Honors 10th Grade Literature Syllabus
2014-2015
Arlethia Brown-Hall
Johnson High School
Course Description/Objectives:
The students will learn to:
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identify the elements of a well-written essay;
understand how to use the writing process;
explain how an author relays an idea to a specific audience
identify proper grammar and/or usage, specifically sentence run-ons, sentence fragments, and subject-verb
agreements;
identify and apply new vocabulary; and
read for comprehension
To think critically and to exhibit those skills through presentation, research, and collaborative projects
Summary of Standards:
Students will be able to:
 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative
meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone
 Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as
inferences drawn from the text.
 Propel conversations by posing and responding to questions that relate the current discussion to broader
themes or larger ideas; actively incorporate others into the discussion; and clarify, verify, or challenge ideas
 Evaluate and select information sources and digital tools based on the appropriateness to specific tasks .
 Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
 Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and
relevant and sufficient evidence.
 Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach,
focusing on addressing what is the most significant for a specific purpose and audience.
 Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches
effectively; assess the usefulness of each source in answering the research question; integrate information into
the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for
citation.
 Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames
(a single sitting or a day or
two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences
 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
“As an Honors course, these standards will be extended and/or enriched by encouraging students to work in
groups of 2 – 4 to carry out activities, projects, to discuss readings, and to plan presentations. Students will also
be encouraged to complete more research- based assignments through essay writing and using technology.
Curriculum and Texts:
Broken down by marking period and providing an overview of text(s) used and the instructional focus for the
marking period (parallels established Curriculum Map). Also provide some specific examples of extensions
mentioned in the Summary of Standards section unique to this Honors course as you teach it.
This piece of the syllabus will vary from teacher to teacher, however it will be built upon the established
common core curriculum frameworks for this content area.
Unit 1: Moral Courage and Endurance: A Necessity for Change
Texts Used:
Extended Text – Antigone
Short Stories – “Marriage is a Private Affair,” 5. “Two Friends” “Damon and Pythias,” (myth) (Prentice
Hall text)
Informational Texts – Excerpts from Long Walk to Freedom, “The Perils of Indifference,” “Indian
Removal Act of 1830”
Writing Focus: Argumentative Writing
Unit 2: Human Rights Around the World: Symbols of Alienation
Extended Text – Night
Short Stories “Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka, “Do Not Accept,” Forgetting Someone” by Yehuda
Arnichai
Informational Texts – Why don’t we know that origin of the word “ghetto?” (Oxford University Press),
Elie Wiesel’s Nobel Prize acceptance speech.
Writing Focus: Argumentative Writing
Unit 3: The Many Faces of the Hero
Extended Text – In the Time of the Butterflies
Short Stories – “My Forbidden Face” by Latifa and “The Raid” by John Steinbeck
Informational Texts – “Chasing the Butterflies” by Julia Alvarez, “Dominican Republic: Warning from
Beneath the Cliff” TIME Magazine, “Venezuela: Trujillo’s Murder Plot” TIME Magazine.
Unit 4: Heroes, Villains, and Underdogs in Literature
Extended Text – Moneyball by Michael Lewis
Short Stories – “I too,” by Langston Hughes, “For Malcolm X” by Margaret Walker, “Still I Rise” by Maya
Angelou, “A Good Man is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor
Informational Texts – “Top Artists Reveal How to Find Creative Inspiration, from “When I was Puerto
Rican” by Esmeralda Santiago, “Hall of Fame Induction Speech” by Jackie Robinson
Instruction will be enriched and extended for this honors course with extended timed writing, differentiated readings for
ability, and Fishbowl discussions.
Contact Information:
Arlethia Brown-Hall, Rm 210
(912) 395-6400 Extension 730210
arlethia.brown@sccpss.com
Fridays from 3:15 pm to 4:15pm