Madison Public Schools
Contemporary Humanities
Written by:
Douglas J. Oswin
Reviewed by:
Matthew A. Mingle
Director of Curriculum and Instruction
Dr. Mark DeBiasse
Supervisor of Humanities
Approval date:
November 18, 2014
Members of the Board of Education:
Lisa Ellis, President
Kevin Blair, Vice President
Shade Grahling, Curriculum Committee Chairperson
David Arthur
Johanna Habib
Thomas Haralampoudis
Leslie Lajewski
James Novotny
Madison Public Schools
359 Woodland Road
Madison, NJ 07940
www.madisonpublicschools.org
Course Overview
Description
Contemporary Humanities is the required Enriched level senior semester course in the Language Arts Department. The course
focuses on the chronological development of the most contemporary modes (Romantic, Realist, Modern and Contemporary) of artistic
expression found in the literature, art and music of both American and European culture. In Contemporary Humanities, students will
gain background in the connections between the literature, art, music, and history of each period and encounter the ideas that have
shaped Modern society. This course will give senior students an opportunity to synthesize the knowledge they have acquired in their
Language Arts, Social Studies, Fine and Performing Arts classes as they examine how societal events impact authors, artists and
musicians and how each successive movement is dependent upon the one preceding it to pave the way for innovation or revolution in
content and form. Learning about the cultural events that shape such works can aid students in seeing that artistic achievement does
not emerge from a vacuum. They will also learn that their appreciation for a particular work should not depend on their like or dislike
of that work, but upon their understanding of and an appreciation for the creative intent of the artist, musician, or writer who created
it. The course will also encourage students to examine their own contemporary world and the literature, art, and music currently
emerging from it. This course also encourages students to venture into the community to take advantages of local museums, lectures,
concerts, plays, and films related to the course curriculum so that they can experience first-hand artistic expression in their
community.
Goals
This course aims to:
● develop analytical and critical reading strategies as well as an appropriate vocabulary to comprehend a variety of challenging
and sophisticated texts;
● support the comprehension and analysis of a variety of genres;
● develop and nurture both a love of reading and advanced skills in interpreting literature through individually selected literature
circle titles offered throughout the year;
● develop the writing process and writing to learn strategies through which students compose a variety of written responses for
different purposes and audiences, employing a range of voices and taking compositional risks;
● use listening and viewing strategies to identify the intent of presentation, critically assess the message and increase listening
and viewing sophistication;
● develop strategies to read text closely and support analysis through textual evidence both explicitly and inferentially
Resources
Suggested activities and resources page
Unit 1 Overview
Unit Title: Introduction to the Humanities
Unit Summary:
This unit introduces students to the study of the Humanities, focusing on identifying aspects of the human experience and defining
artistic expression. The unit begins with a discussion of what constitutes “art” and what significance art has in society, followed by an
examination of major themes that are important to the study of literature, fine art, music, and the performing arts. Students will
understand that the study of the Humanities is the study of the human experience, tying together literature, history, art, music, and
theater, and that artistic periods emerge as society changes. Additionally, students are introduced to the Final Exam Project, which is
assigned, explained, and discussed as part of the overarching theme of the course: the human experience.
Suggested Pacing: ~ 5 Lessons
Learning Targets
Unit Essential Questions:
● How do stories shape humanity?
● What themes, ideas and stories seem to transcend time?
● What is art, and how is artistic expression a type of story?
● What are the Humanities?
Unit Enduring Understandings:
● The human experience is expressed in all works of art
● Definitions of art vary, but art is a reflection of society and the human experience, as well as a tool to incite change
● Art reflects the values of the context in which it is produced
Evidence of Learning
Unit Benchmark Assessment Information:
● Final Exam Research Paper or Presentation
Essential
Content
Objectives
Applicable Texts
(Students will be able to…)
Summer Reading Text:
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo
Ishiguro
Reading Literature &
Informational TextsSWBAT
Nonfiction Text:
Excerpts from Tolstoy’s
“What is Art?”
●
●
●

Identify aspects of the
Human Experience that
are reflected in
literature and art
Reflect on the
definitions of “art” and
“the human experience”
as they relate to the
study of the humanities
Explore themes
common to all humanity
in both art and literature
(for example love,
revenge, and loss of
innocence) and their
development through
group discussion and
analytical writing.
Consider definitions of
what it means to be
human, isolating
experiences and artistic
works that are
representative of
“humanity”
Reading Literature &
Informational Texts:
●
Discussion of Plato,
Aristotle, and Tolstoy’s
definitions of “art”
●
Identification of themes
in the human experience
including: Power, Glory,
Love, Revenge, Loss, etc.
●
Fundamental literary
elements, including:
character (round, flat,
static, dynamic), setting,
plot, characterization
(direct, indirect),
protagonist, antagonist,
conflict, plot, point of
view (1st, 3rd [limited,
omniscient]), theme,
flashback,
foreshadowing, symbol,
figurative language
(simile, metaphor,
personification), irony
(verbal, situational,
dramatic)
Suggested
Assessments
Reading Literature &
Informational Text
Assessments:
●
Collaborative analysis
questions through
Google Docs
●
Note-taking and
annotations of readings
●
Reading
comprehension quizzes
●
Characterization and
Conflict outlines with
evidence
●
Journal entries based
on readings & specific
passages
●
Journal entries focused
on style, structure, and
meaning of a work
●
Passage analysis
questions
●
Literary Analysis essays
Standards
(NJCCCS CPIs, CCSS, NGSS)
1-12.RL.1
Cite strong and thorough textual
evidence to support analysis of
what the text says explicitly as well
as inferences drawn from the text,
including determining where the
text leaves matters uncertain.
11-12.RL.2
Determine two or more themes or
central ideas of a text and analyze
their development over the course
of the text, including how they
interact and build on one another
to produce a complex account;
provide an objective summary of
the text.
11-12.RL.3
Analyze the impact of the author's
choices regarding how to develop
and relate elements of a story or
drama (e.g., where a story is set,
how the action is ordered, how the
characters are introduced and
developed).
11-12.RL.4
Determine the meaning of words
and phrases as they are used in the
text, including figurative and
connotative meanings; analyze the
impact of specific word choices on
meaning and tone, including words
with multiple meanings or language
that is particularly fresh, engaging,
or beautiful. (Include Shakespeare
as well as other authors.)
11-12.RL.5
Analyze how an author's choices
concerning how to structure
specific parts of a text (e.g., the
choice of where to begin or end a
story, the choice to provide a
comedic or tragic resolution)
Pacing
Intro to the
Humanities
~5 Lessons
contribute to its overall structure
and meaning as well as its aesthetic
impact
11-12.RL.6
Analyze a case in which grasping a
point of view requires
distinguishing what is directly
stated in a text from what is really
meant (e.g., satire, sarcasm, irony,
or understatement).
Writing SWBAT:
Writing:
Writing Assessments:
●
Articulate how certain
works of art express
elements of the human
experience.
