World literature course curriculum
Regular and Honors Level Curriculum
Primary Text: Prentice Hall Literature: World Masterpieces
Big Questions:
 What is the relationship between literature, philosophy, religion, place and time?
 In what ways do author’s express their ideas?
 In what ways does literature reflect society?
 In what ways can literature be used to shape a culture and societal beliefs and values, and in what
ways can a culture and society shape literature?
Semester 1 – Quarter 1
Unit 1: Post-Secondary Preparation (2 Weeks)
Unit Overview
This unit is designed to introduce students to the college application process and begin a reflection and
critique of their educational experiences and their hopes and goals of education at the college level. The unit
is designed to offer a thorough discussion on the topic of education and how it relates to the students’
individual experience and to provide a step-by-step guide to the college application process. Students will
learn the techniques of writing a strong college essay and also strengthen their skills synthesizing non-fiction
textual evidence to support their claims on various issues. By the end of the unit, students will have completed
a college essay they can use during the application process, a senior info sheet on the Naviance application,
the summer reading packet, and a synthesis essay regarding their view on a serious issue in the world of
education.
Unit Goals
Essential Questions:
 To what extent do our schools serve the goals of a true education?
 What is the purpose of education in your view?
 Should schools impart values as well as knowledge?
 Is government too involved in education at the local level?
 Where is the future of the American education system heading?
Learning Objectives:
Students will be able to…
 Write a strong college essay that includes real or imagined experiences using effective essay writing
techniques and well structured event sequences (W.3)
 Read a variety of thematic non-fiction articles and discover the main idea or theme, examining how
the author introduces and treats this idea or theme as the text unfolds (R.L.2)
 Write informative/explanatory responses to non-fiction articles using textual evidence and valid
reasoning (R.L.1,)
 Synthesize multiple non-fiction articles to write and strong claim-based responses to questions using
textual evidence from multiple sources (W9, RL1, RL 2)
Common Core Standards:
*CC.11-12.R.I.1 Key Ideas and Details: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of
what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the
text leaves matters uncertain.
*CC.11-12.R.I.2 Key Ideas and Details: Determine two or more central ideas of a text and analyze their
development over the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to provide
a complex analysis; provide an objective summary of the text.
*R.I.10 Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity: By the end of grade 11, read and comprehend
literary nonfiction in the grades 11–CCR text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at
the high end of the range. By the end of grade 12, read and comprehend literary nonfiction at the high
end of the grades 11–CCR text complexity band independently and proficiently.
*W.9 Research to Build and Present Knowledge: Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to
support analysis, reflection, and research.
*W.3 Text Types and Purposes: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using
effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.
Literary/Rhetorical
Terms
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Diction
Syntax
Theme
Synthesis
Inference
Annotation
Ethos
Pathos
Logos
Writing Skills and
Terms

Skills Focus: Using
Textual Evidence
to support a claim
or thesis / Writing
informative/explan
atory texts to
examine and
convey complex
ideas/ Write
arguments to
support claims in
an analysis of
substantive topics
or texts, using valid
reasoning and
relevant and
sufficient evidence
Required Texts (Regular and Honors)
Literary Terms applicable to all articles
 From Education by Ralph Waldo Emerson
 “A Talk to Teachers” by James Baldwin
 “School” by Kyoko Mori
Writing
Requirements
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Short responses
to additional
non-fiction
essays (See
Assessments for
example
prompts)
Synthesis Essay:
Non-fiction
articles (See
Assessments for
example
prompts)
See Assessments
for further
suggested
writing
assignments
Vocabulary

