Sandra Day O’Connor High School
25250 N. 35th Avenue Phoenix, Arizona 85083
623.445.7100 623.445.7180 (fax) sdohs.dvusd.org
Course: ELA 3-4 and ELA 3-4 Honors
Teacher: Mr. Matt King
Room: Gym
Prep Hour: 4th Period
E-mail: Matt.King@dvusd.org
Voice Mail: 623-445-7220
Web Page:
Language Arts Mission Statement:
The mission of Sandra Day O’Connor High School’s Language Arts Department is to offer students extensive
opportunities for learning in language skills that prepare them for life after high school.
Language Arts Target Learning Goals:
Reading
Students will read, evaluate and use literary and informational texts at or above grade level.
On their own, students will read and understand a variety of texts ranging from simple to complex.
Writing
Students will write a variety of texts clearly and coherently using research collaboration and revision over varying lengths
of time for a range of audiences.
Students will use technology to produce and publish writing and interact and collaborate with others.
Language
Students will demonstrate knowledge of correct grammar in writing and speech.
Students will apply knowledge of newly learned words and phrases to reading and writing.
Speaking and Listening
Students will listen actively to a variety of types of presentations, interpreting and evaluating them with proficiency.
Students will verbally present information in a variety of forms to a variety of audiences verbally, demonstrating command
of formal English when appropriate.
Course Description:
This course is in Elements in Literature/World Literature that includes fiction and emphasizes the non-fictional genres:
essay, letter, pamphlet, speech/sermon, journal, autobiography/biography,research, etc. It is aligned with district and
state standards/Common Core and supports the school wide efforts in increasing student achievement.
Personal Growth in this course will be assessed through: an ability to analyze texts, to recognize and use rhetorical
strategies and stylistic devices, to analyze, formulate, and develop arguments, and to write clear, coherent prose. We will
talk essentially every day about some vital aspect of writing/reading, including; invention and the artistic proofs (ethos,
pathos, logos), disposition or structure, and style (diction, syntax, figurative language, mechanics). You will be exposed to
your conscious choice of diction and the appropriate use of words, your ability to create varied and effective syntactic
structures, your capacity for coherence and logical organization, your ability to balance generalizations with specific and
illustrative details, and, overall, your ability to combine rhetorical processes into an effective whole.
What I expect most of all from our class is hard work on the part of the individual writer, careful reading and
discussion on the part of the class.
Reading Assignments: The most important requirement for this course is that students read every assignment-read it with
care and on time. Novels in particular require planning. In this course:
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Students will read short stories, poems, and dramas from the Language Arts 3-4 textbook.
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Students will read at least two novels, no less than one per semester.
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Students will examine functional texts, including items such as instructional manuals and applications.
Writing Assignments: Students will write a number of assignments in parallel with the critical writings completed per unit.
Students will also write several critical papers, including an explication of poems and several plays, and a close reading of
novels, plus a research-based novel analysis. These critical essays are based on close textual analysis of structure, style
(figurative language, imagery, symbolism, tone), and social/historical values. Students will learn and practice writing
strategies, including sentence and paragraph development, the writing and editing process. They will write various types
of essays including: narrative/descriptive, informational/expository, research, and various other types of timed writes.
You will be asked to keep a notebook for vocabulary, grammar, and class discussions of reading/writing. Cornell notetaking will be used throughout this course. We’ll have bi-weekly vocabulary and grammar tests, periodic quizzes on
reading and lots of writing and anecdotal note-taking.
Textbooks: Elements of Literature. 4th course. Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 2003.
Course Objectives:
After completing this course of study, the student will be able to:
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Identify and formulate rhetorical situations
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Complete writing assignments using pre-writing, a rough draft, and a final draft
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Employ high school-level vocabulary words
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Generate high order questions about reading, including opinions and predictions
Materials needed:
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Students MUST have a spiral notebook for LANGUAGE ARTS CLASS ONLY at least 150 pages and/or with
multiple sections. They may either use one notebook per semester or one larger notebook for the year. Students will keep
all notes and formative work in this notebook. THIS IS WILL BE USED FOR ALL NOTETAKING ONLY NOT FOR LOOSE
LEAF PAPER IN CLASS.
