This is the first course in a two-course sequence. Students will read engaging works of literature and explore topics of interest as they develop their reading, writing and speaking skills. Students will complete two sets of units that focus on narrative writing and argumentative writing. Prerequisites: 9th Grade English
Course Objectives: Upon completing this course students will be able to:
- Identify a variety of literary elements and devices
- Produce personal narratives using literary elements and devices
- Produce personal narratives using audio and visual tools
- Explore a number of sources in order to find support for a specific position and topic
- Produce argumentative writings that use evidence from sources to support a claim
Course Outline:
Unit 1: The Color of Water - Students will read The Color of Water and explore elements of literature and memoirs, then write their own short narrative use the elements they have explored.
Unit 2: Poetry and Short Story - Students will explore literary elements and devices and write two mini-memoirs--poem and short story.
Unit 3: Digital Storytelling - Students will explore and create their own digital story.
Unit 4: Narrative Essay - Students will complete several writer’s workshops in order to write their own narrative.
Unit 5: PSAT Prep - Students will complete a practice PSAT on reading and analyze their own progress.
Unit 6: Catcher in the Rye - Students will read The Catcher in the Rye and complete several writer’s workshops in order to practice argumentative writing.
Unit 7: Courage and Change - Students will use several different types of text maps and graphic organizers to categorize and analyze information in text, video, and audio.
Unit 8: PSAT Prep - Students will complete a practice PSAT on reading and analyze their own progress.
Unit 9: Argumentative Essay - Students will complete several writer’s workshops in order to write an argumentative essay on a topic they have chosen using resources from the course.
Resources Included: Online lesson instruction and activities, opportunities to engage with a certified, online instructor and classmates, when appropriate, and online assessments to measure student performance of course objectives and readiness for subsequent academic pursuits.
Additional Costs: Students are responsible for having their own copy of The Color of Water by James McBride and The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger.
Scoring System: Michigan Virtual does not assign letter grades, grant credit for courses, nor issue transcripts or diplomas. A final score reported as a percentage of total points earned will be sent to students upon completion of a course. Your school mentor is also able to access this score within the Student Learning Portal. Schools may use this score for conversion to their own letter grading system.
Time Commitment: Semester sessions are 18-weeks long: Students must be able to spend 1 or more hours per day in the course to be successful. Summer sessions are 10 weeks long: Students must be able to spend a minimum of 2 or more hours per day, or about 90 hours during the summer, for the student to be successful in any course. Trimester sessions are 12-weeks long: Students must be able to spend 1.5 or more hours per day in the course to be successful.
Technology Requirements: Students will require a computer device with headphones, a microphone, webcam, up-to-date Chrome Web Browser, and access to YouTube.
Please review the Michigan Virtual Technology Requirements: https://michiganvirtual.org/about/support/knowledge-base/technical-requirements/
Instructor Support System: For technical issues within your course, contact the Customer Care Center by email at [email protected] or by phone at (888) 889-2840.
Instructor Contact Expectations: Students can use email or the private message system within the Student Learning Portal to access highly qualified teachers when they need instructor assistance. Students will also receive feedback on their work inside the learning management system. The Instructor Info area of their course may describe additional communication options.
Academic Support Available: In addition to access to a highly qualified, Michigan certified teacher, students have access to academic videos and outside resources verified by Michigan Virtual. For technical issues within the course, students can contact the Michigan Virtual Customer Care by email at [email protected] or by phone at (888) 889-2840.
Required Assessment: Online assessments consist of formative and summative assessments represented by computer-graded multiple choice, instructor-graded writing assignments including hands-on projects, model building and other forms of authentic assessments.
Technical Skills Needed: Basic technology skills necessary to locate and share information and files as well as interact with others in a Learning Management System (LMS), include the ability to:
- Download, edit, save, convert, and upload files
- Download and install software
- Use a messaging service similar to email
- Communicate with others in online discussion or message boards, following basic rules of netiquette
- Open attachments shared in messages
- Create, save, and submit files in commonly used word processing program formats and as a PDF
- Edit file share settings in cloud-based applications, such as Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides
- Save a file as a .pdf
- Copy and paste and format text using your mouse, keyboard, or an html editor’s toolbar menu
- Insert images or links into a file or html editor
- Search for information within a document using Ctrl+F or Command+F keyboard shortcuts
- Work in multiple browser windows and tabs simultaneously
- Activate a microphone or webcam on your device, and record and upload or link audio and/or video files
- Use presentation and graphics programs
- Follow an online pacing guide or calendar of due dates
- Use spell-check, citation editors, and tools commonly provided in word processing tool menus
- Create and maintain usernames and passwords
Additional Information: Students are responsible for having their own copy of The Color of Water by James McBride and The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger.