UNIT PLAN
Course:
AP English 11
Language and Composition
Grade Level:
11TH grade
Unit Title:
Defining Freedom and America:
Society vs. The Individual
Approximate Length of
Unit (weeks):
4 weeks
Big Ideas/Enduring Understandings:
American literature is, at its heart, a discussion on what “America” means.
Hawthorne and other writers and artists, from the beginnings of our literary history
impart their views on how freedom is sometimes tempered by conformity, how we let
the group and what is popular at the time interfere with our founding principles. The
artists question what we hold dear: societal norms, traditions, religiosity, the ability
(or inability) to reason and think for ourselves.
Authors make purposeful rhetorical choices to support their ideas and meaning.
Summative Benchmark Writing Assessment:
Discuss the meaning and purpose of Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter.
You are to choose a pairing from the works we’ve studied to compare
and contrast—The Scarlet Letter will be the focus of the paper, but
choose another piece that you think best illustrates or illuminates the
points you will make about Hawthorne’s novel. Because this is a very
short essay, you must choose one small idea, character, setting, or
symbol to compare—do not attempt to take on the whole book; instead,
discuss whatever small part of the book you decide on, discuss how it
adds to Hawthorne’s meaning and then use the other text to make
comparison points as you explain.
Be sure to address the PURPOSE each character/idea/setting serves in
his/her text. It is important to know how the authors use characters, etc.
to support ideas.
Focus CCSS:
Reading
1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 10
Writing
1, 5, 9
Speaking
1
Conventions
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Student Skill Objectives:





Analyze purpose/meaning by deconstructing rhetorical devices.
Write thoughtfully, following an inquiry-based approach—research effectively.
Make choices in writing about organization, tone and how best to develop ideas.
Embed well-chosen evidence that supports reasonable arguments.
Discuss with classmates maturely and purposefully to brainstorm ideas and interpret possible
meanings.
Page 1 of 5
HIGHLIGHT FOCUS STANDARDS FOR UNIT
Reading Anchor Standards
Key Ideas and Details
1. Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite
specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.
2. Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key
supporting details and ideas.
3. Analyze how and why individuals, events, and ideas develop and interact over the course of a text.
Craft and Structure
4. Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative,
and figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone.
5. Analyze the structure of texts, including how specific sentences, paragraphs, and larger portions of the
text (e.g., a section, chapter, scene, or stanza) relate to each other and the whole.
6. Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text.
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
7. Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse formats and media, including visually and
quantitatively, as well as in words.1
8. Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, including the validity of the
reasoning as well as the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence.
9. Analyze how two or more texts address similar themes or topics in order to build knowledge or to
compare the approaches the authors take.
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
10. Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently.
Writing Anchor Standards
Text Types and Purposes
1. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning
and relevant and sufficient evidence.
2. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas and information clearly and
accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.
3. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen
details, and well-structured event sequences.
Production and Distribution of Writing
4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to
task, purpose, and audience.
5. Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new
approach.
6. Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and to interact and collaborate
with others.
Research to Build and Present Knowledge
7. Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects based on focused questions, demonstrating
understanding of the subject under investigation.
8. Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, assess the credibility and accuracy
of each source, and integrate the information while avoiding plagiarism.
9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
Range of Writing
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.
Page 2 of 5
FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT
Reading Materials
Fiction (Drama)
The Crucible
Informational Text(s)
Arthur Miller: Notes on HUAC
QuickSearch: HUAC topics
Art/Music/Media
“Into the Woods”
Short Story:
“The Lottery”
Essential Questions
Skill Focus
How does Miller approach the ideas of
conformity? What does he think about
Puritanism? Are his views like those of
Hawthorne?
Academic
Conversations,
gathering evidence
What was the political landscape that
created the House Hearings in the
1950’s? Do witch hunts recur? Why
are we pairing Crucible and TSL?
Evaluating documents,
reading to interpret
arguments, evidence.
How does the color red function in
literature and art? What do our fairy
tales say about our beliefs? Should we
stay on the path? Does Hester stay on
the path? Why SCARLET?
Should we challenge tradition? Why or
why not? Why pair this story with
TSL? What light does it shed?
Analysis of poetic
structures: stanzas,
rhyme scheme,
purposeful rhetorical
choices.
