COURSE TITLE

English 100 Honors

LENGTH

Full Year

Grade 9

DEPARTMENT

English

Brian Ersalesi, Supervisor of English and Arts

SCHOOL

Rutherford High School

DATE

Primary Content - English Language Arts

Initial Approval: March 11, 2024

Embedded Content - Career Readiness, Life Literacies and Key Skills

Initial Approval: March 11, 2024

Embedded Content - Computer Science and Design Thinking

Initial Approval: March 11, 2024

English 100 Honors

I.        Introduction/Overview/Philosophy

English 100 Honors is designed for homogeneously grouped freshmen who have met the criteria established by the English Department for placement in the Honors program and potential future enrollment in the Advanced Placement program.

The purpose of the English 100 Honors course is to provide a greater challenge and more rigorous curriculum than the English 100 classes. The basic goals are the same: students learn to write, read, speak, and think critically and creatively. Students in English 100 Honors will also focus on the foundational skills for future success in the Honors and Advanced Placement programs.  Students will explore more complex issues independently and collaboratively through close observation and analysis, evidenced-based writing, higher-order questioning, and by having academic conversations.

The literature portion of the course will enhance students’ knowledge of outstanding nonfiction and fiction texts. Students will be taught to analyze, synthesize, and predict aspects of the text. To encourage critical thinking, varied tools of learning will be incorporated. The teachers of Social Studies and English will collaborate, when possible, on assessments for the concepts and themes covered.  Students will be expected to find connections between the historical and cultural aspects and the literature or non-fiction texts that are read and analyzed.  Critical thinking will be explored and encouraged. In addition, students will be enriched by the incorporation of music, art, and current events that relate to the readings.

The writing portion of the course enforces the fact that writing is a practical art that can be learned by studying and applying patterns.  Areas of focus include: voice and tone, writing in context, and word choice.  There is an additional focus on grammar and mechanics. To accomplish proficiency in grammar and mechanics, students will be given opportunities to incorporate vocabulary, study word choice, and effectively synthesize the writing process to convey their message.

Throughout the course, students will be encouraged to investigate the concepts and themes in their readings and share their learned knowledge through their writing.  Additional emphasis will be placed on appropriate speaking and listening activities as required by the New Jersey Student Learning Standards.  It is hoped that these activities will allow students to better comprehend themselves and their world.  

English 100 Honors fulfills the ninth grade requirement for English and adheres to the New Jersey Student Learning Standards for English Language Arts.

II.        Objectives

Course Outline:

• Starting the Conversation

• Thinking about Voice
• Active Listening
• Academic Conversations
• Public Speaking

• Writing

• Voice and Tone
• Writing in Context
• Word Choice
• Sentences
• Punctuation
• Paragraphs

• Reading

• Active Reading
• Reading for Understanding: What is This Text Saying?
• Reading for Interpretation: What Ideas Give This Text Significance?
• Reading for Style: Why Was This Text Created in the Way It Was?
• Reading Visual Texts

• Using Sources

• Sources as Conversation
• Types of Sources
• Evaluating Sources
• Analyzing Sources
• Using Sources in Your Own Writing
• Avoiding Plagiarism

• Fiction

• Essential Elements of Fiction

• Characters
• Conflict and Plot
• Point of View
• Seting
• Theme
• Literary Elements and Theme

• Writing Fiction
• Writing an Analysis of Fiction

• Argument

• Essential Elements of Argument

• Rhetorical Situation
• Claim and Conterargument
• Evidence
• Rhetorical Appeals
• Style
• Visual Arguments

• Writing an Argument
• Writing an Analysis of Argument

• Poetry

• Essential Elements of Poetry

• Speaker
• Style
• Rheme
• Shifts
• Sound
• Form
• Literary elements and Theme

• Writing Poetry
• Writing an Analysis of Poetry

• Exposition

• Essential Elements of Exposition

• Main Idea
• Audience and Purpose
• Language and Style
• Expository Strategies
• Additional Elements of Exposition

• Writing an Exposition
• Writing an Analysis of Exposition

• Narrative

• Essential Elements of Narrative

• First Person Point of View
• Characterization
• Conflicts
• Setting
• Reflection and Theme
• “Truth” and Artistic License

• Writing a Narrative
• Writing an Analysis of a Narrative

• Drama

• Essential Elements of Drama

• Characters
• Plot and Structure
• Setting
• Theme
• Tragedy and Comedy

• Writing Drama
• Writing an Analysis of Drama

• Language and Mechanics

• Grammatical Sentences
• Effective Sentences
• Word Choice and Vocabulary
• Punctuation
• Mechanics

• Speaking and Listening

• Presentation Aids
• Listening Effectively
• Effective Group Communication

Student Outcomes:

After successfully completing this course, the student will be able to:

• Analyze and interpret samples of good writing, identifying and explaining an author’s use of rhetorical strategies and techniques
• Apply effective strategies and techniques in their own writing
• Create and sustain arguments based on readings, research and/or personal experience
• Write for a variety of purposes
• Produce expository, analytical and argumentative compositions that introduce a complex central idea and develop it with appropriate evidence drawn from primary and/or secondary sources, cogent explanations and clear transitions
• Demonstrate understanding and mastery of standard written English as well as stylistic maturity in their own writings
• Demonstrate understanding of the conventions of citing primary and secondary sources
• Move effectively through the stages of the writing process, with careful attention to inquiry and research, drafting, revising, editing and review
• Write thoughtfully about their own process of composition
• Revise a work to make it suitable for a different audience
• Analyze image as text
• Evaluate and incorporate reference documents into researched papers
• Apply speaking and listening skills and standards appropriately

Vision for English Language Arts Education in New Jersey

A New Jersey education in English Language Arts builds readers, writers, and communicators prepared to meet the demands of college and career and to engage as productive American citizens with global responsibilities. Throughout their kindergarten through grade 12 experience, students will:

• Develop the necessary skills in reading, writing, speaking, and listening that are the foundations for creative and purposeful expression in language.
• Read rich, challenging texts that build their knowledge of the world, grow their confidence and identities as readers, and develop critical thinking skills and vocabulary necessary for long-term success.
• Engage in regular, meaningful, writing authentic tasks, exploring valued topics, writing for impact and expression, and sharing their work with others (including authentic audiences).
• Leverage complex texts and digital media to develop comprehension, active listening, and discussion skills.
• Ground daily writing and discussion in evidence, fostering an ability to read critically, build arguments, cite evidence, and communicate ideas to contribute meaningfully as productive citizens.
• Evaluate the reliability, credibility, and perspective of authors and speakers across all forms of media.
• Express ideas and knowledge through a variety of modalities and media, and serve as effective communicators who purposefully read, write, and speak across multiple disciplines.
• Learn to persist in reading complex texts, establishing lifelong habits to read voluntarily for pleasure, for further education, for information on public policy, and for advancement in the workplace.

Practices of English Language Arts

The English Language Arts Practices offer the capacities held by students who have progressed through a kindergarten through grade 12 English Language Arts program in New Jersey. These practices describe students who are proficient in literacy, possessing the abilities to read deeply, create their own works, and listen and speak to a broad range of ideas. As New Jersey students advance through the grades and demonstrate proficiency in the standards in reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language, they are able to exhibit with increasing fullness and regularity the following capacities of the literate individual.

