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Course Standards
General Course Information and Notes
Version Description
The purpose of this course is to enable students to develop and use grade 11-12 writing and language skills for advanced creative expression in a variety of literary forms. Emphasis will be on development of a personal writing style.General Notes
Honors and Advanced Level Course Note: Academic rigor is more than simply assigning to students a greater quantity of work. Through the application, analysis, evaluation, and creation of complex ideas that are often abstract and multi-faceted, students are challenged to think and collaborate critically on the content they are learning.General Notes:
The content should include, but not be limited to, the following:
- a thorough and in-depth examination of a variety of short literary collections, including poetry, which includes a variety of professional, peer, and/or teacher examples in order to examine
- text craft and structure, including line length and placement
- effects of figurative, denotative, and connotative language choice
- power and impact of appropriate voice and/or tone
- story structure, sentence structure, and grammatical choices
- reciprocal nature of content and form in development of a personal style
- writing for varied purposes and in varied genres, including
- personal and dramatic narratives
- various poetic forms
- screenplays and multimedia productions
- multi-genre and creative non-fiction selections
- digital writing platforms
- effective listening, speaking, and viewing strategies with emphasis on the use of evidence to support or refute a claim in multimedia presentations, class discussions, and extended text discussions
- collaboration amongst peers, especially regarding peer reviews of multiple drafts
Special Notes:
Instructional Practices: Teaching from well-written, grade-level instructional materials enhances students’ content area knowledge and also strengthens their ability to comprehend longer, complex reading passages on any topic for any purpose. Using the following instructional practices also helps student learning.
- Reading assignments from longer text passages, as well as shorter ones when text is extremely complex.
- Making close reading and rereading of texts central to lessons.
- Asking high-level, text-specific questions and requiring high-level, complex tasks and assignments.
- Requiring students to support answers with evidence from the text.
- Providing extensive text-based research and writing opportunities (claims and evidence).
General Information
Educator Certifications
Student Resources
Original Student Tutorials
Learn all about symbolism and allegory in this interactive tutorial. We'll use the classic short story "The Devil and Tom Walker" by Washington Irving to explore the use of symbolism and allegory as types of figurative language. We'll break down the events of the story and analyze how the use of symbolism contributes to the powerful allegory in this haunting tale. This tutorial is Part Two of a two-part series.
Make sure to complete Part One first. Click HERE to launch Part One.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Learn all about symbolism and allegory in this interactive tutorial. We'll use the classic short story "The Devil and Tom Walker" by Washington Irving to explore the use of symbolism and allegory as types of figurative language. We'll break down the events of the story and analyze how the use of symbolism contributes to the powerful allegory in this haunting tale.
In Part One, we'll cover some important background information and read the opening excerpts of the text. Make sure to complete both parts! Click HERE to launch Part Two.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Learn to use context clues to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words in this interactive tutorial. You'll learn how to identify and apply three important types of context clues: synonyms, antonyms, and inferences. This tutorial features passages about some of the world's most incredible child prodigies.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Learn to distinguish between passive and active voice and how to revise sentences by changing them from passive voice to active voice in this interactive Space Race-themed tutorial.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Compare and contrast how William Wordsworth established multiple themes within two of his poems: "Lines Written in Early Spring" and "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud."
This interactive tutorial is part 3 of 3. Click below to open the other tutorials in this series.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Continue to analyze William Wordsworth's poem "Lines Written in Early Spring" to determine multiple themes and craft thematic statements.
This interactive tutorial is part 2 of 3. Click below to open the other tutorials in this series.
- Part 1: Identifying Multiple Topics in a Poem
- Part 3: Comparing Themes Across Two Poems -- Including Wordsworth's poem "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud"
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Study William Wordsworth's poem "Lines Written in Early Spring" to identify multiple topics and, in the next tutorial, to determine themes and craft thematic statements.
This interactive tutorial is part 1 of 3. Click below to open the other tutorials in this series.
