COURSE TITLE

English 300

LENGTH

Full Year

Grade 11

DEPARTMENT

English

Brian Ersalesi, Supervisor of English and Arts

SCHOOL

Rutherford High School

DATE

Primary Content - English Language Arts

Initial Approval: March 11, 2024

Revised: March 11, 2025

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 300

I.        Introduction/Overview/Philosophy

The purpose of the English 300 course is to enable the student to write with competence, to read with understanding, to speak with precision and, most importantly, to think creatively and critically.  Based upon the study of American literature, the program is designed to prepare students for future educational goals and challenges.

The readings in English 300 are conceptually and thematically aligned with US History II.   Readings will focus on the literary, historical, and cultural aspects of the United States from World War II to the present day.  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.  

The writing portion of the course enforces the fact that writing is a practical art that can be learned by studying and applying patterns.  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.  In addition, students will be preparing for state-mandated standardized tests and the SAT/ACT.

English 300 fulfills the eleventh 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

Rutherford Public Schools

English 300 Curriculum Map and Pacing Guide

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 11–12

Language Domain

L.SS.11–12.1. Demonstrate command of the system and structure of the English language when writing or speaking.

1. Apply the understanding that usage is a matter of convention, can change over time, and place, and is sometimes contested.
2. Observe hyphenation conventions.
3. Recognize spelling conventions.

L.KL.11–12.2. Apply knowledge of language 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.

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 syntax for effect, apply an understanding of syntax to the study of complex texts.
3. Demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.

L.VL.11–12.3. Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grades 11–12 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., conceive, conception, conceivable).
3.  Analyze how an author or speaker uses and refines the meaning of a key term or terms over the course of a text or discussion.
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, its etymology, or its standard usage.
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.11–12.4. Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings, including connotative meanings.

1. Interpret figures of speech (e.g., hyperbole, paradox) in context and analyze their role in the text.
2. Analyze nuances in the meaning of words with similar denotations.
3. Analyze how the meaning of a key term or terms develops or is refined over the course of a text.
4. Analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including language that is particularly fresh, engaging, or beautiful.

Reading Domain

RL.CR.11–12.1. Accurately cite strong and thorough textual evidence and make relevant connections to strongly support a comprehensive analysis of multiple aspects of what a literary text says explicitly and inferentially, as well as interpretations of the text; this may include determining where the text leaves matters uncertain.

RI.CR.11–12.1. Accurately cite a range of thorough textual evidence and make relevant connections to strongly support a comprehensive analysis of multiple aspects of what an informational text says explicitly and inferentially, as well as interpretations of the text.

RL.CI.11–12.2. Determine two or more themes of a literary text and analyze how they are developed and refined over the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to produce a complex account or analysis; provide an objective summary of the text.

RI.CI.11–12.2. Determine two or more central ideas of an informational text and analyze how they are developed and refined over the course of a text, including how they interact and build on one another to provide a complex account or analysis; provide an objective summary of the text.

RL.IT.11–12.3. Analyze the impact of the author’s choices as they develop ideas throughout the text regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama (e.g., where a story is set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are introduced and developed).

RI.IT.11–12.3. Analyze the impact of an author's choices as they develop ideas throughout the text regarding a complex set of ideas or sequence of events, and explain how specific individuals, ideas, or events interact and develop.

RL.TS.11–12.4. Evaluate the author’s choices concerning the structure and the effectiveness of specific parts of a text (e.g., the choice of where to begin or end a story, the choice to provide a comedic or tragic resolution) and how they contribute to its overall structure and meaning, as well as its aesthetic impact.

RI.TS.11–12.4. Evaluate the author’s choices concerning structure and the effectiveness of the structure an author uses in his or her exposition or argument, including whether the structure makes points clear, convincing, and engaging.

RL.PP.11–12.5. Evaluate perspectives/lenses from two or more texts on related topics and justify the more cogent viewpoint (e.g., different accounts of the same event or issue, use of different media or formats).

