English 4 Print
Description:This is English 4, a 12th grade, senior level course the covers British and World Literature. You will work with many genres, including poetry, drama, short stories, novel, essay, oratory, and public documents.
Everyone has a favorite book. It might be a book that a family member read to you as you were drifting off to sleep. It might be the first book you read by yourself. Now, much of your reading may be due to course and school requirement; if you think about it, you may enjoy some readings and dislike others, but you have to read them. You will likely have varying feelings about genres such as fan fiction, bestsellers, fiction, non-fiction, and of course, the classics. If you saw the movie Beowulf, you might be surprised to see the original story in your textbook, written during the Anglo-Saxon period. Archeologists are still trying to prove whether or not King Arthur and his Round Table are real or if it was just a story passed by travelling storytellers. One thing you must admit is that reading is part of your life.
Materials:
Explorations an Anthology of British and World Literature Volume D.
English 4 Learning Guide
Students will need to obtain their own copy of one of the following:
Semester 1:
1984 by George Orwell
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
A Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
Semester 2
All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
Empire of the Sun by J.G. Ballard
Course Objectives/Outline
When you have completed this course, you will be able to:
Lesson 1: Heroism
Students will learn to develop a comprehensive understanding of heroic figures and their literary significance by exploring the concepts of epic heroes, heroic archetypes, alliteration, romantic heroes, conjunctions, coordinating and subjunctive clauses, and the comparison of Beowulf and King Arthur as heroes. Additionally, students will apply this knowledge creatively by crafting an original Arthurian legend.
Lesson 2: Relationships
Students will begin to cultivate a comprehensive understanding of various texts and their characteristics, including language, structure, and organization/presentation. Students will differentiate between literal and figurative language, developing proficiency in reading and comprehending poetry. Students will analyze the distinct features of ballads and identify literary techniques employed in poetry. Students will acquire knowledge about elements of poetry, such as stanzas, line breaks, white space, and rhythm. Finally, students will begin to apply this knowledge creatively by crafting an original poem or sonnet using literary techniques.
Lesson 3: Dystopia
Students will develop a comprehensive understanding of dystopia as a genre, including its definition and the analysis of characteristics exhibited in dystopian societies such as government control, social hierarchy, and restriction of individual freedoms. Students will explore the relevance and parallels between dystopian literature and contemporary society. Students will foster critical thinking and analytical skills through close reading and analysis of dystopian novels. Students will aim to enhance communication skills through written expression and articulate analysis of dystopian themes and concepts.
Lesson 4: Choice vs Consequences
Students will discover the quest for beauty and the creation of monsters in the literature of the Romantic period.
Lesson 5: Innocence and Experience
Students will explore the effect of industrialization and expansion on the literature of the Victorian period and the modern world.
Lesson 6: Research Paper
Students will examine the effects of World War I, World War II, and civil wars on the themes and creation of literature in Great Britain and its colonies.