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Pencils and blue/black ink pens- 1 red pen will also be required for in-class editing NO OTHER COLORS WILL
BE USED!
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Highlighter – 3 (one yellow, one pink, one green) all will be used regularly and on vocabulary tests as well
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College-ruled loose leaf paper for writing assignments and tests (wide-ruled and/or spiral notebook paper are not
accepted: paper is not to be torn out of notebooks).
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A two pocket folder for HANDOUTS GIVEN IN CLASS also needed
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A 1 ½ 3 ring-binder or larger is acceptable for class IF BINDER IS USED TWO POCKET FOLDER NOT
NEEDED. This binder will keep you notebook, loose leaf paper, and handouts in it and should only be used for
Language Arts.
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3 x 5 index cards
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small sticky notes for annotating any text that is not their own
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Sandra Day O’Connor High School Student Planner this is also used for leaving the classroom. So the
student's planner is critical.
 Students will need a fully charged iPad – for note taking as well as class work
** If any other materials are needed during the school year; it will be posted on the website and student will be informed.
Course Expectations:
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Completes each reading and writing assignment thoughtfully
Attends class daily and makes arrangements for make-up work in the case of an absence
Shows up on time every day
Participates in all class activities
Follows all policies and procedures prescribed by SDOHS and DVUSD
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Grades are cumulative for each semester. Per standards-based grading practices, students will receive credit for
summative assessments only in the grade book. However, formative assessments will be recorded as completed or not
completed. As stated in the SDOHS Student Planner, students will have 1 day for each day absent to complete make-up
work. It is the student’s responsibility to obtain make-up work. If a student will be absent for three days or more, a parent
may contact the Counseling Department for a homework request. Please note: BEING IN SWEEP IS NOT AN
ABSENCE.
Grading Policy
Grades are cumulative for each semester. The grade book categories (which comprise 80% of your overall The
Language Arts grade book reflects the Arizona College & Career Readiness Standards categories (Reading, Writing,
Language, and Listening/Speaking).
A=
B=
C=
*D =
*F =
90-100%
80-90%
70-79%
60-69%
below 60%
*Note: In an effort to allow every opportunity to succeed, zeros may be replaced with an earned grade, based on teacher
discretion; however, the student will still receive a 20% deduction for lateness.
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course grades are as follows:
Reading assessments 35%,
Writing assessments 35%
Language assessments 20%
Listening and speaking assessments 10%
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The final exam will account for 20% of the overall course grade.
No extra credit will be accepted.
Summative Due Date Policy:
 Reading summative: Assessment must be taken on the assignment test date; however, if the student has an
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excused absence he/she must schedule a time with the teacher to make the test up within 1 week of the test date.
If the student has an unexcused absence (this includes Sweep) then the student will earn a 0%.
Writing summative: Due on due date; however, as long as the student meets the following criteria a maximum
of an additional two weeks (from the due date) will be allowed. The criteria includes (1) student must meet with
teacher prior to the essay’s due date, AND (2) must show substantial evidence of the work in progress on the
essay’s due date. If these criteria are fully met then there will not be 20% deduction for lateness. If these criteria
are not fully met then the student will earn a 0%. Students have the option for improving their summative score
by submitting one revision which must be completed with two weeks of the essay’s return date. Students must
meet with the teacher prior to the final submission unless feedback is given verbally through turnitin.com .
Language summative: As long as the formatives have been completed, there is an option for one retake to
demonstrate mastery (retakes must be taken within one week of the test return date.) The student is required to
make an appointment to retake the summative. Failure to take the summative will result in a 0%.
Speaking and Listening summative: As long as the formatives have been completed, there is an option for one
retake to demonstrate mastery (retakes must be taken within one week of the test return date.) The student is
required to make an appointment to retake the summative. Failure to take summative will result in a 0%.
Speaking and Listening summative: due on due date, or student will earn a 0%.
Note: No revised work and/or retakes will be permitted during the last two weeks of a semester.
Plagiarism will result in disciplinary actions and a 0%, with no option to redo/retake.
Cheating will result in disciplinary action and a 0% with no opportunity for a retake – no exceptions.
Edmodo/Turnitin.com:
My class website is at http://edmodo.com/patdevito You will be able to obtain all documents, view the calendar,
communicate with peers and teacher, and note important announcements as well as turn in assignments and projects.
The first semester outside reading assignment will be conducted through reading groups on Edmodo. If your parent
would like access to Edmodo his/her student can provide the parent access code after the student has “joined” the class.
Turnitin.com will be the main repository for all paper completed this year. Not only will you receive your plagiarism score
here, you will also be able to view essay feedback and note your essay grade on this website. Most papers will not need
to be printed, as they will only be turned into this website. All papers are due to turnitin.com by 11:59:59 PM on the day
the paper is due (if not noted otherwise). Failure to adhere to this time requirement will result in a 20% deduction of
grade. Hence, make sure you submit paper by the strict deadline! No excuses and no exceptions.
Make-Up Work
Upon return to class after an absence, a student has one school day for each day missed to make up work/test assigned
during his/her absence regardless of the number of days absent. For example, if a student is absent on Thursday and
Friday, he/she will have Monday and Tuesday of the following week to make up work and must turn in the work that was
assigned during the days absent on Wednesday. It is the student’s reponsibility to check with teachers immediately upon
return for work missed. Teachers may choose to schedule an appointment with the student to formulate a plan for the
completion of make-up work.
Coursework and assessments assigned prior to the absence(s) may still be due on the date assigned or due on the first
day that the student returns to class.
Class work missed as a result of an unexcused absence will result in a zero for that day. This includes tests, quizzes,
labs, projects, participation points, etc. done that day.
Make-up work for extended absences may be requested through the Counseling Office and picked up there.
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Note: No revised work and/or retakes will be permitted during the last two weeks of a semester.
Late/Missing Assignments
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Late assignments will receive a standard 20% deduction; however, no assignment should be reduced
past a 50%
Late assignments should be coded with a ‘late’ mark in the grade book
If an assignment is not turned in, enter a zero in the grade book. However, a student may turn the
assignment in late (with a 20% deduction). NOTE: If a student has an unexcused absence, he or she
may not turn the assignment in late.
Vocabulary
Each vocabulary test has 7 words that are worth 2 points apiece (Tier 2=2 points/Tier 1=1.5 points)
Regular vocabulary tests will be given every two weeks with one retest possible within a week’s time.
(*special note for honors – there will be no retakes of tests taken in vocabulary)
Summative Due Date Policy:
If an assignment/assessment is not turned in, a zero will be recorded in the grade book. The student may
turn the assignment in late (within one week of the due date), but will receive a 20% deduction. NOTE:
If a student has an unexcused absence, he or she may not turn the assignment in late.
No revised work and/or retakes will be permitted during the last two weeks of a semester.
Plagiarism will result in disciplinary actions and a Missing score (0%).
Cheating will result in disciplinary action and a failing score with no opportunity for retake--no exceptions.
Discipline Policy:
Discipline will be administered on an individual basis as needed. Failure to follow all course expectations as outlined
within the course description will be disciplined using the following procedure.
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Teacher-student conference regarding the inappropriate behavior.
Teacher-student conference regarding the inappropriate behavior AND assigned lunch or after school detention.
Teacher-student conference regarding the inappropriate behavior, teacher-parent conference via telephone or email.
Teacher-student conference regarding the inappropriate behavior, teacher-parent conference via telephone or email, AND incident report to discipline office.
Classroom Rules and Procedures:
1.
Students may not use cell phones, iPods, MP3 players, or any other electronic device. Students also may not
wear headphones in their ears.
2.
Students may not chew gum.
3.
Students may not wear hats in class.
4.
Pencils need to be sharpened before the class period rings.
5.
Students need to be prepared every day. If a student does not have a pencil and/or paper, I will furnish these
items two times only per student per semester. A note will be made in the student’s planner if an item is used.
6.
If a student is absent, he or she must consult the assignment folder for copies and instructions.
7.
Bathroom passes are limited to four passes per semester. Students are to highlight four spaces in their
handbooks to be used as passes.
8.
Cell phones are not allowed during class time unless specific permission is given. If the student does not respect
and obey the cell phone policy, the following disciplinary action will be taken:
Step 1: Verbal request for student to put the phone away.
Step 2: If the student continues to abuse the cell phone policy, a conference before or after class will occur (a cell phone
envelope will be issued to the student for placing their cell phone in during class and discussion will take place after class
is over).
Step 3: If the student still continues to abuse the cell phone policy, I will email or call a parent/guardian.
Step 4: After the parent has been contacted, the student will receive a written disciplinary referral and will be subject to the
administration’s consequences.
Language Arts Notebook Requirements
Common Core Standard:
Writing (Range of Writing #10): Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and
shorter time frames (a single day or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
Notebook Use and Assessment:
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You will take all notes and complete most activities in your notebook—final drafts of writing assignments are
turned in separately/ on a longer assignment Turnitin.com will be used.
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If you complete an activity NOT included in the notebook (e.g. a handout), you will want to keep it in the folder
section of your notebook. NOTE: If you use a binder or other filing system, you may keep handouts there. However, you
will need to add handouts to your notebook during a grading session.
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Everything you need for tests, quizzes, and the final exam will be in your notebook and binder.
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Approximately once per unit, your notebooks will be collected AT RANDOM. You will receive a small project
grade for each standard section: Reading, Writing, Language (including vocabulary), and Speaking/Listening. If you do
not have your notebook on the day of collection, you will be subject to the standard 20% deduction.
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If run out of space, start a new notebook.
PowerSchool Access
The PowerSchool site allows parents/guardians and students to access the student’s grades, attendance, and other
information. If you need your access information, please stop by the front desk during business hours. You will need a
photo I.D. The web address is: ps.dvusd.org/public
Electronic Device Use
Technology (cell phones, iPods, hand-held devices, etc.) use in the classroom is intended to enhance the learning
environment for all students; however, any use of technology that substantially degrades the learning environment,
promotes dishonesty or illegal activities, is prohibited. If the instructor determines that the use of technology is a
distraction to the learning process, either of the student using the technology or to those around him/her, the student may,
at the discretion of the teacher, be asked to discontinue the use of technology in the classroom.
Personal Electronic Device Use:
Personal Electronic Devices include cell phones, iPods, other mp3 players and similar technology devices used for
entertainment and communication/social media. Students are expected to refrain from the use of electronic devices
for personal entertainment and/or communication (i.e. email, Instagram, Facebook, etc.) during instructional time (as
determined by the teacher or classroom designee). While students may freely use these devices before and after school,
during passing period, and at lunch- the teacher will limit the use of personal devices and for which purposes during class
to ensure that all students are focused and ready to learn.
Bring Your Own Device and Use of Electronic Devices to Facilitate Learning:
Sandra Day O’Connor High School will integrate the use of tablets, laptops and smart phones as a learning tool in the
classroom. Once the technology tools are added to the classroom for learning, the classroom teacher will inform students
as to when they may use their device and for which purposes. Students must adhere to their teacher’s guidelines for use
and appropriate times for use. Any student who violates the teacher’s guidelines will be subject to disciplinary action.
Please note- students may not access their personal devices, whether for entertainment or learning, if the teacher has
stated that the classroom activities at that time do not warrant use. For example, during testing or assessments.
Plagiarism and Cheating
Cheating: In cheating, a student is taking the work of another, on any assignment, and claiming it as his/her own. At
SDOHS cheating includes but is not limited to:
 Copying and/or offering homework verbally, in written form, or by electronic means from/to another student.
 Copying and/or offering questions and/or answers on tests or quizzes verbally, in written form, or by electronic
means from/to another student.
 Pressuring other students to copy and/or offer homework, answers and/or questions on tests or quizzes verbally, in
written form or by electronic means.
 Bringing in and using unauthorized information during class time, including information stored in any electronic
device.
 Offering or receiving information under circumstances in which information is not to be shared.
 Having anyone, including parents or tutors, complete assignments and submitting the work as one’s own.