Student capacities include:

• Developing Responsibility for Learning: Cultivating independence, self-reflection, and responsibility for one’s own learning.
• Adapting Communication: Adapting communication in response to the varying demands of audience, task, purpose, and discipline.
• Valuing Evidence in Argumentation: Constructing viable claims and evaluating, defending, challenging, and qualifying the arguments of others.
• Building Knowledge: Building strong content knowledge and connecting ideas across disciplines using a variety of text resources and media.
• Leveraging Technology: Employing technology and digital media thoughtfully, strategically and capably to enhance reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language use.
• Understanding Self and Others: Using literacy as a vehicle to affirm all the aspects of one’s own identity, as well as understand, connect to and respect other perspectives and cultures.

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Language Domain Anchor Statements

Language: System and structure, effective use, and vocabulary

The Language anchor statements include the system and structure of English, but they also approach language as a matter of craft and informed choice among alternatives. The vocabulary standards focus on understanding words and phrases, their relationships, and their nuances and on acquiring new vocabulary, particularly general academic and domain-specific words and phrases.

(RF) Foundational Skills: Reading Language: By the end of grade 5, develop understanding and conceptual knowledge of, phonics, syllabication patterns, letter-sound correspondences, word analysis, morphology, and other basic conventions of written English.

(WF) Foundational Skills: Writing Language: By the end of grade 5, develop understanding and conceptual knowledge of print, phonological processing, letter formation and handwriting, and other basic conventions of the English writing system.

(SS) System and Structure of Language: By the end of grade 12, demonstrate command of grammar and usage, capitalization, punctuation, and spelling.

(KL) Knowledge of Language: By the end of grade 12, apply knowledge of language and command of vocabulary to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening.

(VL) Vocabulary Acquisition, Use and Literal Meaning: By the end of grade 12, determine the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words using analysis of word parts (morphemes), word solving strategies, and consulting general and specialized reference materials, as appropriate.

(VI) Vocabulary Acquisition, Use and Interpretative Meaning: By the end of grade 12, interpret figurative and connotative word meanings, including shades of meaning based on word relationships and context.

Reading Domain Anchor Statements

Reading: Text complexity and the growth of comprehension

The Reading anchor statements place equal emphasis on the sophistication of what students read and the skill with which they read. They define a grade-by-grade “staircase” of increasing text complexity that rises from beginning reading to the college and career readiness level. Whatever they are reading, students must also show a steadily growing ability to discern more from and make fuller use of text, including making an increasing number of connections among ideas and between texts, considering a wider range of textual evidence, and becoming more sensitive to inconsistencies, ambiguities, and poor reasoning in texts.

(CR) Close Reading of Text: By the end of grade 12, read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences and relevant connections from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.

(CI) Central Ideas and Themes of Texts: By the end of grade 12, determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas.

(IT) Interactions Among Text Elements: By the end of grade 12, analyze how and why individuals, events, and ideas develop and interact over the course of a text.

(TS) Text Structure: By the end of grade 12, analyze the structure of texts, including how specific sentences, paragraphs, and larger portions of the text (e.g., a section, chapter, scene, or stanza) relate to each other and the whole.

(PP) Perspective and Purpose in Texts: By the end of grade 12, assess how perspective or purpose shapes the content and style of a text.

(MF) Diverse Media and Formats: By the end of grade 12, synthesize content presented in diverse media and formats, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words.

(AA) Analysis of an Argument: By the end of grade 12, evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, including the validity of the reasoning, the credibility and accuracy of each source as well as the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence.

(CT) Comparison of Texts: By the end of grade 12, analyze and reflect on how two or more texts address similar themes or topics in order to build knowledge or to compare the approaches the authors take.

Writing Domain Anchor Statements

Writing: Text types, responding to reading, and research

The Writing anchor statements acknowledge the fact that whereas some writing skills, such as the ability to plan, revise, edit, and publish, are applicable to many types of writing, other skills are more properly defined in terms of specific writing types: arguments, informative/explanatory texts, and narratives. They stress the importance of the writing-reading connection by requiring students to draw upon and write about evidence from literary and informational texts. Because of the centrality of writing to most forms of inquiry, research standards are prominently included in this strand, though skills important to research are infused throughout the document.

(AW) Argumentative Writing: By the end of grade 12, write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.

(IW) Informative and Explanatory Writing: By the end of grade 12, write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.

(NW) Narrative Writing: By the end of grade 12, write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.

(WP) Writing Process: By the end of grade 12, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, and publishing.

(WR) Writing Research: By the end of grade 12, conduct short as well as more sustained research projects, utilizing an inquiry-based research process, based on focused questions, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.

(SE) Sources of Evidence: By the end of grade 12, gather relevant information and evidence from multiple sources to support analysis, reflection, and research, while assessing the credibility and accuracy of each source, and integrating the information while avoiding plagiarism.

(RW) Range of Writing: By the end of grade 12, write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.

Speaking and Listening Anchor Statements

Speaking and Listening: Flexible communication and collaboration

Including but not limited to skills necessary for formal presentations, the Speaking and Listening anchor statements require students to develop a range of broadly useful oral communication and interpersonal skills. Students must learn to work together, express and listen carefully to ideas, integrate information from oral, visual, quantitative, and media sources, evaluate what they hear, use media and visual displays strategically to help achieve communicative purposes, and adapt speech to context and task.

(PE) Participate Effectively: By the end of grade 12, prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

(II) Integrate Information: By the end of grade 12, integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.

(ES) Evaluate Speakers: By the end of grade 12, evaluate a speaker’s point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric.

(PI) Present Information: By the end of grade 12, present information, findings, and supporting evidence such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

(UM) Use Media: By the end of grade 12, make strategic use of digital media and visual displays of data to express information and enhance understanding of presentations.

(AS) Adapt Speech: By the end of grade 12, adapt speech to a variety of contexts and communicative tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate.

Grades 9–10

Language Domain

L.SS.9–10.1. Demonstrate command of the system and structure of the English language when writing or speaking.

1. Use parallel structure.
2. Use various types of phrases (noun, verb, adjectival, adverbial, participial, prepositional, absolute) and clauses (independent, dependent; noun, relative, adverbial) to convey specific meanings and add variety and interest to writing or presentations.

C. Use a semicolon (and perhaps a conjunctive adverb) to link two or more closely related independent clauses.

D. Use a colon to introduce a list or quotation.

E. Recognize spelling conventions.

L.KL.9–10.2. Apply knowledge of language to make effective choices for meaning, or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading, writing, speaking or listening.

1. Acquire and use accurately general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college and career readiness level.
2. Vary word choice and sentence structure to demonstrate an understanding of the influence of language.
3. Demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.

L.VL.9–10.3. Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grades 9–10 reading and content, including technical meanings, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.

1. Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence, paragraph, or text; a word’s position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
2. Identify and correctly use patterns of word changes that indicate different meanings or parts of speech (e.g., analyze, analysis, analytical; advocate, advocacy).
3.  Analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language of a court opinion differs from that of a newspaper).
4. Consult general and specialized reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation of a word or determine or clarify its precise meaning, its part of speech, or its etymology.
5. Verify the preliminary determination of the meaning of a word or phrase (e.g., by checking the inferred meaning in context or in a dictionary).

L.VI.9–10.4. Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings, including connotative meanings. 

1. Interpret figures of speech (e.g., euphemism, oxymoron) in context and analyze their role in the text.
2. Analyze nuances in the meaning of words with similar denotations.
3. Analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time and place; how it sets a formal or informal tone; how the language of a court opinion differs from that of a newspaper).

Reading Domain

RL.CR.9–10.1. Cite a range of thorough textual evidence and make relevant connections to strongly support analysis of multiple aspects of what a literary text says explicitly and inferentially, as well as including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain.

