Tentative Syllabus English 10B 2014

Tentative Weekly English 9B Syllabus 2014

January 13- Catcher in the Rye    Turn in Dialectical Journals,  

Skills:  Develop a schedule, Cornell Notes, Refute an argument, annotate a text in Chunks, Close Reading of Texts, 

January 20^-  (Martin Luther King Day) Catcher in the Rye

Skills:   Identify consequences of meeting or not meeting schedule, Refute an argument, annotate a text in Chunks, Close Reading of Texts, Analyze a Character-using STEAL; examine a character’s motivation.

Driving Questions:  Why do teenagers struggle with thinking through consequences? Should teens be held responsible for their impulsive behavior?

January 27- Catcher in the Rye, Introduction to the Teenage Brain

Skills:  Consider Multiple Points of View/perspective, observe and discuss tone of character and mood of a text or an excerpt of a text. 

February 3- Looking for Alaska

Driving Questions: Why do teenagers struggle with thinking through consequences?

February 10- Looking for Alaska

February 17-  (President’s Day Vacation, Open House) Informational texts on the Teenage Brain. TED Talks

Driving Question:  How does the Biochemistry of the Teenage Brain Influence Decision Making? Mini-Team Presentations on Teen Brain Topics

Skills:  Demonstrate skilled use of presentation software, deliver information synthesized from multiple sources, establish direct eye contact with audience, project voice and speak clearly, use speaker notes or memory,

February 24-Informational texts on the Teenage Brain, The Expository Essay

Driving Question: Should teenagers be held responsible for their impulsive behavior?

Skill: Analyze an informational Article by Rhetorical Triangle identify exigence (issue/problem), speaker and audience.  Outline an Expository/Informational Essay.

March 3 Synthesis of Informational Texts, Expository Essay Due

Skills: Use of Standardized Editing Marks

March 10 Ancient Greek History and Mythology Review, archetypes, The Odyssey

Skills: Identify archetypes, detect stereotypes, understand the role of myth in society, and identify symbols and their impact.

March 17 The Odyssey by Homer

Driving Questions: How does Strategic Planning empower Odysseus?  How does temptation or recklessness distract Odysseus from his journey?

March 24 The Odyssey by Homer  

March 31 Oedipus Rex by Sophocles

 Driving questions:  Does Oedipus have free will—the ability to choose his own path—or is everything in life predetermined?  Based on your knowledge of the teenage brain, how does one decide when to act and when to reflect?

April 7 Oedipus Rex by Sophocles

April 14 Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare

Driving Question: How does the Biochemistry of the Teenage Brain Influence Decision Making? Why do teenagers struggle with thinking through consequences?

Using evidence from the text and the informational articles listed on the class blog, write a well-developed essay explaining whether Romeo and Juliet should be held responsible for their impulsive behavior.

April 21 Romeo and Juliet

April 28 Romeo and Juliet   

May 5 Romeo and Juliet Romeo and Juliet Essay due

May 12   Sentence Diagramming and Creative Writing Narrative Essay Workshop

May 19 New Media Project Presentation Practice   Sentence Diagramming

May 26 (Memorial Day Vacation) Creative Writing Project Due

June 2 (Finals)