English II
Unit Focus/Course Overview Grade 10
TEKS / TAKS Planning for 2007-2008

**Please note that the following overview is subject to change based on students' needs.**

First Six Weeks: August 27-October 5
Unit Focus: Short stories and writing development--processes, strategies. organization, effective sentences, and paragraphs. Students will write in a variety of forms and examine writing aspects, styles, purposes, and audiences. Students will rigorously examine and analyze strategies and structures of exemplary model texts and essays, using paradigms to compose and refine their own writing. Reflective Essay. Strong emphasis on thematic relevance in reading and writing.
Reading: Short Story and Elements: Larry McMurtry’s from Lonesome Dove; from The Life and Adventures of Nat Love; The Masque of the Red Death; The Scarlet Ibis
Vocabulary 1st Six Weeks Sets 1,2,3,4 and 5 Selected Roots and/or Affixes
Grammar Focus: Parts of Speech, Parts of Sentence, Sentence Types: Compound and Compound-Complex
Writing: Sentence improvements, introductory paragraphs using thematic statements, writing anecdotes, novel and poetry focus statements, and theses, creating, intriguing beginnings, block letter and semi-block letter, sentences, and pre-writing strategies. Reflective essay is required. (Pre-AP includes Literary Essay) Editing and revising.
PreAP - Intro into persuasion and rough draft for VOD essay
AP Test Sample #1 Emily Dickinson Great Expectations
The Awakening
The Masque of the Red Death
From Lonesome Dove
The Red Badge of Courage
Second Six Weeks: October 9 - November 9
Unit Focus: Drama and Persuasion--Students will examine persuasive techniques and logical fallacies--ethos, pathos, and logos, including Latin terms and etymology. Fact vs. Opinion.
Reading: Julius Caesar, Of Mice and Men, and Antigone; Poetry from Shakespeare, Tennyson, Hardy, Frost, Thomas, et al. The Convergence of the Twain, A Dream Deferred, Fern Hill, One Art, Haiku
Vocabulary: Sets 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 Selected Roots and/or Affixes
Writing: Students will write a persuasive essay. Open-ended response paragraph using contextual evidence. Students will write a report of School Board Meeting, City Council Meeting, or Sports or Other School-related Event..
Grammar: Varying sentence structures, clauses and phrases
Pre-AP students will revise persuasive essay for VOD
Critical Thinking: Student Generated Levels 1, 2, and 3 questions
AP Text Sample #2 from King Arthur Poetry - Hardy, Hughes,
Shakespeare, Thomas, et al

Drama
Julius Caesar
Antigone
Of Mice and Men

Third Six Weeks: November 12- December 20
Unit Focus: Students explore elements and characteristics of poetry and literary genres as they peruse literature from multi-ethnic, culturally diverse perspectives, such as gender, socio-economic, and historical, classic, and contemporary sources. This unit examines literary concepts, reading comprehension, interpretation, and evaluation from and poetry-fiction , and non-fiction. Students will review the characteristics of story types, tall tale, myth, fable, parable, allegory, and legend.
Writing: All students will write a literary analysis with emphasis on theme.
Grammar: Editing and revising using comprehensive grammar skills, advanced vocabulary, diction, and word usage.
Reading: Night by Elie Wiesel
Vocabulary: Sets 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15 Selected Roots and/or Affixes

Night
Fourth Six Weeks: January 7- February 15

Unit Focus: Concise Writing Emphasis -- Phase I of Research Project: Students will select controversial subjects and create theses; compile and organize information from primary and secondary sources; and create prewriting and visual representation such as a chart, graph, or illustration. Deconstructing meaning from visual representations.
Students will observe media investigation and significances, methods, and aspects of producing visual representations and audio productions. Products may include business letters, school-related report, incorporating a table or chart; a questionnaire, a cereal box and cassette- recorded, radio-type or documentary production.
Writing: Literary Paper
Vocabulary: Sets 16, 17, 18, 19, and 20 Selected Roots and/or Affixes Regular
Great Expectations

Pre-AP

Fifth Six Weeks: February 18 - April 11
*MAJOR PREPARATION FOR TAKS* TAKS
Spring Break March 17-21
Unit Focus: Phase II of Research Paper: Students will write a rough draft and a final draft research paper using MLA documentation, parenthetical documentation, and works cited format. Students will gather, compile, and organize information from various sources. Students will create formal and technical documents such as reports, business letters, questionnaires, and vita.
TAKS preparation, editing, and revision, strategies,
Vocabulary: Sets 21, 22, 23, 24, and 25 Selected Roots and/or Affixes
Pre-AP
Elements of the Research Paper

Sixth Six Weeks: April 14 - May 30
Unit Focus: Writing Portfolio and Pedagogical Presentation
Students will focus on identifying and writing themes in literature as they create a repertoire of essays. Essays will contain thematic statements and advanced literary elements such as descriptive writing, advanced diction and vocabulary, metaphors, similes and personification. Student choice essay.
Grammar Focus: Verbals - Participial, Gerund, and Infinitive
Reading: Night, “Nothing Gold Can Stay,” The Outsiders
Pedagogical Presentation of Literary Time Period Using Projects
Vocabulary: Sets 26, 27, 28, 29, and 30 Selected Roots and/or Affixes
Technology Application for Portfolios. Pre-AP
Pedagogical Presentation
The Outsiders
“Nothing Gold Can Stay”
All English II classes: Portfolios

*** During each six-week period, students will write daily journal entries, expand their vocabulary, complete grammar exercises, and give at least one major oral presentation. ***