Individualization by
teacher based on
class needs and
literary choices
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“I Know Why the Caged Bird Cannot Read” By Francis Prose
“Best in Class” by Margaret Talbot
“Superman and Me” by Sherman Alexie (non-fiction article)
“Me Talk Pretty One Day” By David Sedaris (non-fiction article)
“This is Water” By David Foster Wallace
Optional Texts for further study (Honors)
Longer Non-Fiction Works
There Are No Children Here By Alex Kotlowitz (a powerful account of two boys struggling to survive in a
Chicago housing project).
Summerhill By A.S. Neill (the story of the school he founded in 1921 based on a progressive philosophy
that includes making “lessons” optional).
Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books by Azar Nafisi (Book addresses censorship and the
experience of teaching Western classics such as The Great Gatsby in Iran)
The Future of the Race By Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Cornel West (authors analyze the classic essay “The
Talented Tenth” by W. E. B. Du Bois and consider its implications for African Americans today).
Autobiographical or Memoir
The Autobiography of Malcolm X
The Color of Water (James McBride’s memoir about his mother raising twelve children to embody and
take full advantage of the opportunities of higher education).
Black Ice By Lorene Carey (relates her experiences as an African American scholarship student from
Philadelphia attending the elite St. Paul’s Preparatory School).
Lives on the Boundary (university professor and writer Mike Rose questions the practice of tracking as he
recounts his own experience of being mistakenly placed on a remedial track.)
Iron and Silk By Mark Salzman (author describes his perceptions and cultural encounters as an American
Teaching in China during the 1980s).
Fiction
No Longer at Ease by Chinua Achebe (Nigeria)
The Schoolmaster by Earl Lovelace (Trinidad)
Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Daj Sijie (Chinese)
Second-Class Citizen by Buchi Emecheta (Nigeria)
Film
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969), a novel by Muriel Spark
The Water Is Wide (2006), an autobiographical novel by Pat Conroy
To Sir with Love (1967), a novel by E. R. Braithwaite
Goodbye, Mr. Chips
Not One Less (1999), a Chinese film in Mandarin directed by Zhang Yimou
Freedom Writers (2007), a memoir by Zlata Filipovic
Dead Poets Society (1989)
Documentaries
The Boys of Baraka (2005) R (a coming-of- age story about a group of at-risk boys from inner-city
Baltimore who are transported to the Baraka School in Kenya.)
Spellbound (2002), named Best Documentary Film in 2002, is the story of eight competitors in a spelling
bee; it raises issues of competition, family involvement, class and economics, and the American Dream.
Suggested Learning Activities:
Unit Introduction –
Teacher will outline the unit of study and go over the Big Ideas, essential questions, and learning
objectives in the unit. Teacher will also provide students an overview of the college application
process and deadlines students need to be aware of.
-Suggested Activities Fishbowl discussion of completed summer reading packet (RI2,RI10)
*In small groups, students can go over their responses to the articles in their summer
reading packet. Groups can then share their discussion or answers to the entire class.
Teachers could extend this activity for five days using an article each day.
 Role play activity (RI1, RI2, W9, W3)
*Summary: Ask students to respond to questions in the voice of the writers they are
reading. Students could respond to individual article questions with this technique or the
essential questions outlined in the unit.
 Education Reform Group Project (RI10, W1)
*Summary: Students will create new education legislation to take the place of No Child
Left Behind and Common Core. In their new model, students will decide what policies
work, if any, and what policies need reform. Students will address national education
concerns/topics such as standardized testing (new PARCC exam), Common Core Standards
in their new model.
 Short answer Synthesis Assignment (RI1, RI2, W9, W3)
*Summary: This assignment asks students to respond to questions (make a claim) and use
textual evidence from multiple articles for support. Sample Questions: In what ways does
Emerson’s essay, written a century before, align with educational problems addressed in
Baldwin’s essay? How would Francine Prose respond to Emerson’s article? Kyoko Mori’s
article discusses the difference between the American and Japanese school systems;
according to her article, does the Japanese education system align with any of the values
and ideals of the authors of any other article(s)?
 College Website Scavenger Hunt/search (RI10)
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*Example: Students could participate in a scavenger hunt asking them to find pertinent
information on college websites. This activity can help familiarize students with the
college application process and where they go to find information about the colleges of
their choice?
Review College Essays (W3)
*Teacher should provide strong examples of successful college essays and have a class
discussion as to why the essays work. Teachers should provide feedback of students’ rough
draft of college essay or students can participate in a peer review to help revise their
essay.
Close reading and annotations: (RI10, RI 2)
*Model annotations, and facilitate class discussions by based on student annotations
Write your own “Talk to Teachers” RI1, RI2, W9, W3
*Example: addressing either their teachers or teachers in general, students should write
their own talk to teachers influenced by Baldwin’s objectives, structure and style.
Suggested Assessments:
Formative:
 Fishbowl Discussion of completed summer
reading packet (RI1, RI2, W9, W3)
In small groups, students can go over some
of their responses to the articles in their
summer reading packet. Groups can then
share their discussion or answer to the
entire class. Teachers could extend this
activity for five days using an article each
day.
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Class discussion guided by student
annotation (RI10, RI 2)
Summary: Model annotations, and facilitate
class discussions by based on student
annotations.
Short answer synthesis assignment (RI1,
RI2, W9, W3)
Summary: This assignment asks students to
respond to questions (make a claim) and
use textual evidence from multiple articles
for support. Sample Questions: In what
ways does Emerson’s essay, written a
century before, align with educational
problems addressed in Baldwin’s essay?
How would Francine Prose respond to
Emerson’s article? Kyoko Mori’s article
discusses the difference between the
American and Japanese school systems;
according to her article, does the Japanese
education system align with any of the
values and ideals of the authors of any other
Summative:
 Synthesis Essay of non-fiction articles (RI1,
W1, W9)
(See sample Rubric at end of unit plans)
Example prompt
1) Using theses texts, as well as your own
insights into high school, identify two
serious problems with the educational
system and propose recommendations for
addressing them. Cite at least four sources
from the essays in your response. * Rubric
aligned with this essay option

College Essay (W3)
(See sample Rubric at end of unit plans)
1) Compose an essay that responds to a
prompt from the college of your choice. Be
sure to read the question fully and answer
all parts of the question.
article(s)?

College Website Scavenger hunt (RI10)
Example questions: What is the in state vs.
out-of-state tuition this year at the
University of Illinois? What is the college
essay prompt this year for DePaul
university? What was last year’s freshman
class enrollment at Southern Illinois
University?

College Essay (W3)
After instruction, feedback and peer review,
students should revise their college essay.
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Role play discussion (RI1, RI2, W9, W3)
Example questions: What would Francis
Prose say to a friend if she just left the
speech given by James Baldwin? What
would David Foster Wallace say about the
integration of the new Common Core
Standards?

Education Reform project/presentation
(RI10, W9, W3)
Example: Students can design their own
Education policy and present it to the class.
Teachers can elaborate this project as much
as they feel. Some topics for students to
consider in their planned reform: School
funding (state vs. government), Common
Standards, Standardized testing, school
curriculums, school administration, teacher
salary/evaluation, class sizes, low
income/underperforming schools, charter
schools, private schools, selective enrollment
schools.

Write your own “A Talk to Teachers” RI1,
RI2, W9, W3
Example: addressing either their teachers or
teachers in general, students should write
their own talk to teachers influenced by
Baldwin’s objectives, structure and style.