Our lives are made up of tensions: personal identity in contrast with society's expectations; having choices vs. having decisions made for us; conforming to others' ideas or rebelling against them; being yourself in tension with fitting into a group. You've likely experienced feeling at least one of these tensions - most people have. In this course, we will explore how studying tensions can help us understand universal themes and we'll do it by studying literature and writing.
This survey-style course begins with an exploration of self and society as students read and analyze short stories and the elements of fiction. At the same time, students will write a personal narrative developed through the writing process, from brainstorming to final revision.
In the second unit, students will consider the theme of choice through the graphic novel When Stars Are Scattered by Omar Mohamed and Victoria Jamieson. To provide context for this reading, students will engage in a research project about the Somali refugee crisis, and then will move on to completing independent research that culminates in an informational essay.
The third unit is framed around the theme of defiance, and students will read and analyze Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet. In tandem with their study of Shakespeare, students will flex their creative muscles and write their own piece of short creative fiction. The unit ends with students viewing Baz Luhrmann's 1996 film adaptation of the play and exploring the question: Why is Shakespeare relevant today?
The course ends with a unit focused on a choice novel that examines the theme of belonging. Students will choose one of three novels to read independently: Piecing Me Together by Renee Watson; The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton; or The Length of a String by Elissa Brent Weismann. In addition to writing a formal literary essay about the novel, students will complete a culminating project that addresses one of the themes of the year through a creative collage.
Throughout the course, students will build their vocabulary through a vocabulary journal, learn about and demonstrate their understanding of grammar concepts, and show their understanding of literature through a variety of written and creative assignments.
About the Self-Paced Course Model
Self-Paced courses are comprehensive and designed for students who need or desire more flexibility in their academic schedule. VHS Learning teachers will regularly interact with students in asynchronous discussions, will host weekly office hours, and will invite students to monthly 1-on-1 progress meetings. Teachers will support students, answer questions, and provide feedback on work. Students will work independently on course activities; the course does not include class discussion assignments or other collaborative work.
Students may start this course on any Wednesday from September through the first Monday in February. Students must maintain enrollment for a minimum of 20 weeks and have until mid-June to complete all assignments in the course. It is expected that students will work for approximately 200 hours to complete this course, though the amount of time may vary depending on a student’s work habits and comfort with the material.
Course Essential Questions:
- How do tensions in literature reveal universal themes?
- How does tension shape who we become?
- What tools do writers use to express their ideas? How can I use these tools to craft my own writing?
Course Learning Objectives:
- Interpret and explore a variety of tensions in literature including tensions related to self, choice, defiance, and belonging.
- Independently and proficiently read and comprehend both fiction and nonfiction texts from a variety of genres, cultures, and perspectives.
- Analyze theme, character motivation, plot development, structure, and figurative language in a variety of texts.
- Support claims with strong textual evidence.
- Write well-organized and appropriately supported responses in a variety of genres, including narratives, informative texts, and arguments.
- Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage.
- Answer research questions by identifying and evaluating reliable sources, gathering relevant information, providing appropriate citations, and presenting findings in an organized way.
Students will need to obtain copies of the following texts which are available at many school or local libraries or for purchase online for a small fee.
- Needed in Unit 2: When Stars Are Scattered, a graphic novel by Omar Mohamed and Victoria Jamieson
- Needed in Unit 3: Romeo + Juliet, film dir. Baz Luhrmann, 1996
- One of the following in Unit 4: Piecing Me Together by Renee Watson; The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton; The Length of a String by Elissa Brent Weismann