American Lit 10
Jason Stidham / Whitmore Lake High School / English Department
Email: jason.stidham@wlps.net Phone- 734-449-4461 x 3354
Becoming well versed in the English language arts requires students to develop skills that are closely intertwined; this connectedness helps students become thoughtful readers, writers, listeners, speakers, and viewers both inside and outside of the classroom.To meet this goal, I divide class time into three pieces:
1. "Quality Core"- I spend the first 20 minutes of class transitioning students into a new, rigorous, college-prep curriculum. We work on test-taking skills and as a result, we can all expect to see steady gains in our ACT scores and our overall comprehension of literature. ACT scores are one factor in determining which colleges accept our students, and are often used as a criterion for academic scholarships. We study a short reading selection and answer 6-10 multiple choice questions that require higher-level thinking skills. Students will receive a weekly "Quality Core" grade out of 25 pts.
2. The middle section of class is dedicated to the study of American Literature. We read The Great Gatsby, Of Mice and Men, and the play, A Raisin in the Sun. Students focus on the different ways the characters pursue "The American Dream", and how those characters react to the challenges associated with reaching it. This is the section of class designed to help our students become well-rounded readers. It gives them a base of knowledge that is continually built upon through high school, college, and life outside of the classroom. Most American Lit assignments are project-based. Expect one 100 point assignment per novel this trimester.
3. "Collins Writing" The last 10 minutes of class is saved for learning and practicing writing skills that help our sophomores become capable, confident writers. All teachers at WLHS follow a program called "The Collins Writing Method." You'll see these scored on PowerSchool as "Collins Writing" You'll usually hear your son or daughter calling these "Type Ones", "Type Twos", or "Type Threes", depending on the requirements. These always connect to content we learn in the first two sections of class and are usually 25 lines long.
Week of June 7-June 11
This week we wrap up our novel project and take our final exam!
MONDAY- BEGIN WATCHING CINDERELLA MAN. BEGIN EXTRA CREDIT WRITING ASSIGNMENT
TUESDAY- CONTINUE WATCHING CINDERELLA MAN. CONTINUE EXTRA CREDIT
WEDNESDAY- FINISH CINDERELLA MAN. FINISH EXTRA CREDIT.
THURSDAY FIRST AND SECOND HOUR EXAMS
FRIDAY- THIRD AND FOURTH HOUR EXAMS
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CHOOSE ANY 7!! Explanations must be around 100 words.
1. Create a graphic organizer that helps you better understand the novel. (Timeline, venn diagram, character "family tree", KWL chart, map, etc. See other options at http://www.teachervision.fen.com/graphic-organizers/printable/6293.html)
2. Finish these sentence starters for the day’s reading. a. This reminds me of……….. b. I wonder why…………….. c. I can relate to_______because________. d. The most important point today is…….. e._________is like___________because… f. A first I thought____________but then I realized______and now I think______ g. My conclusion at this point is that………
3. Stop when you find a confusing part of your novel. Explain what confused you, and the process you used to "fix" the problem. Some strategies include: visualizing, rereading, reading on, closely reading, slowing down your pace, refocusing on the text when distracted, etc.
4. Explain two similarities between this novel and one you’ve read in the past.
5. Explain two ideas that connect to something you learned in another class.
6. Relate your novel to any past or present historical event(s).
7. Watch the film version of your novel, list differences and explain the most important one.
8. Relate your novel to the important ideas of the time or place in which it is set.
9. Relate your novel to the important ideas of the time in which it was written.
10. Explain the effects of the author’s life upon his or her work.
11. Explain the use of the author’s writing techniques. (Like Steinbeck’s use of foreshadowing)
12. Summarize a chapter.
13. Summarize the novel.
14. Find and read a criticism of your novel and respond.
15. List 5 unfamiliar words. Explain your process of using context clues to understand them.
16. Explain the author’s message. Provide two ways he/she got this point across.
17. Explain how allusion is used.
18. Take on the job of a college professor. Write ten meaningful test questions and include a key.
19. Explain the significance of 5-6 of your test questions.
20. Your choice- Prove your understanding some other way!!
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