EL SEGUNDO UNIFIED SCHOOL
DISTRICT
EL SEGUNDO HIGH SCHOOL
COURSE
OF STUDY
Course Title: Basic English 12AB
Department: English/Language Arts
Grade Level: 12
English 12AB is a survey
course in English literature that has a strong emphasis in the communication
skills required in the world beyond high school. Students write in response to
literature and learn to practice techniques needed for college and employment.
Readings from drama, novels, short stories, poetry selections and non-fiction
are the focus of study.
Length: One
year
Prerequisites: Individual
Educational Prescription (IEP)
Type of Course: Basic
Reading
1.0 Word Analysis, Fluency, and Systematic Vocabulary Development
Students apply their knowledge of word origins to determine the meaning of new
words encountered in reading materials and use those words accurately.
Vocabulary and Concept Development
1.1 Trace the etymology of significant terms used in political science and
history.
1.2 Apply knowledge of Greek, Latin, and Anglo-Saxon roots and affixes to draw
inferences concerning the meaning of scientific and mathematical terminology.
1.3 Discern the meaning of analogies encountered, analyzing specific
comparisons as well as relationships and inferences. (Integrate
CORE Knowledge, Think Critically)
2.0 Reading
Comprehension (Focus on Informational Materials)
Students read and understand grade-level-appropriate material. They analyze the
organizational patterns, arguments, and positions advanced. The selections in Recommended
Readings in Literature, Grades Nine Through Twelve illustrate the quality
and complexity of the materials to be read by students. In addition, by grade
twelve, students read two million words annually on their own, including a wide
variety of classic and contemporary literature, magazines, newspapers, and
online information.
Structural Features of Informational Materials
2.1 Analyze both
the features and the rhetorical devices of different types of public documents
(e.g., policy statements, speeches, debates, platforms) and the way in which
authors use those features and devices. (Integrate
CORE Knowledge, Think Critically)
Comprehension and Analysis of Grade-Level-Appropriate Text
2.2 Analyze the way
in which clarity of meaning is affected by the patterns of organization, hierarchical
structures, repetition of the main ideas, syntax, and word choice in the text.
2.3 Verify and
clarify facts presented in other types of expository texts by using a variety
of consumer, workplace, and public documents.
2.4. Make warranted
and reasonable assertions about the author's arguments by using elements of the
text to defend and clarify interpretations.
2.5 Analyze an
author's implicit and explicit philosophical assumptions and beliefs about a
subject.
(Integrate
CORE Knowledge, Think Critically)
Expository Critique
2.6 Critique the
power, validity, and truthfulness of arguments set forth in public documents;
their appeal to both friendly and hostile audiences; and the extent to which
the arguments anticipate and address reader concerns and counterclaims (e.g.,
appeal to reason, to authority, to pathos and emotion). (Integrate CORE Knowledge,
Think Critically)
3.0 Literary
Response and Analysis
Students read and respond to historically or culturally significant works of
literature that reflect and enhance their studies of history and social
science. They conduct in-depth analyses of recurrent themes. The selections in Recommended
Readings in Literature, Grades Nine Through Twelve illustrate the quality
and complexity of the materials to be read by students.
Structural Features of Literature
3.1 Analyze
characteristics of subgenres (e.g., satire, parody, allegory, pastoral) that
are used in poetry, prose, plays, novels, short stories, essays, and other
basic genres. (Integrate CORE Knowledge, Think Critically)
Narrative Analysis of Grade-Level-Appropriate Text
3.2 Analyze the way
in which the theme or meaning of a selection represents a view or comment on
life, using textual evidence to support the claim.
3.3 Analyze the
ways in which irony, tone, mood, the author's style, and the "sound"
of language achieve specific rhetorical or aesthetic purposes or both.
3.4 Analyze ways in
which poets use imagery, personification, figures of speech, and sounds to
evoke readers' emotions.
3.5 Analyze
recognized works of American literature representing a variety of genres and
traditions:
a. Trace the development of
American literature from the colonial period forward.
b. Contrast the major periods, themes, styles, and
trends and describe how works by members of different cultures relate to one
another in each period.
c. Evaluate the philosophical, political,
religious, ethical, and social influences of the historical period that shaped
the characters, plots, and settings. 3.6 Analyze the way in
which authors through the centuries have used archetypes drawn from myth and
tradition in literature, film, political speeches, and religious writings
(e.g., how the archetypes of banishment from an ideal world may be used to
interpret Shakespeare's tragedy Macbeth).