RI.CR.9–10.1. cite a range and thorough textual evidence and make clear and relevant connections, to strongly support an analysis of multiple aspects of what an informational text says explicitly and inferentially, as well as interpretations of the text.

RL.CI.9–10.2. Determine one or more themes of a literary text and analyze how it is developed and refined over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.

RI.CI.9–10.2. Determine one or more central ideas of an informational text and analyze how it is developed and refined over the course of a text, including how it emerges and is shaped by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.

RL.IT.9–10.3. Analyze how an author unfolds and develops ideas throughout a text, including how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.

RI.IT.9–10.3. Analyze how an author unfolds ideas throughout the text, including the order in which the points are made, how they are introduced and developed, and the connections that are drawn between them.

RL.TS.9–10.4. Analyze how an author’s choices concerning the structure of a text, order of the events within it (e.g., parallel plots), and manipulation of time (e.g., pacing, flashbacks) create specific effects (e.g., mystery, tension, or surprise).

RI.TS.9–10.4. Analyze in detail the author’s choices concerning the structure of ideas or claims of a text, and how they are developed and refined by particular sentences, paragraphs, or larger portions of a text (e.g., a section or chapter).

RL.PP. 9–10.5. Determine an author’s lens in a text (including cultural experience reflected in a work of literature from outside the United States, drawing on a wide reading of world literature) and analyze how an author uses rhetorical devices to advance a point of view.

RI.PP.9–10.5. Determine an author’s purpose in a text (including cultural experience and knowledge reflected in text originating outside the United States) and analyze how an author uses rhetorical devices to advance that purpose.

RL.MF.9–10.6. Analyze integrate, and evaluate multiple interpretations (e.g., recorded or live production of a play or recorded novel or poetry) of a single text or text/s presented in different formats (visually, quantitatively).

RI.MF.9–10.6. Analyze, integrate, and evaluate multiple interpretations (e.g., charts, graphs, diagrams, videos) of a single text or text/s presented in different formats (visually, quantitatively) as well as in words in order to address a question or solve a problem.

RI.AA.9–10.7. Describe and evaluate the argument and specific claims in an informational text, assessing whether the reasoning is valid and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; identify false statements and reasoning.

RL.CT.9–10.8. Analyze and reflect on (e.g., practical knowledge, historical/cultural context, and background knowledge) how an author draws on, develops, or transforms source material historical and literary significance (e.g., how a modern author treats a theme or topic from mythology or a religious text) and how they relate in terms of themes and significant concepts.

RI.CT.9–10.8. Analyze and reflect on (e.g., practical knowledge, historical/cultural context, and background knowledge) seminal and informational text of historical and scientific significance, including how they relate in terms of themes and significant concepts.

Writing Domain

W.AW.9–10.1. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient textual and non-textual evidence.

1. Introduce precise claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization that establishes clear relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.
2. Develop claim(s) and counterclaims using sound reasoning, supplying data and evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both claim(s) and counterclaims in a discipline-appropriate manner that anticipates the audience’s knowledge level and concerns.
3. Use transitions (e.g., words, phrases, clauses) to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims.
4. Establish and maintain a style and tone appropriate to the audience and purpose (e.g., formal and objective for academic writing) while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.
5. Provide a concluding paragraph or section that supports the argument presented.

W.IW.9–10.2. Write informative/explanatory texts (including the narration of historical events, scientific procedures/ experiments, or technical processes) to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.

1. Introduce a topic; organize complex ideas, concepts, and information to make important connections and distinctions; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., figures, tables), and multimedia when useful to aid in comprehension.
2. Develop the topic with well-chosen, relevant, and sufficient facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples appropriate to the audience’s knowledge of the topic.
3. Use appropriate and varied transitions to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships among complex ideas and concepts.
4. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to manage the complexity of the topic.
5. Establish and maintain a style and tone appropriate to the audience and purpose (e.g., formal and objective for academic writing) while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.
6. Provide a concluding paragraph or section that supports the information or explanation presented (e.g., articulating implications or the significance of the topic).

W.NW.9–10.3. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.

1. Engage and orient the reader by setting out a problem, situation, or observation, establishing one or multiple point(s) of view, and introducing a narrator and/or characters; create a smooth progression of experiences or events.
2. Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description, reflection, and multiple plot lines, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters.
3. Use a variety of techniques to sequence events so that they build on one another to create a coherent whole.
4. Use precise words and phrases, telling details, and sensory language to convey a vivid picture of the experiences, events, setting, and/or characters.
5. Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on what is experienced, observed, or resolved over the course of the narrative.

W.WP.9–10.4. Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, trying a new approach; sustaining effort to complete complex writing tasks; seeking out feedback and reflecting on personal writing progress; consulting a style manual (such as MLA or APA Style), focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience.

W.WR.9–10.5. Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.

W.SE.9–10.6. Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the usefulness of each source in answering the research question; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation (MLA or APA Style Manuals).

W.RW.9–10.7. Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.

Speaking and Listening Domain

SL.PE.9–10.1. Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with peers on grades 9–10 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

1. Come to discussions prepared, having read and researched material under study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence from texts and other research on the topic or issue to stimulate a thoughtful, well-reasoned exchange of ideas.
2. Collaborate with peers to set rules for discussions (e.g., informal consensus, taking votes on key issues, presentation of alternate views); develop clear goals and assessment criteria (e.g., student developed rubric) and assign individual roles as needed.
3. Propel conversations by posing and responding to questions that relate the current discussion to broader themes or larger ideas; actively incorporate others into the discussion; and clarify, verify, or challenge ideas and conclusions.
4. Respond thoughtfully to various perspectives, summarize points of agreement and disagreement, and justify own views. Make new connections in light of the evidence and reasoning presented.

SL.II.9–10.2. Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, qualitatively, orally) evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source.

SL.ES.9–10.3. Evaluate a speaker’s point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric, identifying any false reasoning or distorted evidence.

SL.PI.9–10.4. Present information, findings, and supporting evidence clearly, concisely, and logically. The content, organization, development, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

SL.UM.9–10.5. Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements) in presentations to enhance findings, reasoning, and evidence and to add interest.

SL.AS.9–10.6. Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal English.

Career Readiness, Life Literacies, and Key Skills Practices

CRLLKSP 1                Act as a responsible and contributing community member and employee.

Students understand the obligations and responsibilities of being a member of a community, and they demonstrate this understanding every day through their interactions with others. They are conscientious of the impacts of their decisions on others and the environment around them. They think about the near-term and long-term consequences of their actions and seek to act in ways that contribute to the betterment of their teams, families, community and workplace. They are reliable and consistent in going beyond the minimum expectation and in participating in activities that serve the greater good.

CRLLKSP 2                Attend to financial well-being.

Students take regular action to contribute to their personal financial well-being, understanding that personal financial security provides the peace of mind required to contribute more fully to their own career success.

CRLLKSP 3                Consider the environmental, social and economic impacts of decisions.

Students understand the interrelated nature of their actions and regularly make decisions that positively impact and/or mitigate negative impact on other people, organization, and the environment. They are aware of and utilize new technologies, understandings, procedures, materials, and regulations affecting the nature of their work as it relates to the impact on the social condition, the environment and the profitability of the organization.

CRLLKSP 4                Demonstrate creativity and innovation.

Students regularly think of ideas that solve problems in new and different ways, and they contribute those ideas in a useful and productive manner to improve their organization. They can consider unconventional ideas and suggestions as solutions to issues, tasks or problems, and they discern which ideas and suggestions will add greatest value. They seek new methods, practices, and ideas from a variety of sources and seek to apply those ideas to their own workplace. They take action on their ideas and understand how to bring innovation to an organization.