RI.PP.11–12.5. Analyze an author’s purpose in a text distinguishing what is directly stated in a text or through rhetoric, analyzing how style and content convey information and advance a point of view.

RL.MF.11–12.6. Synthesize complex information across multiple sources and formats to develop ideas, resolve conflicting information, or develop an interpretation that goes beyond explicit text information (e.g., express a personal point of view, new interpretation of the author’s message).

RI.MF.11–12.6. Synthesize complex information across multiple sources and formats to develop ideas, resolve conflicting information, or develop an interpretation that goes beyond explicit text information (e.g., express a personal point of view, new interpretation of the concept).

RI.AA.11–12.7. Describe and evaluate the reasoning in seminal U.S. and global texts, and the premises, purposes, and arguments in these works.

RL.CT.11–12.8. Demonstrate knowledge of analyze, and reflect on (e.g., practical knowledge, historical/cultural context, and background knowledge) documents of historical and literary significance for their themes, purposes, and rhetorical features, including how two or more texts from the same period treat similar themes or topics.

RI.CT.11–12.8. Analyze and reflect on (e.g., practical knowledge, historical/cultural context, and background knowledge) documents of historical and scientific significance for their purposes, including primary source documents relevant to U.S. and/or global history and texts proposing scientific or technical advancements.

Writing Domain

W.AW.11–12.1. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.

1. Introduce precise, knowledgeable claim(s), establish the significance of the claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization that logically sequences claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.
2. Develop claim(s) and counterclaims avoiding common logical fallacies and using sound reasoning and thoroughly, supplying the most relevant evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the audience’s knowledge level, concerns, values, and possible biases.
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 (e.g., articulating implications or the significance of the topic).

W.IW.11–12.2. 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 so that each new element builds on that which precedes it to create a unified whole; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., figures, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.
2. Develop the topic thoroughly by selecting the most significant and relevant 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 and syntax to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships among complex ideas and concepts.
4. Use precise language, domain-specific vocabulary, and techniques such as metaphor, simile, and analogy 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 argument presented (e.g., articulating implications or the significance of the topic).

W.NW.11–12.3. 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 and its significance, 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 and build toward a particular tone and outcome (e.g., a sense of mystery, suspense, growth, or resolution).
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.11–12.4. Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, trying a new approach; sustaining effort to complete complex writing tasks; tracking and reflecting on personal writing progress (e.g., using portfolios, journals, conferencing); or 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.11–12.5. 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.11–12.6. Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the strengths and limitations of each source in terms of the task, purpose, and audience; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and overreliance on any one source and following a standard format for citation (MLA or APA Style Manuals).

W.RW.11–12.7. 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.

Speaking and Listening Domain

SL.PE.11–12.1. Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with peers on grades 11–12 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 promote civil, democratic discussions and decision-making, set clear goals and assessments (e.g., student developed rubrics), and establish individual roles as needed.
3. Propel conversations by posing and responding to questions that probe reasoning and evidence; ensure a hearing for a full range of positions on a topic or issue; clarify, verify, or challenge ideas and conclusions; and promote divergent and creative perspectives.
4. Respond thoughtfully to diverse perspectives; synthesize comments, claims, and evidence made on all sides of an issue; resolve contradictions when possible; and determine what additional information or research is required to deepen the investigation or complete the task.

SL.II.11–12.2. Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) in order to make informed decisions and solve problems, evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source and noting any discrepancies among the data.

SL.ES.11–12.3. Evaluate a speaker’s point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric, assessing the stance, premises, links among ideas, word choice, points of emphasis, and tone used.

SL.PI.11–12.4 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.11–12.5. Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence and to add interest.

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 300 is required for all students in 11th grade.

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 300 is a heterogeneously grouped course.

VI.        Articulation/Scope & Sequence/Time Frame

English 300 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.

• Workbook(s)

• Vocabulary Workshop, Sadlier, 2022.

• English 300 Anchor Texts:

• Spoon River Anthology
• Catcher in the Rye
• Perks of Being a Wallflower
• Fences
• Hamlet

• 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.
• 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.

