Connections Educational Resources

Unit 1:  Mechanics

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1  9/1  Parts of Speech and Proofreading Marks

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2  9/8  Verbs and Verbals

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3  9/15  Sentence Structure

 

4  9/22  Punctuation

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5  9/29  Homophones / Confusing Words

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6  10/6  Review:  Editing and Proofreading  

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Unit 2:  Composition

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1  10/13 Research Writing -- MLA format

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2  10/20  Research Writing continued (class will not meet -- students will use this week to continue their reading and note-taking for their research paper)

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3  10/27  Research Writing completed

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4  11/3  Creating Setting and Character

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5  11/10 Creating Conflict and Plot

 

 

6  11/17 Presenting Research or Creative Projects

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7  12/1  Exposition and Narration

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8  12/8  Persuasive Writing

 

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Unit 3: Exploration

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1  1/12  Poetry:  Figurative Language

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2  1/19  Short Story:  Theme

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3  1/26  Shakespeare:  Hamlet

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4  2/02  Hamlet continued

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5  2/09  Novel:  World Literature: Setting

Suggested Novels:  Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, A Passage to India, Heart of Darkness, The Hobbit*, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe*, Anne of Green Gables*, The Samurai’s Tale*

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6  2/16  Novel continued -- Writing an Approach Paper

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7  2/23  Novel completed  (class will not meet -- rough draft of approach paper will be due on 2/23 and will be submitted, commented upon, and revised via Google docs; final draft due on 3/2)

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Unit 4:  Analysis

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1 3/2  Novel:  Dystopian Literature -- Man vs Society

Suggested Novels:  Hunger Games, The Maze Runner, The Giver, Fahrenheit 451, Ender’s Game*, A Wrinkle in Time*,  

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Discussion Question / Essay Prompt:  Why do people “follow the crowd”?

Poetry Reading:

The Road Not Taken

 

 

2 3/9 Analyzing Dystopian Literature

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Nonfiction Reading (field: psychology):

ABC News Story:  Why Do People Follow the Crowd?

https://www.commonlit.org/texts/why-do-people-follow-the-crowd

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3  3/16  Novel:  American Novel:  -- Man vs Nature

Suggested Novel:  The Old Man and the Sea, White Fang, Call of the Wild, Moby Dick, Banner in the Sky*, Troubling a Star*

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Discussion Question / Essay Prompt:  Who’s in control?  Man or Nature?

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Poetry Reading:

There Will Come Soft Rains

https://www.commonlit.org/texts/there-will-come-soft-rains

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4  3/23  Analyzing the Classic American Novel

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Short Story:

The Law of Life by Jack London

https://www.commonlit.org/texts/the-law-of-life

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3/30 Spring Break -- no class

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5  4/6  Writing a Literary Analysis

 

6  4/13  Capstone Assignment

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7  4/20  Review / study hall for final literary analysis and capstone assignment

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8  4/27  Presentation of Capstone Assignment

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Books marked with an * are more accessible to sensitive or struggling readers.

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PLEASE NOTE:  Reading selections are chosen with care and intent to be age- and classroom- appropriate.   Most selections would fall into the PG or PG-13 rating; and as such will have some more mature themes and occasional profanity.  Please do not register for this class if this will be offensive to your family.  A complete book list will be posted when available.