- Part 2: Determining Multiple Themes of a Poem
- Part 3: Comparing Themes Across Two Poems -- Including Wordsworth's poem "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud"
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Explore the poems "Invictus" by William Ernest Henley and "Life" by Charlotte Brontë in this interactive tutorial. Using these works of literature, you'll practice determining multiple themes in a poem and writing a summary of a poem.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Read excerpts from Bram Stoker’s famous novel Dracula. In this interactive tutorial, you'll examine how the author created suspense by tying together the story elements of setting, characters, and action.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Read the first chapter from Chinua Achebe’s novel Things Fall Apart about a father and son who couldn't be more different. In this interactive tutorial, you'll identify their important traits, examine the importance of their differences, and explain the impact of the author’s choice to introduce these two characters by highlighting their differences.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Learn 15 new academic vocabulary words in this interactive tutorial! You'll practice the words' synonyms, antonyms, parts of speech, and context clues in order to add them to your vocabulary.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Read and study excerpts from Willa Cather's classic novel My Antonia to analyze the impact of the author's choices regarding the selection of the narrator, where the story is set, and how the main character is introduced and developed.
This interactive English Language Arts tutorial is Part Three of three. Click below to open the other tutorials in the series.
- PART ONE -- Analyzing the Impact of an Author's Choices
- PART TWO -- Analyzing the Impact of an Author's Choicesn Author's Choices
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Learn to use commas correctly to set off an introductory clause, phrase, or word at the start of a sentence with this interactive tutorial.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Learn to use commas correctly with this interactive English Language Arts tutorial. You'll review a number of important comma rules, including when not to use a comma, and you'll learn to identify errors in comma usage.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Analyze the impact of an author's choices using excerpts from Willa Cather's classic novel My Antonia. In this series of interactive tutorials, you'll analyze the impact of an author's choices regarding the selection of the narrator, where the story is set, and how the main character is introduced and developed.
This is the second tutorial in a three-part series. Make sure to complete all three parts. Click below to open the other tutorials in this series.
- PART ONE -- Analyzing the Impact of an Author's Choices
- PART THREE -- Analyzing the Impact of an Author's Choices
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Learn about two mysterious punctuation marks: quotation marks and the dash. As you complete this interactive tutorial, you'll learn a number of important rules and guidelines to help you use them correctly.
This is Part Two of a two-part series. Click HERE to launch Part One to learn about the apostrophe and the ellipsis.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Explore Robert Frost's poem "Mending Wall" and examine words, phrases, and lines with multiple meanings. In this interactive tutorial, you'll analyze how these multiple meanings can affect a reader’s interpretation of the poem.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Learn about four mysterious punctuation marks in this two-part interactive tutorial. In Part One, you'll learn important rules and guidelines to help you correctly use the apostrophe and the ellipsis.
In Part Two, you'll learn to correctly use quotation marks and the dash. Make sure to complete both parts! Click HERE to open Part Two.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Read and study excerpts from Willa Cather's classic novel My Antonia to analyze the impact of the author's choices regarding the selection of the narrator, the setting, and how the main character is introduced and developed.
This interactive tutorial is Part One of three-part series. Click below to open the other tutorials in the series.
- PART TWO -- Analyzing the Impact of an Author's Choices
- PART THREE -- Analyzing the Impact of an Author's Choices
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Learn three rules for using commas correctly in your writing through use of this interactive English Language Arts tutorial. You'll learn how to join two independent clauses without creating a comma splice, how to identify and offset a nonessential clause in a sentence, and how to use the controversial Oxford comma.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Explore Edgar Allan Poe's "A Dream Within a Dream" in this two-part series of interactive tutorials. In Part Two, you'll examine word choices, rhyme, and personification, and explain the impact of specific word choices on the meaning and beauty of the poem.
