Semester Units
First Semester
* (not 2015) A Separate Peace: To begin the first semester, we will spend a brief time discussing the themes and motifs in the summer reading book. Students should be prepared to discuss their thoughts on the book by referencing their notes, annotations, and essay questions. We will conclude the discussions with a Socratic Seminar.
Socratic Seminar: To begin 2015, we will explore different forms of communication (speaking, listening, writing, questioning, and reading) by analyzing one question: "Is being a fan a good thing or a bad thing?" Students will look at all sides of this questions and bring their own unique experiences and interests together to discuss, in the philosophical style of Socrates, not to reach a consensus or conclusion.
Socratic Seminar: To begin 2015, we will explore different forms of communication (speaking, listening, writing, questioning, and reading) by analyzing one question: "Is being a fan a good thing or a bad thing?" Students will look at all sides of this questions and bring their own unique experiences and interests together to discuss, in the philosophical style of Socrates, not to reach a consensus or conclusion.
Short Story Unit: Our second unit of the semester will cover numerous short stories. We will read these stories to gain mastery of the literary elements, including mood, tone, plot structure, conflict, foreshadowing, symbolism, etc. Students will use the following short stories to identify and analyze these elements:
"The Californian's Tale" by Mark Twain
"Summer People" by Shirley Jackson
"The Masque of Red Death" by Edgar Allan Poe
"A Good Man is Hard to Find" by Flannery O'Connor
"Summer People" by Shirley Jackson
"The Masque of Red Death" by Edgar Allan Poe
"A Good Man is Hard to Find" by Flannery O'Connor
Fahrenheit 451: The first novel we will read this year will be Fahrenheit 451. While studying this novel we will discuss the idea of censorship, the government's role in citizens' lives, and personal responsibility. Students will focus on developing critical reading skills by supporting ideas and arguments that they come up with using textual evidence.
Career Research Paper: We will end the semester with a research project. Students will follow MLA guidelines for research and composition to study a career of their choice. We will begin by taking various personality assessments and career aptitude tests.
Poetry: We will read poetry from various genres (classic to contemporary) to get a better handle on the essential poetic vocabulary. Students will analyze, interpret, and write poems during this unit. The culminating project will be a presentation of a video displaying imagery and interpretation of a chosen poem.
Julius Caesar OR Macbeth: Our first big unit of the second semester will be William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar (or Macbeth!). We will read this play in class, however, some analysis and supplemental activities will need to be completed outside of class. After we study the play, the students will put on a mock trial charging Marcus Brutus with the conspiracy and murder of Caesar (or we will be deciding which character in Macbeth is guilty for the tragedies that occur!).
The Picture of Dorian Gray: TBA
Research Unit: Serial Podcast Series -- Season 1: TBA
Research Unit: Serial Podcast Series -- Season 1: TBA
The Hero's Journey: Our next unit, following an extensive study of Shakespeare, is to examine the hero's journey. To do this, we must first seek to answer the question, "What is a hero?" We will use essays, news articles, literature, and modern film to explore the characteristics of a hero, the impact and influence of a hero, and the journey or quest that all heroes must face.
Brave New World: For our final unit of the year, we will revisit the idea of a utopia. By looking at Aldous Huxley's novel, a satire on his own society in the 1930's, we will strive to answer the question, "Is a true utopia possible? Can truth and happiness ever really coexist?" We will conduct our study through analytic reading discussions as well as an in-depth project. As the culmination of our study, you will work in a small group to try and create a perfect society.