This is the second course in a two-course sequence. The two major themes for this semester are “Survival” and “Discovery.” As students progress through these themes, they will address several essential questions related to these themes while reading a variety of works. In addition to major works, students will read short stories and informational texts, engage in poetry analysis, view informational videos, and write for various purposes. Some of the larger writing assignments include a research project and a narrative essay. As a supplement to these writing assignments, students will partake in grammar challenges where they learn about grammar concepts and develop a mastery of their use. In addition to building their writing skills, students will learn several reading strategies such as how to use graphic organizers to extract important information and summarize to monitor comprehension. Furthermore, students will explore several rhetorical devices and strategies like characterization, allusion, word choice and diction, setting, and more. Prerequisites: English 9A
Course Objectives: By the end of this course, students will be able to do each of the following:
- discuss their ideas effectively with their peers through discussion boards
- activate prior knowledge and build a personal connection with unfamiliar texts
- use graphic organizers to write a variety of paragraphs
- use quotations effectively in writing
- understand, identify, and evaluate an author’s use of theme(s)
- develop an effective research project
- conduct research, identify credible sources, record notes, and develop, research questions, a research outline, and thesis statement
- create a works cited page and parenthetical documentations using MLA format
- use graphic organizers and summarizing to guide them through readings and help them to think critically about literary and informational texts
- discuss their ideas effectively with their peers through discussion boards
- understand, identify, and evaluate the effectiveness of several literary and rhetorical devices like setting, allusion, and imagery
- evaluate how making historical connections to time periods referenced in literature builds meaning
- understand and identify the elements of a narrative essay
- construct an effective narrative essay
Course Outline:
- Part One: Survival
- Unit 1: How Can I Develop the Qualities Necessary for Survival?
- Unit 2: How Can I Learn From Challenges and Hardships?
- Unit 3: Research Project
- Part Two: Discovery
- Unit 4: How Do My Talents and Skills Define Me?
- Unit 5: What People and Events Most Change Me?
- Unit 6: What Can I Do To Realize my Dreams?
- Unit 7: Narrative Essay
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.
Students may need to locate some short stories, essays, and poems. There are links to electronic versions of all of these works in the course. Several video clips that are linked in the course “I Never Saw Another Butterfly”—collection of poems “Contents of the Dead Man’s Pockets” by Jack Finney ,“Talent” by Anton Chekhov.
Additional Costs: Students will be responsible for locating a print or online version of the following books: Night by Elie Wiesel, Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury.
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 will be responsible for locating a print or online version of the following books: Night by Elie Wiesel, Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury.