Mission For The ClassMs. Smith’s 11th Grade English Class
“The American Experience”
Understanding by Design: Curriculum Plan for 2008-2009
Students will explore these essential Questions….
• What is an American?
• What is “The American Dream” and how does American literature reflect our
society’s quest for that dream?
• How does literature reflect American society’s ongoing struggle to live up
to the ideals of democracy?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of living in a “melting pot”
society?
• How is American Literature both unique and diverse?
•What is my role as an individual in a literate democracy?
Course Goals
Students will be able to…
• Identify the genres of writing: drama, novel, short story, poem, non-
fiction.
• Analyze literature in terms of plot, setting, theme, characterization,
protagonist, and antagonist.
• Critically analyze literature using interpretive/essential questions within
the Junior Great Books framework.
• Understand the ideas and process of writing expository, analytical, and
argumentative essays.
• Proofread, evaluate, and revise their own writing with improved skills in
the areas of content and form.
• Identify and practice academically appropriate sentence construction,
subject and predicate, phrases and clauses, mechanics and usage.
•Demonstrate an understanding of the conventions of citing primary and
secondary sources.
•Pursue an ongoing Independent Reading project in American Literature.
• Successfully demonstrate mastery of all four components of writing for the
New York State Regents Examination.