3.7 Analyze recognized works of world literature from a variety of authors:
a. Contrast the major literary
forms, techniques, and characteristics of the major literary periods (e.g.,
Homeric Greece, medieval, romantic, neoclassic, modern).
b. Relate literary works and authors to the major
themes and issues of their eras.
c. Evaluate the philosophical, political,
religious, ethical, and social influences of the historical period that shaped
the characters, plots, and, settings.
(Integrate CORE Knowledge, Think Critically)
Literary Criticism
3.8 Analyze the
clarity and consistency of political assumptions in a selection of literary
works or essays on a topic (e.g., suffrage, women's role in organized labor).
(Political approach)
3.9 Analyze the philosophical arguments presented in literary works to
determine whether the authors' positions have contributed to the quality of
each work and the credibility of the characters. (Philosophical approach) (Integrate CORE Knowledge, Think Critically)
Writing
1.0 Writing
Strategies
Students write coherent and focused texts that convey a well-defined
perspective and tightly reasoned argument. The writing demonstrates students'
awareness of the audience and purpose and progression through the stages of the
writing process.
Organization and Focus
1.1 Demonstrate an
understanding of the elements of discourse (e.g., purpose, speaker, audience,
form) when completing narrative, expository, persuasive, or descriptive writing
assignments.
1.2 Use point of
view, characterization, style (e.g., use of irony), and related elements for
specific rhetorical and aesthetic purposes.
1.3 Structure ideas and arguments in a sustained, persuasive, and sophisticated
way and support them with precise and relevant examples.
1.4 Enhance meaning
by employing rhetorical devices, including the extended use of parallelism,
repetition, and analogy; the incorporation of visual aids (e.g., graphs,
tables, pictures); and the issuance of a call for action.
1.5 Use language in
natural, fresh, and vivid ways to establish a specific tone. (Integrate
CORE Knowledge, Think Critically, Communicate Effectively)
Research and Technology
1.6 Develop
presentations by using clear research questions and creative and critical
research strategies (e.g., field studies, oral histories, interviews,
experiments, electronic sources).
1.7 Use systematic
strategies to organize and record information (e.g., anecdotal scripting,
annotated bibliographies).
1.8 Integrate
databases, graphics, and spreadsheets into word-processed documents. (Integrate
CORE Knowledge, Think Critically)
Evaluation and Revision
1.9 Revise text to
highlight the individual voice, improve sentence variety and style, and enhance
subtlety of meaning and tone in ways that are consistent with the purpose,
audience, and genre. (Integrate CORE Knowledge, Think Critically)
2.0 Writing
Applications (Genres and Their Characteristics)
Students combine the rhetorical strategies of narration, exposition,
persuasion, and description to produce texts of at least 1,500 words each.
Student writing demonstrates a command of standard American English and the
research, organizational, and drafting strategies outlined in Writing Standard
1.0.
Using the writing strategies of grades eleven and twelve outlined in Writing Standard 1.0, students:
2.1 Write
fictional, autobiographical, or biographical narratives:
a. Narrate a sequence of events and
communicate their significance to the audience.
b. Locate scenes and incidents in specific places.
c. Describe with concrete sensory details the
sights, sounds, and smells of a scene and the specific actions, movements,
gestures, and feelings of the characters; use interior monologue to depict the
characters' feelings.
d. Pace the presentation of actions
to accommodate temporal, spatial, and dramatic mood changes.
e. Make effective use of descriptions of
appearance, images, shifting perspectives, and sensory details. (Integrate
CORE Knowledge, Think Critically, Communicate Effectively)
2.2 Write
responses to literature:
a. Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of
the significant ideas in works or passages.
b. Analyze the use of imagery, language, universal
themes, and unique aspects of the text.
c. Support important ideas and
viewpoints through accurate and detailed references to the text and to other
works.
d. Demonstrate an understanding of
the author's use of stylistic devices and an appreciation of the effects
created.
e. Identify and assess the impact
of perceived ambiguities, nuances, and complexities within the text. (Integrate
CORE Knowledge, Think Critically)
2.3 Write
reflective compositions:
a. Explore the significance of personal
experiences, events, conditions, or concerns by using rhetorical strategies
(e.g., narration, description, exposition, persuasion).
b. Draw comparisons between specific incidents and
broader themes that illustrate the writer's important beliefs or
generalizations about life.
c. Maintain a balance in describing individual
incidents and relate those incidents to more general and abstract ideas.
