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High School
English 1/English 1 Honors
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Description: In each unit of this course, you will embark on a new journey. Through the study of literature, nonfiction, and life, you will explore the unknown, search for identity and equality, and seek achievement, opportunity, and understanding. You will read to analyze the way language is used to express human motivation and will research to examine the results of actions in the real world. The lessons in each unit will give you the tools you need to gain insights from what you read and to use your knowledge in creative and analytical writing.
Major Topics and Concepts
Segment 1
• Identifying and analyzing literary elements
• Analyzing plots
• Reading and comprehending fiction and nonfiction texts
• Writing effective synopses
• Analyzing how figurative language impacts a text’s mood and tone
• Analyzing diction
• Writing formally
• Incorporating digital media to enhance a presentation
• Creating a digital-media presentation to enhance an audience’s understanding
• Correcting and using parallel structure
• Identifying and using various phrases and clauses
• Identifying and analyzing central ideas
• Identifying and analyzing text structures and text features
• Recognizing and evaluating rhetorical appeals and devices
• Using a thesaurus
• Compare and contrast the development of two opposing arguments on the same topic
• Analyzing connotation and denotation
• Planning and writing an effective argumentative essay
• Breaking down a writing prompt
• Developing and supporting a claim
• Identifying logical fallacies
• Using a standard citation format
• Locating credible sources based on bias, origin, and purpose
• Avoiding plagiarism
• Citing sources correctly
• Formatting a Works Cited page
• Revising and editing written work
• Using signal phrases and transitions in academic writing
• Recognizing and analyzing satire
• Correcting commonly confused words
Segment 1 Honors
• Writing an autobiographical account
• Incorporating figurative language into writing
• Demonstrating understanding of diction’s impact on mood and tone
• Crafting a persuasive speech
• Utilizing rhetorical devices and appeals in persuasive writing
• Crafting a satirical work
Segment 2
• Reading and comprehending fiction and nonfiction texts
• Planning and writing an expository essay
• Synthesizing information from multiple texts
• Avoiding plagiarism
• Citing sources correctly
• Formatting a Works Cited page
• Using signal phrases and transitions in academic writing
• Revising and editing written work
• Creating a digital-media presentation to enhance the audience’s understanding
• Effectively record a speech utilizing proper enunciation, volume, pacing, etc.
• Reading and analyzing epic poetry
• Exploring archetypes commonly found in literature
• Reading classical dramatic works
• Reading and comprehending a Shakesperean text
• Utilizing context clues to aid in comprehension
• Exploring how cultural experiences are reflected in works of literature
• Comparing and contrasting ways in which authors have adapted mythical, classical, or religious texts
• Citing textual evidence to support an analysis of a text
• Following standard English punctuation rules
• Applying knowledge of etymology and derivations to determine the meaning of words and
phrases
• Planning and writing a narrative
• Incorporating narrative techniques into narrative writing
• Incorporating transitions into writing
• Revealing a universal theme in a narrative
• Revising and editing written work
Segment 2 Honors
• Utilizing text structures and features to convey information to an audience
• Creating an informational document to achieve a purpose
• Writing a prologue
• Writing sonnets
• Incorporating literary elements into written work
• Creating a modern adaptation of a classical, mythical, or religious text
Course Materials
Required Materials: Students will be responsible for finding a short story and speech independently.
Competencies
Art of the Argument
Students will demonstrate an understanding of the art of the argument by explaining argumentative elements, creating an argumentative essay, and describing satire.
Epic Literature
Students will demonstrate an understanding of epic literature by describing literary archetypes, explaining universal themes, and analyzing adaptations of dramatic literature.
Epic Narratives
Students will demonstrate an understanding of epic narratives by explaining the history of words, summarizing elements of a narrative, and creating a narrative epic.
Literary Essentials
Students will demonstrate an understanding of literary essentials by explaining elements in fiction, creating a synopsis of a literary text, and describing sentence variety.
Writing Styles
Students will demonstrate an understanding of writing styles by describing text structures, explaining rhetorical appeals, and summarizing the development of opposing arguments.
Writing with Research
Students will demonstrate an understanding of writing with research by explaining the synthesis of information, creating an expository essay, and creating an expository presentation.
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Projects allow students to demonstrate competence and understanding of concepts and skills by completing a career-related task. For example, 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: Technical Writer, Sports Journalist, Historian, Environmental Scientist, Public Relations Specialist, Politician, Training and Development Manager.
Please also review the competency statements to learn more about the major topics and concepts covered in this offering.
Projects
Technical Writer
You will take on the role of a technical writer (or content creator) for a new website tasked with creating a comprehensive study guide for a book of your choosing.
Historian
You will take on the role of a historian tasked with choosing a famous speech from any time in history and putting together an exhibit that examines how the imagery and language of the speech helped the person achieve their purpose.
Public Relations Specialist
You will take on the role of a public relations specialist for a politician tasked with conducting research and finding evidence to support an argument for the politician as they head out on the campaign trail.
Training and Development Manager
You will take on the role of a training and development manager, tasked with creating an inspirational speech as part of a curriculum to help employees improve their work performance.
Competencies
Art of the Argument
Students will demonstrate an understanding of the art of the argument by explaining argumentative elements, creating an argumentative essay, and describing satire.
Epic Literature
Students will demonstrate an understanding of epic literature by describing literary archetypes, explaining universal themes, and analyzing adaptations of dramatic literature.
Epic Narratives
Students will demonstrate an understanding of epic narratives by explaining the history of words, summarizing elements of a narrative, and creating a narrative epic.
Literary Essentials
Students will demonstrate an understanding of literary essentials by explaining elements in fiction, creating a synopsis of a literary text, and describing sentence variety.
Writing Styles
Students will demonstrate an understanding of writing styles by describing text structures, explaining rhetorical appeals, and summarizing the development of opposing arguments.
Writing with Research
Students will demonstrate an understanding of writing with research by explaining the synthesis of information, creating an expository essay, and creating an expository presentation.
Open
Experiences allow you to explore a career field you’re curious about while mastering competencies for school credit. Through experiential learning, you will learn skills and apply them to tasks you would complete as part of a career rather than completing 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 a “mentor.” 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:
- Each competency you work on is addressed through a separate deliverable predetermined by you and your instructor.
- 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.
- 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 the creation of 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 a Mentor: Prior to enrollment, please have an idea for a mentor in mind. We have partnered with hundreds of mentors you can work with during your Experience, who you can find in our Career Mentor Catalog here. Or, you may consult with our counseling department by emailing [email protected] for help in identifying one.
*A parent/guardian permission form and background check of the mentor are both required to work with mentors without parental supervision.
Competencies
Art of the Argument
Students will demonstrate an understanding of the art of the argument by explaining argumentative elements, creating an argumentative essay, and describing satire.
Epic Literature
Students will demonstrate an understanding of epic literature by describing literary archetypes, explaining universal themes, and analyzing adaptations of dramatic literature.
Epic Narratives
Students will demonstrate an understanding of epic narratives by explaining the history of words, summarizing elements of a narrative, and creating a narrative epic.
Literary Essentials
Students will demonstrate an understanding of literary essentials by explaining elements in fiction, creating a synopsis of a literary text, and describing sentence variety.
Writing Styles
Students will demonstrate an understanding of writing styles by describing text structures, explaining rhetorical appeals, and summarizing the development of opposing arguments.
Writing with Research
Students will demonstrate an understanding of writing with research by explaining the synthesis of information, creating an expository essay, and creating an expository presentation.
