1. What students are expected to learn from the literature
English 11A: A Sneak Peak
Due to the new state curriculum requirements, parents and students need to be aware of the high standards they will be held to. To help parents understand, I have created this presentation to give them an overview of the literature that will be covered in my classroom, as well as an insight into the main objectives behind each unit. Since the objectives take the form of questions, it will be helpful to discuss them with the parents and the students at the beginning of class so they understand the important and format of the questions.
Students are constantly asking why they have read the literature and how it is going to help them later in life. Discussing the importance of the questions with the students will help them better analyze the literature in search for the answers. They can see that there are lessons that can be gleaned from the literature that will help them in life and they should also learn how to use these lessons to guide their decisions.
During open house,I would offer this presentation as an ongoing show in the hallway for parents that are waiting to see me. During our meeting I would be able to answer any questions they may have. I would also present it to students at the beginning of the trimester so they are aware of the questions they will be required to answer. My presentation to students would be much more in depth and there would be more time for explanations, examples, questions, and discussions.
What students are expected to learn from the literature

2. Goals of English 11 A
Build a solid foundation of knowledge, skills, and strategies that will be refined, applied, and extended
Add to the list of various genre of classic and contemporary narrative and informational texts that will be read and analyzed throughout high school with a special focus on British and World literature and ACT success
Connect with and respond to texts through transformational thinking
Use forward thinking to help make better decisions, to generate new ideas for solving problems, and to find wisdom
Build a context for change in their lives and
develop realistic plans for the future
These are the state goals issued for English 11. Discuss as each appears.

3. Essential Questions ?
How will I know when to risk failure for possible success?
How do I demonstrate that I am open-minded enough to learn from my experiences?
How can I generate new ideas for solving problems?
How can I invent new opportunities?
What are the tradeoffs for technological advances?
Which decisions I make today will affect me for my entire life?
How can forward thinking help me make better decisions?
How do I develop a realistic plan for the future?
What evidence do I have that I am committed to learning?
How do I build a context for change in my life?
When is loyalty to myself more important than loyalty to a friend?
With a focus on transformational thinking, the 11th grade curriculum will help the student formulate ideas which answer these questions. Information and lesson from the texts read will assist the students in making these decisions.

4. Beowulf & Canterbury Tales
The Power of Language
to Transform Lives
The Anglo-Saxon (Old English) and Medieval (Middle English)Periods
The first unit we will cover will include readings from Beowulf, an anonymous epic poem, which represents the Anglo-Saxon time period and Canterbury Tales by Jeffery Chaucer, which is a famous work written in Middle English.

5. Focus Questions
How does the interpretation of language impact decision making?
How can studying the past lead to new opportunities for the future?
How do the heroes who are immortalized in literature reflect the cultural values of the time?
How have modern-day icons used language to transform our thinking? ?
The student will be responsible for using the text and resources associated with the text to answer these focus questions. The focus questions will them assist them in analyzing the literature and connecting it to the essential questions. Each unit will have different focus questions, while the essential question will remain the same.

6. The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark
Informed Decision Making
The Renaissance
The second and final unit we will cover in English 11A will use Hamlet by William Shakespeare as the anchor text. The text will guide the students as they discuss informed decision making and learn about the renaissance period.

7. Focus Questions
What kinds of information do I need to make an informed decision?
How do I evaluate the information?
Why is it important to weigh options before making decisions?
How can forward thinking help me make better decisions?
How can a person see beyond appearances to discover the hidden truths about others?
What does it take to reverse decisions? ?
Are there decisions that require so much forward thinking that humans need the memory support of technology?
Even with all the available data, how do I know when I’ve made the right decision?
What are the filters through which I evaluate decisions?
When does language reflect or construct reality?
How does imagery make things more real, or make a particular version of reality more convincing?
Discuss each question as it appears.

8. Credits
All information was obtained from Michigan’s Department of Education.
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