●
●
Create and defend
arguments about the
importance of art to the
human experience
●
Thesis statement
purpose and structure
●
Effective paragraph
elements & structure:
topic and concluding
sentences, evidence,
transitions, and
discussion
●
●
●
Formal essay-writing
expectations (tone,
literary present tense,
formatting, etc)
Strategies for
brainstorming and
prewriting for both
analytical and creative
writing
MLA style guidelines
(format, citations,
conventions)
●
Student definitions of
“Art”
Written analysis of
artwork in multiple
mediums (visual,
musical, performance)
●
In-class journal writing
●
Literary analysis essays
●
Free-response thematic
writings
●
Creative writing
assignments
●
Collaborative or
independent responses
to essential questions of
works studied
11-12.W.4
Produce clear and coherent writing
in which the development,
organization, and style are
appropriate to task, purpose, and
audience. (Grade-specific
expectations for writing types are
defined in standards 1-3 above.)
11-12.W.6
Use technology, including the
Internet, to produce, publish, and
update individual or shared writing
products in response to ongoing
feedback, including new arguments
or information.
11-12.W.7
Conduct short as well as more
sustained research projects to
answer a question (including a selfgenerated question) or solve a
problem; narrow or broaden the
inquiry when appropriate;
synthesize multiple sources on the
subject, demonstrating
understanding of the subject under
investigation
11-12.W.9
Draw evidence from literary or
informational texts to support
analysis, reflection, and research.
11-12.W.10
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.
Speaking & Listening
SWBAT:
Speaking & Listening:
●
●
●
●
●
Collaboratively analyze
texts through the
artistic lenses being
studied, and present
those findings to the
class
Respond thoughtfully to
student analysis and
presentation in
discussion
Present individual
opinions and analysis of
the works studied in a
class discussion
Create and defend
arguments about the
importance of a work of
art to a particular
period.
●
●
Guidelines for effective
class discussions
(generated by students
and teacher), i.e.:
procedure for polite,
respectful discussion
and listening, necessity
to provide textual
support for
ideas/opinions, and the
ability to generate
questions based on
discussion
Proper use of academic
and literary vocabulary
in discussion
Student and teacher
guidelines for socratic
seminars and writer’s
workshop
Speaking & Listening
Assessments:
●
Participation in class
discussions
●
Participation in smallgroup discussions
●
Presentation of group
analysis to the class
●
Discuss literature in
small group or whole
class discussions and
provide textual support
for ideas/opinions
●
Shared journal entries
●
Participate in both
teacher-led and/or
student driven small
and large class
discussion
1-12.SL.1
Initiate and participate effectively
in a range of collaborative
discussions (one-on-one, in groups,
and teacher-led) with diverse
partners on grades 11-12 topics,
texts, and issues, building on
others' ideas and expressing their
own clearly and persuasively.
11-12.SL.1.a
Come to discussions prepared,
having read and researched
material under study; explicitly
draw on that preparation by
referring to evidence from texts and
other research on the topic or issue
to stimulate a thoughtful, wellreasoned exchange of ideas.
11-12.SL.1.b Work with peers to
promote civil, democratic
discussions and decision-making,
set clear goals and deadlines, and
establish individual roles as
needed.
11-12.SL.1.c
Propel conversations by posing
and responding to questions that
probe reasoning and evidence;
ensure a hearing for a full range of
positions on a topic or issue; clarify,
verify, or challenge ideas and
conclusions; and promote divergent
and creative perspectives.
11-12.SL.1.d
Respond thoughtfully to diverse
perspectives; synthesize comments,
claims, and evidence made on all
sides of an issue; resolve
contradictions when possible; and
determine what additional
information or research is required
to deepen the investigation or
complete the task.
11-12.SL.6 Adapt speech to a
variety of contexts and tasks,
demonstrating a command of
formal English when indicated
when appropriate.
Language SWBAT:
Language:
●
Properly use language
specific to the analysis
of different artistic
mediums
●
●
Exhibit proper usage in
written and spoken
language
●
Visual Artistic Analysis
Terms: color, texture,
mood, subject, form,
aesthetic, etc.
●
Identify use of
figurative language and
determine how it
contributes to the
meaning and aesthetic
impact of a literary
work
●
Dramatic Analysis
Terms: monologue,
dialogue, setting, stage
directions, apostrophe,
etc
●
Review and
reinforcement of
grammatical principles
and vocabulary
acquisition
●
Task-specific literary
and academic
terminology
●
Recognize and
articulate a writer’s
purposeful use of
diction and syntax
●
Research unfamiliar
words and determine
meaning from context
clues
Musical Analysis
Terms: tempo, tone,
rhythm, meter, mode,
major, minor, etc
Language Assessments:
●
●
●
Student note-taking,
reflecting consideration
of challenging
vocabulary
Determining the
meaning of unknown
vocabulary words using
context clues in
analytical writing
Correct usage of artistic
analysis terms in formal
and informal writing
assignments and
discussion
11-12.L.1 Demonstrate command of
the conventions of standard English
grammar and usage when writing
or speaking.
11-12.L.1.a Apply the
understanding that usage is a
matter of convention, can change
over time, and is sometimes
contested.
11-12.L.1.b Resolve issues of
complex or contested usage,
consulting references (e.g.,
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of
English Usage, Garner's Modern
American Usage) as needed.
11-12.L.4.c Consult general and
specialized reference materials
(e.g., dictionaries, glossaries,
thesauruses), both print and digital,
to find the pronunciation of a word
or determine or clarify its precise
meaning, its part of speech, its
etymology, or its standard usage.
11-12.L.4.d Verify the preliminary
determination of the meaning of a
word or phrase (e.g., by checking
the inferred meaning in context or
in a dictionary).
11-12.L.5 Demonstrate
understanding of figurative
language, word relationships, and
nuances in word meanings.
11-12.L.5.a Interpret figures of
speech (e.g., hyperbole, paradox) in
context and analyze their role in the
text.
11-12.L.5.b Analyze nuances in the
meaning of words with similar
denotations
Unit 2 Overview
Unit Title: Introduction to Romanticism and Realism
Unit Summary:
This unit introduces students to the study of the Humanities, focusing on two artistic periods: Romanticism and Realism. The first
period studied in this unit is the Romantic period, roughly corresponding with the late 18th century extending into the mid-19th
century in Europe. We will explore Romanticism’s reaction against the Age of Reason, the influence of nature on the Romantic artists,
and the spirit of the individual that blossoms violently from the revolutions of the 18th century. We will also explore Realism’s
reaction to Romanticism, influenced by increasing social concerns, the development of the industrial revolution, and the increasing
urbanization and materialism of the 19th century in Europe and North America. Students will read a Romantic novel and a Realist
play, then choose a work of their own to read and workshop in literature circles with their peers.
Suggested Pacing: ~ 30 Lessons
Learning Targets
Unit Essential Questions:
● Is “deliberate cruelty” a forgivable crime?
● Is humanity inherently good or evil?
● Should there be limitations on an individual’s pursuit of happiness?
● Does pain and suffering explain and excuse bad behavior from those who must endure it?
● What role does the social class a person is born into play in the development and nature of that person?
● What happens to the individual who does not conform to society’s expectations?
● What is the connection between social class and societal expectations?
