Kick Rocks

GROVE CITY AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT B.K. BROWN PLANNED COURSE 7/09

COURSE TITLE: Introduction to Composition and World Literature

GRADE LEVEL: 9 LENGTH OF COURSE:
CREDIT AWARDED: 1.0 RELATIONSHIP TO GRADUATION OUTCOMES:

SUMMARY OF PLANNED INSTRUCTION:

Level I English is a standards-based, skills-driven course. Students read novels, short stories, poems, plays, autobiographies, speeches, epics, etc. from all over the world; specific areas of focus are Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Latin America, and Ancient Greece. In their study of literature, students adopt specific Reading Stances (Initial Understanding, Responding Personally, Interpretation, and Responding Critically) to develop a firm grasp of the literary tools and skills assessed on the PSSA Reading Test. Vocabulary study arises from the literature. Further, students learn to read independently and take Accelerated Reader tests on eleven self-selected novels over the course of the year. Level I English also incorporates choral poetry reading to develop and increase reading fluency. Finally, the course focuses on test-taking strategies using the 4-Sight Assessment. Process writing is integral to Level I English: students prepare for the PSSA Writing Test by writing multi-paragraph Narrative, Informational, and Persuasive essays which are assessed according to state standards. These writing assignments are scored on Focus, Content, Organization, Style, and Conventions. A Midterm Exam and Final Exam are required.

OBJECTIVES:

Reading

The student will:

1. identify, describe, evaluate and synthesize the essential ideas in a text. [1.1.11.D.]

2. understand the meaning of and apply key vocabulary across the subject areas. [1.1.11.F.]

3. make extensions to related ideas, topics, or information. [1.1.11.G.3.]

4. read familiar materials aloud with accuracy. [1.1.11.H.1.]

5. self-correct mistakes. [1.1.11.H.2.]

6. read a variety of genres and types of text. [1.1.11.H.4.]

7. demonstrate comprehension. [1.1.11.H.5.]

8. be held accountable for reading 12 books a year and encouraged to read more. [1.1.11.H.6.]

9. produce work in at least one of the following genres: fiction/nonfiction, prose, biography, autobiography, historical fiction, science fiction, mystery, realistic fiction, and fantasy. [1.2.11.C.]

10. may choose to read from the following genres: fiction/nonfiction, prose, biography, autobiography, historical fiction, science fiction, mystery, realistic fiction, and fantasy. [1.3.11.A.]

11. connect knowledge from the text with personal background to apply to real life situations. TSW cite and synthesize specific information to defend the responses. [1.3.11.F.]

Writing, Speaking and Listening

The student will:

12. write short stories and poems utilizing various literary techniques. [1.4.11.A.]

13. write a 5-paragraph persuasive essay. [1.4.11.C.]

14. write an essay with a sharp distinct focus, well-developed content, and controlled organization. [1.5.11.A.]

15. write an essay with a sharp distinct focus, well-developed content, and controlled organization. [1 .5.11.B.]

16. write an essay with a sharp distinct focus, well-developed content, and controlled organization, [1.5.11.C.]

17. listen to others; TSW take notes. [1.6.11.A.]

18. listen to selections of literature. [1.6.11.B.]

19. contribute to discussions utilizing response journals. [1.6.11.D.]

CONTENT OUTLINE:

1. Africa 5 weeks

2. Middle East 4 weeks

3. Asia 4 weeks

4. Latin America 4 weeks

5. Conventions / Fluency 2 weeks

6. Greeks 5 ½ weeks

7. Narrative 2 weeks

8. 5 paragraph essay, etc. 6 weeks

9. PSSA Reading Stances, etc. 1 week

10. Stargirl 2 ½ weeks

INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITIES:

1. Lecture 11. Journal Writing 2. Modified Contextual Redefinition 12. Notebooks 3. Question/Answer 13. Student Readings 4. Independent Study 14. Accelerated Reader tests 5. Dramatization 15. Reading 6. Evocation 16. Modeling 7. Response 17. Tests and Quizzes 8. Discussion 18. Oral Interpretation 9. Narrative, Informational, and Persuasive Papers 19. Note taking
10. Prewriting skills - Mapping 20. Choral Reading

INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS:

| Major Texts/Resources | Supplemental Texts/Resources |
|World Writers Today: Contemporary Literature from Around the World |Stargirl – Jerry Spinelli |
| |“The Quarry” – Alan Paton |
| |The Jewels of the Shrine – James Ene Henshaw |
| |Epic of Gilgamesh |
| |Iliad – Homer |
| |Odyssey – Homer |
| |Selections from available titles in the Accelerated Reader program |

ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES:

Standard 1.1.11.D.

Objective: TSW identify, describe, evaluate, and synthesize the essential ideas in a text. Assessment: After reading world literature in various genres, students will complete journal exercises and contribute to class discussions in which they point out main ideas from the text and relate them to their own lives.

Standard 1.1.11.F.

