Course Outline for ENGLISH 3201

Email: lesleighsmith@nlesd.ca
Website: mssmithsenglish.weebly.com
Students are expected to come to class each day with an English binder/notebook
for notes, seatwork, and homework. While the information below is a general
overview of how the year will look, changes may occur to provide additional
learning opportunities. Please note that beyond the assessments included below,
homework, in-class work, and journals may be assessed throughout the year.
TERM ONE - THEMES OF IDENTITY, RELATIONSHIPS, STRENGTH AND
STRUGGLE:
As your year begins, please note that The Catcher in the Rye or A Separate Peace
will be a whole group read, followed by a film study of The Secret Life of Bees, and
in term two an independent read using the following title options: The Adventures of
Huckleberry Finn , Blank Confession, Dracula, The Eternal Smile, Face-Off, The
Fellowship of the Ring, Heist Society, Iron Heart, Juba Good, Life of Pi, Miss
Peregrines Home For Peculiar Children, North of Beautiful, The Secret Life of Bees,
A Separate Peace, Standing Tall: My Journey, The Stone Angel, , Schindlers List ,
Tuesdays With Morrie, Trapped, We Were Liars, Wintergirls, Waiting for Time.

Students will be immediately provided with a copy of The Catcher in the Rye
or A Separate Peace to be read independently by Oct. 10th, 2015.

Students will also begin to choose a topic and gather information for the
Research Paper component of the course. Submission dates will be
staggered for topic, outline, reference page, peer edit, paper. The full
paper must be completed by the end of term one. It will not be
graded during exams. (OUTCOMES 4,5,18,19,20,21,22,31,36)

Sept. - Oct.: Essay Unit (minimum of 8 essays) Assessment: Essay Portfolio;

(W/R) Speech (S/L); unit test (R/V) (OUTCOMES 8, 27, 28, 29, 30, 37)
Essays:
Descriptive Essay - A Favourite Place, p.19 in Quest (Listening Exercise
followed by jot notes on a place of choice, using sensory language, spatial
order, and adjectives to create a dominant impression - OPTION #1 of 3 to
pass in***) (OUTCOMES 6,7)
Narrative Essay Am I Blue?, p. 222 in Echoes 12 (Jot notes on a personal
story, using the five ws and making a point through the story OPTION #2
of 3 to pass in***) (OUTCOMES 6,7)
Expository Essays Of Revenge, p. 344 in Echoes 12; Japanese Tea
Ceremony, p. 340 in Echoes 12
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Speech I Am Here Today Because I Am Gay, p. 35 in Quest (Listening

Exercise) (OUTCOMES 3, 9, 12)
Argumentative/Persuasive Essays - Forget Prince Charming, p. 322;
Cellphones, p. 403 Listening Exercise (Jot notes on an issue of your choice,
where the goal is to make arguments that may end with a call to action;
one approach could be to find an editorial and write a letter to the editor
in response OPTION #3 of 3***). (OUTCOMES 6, 7)
***All three OPTIONS should be passed in as a small portfolio of work, with two of
the items being rough drafts that show your knowledge of the essay type, with the
third item being a polished copy that will be marked and then used as your SPEECH
(peer evaluation and self-evaluation to follow).
SPEECH PREP.
Review Toastmasters Tips
Share a Ted Talk. Student critique.
Discuss expectations for different speech forms (advertisement, formal speech,
stand-up, )
(OUTCOMES 4, 5, 9, 31, 32, 33, 36, 39, 40, 41, 42).
Thematic Connections to Identity, Relationships, and Struggle (i) Short
Story: A Girls Story by David Arnason (p.227) Echoes 12
(ii) Song: Its been a long day without you my friend by Wiz Khalifa (Listening
and viewing exercise)/ Spoken Word Poem: Pretty (radio version) by Katie M.
How do tone, pace, volume, etc influence meaning?

