Unit & Timeline

Standard Objectives

SAT Reading & Writing Mastery, 3 weeks

-        Review of Literary

Essential Questions:

1. How do authors use language, structure, and rhetorical devices to convey complex ideas within a limited text, and how can these techniques be used to answer SAT reading questions accurately?
2. What specific grammar and language conventions are critical for success on the SAT Writing section, and what strategies can help improve accuracy and efficiency under timed conditions?

Unit Objectives:

• Strategic Reading:
  Students will develop skills to closely analyze passages for main ideas, evidence, tone, and rhetorical devices—key elements for success on the SAT reading section.
• Writing & Language Proficiency:
  Students will review and apply standard English conventions (grammar, punctuation, syntax) in the context of SAT-style questions.
• Test-Taking Strategies:
  Students will learn and practice time-management techniques, question elimination strategies, and targeted approaches to both multiple-choice and short-answer questions.
• Evidence-Based Reasoning:
  Students will learn to cite evidence from the text to support analysis and infer meaning, aligning with the rigor expected by both the SAT and Colorado standards.

1. Reading for All Purposes

• 11.2.2 – Analyze the Author’s Choices in Structure and Style
  Objective:
• Students will analyze how authors use language, structure, and rhetorical devices to shape meaning in passages.
  Application:
• Practice SAT reading passages that require identifying central ideas, tone shifts, and rhetorical strategies.
• Discuss how subtle clues in wording and organization support inferences about the text.

2. Writing and Composition & Language Conventions

• 11-12.2 – Command of Conventions of Standard English
  Objective:
• Students will demonstrate mastery of grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, and usage, as tested on the SAT writing section.
  Application:
• Work through SAT-style language questions focusing on sentence structure, error identification, and editing.
• Engage in targeted mini-lessons on common grammatical issues and stylistic improvements.
• 11.3.2 – Production and Distribution of Writing
  Objective:
• While not writing full essays for the SAT, students will practice constructing well-organized responses to prompts, sharpening clarity and precision for the writing section. Application:
• Complete timed short-response writing tasks modeled after SAT prompts to build clear, evidence-based responses.

3. Research and Reasoning

• 11.4.1 – Conducting Research Projects / Evidence-Based Reasoning
  Objective:
• Students will support their answers with evidence from the text, a skill directly applicable to SAT reading questions. Application:
• Analyze sample SAT passages, identifying and citing evidence to justify interpretations and answers.

4. Speaking and Listening

• 11.1.1 – Collaborative Discussions
  Objective:
• Engage in discussions to share test strategies, analyze sample passages, and clarify difficult questions. Application:
• Participate in small-group discussions and class workshops reviewing practice questions and sharing effective problem-solving techniques.

Unit & Timeline

Standard Objectives

Novel Study, 6 weeks

-       Catcher in the Rye

Texts Studied:

-       Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

Media:

-       Audiobook

-       Rebel in the. Rye Movie

• 11.2.1: Analyze Complex Characters and Themes
• Objective: Analyze Holden Caulfield as a complex character with conflicting motivations and his interactions with other characters to reveal key themes such as alienation, identity, and coming of age.
• Activities:
• Track Holden’s character development through journal entries or discussion.
• Explore themes of authenticity and phoniness as they evolve in the novel.
• Assessment: Written or verbal analysis of Holden's journey and the central themes.
• 11.2.2: Analyze Author’s Choices in Structure and Style
• Objective: Examine Salinger’s use of first-person narrative, stream-of-consciousness style, and informal language to shape the tone and mood of the novel.
• Activities:
• Close reading of selected passages to explore narrative voice.
• Analyze the impact of the unreliable narrator on reader perception.
• Assessment: Comparative analysis of Salinger’s narrative style and its influence on the themes.

