Course Description: English 12

Course Description:
English 12 focuses on British authors using a variety of genres. Students engage with the
literature by examining different universal themes, formulating positions and logically
defending them in well-crafted essays. English 12 is a one-year course providing 5 credits per
semester with a passing grade.

Presentations of Learning:
Students will bring a revised sample of writing to each LP Meeting. Options are listed below and
are not limited to these suggestions, but both of the asterisked options will be required
assignments during the course of the year. Samples need to show evidence of the writing
process: prewriting, outlining, drafting, editing and proofreading. The following websites may
be used to help students practice correct formatting and documentation: https://
owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/ or http://www.citationmachine.net The Educational Facilitator
(EF) may modify assignments or require revisions for high school credit.

Unit Study Options:

____Autobiographical Narrative- write an essay that explores a personal experience or
challenge and uses descriptive details to convey a lesson that was learned through what
occurred.
____*Comparison/Contrast Essay- select 2 poems on the same topic by different authors;
write an essay that compares and contrasts each authors perspective on the same theme.
____Literary Theme Analysis- select a short story, novel, poem, or play and write a 5
paragraph essay analyzing one of the themes the author was trying to convey using specific
details from the literary piece for support.
____Persuasive Essay- select a controversial subject you feel passionate about and present
arguments to convince your audience to adopt a point of view or join a course of action.
Remember to also acknowledge and refute opposing arguments as well.
____Research Paper- explore a topic you would like to learn more about and use multiple
sources to formulate and support your perspective on the topic.
____Book Review- select one of the novels from the recommended reading list and write an
essay analyzing the books content and style. Be sure to support your opinions with evidence
from the novel.
____Newspaper Article- research and write a factual article on a newsworthy event in an
objective manner, using reliable and accurate sources for support.
____Book vs. Movie- write an essay comparing and contrasting the book and movie of the
same story.
____Poetry Research Analysis- select a poem to analyze and use outside research to support
your ideas.
____Personal Statement- describe a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution or
experience that is unique to you. What about this quality or accomplishment makes you proud
and how has it shaped the person you are?
____*College Scholarship- research and complete a college scholarship essay and application.

If a student is not taking an online class or a class provided at a learning center, the student
will be required to create a plan with the EF using one of the options below in addition to
novels from the recommended reading list. All other material requests need to be approved by
the EF.

Prentice Hall Literature 2010, Grade 12 Homeschool Bundle pearsonhomeschool.com

ISBN #9780133323603 (Student and Teacher Edition, Student Workbook, Answer Key + Exam View CD Rom
testing questions.)
 Prentice Hall Writing and Grammar Homeschool Bundle, grade 12, Rainbow Resource

Recommended Reading List

Title Lexile Level

A Dolls House (Isben) (play) NP
*Angelas Ashes 600
Beloved (Morrison) 870
Beowulf (Heaney) (pair with Grendel) 1090
Brave New World (Huxley) 870
Emma (Austen) 1070
*Frankenstein (Shelley) 1170
Grendel (Gardner) (pair with Beowulf) 920
*Hamlet (Shakespeare) (play) NP
Handmaids Tale (Atwood) 750
Heart of Darkness (Conrad) 1050
House of Spirits (Allende) 1280
*Jane Eyre (Bronte) 890
Julys People (Gordimer) 970
Kaffir Boy (Mathabane) 1040
Love in the Time of Cholera (Marquez) 1440
Medea (Euripedes) 1000
*Macbeth (Shakespeare) NP
Metamorphosis (Kafka) 1320
Native Son (Wright) 700
One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich 900
(Solzhenitsyn)
One Hundred Years of Solitude (Marquez) 1410
Othello (Shakespeare) (play) NP
*1984 (Orwell) 1090
Pablo Neruda Selected Poems (ed.Tarn) NP
Picture of Dorian Gray (Wilde) 920
*Pride and Prejudice (Austen) 1100
Rashoman (Akutagawa) 1030
 Siddhartha (Hesse) 1010
Stranger (Camus) 880
Sundiata: An Epic of Old Mali (Niane) NP
Tempest (Shakespeare) NP
The Alchemist (Coelho) 910
The Awakening (Chopin) 960
The God of Small Things (Roy) 840
Theban Plays (Oedipus Rex) (Sophocles) 1050
Three Tragedies (Lorca) NP
Turn of the Screw (James) NP
Walk in the Night and Other Stories (La Guma)
* When Heaven & Earth Changed Places (Hayslip) 1100
Wuthering Heights (Bronte) 880
*Highly Recommended Books

Rubric for Evaluating Essays

The following 9-point rubric is a resource when grading 5 paragraph essays.

A Grade: 8-9
introduction gains the readers interest and has a clearly stated thesis
body paragraphs start with strong topic sentences and use transitions appropriately. Each
point directly relates to the thesis and has at least 3 examples from the literature or text for
support
uses correct MLA format
communicates an in-depth understanding of the complexity of the themes
contains no grammatical errors, and language is varied and descriptive
conclusion restates the thesis differently and adds a personal perspective

B/C Grade: 5-7

introduction contains a good thesis
body paragraphs use only 1 or 2 examples to support the thesis
exhibits limited understanding of the themes
citations- attempts to use MLA format for citations, but may be documented incorrectly
may contain spelling, punctuation or grammatical errors that do not detract from the overall
essay

C/D Grade: 2-4

contains a vague, weak summary without a clear thesis for direction
minimal or insignificant supporting information
ignores thematic complexity; may deal with one area in a general or cursory way
may contain significant errors
***Revision required for a score of 3 or below.

F Grade: 0-1
introduction does not contain a thesis but the essay merely summarizes information.
may paraphrase other material
shows little to no understanding of the novel or themes within it
***Revision required for credit.