Analysis of rhetorical
structures. How an
author uses names,
seasons, weather, etc.
to create
tone/meaning.
Rhetorical Analysis:
imagery, syntax,
figurative elements,
tonal shifts
Sermon
“Sinners in the Hands of an
Angry God”
What was the religious climate of the
time period? Was it okay to be
different? What is the irony between
differences and the American ideal of
freedom?
Informal Writing
Narrative Topics/Ideas
Mentor Text (Paired Reading)
Sacred Writing Time: Write about
times you’ve had to stand up
against something popular. What
are the consequences?
Video Clip: “Guilty by Suspicion”
Informational Topics/Ideas
Write, neutrally, about the HUAC
trials. Do not place blame; instead
be aware of bias and explain the
events of the 1950’s.
Argumentative Topics/Ideas
Define freedom? What was the
intent of our founders? How does
TSL interpret these founding ideas?
Should women challenge tradition?
QuickSearch materials
Founding documents, Letter from
Abigail Adams to John Adams. Seneca
Falls Women’s Convention.
Skill Focus
Narrative writing,
including “I” effectively
in academic writing.
Making choice to
support main focus.
Evaluating sources,
being aware of bias.
Choosing neutral
language, being aware
of denotative and
connotative values.
Making claims,
finding/building ethos,
pathos logos.
Page 3 of 5
FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT
Collaborative Conversations
Argumentative Topics/Ideas
Define freedom? What was the intent of our
founders? How does TSL interpret these
founding ideas?
Mentor Text (Paired Reading)
Founding documents, Letter from Abigail Adams to
John Adams. Seneca Falls Women’s Convention.
Other Topics/Ideas
What has been the role of women in our
Judeo/Christian paradigm of thought? Should
women, specifically, challenge tradition? Why or
why not?
Into the Woods, TSL, Crucible
HIGHLIGHT
Speaking and Listening Anchor Standards
Comprehension and Collaboration
1. Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse
partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
2. Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually,
quantitatively, and orally.
3. Evaluate a speaker’s point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric.
Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas
4. Present information, findings, and supporting evidence such that listeners can follow the line of
reasoning and the organization, development, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
5. Make strategic use of digital media and visual displays of data to express information and enhance
understanding of presentations.
6. Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and communicative tasks, demonstrating command of formal
English when indicated or appropriate.
Conventions of Standard English
1. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or
speaking.
2. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling
when writing.
Knowledge of Language
3. Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make
effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening.
Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
4. Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases by using
context clues, analyzing meaningful word parts, and consulting general and specialized reference
materials, as appropriate.
5. Demonstrate understanding of word relationships and nuances in word meanings.
6. Acquire and use accurately a range of general academic and domain-specific 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.
Page 4 of 5
STUDENT SELF-EVALUATION
Course:
Grade Level:
AP English 11
11
Unit Title:
Approximate Length of
Unit (weeks):
Defining Freedom and America:
Society vs. The Individual
4 weeks
Big Ideas/Enduring Understandings:
American literature is, at its heart, a discussion on what “America” means. Hawthorne and other
writers and artists, from the beginnings of our literary history impart their views on how freedom is
sometimes tempered by conformity, how we let the group and what is popular at the time interfere
with our founding principles. The artists question what we hold dear: societal norms, traditions,
religiosity, the ability (or inability) to reason and think for ourselves.
Authors make purposeful rhetorical choices to support their ideas and meaning.
Student Learning Targets
Students, rate each Learning Target from 1-5, depending on your understanding.
1
2
3
4
5
–
–
–
–
–
I
I
I
I
I
do not understand, and I need further instruction.
am beginning to understand, but I need to review.
understand, and I can explain it.
understand, and I could help someone else understand too.
completely understand, and it is part of my working knowledge. I am ready to move on.
I can:
Rate
1–5
Explain
1. Analyze purpose/meaning by deconstructing
rhetorical devices.
2. Write thoughtfully, following an inquiry-based
approach—research effectively.
3. Make choices in writing about organization,
tone and how best to develop ideas.
4. Embed well-chosen evidence that supports
reasonable arguments.
5. Discuss with classmates maturely and
purposefully to brainstorm ideas and interpret
possible meanings.
Page 5 of 5