 Presenting collaborative work as independent work and independent work as collaborative. (In group work, one
person should not and will not bear the burden for the entire group assignment.)
 Copying answers from answer guides in texts.
 Fabricating data, information, or sources. Presenting made up material as authentic.
Plagiarism: The act of plagiarism may include direct copying, but it may also be more complex than verbatim repetition.
A student, in preparing a project for a class, will have plagiarized if he/she has taken information from sources without
citing the sources that have been used. Plagiarized material may appear in a student’s paper as word-for-word copying, a
summation, or a paraphrase of another’s ideas. A student has plagiarized whether the material from another source has
been taken in whole or in part. In effect, by not naming the source, the student is claiming the work of another as his/hers.
At SDOHS plagiarism includes but is not limited to:
 Submitting images and/or documents in whole or in part from the Internet without citation of the source(s).
 Copying another’s work.
 Using another’s ideas without proper citations.
 Incorporating portions of another’s writing within the context of your own work.
 Failing to acknowledge a source of information.
 Using “unique” phrases without citations.
 Using graphics, charts, diagrams, or illustrations without citations.
 Using a translator (either in-person or on-line) without proper citations
Plagiarism and/or Cheating will result in disciplinary actions and a 0%, with no option to redo/retake. - No exceptions.
Loss of Credit Due to Absences
Upon reaching 5 unexcused absences or a combination of 12 unexcused and/or excused absences, a student may
lose credit in any given class.
Any student may be placed on an Attendance Contract upon accumulating multiple excused and unexcused absences.
Any student with excessive absences may:
1. Lose credit in one or more classes.
2. Lose parking privileges.
Communication
Please contact the teacher for any student concerns. It is crucial that teachers, parents, and students maintain open lines
of communication in order to ensure the best support for student success. Contact information is provided at the top of
the first page of this syllabus.
The Deer Valley Unified School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national
origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs and activities. For any inquiries regarding
nondiscrimination policies contact the Superintendent's Department, 20402 N. 15th Avenue, Phoenix,
AZ 85027. 623.445.5000.
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Please return this portion by Friday, August 15th, 2014.
I have read the Course Syllabus and Guidelines.
Once you have reviewed the syllabus and novel list, please initial and sign below, then have
the student return the form by Friday, August 15th.
Syllabus Acknowledgement
____I have read and reviewed the contents of the Language Arts 3-4 syllabus and have no
concerns at this time.
__________________________
Student Name
______________________________
Parent/Guardian Signature
Novel/Video Acknowledgement
_____I have reviewed the list of novels taught and videos used in this year’s Language Arts
class and have no concerns at this time.
_____I have concerns about the content of one or more of these novels and/or videos. I would
like the teacher to contact me at his/her earliest convenience.
_________________________
Student Name
_______________________________
Parent/Guardian Signature
*A signature indicates that you have reviewed the ancillary novels and videos in this class and
indicated if further communication is necessary. A lack of signature does not indicate that
your student will not participate in ancillary curriculum.
Student Name (Printed) _____________________________ Class Hour ____
Student Signature ________________________________________________
Parent’s preferred means of communication: _________________________
Parent Signature _________________________________________________
Date ____________________________________________________________
Honor Code Agreement
As honors/AP students at Sandra Day O’Connor High School, you are role models of excellence
in academics and integrity in behavior. With the recognition and rewards that accompany the
title of honor student, certain responsibilities and characteristics are inherent. The following are characteristics
you should strive to embody:
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Excellence in achievement and diligent effort in your honors classes. This is evidenced by maintaining
the minimum grade of 75% in each honors level class. Completion of all assignments is also
concomitant with expected performance.
Praiseworthy behavior and integrity. This is evidence by compliance with school rules, teacher
expectations, honesty, and positive actions which promote the ideals of Sandra Day O’Connor High
School.
Appropriate attendance. This is evidenced by compliance with school attendance policies. In addition,
you make an effort to go to class rather than to sweep, and when you are absent, it is excused.
The rewards of an honors education are many. The best of these are the intangible rewards of knowing you
have exceeded expectations, you have acted with integrity, and you have striven to get the most from you
educational opportunities at this crucial point in your education. Teachers, administration, and staff at Sandra
Day O’Connor High School commend you.