The following titles are available in the RHS Library. Where appropriate, teachers may use these texts in whole and/or small group instruction.

Asian American and Pacific Islander Education (S4021/S3764)

1. The Astonishing Color of After, Emily R.X. Pan, 2018
2. Frankly in Love, David Yoon, 2019
3. The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali, Sabina Khan, 2019
4. Crying in H-Mart, Michelle Zauner, 2021
5. Patron Saints of Nothing, Randy Ribay, 2019
6. We Are Not Free, Traci Chee, 2020
7. Last Night at the Telegraph Club, Malinda Lo, 2021
8. Yolk, Mary H.K. Choi, 2021
9. The Forest of Stolen Girls, Jun Hur, 2021
10. From a Whisper to a Rallying Cry: the killing of Vincent Chin and the Trial that Galvanized the Asian American Movement, Paula Yoo, 2021.

Diversity and Inclusion (N.J.S.A. 18A:35-4.36a)

1. Born a Crime, Trevor Noah, 2016
2. Clap When You Land, Elizabeth Acevedo, 2020
3. Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain, Zaretta Hammond, 2015
4. The Rest of Us Just Live Here, Patrick Ness, 2015
5. The Sun is Also a Star, Nicola Yoon, 2016
6. The 57 Bus, Dashka Slater, 2017
7. Furia, Yamile Saied Mendez, 2020
8. Apple: Skin to the Core, Eric Gansworth, 2020
9. Black Flamingo, Dean Atta, 2020
10. Modern HERstory: Stories of Women and Nonbianary People Rewriting History, Blair Imani, 2018

Climate Change Education (NJSLS)

1. How to Avoid a Climate Disaster, Bill Gates, 2021
2. Hothouse Earth: The Climate Crisis and the Importance of Carbon Neutrality, Stephanie Sammartino McPherson, 2021
3. Silent Spring, Rachel Carson, 2002
4. This Changes Everything, Naomi Cline, 2014
5. The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History, Elizabeth Kolbert, 2015
6. The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming, David Wallace-Wells, 2020
7. Parable of the Sower, Octavia E. Butler, 1993
8. All We Can Save: Truth, Courage, and Solutions for the Climate Crisis, Various, 2020
9. Dry, Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman, 2018
10. The Story of More: How We Got to Climate Change and Where to Go From Here, Hope Jahren, 2020

Amistad (Celebration of African American History) (NJSLS)

1. The Hate U Give, Author, 2017
2. Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You, Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi, 2020
3. Nickle Boys, Author, 2019
4. Tyler Johnson Was Here, Jay Coles, 2018
5. Dear Martin, Nic Stone, 2017
6. The Poet X, Elizabeth Acevedo, 2018
7. Black Enough: Stories of being Young and Black in America, Various, 2019
8. Opposite of Always, Justin A. Reynolds, 2019
9. Monday’s Not Coming, Tiffany D. Jackson, 2018
10. Just Mercy, Bryan Stevenson, 2017

LGBT and Individuals with Disabilities (N.J.S.A. 18A:35-4.35.6)

1. Darius the Great is Not Okay, Adib Khoram, 2018
2. Felix Ever After, Author, 2020
3. Simon and the Homosapien Agenda, Becky Albertalli, 2015
4. Pet, Akwaeke Emenzi, 2019
5. Right Where I Left You, Julian Winters, 2022
6. They Both Die in the End, Adam Silvera, 2017
7. Queer, There and Everywhere: 23 People Who Changed the World, Sarah Prager, 2018
8. Invisible Differences, Julie Dachez, 2020
9. Unbroken: 13 Stories Starring Disabled Teens, Various, 2018
10. The State of Grace, Rachel Lucas, 2017

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 300 Curriculum Map and Pacing Guide

