English/Language Arts Year-at-a-Glance
Unit Name/Theme
Unit 1 Time Frame: ____2-3 Weeks__________________
The American Dream
Major Concepts/Tier 3 Literary
Terms
Students will discover that the
American Dream
has a different
definition/meaning depending
on a
person’s background and
goals.
• Personal responsibility and
success are
synonymous with each other.
Students will find that, even
though the American
Dream changes from
generation to generation, it is
always centered in some sort
of monetary and
status-based success
Grade _11______
Anchor Text
A Raisin in the Sun
The Great Gatsby
Writing Focus
Related Texts
Literary Texts
A copy of “A Raisin In the Sun”
A copy of “The Great Gatsby”
“I Hear America Singing” by Walt
Whitman
“Let America Be America Again” by
Langston Hughes
“Dreaming America” by Joyce Carol
Oates
Critical Thinking Opportunities
What is the American Dream and to
what extent is it achievable for all
Americans?
• In what ways does the American
Dream mean different things for
different Americans?
How are people responsible for their
own successes and failures?
Class discussion on how to define the
American Dream, focusing on time
period, region, race, religion, etc.
Possible Common Core State
Standards
Reading
RLI.11-12.1, RLI.11-12.2,RLI.1112.3,RLI.11-12.7
RLI.11-12.10
Writing
W.11-12.2,11-12.3, 11-12.4, 11-12.5
Speaking and Listening
SL11-12.1,11-12.2,11-12.3,11-12.7
Language
L11-12.1, 11-12.3, 11-12.5
Informational Texts
Winthrop Charity
Common Sense by Thomas Paine
web quest
The Bill of Rights
Declaration of Independence
“I Have a Dream” by Martin Luther
King, Jr.: text and video
Nonprint Texts (Media, Websites,
Video, Film, Music, Art, Graphics)
“Home” by Dierks Bentley
Unit 2 Time Frame: _______3 Weeks_______________
English/Language Arts Year-at-a-Glance
Unit Name/Theme
Anchor Text
The Alienation of the American
Dream and “Of Mice and Men”
Of Mice and Men
Grade _11______
Writing Focus
What was John Steinbeck’s historical
context in “Of Mice and Men”?
How does the historical context
affect the storyline in
“Of Mice and Men”?
Major Concepts
Students will draw on previous
American History knowledge in
order to understand the
context of “Of Mice and Men”.
• Students will learn about the
historical context of the book
in order to understand it’s
premise.
• Students will synthesis
history with Steinbeck’s novel
in order to have a better
understanding of America’s
literary
history.
• Students will create a project
and/or essay that will
exemplify their knowledge.
Related Texts
Literary Texts
Of Mice and Men
Informational Texts
Nonprint Texts (Media, Websites,
Video, Film, Music, Art, Graphics)
Possible Common Core State
Standards
Reading
RL 11-12. 1, 11-12.6, 11-12.7
Critical Thinking Opportunities
Perceptions of success change
through experience.
Writing
W11-12.4, 11-12.9
The struggle to survive can cause
morality issues.
Speaking and Listening
SL 11-12.5
The American “dream” changes
based on background,
region, and situation.
Language
L 11-12.6
English/Language Arts Year-at-a-Glance
Unit Name/Theme
Anchor Text
Research Paper
MLA Handbooks
Purdue OWL website
Easybib.com
Grade _11______
Writing Focus
Why did you choose your topic?
How will you utilize what you’ve
learned in the future?
What are some less-obvious lessons
that you’ve learned throughout your
experience?
Possible Common Core State
Standards
Reading
RI. 11. 1, 11.2, 11.3, 11.4, 11.7
Unit 3 Time Frame: ______4-6 Weeks________________
How will you prepare for your final
presentation?
Major Concepts
•
Students will
complete a portfolio to show
their accomplishments
towards their final product
•
Students will
complete mentor hours and
project preparation on their
own time
•
Students will face
pressing deadlines in order to
effectively prepare for their
presentations
•
Students will prepare
and present everything they’ve
learned in a concise and
effective manner
Related Texts
Teacher-led PowerPoint
presentations
Portfolio Journal Entries
Portfolio Questionnaire
“Keeping myself honest” checkpoint
journal entries
Speech formatting worksheets,
outlines, rough drafts and final drafts
Final Portfolio
Final Visual Presentation
Final Speech
Mentor Evaluation Forms
Self-Evaluation Forms
How will you effectively manage your
time?
How will you be sure you have a
backup plan, no matter what might
go wrong?
Critical Thinking Opportunities
Peer revision/critique
Writing
W.11.2, W.11.4, W.11.5, W.11.6,
W.11.8
Self-Evaluation
Speaking and Listening
SL.11.2, SL.11.3, SL.11.5, SL.11.6
Language
L.11.1, L.11.2, L.11.3, L.11.4, L11.6,
Unit 4 Time Frame: _________1-2 weeks_____________
English/Language Arts Year-at-a-Glance
Unit Name/Theme
Anchor Text
Dead Poet’s Society Poetry
“The Dead Poet’s Society” movie is located for rental
in the Media Center
Major Concepts
Through the context of the
movie “The Dead Poet’s
Society,” students will learn
about some of the great
American and British poets:
Lord Byron, Shakespeare,
Alfred Lord Tennyson, Walt
Whitman, Henry David
Thoreau, and Robert Frost.
Students will analyze a
major work from each
author in the context of
conformity versus
individuality: one of the
main themes of the movie.
Related Texts
Literary Texts
The poet information and poem information can be
found at the following websites:
Henry David Thoreau:
http://transcendentalism.tamu.edu/authors/thoreau/
Robert Frost:
http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/192
Lord Byron:
http://englishhistory.net/byron/contents.html
Alfred Lord Tennyson:
http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/300
Walt Whitman: http://www.whitmanarchive.org/
Shakespeare: http://www.bardweb.net/man.html
Grade _11______
Writing Focus
Develop a clear visual aid
(power points, animoto, etc)
with use Standard English
Use text to support arguments
Write reflective responses
through movie viewing
activities
Critical Thinking Opportunities
Work/present in pairs and
small groups to identify key
ideas
Prepare and participate in a
Socratic seminar
Perform close reading
Infer
Analyze poetry/literary
elements and text structures
Identify and interpret figurative
language and literary devices
Analyze author’s purpose
Possible Common Core State
Standards
Reading
RL.11.1, 11.3, 11.4, 11.5
Writing
W.11.6, 11.8
Speaking and Listening
SL.11.1, SL.11.2, SL.11.3,
SL.11.5
Language
L.11.1, L.11.2, L.11.3, L.11.4,
L.11.5