(Integrate CORE Knowledge, Think Critically)
2.4 Write historical investigation reports:
a. Use exposition, narration,
description, argumentation, exposition, or some combination of rhetorical
strategies to support the main proposition.
b. Analyze several historical
records of a single event, examining critical relationships between elements of
the research topic.
c. Explain the perceived reason or
reasons for the similarities and differences in historical records with
information derived from primary and secondary sources to support or enhance
the presentation.
d. Include information from all
relevant perspectives and take into consideration the validity and reliability
of sources.
e. Include a formal
bibliography.
(Integrate
CORE Knowledge, Think Critically)
2.5 Write job applications and resumés:
a. Provide clear and purposeful
information and address the intended audience appropriately.
b. Use varied levels, patterns,
and types of language to achieve intended effects and aid comprehension.
c. Modify the tone to fit the
purpose and audience.
d. Follow the conventional style
for that type of document (e.g., resumé, memorandum) and use page formats,
fonts, and spacing that contribute to the readability and impact of the
document.
(Integrate CORE Knowledge, Think Critically, Communicate Effectively)
2.6 Deliver multimedia presentations:
a. Combine text, images, and sound
and draw information from many sources (e.g., television broadcasts, videos,
films, newspapers, magazines, CD-ROMs, the Internet, electronic media-generated
images).
b. Select an appropriate medium for
each element of the presentation.
c. Use the selected media
skillfully, editing appropriately and monitoring for quality.
d. Test the audience's response and
revise the presentation accordingly. (Integrate CORE Knowledge, Think
Critically, Communicate Effectively)
Written and Oral English Language Conventions
The standards for written and oral English language conventions have been
placed between those for writing and for listening and speaking because these
conventions are essential to both sets of skills.
1.0 Written
and Oral English Language Conventions
Students write and speak with a command of standard English conventions.
1.1 Demonstrate
control of grammar, diction, and paragraph and sentence structure and an
understanding of English usage.
1.2 Produce legible
work that shows accurate spelling and correct punctuation and capitalization.
1.3 Reflect
appropriate manuscript requirements in writing. (Integrate
CORE Knowledge, Think Critically, Communicate Effectively)
Listening and Speaking
1.0 Listening
and Speaking Strategies
Students formulate adroit judgments about oral communication. They deliver
focused and coherent presentations that convey clear and distinct perspectives and
demonstrate solid reasoning. They use gestures, tone, and vocabulary tailored
to the audience and purpose.
Comprehension
1.1 Recognize
strategies used by the media to inform, persuade, entertain, and transmit
culture (e.g., advertisements; perpetuation of stereotypes; use of visual
representations, special effects, language).
1.2 Analyze the impact of the media on the democratic process (e.g., exerting
influence on elections, creating images of leaders, shaping attitudes) at the
local, state, and national levels.
1.3 Interpret and evaluate the various ways in which events are presented and
information is communicated by visual image makers (e.g., graphic artists,
documentary filmmakers, illustrators, news photographers). (Integrate
CORE Knowledge, Think Critically)
Organization and Delivery of Oral Communication
1.4 Use rhetorical
questions, parallel structure, concrete images, figurative language,
characterization, irony, and dialogue to achieve clarity, force, and aesthetic
effect.
1.5 Distinguish between and use various forms of classical and contemporary
logical arguments, including:
a. Inductive and deductive
reasoning
b. Syllogisms and analogies 1.6 Use logical, ethical,
and emotional appeals that enhance a specific tone and purpose.
1.7 Use appropriate rehearsal strategies to pay attention to performance details,
achieve command of the text, and create skillful artistic staging.
1.8 Use effective
and interesting language, including:
a. Informal expressions for effect
b. Standard American English for
clarity
c. Technical language for
specificity
1.9 Use research and analysis to justify strategies for gesture, movement,
and vocalization, including dialect, pronunciation, and enunciation.
