Welcome to English 11
This English 11 course is designed to follow the development of American literature from its early beginning to the contemporary era with attention to the evolution of “The American Dream.” Your teacher will be your guide for your journey as you read short stories, diaries, speeches, sermons, poetry, novels, and journalism. You will explore American writers within the context of biographical, historical and cultural contexts, including the performing and visual arts.
As you work your way through this chronological survey, you will explore seven different literary movements to analyze and evaluate the transformation of the American Dream. This overarching theme exemplifies the American experience, which you will evaluate through your own personal experiences. Throughout the course you will practice your persuasive writing skills by focusing on organization, literary devices, and rhetoric to achieve your writing purpose.
Additionally, you will be asked to demonstrate your understanding of literature through a variety of compositions: literary analysis, research, personal narratives, journal entries, poetry, letters, persuasion, and business correspondence. Warm-ups and content delivery activities are designed to support the application of content assignments.
Some of the activities you will encounter in this course include the following:
- Experience a variety of American literature both within its historical context and in comparison with contemporary or your own culture
- Analyze the evolution of American literature
- Compose persuasive essays
- Define, identify and analyze literary, poetic, and rhetorical devices
- Demonstrate technology proficiency
- Develop and evaluate a variety of essays in a variety of modes, including narrative, descriptive, expository and persuasive compositions
- Participate in all aspects of the writing process, including peer review, revision, and publication
- Read four major works
- Refine usage of rhetorical devices in writing
- Participate in dialogue with classmates and the teacher to respond to, analyze, and evaluate American literature
- Develop correct use of language and mechanics as well as the improvement of vocabulary skills as reinforced through writing experiences
- Develop proficiency for two Standards of Learning (SOL) Tests for English: Writing and Reading/Literature and Research