***By signing below I agree with the honor student code, attendance policy.
Student Name (printed) _________________________________________________________________
Student Signature _____________________________________________ Date ___________________
Parent Signature _______________________________________________Date ___________________
Dear Families,
In Language Arts 3-4 and Honors Language Arts 3-4, we read from a selected list of novels and plays. Below, you will find
a brief synopsis and rationale for each novel and play.
In an effort to meet the demands of the AZCCRS, we have selected books that meet a higher lexile level. Many times,
books with a higher lexile levels do include mature content. Some of the books on this list include material and language
that would be considered mature.
Fiction
Pride and Prejudice
Pride and Prejudice is a novel that describes the rigid class system present in eighteenth-and nineteenth-century England.
Throughout Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen uses three types of irony combined with different ionic elements throughout
most of her novel.
Rationale
In Pride and Prejudice students will look at a close reading and support all assertions and interpretations with direct
evidence from the text, from authoritative critical knowledge of the genre, or from authoritative criticism of the novel.
A Tale of Two Cities
The novel depicts the plight of the French peasantry demoralized by the French aristocracy in the years leading up to the
revolution, the corresponding brutality demonstrated by the revolutionaries toward the former aristocrats in the early years
of the revolution, and many unflattering social parallels with life in London during the same time period.
Rationale
In the novel A Tale of Two Cities by Dickens students will analyze how the author uses doubling technique functions not
only to draw oppositions, but to reveal hidden parallels. Dickens will also use recurring structures, contrasts, and literary
devices that can help develop and inform the reader of the text’s major themes.
The Things They Carried
Tim O’Brien’s storytelling in prose combines the sharp, unsentimental rhythms of Hemingway in gentler, more lyrical
descriptions. It gives the reader a shockingly visceral sense of experiencing war/conflict and seeing the craft of writing
well.
Rationale
In The Things They Carried students will look at a study of both roles this author played in the Vietnam War. This close
reading will support all assertions and interpretations with direct evidence from the text, showing authoritative critical
knowledge of the genre.
1984 by George Orwell
George Orwell’s 1984 is a novel about a dystopian society which takes place in what would have been England during the
year 1984. Winston Smith, the main character, rebels against government control and tests his rights as a citizen. In the
book, themes of rhetoric, government, and human rights are explored.
Rationale
1984 is a novel with great cultural significance. Because it covers ideas such as rhetoric, politics, and the human
condition, we are able to make ties between the novel and history, current culture, and imagination.
And Then There Were None
We will use And Then There Were None, a murder mystery, as a study of the “Who-Done-It” genre using Agatha
Christie’s best seller. Ten guests are invited to an island by a host unknown to all of them. One by one they start to die
and by the end of the weekend, no one is left.
Rationale
And Then There Were None requires students to monitor and analyze plot details. It also encourages students to make
conjectures based on evidence and to seek answers for questions.
Animal Farm
George Orwell’s Animal Farm is a novel written about 1938 and is a political novel set on a British farm where barnyard
animals successfully revolt against a human master who has exploited them. The modern and contemporary artistic
movements emerged from the financial, political, and social upheavals of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century.
Rationale
Orwell employs the literary forms of allegory, satire, and fable. The students are exposed to external and internal conflicts
and rich allegorical representation. Common core dictates engaging students in an investigative roll playing in everyday
life.
House of Scorpion
House of Scorpion by Nancy Farmer is a Newbery Honor book that is a powerful, hopeful story that builds on today’s
sociopolitical, ethical, and scientific issues and prognosticates a compelling picture of what the future could bring. It’s a
coming-of-age story.
Rationale
Nancy Farmer’s book of fiction is inspiring tale of friendship, survival, hope, and transcendence. It encourages students to
make conjectures based on evidence and seek answers for questions.
Lord of the Flies
The Lord of the Flies by William Golding is an allegorical novel set on an island during WWII. Young boys get stranded
without adults and are forced to make it on their own. It deals with issues of loss of innocence, power, and human nature
and individual welfare versus the common good.