Unit Enduring Understandings:
● The Romantics rebelled against the rational, advocating for passion, inspiration, imagination, and individuality
● Realism, a reaction to the Romantics, reflects human suffering and conflict realistically
● Artistic periods are tied to changes in society, and affect many artistic mediums
● Critical inquiry can be used to interpret all works of art, including literature, music, and the visual arts
Evidence of Learning
Unit Benchmark Assessment Information:
The unit assessment will be one or more assignments chosen by the instructor from the following :
● A creative synthesis paper or project, requiring students to analyze a work of art from the perspective of a character in the
selected novel, using elements from the artistic period being studied
● A collaborative presentation, requiring students to work in small groups to interpret a selected text from the lens of the artistic
period being studied, and presenting their findings to the class
● A short literary analysis paper based on the essential questions of the chosen text
(Students will be able to…)
Romanticism Texts:
Novels (Instructor’s
choice of 1):
Reading Literature &
Informational TextsSWBAT:
-Frankenstein by Mary
Shelley
●
-Dracula by Bram Stoker
-Wuthering Heights by
Emily Bronte
Realism Texts:
Drama:
-A Streetcar Named Desire
by Tennessee Williams
●
Student Choice Work
(1):
Drama:
A Doll’s House by Henrik
Ibsen
●
The Glass Menagerie by
Tennessee Williams
Fences by August Wilson
Novel:
The Bluest Eye by Toni
Morrison
●
Graphic Novel:
Persepolis by Marjane
Satrapi
Artwork:
-Music and artwork studied
in this unit will be
representative of the
Romantic and Realist
periods. Please see the
course resources page for a
Essential
Content
Objectives
Applicable Texts
●
Trace the changing role
of women in modern
culture, both as writers
and artists, and in the
images, roles, and
male/female
relationships depicted in
the literature and art of
the Nineteenth,
Twentieth and TwentyFirst Centuries.
Reading Literature &
Informational Texts:
●
Discover how these
themes reflect the
literary movement and
social history and
connect to the art and
music also being
produced at that time.
Explore themes
common to all humanity
in both art and literature
(for example love,
revenge, and loss of
Reading Literature &
Informational Text
Assessments:
●
Collaborative analysis
questions through
Google Docs
●
Note-taking and
annotations of readings
●
Reading
comprehension quizzes
Gothic elements of
Romanticism including:
ghosts, frightening
settings, an ancestral
curse, doppelgangers,
magic, and the
supernatural
●
Characterization and
Conflict outlines with
evidence
●
Journal entries based
on readings & specific
passages
●
The Romantic focus on
passion and emotion
was a reaction to the Age
of Reason
●
Journal entries focused
on style, structure, and
meaning of a work
●
Romanticism was a
movement across
artistic mediums,
influencing literature,
visual arts, philosophy,
and music
●
Passage analysis
questions
●
Literary Analysis essays
●
●
Identify, comprehend
and interpret literary,
artistic and musical
works from a variety of
artistic periods.
Examine how the
author’s choices with
regards to setting,
structure, narrative etc.
are artistic choices,
similar to those an artist
or musician make and
how these choices are
reflective of the literary
movement the work is a
part of.
The 5 characteristics of
Romanticism: Idealism,
Imagination,
Individuality, Intuition,
and Inspiration
Suggested
Assessments
●
●
Revolution and the
rights of the individual
are deeply tied to
Romantic Literature
Realism was a reaction
to the Romantic period,
focusing on social issues
and a realistic portrayal
of the human experience
Realism in the visual
arts closely tied to the
development of
photography, electricity,
and synthetic materials
Standards
(NJCCCS CPIs, CCSS, NGSS)
1-12.RL.1
Cite strong and thorough textual
evidence to support analysis of
what the text says explicitly as well
as inferences drawn from the text,
including determining where the
text leaves matters uncertain.
11-12.RL.2
Determine two or more themes or
central ideas of a text and analyze
their development over the course
of the text, including how they
interact and build on one another
to produce a complex account;
provide an objective summary of
the text.
11-12.RL.3
Analyze the impact of the author's
choices regarding how to develop
and relate elements of a story or
drama (e.g., where a story is set,
how the action is ordered, how the
characters are introduced and
developed).
11-12.RL.4
Determine the meaning of words
and phrases as they are used in the
text, including figurative and
connotative meanings; analyze the
impact of specific word choices on
meaning and tone, including words
with multiple meanings or language
that is particularly fresh, engaging,
or beautiful. (Include Shakespeare
as well as other authors.)
11-12.RL.5
Analyze how an author's choices
concerning how to structure
specific parts of a text (e.g., the
choice of where to begin or end a
story, the choice to provide a
comedic or tragic resolution)
Pacing
Whole-class
study of
Romantic
novel:
~15 Lessons
Whole-class
study of
“Streetcar
Named
Desire”:
~8 Lessons
Class
literature
circles of
chosen Realist
texts:
~7 Lessons
full list of recommended
artwork.
Films:
- Mary Shelley’s
Frankenstein (1997)
innocence) and their
development through
group discussion and
analytical writing.
●
- Excerpts from Brahm
Stoker’s Dracula (1992)
- Excerpts from Wuthering
Heights (2009)
-Streetcar Named Desire
(1951)
●
Apply their analytical
skills to artwork and
learn to “read” a work of
art.
Read and comprehend
literary analysis and
critique of works from
the periods studied
●
Characteristics of
Realism: materialism,
naturalism, social
injustice, technology,
objectivity, and human
rights
●
Realism also impacted
music and the visual arts
through verismo and
impressionism
●
Fundamental literary
elements, including:
character (round, flat,
static, dynamic), setting,
plot, characterization
(direct, indirect),
protagonist, antagonist,
conflict, plot, point of
view (1st, 3rd [limited,
omniscient]), theme,
flashback,
foreshadowing, symbol,
figurative language
(simile, metaphor,
personification), irony
(verbal, situational,
dramatic)
contribute to its overall structure
and meaning as well as its aesthetic
impact
11-12.RL.6
Analyze a case in which grasping a
point of view requires
distinguishing what is directly
stated in a text from what is really
meant (e.g., satire, sarcasm, irony,
or understatement).
11-12.RL.7
Analyze multiple interpretations of
a story, drama, or poem (e.g.,
recorded or live production of a
play or recorded novel or poetry),
evaluating how each version
interprets the source text. (Include
at least one play by Shakespeare
and one play by an American
dramatist.)
RL.11-12.9
Demonstrate knowledge of
eighteenth-, nineteenth- and earlytwentieth-century foundational
works of American literature,
including how two or more texts
from the same period treat similar
themes or topics.
11-12.RL.10
By the end of grade 12, read and
comprehend literature, including
stories, dramas, and poems, at the
high end of the grades 11-CCR text
complexity band independently and
proficiently.
11-12.RI.1.
Cite strong and thorough textual
evidence to support analysis of
what the text says explicitly as well
as inferences drawn from the text,
including determining where the
text leaves matters uncertain.
11-12.RI.3
Analyze a complex set of ideas or
sequence of events and explain how
specific individuals, ideas, or events
interact and develop over the
course of the text.
11-12.RI.4
Determine the meaning of words
and phrases as they are used in a
text, including figurative,
connotative, and technical
meanings; analyze how an author
uses and refines the meaning of a
key term or terms over the course
of a text (e.g., how Madison
defines faction in Federalist No.
10).
11-12.RI.5
Analyze and evaluate the
effectiveness of the structure an
author uses in his or her exposition
or argument, including whether the
structure makes points clear,
convincing, and engaging.
11-12.RI.6
Determine an author's point of view
or purpose in a text in which the
rhetoric is particularly effective,
analyzing how style and content
contribute to the power,
persuasiveness or beauty of the
text.
Writing SWBAT:
Writing:
Writing Assessments:
●
Articulate how certain
works of art express
elements of the human
experience.