Rutherford Public Schools

English 300 Curriculum Map and Pacing Guide

Poetry

Anchor Text: Spoon River Anthology

Rationale

Edgar Lee Masters’ Spoon River Anthology was a controversial work of literature when it first appeared in 1915. Until that time, small  mid-American towns had been portrayed as idyllic strongholds of human virtue. Drawing on his boyhood experiences in the towns of Petersburg and Lewiston, Illinois, in the Valley of the Spoon River, Masters creates the mythical town of Spoon River and examines the lives of past residents who are buried on The Hill, the town cemetery. His anthology is the poetic equivalent of Sherwood Anderson’s collection of stories set in the fictional Winesburg, Ohio. Masters uses the free verse epitaph form to expose the corruption, disappointments, failures, and hidden secrets that exemplify the hypocrisy and spiritual deterioration of Spoon River. There are occasional glimpses into the goodness or optimism found in any  town, but most of the blunt revelations present a dark picture of small town life in 1915 mid-America. These revelations may not seem as shocking or scandalous today as they did over eighty years ago, but readers might be surprised to see the same hypocrisy, injustice, political corruption, and despair in Spoon River that exists in the world today.

Grade level:  11                                                                                                Timeframe: 4 Weeks

Essential Questions

• How does our lifestyle impact our life?
• Does where we are raised matter?
• What lasting impact can an individual have?

Instructional Plan

Standards

Standards (Taught and Assessed)

NJSLS-ELA 11-12

L.SS.11-12.1

L.KL.11-12.2

L.VL.11-12.3

L.VI.11-12.4

RL.CR.11-12.1

RL.CI.11-12.2

RL.IT.11-12.3

RL.TS.11-12.4

RL.PP.11-12.5

RL.MF.11-12.6

RL.CT.11-12.8

W.NW.11-12-3

W.WP.11-12.4

W.SE.11-12.6

W.RW.11-12.7

SL.PE.11-12.1

SL.AS.11-12.6

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 300 Curriculum Map and Pacing Guide

Multi Genre Unit - War Stories

Anchor Text: Various

Rationale

In this 360 Unit, students read about war from both combatant and civilian perspectives. Throughout the unit texts, students read about conflicts from the American Civil War to the Vietnam War in order to gain an understanding of the experience of war and what people carry with them after leaving a war zone.  Students work in collaborative groups during a Related Media Exploration that features videos about the contemporary experience of war; they consider why Americans today need to read and hear historical and modern war stories, and the stories of soldiers, veterans, and civilians. By the end of the unit, students should be able to use evidence from the unit’s literary and informational texts to analyze the importance of war stories and the ways that the events of war live on long after a war officially ends. To demonstrate this skill, students write a cross-textual literary analysis essay that examines how the unit texts illustrate ideas presented in Viet Thanh Nguyen’s quotation: “All wars are fought twice, the first time on the battlefield, the second time in memory.”

Grade level:  11                                                                                                Timeframe: 6 Weeks

Essential Questions

• Why do we need war stories?

Instructional Plan

Standards

Standards (Taught and Assessed)

NJSLS-ELA 11-12

L.SS.11-12.1

L.KL.11-12.2

L.VL.11-12.3

L.VI.11-12.4

RL.CR.11-12.1

RI.CR.11-12.1

RL.CI.11-12.2

RI.CI.11-12.2

RL.IT.11-12.3

RI.IT.11-12.3

RL.TS.11-12.4

RI.TS.11-12.4

RL.PP.11-12.5

RI.PP.11-12.5

RL.MF.11-12.6

RI.MF.11-12.6

RI.AA.11-12.7

RL.CT.11-12.8

RI.CT.11-12.8

W.AW.11-12.1

W.IW.11-12.2

W.NW.11-12-3

W.WP.11-12.4

W.WR.11-12.5

W.SE.11-12.6

W.RW.11-12.7

SL.PE.11-12.1

SL.II.11-12.2

SL.ES.11-12.3

SL.PI.11-12.4

SL.UM-11-12.5

SL.AS.11-12.6

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 Curriculum Map and Pacing Guide

Research Skills

Anchor Text: RHS Library Databases

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:  11                                                                                                Timeframe: 4 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 11-12

