Content Area English
Target Course/Grade level 12
Unit Title - European Literature: Literary Beginnings to the Middle Ages
Essential Questions: How did Ancient Greek, Roman and the medieval man distinguish between the earthly and the divine?
How do epic similes and epithets enrich the epic style of Classical European Literature? How does satire reveal some of the contradictions and divergences
within medieval literature and draw connections between literary form and philosophy? How do how certain traits of classical European literature and medieval
literature can be found in the art of the period?
Through a combination of close reading and exposure to an array of texts, students observe how epic similes and epithets enrich the epic
Unit Overview
style of Classical European Literature. Satire reveals some of the contradictions and divergences within medieval literature and will draw connections between
literary form and philosophy. In addition, they consider how certain traits of classical European literature and medieval literature can also be found in the art of
the period: for instance, how characters have symbolic meaning both in literature and in iconography. Students write essays in which they analyze a work closely,
compare two works, or trace an idea or theme throughout the works they have read.
Standards/
CPI’s
RL.11-12.5
RI.11-12.2
W.11-12.1(a-e
SL.11-12.4
L.11-12.3(a)
Unit Learning Targets
As a result of this segment of learning, students
will…

Analyze and identify characteristics of
epics and epic heroes.

Evaluate literary elements (e.g., epic
hero, epic simile, epithets, in media
res, ambiguity) in ancient Greek and
Roman literature and identify
characteristics of classical literary
forms.


Consider how medieval literature
exhibits many tendencies rather than a
single set of characteristics.
Observe literary elements (e.g.,
allegory, farce, satire, foil) in
medieval literary works and identify
characteristics of medieval literary
forms.

Understand how literary elements
contribute to meaning and author
intention.

Consider glimpses of the Renaissance
Lessons and Activities
The learning experiences that
will facilitate engagement and
achievement
Suggested Essays:
Analyze the impact that
supernatural forces have on
both Achilles and Hector.
Evaluate the internal and
external conflicts presented by
Homer through both characters,
especially in Book 22.
Choose one of the Canterbury
Tales. Explain how the main
character shows his or her
personality through narration.
How do fabliaux reveal the
point of view of the character?
Use textual evidence to support
an original, concise thesis
statement.
Evidence of
Learning
Formative and
Summative
measures
Suggested
assessments
Graded class
participation
Graded class
discussion
Peer and Teacher
critique of
argumentative,
informational/ex
pository and
narrative writing
assignments
Resources
Books, articles, text, etc.
Glencoe Textbook
Suggested Literary Selections
Epic Poems
Song of Roland (anonymous)
Bisclavret (Marie de France)
From The Inferno (Dante Alighieri)
The Iliad (Homer)
The Aeneid (Virgil)
Plays
Oedipus Rex (Sophocles)
Antigone (Sophocles)
Peer editing
Cooperative and
individual
research projects
and oral
Stories
The Decameron (Giovanni Boccaccio)
Literary Nonfiction
in certain works of medieval, ancient
Greek and Roman literature and art.




Consider how ancient Greek and
Roman literature as well as medieval
literary and artistic forms reflect the
writers’ and artists’ philosophical
views.
Examine the literary, social, and
religious satire in Chaucer’s
Canterbury Tales.
Consider the role of the framed
narrative in Chaucer’s Canterbury
Tales, Dante’s Inferno, and other
works.
Compare works of medieval literature
and art, particularly their depiction of
character and their focus on the
otherworldly.
Is the Wife of Bath from A
Canterbury Tales a feminist?
Use textual evidence to support
an original, concise thesis.
presentations
Benchmarks
Tests
Draw parallels between
representations of character in
an Ancient Greek Epic and in
Ancient Greek icons. Compare
and contrast their similarities
and differences. Are they more
alike or different? Use concrete
evidence from both texts to
support an original, concise
thesis statement.
What the excerpt is from;
Who wrote it;
Why it exemplifies the
specific time period
Suggested Art, Music and
Media
Genesis 6-9 The Flood (Tanakh)
Poems
“Most Beautiful of All the Stars” (Sappho)
“For my Mother Said”(Sappho)
Announced and
unannounced
quizzes
“I see scarlet, green, blue, white, yellow” (Arnaut
Daniel)
Three formal
analyses
“The Story of Pyramus and Thisbe” (Ovid)
Two narrative
writing
assignments
Suggested Speech:
Select one of the poems from
this unit and recite it from
memory. Include an
introduction that states:
The Burning of Rome from the Annals (Tacitus)
Two
informational/ex
pository writing
assignments
Four
perspectives in
response to art
and literature
“Poems of Catullus” (Catullus)
The General Prologue in The Canterbury Tales
(Geoffrey Chaucer)
“The Wife of Bath’s Tale” in The Canterbury Tales
(Geoffrey Chaucer)
“The Knight’s Tale” in The Canterbury Tales
(Geoffrey Chaucer)
“The Monk’s Tale” in The Canterbury Tales
(Geoffrey Chaucer)
“The Pardoner’s Tale”in The Canterbury Tales
(Geoffrey Chaucer)
“The Nun’s Priest’s Tale” in The Canterbury Tales
(Geoffrey Chaucer)
“Lord Randall” (Anonymous)
“Dance of Death” (“Danza de la Muerte”)
(Anonymous)
Informational Texts
Historical Nonfiction
Prompt: Can we see as man,
both the earthly and divine,
begins to take on human
characteristics as the Middle
Ages wane?
The One and the Many in the Canterbury Tales
(Traugott Lawler)
Medieval Images, Icons, and Illustrated English
Literary Texts: From Ruthwell Cross to the Ellesmere
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Chaucer (Maidie Hilmo)
Suggested Research Paper:
St. Thomas Aquinas (G. K. Chesterton)
Answer the essential question:
“How does medieval, Ancient
Greek or Roman literature
suggest a preoccupation with
both divine and earthly
existence?” Use primary and
secondary sources from this
unit or outside of the unit to
support an original thesis
statement to answer the
question.
The History of the Medieval World: From the
Conversion of Constantine to the First Crusade
(Susan Wise Bauer)
Cleopatra (Lorenzi)
The Hero Schliemann: The Dreamer Who Dug For
Troy (Laura Amy Schlitz and Robert Byrd)
Greeks Internet Linked (Illustrated World History)
(Susan Peach, Anne Millard, and Ian Jackson)
You Wouldn’t Want to be a Slave in Ancient Greece!:
A Life You’d Rather Not Have (You Wouldn’t Want
To…Series)(Fiona MacDonald, David Salariya, and
David Antram)
Romans: Internet Linked (Illustrated World History)
(Anthony Marks)
You Wouldn’t Want to Live in Pompeii! A Volcanic
Eruption You’d Rather Avoid (You Wouldn’t Want
To…Series) (John Malam, David Salariya, and David
Antram)
You Wouldn’t Want to be a Roman Soldier!:
Barbarians You’d Rather Not Meet (You Wouldn’t
Want To…Series) (David Stewart and David Antram)
Art, Music, and Media
Cimabue, Maestà (1280)
Giotto, Arena (Scrovegni) Chapel frescos (after 1305)
Joachim Among the Shepards
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Meeting at the Golden Gate
Raising of Lazarus
Jonah Swallowed Up by the Whale
Gustave Doré, illustrations for Dante’s Inferno
Lorenzo Ghiberti, Gates of Paradise (1425-1452)
Hans Holbein, Dance of Death (1538)
Perugino Apollo (1450)
Robertson The Oracle (1864)
Rubens Hector Killed by Achilles (1635)
Media
Media Connection “Ask the Oracle”
Troy - Film adaptation of The Iliad
Content Area English
Target Course/Grade level 12
Unit Title - European Literature: Renaissance and Reformation
Essential Questions: How does Renaissance literature break with and build on the literature of Ancient Greece, Rome and the middle Ages? How do
literary forms themselves reflect religious, philosophical, and aesthetic principles? How do the outstanding works of the era transcend their time and continue to
inspire readers and writers? How does a work bear attributes of Ancient Greece, Rome, the Middle Ages and the Renaissance?
Unit Overview
Students consider Renaissance writers’ interest in ancient Greek and Latin literature and myth; their preoccupation with human concerns
and life on earth; their aesthetic principles of harmony, balance, and divine proportion; and exceptions to all of these. This leads to a discussion of how literary
forms themselves reflect religious, philosophical, and aesthetic principles. As students compare the works of the Renaissance with those of the Middle Ages,
students recognize the overlap and continuity of these periods. In addition, they consider how the outstanding works of the era transcend their time and continue
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to inspire readers and writers. The English Renaissance of the seventeenth century includes additional works by William Shakespeare. In their essays, students
may analyze the ideas, principles, and form of a literary work; discuss how a work bears attributes of Ancient Greece, Rome and the middle Ages and the
Renaissance; discuss convergences of Renaissance literature and arts; or pursue a related topic of interest.
Standards/
CPI’s
RL.11-12.4
RL.11-12.6
RI.11-12.1
RI.11-12.2(af)
W.11-12.2
SL.11-12.4
L.11-12.4(a-d)
Unit Learning Targets
As a result of this segment of learning, students
will…








