COURSE SYLLABUS

ENGLISH 10 A/B

COURSE DESCRIPTION

10th grade English is a year-long literature survey class. The class covers literary terminology, vocabulary
building, test taking strategies, and several literary genres. Over the course of the year, we will utilize
literature to focus on these central questions: Is there a difference between reality and truth? Can
progress be made without conflict? What kind of knowledge changes our lives? Does all communication
serve a purpose? To what extent does experience determine what we perceive? Can anyone be a hero?

The course is written to Common Core standards and will challenge students to critically think about
literature. Students will involve themselves in self-assessment as well as in teacher guided practice and
assessment throughout the class. The literature of the class includes selections from Nobel Prize in
Literature and Pulitzer Prize winners.

COURSE THEMES

 Reality vs. Truth  Knowledge = Change

 Resources, Irony and Paradox  Experience Determines Perceptions
 Communication  Heroes
 Progress vs. Conflict

Students will develop an understanding of:

COURSE TOPICS
English 10A English 10B
 Theme in fiction and nonfiction  Figurative language
 Making predictions  Dramatic speeches
 Plot and foreshadowing  External and internal conflicts
 Author’s perspective  Comparing and contrasting tragic heroes
 Analyzing structure and format  Analyzing workplace documents
 Cause and effect relationships  Comaring character motivation
 Conflict resolution  Theme and cultural contexts
 Author’s purpose and bias  Analyzing cultural contexts of myths, epics,
 Checking the information against and epic heroes
reliablesources  Generating questions
 Comparing points of view  Comparing worldviews
 Symbolism a n d allegory  Critiques on generaliziations and evidence
 Paraphrasing to connect ideas  Comparing themes and moral dilemmas
 Word choice and tone  Meaning, tone, and voice in poetry
 The expository & reflective essay  Connecting ideas in Greek tragedies
 Follow and critique technical questions  Shakespearean tragedies
 Evaluate persuasion arguments  Comparing universal and culturally specific
and rhetorical devices themes
 Making inferences in setting  Blank verse
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 LEARNING OUTCOMES
English 10A and 10B
1. Students will cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says and draw inferences.
2. Students will determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the
course of a text.
3. Students will analyze how complex characters develop, interact with other characters and advance
the plot and theme of a selection.
4. Students will learn how an author’s choices concerning how to structure a text and manipulate
time create different effects.
5. Students will learn to determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text,
and analyze the impact of word choice on meaning and tone.
6. Students will learn to analyze a particular point of view or cultural experience reflected in a work
of literature from outside the United States.
7. Students will write arguments to support claims with valid reasons and relevant evidence.
8. Students will craft informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts,
and information clearly and accurately.
9. Students will craft clear and coherent writing appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
10. Students will develop and strengthen their writing by planning, revising, editing and rewriting for
a specific purpose and audience.
11. Students will determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how an author
uses rhetoric to advance that point of view or purpose.
12. Students will draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection,
and research.
13. Students will write over extended time frames and shorter time frames for a range of tasks,
purposes, and audiences.
14. Students will initiate and participate in a range of collaborative discussions.
15. Students will evaluate a speaker’s point of view, reasoning, use of evidence and rhetoric to
identify any fallacious reasoning or exaggerated or distorted evidence.
16. Students will present information, findings and supporting evidence clearly, concisely, and
logically.
17. Students will make use of digital media in presentations to enhance understanding and add
interest.
18. Students will demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage
in both writing and speaking.
19. Students will determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and
phrases, choosing for a range of strategies.
20. Students will demonstrate an understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and
nuances in word meanings.

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PRE-REQUISITES / CO-REQUISITES

 English 9 A/B
 World History A

Primary Text:

This course is not text dependent.

Required Novels:
English 10A English 10B
Title: Grapes of Wrath Title: To Kill a Mockinbird

Author: John Steinbeck Author: Harper Lee

COURSE METHODOLOGY

This is an inquiry-based course where you will discover and utilize knowledge of English / Language
Arts via the lectures, videos, and other readings, and class discussions with other students and the
instructor.