Click HERE to launch Part One before starting Part Two.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Explore Edgar Allan Poe's "A Dream Within a Dream" in this two-part series of interactive tutorials. In Part 1, you'll examine words with multiple meanings and make inferences about selected key words in the poem. By the end of this series, you should be able to explain the impact of specific word choices on the meaning and beauty of the poem.
After you complete Part One, click HERE to open Part Two.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Read excerpts from E.B. White's moving personal essay "Once More to the Lake." In this tutorial, you will determine an author’s personal point of view and examine how it contributes to the beauty of a text.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Learn about the ways to correctly use a colon in a sentence by exploring this interactive tutorial! We'll go over contexts where colon use is appropriate, and you'll learn guidelines for colon usage. You'll also learn several important rules for capitalization usage after a colon. By the end, you should be apply to apply these rules to correctly use a colon within a sentence.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Examine some commonly confused pronouns that often trick people into believing that they have the same meaning when their meanings can be very different. This interactive tutorial will help you properly use the following pronouns: who, whom, which, that, their, there, they're.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Avoid "doppelganger danger" as you examine six pairs of commonly confused words in this interactive tutorial. Learn how to correctly use these commonly confused words to improve your language and writing skills.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Learn and practice how to use semicolons in this interactive tutorial. You'll learn three important rules for using the semicolon to join clauses together. By the end, you should be able to apply these three rules to correctly use a semicolon within a sentence.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Avoid "doppelganger danger" as you examine six pairs of commonly confused words. Learning how to correctly use these commonly confused words will help improve your writing and mastery of English.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Examine what it means to be an American by analyzing a speech delivered by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior, Harold L. Ickes, in 1941. This tutorial is Part One of a three-part series. In this tutorial, you will read excerpts from the opening sections of Ickes’ speech. Then, you will work on determining his purpose, point of view, and important claims in these sections.
Make sure to complete all three parts! Click HERE to view Part Two. Click HERE to view Part Three.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Examine five pairs of commonly confused words in this interactive tutorial. This tutorial focuses on language and resolving issues of complex usage. You will examine pairs of words that are often confused in order to learn the correct use of each word. By the end of this tutorial, you should be able to accurately use these ten commonly confused words.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Avoid "doppelganger danger" as you examine fourteen homophones, which are words that sound the same but have different meanings and spellings. Learning how to use these homophones correctly in this interactive tutorial will help you avoid some of the most common usage mistakes.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Avoid "doppelganger danger" as you examine eleven homophones, which are words that sound the same but have different meanings and spellings. Learning how to use these homophones correctly in this interactive tutorial will help you avoid some of the most common usage mistakes.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Avoid "doppelganger danger" as you examine twelve homophones, which are words that sound the same but have different meanings and spellings. Learning how to use these homophones correctly in this interactive tutorial will help you avoid some of the most common usage mistakes.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Having studied two key topics in excerpts from the classic novel Pride and Prejudice in previous parts of this tutorial series, in Part Four you will use these topics and textual details from the novel to determine two themes of the novel. You will also analyze how these themes interact and build on one another.
Make sure to complete the previous parts of this series before beginning Part Four.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Continue to explore two key topics in the classic novel Pride and Prejudice and analyze characters’ actions as they relate to these topics in Part Three of this four-part series. By the end of this series, you will use these topics and textual details to determine two themes of the novel. You will also analyze how these themes interact and build on one another.
Make sure to complete all four parts of the series!
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Explore two key topics (first impressions and self-awareness) in the classic novel Pride and Prejudice and analyze characters’ actions as they relate to these topics. This tutorial is Part Two in a four-part series. By the end of this tutorial series, you will use these topics and textual details to determine two themes of the novel. You will also analyze how these themes interact and build on one another.
Make sure to complete all four parts of the series.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Explore two key topics in excerpts from Jane Austen's classic novel Pride and Prejudice and analyze characters’ actions as they relate to these topics in Part One of this four-part interactive tutorial series. By the end of this series, you will use these topics and textual details to determine two themes of the novel and analyze how these themes interact and build on one another.