●
●
Written analysis of
artwork in multiple
mediums (visual,
musical, performance)
●
Create and defend
arguments about the
importance of a work of
art to a particular
period.
●
In-class journal writing
●
Literary analysis essays
●
Free-response thematic
writings
●
Engage in the writing
and editing process for
major writing
●
●
Development of a
creative narrative from
the perspective of a
character in a work
studied
Formal essay-writing
expectations (tone,
literary present tense,
formatting, etc)
Thesis statement
purpose and structure
●
Creative writing
11-12.W.1
Write arguments to support claims
in an analysis of substantive topics
or texts, using valid reasoning and
relevant and sufficient evidence.
11-12.W.1.d
Establish and maintain a formal
style and objective tone while
attending to the norms and
conventions of the discipline in
which they are writing.
11-12.W.2
Write informative/
explanatory texts to examine and
assignments and
projects
●
●
●
Create thesis
statements about the
literature and art and
develop an essay to
support that argument.
assignments
●
●
Write and sustain
arguments about
literature and art both
in writing and
discussion by citing
textual evidence.
●
Creatively re-tell a
narrative from the
perspective of an
alternate narrator
●
●
Respond in writing
formally and informally
to address essential
questions about
literature
●
Analyze fiction and
informational texts to
form connections
relating to the human
experience
●
Formulate a thesis
statement and
supporting argument
for how the style and
structure of a work of
prose fiction conveys
the meaning of a work
●
Smoothly integrate and
analyze textual evidence
to support assertions
●
Write a well-structured
formal, literary
argument with a central
claim, develop the claim
Essay structure for
comparative writing
Effective paragraph
elements & structure:
topic and concluding
sentences, evidence,
transitions, and
discussion
Strategies for
brainstorming and
prewriting for both
analytical and creative
writing
MLA style guidelines
(format, citations,
conventions)
●
Collaborative or
independent responses
to essential questions of
works studied
convey complex ideas, concepts,
and information clearly and
accurately through the effective
selection, organization, and
analysis of content.
11-12.W.6
Use technology, including the
Internet, to produce, publish, and
update individual or shared writing
products in response to ongoing
feedback, including new arguments
or information.
11-12.W.9
Draw evidence from literary or
informational texts to support
analysis, reflection, and research.
11-12.W.9.a
Apply grades 11-12 Reading
standards to literature (e.g.,
"Demonstrate knowledge of
eighteenth-, nineteenth- and earlytwentieth-century foundational
works of American literature,
including how two or more texts
from the same period treat similar
themes or topics").
11-12.W.10
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.
with evidence, and
consider at least one
other point of view
Speaking & Listening
SWBAT:
Speaking & Listening:
●
●
●
●
●
Collaboratively analyze
texts through the
artistic lenses being
studied, and present
those findings to the
class
Respond thoughtfully to
student analysis and
presentation in
discussion
Present individual
opinions and analysis of
the works studied in a
class discussion
Create and defend
arguments about the
importance of a work of
art to a particular
period.
●
●
Guidelines for effective
class discussions
(generated by students
and teacher), i.e.:
procedure for polite,
respectful discussion
and listening, necessity
to provide textual
support for
ideas/opinions, and the
ability to generate
questions based on
discussion
Proper use of academic
and literary vocabulary
in discussion
Student and teacher
guidelines for socratic
seminars and writer’s
workshop
Speaking & Listening
Assessments:
●
Participation in class
discussions
●
Participation in smallgroup discussions
●
Presentation of group
analysis to the class
●
Discuss literature in
small group or whole
class discussions and
provide textual support
for ideas/opinions
●
Shared journal entries
●
Participate in both
teacher-led and/or
student driven small
and large class
discussion
1-12.SL.1
Initiate and participate effectively
in a range of collaborative
discussions (one-on-one, in groups,
and teacher-led) with diverse
partners on grades 11-12 topics,
texts, and issues, building on
others' ideas and expressing their
own clearly and persuasively.
11-12.SL.1.a
Come to discussions prepared,
having read and researched
material under study; explicitly
draw on that preparation by
referring to evidence from texts and
other research on the topic or issue
to stimulate a thoughtful, wellreasoned exchange of ideas.
11-12.SL.1.b Work with peers to
promote civil, democratic
discussions and decision-making,
set clear goals and deadlines, and
establish individual roles as
needed.
11-12.SL.1.c
Propel conversations by posing
and responding to questions that
probe reasoning and evidence;
ensure a hearing for a full range of
positions on a topic or issue; clarify,
verify, or challenge ideas and
conclusions; and promote divergent
and creative perspectives.
11-12.SL.1.d
Respond thoughtfully to diverse
perspectives; synthesize comments,
claims, and evidence made on all
sides of an issue; resolve
contradictions when possible; and
determine what additional
information or research is required
to deepen the investigation or
complete the task.
Language SWBAT:
Language:
●
Properly use language
specific to the analysis
of different artistic
mediums
●
●
Exhibit proper usage in
written and spoken
language
●
Visual Artistic Analysis
Terms: color, texture,
mood, subject, form,
aesthetic, etc.
●
Identify use of
figurative language and
determine how it
contributes to the
meaning and aesthetic
impact of a literary
work
●
Dramatic Analysis
Terms: monologue,
dialogue, setting, stage
directions, apostrophe,
etc
●
Review and
reinforcement of
grammatical principles
and vocabulary
acquisition
●
Task-specific literary
and academic
terminology
●
Recognize and
articulate a writer’s
purposeful use of
diction and syntax
●
Research unfamiliar
words and determine
meaning from context
clues
Musical Analysis
Terms: tempo, tone,
rhythm, meter, mode,
major, minor, etc
Language Assessments:
●
●
●
Student note-taking,
reflecting consideration
of challenging
vocabulary
Determining the
meaning of unknown
vocabulary words using
context clues in
analytical writing
Correct usage of artistic
analysis terms in formal
and informal writing
assignments and
discussion
11-12.L.1 Demonstrate command of
the conventions of standard English
grammar and usage when writing
or speaking.
11-12.L.1.a Apply the
understanding that usage is a
matter of convention, can change
over time, and is sometimes
contested.
11-12.L.1.b Resolve issues of
complex or contested usage,
consulting references (e.g.,
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of
English Usage, Garner's Modern
American Usage) as needed.
11-12.L.5 Demonstrate
understanding of figurative
language, word relationships, and
nuances in word meanings.
12.L.6 Acquire and use accurately
general academic and domainspecific words and phrases,
sufficient for reading, writing,
speaking, and listening at the
college and career readiness level;
demonstrate independence in
gathering vocabulary knowledge
when considering a word or phrase
important to comprehension or
expression.
Unit 3 Overview
Unit Title: Introduction to Modernism and Post-Modernism
Unit Summary:
This unit introduces students to the Modern and Post-Modern periods in literature and art, roughly corresponding with the early to
mid-20th century. The representative work chosen for our study of Modernism is The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald- a work that
reflects the disillusionment of post-war America, and the recognition of the destruction of the American dream at the hands of biting
social injustice, a loss of tradition, and the moral degradation of society. In addition to studying the literary work, students will also
view clips from the most recent Baz Luhrmann film version of the text, and will be asked to make critical judgments about the artistic
choices used to interpret the original work. Students will also be introduced to other artistic works of this period, and will be asked to
interpret them through the lens of Modernism and Post-Modernism.
