual clues led you to discover this?
Why do you believe that painters
paint themselves—especially in the
case of these two images? Is it
29
 similar to why people write
memoirs? Are these self-portraits
believable—that is, do you think it is
a faithful depiction of the painter?
What do we mean by "faithful” in
portraiture, or in writing? (SL.9-
10.1, SL.9-10.2, SL.9-10.5)

SEMINAR TOPIC

o Seminar: Compare Lincoln’s

Gettysburg Address with Martin
Luther King Jr.’s Address at the
March on Washington and explain
why these are both considered great
speeches. Be specific and cite from
the texts. Begin by identifying the
elements of a good speech. The
seminar question may also be used
as an essay topic. State your thesis
clearly and include at least three
pieces of evidence to support it.
Your teacher may give you the
opportunity to share your initial
thoughts on the classroom blog in
order to get feedback from your
classmates. (SL.9-10.1, SL.9-10.3)
(RI.9-10.10)

30