(iii) Poem: puce fairy book by Alice Major (p.36) Echoes 12

(iv) Paintings: famous paintings depicting human identity relationships,
struggle
Early Oct.: Novel Study #1. The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger
Assessment: Expository essay (literary analysis) (W/R); and Character Box
(Students will pick out an object and tell how it connects to Catcher by
character, symbol, or theme.) (S/L) OR Apathy/Empathy/Sympathy Talk
(Students will apply these three ideas to Catcher. (OUTCOMES 10, 11, 12)
Connections (i) Short Story: The Fly by: Katherine Mansfield (p.274) Echoes
12
(ii) Poem: The Lady of Shalott by: Alfred Lord Tennyson (p.80) Echoes 12

Late Oct. Film/ Novel Excerpt Study #2. The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk
Kidd (OUTCOMES 13, 16)
Nov.: THEME OF MAKING A DIFFERENCE: Media Deconstruction Unit.
Assessment: In class media deconstruction (R/V); Media Strategies
Collage(W/R) Stop the Beauty Madness, p. 143 of Quest
Connections (i) Short Story: Juliet by: Helen Fogwill Porter (p.280) Echoes 12
(ii) Poem: Candle in the Wind by: Elton John and Bernie Taupin (p.92) Echoes
12
(iii) Visual: Art Gallery: Students will view pieces around the room, note
emotional responses, and pair/ share compare these responses. Take one piece and
respond with a haiku, your own art piece, another option (OUTCOMES 13, 14, 15,
16, 17)
Nov. Dec. Drama Unit: (1) Short Drama The Black and White by: Harold Pinter
(p.150) Echoes 12; (2) Greek tragedy Antigone by Sophocles. Assessment:
Enactment of script or Improvisation (S/L); Documentary The House of Shafia.
Assessment: Graphic organizer (R/V); Journal (W/R) (OUTCOMES 7, 8)
Connections (i) Short Story: The Night Face Up by: Julio Cortazar (p.265)
Echoes 12
(ii) Poem: Refugee Mother and Child by: Chinua Achebe (p.41) Echoes 12
CHRISTMAS BREAK (Dec.22 nd, 2015 to Jan.4th, 2016)
Jan. Loose ends and review.
January 2016 Midterm Exam Period
TERM TWO THEMES OF PASSION FOR LIVING, LOSS AND ENDINGS AND
THE POWER OF ART
Students will be provided with their term two novel of choice.
Feb. Short Story Unit (minimum of 8 stories) Assessment:
Response/Journal (W/R); short story unit test (R/V)

Personal

Destination, Quest p. 358

The Story of an Hour, Quest p.354
Miss Brill, Quest, p.218
The Fly, Echoes 12, p.274
Assessment: Create a text to define your own personal, social, and
cultural identity, and your passion for living. Choose a symbol that

represents you somehow in this creation. Square share and evaluate.

(OUTCOMES 34, 35, 36)
Connections (i) Essay: On Lying in Bed, Quest p. 23
(ii) Ad: Lets find an ad together one that appeals to our passion for life
(iii) Poems: free verse - The House Was Quiet and the World Was Calm, Quest,
p. 184 and ode - Ode to an Artichoke, p. 199
Mar.: LOSS AND ENDINGS Shakespearean Play and Film Study: Macbeth.
Assessment: Sharing a representing project (or with TCITR) (S/L); essay
(W/R)
Connections
(i) Ad (The Power of Art): We will find an ad that is as powerful as the witches
suggestive power over Macbeth. Who can find the most manipulative ad?
(ii) Poem: Sonnet 147, Echoes 12, p. 61
EASTER BREAK (March 25 - April 4)
April: THE POWER OF ART Visuals (minimum of 8 visual texts); Assessment:
visuals group individual assignment to find three different visuals on a
topic that represent three different groups, time periods, or locations and
contrast the visuals: which is most engaging/informative/useful? (S/L)
(R/V) (OUTCOMES 35, 36, 37)
Connections (i) Essay: Whats in a Band Name? Quest, p. 134
(ii) CD covers: linked to essay above (OUTCOMES 23, 24, 25 26)
(iii) graphic ballad poem The Highwayman, Quest, p. 174
Late April: Poetry Unit (minimum of 15 poems with some covered earlier)
Assessment: Poetry questionnaire/ Illustrating (W/R); unit test (R/V)
Poems will be chosen to fit the theme PASSION FOR LIVING or LOSS AND
ENDINGS
Connections (to Loss and Endings poems) (i) Essay and Listening Activity:
The Perils of Indifference, Echoes 12, p. 443 (OUTCOMES 2, 3)
(ii) Short story: Destination, Quest, p. 358
May June : Novel Study #3 - Independent novel evaluation. Assessment: Book
Talk (S/L) (OUTCOMES 4, 5)
Public Exam Review
June 2017 - Public Exam
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