Suggested Pacing: ~15 Lessons
Learning Targets
Unit Essential Questions:
● How can one change his or her identity?
● What role does the social class a person is born into play in the development and nature of that person?
● In what ways does fantasy both help and harm people who are dealing with reality?
● In what ways is the pursuit of overwhelming desire destructive?
● What is the connection between social class and societal expectations?
● How do individuals survive injustice?
● What role can the study of the Humanities play in a personal appreciation of art?
Unit Enduring Understandings:
● The human experience is expressed in all works of art
● Definitions of art vary, but art is a reflection of society and the human experience, as well as a tool to incite change
● Modernism reflects the idea of life as a struggle, which people must cope through, isolated and alone
● Meaning is constructed inter-textually, and no work of art or literature is free from the influence of the cultural and historical
canon
● Artistic periods are tied to changes in society, and affect many artistic mediums
● Critical inquiry can be used to interpret all works of art, including literature, music, and the visual arts
Evidence of Learning
Unit Benchmark Assessment Information:
The unit assessment will be one or more assignments chosen by the instructor from the following:
● A creative synthesis paper, requiring students to analyze a work of art from the perspective of a character in the selected novel,
using elements from the artistic period being studied
● A collaborative presentation, requiring students to work in small groups to interpret a selected text from the lens of the artistic
period being studied, and presenting their findings to the class
● A short literary analysis paper based on the essential questions of the chosen text
Anchor Text:
Novel:
-The Great Gatsby by F.
Scott Fitzgerald
(Students will be able to…)
Reading Literature &
Informational TextsStudents will be able to:
●
Film:
-”The Great Gatsby” directed
by Baz Luhrmann
Artwork:
-Artwork studied in this unit
will be representative of the
Modern and Postmodern
period. Please see the course
resources page for a full list
of recommended artwork.
Essential
Content
Objectives
Applicable Texts
●
●
●
Students will trace the
changing role of women
in modern culture, both
as writers and artists,
and in the images, roles,
and male/female
relationships depicted
in the literature and art
of the Nineteenth,
Twentieth and TwentyFirst Centuries.
After viewing and
discussing art works
from each period,
students should be able
to identify, comprehend
and interpret literary,
artistic and musical
works from a variety of
artistic periods.
Students will examine
how the author’s
choices with regards to
setting, structure,
narrative etc. are
artistic choices, similar
to those an artist or
musician make and how
these choices are
reflective of the literary
movement the work is a
part of.
Students will discover
how these themes
reflect the literary
movement and social
history and connect to
the art and music also
being produced at that
time.
Reading Literature &
Informational Texts:
●
●
●
●
●
Modernism in
Literature reflected the
belief that traditional
ways of living were no
longer valid due to the
horrors of war, social
inequality, racism and
injustice, and new
advances in science and
psychology
Modernists reflected a
loss of meaning in the
human experience due
to pessimism, isolation,
and struggle
Literary modernism is
characterized by
narrative stream of
consciousness, a focus
on fast-paced, amoral
urban environments,
modernist characters,
convoluted narrative
structure, and the
destruction of the
American dream
Literary
Postmodernism is
characterized by a
rejection of formal
archetypes and a
blending of cultural and
critical criticism in
literature- a reaction
against the relativism of
the Modern
Literary terms
important to
Modernism &
Postmodernism:
Suggested
Assessments
Reading Literature &
Informational Text
Assessments:
●
Collaborative analysis
questions through
Google Docs
●
Note-taking and
annotations of readings
●
Reading
comprehension quizzes
●
Characterization and
Conflict outlines with
evidence
●
Journal entries based
on readings & specific
passages
●
Journal entries focused
on style, structure, and
meaning of a work
●
Passage analysis
questions
●
Literary Analysis essays
Standards
Pacing
1-12.RL.1
Cite strong and thorough textual
evidence to support analysis of
what the text says explicitly as well
as inferences drawn from the text,
including determining where the
text leaves matters uncertain.
The Great
Gatsby:
~15 Lessons
(NJCCCS CPIs, CCSS, NGSS)
11-12.RL.2
Determine two or more themes or
central ideas of a text and analyze
their development over the course
of the text, including how they
interact and build on one another
to produce a complex account;
provide an objective summary of
the text.
11-12.RL.3
Analyze the impact of the author's
choices regarding how to develop
and relate elements of a story or
drama (e.g., where a story is set,
how the action is ordered, how the
characters are introduced and
developed).
11-12.RL.4
Determine the meaning of words
and phrases as they are used in the
text, including figurative and
connotative meanings; analyze the
impact of specific word choices on
meaning and tone, including
words with multiple meanings or
language that is particularly fresh,
engaging, or beautiful. (Include
Shakespeare as well as other
authors.)
11-12.RL.5
Analyze how an author's choices
concerning how to structure
specific parts of a text (e.g., the
choice of where to begin or end a
story, the choice to provide a
●
Explore themes
common to all
humanity in both art
and literature (for
example love, revenge,
and loss of innocence)
and their development
through group
discussion and
analytical writing.
●
Students will apply
their analytical skills to
artwork and learn to
“read” a work of art.
●
Read and comprehend
literary analysis and
critique of works from
the periods studied
juxtaposition,
macrocosm,
microcosm,
intertextuality, nonlinear narrative, and
imagism.
●
Fundamental literary
elements, including:
character (round, flat,
static, dynamic),
setting, plot,
characterization (direct,
indirect), protagonist,
antagonist, conflict,
plot, point of view (1st,
3rd [limited,
omniscient]), theme,
flashback,
foreshadowing, symbol,
figurative language
(simile, metaphor,
personification), irony
(verbal, situational,
dramatic)
comedic or tragic resolution)
contribute to its overall structure
and meaning as well as its
aesthetic impact
11-12.RL.6
Analyze a case in which grasping a
point of view requires
distinguishing what is directly
stated in a text from what is really
meant (e.g., satire, sarcasm, irony,
or understatement).
11-12.RL.7
Analyze multiple interpretations of
a story, drama, or poem (e.g.,
recorded or live production of a
play or recorded novel or poetry),
evaluating how each version
interprets the source text. (Include
at least one play by Shakespeare
and one play by an American
dramatist.)
RL.11-12.9
Demonstrate knowledge of
eighteenth-, nineteenth- and earlytwentieth-century foundational
works of American literature,
including how two or more texts
from the same period treat similar
themes or topics.
11-12.RL.10
By the end of grade 12, read and
comprehend literature, including
stories, dramas, and poems, at the
high end of the grades 11-CCR text
complexity band independently
and proficiently.
11-12.RI.1.
Cite strong and thorough textual
evidence to support analysis of
what the text says explicitly as well
as inferences drawn from the text,
including determining where the
text leaves matters uncertain.
11-12.RI.3
Analyze a complex set of ideas or
sequence of events and explain
how specific individuals, ideas, or
events interact and develop over
the course of the text.
11-12.RI.4
Determine the meaning of words
and phrases as they are used in a
text, including figurative,
connotative, and technical
meanings; analyze how an author
uses and refines the meaning of a
key term or terms over the course
of a text (e.g., how Madison
defines faction in Federalist
No. 10).
11-12.RI.5
Analyze and evaluate the
effectiveness of the structure an
author uses in his or her
exposition or argument, including
whether the structure makes
points clear, convincing, and
engaging.
