High School

English 2/English 2 Honors

1.0 Credit
36 weeks
Young woman is reading book
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Description:  In English 2 students explore the human experience reflected in foundational stories, plays, poems, films, and articles.  Each unit explores themes in texts related to Humor, Obstacles, Fear, and Betrayal. Whether reading a poem or a novel, writing a story or an analysis, or studying a Shakespearean tragedy or a modern suspense film, students discover what it means to be human in multiple contexts. Students will complete a Discussion-Based Assessment in every unit.

 

 

 

Major Topics and Concepts

Module 1

  • Grammar
  • Poetry
  •  Connotation, Denotation, and Imagery
  • Humor
  • Tone
  • Plot, Pacing, and Point of View
  • Alternate Plot Structures
  • Narrative Writing
  • Pre-writing Process
  • Writing Tips

Module 2

  • Historical Context and Human Rights
  • Point of View
  • Prompt and Human Rights
  • Identify the Hurdle and the Victory
  • Analysis
  • Research and Citations
  • Introduction and Outline
  • The First Draft
  • Grammar and the Revision Process
  • The Final Draft

Module 3

  • Fears, Anxieties, and Phobias
  • The Reality of Fear
  • Nothing to Fear
  • Free from Fear – Presidential Speeches
  • Fascination with Fear
  • Jekyll and Hyde
  • Suspense Techniques
  • Fear In Film
  • Film Critiques

Module 4

  • Apostrophes and Homonyms
  • Julius Caesar Acts I – V
  • Argumentative Writing
  • Claims and Counterclaims
  • Develop Your Position
  • Outline Your Argument
  • Write your Argument
  • Your Final Draft

 

Competencies

Crafting a Narrative

Students will demonstrate an understanding of crafting a narrative by analyzing an author’s diction and tone, explaining narrative point of view, describing plot structures, and creating a story using narrative elements.

Research and Structure in Writing

Students will demonstrate an understanding of research and structure in writing by evaluating resources, documenting research, explaining supporting evidence, and creating a structured essay following an outline.

Critiques

Students will demonstrate an understanding of critiques by analyzing the development of theme in texts, explaining suspense techniques used in films, and creating a film critique.

Argumentative Writing

Students will demonstrate an understanding of argumentative writing by explaining the foundations of a strong argument, describing persuasive appeals in argumentative writing, and creating a structured essay following an outline.

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Projects allow students to demonstrate their understanding of concepts and skills by completing a job-related task. The assignment might be to create a mural, a package design, a speech, a film review, or a movie set – you name it! These creative projects are about applying your learning acquired through in-depth research to real-world career tasks.

Each competency will be addressed through a project that is based on a real-life career task. Here are the careers you will explore:  Freelance Writer, Product Manager, Wildlife Conservation Manager, and Film Critic.

Please also review the competency statements to learn more about the major topics and concepts covered in this offering.

Projects

Competencies

Crafting a Narrative

Students will demonstrate an understanding of crafting a narrative by analyzing an author’s diction and tone, explaining narrative point of view, describing plot structures, and creating a story using narrative elements.

Research and Structure in Writing

Students will demonstrate an understanding of research and structure in writing by evaluating resources, documenting research, explaining supporting evidence, and creating a structured essay following an outline.

Critiques

Students will demonstrate an understanding of critiques by analyzing the development of theme in texts, explaining suspense techniques used in films, and creating a film critique.

Argumentative Writing

Students will demonstrate an understanding of argumentative writing by explaining the foundations of a strong argument, describing persuasive appeals in argumentative writing, and creating a structured essay following an outline.

Open

Experiences allow you to explore a career field you’re curious about while mastering competencies for school credit. Through career-focused experiential learning, you will develop and learn skills for application to tasks typically completed as part of a career rather than using traditional assessments like essays or tests. During your Experience, you’ll work with a professional in the field to support your learning whom we call an “outside expert.” You’ll earn a badge for your accomplishments to share on social media and higher education platforms, or with colleges, potential employers, peers, and colleagues to display your qualifications.

Here’s how experiences work:

  1. Each competency you work on is addressed through a separate deliverable predetermined by you and your instructor.
  2. Guided learning for each module consists of research and/or work with a professional in the field. Your instructor will coach you through this process.
  3. Each module culminates in a final demonstration of understanding, which includes a deliverable and a discussion-based assessment with your instructor.

Here’s an example:

Let’s say you’re curious about a career in healthcare. You decide you’d like to learn about this career area, make a professional connection, earn a badge, and meet competencies for your 9th-grade English requirement. While enrolled in English 1 Experiences, you conduct research to better understand language and structure in writing. Then you may work with an Occupational Therapist to help apply your writing skills to create an informational video about adaptive equipment for patients. The video aims to advise family members of patients regarding the use of accommodations and equipment to help patients perform daily tasks. Now you’ve earned the Language and Structure in Writing competency! This is just one example of the many ways Experiences can bridge competencies to careers.

Obtaining an Outside Expert: Prior to enrollment, please have an idea for an outside expert in mind or consult with our counseling department by emailing [email protected] for help in identifying one.

*A parent/guardian permission form and background check of the outside expert are both required to work with outside experts without parental supervision.

Competencies

Crafting a Narrative

Students will demonstrate an understanding of crafting a narrative by analyzing an author’s diction and tone, explaining narrative point of view, describing plot structures, and creating a story using narrative elements.

Research and Structure in Writing

Students will demonstrate an understanding of research and structure in writing by evaluating resources, documenting research, explaining supporting evidence, and creating a structured essay following an outline.

Critiques

Students will demonstrate an understanding of critiques by analyzing the development of theme in texts, explaining suspense techniques used in films, and creating a film critique.

Argumentative Writing

Students will demonstrate an understanding of argumentative writing by explaining the foundations of a strong argument, describing persuasive appeals in argumentative writing, and creating a structured essay following an outline.