Read novels, literary nonfiction,
stories, plays, and poetry from the
Renaissance era, observing the
continuity from the Middle Ages as
well as the departures.
Identify and investigate allusions to
classical literature in Renaissance
texts.
Explore how a concept such as
symmetry or divine proportion is
expressed both in literature and in art.
Discuss Renaissance conceptions of
beauty and their literary
manifestations.
Explore how Renaissance writers took
interest in human life and the
individual person.
Explore aspects of Renaissance
literature—in particular, the writing of
Boccaccio, Cervantes and
Shakespeare.
Consider how literary forms and
devices reflect the author’s
philosophical, aesthetic, or religious
views.
Write an essay in which they (a)
Lessons and Activities
The learning experiences that will
facilitate engagement and achievement
Suggested Essays:
Compare one of the satirical stories of
Canterbury Tales (from unit one) with
one of the stories from Boccaccio’s The
Decameron. What does the satire reveal
about the author’s intention and
message? Use textual evidence to
support an original, concise thesis.
Evaluate how one of the plays from this
unit departs from classical and medieval
conceptions of drama. Use specific
textual evidence to support an original,
concise thesis statement.
Read Macbeth. How does the play
illustrate the demise of the Great Chain
of Being? What does the play say about
the divine right of kings? What does it
reveal about fate and free will? Use
textual evidence from the play to support
your response in an original, concise
thesis statement.
Evidence of
Learning
Formative and
Summative
measures
Graded class
participation
Resources
Books, articles, text, etc.
Glencoe Textbook
Suggested literary selections
Graded class
discussion
Novel
Peer and Teacher
critique of
argumentative,
informational/exp
ository and
narrative writing
assignments
The Life of Gargantua and the Heroic
Deeds of Pantagruel (François Rabelais)
(Books 1 and 2)
Peer editing
From Don Quixote (Miguel de Cervantes)
Cooperative and
individual
research projects
and oral
presentations
Plays
Othello (William Shakespeare)
Benchmarks
Tests
Stories
The Decameron (Boccaccio) (continued
from unit one)
Macbeth (William Shakespeare)
Poems
From the Inferno: from the Divine Comedy
(Dante Alighieri)
“Laura: from Canzoniere” (Petrarch)
Sonnet 8 ( Louise Labe)
Analyze how does the tone and diction
in Shakespearean sonnets differ or
Announced and
unannounced
quizzes
Sonnet 239 (Michelangelo)
Sonnets 29, 30, 40, 116, 128, 130, 143, and
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compare a literary work with a work
of art; (b) compare a Renaissance
work with a medieval work; or (c)
relate a literary work to a
philosophical work.
compare to the language and writing
style of his play? Use textual evidence
from the play to support your response
in an original, concise thesis statement.
Three formal
analyses
“The Passionate Shepherd to His Love”
(Christopher Marlowe)
Suggested Speech:
Two narrative
writing
assignments
“The Nymph’s Reply to the Shepherd” (Sir
Walter Raleigh)
Two
informational/exp
ository writing
assignments
Informational Texts
Rabelais and His World (Mikhail Bakhtin)
Select a poem from this unit and recite it
from memory. Include an introduction
that states:
Who wrote the poem;
Its form, meter, rhyme scheme, and
key literary elements;
An aspect of the poem that comes
through after multiple readings.
Suggested Art, Music and Media
Prompt: How is man’s humanity
depicted in Renaissance art?
Suggested Research Paper:
Using texts from this unit as well as
additional sources, explain how
literature or works of art from the
Renaissance reveal this period to
actually be an age of intolerance. Cite
specific textual evidence to support an
original, concise thesis statement to
answer the essential question.
146 (William Shakespeare)
From Europe’s First Family: The Basques
(1995)
Four perspectives
in response to art
and literature
Essays
“Of Cannibals” (Michel de Montaigne)
Recitation of
poetry
On the Divine Proportion (De divina
proportione) (illustrations only) (Luca
Pacioli)
Lives of the Most Excellent Painters,
Sculptors, and Architects (Giorgio Vasari)
Did Shakespeare Consciously Use Archaic
English? (Mary Catherine Davidson) 1997
Other Accents: Some Problems with
identifying Elizabethan Pronunciation
(Andrew Gurr) 2001
Art, Music, and Media
Media
Film adaptation of Hamlet and Othello
Documentary: “The life and times of
William Shakespeare”
Art
North Arlington Public Schools
Sandro Botticelli, Primavera (1482)
Leonardo da Vinci, Vitruvian Man (1487)
Leonardo da Vinci, Mona Lisa (1503-1505)
Michelangelo, David (1505)
Leonardo da Vinci, The Virgin and Child
with St. Anne (1508)
Michelangelo, Sistine Chapel, ceiling
(1508-1512)
Raphael, The Niccolini-Cowper Madonna
(1508)
Jacopo da Pontormo, Desposition from the
Cross (Entombment) (1525-28)
Michelangelo, The Last Judgment, Sistine
Chapel altar wall (1536-1541)
Caravaggio, The Entombment of Christ
(1602-1603)
Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini, Ecstasy of Saint
Teresa (1647–1652)
Content Area English
Target Course/Grade level 12
Unit Title - European Literature: Seventeenth Century
Essential Questions: How did seventeenth century writers regard the relationship between reason and emotion? How can reading literature satisfy a quest
for truth, beauty and understanding? Why is it important to synthesize and evaluate literary criticisms and focus on clarity and precision of expression? How
does satire promote understanding of authorial intent?
Students gain understanding of the early Enlightenment and its conception of reason. They see another side of the thought and literature of
Unit Overview
this period: an emphasis on human emotion, irrationality, and paradox. They consider how certain works express tension or conflict between emotion and reason
while others present reason and emotion as complementary and interdependent. They will write a critical essay exploring an aspect of the conflict between
reason and emotion. Or teachers might choose to culminate the unit with a research paper that answers the essential question.
North Arlington Public Schools
Standards/
CPI’s
RL.11-12.1
Unit Learning Targets
As a result of this segment of learning, students
will…

RL.11-12.7
RI.11-12.3
RI.11-12.4
RI.11-12.6

W.11-12.4
W.11-12.5

SL.11-12.2
L.11-12.1(a-b

Read literary and philosophical works
from the seventeenth century, with
particular attention to questions of
reason and emotion.
Consider the idea of reading literature
as a quest—for truth, for beauty, and
for understanding.
Analyze two philosophical works of
the seventeenth century for their
treatment of an idea related to human
reason.
Write literary and philosophical
analyses with a focus on clarity and
precision of expression.