11-12.RI.6
Determine an author's point of
view or purpose in a text in which
the rhetoric is particularly
effective, analyzing how style and
content contribute to the power,
persuasiveness or beauty of the
text.
Writing SWBAT:
Writing:
Writing Assessments:
●
Articulate how certain
works of art express
elements of the human
experience.
●
●
Written analysis of
artwork in multiple
mediums (visual,
musical, performance)
●
Create and defend
arguments about the
importance of a work of
art to a particular
period.
●
In-class journal writing
●
Literary analysis essays
●
Free-response thematic
writings
●
Engage in the writing
●
●
Development of a
creative narrative from
the perspective of a
character in a work
studied
Formal essay-writing
expectations (tone,
literary present tense,
formatting, etc)
Thesis statement
11-12.W.1
Write arguments to support claims
in an analysis of substantive topics
or texts, using valid reasoning and
relevant and sufficient evidence.
11-12.W.1.d
Establish and maintain a formal
style and objective tone while
attending to the norms and
conventions of the discipline in
which they are writing.
11-12.W.2
and editing process for
major writing
assignments and
projects
●
●
●
Create thesis
statements about the
literature and art and
develop an essay to
support that argument.
Write and sustain
arguments about
literature and art both
in writing and
discussion by citing
textual evidence.
Creatively re-tell a
narrative from the
perspective of an
alternate narrator
●
Respond in writing
formally and informally
to address essential
questions about
literature
●
Analyze fiction and
informational texts to
form connections
relating to the human
experience
●
Formulate a thesis
statement and
supporting argument
for how the style and
structure of a work of
prose fiction conveys
the meaning of a work
●
Smoothly integrate and
analyze textual evidence
to support assertions
●
Write a well-structured
formal, literary
purpose and structure
●
Essay structure for
comparative writing
●
Effective paragraph
elements & structure:
topic and concluding
sentences, evidence,
transitions, and
discussion
●
●
Strategies for
brainstorming and
prewriting for both
analytical and creative
writing
MLA style guidelines
(format, citations,
conventions)
●
Creative writing
assignments
●
Collaborative or
independent responses
to essential questions of
works studied
Write informative/
explanatory texts to examine and
convey complex ideas, concepts,
and information clearly and
accurately through the effective
selection, organization, and
analysis of content.
11-12.W.6
Use technology, including the
Internet, to produce, publish, and
update individual or shared
writing products in response to
ongoing feedback, including new
arguments or information.
11-12.W.9
Draw evidence from literary or
informational texts to support
analysis, reflection, and research.
11-12.W.9.a
Apply grades 11-12 Reading
standards to literature (e.g.,
"Demonstrate knowledge of
eighteenth-, nineteenth- and earlytwentieth-century foundational
works of American literature,
including how two or more texts
from the same period treat similar
themes or topics").
11-12.W.10
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.
argument with a central
claim, develop the claim
with evidence, and
consider at least one
other point of view
Speaking & Listening
SWBAT:
Speaking & Listening:
●
●
●
●
●
Collaboratively analyze
texts through the
artistic lenses being
studied, and present
those findings to the
class
Respond thoughtfully to
student analysis and
presentation in
discussion
Present individual
opinions and analysis of
the works studied in a
class discussion
Create and defend
arguments about the
importance of a work of
art to a particular
period.
●
●
Guidelines for effective
class discussions
(generated by students
and teacher), i.e.:
procedure for polite,
respectful discussion
and listening, necessity
to provide textual
support for
ideas/opinions, and the
ability to generate
questions based on
discussion
Proper use of academic
and literary vocabulary
in discussion
Student and teacher
guidelines for socratic
seminars and writer’s
workshop
Speaking & Listening
Assessments:
●
Participation in class
discussions
●
Participation in smallgroup discussions
●
Presentation of group
analysis to the class
●
Discuss literature in
small group or whole
class discussions and
provide textual support
for ideas/opinions
●
Shared journal entries
●
Participate in both
teacher-led and/or
student driven small
and large class
discussion
1-12.SL.1
Initiate and participate effectively
in a range of collaborative
discussions (one-on-one, in
groups, and teacher-led) with
diverse partners on grades 11-12
topics, texts, and issues, building
on others' ideas and expressing
their own clearly and persuasively.
11-12.SL.1.a
Come to discussions prepared,
having read and researched
material under study; explicitly
draw on that preparation by
referring to evidence from texts
and other research on the topic or
issue to stimulate a thoughtful,
well-reasoned exchange of ideas.
11-12.SL.1.b Work with peers to
promote civil, democratic
discussions and decision-making,
set clear goals and deadlines, and
establish individual roles as
needed.
11-12.SL.1.c
Propel conversations by posing
and responding to questions that
probe reasoning and evidence;
ensure a hearing for a full range of
positions on a topic or issue;
clarify, verify, or challenge ideas
and conclusions; and promote
divergent and creative
perspectives.
11-12.SL.1.d
Respond thoughtfully to diverse
perspectives; synthesize
comments, claims, and evidence
made on all sides of an issue;
resolve contradictions when
possible; and determine what
additional information or research
is required to deepen the
investigation or complete the task.
Language SWBAT:
Language:
●
Properly use language
specific to the analysis
of different artistic
mediums
●
●
Exhibit proper usage in
written and spoken
language
●
Visual Artistic Analysis
Terms: color, texture,
mood, subject, form,
aesthetic, etc.
●
Identify use of
figurative language and
determine how it
contributes to the
meaning and aesthetic
impact of a literary
work
●
Dramatic Analysis
Terms: monologue,
dialogue, setting, stage
directions, apostrophe,
etc
●
Recognize and
articulate a writer’s
purposeful use of
diction and syntax
●
Research unfamiliar
words and determine
meaning from context
clues
Musical Analysis
Terms: tempo, tone,
rhythm, meter, mode,
major, minor, etc
●
Review and
reinforcement of
grammatical principles
and vocabulary
acquisition
●
Task-specific literary
and academic
terminology
Language Assessments:
●
●
●
Student note-taking,
reflecting consideration
of challenging
vocabulary
Determining the
meaning of unknown
vocabulary words using
context clues in
analytical writing
Correct usage of artistic
analysis terms in formal
and informal writing
assignments and
discussion
11-12.L.1 Demonstrate command
of the conventions of standard
English grammar and usage when
writing or speaking.
11-12.L.1.a Apply the
understanding that usage is a
matter of convention, can change
over time, and is sometimes
contested.
11-12.L.1.b Resolve issues of
complex or contested usage,
consulting references (e.g.,
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of
English Usage, Garner's Modern
American Usage) as needed.
11-12.L.5 Demonstrate
understanding of figurative
language, word relationships, and
nuances in word meanings.
12.L.6 Acquire and use accurately
general academic and domainspecific words and phrases,
sufficient for reading, writing,
speaking, and listening at the
college and career readiness level;
demonstrate independence in
gathering vocabulary knowledge
when considering a word or phrase
important to comprehension or
expression.
Unit 4 Overview
Unit Title: Final Research Project Research and Presentations
Unit Summary:
In this final unit, students will be given class time to finalize their research and construct their presentations and outlines for the Final
Exam project. The Final Exam project is the capstone of the course, asking students to examine the human condition in a work of art
of their choosing, and presenting (or composing) an argument about its reflection of the human experience and society. Student
presentations offer opportunity for honing speaking and communication skills, in addition to the writing skills that are necessary for
the construction of the thesis, outline, and research. Students are held accountable for their participation during class presentations
and discussions, which will be made during class time.
