South Williamsport Area School District
Course Plan Template
Teacher: Mrs. Loomis
School Year: 2014—15
Course: Advanced English
Intended Grade Level: 9th
Course Summary: Designed to challenge and motivate the best and brightest students who possess
the potential to excel in language arts, Advanced English 9 has been designed for those committed to
completing a four-year honors program culminating in Advanced Placement English 12. In addition to
mastering an intensive vocabulary program, freshman students will study literature including a
Shakespearean play, several novels, and poetry. Students will also develop their ability to write
effectively different kinds of essays.
Course Outcomes:
By the end of the course, students will know:
 Elements of novels, short stories, and plays
 Literary elements including but not limited to allusion, allegory, archetype, indirect and direct
characterization, theme, point of view, plot, irony, motif, symbolism, etc.
 Elements of the following: literary analysis, persuasive essays, thesis statements
 MLA documentation
 Vocabulary associated with Level E
 Importance of historical context of works of fiction
 Perspectives of criticism including but not limited to feminism, realism, naturalism, surrealism,
etc.
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
 Read and comprehend fiction and non-fiction texts at grade level and beyond
 Cite textual evidence to support both explicit and implicit ideas from text in both writing and
speaking
 Determine author’s purpose or theme of texts
 Analyze pieces of literature using perspectives other than one’s own
 Discuss literature and controversial topics insightfully and respectfully
 Write literary analysis , persuasive essays, and short research papers using appropriate forms
 Create thesis statements based on novels, short stories, and plays
 Use stylistic elements of composition in order to improve writing
 Organize presentations and written works in logical, clear order
 Present information to a group, using appropriate speaking skills
Standards Targeted1--Pennsylvania Common Core Standards for English Language Arts
1
Indicate primary Standards emphasis:
- PA Core - Math / ELA / Science & Technology / History & Social Studies
- National Content Standards (Name and Type)
- Industry Recognized Standards (Name and Type)
Revised - March 23, 2016
Course plans represent district curriculum. They will be posted to building web pages accessible to the school and community.
South Williamsport Area School District
Course Plan Template
Units of Study
Units Topic
Literary Analysis
Primary Learning Outcome
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Of Mice and Men
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A Separate Peace
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The Old Man and the Sea
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Fahrenheit 451
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Romeo and Juliet
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Vocabulary
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Analyze literature in order to write multiparagraph essays based on essay questions
Analyze literature in order to create thesis
statements related to the novels
Analyze figurative language in novels
Analyze literature from the feminist
perspective in order to evaluate Curley’s
wife
Analyze character choice in relation to
euthanasia
Analyze literature from the historical
context of WWII
Analyze use of flashback in a novel
Evaluate actions of characters to determine
justification of choices
Analyze themes in a novel
Analyze motif in novels
Analyze protagonist
Analyze the use of Christ figures in Western
literature
Interpret literature
Analyze literature through student-led
Socratic Seminars
Compare and contrast technology in the
novel vs. current technology
Analyze the use of science fiction in novels
Evaluate allusion in novels
Understand terms related to drama such as
iambic pentameter, pun, aside, couplet,
foil, dramatic irony, sonnet, etc.
Understand information Shakespeare, the
Globe Theatre, and the time period
Analyze themes to assess the author’s
intent
Use evidence from the play to support
statements made in discussions
Recall definitions of words in Level E
vocabulary
Apply definitions of words to synonyms and
antonyms
Utilize words in sentences
Revised - March 23, 2016
Course plans represent district curriculum. They will be posted to building web pages accessible to the school and community.
South Williamsport Area School District
Course Plan Template
Non-Fiction
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Make connections to the words’ use in the
world
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Read and comprehend current non-fiction
articles from various sources
Use annotation to take notes on the articles
Make connections between the articles and
their own lives, other media, and the world
around them
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Advanced Learner Recommendations
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Advanced Learners with GIEPs: All Specially Design Instruction is followed as outlined by the
student's Gifted Individualized Education Plan.
Advanced Learners without GIEPs: Ability grouping (ex: Honors Geometry, Honors English, and
Advanced Biology), performance-based assessments (ex: projects and papers), upper-level
questioning, and critical thinking exercises.
Struggling Learner Recommendations
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Struggling Learners with IEPs: All accommodations/modifications are followed as outlined by the
student's Individualized Education Plan. Examples: extended time, small group testing, study
guides, test read aloud, and modifications made to the regular education curriculum.
Struggling Learners without IEPs: Available during the daily FLEX period to ask questions or
review materials, restating of directions, project-based assessments (ex: projects, homework,
notebook grades), and instruction that incorporates the different types of learning modalities
(ex: visual, auditory, or kinesthetic).
Revised - March 23, 2016
Course plans represent district curriculum. They will be posted to building web pages accessible to the school and community.