Click below to complete all four parts of the series.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Batten down the hatches, mateys! In this two-part series, you'll learn about syntax and the ways in which writing with varied syntax can affect the meaning of a text. This tutorial is Part Two. In this tutorial, you'll learn about complex sentence structures. Then you'll combine what you learned in both parts of this series to identify different sentence structures and analyze the effect of simple, compound, and complex sentence structures on the meaning of a text. You'll also practice writing using varied syntax.
Make sure to complete Part One before beginning Part Two! Click HERE to view Part One.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Ahoy, mateys! Learn about syntax and the ways in which writing with varied syntax can affect the meaning of a text. In this two-part interactive tutorial, you'll learn about syntax. You'll practice identifying simple, compound, and complex sentence structures and analyze the effect of these different types of structures on the meaning of a text. You'll also practice writing using varied syntax.
Make sure to complete both parts of this series! Click HERE for Part Two.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Learn how to determine themes and write thematic statements in this interactive tutorial. In this tutorial, you'll examine three famous poems: “If-” by Rudyard Kipling, “A Psalm of Life” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and “Invictus” by William Ernest Henley. Using these works of literature, you will practice determining multiple themes in a poem and crafting thematic statements.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Learn how to transform words into other words, including nouns into verbs, verbs into adjectives, adjectives into adverbs, and much more with this interactive tutorial.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Acquire 15 new vocabulary words, identify their parts of speech, synonyms, and antonyms, and use them in context with this interactive tutorial.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Learn about two significant writers of the Harlem Renaissance—Zora Neal Hurston and Langston Hughes. In this interactive tutorial, you'll read Hughes' poem "Freedom's Plow" to compare and contrast the authors' treatment of a similar topic and theme.
This is part two in a two-part series of interactive tutorials. Click HERE to launch Part 1 to identify topics and determine themes in excerpts from Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Examine text excerpts from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and evaluate several film clips based on different adaptations of Shelley's novel in this two-part interactive tutorial. By the end of this two-part tutorial, you should be able to analyze how the films’ various adaptations of the novel changes the audience’s perception of the creature that Mary Shelley originally created. This tutorial is Part Two of a two-part series.
Part One should be completed before beginning Part Two. Click HERE to launch Part One.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Learn about two significant writers of the Harlem Renaissance, Zora Neal Hurston and Langston Hughes. In this two-part tutorial series, you'll read excerpts of texts from each author. In Part One, you'll practice identifying topics and determining themes using Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God. In Part Two, you'll read Hughes' poem "Freedom's Plow" to compare and contrast the authors' treatment of a similar topic and theme.
Click here to launch PART TWO.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Examine text excerpts from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and evaluate several film clips based on different adaptations of Shelley's novel in this two-part interactive tutorial. By the end of this two-part series, you should be able to analyze how the films’ various adaptations of the novel changes the audience’s perception of the creature Mary Shelley originally created.
