AMERICAN LITERATURE 111 B HONORS

COURSE DESCRIPTION: This is an accelerated college prep class which emphasizes careful reading and interpretation of literary selections. The course will survey American works and authors from realism through contemporary society and will prepare the student for specific writing experiences such as exposition, analysis of literature, and literary criticism as well as vocabulary development, speaking and listening, research and test-taking skills.

1. WRITING
1. Multi paragraph essays (Minimum four)
1. Opening paragraph
2. Thesis statement
3. Topic sentence
4. Paragraph development
5. Transitional devices
6. Conclusion
   
   
2. Types of essays
1. Persuasion/argumentation
2. Analysis/literary analysis
3. Definition
4. Comparison/contrast
5. Research paper (mandatory)
   
   
3. Timed writings
   
   
4. Suggested additional writings
   1. Critical review
   2. Reader response
   3. Impromptu writing
   4. Creative writing
      
      
5. Internal documentation
6. Writing styles
   
   
2. READING/LITERATURE
1. Literary movements
1. Realism
2. Regionalism
3. Naturalism
4. Modernism
5. Imagism
6. Harlem Renaissance
7. Post-modernism
   
   
2. Background
1. Chronology, characteristics, evolution of literary movements
2. Authors’ backgrounds
   
   
3. Literary selections (concentration on quality rather than quantity)
   
   
4. Literary terms
   
   
5. Comprehension
1. PSAT, SAT, ACT preparation
2. Literary techniques
   
   
6. Parallel reading
   
   
3. USAGE/GRAMMAR
1. Standard English
2. Sentence structure
3. Proofreading
4. Capitalization, punctuation, spelling
5. Voice
6. Tense
7. Pronoun usage
8. Parallel structure
   
   
4. LANGUAGE/VOCABULARY
1. Words from literary selections
2. PSAT and SAT/ACT Preparation
3. Etymology
4. Analogies
   
   
5. RESEARCH/TECHNOLOGY
1. Technological and informational resources
2. Computer software and technology to write, revise, and correct writing (where available)
3. MLA style
   
   
6. SPEAKING/LISTENING
1. Oral presentations/reading/recitation
2. Class discussion
3. Group discussion/cooperative learning
4. Notetaking
5. Listens actively and courteously