CRLLKSP 5                Utilize critical thinking to make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.

Students readily recognize problems in the workplace, understand the nature of the problem, and devise effective plans to solve the problem. They are aware of problems when they occur and take action quickly to address the problem; they thoughtfully investigate the root cause of the problem prior to introducing solutions. They carefully consider the options to solve the problem. Once a solution is agreed upon, they follow through to ensure the problem is solved, whether through their own actions or the actions of others.

CRLLKSP 6                Model integrity, ethical leadership and effective management.

Students consistently act in ways that align personal and community-held ideals and principles while employing strategies to positively influence others in the workplace. They have a clear understanding of integrity and act on this understanding in every decision. They use a variety of means to positively impact the directions and actions of a team or organization, and they apply insights into human behavior to change others’ action, attitudes and/or beliefs. They recognize the near-term and long-term effects that management’s actions and attitudes can have on productivity, morals and organizational culture.

 CRLLKSP 7                Plan education and career paths aligned to personal goals.

Students take personal ownership of their own education and career goals, and they regularly act on a plan to attain these goals. They understand their own career interests, preferences, goals, and requirements. They have perspective regarding the pathways available to them and the time, effort, experience and other requirements to pursue each, including a path of entrepreneurship. They recognize the value of each step in the education and experiential process, and they recognize that nearly all career paths require ongoing education and experience. They seek counselors, mentors, and other experts to assist in the planning and execution of career and personal goals.

CRLLKSP 8                Use technology to enhance productivity, increase collaboration and communicate effectively.

Students find and maximize the productive value of existing and new technology to accomplish workplace tasks and solve workplace problems. They are flexible and adaptive in acquiring new technology. They are proficient with ubiquitous technology applications. They understand the inherent risks-personal and organizational-of technology applications, and they take actions to prevent or mitigate these risks.

CRLLKSP 9                Work productively in teams while using cultural/global competence.

Students positively contribute to every team, whether formal or informal. They apply an awareness of cultural difference to avoid barriers to productive and positive interaction. They find ways to increase the engagement and contribution of all team members. They plan and facilitate effective team meetings.

III.         Proficiency Levels

English 100 Honors is designed for 9th graders who have met the criteria established by the English department for admission into the Honors and/or Advanced Placement program. A student must meet the required score on the Honors Matrix established by the English department for admission.  English 100 Honors fulfills the 9th grade requirement for English.

IV.        Methods of Assessment

Student Assessment

• A variety of assessments will be utilized including, but not limited to, the following:

• Tests
• Quizzes
• Homework
• Classwork
• Class Participation
• Writing Assignments
• Oral Presentations
• Socratic Seminars
• Individual Projects, Presentations and Reports
• Group Projects, Presentations and Reports
• Journals
• Sample/Practice Standardized Tests
• Technology-based assessments (ex. IXL, Common Lit)
• Cumulative Midterm and/or Final Exams

Curriculum/Teacher Assessment

The teacher will provide the English department supervisor with suggestions for changes on an ongoing basis.

V.        Grouping

English 100 Honors is designed for homogeneously grouped 9th grade students who have met the criteria established by the English department for admission into the Honors and/or Advanced Placement program.

VI.        Articulation/Scope & Sequence/Time Frame

English 100 Honors is a full-year course.  For a breakdown of unit activities and scope and sequence, see the Curriculum Map below.

VII.        Resources

Texts/Supplemental Reading/References

• References

• Teachers may contact the English department office, the school library, and local libraries for additional resources. Nearby colleges and other organizations may also be excellent resources.

• Technology

• Students are expected to use appropriate and relevant technology on a regular basis. Students are also encouraged to make full use of technological resources for research projects, research papers, and to supplement the literature and texts read in class.
• Use of technology will conform to the New Jersey Student Learning Standards.
• Use of technology will conform to the Rutherford Public Schools Acceptable Use Policy with regards to technology and the Internet.
• Approved technological resources include:

• IXL
• CommonLit
• Newsela
• Databases curated by the Rutherford High School Media Center
• Additional resources may be used with teacher discretion and/or supervisor approval.

• Supplies/Materials

• Students must have abundant access to print media, electronic media and the Internet.  Videos on various aspects of the curriculum are to be used with teacher discretion and/or supervisor approval.
• Students must have access to their school-issued Chromebook.

• Textbook(s)

• Foundations of Language & Literature For Honors and Pre-AP English Courses. BFW, 2018.

• Workbook(s)

• Vocabulary Workshop, Sadlier, 2023.

• English 100 Honors Anchor Texts:

• Animal Farm
• Romeo and Juliet 
• A Tale of Two Cities
• The Diary of Ma Yan
• Lord of the Flies

• Supplemental Readings/Materials

• Supplemental readings and/or materials must be relevant and appropriate and related to the course content.  Any supplemental readings/materials will be used with teacher discretion and/or supervisor/administrator approval.
• Advanced Language & Literature For Honors and Pre-AP English Courses. BFW, 2016.
• AP preparatory materials
• Teacher selected (with supervisor’s approval) novels, short stories and poems
• Teacher-selected (with supervisor’s approval) nonfiction companion pieces to literature.
• Teacher-selected (with supervisor’s approval) media (film, television, documentary, streaming, etc…)

VIII.        Suggested Activities

• Discuss literacy communities and recognize different types of literacies
• Consider context in literature and informational texts
• Think abstractly
• Identify and analyze theme
• Identify arguable claims
• Independently discover and evaluate sources
• Understand the difference between claims and evidence
• Identify and shift rhetorical context
• Analyze and use appeals
• Detect bias and logical fallacies
• Analyze and interpret samples of good writing, identifying and explaining an author’s use of rhetorical strategies and techniques
• Apply effective strategies and techniques in writing
• Create and sustain arguments based on readings, research and/or personal experience
• Write for a variety of purposes
• Produce expository, analytical and argumentative compositions that introduce a complex central idea and develop it with appropriate evidence drawn from primary and/or secondary sources, cogent explanations and clear transitions
• Demonstrate understanding and mastery of standard written English as well as stylistic maturity in writing
• Demonstrate understanding of the conventions of citing primary and secondary sources
• Move effectively through the stages of the writing process, with careful attention to inquiry and research, drafting, revising, editing and review
• Write thoughtfully about their own process of composition
• Revise a work to make it suitable for a different audience
• Analyze image as text
• Evaluate and incorporate reference documents into researched papers
• Adhere to speaking and listening skills and standards appropriately
• Participate appropriately in socratic seminars
• Complete practice standardized tests as appropriate

IX.        Methodologies

Career Readiness, Life Literacies, and Key Skills Mission:  Career readiness, life literacies, and key skills education provides students with the necessary skills to make informed career and financial decisions, engage as responsible community members in a digital society, and successfully meet challenges and opportunities in an interconnected global economy.

Vision: An education in career readiness, life literacies and key skills fosters a population that:

• Continually self-reflects and seeks to improve the essential life and career practices that lead to success
• Uses effective communication and collaboration skills and resources to interact with a global society
• Possesses financial literacy and responsibility at home and in the broader community
• Plans, executes, and alters career goals in response to changing societal and economic conditions
• Seeks to attain skill and content mastery to achieve success in a chosen career path

Career Readiness, Life Literacies, and Key Skills are intended to:

• Promote the development of curricula and learning experiences that reflect the vision and mission of Career Readiness, Life Literacies, and Key Skills
• Foster greater coherence and appropriate progressions across grade bands
• Establish meaning connections among the major areas of study
• Prioritize the important ideas and core processes that are central and have lasting value beyond the classroom
• Reflect the habits of mind central to Career Readiness, Life Literacies, and Key skills that lead to post-secondary success

A wide variety of methodologies in this course will be used.  The following are suggestions, not limitations, as to how the program may be implemented and facilitated while paying special attention to the skills.  Codes refer to the 2020 New Jersey Student Learning Standards – Career Readiness, Life Literacies, and Key Skills.