Conduct research, online and in
libraries, on a particular seventeenthcentury author, work, or idea.

Analyze the relationship between
reason and emotion as illustrated in
literature of the seventeenth century.

Understand the use of satire as a
technique to reveal authorial intent.
Lessons and Activities
The learning experiences that will
facilitate engagement and achievement
Suggested Oral Presentation:
Select a poem or excerpt from a longer
poem and recite it from memory. Include
an introduction that states:
What the excerpt is from
Who wrote it
What kind of poetry it exemplifies and
why (SL 11-12.6)
Suggested Art, Music and Media
Evidence of
Learning
Formative and
Summative
measures
Graded class
participation
Peer and Teacher
critique of
argumentative,
informational/exp
ository and
narrative writing
assignments
Peer editing
As scholars and philosophers moved
into an age of reason and rationality,
why do you think there was still a push
for romanticized, opulent imagery,
labeled as baroque art?
Cooperative and
individual
research projects
and oral
presentations
SL.11-12.1, SL.11-12.2, SL.11-
Benchmarks
12.3, SL.11-12.4, SL.11-12.5
Tests
Read excerpts of the Leviathan. Agree
or disagree with Hobbes’s assessment
of human nature. Defend your opinion
with specific textual evidence that
supports an original, concise thesis
Glencoe Textbook
Suggested literary selections
Graded class
discussion
Using all of the artistic works analyzed,
develop the following presentation:
Reading Literature, Argumentative
Writing
Resources
Books, articles, text, etc.
Announced and
unannounced
quizzes
Novels
Don Quixote (Miguel de Cervantes)
The Pilgrim’s Progress (John Bunyan)
Plays
Hamlet (William Shakespeare)
Tartuffe (Jean-Baptiste - Molière)
Poems
The Flea (John Donne)
Song: Goe, and catche a falling starre (John
Donne)
Holy Sonnet 10 (John Donne)
To His Coy Mistress (Andrew Marvell)
To the Virgins to Make Much of
Time(Robert Herrick)
To Daffodils (Robert Herrick)
Love III (George Herbert)
Informational Texts
Three formal
analyses
Two narrative
writing
Leviathan (Thomas Hobbes) (selections)
Novum Organum (Francis Bacon)
(selections)
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statement. (W.11-12.1, W.11-12.5,
W.11-12.7)
Reading Literature, Informative
Writing
Read Tartuffe. How does the plot
reveal satire? What values of this time
period are being mocked? How does
the satire reveal Molière’s point of
view? Use textual evidence from the
play to support an original, concise
thesis statement. (W.11-12.5, W.1112.7)
assignments
An Essay Concerning Human
Understanding (John Locke)
Two
informational/exp
ository writing
assignments
Art, Music, and Media
Four perspectives
in response to art
and literature
Film adaptation of Hamlet and/ or Man of
La Mancha
Media
Scenes from live performances of Tartuffe
Recitation of
poetry
Art
The Pained Heart by Arthur Hughes (1668)
Don Quixote and the Windmill by Francisco
J. Torrome (1690)
Several paintings by Rembrandt
Suggested Research Paper:
Using multiple texts from this unit
and additional sources, discuss
how writers of the seventeenth
century regard the relationship
between reason and emotion.
Include an original, concise thesis
statement that directly answers
the essential question. The essay
should reflect your reasoned
judgment about the quality and
reliability of sources consulted
(i.e., why you emphasize some
and not others), a balance of
paraphrasing and quoting from
sources, original thinking, the
anticipation and addressing of
questions or counterclaims, and
the proper citation of sources.
North Arlington Public Schools
RL.11-12.1, RL.11-12.2, RI.1112.1, RI.11-12.2, RI.11-12.7,
W.11-12.7
Content Area English
Target Course/Grade level 12
Unit Title - European Literature: Eighteenth and Early Nineteenth Century
Essential Questions: What role does nature play in eighteenth and early nineteenth century literature? How are the values of individuals versus those of
society explored in eighteenth and early nineteenth century literature? How are the philosophical ideas including questions of free will, fate, human conflict and
loss addressed by the authors in this unit?
Unit Overview
Observing themes related to nature as well as “natural” forms and language, students consider whether nature appears as a force of good or
a menace. Observing narrative digressions, idiosyncrasies, exaggerations, and biases, they consider human, unpredictable, idiosyncratic aspects of storytelling.
Students will also evaluate the values of the individual versus those of society. They have the opportunity to practice some of these narrative techniques in their
own fiction and nonfiction writing. Students also explore some of the philosophical ideas in the literary texts—questions of free will, fate, human conflict, and
loss. In seminar discussion, students consider a philosophical question in relation to a particular text. Students write short essays and also develop an essay or
topic from an earlier unit, refining the thesis and consulting additional sources. These essays can be used to inform and inspire longer research papers at the end
of the unit that answer the essential question. By the end of this unit, students will have an appreciation for some of the tendencies of early Romanticism and
Realism and will recognize that these eras, like all others, are filled with exceptions, contradictions, and subtleties.
Standards/
CPI’s
RL.11-12.2
Unit Learning Targets
As a result of this segment of learning, students
will…