L.SS.11-12.1

L.KL.11-12.2

L.VL.11-12.3

L.VI.11-12.4

RL.CR.11-12.1

RI.CR.11-12.1

RL.CI.11-12.2

RI.CI.11-12.2

RL.IT.11-12.3

RI.IT.11-12.3

RL.TS.11-12.4

RI.TS.11-12.4

RL.PP.11-12.5

RI.PP.11-12.5

RL.MF.11-12.6

RI.MF.11-12.6

RI.AA.11-12.7

RL.CT.11-12.8

RI.CT.11-12.8

W.AW.11-12.1

W.IW.11-12.2

W.NW.11-12-3

W.WP.11-12.4

W.WR.11-12.5

W.SE.11-12.6

W.RW.11-12.7

SL.PE.11-12.1

SL.II.11-12.2

SL.AS.11-12.6

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 300 Curriculum Map and Pacing Guide

Multi Genre Unit - The Social Contract

Anchor Text: Various

Rationale

In this 360 Unit, students read seminal American texts related to the concept of the social contract. Students are introduced to social contract theory through two foundational texts by Thomas Hobbes and John Locke. Then, through a Related Media Exploration, students apply their knowledge of the social contract to a real-world example: Franklin Roosevelt and The New Deal. Students then expand their study of the social contract by reading texts by Emerson and Thoreau, who contrast Hobbes’ and Locke’s perspective towards government and society. Students then read texts by Martin Luther King, Jr. and Elizabeth Cady Stanton to examine times when the social contract was challenged. Lastly, students write a research paper on a historical or contemporary example of defying the social contract and argue whether that defiance was justified.

Grade level:  11                                                                                                Timeframe: 6 Weeks

Essential Questions

• What do governments owe their citizens? What do citizens owe their governments?

Instructional Plan

Standards

Standards (Taught and Assessed)

NJSLS-ELA 11-12

L.SS.11-12.1

L.KL.11-12.2

L.VL.11-12.3

L.VI.11-12.4

RI.CR.11-12.1

RI.CI.11-12.2

RI.IT.11-12.3

RI.TS.11-12.4

RI.PP.11-12.5

RI.MF.11-12.6

RI.AA.11-12.7

RI.CT.11-12.8

W.AW.11-12.1

W.IW.11-12.2

W.WP.11-12.4

W.WR.11-12.5

W.SE.11-12.6

W.RW.11-12.7

SL.PE.11-12.1

SL.II.11-12.2

SL.AS.11-12.6

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 300 Curriculum Map and Pacing Guide

Novel

Anchor Text: Catcher in the Rye

Rationale

This unit provides a framework for narrative writing that can be altered to suit the varying purposes and student populations of districts statewide. For example, this unit would most easily work as a college essay unit, but can also be used to create cover letters, letters to/from characters from literature, scholarship essays, and written pieces that ask the writer to adopt multiple points of view. To inform the writing, students will read and analyze models in the genre in which they are writing, read informational texts, and discuss their questions/findings to inform their writing.

This unit is designed to help students discover and explore major themes, characteristics, and cultural structures in J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye. The novel embodies and openly grapples with many conflicted issues associated with the modern teen including: feeling alone and disconnected from others, struggling in school, finding authenticity in a fake society, and navigating the painful transition from adolescence to the world of adulthood. Students will analyze Holden Caulfield, the novel’s complex and cynical young protagonist, and will problemize him by exposing his character flaws and virtues while engaging in critical discussions. Students will also recognize that The Catcher in the Rye is focused on the disillusionment in the post WWII years in American History.  Students will examine Holden Caulfield as a manifestation of Salinger’s experiences during WWII as well as the Post Traumatic Stress he experienced thereafter.

Grade level:  11                                                                                                Timeframe: 6 Weeks

Essential Questions

• What do our speech and behavior patterns reveal about who we are?
• How can language reveal or hide a person’s emotions?
• How is the nature of being a teenager distinct from being a child or an adult?
• To what extent should we protect the innocent from the evil in the world?
• How can alienation or disillusionment serve as a temporary protective armor?
• What do our thoughts or behavior patterns reveal about who we are?
• How can a single traumatic episode affect a person's development?
• In the bumpy and often uneven process towards a more mature perspective of the world, what is gained and what is lost?