• Cooperative learning groups CRLLKSP1, CRLLKSP4, CRLLKSP5, CRLLKSP6, CRLLKSP8, CRLLKSP9
• Differentiated instruction methods CRLLKSP2, CRLLKSP6, CRLLKSP8
• Workshop approach CRLLKSP1, CRLLKSP4, CRLLKSP5, CRLLKSP6, CRLLKSP8, CRLLKSP9
• Individual assignments CRLLKSP2, CRLLKSP4
• Whole class instruction CRLLKSP2, CRLLKSP4
• Small group instruction CRLLKSP1, CRLLKSP4, CRLLKSP5, CRLLKSP6, CRLLKSP8, CRLLKSP9
• Technology-aided instruction CRLLKSP2, CRLLKSP4, CRLLKSP8
• Peer-to-peer instruction CRLLKSP1, CRLLKSP4, CRLLKSP9

X.        Interdisciplinary Connections

Interdisciplinary curriculum coordination will occur with other departments as possible and applicable.

The nature of an English course demands varied text types and genres.  Throughout the year, students will use resources from the NJSLS in additional areas while in their English class(es).  Where applicable they are embedded into the curriculum and unit maps below.

• Visual and Performing Arts
• Career Readiness, Life Literacies and Key Skills
• Computer Science and Design Thinking
• Mathematics
• Science
• Social Studies

The following interdisciplinary connections are mandated by the New Jersey Department of Education.

Classroom instruction and activities will include, where appropriate, activities on climate change. The New Jersey Student Learning Standards (NJSLS) are designed to prepare students to understand how and why climate change happens, the impact it has on our local and global communities and to act in informed and sustainable ways. Where possible, activities are infused to foster an interdisciplinary approach to climate change education that is evidence-based, action-oriented and inclusive.

Classroom instruction and activities will include, where appropriate, activities on Asian American and Pacific Islander Education. As per, P.L.2021, c.416, the instruction will include inclusive materials that portray the cultural diversity of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

Classroom instruction and activities will include, where appropriate, curricula on diversity and inclusion. As per 18A:35-4.36a (2021), the instruction shall:

• apply to grades Kindergarten through 12
• highlight and promote diversity
• examine the impact that unconscious bias and economic disparities have
• encourage safe, welcoming, and inclusive environments for all students

The following websites may also be used to infuse activities into diversity and inclusion into lessons. They are current as of the publication/approval of this document.

Diversity and Inclusion

• https://newsela.com/
• https://www.learningforjustice.org/
• https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plans/teaching-content/multiculturalism-and-diversity/
• https://diversebooks.org
• https://newsela.com/
• https://www.glsen.org/educator-resources
• https://youth.gov/youth-topics/lgbtq-youth/school-experiences
• https://learninglab.si.edu/collections/lgbt-rights-and-history/5BHAnX8dNsdAEfGU 

Individuals with with Disabilities

• https://newsela.com/
• https://www.disabilitymuseum.org/dhm/index.html
• https://americanhistory.si.edu/disabilityrights/welcome.html
• https://getintoit.specialolympics.org/educators/

The Bergen County Curriculum Consortium has curated resources designed to work in tandem with existing curricula. These tools highlight the contributions of diverse groups and align to New Jersey Student Learning Standards. This resource was approved by the Rutherford Board of Education on August 23, 2021.

• https://sites.google.com/wwrsd.org/njsa1835-435to436/k-12-curriculum-toolkits 

Additionally, middle school and high school instruction and activities will include, where appropriate, curricula on the history of disabled and LGBT persons.  As per 18A:35-4.35 (2021), the instruction shall include instruction on the political, economic, and social contributions of persons with disabilities and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people, in an appropriate place in the curriculum of middle school and high school students as part of the district’s implementation of the New Jersey Student Learning Standards.

This will apply where applicable to literary selections and informational texts in this curriculum document as referenced in the pacing guides below.

XI.         Differentiating Instruction for Students with Special Needs: Students with Disabilities, Students at Risk, Students with 504 Plans, English Language Learners, and Gifted & Talented Students

Differentiating instruction is a flexible process that includes the planning and design of instruction, how that instruction is delivered, and how student progress is measured. Teachers recognize that students can learn in multiple ways as they celebrate students’ prior knowledge. By providing appropriately challenging learning, teachers can maximize success for all students.

Differentiating in this course includes but is not limited to:

Differentiation for Support (ELL, Special Education, Students at Risk and Students with 504 Plans)

• Peer mentoring on problems
• Differentiated teacher feedback on assignments
• Modeling out problems on whiteboard
• Visual aids as we project problems on whiteboard
• Study guides
• Tiered assignments
• Scaffolding of materials and assignments
• Re-teaching and review
• Guided note taking
• Exemplars of varied performance levels
• Multi-media approach to accommodating various learning styles
• Use of visual and multi-sensory formats
• Use of assisted technology
• Use of prompts
• Modification of content and student products
• Testing accommodations
• Authentic assessments
• Pre-teaching of vocabulary and concepts
• Visual learning, including graphic organizers
• Use of cognates to increase comprehension
• Teacher modeling
• Pairing students with beginning English language skills with students who have more advanced English language skills
• Scaffolding

• word walls
• sentence frames
• think-pair-share
• cooperative learning groups
• teacher think-alouds

Differentiation for Enrichment

• Supplemental reading material for independent study
• Flexible grouping
• Tiered assignments
• Topic selection by interest
• Enhanced expectations for independent study
• Elevated questioning techniques using Webb's Depth of Knowledge matrix
• Adjusting the pace of lessons
• Curriculum compacting
• Inquiry-based instruction
• Independent study
• Higher-order thinking skills
• Interest-based content
• Student-driven discussions and activities
• Socratic seminars
• Real world problems and scenarios

XII.        Professional Development

The teacher will continue to improve expertise through participation in a variety of professional development opportunities. Professional development activities that count toward the yearly 20-hour requirement must be pre-approved or scheduled by school administration.

XIII.        Curriculum Map/Pacing Guide

Rutherford Public Schools

English 100 Honors Curriculum Map and Pacing Guide

Unit 1: Starting the Conversation

Anchor Text: Foundations of Language and Literature

Rationale

The unit will focus on building the skills that students need to engage in effective conversations, which means listening actively, asking follow up questions, and developing effective speaking skills. As students begin to learn these skills, they will build a classroom community where everyone can share ideas, disagree without conflict, draw conclusions, and build consensus.

Grade level:  9                                                                                                Timeframe: 2 Weeks

Essential Questions

• What makes a good listener?
• What makes an effective communicator?

Instructional Plan

Standards

Standards (Taught and Assessed)

NJSLS-ELA 9-10

L.SS.9-10.1

L.KL.9-10.2

L.VL.9-10.3

L.VI.9-10.4

SL.PE.9-10.1

SL.II.9-10.2

SL.ES.9-10.3

SL.PI.9-10.4

SL.UM-9-10.5

SL.AS.9-10.6

Differentiating Instruction for Students with Disabilities, Students at Risk, Students with 504 Plans, English Language Learners and Gifted & Talented Students

Interdisciplinary Connections Mandated by the NJDOE

Rutherford Public Schools

English 100 Honors Curriculum Map and Pacing Guide

Unit 2: Writing

Anchor Text: Foundations of Language and Literature

Rationale

Writing is how we share knowledge, communicate ideas, set down history, and express emotions.  This unit will give students the power to find their voice, express their thoughts and make themselves heard to the world.  We all have many voices, and this unit will give students the opportunity to find theirs and develop new ones.