Acting as a facilitator, your instructor will guide you through the process; however, as the learner,
you are responsible for actively acquiring and constructing knowledge by completing all assigned
readings and activities.

Both formal and informal assessment will be used in evaluating your performance throughout the
course. Informal assessment will include an evaluation of the quality and timeliness of your
participation in class activities. Formal assessment will involve multiple-choice quizzes, written
essays, major writing assignments, a midterm, a final exam and a course project.

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 COURSE OUTLINE

English 10A
Unit Assignments
1 Assignment 1
Discussion 1
Discussion 2
The Grapes of Wrath
2 Assignment 2
Timed Writing- Argument Essay
Timed Writing- Explanatory Essay
Discussion 1
Discussion 2
The Grapes of Wrath
3 Assignment 3
Timed Writing- Explanatory Essay
Timed Writing- Explanatory Essay 2
Discussion
The Grapes of Wrath
Benchmark Assessment 1
4 Assignment 4
Discussion
The Grapes of Wrath
5 Assignment 5
Timed Writing- Analytical Essay
Timed Writing- Explanatory Essay
Discussion
The Grapes of Wrath
6 Assignment 6
Timed Writing- Response to Lit
Timed Writing- Argumentative Text
Discussion 1
Discussion 2
Benchmark Assessment 2
The Grapes of Wrath
7 Assignment 7
Discussion
The Grapes of Wrath
8 Assignment 8
The Grapes of Wrath
Discussion 1
Discussion 2
Timed Writing- Argumentative Text
Timed Writing- Explanatory Text
Benchmark Assessment 3- Final Exam
Project

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 COURSE OUTLINE

English 10B
Unit Assignments
1 Assignment 1
Discussion 1
Discussion 2
To Kill a Mockingbird
2 Assignment 2
Timed Writing- Explanatory Essay
Timed Writing- Argumentative Essay
Discussion 1
Discussion 2
To Kill a Mockingbird
3 Assignment 3
Timed Writing- Explanatory Essay
Timed Writing- Explanatory Essay
Discussion
Benchmark Assessment 1
To Kill a Mockingbird
4 Assignment 4
Discussion
To Kill a Mockingbird
5 Assignment 5
Timed Writing- Informative Essay
Timed Writing- Explanatory Essay
Discussion
Benchmark Assessment 2
To Kill a Mockingbird
6 Assignment 6
Discussion
To Kill a Mockingbird
7 Assignment 7
Timed Writing- Explanatory Text
Timed Writing- Explanatory Text
Discussion
To Kill a Mockingbird
8 Assignment 8
Timed Writing- Argumentative Essay
Discussion
To Kill a Mockingbird
Benchmark Assessment 3
End of Course Project

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COURSE PARTICIPATION OBJECTIVES

This course for which you are registered is a college preparatory, academically rigorous course that
covers a semester’s worth of material . As such, it is important that you adhere to the following
guidelines as you manage your time and commit to successfully completing all required coursework:

1. The requirements for this course are equivalent to completion of minimum of 90+ hours of
class instruction at a traditional on-site high school.

2. Assignments must be submitted for each unit as they are completed so that the teacher
may review and assess your performance. Do not hold your work, you must submit each
unit’s homework as it is completed, demonstrating weekly assignment completions.

3. You participate regularly in your course to demonstrate not only continued participation,
but also completion of all course requirements, including assignments, assessments and
class discussion forums.

4. You must complete your individual work and any incident of suspected cheating, plagiarism
or collaboration on assignments violates the academic integrity expectations outlined at
the time of your enrollment and can result in failure of the course or further action as
deemed appropriate.

ACADEMIC HONESTY

The following are forms of academic dishonesty. These practices will not be tolerated.

Plagiarism: Plagiarism consists of using another author's words without proper

identification and documentation of that author. Plagiarism takes the form of direct
quotation without the use of quotation marks and/or documentation, or paraphrasing
without proper identification and documentation. The fabrication of sources, or the act,
deliberately or unconsciously, of passing another author's work off as your own are also
considered to be plagiarism.