2. Writing and Composition

Standards Addressed:

• 11.3.1: Write Arguments and Explanatory Texts
• Objective: Write analytical essays exploring themes, character motivations, or the cultural significance of The Catcher in the Rye.
• Activities:
• Essay prompts:
• How does Holden’s struggle with authenticity reflect societal expectations of the 1950s?
• Compare Holden’s relationship with Phoebe to his interactions with other characters.
• Use evidence from the text to support claims.
• Assessment: Final essays graded with a rubric focusing on structure, evidence, and analysis.
• 11.3.2: Production and Distribution of Writing
• Objective: Revise and improve drafts using peer feedback and teacher guidance.
• Activities:
• Peer review sessions focusing on thesis clarity and evidence integration.
• Revise essays based on feedback.

3. Research and Reasoning

Standards Addressed:

• 11.4.1: Conduct Short or Sustained Research Projects
• Objective: Research the cultural and historical context of The Catcher in the Rye and its impact on literature and society.
• Activities:
• Research and present on the post-WWII era, teenage rebellion, or censorship controversies surrounding the novel.
• Compare The Catcher in the Rye to themes in the film Rebel in the Rye.
• Assessment: Multimedia presentations or research papers integrating multiple sources.
• 11.4.2: Evaluate the Credibility of Sources
• Objective: Critically evaluate sources used in research projects for reliability and relevance.
• Activities:
• Practice citing credible sources in MLA format.
• Evaluate differing perspectives on The Catcher in the Rye.
• Assessment: Annotated bibliographies or research-based projects.

4. Speaking and Listening

Standards Addressed:

• 11.1.1: Initiate and Participate in Collaborative Discussions
• Objective: Lead and participate in discussions exploring major themes, character motivations, and personal connections to the text.
• Activities:
• Socratic seminars on Holden’s mental health or societal critiques in the novel.
• Group discussions on how The Catcher in the Rye resonates with modern audiences.
• Assessment: Participation in discussions, evaluated using a rubric.
• 11.1.2: Evaluate Information Presented in Diverse Formats
• Objective: Integrate knowledge from the audiobook, movie, and novel to form a comprehensive understanding of themes and context.
• Activities:
• Compare specific scenes from the book and Rebel in the Rye to analyze their portrayal of Salinger’s life and works.
• Discuss how the audiobook narration influences tone and character perception.
• Assessment: Comparative reflections or presentations.

Unit & Timeline

Standard Objectives

American Drama, 10 Weeks

Playwright Study:

-        Tennessee Williams

-        Arthur Miller

-        August Wilson

Texts Studied:

-        All My Sons

-        Death of A Salesman

-        A Streetcar Named Desire

-        The Glass Menagerie

-        Fences

Standard 11.2.1: Analyze Complex Characters and Theme Development

• Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a play, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.
• Determine two or more themes or central ideas of a play and analyze their development over the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to produce a complex account.

Standard 11.2.2: Analyze the Author's Choices in Structure and Style

• Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure a play, order events within it (e.g., parallel plots), and manipulate time (e.g., pacing, flashbacks) create such effects as mystery, tension, or surprise.
• Analyze a case in which grasping a point of view requires distinguishing what is directly stated in a text from what is really meant (e.g., satire, sarcasm, irony, or understatement).

Standard 11.3.1: Write Arguments and Explanatory Texts

• Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence (e.g., analyzing a character's motivations or the effectiveness of a play's structure).
• Write explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content related to plays.

Standard 11.3.2: Production and Distribution of Writing

• Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience (e.g., writing a critique of a play).
• Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products in response to ongoing feedback, including new arguments or information related to plays.

Standard 11.1.1: Initiate and Participate in Collaborative Discussions

• Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on topics related to plays, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
• Propel conversations by posing and responding to questions that probe reasoning and evidence, ensure a hearing for a full range of positions on a topic, and promote divergent and creative perspectives related to plays.

Standard 11.1.2: Evaluate Information Presented in Diverse Formats

• Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) in order to make informed decisions and solve problems related to plays, evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source and noting any discrepancies among the data.