IB English SL Calendar
Unit two: The Language Instinct
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
9/19
SAT vocab quiz #1
Thursday
9/20
Finish vocab
Learn “How to read a non-fiction
book.”
9/24
Discuss chapter 1: “The
Instinct to Acquire an Art “
HW: Read the first half of
chapter 3: “Mentalese”
Pages 44-57
10/1
Discuss chapters in small
groups (first 25 pages)
9/25
Discuss the first half of
chapter 3: “Mentalese” Pages
44-57
One-pager due today!
HW: study SAT vocab words
10/2
Itty bitty reading quiz
today!
Finish chapter discussions
One-pager due today!
HW: Finish your chapter
HW: Study SAT vocab words
10/8
Discuss chapters in small
groups (the first 20 pages)
10/9
Itty bitty reading quiz
today!
One-pager due today!
HW: Finish your chapter
HW: Study SAT vocab words
9/26
SAT vocab quiz #2
Get lesson 3 words
9/27
Itty bitty reading quiz today!
HW: Finish the second half of
chapter 3: “Mentalese”pages 5773 for tomorrow
HW: Choose a chapter to read:
“How Language Works” 74-118
OR “Words, Words, Words” 119152
10/3
SAT vocab quiz #3
Get lesson 4 words
HW: get caught up on your
reading work
10/10
SAT vocab quiz #4
Get lesson 5 words
HW: get caught up on your
reading work
Discuss chapter 3: “Mentalese”
Read the first 15 pages of your
chapter for tomorrow
10/4
SAT style in-class essay today
HW: Choose a chapter to read:
“Language Origins and Grammar
Genes” page 302-339 or “The Big
Bang” pages 340-381
Read the first 10 pages of your
chapter
10/11
Itty bitty reading quiz today!
HW: Read the first half of “Mind
Design” Pages 419-435 for
Monday’s class
Friday
9/21
Begin The Language Instinct
Pages 1-11 “The Instinct to
Acquire an Art”
9/28
Small group discussion of your
chapter today
HW: Read at least up to page 25
in your chapter for Monday
10/5
Itty bitty reading quiz today!
HW: Continue to read your
chapter. Have 25 pages read for
Monday
10/12
No school—Teacher in-service
day
IB English SL Calendar
Unit two: The Language Instinct
10/15
Itty bitty reading quiz today!
Discuss the first half of of
“Mind Design”
HW: Read the second half of
Mind Design: Pages 436-448
for Thursday’s class
10/22
Small group review of The
Language Instinct today
10/16
One-pager due today!
Intro to Socratic Seminar
today
HW: Study SAT vocab words
10/23
Test on The Language
Instinct today
10/17
SAT vocab quiz #5
10/18
Seminar on of “Mind Design”
10/19
Socratic Seminar on the entire
book Language Instinct—this is
an assessment—do not miss
class on this day!!!
HW: Finish your reading work:
bonus if it is complete tomorrow
HW: There is no homework this
weekend; it’s Homecoming!
10/25
Written task
10/26
Written task
NO VOCAB THIS WEEK!
HW: Finish the second half of
Mind Design: Pages 436-448
for Thursday’s class
10/24
Get SAT vocab lesson 6 words
HW: Study for tomorrow’s
test
Learning objectives for this unit:
1. To learn how some basic skills necessary for successful reading of a non-fiction book
2. To be able to articulate Pinker’s central thesis regarding language and human beings
3. To be able to articulate the central thesis in each chapter that we read and to relate that to the
central thesis in the book
4. To be able to articulate 3-5 supporting ideas that relate to the thesis of each chapter and to the book
as a whole
5. To learn a few basic language and linguistic terms, as determined in class
6. To learn/ review about Socratic Seminar protocol for text-based discussion
7. To successfully participate in a Socratic Seminar.