Objective: TSW understand the meaning of and apply key vocabulary across the subject areas. Assessment: Prior to reading literature, students will be given a list of new vocabulary words found in the piece. Given these words, students will use Modified Contextual Redefinition to demonstrate mastery of each word.
Standard 1.1.11.G.3.

Objective: TSW make extensions to related ideas, topics or information. Assessment: After reading literature from various genres, students will complete journal exercises and contribute to class discussions in which they compare the ideas in the text to current events and issues.

Standard 1.1.11.H.1.

Objective: TSW read familiar materials aloud with accuracy. Assessment: Students will read original prose and poetry pieces to the class. They will also read aloud the work of other authors.

Standard 1.1.11.H.2.

Objective: TSW self-correct mistakes (when reading). Assessment: Given various pieces of literature, students will read them correctly to the class, concentrating on correct pronunciation and articulation.

Standard 1.1.11.H.4.

Objective: TSW read a variety or genres and types of text. Assessment: Students read a variety of assigned texts and are held accountable for this reading through quizzes, tests, oral responses, and written responses.

Standard 1.1.11.H.5.

Objective: TSW demonstrate comprehension. Assessment: After reading literature in a variety of genres, students will be given comprehension quizzes over the pieces.

Standard 1.1.11.H.6.

Objective: TSW be held accountable for reading 12 books a year and encouraged to read more. Assessment: Students will select at least three novels each nine weeks and completed an Accelerated Novel test for each novel.

Standard 1.2.11.C.

Objective: TSW produce work in at least one of the following genres: fiction/nonfiction, prose, biography, autobiography, historical fiction, science fiction, mystery, realistic fiction, and fantasy. Assessment: Students will write narrative, informational, and persuasive essays; these essays will be evaluated using the PSSA scoring guide.

Standard 1.3.11.A.

Objective: The student may choose to read from the following genres: fiction/nonfiction, prose, biography, autobiography, historical fiction, science fiction, mystery, realistic fiction, and fantasy. Assessment: Students will select at least three novels each nine weeks and completed an Accelerated Novel test for each novel.

Standard 1.3.11.F.

Objective: TSW connect knowledge from the text with personal background to apply to real life situations. TSW cite and synthesize specific information to defend the responses. Assessment: Students will respond to specific text-based response questions through writing and discussion. Students will use their personal histories and their knowledge of current events to make meaning of the text.

WRITING, SPEAKING AND LISTENING

Standard 1.4.11.A.

Objective: TSW write short stories and poems utilizing various literary techniques. Assessment: Students will write narrative and creative short stories and will write haiku.

Standard 1.4.11.C.

Objective: TSW write a 5-paragraph persuasive essay. Assessment: Given a series of prompts, students will select one and write a 5-paragraph persuasive essay, focusing on the criteria used in the PSSA Scoring Guide.

Standard 1.5.11.A.

Objective: TSW write an essay with a sharp distinct focus, well-developed content, and controlled organization.

Assessment: Students will write 5-paragraph narrative and informational/persuasive essays, and will be evaluated using the PSSA Scoring Guide criteria.

Standard 1.5.11.B.

Objective: TSW write an essay with a sharp distinct focus, well-developed content, and controlled organization. Assessment: Students will write a 5-paragraph narrative and informational/persuasive essays, focusing on the criteria used in the PSSA Scoring Guide.

Standard 1.5.11.C.

Objective: TSW write an essay with a sharp distinct focus, well-developed content, and controlled organization. Assessment: Students will write a 5-paragraph narrative and informational/persuasive essays, focusing on the criteria used in the PSSA Scoring Guide.

Standard 1.6.11.A.

Objective: TSW listen to others; TSW take notes. Assessment: Students will listen and respond to the contributions of their peers during class discussions. They will also take notes on lectures and will submit notebooks each nine weeks for evaluation.

Standard 1.6.11.B.

Objective: TSW listen to selections of literature. Assessment: Students will listen to oral readings by the teacher and their peers and will complete quizzes evaluating their comprehension of these readings.

Standard 1.6.11.D.

Objective: TSW contribute to discussions utilizing response journals. Assessment: Students will respond to specific text-based response questions through writing and discussion. Students will use their personal histories and their knowledge of current events to make meaning of the text.

READING ASSESSMENT ANCHORS:

R11.A. Comprehension and Reading Skills

R11.A.1 Demonstrate the ability to understand and interpret fiction text (including short story), novel excerpt, and poetry (including epic), appropriate to grade level. R11.A.2 Demonstrate the ability to understand and interpret nonfiction text, including informational, e.g., textbooks, print media, editorials, public documents, autobiographies, biographies, and essays appropriate to grade level. R11.A.3 Analyze how a writer’s use of words creates mood and how choice of words advances the theme or purpose of a fictional passage.

R11.B. Interpretation and Analysis of Literature

R11.B.1 Analyze the relationships and uses of literary elements. R11.B.2 Analyze the effectiveness, in terms of literary quality, of the author’s use of literary devices.