This
course is designed to prepare students for a smooth transition from
middle school to high school language arts.
An emphasis will be placed on helping students learn to become
independent thinkers and learners who can successfully choose from a
wide selection of strategies. Students
will be encouraged to take positive risks, be open to new ideas, and
be enthusiastic about learning.
Students will read and discuss different genres of literature, using
them to facilitate thinking skills, as well as for models for their
own writing. Students will continue to work on evaluating characters and
themes in literature and begin to relate them to life experiences.
These skills are critical for success on the grade 10 CAPT
test. Writing folders and
other assessments will be used to demonstrate progression of language
arts skills. At least one
major research project will be required.
In this course, students will demonstrate knowledge of the essential
components of the English language.
Writing
1.
Continue to review and apply syntax,
mechanics and standard usage necessary for effective communication.
2.
Continue to manipulate the components
of language to improve sentence variety emphasizing noun, adjective,
and adverb clauses.
Literature
1.
Appreciate various forms of
literature.
2.
Understand and identify the critical
elements of a story.
3.
Understand and utilize figurative
language in reading and writing.
4.
Critically analyze character
development, conflict and resolution in literature.
5.
Independently analyze and respond to a
piece of literature.
Research and Study Skills
1.
Use Eisenberg’s Big Six research
process to investigate Immigration to the United States.
2.
Use Student Writing Tools to
cite research.
3.
Formulate questions to research.
4.
Use a variety of sources efficiently.
5.
Prepare a polished product.
Listening/Speaking
1.
Continue to demonstrate active
listening strategies.
2.
Draw conclusions about an author’s
purpose.
3.
Make prediction or support hypothesis
about information given.
4.
Continue to identify and infer main
ideas.
Learning Process
1.
Identify and analyze individual
learning styles.
2.
Use a variety of modalities to
demonstrate learning.
Key Texts:
Shane.....
Schaefer
To
Kill A Mockingbird.....Lee
The
Old Man and the Sea.....
Hemingway
Tom
Sawyer..... Twain
The Pearl.....
Steinbeck
Waiting for
the Rain.....Gordon
Adventures
for Readers
Selected
short stories, essays, and poetry
Optional Texts:
Summer of My
German Soldier.....
Greene
Call
of the Wild.....London
Z
is for Zachariah.....O’Brien
The
Little Prince.....Esprit
The
Outsiders.....Hinton
The
Diary of Anne Frank (play).....Goodrich
and Hackett