Falsification: Falsification consists of deliberately changing results, statistics, or any

other kind of factual information to make it suit your needs. It also consists of
deliberately changing a source’s intent by misquoting or taking out of context.

Multiple submission: If you wish to turn in the same work or use the same research, in
whole or in part, for more than one course, you must obtain permission to do so from
all instructors involved. Failure to obtain this permission constitutes academic
dishonesty. This course is a chance for you to explore your own creativity.

GRADING POLICY

Final Grades for this class will be based on your performance, participation in all class activities, group
discussions, unit assignments, course projects, and benchmark exams.
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NUVHS GRADING SCALE

SCHOOLWIDE LEARNER
EXPECTATIONS

NUVHS students will be…

 Engaged Learners
 Critical Thinkers
 Effective Communicators
 Global Citizens

CLASS DISCUSSION RUBRIC

SCORE 3 2 1 0
Response is Response contains Response Response does not
thoughtful, some key insights somewhat address the
original, and and adequately addresses the prompt and does
completely addresses the prompt with a not meet the
Initial Post addresses the prompt with a paragraph less length
prompt in a well- paragraph of 5-7 than 5-7 requirements.
developed sentences in sentences in
paragraph of at length. length. OR no response
least 5-7 was posted.
sentences in
length.
2 1 0
Responses are Responses only No response was
thoughtful, create agree or disagree given or was too
discussion, and with little brief to generate a
Peer Replies are several meaningful conversation.
sentences in discussion.
length each. Two
peer replies are And/Or: Only one
done for each response to one
board. classmate.
*If there is more than one prompt, students must reply to all prompts. All prompts are worth
a total of 5 points. Scoring is detailed above.

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WRITING STANDARDS

"A, A-"  Unique topic or unique treatment of topic, takes risks with comment; fresh
Range: approach
Outstanding  Sophisticated/exceptional use of examples
achievement,  Original and "fluid" organization; all sentences and paragraphs contribute;
significantly sophisticated transitions between paragraphs
 Integration of quotations and citations is sophisticated and highlights the
exceeds
author's argument
standards.
 Sentences vary in structure and very few if any technical errors (no serious
mechanical errors)

"B+, B, B-"  Specific, original focus, content well handled

Range:  Significance of content is clearly conveyed; good use of examples;
Commendable sufficient support exists in all key areas
achievement,  Has effective shape (organization), effective pacing between sentences or
exceeds paragraphs
 Quotations and citations are integrated into argument to enhance the flow of
standards for
ideas
the course.  Has competent transitions between all sentences and paragraphs
 May have a few minor mechanical errors (misplaced commas, pronoun
disagreement, etc.) but no serious mechanical errors (fragments, run-ons,
comma-splices, etc.)

"C+, C, C-"  Retains overall focus, generally solid command of subject matter
Range:  Subject matter well-explored but may show signs of under-development
Acceptable,  Significance is understood, competent use of examples
solid  Structure is solid, but an occasional sentence or paragraph may lack focus
achievement,  Quotations and citations are integrated into argument
 Transitions between paragraphs occur but may lack originality
meets standards
 Competent use of language; sentences are solid but may lack development,
for the course. refinement, style
 No serious mechanical errors (fragments, run-ons, comma-splices, etc.)

"D+, D, D-"  Significance of content is unclear

Range:  Lacks sufficient examples or relevance of examples may be unclear
Marginal  Support material may not be clearly incorporated into argument
achievement;  Expression is occasionally awkward (problematic sentence structure)
only meets  Mechanical errors may at times impede clear understanding of material
 May have a few serious mechanical errors, but no recurring serious mechanical
minimum
errors (fragments, run-ons, comma-splices, etc.)
standards.

"F" Range:  Ignores assignment prompt

Failure to meet  Lacks significance, coherence and focus
minimum  Includes plagiarized material (intentional or unintentional)
standards.  Difficult to follow due to awkward sentence or paragraph development
 Mechanical errors impede understanding