English IV Course Content
Course Description: This course is designed to explore British literature and to develop reading, language, literature, media, writing, research, and study skills.
Semester One
*The Reader's Workshop model of instruction will be implemented. Aside from assigned reading, students will be reading independently. They are expected to bring a book of their choice to class everyday. They may check books out from the school library, my classroom, or bring one of their own.
*The Writer's Workshop will be used for writing instruction.
First Nine Weeks
Literature: Epic Beowulf, from Canterbury Tales: "The Wife of Bath", "The Pardoner's Tale", Ballad: "Robin Hood and the Three Squires", Poems: "Passionate Shepherd to His Love", "Nymph's Reply to His Shepherd", "To His Coy Mistress", "To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time", "Do Not Go Gentle".
Writing: Literary analysis essay, creative writing essay
Research: Various assignments
Vocabulary: Literature based vocabulary
Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics: Lessons from Texas Write Source and accompanying Texas Write Source Skills Book. Sentence diagramming, sentence structure, revising and editing
Listening and Speaking: Small group project presentation
Research: Various assignments
Media Literacy: Various sources and assignments
Second Nine Weeks
Literature: Drama The Tragedy of Macbeth by William Shakespeare, Comedy The Taming of the Shrew, Various sonnets from William Shakespeare, from Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Writing: Literary analysis essay
Research: Macbeth project
Vocabulary: Literature based vocabulary
Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics: Lessons from Texas Write Source and accompanying Texas Write Source Skills Book. Sentence diagramming, sentence structure, revising and editing
Listening and Speaking: Small group analogy project and presentation
Research: Macbeth project, speech project
Media Literacy: Various sources and assignments
Semester Exam
Semester Two
*The Reader's Workshop model of instruction will be implemented. Aside from assigned reading, students will be reading independently. They are expected to bring a book of their choice to class everyday. They may check books out from the school library, my classroom, or bring one of their own.
*The Writer's Workshop will be used for writing instruction.
Third Nine Weeks
Literature: Essay "A Modest Proposal" by Jonathan Swift, Excerpts from Swift's Gulliver's Travels, Samuel Taylor Coleridge's "Rime of the Ancient Mariner", and "Kubla Khan".
Writing: Research Paper, Satire Project
Research: TBA
Research
*Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Vocabulary: Literature based and academic vocabulary
Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics: Lessons from Mechanically Inclined: Building Grammar, Usage, and Style into Writer's Workshop; Texas Write Source Skills Book. Sentence diagramming, sentence structure, revising and editing
Listening and Speaking: Individual and group projects and presentations, recipe project, resume project
Research: History of a problem
Media Literacy: Slide presentation to accompany research paper
Fourth Nine Weeks
Literature: Poem "Dulce Est Decorum", Short Story "The Demon Lover", Excerpt from autobiography Night, Novel: A Brave New World
Writing: Analytical essays
Research: Aldous Huxley
Vocabulary: Literature based vocabulary, academic vocabulary
Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics: Lessons from Mechanically Inclined: Building Grammar, Usage, and Style into Writer's Workshop; Texas Write Source Skills Book. Sentence diagramming, sentence structure, revising and editing
Listening and Speaking: Individual and group projects and presentations
Media Literacy: Various sources and assignments
Final Exam