RL.11-12.3
RI.11-12.5
W.11-12.3 (ae

Read fiction, drama, poetry,
biography, and autobiography from
the eighteenth and early nineteenth
century.
Consider the relationship between art
and nature and societal values versus
Lessons and Activities
The learning experiences that will
facilitate engagement and achievement
Suggested Activities:
Evidence of
Learning
Formative and
Summative
measures
Graded class
participation
Reading poetry, Oral Presentation:
Recite one of the poems in this unit
from memory. Include an
Resources
Books, articles, text, etc.
Glencoe Textbook
Suggested literary selections
Graded class
discussion
Novels
North Arlington Public Schools
individual in these works.
W.11-12.7
W.11-12.8

Observe narrative digressions,
idiosyncrasies, exaggerations, and
biases.

Consider the dual role of the narrator
as a character and as a storyteller.

Consider the role of the supernatural
in the literary works read in this unit.

Write a story in which they practice
some of the narrative devices they
have observed in this unit.
L.11-12.2 (a-b

Explore and analyze some of the
philosophical ideas in the literary
texts—questions of free will, fate,
human conflict, and loss.

Consider the difference between
natural and forced language.

Consider both the common tendencies
of works of this period and the
contradictions, exceptions, and
outliers.

Participate in a seminar discussion in
which a philosophical question is
explored in relation to a specific text.
introduction that discusses how the
poem relates to the natural world.
(SL.11-12.6)
Art, Music and Media
Examine and discuss the artworks
listed. How did artists of this
period frame the relationship
between man and nature? Where
does man belong in these
images—or does he even belong?
What do you see in these images?
Which painting do you believe
would be more “typical” of the
period? Which looks more
romantic in style to you, and
why? Do you believe these images
were painted for “art’s sake,” or
for a larger social purpose?
(SL.11-12.1, SL.11-12.2, SL.1112.3, SL.11-12.4, SL.11-12.5)
Reading Literature, Argumentative
Writing
Based on Tolstoy’s The Bet, can a
reader claim whether Tolstoy agrees
or disagrees with the morality of the
death penalty? Use evidence from the
text to support all claims and
counterclaims. (W.11-12.2)
Reading Literature, Informative
Writing
Compare and contrast the themes
Peer and Teacher
critique of
argumentative,
informational/exp
ository and
narrative writing
assignments
Gulliver’s Travels by Swift
Jane Eyre by Bronte
Emma by Jane Austen
The Sufferings of Young Werther by
Wolfgang Von Goethe
Plays
Peer editing
Cooperative and
individual
research projects
and oral
presentations
Benchmarks
Tests
Announced and
unannounced
quizzes
Three formal
analyses
Two narrative
writing
assignments
Two
informational/exp
ository writing
assignments
Four perspectives
in response to art
and literature
The Power of Darkness by Tolstoy
Stories
“How Much Land does a Man Need?” by
Tolstoy
“The Bet” by Chekhov
“War” by Pirandello
Poems
“The Lorelei” by Heine
“Russia 1812” from The Expiation by Hugo
“The Panther” by Rilke
Auguries of Innocence” “Songs of
Innocence and of Experience” (selected
poems) (William Blake)
“Ode to Indolence” “Ode on a Grecian Urn”
(excerpts) (John Keats)
In Memoriam A. H. H. (Alfred Lord
Tennyson)
The Deserted Village” (Oliver Goldsmith)
“Tintern Abbey” “London, 1802” “The
World is too Much with Us” “Ode to
Intimations to Immortality” (excerpts)
(William Wordsworth)
Nonfiction
North Arlington Public Schools
found in The Diary of Samuel Pepys
and The Life of Samuel Johnson. Do
the texts share similar messages? Do
they reflect elements of realism in the
same way? Why or why not? Use
evidence from both texts and organize
in a comparative essay. Include an
original, concise thesis statement.
(RL.11-12.1, RL.11-12.3, RL.11-12.6,
W.11-12.2, SL.11-12.1, SL.11-12.6)
Research Paper:
Recitation of
poetry
“Two Memories of Sido: from Earthly
Paradise by Colette
Informational Texts
The Diary of Samuel Pepys (Samuel Pepys)
The Life of Samuel Johnson (James
Boswell)
Preface to Lyrical Ballads (William
Wordsworth)
Art
Using specific evidence from
various sources studied in this
unit, write a research paper that
answers one of the essential
questions. Include an original,
concise thesis statement to
answer this essential question.
(RL.11-12.1, RL.11-12.2, RI.1112.7, W.11-12.7, W.11-12.8)
The Siren by Landelle (1879)
Napoleon’s Retreat From Moscow Germany
(1828)
The Remains of the Grande Armee on the
Retreat from Russia (1890)
The Kitchen by Grant 1902
At Dinner by Serebryakova (1914)
Self-Portrait with Female Mask by Munch
(1892)
Blue Interior by Backer (1883)
Head of a Woman by Klimt (1862)
Media
Film adaptation A Doll’s House
Film adaptation Jane Eyre
Content Area EnglishTarget Course/Grade level 12
Unit Title - European Literature: Nineteenth Century
Essential Questions: How do romantic and Victorian literature embody the tension between art for art’s sake and art as a
response to social and cultural conflict? How does historical context influence literature? Can poems reflect an individual
intimate point of view and simultaneously reflect that of society as a whole? How do novels of the 19th century portray moral
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conflicts and subtle psychology of characters? How do the novels of this time period develop characters whose conflicts are both
universal and culturally bound? How do authors of the 19th century explore trends of naturalism, realism and romanticism in
literature?
Unit OverviewStudents will explore both form and meaning of literary works and consider historical context. Through close reading of selected texts, students
will see how subtle narrative and stylistic details contribute to the meaning of the whole. They will consider how certain poems of this unit are intimate on the
one hand and reflective of a larger civilization on the other. Moral conflicts and subtle psychological portrayals of characters will be another area of focus;
students will consider how novels of the nineteenth century develop character and how their conflicts are both universal and culturally bound. Students will
continue exploring trends of naturalism, realism and romanticism in literature. Students will also have the opportunity to develop a research paper and write a
shorter essay on topic from the unit. In their essays, students will continue to strive for precision and clarity, paying close attention to the nuances of words.
Standards/
CPI’s
RL.11-12.3
Unit Learning Targets
As a result of this segment of learning, students
will…