Suggested Pacing: ~15 Lessons
Learning Targets
Unit Essential Questions:
● How can one change his or her identity?
● What role does the social class a person is born into play in the development and nature of that person?
● In what ways does fantasy both help and harm people who are dealing with reality?
● In what ways is the pursuit of overwhelming desire destructive?
● What is the connection between social class and societal expectations?
● How do individuals survive injustice?
● What role can the study of the Humanities play in a personal appreciation of art?
Unit Enduring Understandings:
● The human experience is expressed in all works of art
● Definitions of art vary, but art is a reflection of society and the human experience, as well as a tool to incite change
● Artistic periods are tied to changes in society, and affect many artistic mediums
● Critical inquiry can be used to interpret all works of art, including literature, music, and the visual arts
Evidence of Learning
Unit Benchmark Assessment Information:
Students are given the two options for the Final Exam assessment at the beginning of the course. They may opt to complete one of the
two options prior to the end of the course. The Final Exam assessment is given in lieu of a formal exam.
● Option One: Presentation: Students will select a piece of artwork, literature, or music to present on that has not been discussed
extensively in class and create a persuasive presentation in response to the question: why this work of art is important to its
artistic period and what does it expresses about the human experience?
● Option Two: Final Exam Essay: Students should choose three works of art (student can choose from literature, art, or music
and each work must be representative of a different period) and construct an essay that examines these works together and
focuses on humanity’s response to a social concern in the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries. The teacher can either refine the topic
to a specific question or allow students to develop their own question which they will bring to the exam and then proceed to
answer.
If students choose option one, they should consult with the teacher and schedule a day to present. If they choose option two, they will
write their essay on the day of the scheduled exam, but may consult with the teacher and, if necessary, teachers from other disciplines
about their ideas throughout the course. For both options, students should draw upon and use, when applicable, their work from the
first three assessments and the feedback given to them.
A work of Literature, Art,
Film, or Music that each
student will choose,
research, and analyze as part
of their Final Exam Project
Essential
Content
Objectives
Applicable Texts
(Students will be able to…)
Reading Literature &
Informational TextsStudents will be able to:
Reading Literature &
Informational Texts:
●
●
●
●
Students will trace the
changing role of women
in modern culture, both
as writers and artists,
and in the images, roles,
and male/female
relationships depicted
in the literature and art
of the Nineteenth,
Twentieth and TwentyFirst Centuries.
Identify, comprehend
and interpret literary,
artistic and musical
works from a variety of
artistic periods.
Examine how the
author’s choices with
regards to setting,
structure, narrative etc.
are artistic choices,
similar to those an
artist or musician make
and how these choices
are reflective of the
literary movement the
work is a part of.
●
Discover how these
themes reflect the
literary movement and
social history and
connect to the art and
music also being
produced at that time.
●
Explore themes
common to all
humanity in both art
and literature (for
example love, revenge,
●
Characteristics of
artistic, performing,
and fine arts analysis
studied in previous
units
Fundamental literary
elements, including:
character (round, flat,
static, dynamic),
setting, plot,
characterization (direct,
indirect), protagonist,
antagonist, conflict,
plot, point of view (1st,
3rd [limited,
omniscient]), theme,
flashback,
foreshadowing, symbol,
figurative language
(simile, metaphor,
personification), irony
(verbal, situational,
dramatic)
Suggested
Assessments
Reading Literature &
Informational Text
Assessments:
●
●
●
Student outlines for
presentations and final
essays
Prewriting and research
exercises for evaluating
sources and evidence
Final Exam
Presentations and
Synthesis Essays
Standards
Pacing
11-12.RI.1.
Cite strong and thorough textual
evidence to support analysis of
what the text says explicitly as well
as inferences drawn from the text,
including determining where the
text leaves matters uncertain.
Final Project
research and
preparation:
~7 Lessons
(NJCCCS CPIs, CCSS, NGSS)
11-12.RI.2
Determine two or more central
ideas of a text and analyze their
development over the course of the
text, including how they interact
and build on one another to
provide a complex analysis;
provide an objective summary of
the text.
11-12.RI.3
Analyze a complex set of ideas or
sequence of events and explain
how specific individuals, ideas, or
events interact and develop over
the course of the text.
11-12.RI.4
Determine the meaning of words
and phrases as they are used in a
text, including figurative,
connotative, and technical
meanings; analyze how an author
uses and refines the meaning of a
key term or terms over the course
of a text (e.g., how Madison
defines faction in Federalist
No. 10).
Final Project
presentations:
~8 Lessons
and loss of innocence)
and their development
through group
discussion and
analytical writing.
●
Apply their analytical
skills to artwork and
learn to “read” a work
of art.
●
Read and comprehend
literary analysis and
critique of works from
the periods studied
Writing SWBAT:
Writing:
Writing Assessments:
●
Articulate how certain
works of art express
elements of the human
experience.
●
Formal essay-writing
expectations (tone,
literary present tense,
formatting, etc)
●
●
Create and defend
arguments about the
importance of a work of
art to a particular
period.
●
Thesis statement
purpose and structure
●
Essay structure for
comparative writing
●
Engage in the writing
and editing process.
●
●
Create thesis
statements about the
literature and art and
develop an essay to
support that argument.
Effective paragraph
elements & structure:
topic and concluding
sentences, evidence,
transitions, and
discussion
●
Sustain arguments
about literature and art
both in writing and
discussion by citing
textual evidence.
Strategies for
brainstorming and
prewriting for both
analytical and creative
writing
●
MLA style guidelines
(format, citations,
conventions)
●
●
Respond in writing
formally and informally
to address essential
questions about
Final Research paper or
presentation which
reflects careful research
and analysis of a chosen
work of art, its
historical context,
critical reception, and
reflection of the human
experience
11-12.W.1
Write arguments to support claims
in an analysis of substantive topics
or texts, using valid reasoning and
relevant and sufficient evidence.
11-12.W.1.a
Introduce precise, knowledgeable
claim(s), establish the significance
of the claim(s), distinguish the
claim(s) from alternate or
opposing claims, and create an
organization that logically
sequences claim(s), counterclaims,
reasons, and evidence.
11-12.W.1.b
Develop claim(s) and
counterclaims fairly and
thoroughly, supplying the most
relevant evidence for each while
pointing out the strengths and
limitations of both in a manner
that anticipates the audience's
knowledge level, concerns, values,
and possible biases.
11-12.W.1.c
Use words, phrases, and clauses as
well as varied syntax to link the
major sections of the text, create
cohesion, and clarify the
relationships between claim(s) and
literature
●
●
Analyze fiction and
informational texts to
form connections
relating to the human
experience
Formulate a thesis
statement and
supporting argument
for how the style and
structure of a work of
prose fiction conveys
the meaning of a work
●
Smoothly integrate and
analyze textual evidence
to support assertions
●
Write a well-structured
formal, literary
argument with a central
claim, develop the claim
with evidence, and
consider at least one
other point of view
reasons, between reasons and
evidence, and between claim(s)
and counterclaims.
11-12.W.1.d
Establish and maintain a formal
style and objective tone while
attending to the norms and
conventions of the discipline in
which they are writing.