Make sure to complete both parts! Click HERE to launch Part 2.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Learn how to evaluate a speaker's point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence. In this interactive tutorial, you'll examine Abraham Lincoln's "Gettysburg Address" and evaluate the effectiveness of his words by analyzing his use of reasoning and evidence.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Practice analyzing an informational text using President Abraham Lincoln's 2nd Inaugural Address. In this interactive tutorial, you'll determine Lincoln's purpose in this historical speech. You'll also analyze how his specific word choice and use of parallel structure help support his purpose.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Learn how to use the hyphen in this interactive tutorial about sharks! You'll learn rules and strategies for the proper use of this often misunderstood punctuation mark.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Acquire new vocabulary through this interactive tutorial. You'll learn the definitions for 15 new words, as well as their parts of speech, their synonyms and antonyms, and you'll practice using them in context.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Explore word relationships by identifying and interpreting various figures of speech in context. In this interactive tutorial, you'll analyze the use of several kinds of figures of speech, including hyperbole and paradox. You'll also analyze the nuances in the meaning of words with similar definitions.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Acquire 15 new vocabulary words, identify their parts of speech, synonyms, and antonyms, and use them in context with this interactive tutorial.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Learn to identify common text structures used in nonfiction texts: problem/solution, definition/example, cause and effect, and compare and contrast. In this interactive tutorial, you'll read excerpts from Walden by Henry David Thoreau and examine how complex ideas can be expressed using various text structures.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Learn about the rhetorical techniques used by Henry David Thoreau in his influential essay "Civil Disobedience." In this interactive tutorial, you'll cover some important background information on Thoreau and this classic essay, examine his purpose for writing, and identify his use of specific rhetorical techniques, including the use of allusions, metaphors, and rhetorical questions.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Learn to identify and analyze extended metaphors using W.B. Yeats' poem, "The Stolen Child." In this interactive tutorial, we'll examine how Yeats uses figurative language to express the extended metaphor throughout this poem. We'll focus on his use of these seven types of imagery: visual, auditory, gustatory, olfactory, tactile, kinesthetic, and organic. Finally, we'll analyze how the poem's extended metaphor conveys a deeper meaning within the text.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Learn several strategies for determining the meaning of unfamiliar words as you read about the late Dian Fossey's research on mountain gorillas. This interactive tutorial will also help you identify common prefixes and how they affect the meaning of words.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Practice analyzing an author’s specific choices regarding characterization, setting, and plot structure within a text. In this interactive tutorial, we'll use excerpts from the novel Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison to analyze the how various narrative elements impact the meaning of the text.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Learn about the conventions of Modern English compared to the English of long ago. In this interactive tutorial, we'll examine some current language conventions that apply to our use of English when speaking and writing. We'll also see how our language has evolved since the days of Old English and Middle English. Finally, we'll examine some important differences between standard language and disputed (less formal) language.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Learn how the meaning and tone of a poem is shaped by the author's specific word choice. In this interactive tutorial, you'll read Sonnet 43 (“How Do I Love Thee?”) by Elizabeth Barrett Browning. You'll examine how her specific word choice affects the overall tone and meaning of the poem.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Study excerpts from a suspenseful science fiction short story in this interactive tutorial. In this tutorial, you'll study excerpts from "The Veldt" by Ray Bradbury. You'll study his use of color imagery, learn about the connotations of particular colors, and analyze the impact of color imagery on the meaning of the text.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Student Center Activity
Students can practice answering reading comprehension questions with engaging texts on the history of women's athletics. With an account, students can save their work and send it to their teacher when complete.
Type: Student Center Activity
Tutorials
This tutorial provides you with step-by-step instructions for all aspects of writing a research paper and includes a comprehensive list of links to various style guides. Quizzes are also provided for self-assessment. Simply click start at the bottom of the home page to begin the presentation. If you want to only use portions of the tutorial, use the scroll down menu from the Jump To section located at the top of each presentation slide.
Type: Tutorial
In this tutorial from ReadWriteThink.org you will learn how to create a professional resume that showcases your talents and skills. This interactive site offers both chronological (if you have lots of work experience) or functional (if you have little work experience) templates to guide you through the development of your resume and offers helpful tips at each step of the process. When you are finished, you can print, save or email your resume.
Type: Tutorial
In this vidcast from the Purdue Online Writing Lab, you will learn how to write your personal statement for your college application. Further, you will be able to write for a specific audience while adhering to particular guidelines for your format and style. Note- the vidcast may take a minute or two to load.
Type: Tutorial
This is a comprehensive guide that can help students with writing. This resource includes materials that will help students write in different formats, including personal essays, cause/effect papers, essays about literature, and research papers. There are materials that will help students with different aspects of the writing process, including how to develop an introduction or conclusion, how to write a thesis statement, and how to effectively use transitions.
Type: Tutorial
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