RL.11-12.4
RI.11-12.2
W.11-12.5
W.11-12.7

W.11-12.8
SL.11-12.4

L.11-12.5 (a-b

Consider the tension between art for
art’s sake and art as a response to
social and cultural conflict, as
expressed in the works of this unit.
Closely analyze a key passage from a
novel and comment on how it
illuminates the work as whole.
Observe common tendencies,
contradictions, outliers, and subtleties
in the literature.
Contrast the moral conflicts of
characters in two works of this unit
consider how the poetry of this period
reflects both on the human psyche and
on the state of civilization.

Analyze how the forms of the poems
in this unit contribute to the meaning.

Consider how the works of this period
show signs of early modernism,
naturalism and realism
Lessons and Activities
The learning experiences that will
facilitate engagement and achievement
Suggested Activities:
Evidence of
Learning
Formative and
Summative
measures
Graded class
participation
Reading poetry, Oral Presentation:
Memorize and recite a poem from this
unit (or a two-minute passage from a
long poem). Include an introduction that
discusses how the poem’s structure and
form contributes to its meaning. (RI.1112.2, SL.11-12.4, W.11-12.1)
Art, Music and Media
Examine at least two paintings evaluated
in this unit. As you have done
throughout this unit, describe with
partners the small details and specific
elements you can see in each painting.
What do you find when you closely
examine each painting? What have the
artists done to capture your attention?
What draws you into the painting: the
color, mood, line, texture, or light? How
Resources
Books, articles, text, etc.
Glencoe Textbook
Suggested literary selections
Graded class
discussion
Peer and Teacher
critique of
argumentative,
informational/exp
ository and
narrative writing
assignments
Peer editing
Cooperative and
individual
research projects
and oral
presentations
Benchmarks
Novels
Heart of Darkness by Conrad
Wuthering Heights by Bronte
Frankenstein by Shelley
A Passage to India by E. M. Forster
Plays
A Doll’s House by Ibsen
The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar
Wilde
Poems
“In the Terrible Night” by Pessoa
Flowers of Evil (Charles Baudelaire)
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
Develop a research paper.