Grade level:  9                                                                                                Timeframe: 2 Weeks

Essential Questions

• What is a writing voice?
• What makes a good writer?

Instructional Plan

Standards

Standards (Taught and Assessed)

NJSLS-ELA 9-10

L.SS.9-10.1

L.KL.9-10.2

L.VL.9-10.3

L.VI.9-10.4

RL.CR.9-10.1

RI.CR.9-10.1

RL.CI.9-10.2

RI.CI.9-10.2

RL.IT.9-10.3

RI.IT.9-10.3

RL.TS.9-10.4

RI.TS.9-10.4

RL.PP.9-10.5

RI.PP.9-10.5

RL.MF.9-10.6

RI.MF.9-10.6

RI.AA.9-10.7

RL.CT.9-10.8

RI.CT.9-10.8

W.AW.9-10.1

W.IW.9-10.2

W.NW.9-10-3

W.WP.9-10.4

W.WR.9-10.5

W.SE.9-10.6

W.RW.9-10.7

Differentiating Instruction for Students with Disabilities, Students at Risk, Students with 504 Plans, English Language Learners and Gifted & Talented Students

Rutherford Public Schools

English 100 Honors Curriculum Map and Pacing Guide

Unit 3: Reading

Anchor Text: Foundations of Language and Literature

Rationale

The unit focuses on making students more aware of the reading processes they use and give them an opportunity to practice with techniques designed to help them feel confident when tackling any text. The act of reading is the extraordinarily complex process of looking at symbols, recognizing them as patterns seen before, and making sense of them.  It’s called decoding.  As people age, they learn to decode in more complex ways.  

Grade level:  9                                                                                                Timeframe: 2 Weeks

Essential Questions

• What makes a good reader?
• Why are annotations important?
• What is decoding and why is it important?

Instructional Plan

Standards

Standards (Taught and Assessed)

NJSLS-ELA 9-10

L.SS.9-10.1

L.KL.9-10.2

L.VL.9-10.3

L.VI.9-10.4

RL.CR.9-10.1

RI.CR.9-10.1

RL.CI.9-10.2

RI.CI.9-10.2

RL.IT.9-10.3

RI.IT.9-10.3

RL.TS.9-10.4

RI.TS.9-10.4

RL.PP.9-10.5

RI.PP.9-10.5

RL.MF.9-10.6

RI.MF.9-10.6

RI.AA.9-10.7

RL.CT.9-10.8

RI.CT.9-10.8

Differentiating Instruction for Students with Disabilities, Students at Risk, Students with 504 Plans, English Language Learners and Gifted & Talented Students

Interdisciplinary Connections Mandated by the NJDOE

Interdisciplinary Connections

Rutherford Public Schools

English 100 Honors Curriculum Map and Pacing Guide

Unit 4: Using Sources

Anchor Text: Foundations of Language and Literature

Rationale

In school and in daily life, students are often asked to give opinions on a topic: which candidate to support in an election, the risks and benefits of drinking coffee, the effects of making college tuition free, or the habits of good students.  This unit will focus on examining not only a personal opinion, but what others have said about the topic.  The purpose of turning to sources - the viewpoints of others, whether written, spoken, or presented visually - is to get more information on the issue, to move beyond our own knowledge.  This unit will examine how and where to find sources, what makes them good sources, and how to use them responsibly in writing.

Grade level:  9                                                                                                Timeframe: 2 Weeks

Essential Questions

• What makes a source reliable?
• How do you successfully incorporate sources into your writing?
• To what extent do other people’s perspectives influence your thinking?

Instructional Plan

Standards

Standards (Taught and Assessed)

NJSLS-ELA 9-10

L.SS.9-10.1

L.KL.9-10.2

L.VL.9-10.3

L.VI.9-10.4

RI.CR.9-10.1

RI.CI.9-10.2

RI.IT.9-10.3

RI.TS.9-10.4

RI.PP.9-10.5

RI.MF.9-10.6

RI.AA.9-10.7

RI.CT.9-10.8

W.AW.9-10.1

W.IW.9-10.2

W.WP.9-10.4

W.WR.9-10.5

W.SE.9-10.6

W.RW.9-10.7

Differentiating Instruction for Students with Disabilities, Students at Risk, Students with 504 Plans, English Language Learners and Gifted & Talented Students

Interdisciplinary Connections Mandated by the NJDOE

Rutherford Public Schools

English 100 Honors Curriculum Map and Pacing Guide

Unit 5: Fiction

Anchor Text: A Tale of Two Cities

Rationale

Stories are all around us.  They are in the novels we read, the movies we watch, the art we make, and even the video games we play.  There are true stories that we tell each other - what you did last summer - and there are also fictional stories that we make up or read - stories of boy wizards, dystopian girl archers, or special forces teams conducting black ops.  Stores are intended to entertain us, frst, but even fictional stories can reveal real-life truths, which makes them not just entertainment, but something more.  This unit will focus on how to read a piece of fiction carefully, examining the features that are important in order to understand how it was crafted and what it means.  Students will have the chance to write their own piece of fiction as well.

Grade level:  9                                                                                                Timeframe: 5 Weeks

Essential Questions

• Why is it important to understand when and how a piece of fiction was crafted?
• How can primary sources both influence the interpretation of a text and increase appreciation for a text?

Instructional Plan

Standards

Standards (Taught and Assessed)

NJSLS-ELA 9-10

L.SS.9-10.1

L.KL.9-10.2

L.VL.9-10.3

L.VI.9-10.4

RL.CR.9-10.1

RI.CR.9-10.1

RL.CI.9-10.2

RI.CI.9-10.2

RL.IT.9-10.3

RI.IT.9-10.3

RL.TS.9-10.4

RI.TS.9-10.4

RL.PP.9-10.5

RI.PP.9-10.5

RL.MF.9-10.6

RI.MF.9-10.6

RI.AA.9-10.7

RL.CT.9-10.8

RI.CT.9-10.8

W.AW.9-10.1

W.IW.9-10.2

W.NW.9-10-3

W.WP.9-10.4

W.WR.9-10.5

W.SE.9-10.6

W.RW.9-10.7

SL.PE.9-10.1

SL.II.9-10.2

SL.ES.9-10.3

SL.PI.9-10.4

SL.UM-9-10.5

SL.AS.9-10.6

Differentiating Instruction for Students with Disabilities, Students at Risk, Students with 504 Plans, English Language Learners and Gifted & Talented Students

Interdisciplinary Connections

Rutherford Public Schools

English 100 Honors Curriculum Map and Pacing Guide

Unit 6: Argument

Anchor Text: A Raisin in the Sun

Rationale

Arguments are everywhere.  A politician argues that legislation will benefit the nation. A lawyer argues that her client is innocent.  A poster argues that you should buy a certain pair of jeans.  Students also engage in arguments when they challenge the fairness of a school policy, or argue with a friend about whom their favorite sports team should draft. Even asking someone to go on a date involves a certain amount of persuasion. This unit will focus on argument as an effective and civil way of discourse - and not as a shouting match.  The goal of an argument is to persuade a reader or listener to see a particular perspective, to take a certain action, or simply rethink an idea. Students will explore the key skills behind creating powerful academic evidence-based arguments and also evaluate the use of argumentation to protect themselves as a consumer, a citizen, and a critical thinker.

