Course Description
FIRST SEMESTER || SECOND SEMESTER
This course concentrates on reading comprehension, writing, speaking, and listening skills. It is a continuation of the basic principles learned in Freshman English.
WRITING: The primary focus of attention looks at the proper formation of a literary analysis. Both form and function combine to guide students in expressing themselves in formal writing. Students also practice other paragraph forms: summary, comparison/contrast, descriptive, and expository.
FIRST SEMESTER
MASTERY OF PUNCTUATION skills: Competently understanding the use of punctuation is a requirement in the Fall semester. Mastery requires 75 percent accuracy on all tests. Students will be provided the opportunity to take tests until mastery is accomplished.
(1) Commas, (2) Colons and Semicolons; (3) Hyphens, Dashes, and Parentheses; and (4) Quotation Marks, End Marks, and Citations.
LITERATURE: Students explore large social issues that contain applications for our own culture. From ancient Greek society Antigone, by Sophocles, places students in a struggle over the correct use of power in contrast to obedience to the laws of the gods. The contemporary examination of prejudice, injustice, and integrity occurs in the study of To Kill a Mockingbird.
PUBLIC SPEAKING: A persuasive speech connected with To Kill a Mockingbird guides students in this vital ability to communicate verbally.
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SECOND SEMESTER
Students continue their reading and writing experiences from first semester lessons.
LITERATURE: Two major works immerse students into two very different life situations. The drama Julius Caesar deposits good intentions, loyalty, and intrigue into a volitale mix of tangled emotions. The second work by Elie Wiesel, Night, transports students into the maelstorm of Nazi Germany's persecution of the Jews during World War II. Supplementing these two pieces of literature several short stories may salt and pepper the semester reading agenda.
WRITING: This semester's writing exercises allow students to hone and perfect their expressive writing skills. Three distinct areas of writing are emphasized:
Technical--the ability to write business letters is a skill useful in adult life.
Timed Writes--students will select one of four timed writes to develope into a full-blown essay.
Literary Analysis--Yes, one more time. Fortunately there is only one analysis to write. Yet, students will submit an almost perfect paper; the number of re-writes depends on the their editing ability.
PERSUASIVE SPEECH: From either Julius Caesar or Night students will compose a persuasive speech to convince listeners of their purposeful opinion. This speech builds on the experience from first semester.
POETRY: This unit does require a successful grade on a MASTERY of poetic terminology. Students will research several styles and forms of poetry both in class studies and library searches. Included with the study of poetry is a project whereby students express their competent understanding of this literary expression.
COMMON READING ASSESSMENT: In prepartion for the Washington Assessment of Student Learning exam, that occurs in the spring of the year, an assessment of student ability to understand a piece of writing occurs. Feedback is provided in order to assist students to be better able to successfully pass the WASL reading test.
WASL (Washington Assessment of Student Learning): In the spring of the year all sophomores are required to take the WASL. In preparation for this event opportunities are provided in class that allow students to grow in their reading and writing expertise.
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July 30, 2008
updated