Instructional Plan

Standards

Standards (Taught and Assessed)

NJSLS-ELA 11-12

L.SS.11-12.1

L.KL.11-12.2

L.VL.11-12.3

L.VI.11-12.4

RL.CR.11-12.1

RI.CR.11-12.1

RL.CI.11-12.2

RI.CI.11-12.2

RL.IT.11-12.3

RI.IT.11-12.3

RL.TS.11-12.4

RI.TS.11-12.4

RL.PP.11-12.5

RI.PP.11-12.5

RL.MF.11-12.6

RI.MF.11-12.6

RI.AA.11-12.7

RL.CT.11-12.8

RI.CT.11-12.8

W.AW.11-12.1

W.IW.11-12.2

W.NW.11-12-3

W.WP.11-12.4

W.WR.11-12.5

W.SE.11-12.6

W.RW.11-12.7

SL.PE.11-12.1

SL.II.11-12.2

SL.ES.11-12.3

SL.PI.11-12.4

SL.UM-11-12.5

SL.AS.11-12.6

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 300 Curriculum Map and Pacing Guide

Contemporary Play

Anchor Text: Fences

Rationale

This unit was designed to serve as a standards-based framework for teaching students to produce short, research-based texts that can be modified to suit the varying purposes and student populations of districts statewide. For example, this unit might produce the following products: iMovie, book trailer, FlipGrid book reviews, multimedia slideshows, posters/Smores, infographic, interactive articles, websites or traditional essays. To inform the product, students will read/analyze models in the genre in which they are writing, read informational texts, and discuss their questions/findings to inform their writing.

Students will read a variety of literary and informational texts with the primary goal of understanding the historical context of August Wilson’s Fences. Students will examine American cultural dynamics between races during the 1950’s and will be tasked with analyzing the major thematic and symbolic elements of the play. Students will examine and analyze the author’s rhetorical elements of the plays characters, setting, and diction in order to deepen comprehension. Students will investigate the play on a figurative level through analysis of literal and metaphorical significances within the context of the play. Students will examine August Wilson as a social commentator who makes deliberate literary decisions regarding stage direction, setting, symbolism and diction  in order to promote social change.  

Grade level:  11                                                                                                Timeframe: 4 Weeks

Essential Questions

• What is our role as individuals in society?
• How can individuals’ choices, decisions, and actions change their lives?
• How can stereotypes influence our understanding of the world?

  ---

Instructional Plan

Standards

Standards (Taught and Assessed)

NJSLS-ELA 11-12

L.SS.11-12.1

L.KL.11-12.2

L.VL.11-12.3

L.VI.11-12.4

RL.CR.11-12.1

RI.CR.11-12.1

RL.CI.11-12.2

RI.CI.11-12.2

RL.IT.11-12.3

RI.IT.11-12.3

RL.TS.11-12.4

RI.TS.11-12.4

RL.PP.11-12.5

RI.PP.11-12.5

RL.MF.11-12.6

RI.MF.11-12.6

RI.AA.11-12.7

RL.CT.11-12.8

RI.CT.11-12.8

W.AW.11-12.1

W.IW.11-12.2

W.NW.11-12-3

W.WP.11-12.4

W.WR.11-12.5

W.SE.11-12.6

W.RW.11-12.7

SL.PE.11-12.1

SL.II.11-12.2

SL.ES.11-12.3

SL.PI.11-12.4

SL.UM-11-12.5

SL.AS.11-12.6

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 300 Curriculum Map and Pacing Guide

Classical Literature

Anchor Text: Hamlet

Rationale

This unit focuses on analysis through argument and informative/explanatory writing. Depending on the needs and purposes of districts statewide, students will analyze literature, informational texts or media to strengthen critical thinking and media literacy skills needed for college and career readiness. To inform the product, students will discuss their questions/findings. By the end of the year, students should be reading texts at grade-level.