Grade level:  9                                                                                                Timeframe: 5 Weeks

Essential Questions

• What happens to a dream deferred?
• What roles do dignity and hope play in shaping identity?
• What are the techniques that writers, advertisers, politicians, and others use to persuade?
• How does the play provide insight to social, racial and political issues presented to African Americans during the 1950's?
• How does poverty affect these issues?
• What does society value? Is materialistic items and wealth more important than family?
• How does one continue to have hope after dreams are deferred?
• How do families affect (positively or negatively) individuals with dreams?

Instructional Plan

Standards

Standards (Taught and Assessed)

NJSLS-ELA 9-10

L.SS.9-10.1

L.KL.9-10.2

L.VL.9-10.3

L.VI.9-10.4

RL.CR.9-10.1

RI.CR.9-10.1

RL.CI.9-10.2

RI.CI.9-10.2

RL.IT.9-10.3

RI.IT.9-10.3

RL.TS.9-10.4

RI.TS.9-10.4

RL.PP.9-10.5

RI.PP.9-10.5

RL.MF.9-10.6

RI.MF.9-10.6

RI.AA.9-10.7

RL.CT.9-10.8

RI.CT.9-10.8

W.AW.9-10.1

W.IW.9-10.2

W.NW.9-10-3

W.WP.9-10.4

W.WR.9-10.5

W.SE.9-10.6

W.RW.9-10.7

SL.PE.9-10.1

SL.II.9-10.2

SL.ES.9-10.3

SL.PI.9-10.4

SL.UM-9-10.5

SL.AS.9-10.6

Differentiating Instruction for Students with Disabilities, Students at Risk, Students with 504 Plans, English Language Learners and Gifted & Talented Students

Interdisciplinary Connections Mandated by the NJDOE

Interdisciplinary Connections

Rutherford Public Schools

English 100 Honors Curriculum Map and Pacing Guide

Unit 7: Poetry

Anchor Text: Various

Rationale

The unit focuses on how a poem works.  Students will explore both what a poem means and how that meaning is conveyed. Students will establish a foundational understanding of key concepts. Students will have the opportunity to read many poems, some about subjects and people familiar to them, and others on places and subjects that may be unfamiliar.  Regardless of the poem, students will practice how to read it carefully, examining the features that are important in order to understand how it was crafted and what it means.  Students will also have the opportunity to write their own poems as a way to better understand how poetry is created.

Grade level:  9                                                                                                Timeframe: 4 Weeks

Essential Questions

• What are the tools that poets use to craft their poems?
• Is poetry relevant in a technological society?  
• How does poetry affect us emotionally?
• How do poets convey messages about themselves, society and the human condition?
• How does the recitation of poetry affect the poem and its message?

Instructional Plan

Standards

Standards (Taught and Assessed)

NJSLS-ELA 9-10

L.SS.9-10.1

L.KL.9-10.2

L.VL.9-10.3

L.VI.9-10.4

RL.CR.9-10.1

RL.CI.9-10.2

RL.IT.9-10.3

RL.TS.9-10.4

RL.PP.9-10.5

RL.MF.9-10.6

RL.CT.9-10.8

W.AW.9-10.1

W.NW.9-10-3

W.WP.9-10.4

W.RW.9-10.7

SL.PE.9-10.1

SL.II.9-10.2

SL.ES.9-10.3

SL.PI.9-10.4

SL.UM-9-10.5

SL.AS.9-10.6

Differentiating Instruction for Students with Disabilities, Students at Risk, Students with 504 Plans, English Language Learners and Gifted & Talented Students

Rutherford Public Schools

English 100 Honors Curriculum Map and Pacing Guide

Unit 8: Exposition

Anchor Text: Lord of the Flies

Rationale

Expository writing is how we explore ideas and explain things.  It’s how we answer questions.  It’s how we try to understand the world.  Exposition is not just a compilation of facts and data, or a summary of a topic.  While it may include those things, expository writing seeks to explain a concept or topic in a clear, compelling way that engages the reader. Students will identify and analyze the elements of expository texts for deeper understanding by looking at the tools and techniques that authors use to explain things.  Students will read and analyze a variety of expository texts and learn how to explain things clearly.

Grade level:  9                                                                                                Timeframe: 5 Weeks

Essential Questions

• Is human nature inherently good or evil?
• What is essential to understand mankind?
• What motivates evil or kind acts?
• How does literature address a historical event?
• Is fear necessary to maintain law and order?
• What connection do language and authority have?

Instructional Plan

Standards

Standards (Taught and Assessed)

NJSLS-ELA 9-10

L.SS.9-10.1

L.KL.9-10.2

L.VL.9-10.3

L.VI.9-10.4

RL.CR.9-10.1

RL.CI.9-10.2

RL.IT.9-10.3

RL.TS.9-10.4

RL.PP.9-10.5

RL.MF.9-10.6

RL.CT.9-10.8

W.AW.9-10.1

W.NW.9-10-3

W.WP.9-10.4

W.WR.9-10.5

W.SE.9-10.6

W.RW.9-10.7

SL.PE.9-10.1

SL.II.9-10.2

SL.ES.9-10.3

SL.PI.9-10.4

SL.UM-9-10.5

SL.AS.9-10.6

Differentiating Instruction for Students with Disabilities, Students at Risk, Students with 504 Plans, English Language Learners and Gifted & Talented Students

Interdisciplinary Connections Mandated by the NJDOE

Interdisciplinary Connections

Rutherford Public Schools

English 100 Honors Curriculum Map and Pacing Guide

Unit 9: Narrative

Anchor Text: The Diary of Ma Yan

Rationale

Telling your own story asks a person to reflect on their own life, to find out what’s important and share it.  Narrative writing is one way we come to understand ourselves - by telling the story of our lives.  Students will have the opportunity to read narratives by people who have led many different lives.  Reading a first person account of a person’ experiences, struggles, and triumphs is incredibly powerful - writing one can be equally as powerful as it will allow students to tell the story of their own life, free from other people’s perspectives and judgements.

Grade level:  9                                                                                                Timeframe: 5 Weeks

Essential Questions

• Why do writers write?
• How does an intended audience shape text?
• How do grammar and the conventions of language influence spoken and written communication?
• What importance can a diary have for an individual?
• If you could write a book, what would you write about? Why?
• Why do you go to school?  
• What is the purpose of education?

Instructional Plan

Standards

Standards (Taught and Assessed)

NJSLS-ELA 9-10

L.SS.9-10.1

L.KL.9-10.2

L.VL.9-10.3

L.VI.9-10.4

RL.CR.9-10.1

RI.CR.9-10.1

RL.CI.9-10.2

RI.CI.9-10.2

RL.IT.9-10.3

RI.IT.9-10.3

RL.TS.9-10.4

RI.TS.9-10.4

RL.PP.9-10.5

RI.PP.9-10.5

RL.MF.9-10.6

RI.MF.9-10.6

RI.AA.9-10.7

RL.CT.9-10.8

RI.CT.9-10.8

W.AW.9-10.1

W.IW.9-10.2

W.NW.9-10-3

W.WP.9-10.4

W.WR.9-10.5

W.SE.9-10.6

W.RW.9-10.7

SL.PE.9-10.1

SL.II.9-10.2

SL.ES.9-10.3

SL.PI.9-10.4

SL.UM-9-10.5

SL.AS.9-10.6

Differentiating Instruction for Students with Disabilities, Students at Risk, Students with 504 Plans, English Language Learners and Gifted & Talented Students

Interdisciplinary Connections Mandated by the NJDOE

Interdisciplinary Connections

Rutherford Public Schools

English 100 Honors Curriculum Map and Pacing Guide

Unit 10: Drama

Anchor Text: Romeo and Juliet

Rationale

Drama is life.  Life is Drama.  People have played their parts in drama from the earliest Greek classics to the contemporary versions enjoyed today.  Plays show, not tell, what takes place.  The stage is where characters are confronted with conflict, and grapple with relationships in real time with the audience. The audience experiences the actions and emotions along with the performers.  It’s what makes drama unique - different from reading a book, more intimate than watching a movie.  Much like like, drama can be a tragedy or a comedy.  In this unit, students will read and analyze dramatic texts and also try their hand at writing a script. Students will think about how the tools that playwrights use can help them in their own writing.

