Course Overview
The Freshman English through Spokane Virtual Learning is a lively, engaging course created around the motif of "The Hero's Adventure." The course is designed to prepare students not only for the writing and reading portions of the WASL, but to give them the reading, writing, and analysis skills necessary to be successful high school students and highly functioning adults. The course is intended to be challenging yet fun. Students select their own level or rigor: the regular freshman track or the honors track.
The emphasis of this course will be on the following skills:
- How to draft expository essays and persuasive arguments
- How to analyze fiction and non fiction using a variety of interpretive skills to identify and understand its literary elements
- How to take the lessons found in fiction and non fiction and apply them to the students' daily lives
What's unique about this course is that we'll be looking at the role "heroes" play in our lives -- from the protagonists in our stories to role models we choose to follow.
To achieve long-term impact, Freshman English is designed to build learning around the following enduring understandings:
- Literature provides a mirror to help us understand ourselves, others, and the world we live in.
- Literature -- both fiction and non fiction -- teaches valuable life lessons.
- Writing is a tool to inform and persuade others.
- The writing process refines thinking.
- Heroes can be role models.
- Heroes guide our way in life.
Finding Success
Our goal is that each and every student finds success in the Freshman English virtual classroom. To be successful, though, students need to dedicate themselves to working hard. Students will find success in our online class by working persistently to complete assignments and using feedback to improve their reading and writing skills. Since skills build upon stills, it is important that assignments be completed on time so we may move to the next level of study.
At the beginning of Semester A, we really start by reviewing the basics of writing and literary analysis. Once these foundations are established, we'll work towards more complex activities. For example, in writing, we begin with basic writing skills and work towards building strong paragraphs, since these will form the foundation of more complex writing projects. From paragraph writing in the first half of Semester A, we work towards creating multi-paragraph expository essays. In Semester B, we start our persuasive writing with letters to the editor, then we use this foundation for creating longer persuasive essays. Regularly writing assignments will be assigned, and abundant feedback will be given to promote growth in writing. For students to be successful, they need to complete their writing assignments promptly and use our feedback to better their skills.
At the beginning of Semester A, we will also begin our review of literary terms and their application to reading and interpreting fiction and non-fiction literature. Again, we'll provide ample feedback to improve skills, but students must turn in assignments and apply our feedback if they are to grow in their skills and find success.
To all interested freshman students, we want to give a hearty welcome. From you we'll ask a reasonable effort. On our part, we'll work to make this course appropriately challenging, worthwhile and enjoyable.
Scope and Sequence
Semester A
Unit 1: Short Stories and Paragraph Writing
Literature: Short Stories and Literary Concepts
- Read a variety of engaging, classic short stories
- Apply reading strategies to short-story selections
- Use short stories for review/understanding/application of literary terms
Writing: Review of Paragraph Construction
- Solid paragraph construction will be emphasized through topics that relate to the
short stories being read.
Unit 2: Literature: Farewell to Manzanar/ Applications of Literary Concepts to Narrative Non Fiction
Literature: Farewell to Manzanar
- Apply reading strategies to non fiction
- Use non-fiction stories for review/understanding/application of literary terms
Unit 3: Analysis of the Novel and Construction of Multi Paragraph Essays
Literature: To Kill a Mockingbird/ Application of Literary Concepts to a Novel
- To Kill a Mockingbird
- Apply reading strategies to a novel
- Excerpts from the "Hero's Adventure"
- Use a novel for review/understanding/application of literary terms
Writing: Multi-paragraph Essays
- Online writing resources for multi-paragraph essays (or Lively Art of Writing)
- Application of expository writing skills to an essay relating To Kill a Mockingbird
Semester A Honors Extension: "The Hero's Adventure"
- The Power of Myth : "The Hero's Adventure"
- Analysis of this complex essay and application to To Kill a Mockingbird
Semester B
Unit 4: House on Mango Street: Multicultural Perspective/Application of Literary Concepts to a Novel
Literature: House on Mango Street
- Apply reading strategies to a multicultural work
- Use multicultural works for review/understanding/application of literary terms
Writing: Intro to Persuasive Writing
Unit 5: Poetry and Persuasive Writing
Literature: Poetry Unit/Poetry Devices and How They Work to Create Meaning
- Apply reading strategies to poetry selections
- Use poetry selection for review/understanding/application of poetry devices
Writing: Persuasive Essays
- WASL Style Persuasive Essays
Unit 6: Romeo and Juliet and the Application of Drama Concepts
Literature: Romeo and Juliet/Drama Concepts
- Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
- Apply reading strategies to drama
- Use plays for review/understanding/application of literary terms
- Analyze the characters to judge their degree of heroism
Semester B Honors Extension: Further Application of "The Hero's Adventure"
- Honors Extensions: Further applications of "A Hero's Adventure"
- Old Man and the Sea by Earnest Hemingway
- Video: A River Runs Through It based on the book by Norman Mclean
Required Resources:
Throughout the course, there will be videos and texts that students will obtain from the public library, school library or by purchasing a personal copy from Auntie’s bookstore or Amazon.com or other book stores.
Evaluation/Grading/Requirements:
Assignments will be converted into points. Grades will be assigned based on the following percentages:
- A 90 - 100 percent
- B 80 - 89 percent
- C 70 - 79 percent
- D 60 - 69 percent
- Incomplete 59 percent and below
Course Policies
Academic Integrity :
It is the responsibility of the student to uphold the highest in academic integrity. Students in this course will be expected to comply with the official Spokane District 81 Policy regarding Academic Integrity. It is the assumption of the instructor that all work is done by the student.
District Computer/Network Usage:
Careful and ethical use of computing resources is the responsibility of every user. Students will be held to a stand of accountability for how they use computers. The official District Acceptable Use Policy is found here (PDF).
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