11-12.W.1.e
Provide a concluding statement or
section that follows from and
supports the argument presented.
11-12.W.2
Write informative/
explanatory texts to examine and
convey complex ideas, concepts,
and information clearly and
accurately through the effective
selection, organization, and
analysis of content.
11-12.W.2.a
Introduce a topic; organize
complex ideas, concepts, and
information so that each new
element builds on that which
precedes it to create unified whole;
include formatting (e.g.,
headings), graphics (e.g., figures,
tables), and multimedia when
useful to aiding comprehension.
11-12.W.2.b
Develop the topic thoroughly by
selecting the most significant and
relevant facts, extended
definitions, concrete details,
quotations, or other information
and examples appropriate to the
audience's knowledge of the topic.
11-12.W.2.c
Use appropriate and varied
transitions and syntax to link the
major sections of the text, create
cohesion, and clarify the
relationships among complex
ideas and concepts.
11-12.W.2.d
Use precise language, domainspecific vocabulary, and
techniques such as metaphor,
simile, and analogy to manage the
complexity of the topic.
11-12.W.2.e
Establish and maintain a formal
style and objective tone while
attending to the norms and
conventions of the discipline in
which they are writing.
11-12.W.2.f
Provide a concluding statement or
section that follows from and
supports the information or
explanation presented (e.g.,
articulating implications or the
significance of the topic).
11-12.W.3
Write narratives to develop real or
imagined experiences or events
using effective technique, wellchosen details, and well-structured
event sequences.
11-12.W.3.a
Engage and orient the reader by
setting out a problem, situation, or
observation and its significance,
establishing one or multiple
point(s) of view, and introducing a
narrator and/or characters; create
a smooth progression of
experiences or events.
11-12.W.3.b
Use narrative techniques, such as
dialogue, pacing, description,
reflection, and multiple plot lines,
to develop experiences, events,
and/or characters.
11-12.W.3.c
Use a variety of techniques to
sequence events so that they build
on one another to create a
coherent whole and build toward a
particular tone and outcome (e.g.,
a sense of mystery, suspense,
growth, or resolution).
11-12.W.3.d
Use precise words and phrases,
telling details, and sensory
language to convey a vivid picture
of the experiences, events, setting,
and/or characters.
11-12.W.3.e
Provide a conclusion that follows
from and reflects on what is
experienced, observed, or resolved
over the course of the narrative.
11-12.W.4
Produce clear and coherent
writing in which the development,
organization, and style are
appropriate to task, purpose, and
audience. (Grade-specific
expectations for writing types are
defined in standards 1-3 above.)
11-12.W.5
Develop and strengthen writing as
needed by planning, revising,
editing, rewriting, or trying a new
approach, focusing on addressing
what is most significant for a
specific purpose and audience.
(Editing for conventions should
demonstrate command of
Language standards 1-3 up to and
including grades 11-12 here.)
11-12.W.7
Conduct short as well as more
sustained research projects to
answer a question (including a
self-generated question) or solve a
problem; narrow or broaden the
inquiry when appropriate;
synthesize multiple sources on the
subject, demonstrating
understanding of the subject
under investigation
11-12.W.8
Gather relevant information from
multiple authoritative print and
digital sources, using advanced
searches effectively; assess the
strengths and limitations of each
source in terms of the task,
purpose, and audience; integrate
information into the text
selectively to maintain the flow of
ideas, avoiding plagiarism and
overreliance on any one source
and following a standard format
for citation.
11-12.W.9
Draw evidence from literary or
informational texts to support
analysis, reflection, and research.
11-12.W.9.a
Apply grades 11-12 Reading
standards to literature (e.g.,
"Demonstrate knowledge of
eighteenth-, nineteenth- and earlytwentieth-century foundational
works of American literature,
including how two or more texts
from the same period treat similar
themes or topics").
11-12.W.10
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.
Speaking & Listening
SWBAT:
●
Respond thoughtfully to
student analysis and
Speaking & Listening:
●
Expectations for a
formal presentation,
including pacing,
Speaking & Listening
Assessments:
●
Final Research paper or
presentation which
1-12.SL.1 Initiate and participate
effectively in a range of
collaborative discussions (one-onone, in groups, and teacher-led)
with diverse partners on grades 11-
presentation in
discussion
●
●
●
Present individual
opinions and analysis of
the works studied in a
class discussion
projection, eye contact,
attitude, and
preparation
●
Select a work of art to
study for their
individual research
projects and present
their work to the class.
Create and defend
arguments about the
importance of a work of
art to a particular
period.
●
Guidelines for effective
class discussions
(generated by students
and teacher), i.e.:
procedure for polite,
respectful discussion
and listening, necessity
to provide textual
support for
ideas/opinions, and the
ability to generate
questions based on
discussion
Proper use of academic
and literary vocabulary
in discussion
reflects careful research
and analysis of a chosen
work of art, its
historical context,
critical reception, and
reflection of the human
experience
●
Participation in class
discussions
●
Participation in smallgroup discussions
12 topics, texts, and issues,
building on others' ideas and
expressing their own clearly and
persuasively.
11-12.SL.1.a Come to discussions
prepared, having read and
researched material under study;
explicitly draw on that preparation
by referring to evidence from texts
and other research on the topic or
issue to stimulate a thoughtful,
well-reasoned exchange of ideas.
11-12.SL.1.b Work with peers to
promote civil, democratic
discussions and decision-making,
set clear goals and deadlines, and
establish individual roles as
needed.
11-12.SL.1.c Propel conversations
by posing and responding to
questions that probe reasoning
and evidence; ensure a hearing for
a full range of positions on a topic
or issue; clarify, verify, or
challenge ideas and conclusions;
and promote divergent and
creative perspectives.
11-12.SL.1.d Respond thoughtfully
to diverse perspectives; synthesize
comments, claims, and evidence
made on all sides of an issue;
resolve contradictions when
possible; and determine what
additional information or research
is required to deepen the
investigation or complete the task.
11-12.SL.2
Integrate multiple sources of
information presented in diverse
formats and media (e.g., visually,
quantitatively, orally) in order to
make informed decisions and
solve problems, evaluating the
credibility and accuracy of each
source and noting any
discrepancies among the data.
11-12.SL.3 Evaluate a speaker's
point of view, reasoning, and use
of evidence and rhetoric, assessing
the stance, premises, links among
ideas, word choice, points of
emphasis, and tone used.
11-12.SL.4 Present information,
findings, and supporting evidence,
conveying a clear and distinct
perspective, such that listeners can
follow the line of reasoning,
alternative or opposing
perspectives are addressed, and
the organization, development,
substance, and style are
appropriate to purpose, audience,
and a range of formal and informal
tasks.
11-12.SL.5 Make strategic use of
digital media (e.g., textual,
graphical, audio, visual, and
interactive elements) in
presentations to enhance
understanding of findings,
reasoning, and evidence and to
add interest.
11-12.SL.6 Adapt speech to a
variety of contexts and tasks,
demonstrating a command of
formal English when indicated
when appropriate.
Language SWBAT:
Language:
Language Assessments:
●
●
●
Properly use language
specific to the analysis
of different artistic
mediums
Task-specific literary
and academic
terminology
Correct usage of artistic
analysis terms in formal
and informal writing
assignments and
discussion
11-12.L.1 Demonstrate command
of the conventions of standard
English grammar and usage when
writing or speaking.