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English 4A
   

Course Description

This course covers an integral approach to the study of English with literature at its center and will provide students with an understanding of various concepts related to language and literature. Students will read a variety of material including short stories, fantasy literature, war stories, letters, poetry, and the novel Bless Me, Ultima. Major topics within the course include literary analysis, grammar and the mechanics of language, vocabulary development, interview techniques, and library and Internet research.  Students are required to master the essential components of English 4A and to demonstrate their understanding of the content through various writing assignments including historical investigative reports, responses to literature, reflective writing, and creative writing utilizing The Writing Process.

Credits: 5


University of California
A-G Approval
State Standards
High School Exit Exam

Course Content

Unit 1 - Letters in History and Literature

California Curriculum Standards

Students read and understand grade-level-appropriate material. They analyze the organizational patterns, arguments, and positions advanced. In addition, by grade twelve, students read two million words annually on their own, including a wide variety of classic and contemporary literature, magazines, newspapers, and online information. (Reading Comprehension 2.1, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.8)

Students read and respond to historically or culturally significant works of literature that reflect and enhance their studies of history and social science. They conduct in-depth analyses of recurrent themes. (Literary Response and Analysis 3.8)

Students write coherent and focused texts that convey a well-defined perspective and tightly reasoned argument. The writing demonstrates students' awareness of the audience and purpose and progression through the stages of the writing process. (Writing Strategies 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.6, 1.7, 1.9)

Students combine the rhetorical strategies of narration, exposition, persuasion, and description to produce texts of at least 1,500 words each. Student writing demonstrates a command of standard American English and the research, organizational, and drafting strategies outlined in Writing Standard 1.0. (Writing Applications 2.1, 2.2, 2.4, 2.5)

Students write and speak with a command of standard English conventions. (Written and Oral English Language Conventions 1.1, 1.2, 1.3)

Unit Objectives

Upon completion of this unit, the student will be able to:

  • Develop ethical, aesthetic, and cultural insights concerning different societies in different time periods and understand that basic human emotions and concerns are both universal and timeless.
  • Develop deeper insights into characterization through reading letters.
  • Analyze societal attitudes concerning marriage, parenting, finances, discrimination, and other universal experiences.
    Develop research skills by researching topics and/or related themes found in the letters.
  • Understand that letter-writing is an important aspect of communication which allows human beings to express their ideas and feelings and develop a more critical attitude toward his/her own ability as a letter-writer.
  • Develop his/her own vocabulary through guided practice.
  • Improve reading skills through independent reading practice and build reading ability using a set of reading strategies.
  • Use the Writing Process to write (a) essays in response to reading the letters and (b) original letters.

Unit 2 - Fantasy and the Unexplained

California Curriculum Standards

Students apply their knowledge of word origins to determine the meaning of new words encountered in reading materials and use those words accurately. (Word Analysis, Fluency, and Systematic Vocabulary Development 1.3)

Students read and understand grade-level-appropriate material. They analyze the organizational patterns, arguments, and positions advanced. In addition, by grade twelve, students read two million words annually on their own, including a wide variety of classic and contemporary literature, magazines, newspapers, and online information. (Reading Comprehension 2.4)

Students read and respond to historically or culturally significant works of literature that reflect and enhance their studies of history and social science. They conduct in-depth analyses of recurrent themes. (Literary Response and Analysis 3.2, 3.4, 3.6, 3.8, 3.9)

Students write coherent and focused texts that convey a well-defined perspective and tightly reasoned argument. The writing demonstrates students' awareness of the audience and purpose and progression through the stages of the writing process. (Writing Strategies 1.1, 1.3, 1.5)

Students combine the rhetorical strategies of narration, exposition, persuasion, and description to produce texts of at least 1,500 words each. Student writing demonstrates a command of standard American English and the research, organizational, and drafting strategies outlined in Writing Standard 1.0. (Writing Applications 2.1, 2.2)

Students write and speak with a command of standard English conventions. (Written and Oral English Language Conventions 1.1, 1.2)

Unit Objectives

Upon completion of this Unit, the student will be able to:

  • Evaluate critically the role that fantasy plays in life and draw conclusions about its connection with their own lives.
  • Check syntactically and semantically their “educated guesses” about meanings of words.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of different types of analogies.
  • Develop critical comprehension and higher thinking ability by discussing complex human values they encounter in the literary selections in this Unit.
  • Develop inferential comprehension by reading, discussing, and completing assignments in this Unit.
  • Identify the more complex aspects of characterization, point of view, conflict   resolution, mood, tone, and figurative language.
  • Understand that language is constantly changing and be able to discuss the language and spelling in selections from a different time and place.
  • Develop a sense of audience, voice, style, and purpose for their own writing.
  • Use acceptable conventions of writing in all communications and be able to discuss the conventions of writing used by various authors.
  • Apply factual, inferential, and critical comprehension to their reading, writing, listening, and speaking.
    Increase reading skills through independent reading.

