Students will:

1. Be familiar with different genres of literature: epic, short story, novel, poetry, myth, nonfiction

2. Identify the elements of fiction: plot, theme, character, conflict, setting

3. Identify various literary devices: characterization, simile, metaphor, symbolism, onomatopoeia, personification, hyperbole, irony, point of view, dialogue

4. Write a cohesive essay including introduction, body, and conclusion paragraphs.

5. Identify different types of writing: narrative, persuasive, descriptive, expository.

6. Write grammatically correct sentences mastering punctuation, verb usage, sentence completeness, pronoun usage, noun usage, subject/verb agreement, use of adjectives and adverbs, capitalization.

Required units of study:

1. Types of writing- 3 weeks

2. Short story- 4 weeks

3. Nonfiction- 4 weeks

4. Novel (A Christmas Carol)- 4 weeks

5. Dialogue/characterization- 3 weeks

6. Mythology- 5 weeks

7. Epic (The Adventures of Ulysses)- 5 weeks

8. Mini grammar units- 4 weeks

*Optional units:

9. Poetry- 4 weeks

10. Drama (Shakespeare)- 4 weeks

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Unit Description: Types of writing

This unit introduces students to the basic structure of a composition. Students learn the structure of a paragraph and the different types of paragraphs. This is then extrapolated into writing full composition.

Outcomes:

1. Analyze types of paragraphs: narrative, descriptive, persuasive, expository

2. Identify topic, supporting, and clincher sentences

3. Identify the parts of an essay: introduction, body, conclusion paragraphs

4. Appropriately organize ideas in paragraphs and essays

Assessment:

1. Write the four types of paragraphs.

2. Write an essay including the necessary paragraphs.

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Unit Description: Short story

This unit will introduce students to the short story genre. They will learn the elements of fiction by reading and analyzing various short stories ("Rikki-tikki-tavi," etc.)

Outcomes:

1. Identify the elements of fiction: plot (exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution), theme, setting, characters (protagonist/antagonist), conflicts (internal/external), point of view (first and third person)

2. Identify and analyze figurative language: simile, metaphor, personification, onomatopoeia

3. Identify and apply vocabulary words from the selected short stories.

Assessment:

1. Create a story board which demonstrates an understanding of plot, theme, setting, character, conflict, point of view

2. Analyze and compare conflicts from different stories

3. Create collages of internal vs. external conflicts

4. Test on knowledge of stories, literary devices used in stories, and vocabulary

5. Write an analytical essay on the author's use of literary devices

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Unit Description: Nonfiction

This unit will familiarize students with nonfiction writing. ("Names/Nombres," "Fish Cheeks," "The Night the Bed Fell," "Beneath the Crags of Malpelo Island"). Students will write a descriptive piece and a personal narrative. They will also rewrite a story from another character's view.

Outcomes:

1. Identify nonfiction writing as a genre.

2. Analyze point of view and hyperbole. ("The Night the Bed Fell")

3. Analyze the use of suspense. ("Beneath the Crags of Malpelo Island")

4. Analyze the use of imagery, descriptive language. ("Fish Cheeks")

5. Evaluate the impact of culture and self-identity. ("Names," Fish Cheeks")

6. Identify and apply vocabulary from selections.

Assessments:

1. Test on knowledge of stories and use of literary devices

2. Create an essay or menu using imagery and descriptive language

3. Rewrite an essay changing the point of view

4. Create an acrostic poem

5. Write a personal narrative essay

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Unit Description: The Novel

This unit introduces students to the novel. Students will study the structure of the novel, figurative language, vocabulary, and characterization as they read Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol.

Outcomes:

1. Identify the novel as a genre.

2. Identify the elements of a novel: setting, character, plot, theme.

3. Analyze the use of figurative language: symbolism, foreshadowing, characterization, simile, personification, metaphor

4. Identify and apply selected vocabulary words.

5. Draw conclusions about characters' actions.

Assessment:

1. Quizzes throughout the reading of the novel

2. Vocabulary quiz/bingo

3. Essay test

4. Write a character sketch

5. Character inference project

6. Illustrate one form of figurative language from the novel

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Unit Description: Dialogue/Characterization

This unit will familiarize students with the use of dialogue used in literature. They will discover how dialogue can be used to create/build character in Shirley Jackson's "The Sneaker Crisis." They will also learn how to write and punctuate dialogue.