Identify elements of romanticism and
gothic romanticism in works of
literature
might these artworks show signs of early
modernism? Are these paintings “art for
art’s sake”? Why or why not?
(SL.11-12.1, SL.11-12.2, SL.11-12.3,
SL.11-12.4, SL.11-12.5)
Reading Literature, Argumentative
Writing
Analyze how the themes of alienation
and adversarial relationships are
developed through the plot of
Frankenstein. Use examples from the
novel to validate all of your claims and
counterclaims.
(poems)
Tests
Announced and
unannounced
quizzes
Three formal
analyses
Two narrative
writing
assignments
Two
informational/exp
ository writing
assignments
( SL.11-12.4, W.11-12.1)
Is it helpful or misleading to define
literature in terms of trends and
movements such as romanticism and
realism? Organize textual evidence to
support your position. (W.11-12.1,
SL.11-12.4)
Ibsen’s A Doll’s House is considered by
some to be the first feminist play. Do
you agree or disagree with this
designation? What do we mean when we
call a piece of literature feminist? Do we
make such a judgment according to
today’s standards or according to the
standards in the day the text was
written? You may refer to other texts to
illustrate your point. Organize textual
Four perspectives
in response to art
and literature
Recitation of
poetry
Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage (George
Gordon, Lord Byron)
“The Ballad of Reading Gaol” (Oscar
Wilde)
“Dover Beach” (Matthew Arnold)
“Goblin Market” (Christina Rossetti)
“Spring and Fall” (Gerard Manley Hopkins)
Sonnet 43 (Elizabeth Barrett Browning)
“Love Among the Ruins” (Robert
Browning)
Informational Texts
Excerpts from Culture and Anarchy
(Matthew Arnold)
Excerpts from the opening of Faust (Johann
Wolfgang Von Goethe)
Excerpts from Reveries of a Solitary Walker
(Jean-Jacques Rosseau)
Excerpts from The Origin of Species
(Charles Darwin)
Excerpts from Hard Times (Charles
Dickens)
The Decay of Lying (Oscar Wilde)
Media
Impressionists on the Seine 1997 WETA,
Washington, D.C.
Film adaptation A Doll’s House
Film adaptation Heart of Darkness
Film adaptation Wuthering Heights
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evidence to support your position.
(RI.11-12.2, SL.11-12.4, W.11-12.1)
Reading Literature, Informative
Writing
What social values are discarded in the
dystopian works 1984 and/or Brave New
World? Write an essay that uses specific
textual evidence to support an original,
concise thesis statement. (RL.11-12.4,
SL.11-12.4, W.11-12.5, W.11-12.7,
W.11-12.8, L.11-12.6)
Art
View of Slussen in Winter by Grunewald
(1885)
Explanation by Makovsky (1889)
A Street at Night by Gerle (1860)
Ploughing the Field by Juergensburg (1871)
Closely analyze a key passage from a
novel and comment on how setting
illuminates the themes of the work as a
whole. How do the aesthetics of setting
create larger meaning?Organize textual
evidence to support an original, concise
thesis statement. (RI.11-12.2, SL.1112.4, W.11-12.1)
Research Paper:
Use specific evidence from various
sources studied in this unit and/or
additional sources to write a research
paper that answers the following
question: How does the literature of the
romantic and Victorian eras show
tension between art for art’s sake (where
art includes literature) and art as a
response to social and cultural conflict?
Include an original, concise thesis
statement to answer this essential
question. The essay should reflect your
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reasoned judgment about the quality and
reliability of sources consulted (i.e., why
you emphasize some and not others), a
balance of paraphrasing and quoting
from sources, original thinking, the
anticipation and addressing of questions
or counterclaims, and the proper citation
of sources. (RL.11-12.1, RI.11-12.1,
RI.11-12.7, W.11-12.7, W.11-12.8)
Content Area EnglishTarget Course/Grade level 12
Unit Title - European Literature: Twentieth Century
Essential Questions: Why might the twentieth century be regarded as the Age of Anxiety? How do “dystopian” works
demonstrate the inherent problems of attempting to create a perfect society or perfect individual? How do authors of the 20th
century affirm the possibility of beauty and meaning? How is the philosophy of existentialism explored in literary works? What
conclusions can be drawn from analyzing concepts evaluated via the literature studied throughout the course of the year?
Unit Overview Through the close reading of “dystopian” works such as Pygmalion and 1984, students consider the problems inherent in fashioning a perfect
society or perfect individual. At the same time, they also consider how authors of the twentieth century affirm the possibility of beauty and meaning—for
instance, Federico García Lorca’s The Guitar, or Thomas Hardy’s “The Darkling Thrush.” Students also examine the philosophy of existentialism and the absurd
of reality through works of Albert Camus and other authors. Students ponder how historical context affects an enduring story or theme. Students complete
research papers in which they consult literary criticism and historical materials. They engage in discussions resembling college seminars, where they pursue
focused questions in depth over the course of one or two class sessions. At the close of the unit, students have the opportunity to research the literature they have
read over the course of the year and the concepts they have studied.
Standards/
CPI’s
Unit Learning Targets
As a result of this segment of learning, students
will…
Lessons and Activities
The learning experiences that will
facilitate engagement and achievement
Evidence of
Learning
Formative and
Summative
measures
Resources
Books, articles, text, etc.
North Arlington Public Schools
RL.11-12.3

Read works of the twentieth century,
focusing on the earlier decades.

Consider aspects of modernism (such
as anxiety) in their historical context.

Explain both the breakdown and
affirmation of form and meaning in
modernist literature.
Memorize and recite a one- to twominute passage from one of the texts.
Include an introduction that discusses
one of the following issues:
Analyze dystopian and existential
literature, considering the problems
inherent in fashioning a perfect person
or society.
-How the passage deals with the
question of meaning and
meaninglessness
RL.11-12.6
RL.11-12.10
RI.11-12.5
W.11-12.7
W.11-12.8
SL.11-12.1(ad

L.11-12.6


Consider how poems in this unit
reflect on poetry itself and its
possibilities.
Write research papers in which they
consult literary criticism and historical
materials.

Consider the implications of modern
versions of classical works.

Examine the musical allusions and
their meanings in twentieth-century
poetical works in seminars.

Pursue focused questions in depth
over the course of one or two class
sessions.

Understand absurdist and existential
philosophy as it applies to literature
and theatre.