Unit 3 - Experiences with War and Peace

California Curriculum Standards

Students apply their knowledge of word origins to determine the meaning of new words encountered in reading materials and use those words accurately. (Word Analysis, Fluency, and Systematic Vocabulary Development 1.1, 1.2, 1.3)

Students read and respond to historically or culturally significant works of literature that reflect and enhance their studies of history and social science. They conduct in-depth analyses of recurrent themes. (Literary Response and Analysis 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.7, 3.8, 3.9)

Students write coherent and focused texts that convey a well-defined perspective and tightly reasoned argument. The writing demonstrates students' awareness of the audience and purpose and progression through the stages of the writing process. (Writing Strategies 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.9)
Students combine the rhetorical strategies of narration, exposition, persuasion, and description to produce texts of at least 1,500 words each. Student writing demonstrates a command of standard American English and the research, organizational, and drafting strategies outlined in Writing Standard 1.0. (Writing Applications 2.2, 2.3, 2.4)

Students write and speak with a command of standard English conventions. (Written and Oral English Language Conventions 1.1, 1.2, 1.3)

Students formulate adroit judgments about oral communication. They deliver focused and coherent presentations that convey clear and distinct perspectives and demonstrate solid reasoning. They use gestures, tone, and vocabulary tailored to the audience and purpose. (Listening and Speaking Strategies 1.7)

Students deliver polished formal and extemporaneous presentations that combine traditional rhetorical strategies of narration, exposition, persuasion, and description. Student speaking demonstrates a command of standard American English and the organizational and delivery strategies outlined in Listening and Speaking Standard 1.0. (Speaking Applications 2.5)

Unit Objectives

Upon completion of this Unit, the student will be able to:

  • Understand and think critically about personal, social, and political issues found in the selections in this Unit, and understand conflict resolution.
  • Understand that the same themes and theses can be developed in different genres of literature.
    Critically analyze the issues of war and peace as presented in this Unit.
  • Comprehend and/or research allusions encountered while reading the selections in this Unit.
    Understand mood, tone, and symbolism.
  • Develop an understanding of ethical, aesthetic, and cultural values by reading and discussing works in this Unit that reflect such values.
  • Integrate reading of the literature with reflections, and reflective writing.
  • Build vocabulary and reading skills through guided practice.
  • Improve reading speed through fluency practice.
Unit 4 - A Time for Courage

California Curriculum Standards

Students apply their knowledge of word origins to determine the meaning of new words encountered in reading materials and use those words accurately. (Word Analysis, Fluency, and Systematic Vocabulary Development 1.1, 1.2)

Students read and understand grade-level-appropriate material. They analyze the organizational patterns, arguments, and positions advanced. In addition, by grade twelve, students read two million words annually on their own, including a wide variety of classic and contemporary literature, magazines, newspapers, and online information. (Reading Comprehension 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.8)

Students read and respond to historically or culturally significant works of literature that reflect and enhance their studies of history and social science. They conduct in-depth analyses of recurrent themes. (Literary Response and Analysis 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 3.11, 3.12)

Students write coherent and focused texts that convey a well-defined perspective and tightly reasoned argument. The writing demonstrates students' awareness of the audience and purpose and progression through the stages of the writing process. (Writing Strategies 1.1, 1.2, 1.4, 1.6, 1.9)

Students combine the rhetorical strategies of narration, exposition, persuasion, and description to produce texts of at least 1,500 words each. Student writing demonstrates a command of standard American English and the research, organizational, and drafting strategies outlined in Writing Standard 1.0. (Writing Applications 2.1, 2.2)

Students write and speak with a command of standard English conventions. (Written and Oral English Language Conventions 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4)

Unit Objectives

Upon completion of this Unit, the student will be able to:

  • Complete the prereading, reading journal, and comprehension activities for the literature selections.
  • Develop critical comprehension and higher thinking skills while reading about those who have the courage to accept and overcome psychological and physical problems.
  • Gather information for the vocabulary activities and independently define the words in an effective manner.
    Read different genres of literature and recognize themes that deal with the challenges in being courageous, particularly when faced with physical or psychological difficulties.
  • Complete the independent reading requirement and increase reading speed through fluency practice.
  • Effectively express in writing an understanding of the issues examined in the literature, and use a variety of sentence patterns while completing the activities accompanying each lesson; correctly elaborate and revise sentences to create more interesting and understandable text.
  • Demonstrate understanding of the historical connections to the novel.

Unit 5 - Bless Me, Ultima

California Curriculum Standards

Students apply their knowledge of word origins to determine the meaning of new words encountered in reading materials and use those words accurately. (Word Analysis, Fluency, and Systematic Vocabulary Development 1.1, 1.2)

Students read and respond to historically or culturally significant works of literature that reflect and enhance their studies of history and social science. They conduct in-depth analyses of recurrent themes. (Literary Response and Analysis 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 3.9)

Students write coherent and focused texts that convey a well-defined perspective and tightly reasoned argument. The writing demonstrates students' awareness of the audience and purpose and progression through the stages of the writing process. (Writing Strategies 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.5, 1.7, 1.9)

Students combine the rhetorical strategies of narration, exposition, persuasion, and description to produce texts of at least 1,500 words each. Student writing demonstrates a command of standard American English and the research, organizational, and drafting strategies outlined in Writing Standard 1.0. (Writing Applications 2.2, 2.3, 2.4)

Students write and speak with a command of standard English conventions. (Written and Oral English Language Conventions 1.1, 1.2, 1.3)

Unit Objectives

Upon completion of this Unit, the student will be able to:

  • Read and understand Bless Me, Ultima and complete the prereading, reading journal, and ongoing comprehension activities.
  • Complete the independent reading requirement, as determined by reading logs and conferences with the teacher.
    Effectively express in writing understanding of the issues examined in the novel.
  • Use a variety of sentence patterns while completing the activities accompanying each lesson; correctly elaborate and revise sentences to create more interesting and understandable text.
  • Demonstrate comprehension of the specific reading strategies necessary for reading novels.
  • Demonstrate understanding of the historical connections to the novel.
  • Write an essay in response to reading Bless Me, Ultima.