Grade level:  9                                                                                                Timeframe: 5 Weeks

Essential Questions

• How does family play a role in developing values and beliefs?
• Is human nature inherently good or evil?
• How does history repeat itself?
• What are the tools that playwrights use to move their audiences?
• Is there such a thing as love at first sight?
• Do teenagers have the ability to be “in love”?
• Is “true love” able to be defined?
• Are there forces in life in which people have no control?
• Do differences bring people together or separate them?
• Do parents play a key role in the decisions that children make?
• Does your name define who you are and what others perceive about you?
• Do the choices you make in life define who you are?
• Can wanting something so much lead us to do things that are typically out of character?

Instructional Plan

Standards

Standards (Taught and Assessed)

NJSLS-ELA 9-10

L.SS.9-10.1

L.KL.9-10.2

L.VL.9-10.3

L.VI.9-10.4

RL.CR.9-10.1

RI.CR.9-10.1

RL.CI.9-10.2

RI.CI.9-10.2

RL.IT.9-10.3

RI.IT.9-10.3

RL.TS.9-10.4

RI.TS.9-10.4

RL.PP.9-10.5

RI.PP.9-10.5

RL.MF.9-10.6

RI.MF.9-10.6

RI.AA.9-10.7

RL.CT.9-10.8

RI.CT.9-10.8

W.AW.9-10.1

W.IW.9-10.2

W.NW.9-10-3

W.WP.9-10.4

W.WR.9-10.5

W.SE.9-10.6

W.RW.9-10.7

SL.PE.9-10.1

SL.II.9-10.2

SL.ES.9-10.3

SL.PI.9-10.4

SL.UM-9-10.5

SL.AS.9-10.6

Differentiating Instruction for Students with Disabilities, Students at Risk, Students with 504 Plans, English Language Learners and Gifted & Talented Students

Interdisciplinary Connections Mandated by the NJDOE

Interdisciplinary Connections

Rutherford Public Schools

English 100 Honors Curriculum Map and Pacing Guide

Unit 11: Mythology

Anchor Text: selection from The Odyssey

Rationale

Myths are stories of creation, life and death, good and evil, humans and nature, and natural phenomena like earthquakes and volcanoes.  Its characters are gods, heroes, and heroines. Myths seek a truth about life’s biggest questions.  This unit will explore why these myths still matter to us today, and how their mythic elements continue to influence contemporary texts.

Grade level:  9                                                                                                Timeframe: 3 Weeks

Essential Questions

• Why do myths still matter today?
• How do mythic elements influence contemporary texts?

Instructional Plan

Standards

Standards (Taught and Assessed)

NJSLS-ELA 9-10

L.SS.9-10.1

L.KL.9-10.2

L.VL.9-10.3

L.VI.9-10.4

RL.CR.9-10.1

RI.CR.9-10.1

RL.CI.9-10.2

RI.CI.9-10.2

RL.IT.9-10.3

RI.IT.9-10.3

RL.TS.9-10.4

RI.TS.9-10.4

RL.PP.9-10.5

RI.PP.9-10.5

RL.MF.9-10.6

RI.MF.9-10.6

RI.AA.9-10.7

RL.CT.9-10.8

RI.CT.9-10.8

W.AW.9-10.1

W.IW.9-10.2

W.NW.9-10-3

W.WP.9-10.4

W.WR.9-10.5

W.SE.9-10.6

W.RW.9-10.7

SL.PE.9-10.1

SL.II.9-10.2

SL.ES.9-10.3

SL.PI.9-10.4

SL.UM-9-10.5

SL.AS.9-10.6

Differentiating Instruction for Students with Disabilities, Students at Risk, Students with 504 Plans, English Language Learners and Gifted & Talented Students

Interdisciplinary Connections

Rutherford Public Schools

English 100 Curriculum Map and Pacing Guide

Unit 12: Research

Anchor Text: The Big 6 Research Model

Rationale

The focus of this unit is conducting research (e.g. draw evidence from texts, support analysis, reflection, and research, relevant information, print and digital sources). In this unit, students build upon writing skills to create a piece that utilizes multiple sources to present a position. This unit should be used as a way to teach purposeful research to utilize resources to synthesize a new product. When implementing this unit, teachers should consider writing as driving the standards, integrate skills from previous units,  build upon previous units and move students towards writing skills needed for future units.

Grade level:  9                                                                                                Timeframe: 6 Weeks

Essential Questions

• What steps do I follow during the research process?
• What keywords can I use to find pertinent information?
• How do I determine if a source of information is accurate?

Instructional Plan

Standards

Standards (Taught and Assessed)

NJSLS-ELA 9-10

L.SS.9-10.1

L.KL.9-10.2

L.VL.9-10.3

L.VI.9-10.4

RL.CR.9-10.1

RI.CR.9-10.1

RL.CI.9-10.2

RI.CI.9-10.2

RL.IT.9-10.3

RI.IT.9-10.3

RL.TS.9-10.4

RI.TS.9-10.4

RL.PP.9-10.5

RI.PP.9-10.5

RL.MF.9-10.6

RI.MF.9-10.6

RI.AA.9-10.7

RL.CT.9-10.8

RI.CT.9-10.8

W.AW.9-10.1

W.IW.9-10.2

W.NW.9-10-3

W.WP.9-10.4

W.WR.9-10.5

W.SE.9-10.6

W.RW.9-10.7

SL.PE.9-10.1

SL.II.9-10.2

SL.ES.9-10.3

SL.PI.9-10.4

SL.UM-9-10.5

SL.AS.9-10.6

Differentiating Instruction for Students with Disabilities, Students at Risk, Students with 504 Plans, English Language Learners and Gifted & Talented Students

Interdisciplinary Connections Mandated by the NJDOE

Interdisciplinary Connections

Rutherford Public Schools

English 100 Honors Curriculum Map and Pacing Guide

Unit Name: Grammar and Vocabulary

Anchor Text: Sadlier's Vocabulary Workshop and IXL

Rationale

In this unit, students grow their ability to express themselves—both in writing and conversation—through the exposure to content-specific, domain-specific, and culturally relevant vocabulary words.  Students will build robust and refined vocabularies they will use the rest of their lives to express themselves with clarity and precision. Solid grammar skills are necessary for effective communication.  Students will review and refine grammar skills in order to provide them with the tools necessary to be clear communicators.

Grade level:  9                                                                                Timeframe: 10 Non-Consecutive Weeks

Essential Questions

• What does our writing or speaking say about us?
• How does word choice impact meaning?

Instructional Plan

Standards

Standards (Taught and Assessed)

NJSLS-ELA 9-10

L.SS.9-10.1

L.KL.9-10.2

L.VL.9-10.3

L.VI.9-10.4

Differentiating Instruction for Students with Disabilities, Students at Risk, Students with 504 Plans, English Language Learners and Gifted & Talented Students