WHAT THEY NEED TO KNOW
In high-school English Language Arts, students will read works of literature and informational texts — with a critical eye.
They will read classic and contemporary works from various eras, cultures, and world views.
Literary texts in Grades 9 and 10 might include such novels as “The Grapes of Wrath” by John Steinbeck or such poems as “The Raven” by Edgar Allen Poe.
In grades 11 and 12, novels might include “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald or “Don Quixote” by Miguel de Cervantes and such poems as “Ode on a Grecian Urn” by John Keats.
Students in Grades 9 and 10 will also study historical documents such as “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” by Martin Luther King Jr. or the “Gettysburg Address” by Abraham Lincoln.
In grades 11 and 12, they might tackle “Common Sense” by Thomas Paine or such social commentary as “Politics and the English Language” by George Orwell.
In writing and class discussions, students will be asked to interpret and analyze what they read, citing examples and evidence from the text. They will sharpen the skills needed to produce high-quality writing, learning to edit and revise their work over multiple drafts.
Here’s a snapshot of what students will do:
Reading
* Make fuller use of written materials, using a wider range of evidence to support an analysis
* Make more connections about how complex ideas interact and develop within a book, essay, or article
* Evaluate arguments and specific claims; assess whether the reasoning is valid and the evidence is sufficient; where appropriate, detect inconsistencies and ambiguities
* Analyze the meaning of foundational US documents (the Declaration of Independence, the Preamble to the Constitution, the Bill of Rights)
Writing
* Make an argument that is logical, well reasoned, and supported by evidence
* Write a literary analysis, report, or summary that develops a central idea and a coherent focus and is well supported with relevant examples, facts, and details
* Conduct several research projects that address different aspects of the same topic, using more complex books, articles, and other sources
Speaking and listening
* Respond thoughtfully to diverse perspectives, synthesizing comments, claims, and evidence made on all sides of an issue and resolving contradictions when possible
* Share research, findings, and evidence clearly and concisely
* Make strategic use of digital media (animations, video, Web sites, podcasts) to enhance understanding of subjects and to add interest
Language
* Determine or clarify the meaning of words and phrases, using multiple strategies, such as context, Greek and Latin roots (bene as in benefactor or benevolent), patterns of words (conceive, conception, conceivable); consult various reference materials (dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses)
* Interpret figures of speech (hyperbole, paradox), and analyze their role in the literature or text
Sample Task, Literature, Grade 9
Romeo and Juliet
In an eight week unit on the Shakespeare tragedy, students read and discuss the play, read and analyze critical essays, and watch a performance on film. Students will then be asked to argue the question: Who is to blame for the deaths of the young lovers?
Assignment:
“Argue in support of two factors, ranking them by importance; develop a counterclaim to your argument, and present evidence for it; cite evidence from the play, a critical essay and at least one other source.”
Sample Task, Literacy, Grades 9-10
The Power of New Media
In a 2- to 3-week unit, students read such articles as “Is Google making us stupid? What the Internet is doing to our brains,” by Nicholas Carr and “Growing Up Digital, wired for distraction” by Matt Richtel.
Assignment:
“Write a 750-word essay in which you:
* Explain what’s at stake: Why does this issue matter?
* Develop and state your own position.
* Defend your position with a range of different types of evidence (interviews, observations, research data, and newspaper reports, etc.).
* Include research you may have conducted.
* Draw your own conclusions about the effects of media on young people and the world.”
Sample Task, Literacy in Social Studies, Grades 9-10
European Imperialism
In a 6- to 8-week unit, students study in depth a variety of materials, including non-fiction articles, literature, film and political cartoons, to explore European imperialism in India, Kenya, the Congo and Vietnam.
Assignment:
“Write an informative/explanatory essay in which you develop the topic of imperialism’s motivation and consequences with well-chosen, relevant and sufficient facts from at least four primary/secondary sources.”
Sample Task, Literacy in Science, Grades 9-10
Vertical farming
This Living Environment unit explores the role of photosynthesis in creating the world’s food supply and how methods of growing impact the environment. The unit covers metabolism, the cell process, homeostasis and ecology. Students research vertical farming, or agriculture in urban high-rises.
Assignment:
“You are an aide to US Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney. Your task is to write a policy brief about whether or not New York City should begin to pursue vertical farming on at least some of the city’s vacant lots (almost 9,000 acres).”
Sample Task: Interdisciplinary, Grade 11
Nuclear energy
Students will read scientific and technical texts on nuclear energy and analyze authors’ competing arguments on its benefits and dangers.
Assignment:
“There are plans to build a nuclear reactor in your town. The town is holding a meeting where citizens can voice their support or opposition to the plant. Assume the role of an expert and write a brief in which you argue for or against building a nuclear reactor.
“Be sure to cite evidence and acknowledge counterclaims. Use words, phrases and clauses to link sections of the brief, and provide a concluding statement that supports your argument.”
Sample Task: Literacy in Social Studies, Grade 11
10-page US History Research Project
Students do in-depth paper on any topic in American history from 1600 to 1990. They choose the subject — and are told to look beyond the subjects studied in class. Examples:
* How did the establishment and popularization of coffeehouses in colonial New York City affect business and politics?
* How did dances and music that developed during the 1920s impact relations between the races in New York?
* How did the Space Race impact the medical technology in America?
* Why were so many Americans antiwar during the Vietnam War?
Assignment:
“You start by posing a question that you want to answer — your thesis question. Then you will do research — search for, evaluate and take organized notes on evidence that supports an answer to your thesis. As you learn more about your topic, you will narrow, broaden, or shift the focus of your paper. Finally, you will organize your evidence, using an outline structure and write a formal essay, with footnotes, that clearly explains your answers . . . and demonstrates your understanding of the topic. You will research and write the way that professional historians do. Your final paper will be a piece of formal research writing that adds to the scholarship on your topic.”
Sample Task, Literature, Grades 11-12
Are Humans Good or Evil?
Students will read political writings “Leviathan” by Thomas Hobbes and “The Social Contract” by Jean-Jacques Rousseau, then masterpiece poem “The Hollow Men” by T.S. Eliot.
Assignment:
According to T.S. Eliot, are humans good or evil? In your essay, argue which side you think Eliot takes. Explain whether Eliot’s thesis is supported by the ideas of either Hobbes or Rousseau. Please also address the counterclaim — i.e., why the other Enlightenment thinker’s ideas do not support Eliot’s thesis.
Students are given a list of elements the essay must include with respect to argument, evidence, reasoning and structure.
Sample Task, Literacy in Social Studies, Grade 12
The Game of Life
In a 3- to 5-week unit on economics, students read news articles and books on personal finance.
The project:
Write, revise, and publish a financial guidebook for young adults (age 18-25) to prepare them for “the game of life.”
The guidebook must have a colorful, eye-catching cover with artwork or graphics and adopt a ”fun, easy-to-access tone” to give advice on a topic, such as budgeting, paying for college or using credit cards.
It must include a table of contents, key tips, and charts, graphs or pictures to illustrate points.
Sample Task, Economics,
Grade 12
Students read “America – The Real Lord of War” and “Defending Defense.”
Assignment:
1) According to each author, what is the right fiscal policy position for the US to take on this topic?
2) What values does each author see as important in shaping decisions?
3) Is his reasoning valid?
4) Is his evidence relevant and sufficient?
“Using these texts as background, compare the three budgets’ treatments of defense. Write a position paper in which you argue which budget you support. Be sure to acknowledge competing views and cite the texts. Make sure to recognize the possible biases that the writers of each budgetary document may hold.”