1.10 Evaluate when to use different kinds of effects (e.g., visual, music,
sound, graphics) to create effective productions.
(Integrate CORE Knowledge, Think Critically, Communicate Effectively)
Analysis and Evaluation of Oral and Media Communications
1.11 Critique a speaker's diction and syntax in relation to the purpose of an
oral communication and the impact the words may have on the audience.
1.12 Identify logical fallacies used in oral addresses (e.g., attack ad
hominem, false causality, red herring, overgeneralization, bandwagon
effect).
1.13 Analyze the four basic types of persuasive speech (i.e., propositions of
fact, value, problem, or policy) and understand the similarities and
differences in their patterns of organization and the use of persuasive
language, reasoning, and proof.
1.14 Analyze the techniques used in media messages for a particular audience
and evaluate their effectiveness (e.g., Orson Welles' radio broadcast "War
of the Worlds"). (Integrate CORE Knowledge, Think Critically,
Communicate Effectively)
2.0 Speaking Applications (Genres and Their Characteristics)
Students deliver polished formal and extemporaneous presentations that combine
traditional rhetorical strategies of narration, exposition, persuasion, and
description. Student speaking demonstrates a command of standard American
English and the organizational and delivery strategies outlined in Listening
and Speaking Standard 1.0.
Using the speaking strategies of grades eleven and twelve outlined in Listening and Speaking Standard 1.0, students:
2.1 Deliver
reflective presentations:
a. Explore the significance of personal
experiences, events, conditions, or concerns, using appropriate rhetorical
strategies (e.g., narration, description, exposition, persuasion).
b. Draw comparisons between the specific incident
and broader themes that illustrate the speaker's beliefs or generalizations
about life.
c. Maintain a balance between describing the
incident and relating it to more general, abstract ideas. 2.2 Deliver oral reports
on historical investigations:
a. Use exposition, narration, description,
persuasion, or some combination of those to support the thesis.
b. Analyze several historical records of a single
event, examining critical relationships between elements of the research topic.
c. Explain the perceived reason or reasons for the
similarities and differences by using information derived from primary and
secondary sources to support or enhance the presentation.
d. Include information on all relevant
perspectives and consider the validity and reliability of sources.
2.3 Deliver oral
responses to literature:
a. Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of
the significant ideas of literary works (e.g., make assertions about the text
that are reasonable and supportable).
b. Analyze the imagery, language, universal
themes, and unique aspects of the text through the use of rhetorical strategies
(e.g., narration, description, persuasion, exposition, a combination of those
strategies).
c. Support important ideas and
viewpoints through accurate and detailed references to the text or to other
works.
d. Demonstrate an awareness of the
author's use of stylistic devices and an appreciation of the effects created.
e. Identify and assess the impact
of perceived ambiguities, nuances, and complexities within the text.
2.4 Deliver multimedia presentations:
a. Combine text, images, and sound
by incorporating information from a wide range of media, including films,
newspapers, magazines, CD-ROMs, online information, television, videos, and
electronic media-generated images.
b. Select an appropriate medium for
each element of the presentation.
c. Use the selected media
skillfully, editing appropriately and monitoring for quality.
d. Test the audience's response and
revise the presentation accordingly. 2.5 Recite poems, selections from speeches,
or dramatic soliloquies with attention to performance details to achieve
clarity, force, and aesthetic effect and to demonstrate an understanding of the
meaning (e.g., Hamlet's soliloquy "To Be or Not to Be"). (Integrate CORE Knowledge, Think Critically,
Communicate Effectively)
A.
Text: The Language of Literature McDougal
Littell
B.
CORE Works:
Macbeth by William Shakespeare
Metamorphosis
by Franz Kafka
Bless Me
Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya
C.
Extended Works:
The Strange Tale of Dr. Jekyll and Mr.
Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
Shoeless Joe by Ray Kinsella
Equus by Peter Shafer
Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop
Café by Fannie Flagg
Kaffir Boy by Mark Mathabane
My Antonia by Willa Cather
Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson
Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood
Among Ghosts by Maxine Hong Kingston
D. Daily
Oral Language
E. Vocabulary
for the High School Student