Outcomes:

1. Identify dialogue as a literary device.

2. Interpret character through the use of dialogue.

3. Write and punctuate dialogue correctly.

4. Draw inferences about the characters in "The Sneaker Crisis."

Assessment:

1. Create a dialogue for two cartoon characters of the student's choice.

2. Create a project based on character inferences drawn from the selection.

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Unit Description: Mythology

This unit will familiarize students with Greek and Roman mythology. Students learn what constitutes a myth and the purposes of myth. They will read several of the more popular myths. They will also learn the gods and goddesses of Greek mythology.

Outcomes:

1. Analyze the purposes of different myths.

2. Evaluate the roles of the gods and goddesses in the myths.

3. Identify and apply vocabulary words from the selected myths.

4. Make connections between mythology and present day society.

5. Identify the characteristics of a hero and the elements of a quest.

6. Identify the gods and goddesses and their respective roles in mythology.

Assessment:

1. Test on understanding of myths.

2. Create comic strip versions for any one of the myths read.

3. Create a travel brochure for the "Twelve Labors of Hercules."

4. Create a learning center for any one myth on a cereal box.

5. Quiz on vocabulary.

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Unit Description: The epic

This unit will introduce students to the concept of an epic. They will read the Adventures of Ulysses and apply the story to the characteristics of an epic. They will learn that mythology is the source for many words in the English language.

Outcomes:

1. Identify the characteristics of an epic, an epic hero, and a quest.

2. Analyze Ulysses' role as an epic hero.

3. Analyze the role of the gods in an epic.

4. Identify and apply vocabulary words.

5. Identify the Greek ideals

Assessment:

1. Test on understanding of the journey of Ulysses.

2. Write a critical essay on a selected topic.

3. Write a comparison/contrast essay on Circe and Calypso.

4. Write a paragraph comparing themselves to an animal that best fits their personalities ("Circe" chapter.)

5. Write essays on Ulysses as an epic hero and the role of the gods in the story.

6. Quiz on selected vocabulary words.

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Unit Description: Grammar

Throughout the year, these mini units are incorporated with the literature units. They will encourage the proper use of grammar, punctuation, and capitalization in the students' writing.

Outcomes:

1. Identify and punctuate four types of sentences.

2. Identify and correctly punctuate compound and complex sentences.

3. Use verbs properly.

4. Use nouns correctly.

5. Use modifiers correctly.

6. Use commas correctly.

7. Use pronouns correctly.

8. Use correct subject/verb agreement.

9. Identify prepositional phrases.

10. Write complete sentences.

Assessment:

1. Write essays to demonstrate understanding of the grammar usage.

2. Quizzes on grammar usage.

3. Worksheets on selected topics.

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Unit Description: Poetry

This unit familiarizes students with different types of poetry and the figurative language used in poetry.

Outcomes:

1. Evaluate a poem as narrative or lyric.

2. Analyze the use of simile, metaphor, personification, hyperbole, irony, alliteration and onomatopoeia as they are used in poetry.

3. Evaluate the meaning of the poems.

Assessment:

1. Write four types of poems: haiku, lyric, cinquain, and free verse.

2. Test on poetry selections.

3. Complete worksheets on the different figures of speech.

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Unit Description: Drama

This unit will introduce students to drama. Students will be familiarized with Shakespeare and the Renaissance. Students will also be introduced to the elements of drama.

Outcomes:

1. Identify the elements of drama.

2. Analyze the difference between drama and other types of literature.

3. Translate the language of Shakespeare into modern day interpretation.

4. Read and understand a selected Shakespearean play.

5. Survey the clothing, music, art, and theater of the Renaissance.

Assessment:

1. Complete a worksheet as traveling around to stations that introduce different aspects of the Renaissance and Shakespeare.

2. Act out selected scenes from a Shakespearean play,

3. Compare and contrast a Shakespearean play to a modern version on video.

4. Test on understanding of the play.

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