Research the literature they have read
over the course of the year and the
concepts they have studied.
Suggested Activities:
Graded class
participation
Reading poetry, Oral Presentation:
-How the passage comments, directly or
indirectly, on historical events (SL.1112.4)
Art, Music and Media
Examine all of the images depicted in
the works of art evaluated in this unit.
Do these works of art have anything in
common? Do they depict anything you
recognize? Do you think they were made
for a particular buyer, a patron, or just
because the painters wanted to make
them? How might you categorize each
work, besides “abstract”? How has the
artist evolved by the twentieth century to
be an unrestricted individual? Can you
see how these artists might be driven by
their own artistic tendencies or desires?
What are these paintings “about”?
(SL.11-12.1, SL.11-12.2, SL.11-12.3,
SL.11-12.4, SL.11-12.5)
Reading Literature, Argumentative
Glencoe Textbook
Suggested literary selections
Graded class
discussion
Peer and Teacher
critique of
argumentative,
informational/exp
ository and
narrative writing
assignments
Novels
Brave New World by Huxley
1984 by Orwell
The Stranger by Camus
The Plague by Camus
All Quiet on the Western Front by Remarque
Novellas
The Metamorphosis by Kafka
Peer editing
Cooperative and
individual
research projects
and oral
presentations
Benchmarks
Tests
Announced and
unannounced
quizzes
Three formal
analyses
Two narrative
writing
assignments
Two
informational/exp
ository writing
Plays
Pygmalion by Shaw
Waiting for Godot by Beckett
Rhinoceros by Ionesco
Nonfiction
Night by Wiesel
The Myth of Sisyphus by Camus
From The Voyage of Christopher Columbus
Poems
“The Guitar” by Lorca
“Encounter” by Mitosz
“Gather Not Gold and Precious Stones” by
Sodergran
“Lot’s Wife” by Szymborska
“Lot’s Wife” by Akhmatova
“The Darkling Thrush” by Hardy
“Four Quartets” by Eliot
“The Wasteland” by Eliot
“The World, My Friends, My Enemies,
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Writing
How do both Lorca and Hardy affirm the
possibility of beauty and meaning in
their works as authors of the twentieth
century? Use specific textual evidence to
support all of your claims and
counterclaims. (RL.11-12.4, SL.11-12.4,
W.11-12.5, W.11-12.7, W.11-12.8,
L.11-12.6)
Paying close attention to The Stranger’s
plot, how can Meursault be regarded as a
protagonist who portrays the philosophy
of existentialism? How does it apply to
Auden’s concept of anxiety? Write an
essay that uses specific textual evidence
to support your position. (RL.11-12.4,
SL.11-12.4, W.11-12.5, W.11-12.7,
W.11-12.8, L.11-12.6)
assignments
Four perspectives
in response to art
and literature
Recitation of
poetry
You, and the Earth” by Hikmet
“Freedom to Breathe” by Solzhenitsyn
Informational Texts
Speeches
“Their Finest Hour” (House of Commons,
June 18, 1940) (Winston Churchill)
Essays
“Crisis of the Mind” (Paul Valéry)
“The Fallacy of Success” (G.K. Chesterton)
Media
Film adaptations of suggested works
Berlin Wall Crumbles by Joe Garner
Art
La Madonne Ronde by Lempicka (1935)
Evaluate the setting and historical
context of Night. How is the plot of this
memoir affected by its time and place?
Use specific textual evidence to support
all of your claims and counterclaims.
(RL.11-12.4, SL.11-12.4, W.11-12.5,
W.11-12.7, W.11-12.8, L.11-12.6)
El Corredor by Villasenor (1976)
Dance on the Beach by Munch (1900)
Parana by Kelly (1995)
Don’t Forget by Goldberg (1964)
Sisyphus by Stuck (1920)
L’Envol by Chagall (1968)
Reading Literature, Informative
Writing
How do All Quiet on the Western Front
and The Stranger influence and
contribute to the existential movement?
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Write an essay that uses specific textual
evidence to support an original, concise
thesis statement. (RL.11-12.4, SL.1112.4, W.11-12.5, W.11-12.7, W.11-12.8,
L.11-12.6)
What social values are discarded in the
dystopian works 1984 and/or Brave New
World? Write an essay that uses specific
textual evidence to support an original,
concise thesis statement. (RL.11-12.4,
SL.11-12.4, W.11-12.5, W.11-12.7,
W.11-12.8, L.11-12.6)
Research Paper:
Using texts from this unit or additional
outside sources, write a research paper
that answers the essential question: Why
(in literature) might the twentieth
century be regarded as the Age of
Anxiety? Use textual evidence to
support an original thesis statement
designed to answer this question. The
paper should reflect your reasoned
judgment about the quality and
reliability of sources consulted (i.e., why
you emphasize some and not others), a
balance of paraphrasing and quoting
from sources, original thinking, the
anticipation and addressing of questions
or counterclaims, and the proper citation
of sources.
(RL.11-12.1, RL.11-12.2, RI.11-12.1,
RI.11-12.2, RI.11-12.7, W.11-12.7,
North Arlington Public Schools
W.11-12.8)
North Arlington Public Schools