CANYON LAKE HIGH SCHOOL
Pre-AP English II
Teacher:
Ms. Brenda Matheny
830-885-1700, ext 1754
Brenda.matheny@comalisd.org
Conference: 6th period
Tutoring: Tues & Thurs a.m.
Thurs & Fri p.m.
Text Resources: Mirrors and Windows, EMC Publishing
Springboard English Textual Power, Level 5, College Board
Laying The Foundation Pre-AP Sophomore Level
Models For Writers Rosa and Eschholz
Novels: 12 Angry Men, Animal Farm, additional novels
Plays: Antigone, Othello, Julius Caesar
Other readings (short stories, poetry, essays, various genres) throughout the year.
Materials needed:
Pens, pencils, high-lighter
Notebook paper and 3-ring binder
Composition Book
Google Drive Access via classroom computer, cell phone,
tablet, or laptop
NoRedInk.com Access via classroom computer, etc.
The Pre-AP English II sophomore year is a “bridge” year that will lay the
foundation for the Advanced Placement ELA courses in the student’s last 2 years of high
school. In the Pre-AP English II curriculum, students will develop critical analytical skills
to read and write from a variety of genres, as well as prepare for the rigors of the junior
and senior ELA AP curriculum. We will read novels, plays, poems, essays, short stories
from a variety of writers and cultures. Pre-AP English II students will develop essential
close reading skills to prepare them to read challenging or difficult texts. Because the
research shows how critically important free-choice reading is to the development of
critical thinking skills (Readicide, Kelly Gallagher), Pre-AP English II students will also be
asked to read novels of their own choosing as well, subject to prior approval from me. We
will write and read daily. Students will write papers utilizing the writing process – prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing the final product. Research strategies
will be taught throughout the course of the year as well as critical media viewing skills.
Students will work independently, as well as in cooperative groups. Oral presentations
will be required in addition to multi-media projects which will be created in the campus
computer lab or on classroom computers. Each 6-week grading period will consist of 2-4
major grades, quiz and CAs (min. of 1 each), and daily/homework grades (minimum of 6
required).
Grading: District grading scale is as followsDaily work and Homework (min. of 6 required): 20%
Quizzes and CAs (min. 1 quiz and/or 1 CA):
35%
Major (min. of 2 required):
45%
English Binder: Students will need an English 3-ring binder for class handouts and
notebook paper. While a number of student assignments will be stored and accessed on
Google Drive this year, students still need paper for classroom use, notes, etc. Students
should bring binder, pens and pencils every day; a highlighter will be useful as well.
Composition Book: Please buy at least one composition book. Students will use the
composition book as a “Writer’s Notebook” for journal writing, exploration of ideas,
strategies, revision techniques etc. Students will also use this notebook to keep a record of
academic terms and vocabulary words, as well as templates for developing academic
writing skills, particularly geared toward the persuasive essay. The Writer’s Notebook will
serve as an important resource and will be graded regularly.
Students will also be asked to bring a reading book to class daily. This will be a freechoice novel or non-fiction book checked out from the library. Students will keep a
reading log.
Classroom Discussion: To the student: The ability to discuss issues in literature and
writing is essential to your success in this and future English classes. This year you will
take part in many class discussions. The emphasis of these discussions will be making
sense of text by supporting your ideas in an academic tone and building on the ideas of
others.
Respect for personal beliefs and varying cultures will be expected at all times during
discussions. While we may never all have the same opinions, we will embrace our
differences and attempt to see the world through the eyes of our peers. There will be NO
TOLERANCE for berating, badgering or otherwise disrespecting anyone else’s opinion.
Notes and Note-taking Strategies: Students will utilize a variety of note-taking strategies,
in addition to the Cornell Note-taking method for taking notes in English class. Students
will be taught this strategy as well as others.
COURSE OUTLINE
1ST SIX WEEKS :
GENRE STUDY - FICTION, PERSUASIVE TEXT, AND PERSUASIVE WRITING
READINGS AND WRITING PIECES:
“Everyday Use” by Alice Walker
“Two Kinds” by Amy Tan
District Diagnostic Persuasive Essay
“On Being 17 and Unable to Read” by David Raymond
Excerpts from On Writing Well – NonFiction by William Zinsser
“In Praise of the F Word” by Mary Sherry
“The Monkey’s Paw” – Jacobs
“The Masque of the Red Death” – Poe
“After a Spa Day…” –Julie Turkewics
1st & 2nd Free Choice Novel
Kelly Gallagher’s Article of the Week
Other selected readings – short stories, persuasive texts etc.
Ongoing Journal reflections, short answer responses, persuasive essays
throughout the year
2nd SIX WEEKS:
GENRE STUDY – LITERARY NONFICTION, POETRY, AND PERSUASIVE WRITING
READINGS AND WRITING PIECES:
“Reading Has a Strong Future” – Quindlen
Excerpt from Into the Wild - Krakauer
“The Story of An Eyewitness: The San Francisco Earthquake” – London
“Letting Go” – Gawande
Excerpted chapters from On Writing Well – Zinsser
Selected Poems from anthology collections (available in classroom)
2nd & 3rd Free Choice Novel
Opinion Editorials selected from New York Times, Los Angeles Times, San Antonio
Expressnews, and others
3rd SIX WEEKS:
GENRE STUDY – INFORMATIONAL TEXTS, NOVEL/DRAMA STUDY,
PERSUASIVE WRITING
READINGS:
12 Angry Men – Reginald Rose
Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech - Wiesel
Free Choice Novel #4
“Why Boys Become Vicious” – Golding
“The Boys at the Back” – Heard
“Tiger Mom” - Chu
Selected essays, editorials, poems, op-ed pieces.
4th SIX WEEKS
GENRE STUDY – INFORMATIONAL AND PERSUASIVE TEXTS, NOVEL STUDY,
MEDIA LITERACY, AND PERSUASIVE WRITING
READINGS:
Animal Farm – Orwell
“The Trouble With Television” – Mirrors and Windows
“Getting It Right At Ground Zero” – Mirrors and Windows
Excerpt from The Prince – Mirrors and Windows
Novel #5 and 6
“Time to Assert American Values” – Springboard
“School’s Out for Summer” – Springboard
“Shame is Worth A Try” – Models for Writers
“Condemn the Crime, not the Person” – Models for Writers
Antigone - Sophocles
Articles from Kelly Gallagher Article of the Week
Articles from “Room for Debate”
5th SIX WEEKS
GENRE STUDY – INFORMATION AND PERSUASIVE TEXT, NOVEL/DRAMA
STUDY, POETRY AND PERSUASIVE TEXT
READINGS:
Selected Poems
“Pride” – Mirrors and Windows
Finish Antigone and begin Julius Caesar – Shakespeare
“Ain’t I a Woman” – Sojourner Truth
“A House Divided” – Abraham Lincoln
“In Search of Shakespeare” – Mirrors and Windows
“Et Tu Denzel? Washington Shakes Up Shakespeare” – Mirrors and Windows
Novel #7 and 8
6th SIX WEEKS
GENRE STUDY – RESEARCH PAPER AND PERSUASIVE WRITING
Novel #9
Research materials for research paper and project, including full-length topical
books, abstracts, research studies, scholarly journal articles, online articles and other
sources.