Texts: (Grade 11)
A Raisin in the Sun
The Things They Carried
The Great Gatsby
Just Mercy
-various independent reads that are completed at home or are supplemental - The theme of all of these texts is “The American Experience,” and each text will deal with an element of our experiences as Americans, from the struggle against racism to the struggle for freedom, the horrors of war, the American Dream, developing one’s identity, and discussing how one’s identity is influenced by society.
Students will begin the year by reading "The Great Gatsby." Students will research the time period known as the Roaring 20s and discuss its advancements as well as its negative consequences. Students will research topics such as prohibition, Black Friday, flappers, the Jazz Age, etc. to form a baseline understanding of the time period. Students will use this research in order to develop an understanding of the characters in text and how each pursues or fails to pursue their "American Dream."
In marking period 2, students will discuss the objectives of the Civil Rights Movement and connect research to the screenplay for "A Raisin in the Sun." - SW discuss the value of dreams, and the purpose of civil rights legislation and its purpose. SW discuss phenomena such as segregation and redlined housing districts and their role in oppressing the populace.