This unit is designed to help students analyze the theme of “appearance vs. reality” in Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Along with this theme, students will understand the standards of Shakespearean theater, its influences, and its effects on modern-day film and theater. A primary focus throughout the unit will be to analyze and appreciate the complex language used in Shakespeare’s plays. They will determine multiple themes in the play such as madness, death & mortality, indecision, and deceit, through close reading and class discussion. Students will also analyze the character of Hamlet--especially his shortcomings-- and his status of a tragic hero, as defined in Aristotle’s Poetics. Ultimately, students will engage with the play by close reading, listening to audio-recordings, acting, and watching film adaptations.

Grade level:  11                                                                                                Timeframe: 6 Weeks

Essential Questions

• How does the play portray the difference between fate and choice?
• What determines the difference between justice and revenge?
• How do power and ambition influence a person’s actions?

Instructional Plan

Standards

Standards (Taught and Assessed)

NJSLS-ELA 11-12

L.SS.11-12.1

L.KL.11-12.2

L.VL.11-12.3

L.VI.11-12.4

RL.CR.11-12.1

RI.CR.11-12.1

RL.CI.11-12.2

RI.CI.11-12.2

RL.IT.11-12.3

RI.IT.11-12.3

RL.TS.11-12.4

RI.TS.11-12.4

RL.PP.11-12.5

RI.PP.11-12.5

RL.MF.11-12.6

RI.MF.11-12.6

RI.AA.11-12.7

RL.CT.11-12.8

RI.CT.11-12.8

W.AW.11-12.1

W.IW.11-12.2

W.NW.11-12-3

W.WP.11-12.4

W.WR.11-12.5

W.SE.11-12.6

W.RW.11-12.7

SL.PE.11-12.1

SL.II.11-12.2

SL.ES.11-12.3

SL.PI.11-12.4

SL.UM-11-12.5

SL.AS.11-12.6

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 300 Curriculum Map and Pacing Guide

Narrative Writing for Life

Anchor Text: Perks of Being a Wallflower

Rationale

This unit provides a framework for narrative writing that can be altered to suit the varying purposes and student populations of districts statewide. For example, this unit would most easily work as a college essay unit, but can also be used to create cover letters, letters to/from characters from literature, scholarship essays, and written pieces that ask the writer to adopt multiple points of view. To inform the writing, students will read and analyze models in the genre in which they are writing, read informational texts, and discuss their questions/findings to inform their writing.

Grade level:  11                                                                                                Timeframe: 4 Weeks

Essential Questions

• How do people use letters to portray emotions and allow for feelings to flow through written language?
• What is the power of a person’s voice and personal narrative?
• Why is the expression of self identity important with coming of age?
• Why is acceptance, open-mindedness, and characterization essential to relationship building?
• What is the power of an individual's story/personal narrative?
• What is the power of voice and personal opinion pertaining to controversial statements in the high school setting?
• What elements of speeches commemorate individuality?

Instructional Plan

Standards

Standards (Taught and Assessed)

NJSLS-ELA 11-12

L.SS.11-12.1

L.KL.11-12.2

L.VL.11-12.3

L.VI.11-12.4

RL.CR.11-12.1

RI.CR.11-12.1

RL.CI.11-12.2

RI.CI.11-12.2

RL.IT.11-12.3

RI.IT.11-12.3

RL.TS.11-12.4

RI.TS.11-12.4

RL.PP.11-12.5

RI.PP.11-12.5

RL.MF.11-12.6

RI.MF.11-12.6

RI.AA.11-12.7

RL.CT.11-12.8

RI.CT.11-12.8

W.AW.11-12.1

W.IW.11-12.2

W.NW.11-12-3

W.WP.11-12.4

W.WR.11-12.5

W.SE.11-12.6

W.RW.11-12.7

SL.PE.11-12.1

SL.II.11-12.2

SL.ES.11-12.3

SL.PI.11-12.4

SL.UM-11-12.5

SL.AS.11-12.6

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 300 Curriculum Map and Pacing Guide

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:  11                                                                                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 11-12

L.SS.11-12.1

L.KL.11-12.2

L.VL.11-12.3

L.VI.11-12.4

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