English 11

Course Number: C131 /
Category: English Language Arts /
Credits: 2 /
Recommended Grades: 11 /
Level: College Prep /
Length: Full Year /
Description: ELA 11 begins with the exploration of the central question, What Does it Mean to Be an American? in which students conduct academic research as part of small pathway groups. Throughout the year, students read full-length Literary canon (The Great Gatsby, Beloved) or contemporary works (Friday Night Lights, The Warmth of Other Suns) alongside curated collections of authentic texts to build background knowledge and to provide a diverse array of perspectives. Topical text collections include Telling Stories with Film, and The American Dream of Homeownership to allow students to engage in interdisciplinary learning. The year concludes with a student-driven research project and presentation to the learning community. Over the course of the year, students write a variety of longer writing assignments: original narratives, reflective narratives, literary analysis, expository essays, argumentative essays, and a film proposal. This course is aligned to the 2017 Massachusetts Language Arts and Literacy Curriculum Frameworks (11/12) and counts as a unit of ELA towards CHS graduation requirements.