Rationale
Like 1984, Lord of the Flies has great cultural significance. The novel covers themes such as good and evil, as well as
politics and the result of war.
Anthem, by Ayn Rand
“Ayn Rand’s novelette Anthem (1938) tells the story of one man’s rebellion against a totalitarian society. When the novel’s
hero, Equality 7-2521, commits the unpardonable crime—independent thought—he sets himself in conflict with the moral
strictures of his world—a world in which all expressions of individualism have been suppressed, where the very word “I”
has been banished from the language—a world of joyless, selfless men permitted to exist only for the sake of serving the
group.” –Ayn Rand Institute
Rationale
Anthem has become a popular novelette for the high school level due to its focus on the importance of the individual. That
each member of a society matters deeply and the value and importance of the minds, thoughts, and abilities of our youth
should be celebrated, not repressed. This gives students the ability to read a text, evaluate and analyze the story in a
powerful way.
Non-Fiction
Night
Night is a work by Elie Wiesel about his experience with his father in the Nazi German concentration camps at Auschwitz
and Buchenwald in 1944–1945, at the height of the Holocaust and toward the end of the Second World War.
Rationale
Night allows students to examine both the historic and human aspects of the Holocaust.
Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer
Jon Krakauer, a journalist, wrote of his experiences climbing Mount Everest during the worst storm of the century. In the
novel, he recounts events that claimed the lives of some climbers and left others gravely injured.
Rationale
Into Thin Air is a biographical account of one of the most harrowing adventures in recent history. Students are able to
examine the human condition as it exists in reality, rather than fiction.
Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
Malcolm Gladwell, author of the bestselling books, The Tipping Point, Blink, and What the Dog Saw, takes on the topic of
successful people whose achievements fall outside normal experience. The non-fiction work explores the idea that
success can be practically planned for and cultivated.
Rationale
Outliers is an opportunity for students to understand what makes a person an ‘outlier’ in society. Students must weigh
conclusions for their correlation to research.
Angela’s Ashes
Angela’s Ashes is Frank McCourt’s recollection of his desperately poor childhood during the Great Depression in
Brooklyn, New York, and Ireland. This Pulitzer Prize winning biography analyzes the effect of word choice and sentence
structure to express meaning, tone, and theme.
Rationale
Angela’s Ashes offers close reading and support interpretations and assertions using evidence from the text and
knowledge of McCourt’s biography, literary allusions, and period in history. Students will identify conflict in the narrative
arc of character, setting, plot, and theme.
Plays
Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare
Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar is an historical fiction version of Rome’s great leader. In the story, conspirators build a case
to assassinate Caesar, including the involvement of his friend and confidante—Brutus. However, Romans soon find out
these actions had unexpected consequences. In the play, themes of honor, ambition, and rhetoric are explored.
Rationale
Julius Caesar is an historical fiction play that ties into students’ World History content. Though it is historical fiction, it
shows students the interaction between political figures and has brilliant examples of rhetorical speech.
The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare
Shakespeare takes his audience on a fast-paced ride of romance and riches, disguise and determination. In the play,
Baptista Minola is tasked with marrying off his two daughters: the undesirable, elder “shrew” named Katherine, and the
much sought-after, younger daughter, sweet Bianca. There is only one catch--unless a suitor is found for Katherine, no
one can marry Bianca! This play allows the students to appreciate that Shakespeare’s extraordinary talents were not
limited to tragedies; he had a side that radiated pure wit and frivolity as well.
Rationale
The Taming of the Shrew allows students to analyze family dynamics and the way characters can influence one another.
Videos
Video clips are shown with some short stories and other reading selections. Movie versions of plays are also used. Below
is a list of video clips your student might see:
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Historical background on Julius Caesar and Edgar Allan Poe
Presidential and Vice Presidential debates while reading Julius Caesar
Ridley Scott’s Apple Superbowl commercial (So that 1984 won’t be like 1984…)
A & E’s Pride and Prejudice mini-series (Honors only)
Historical background on the Vietnam War and music of the times
Black and white version of Julius Caesar
Historical background on Elie Wiesel and other Holocaust survivors