Download ENGLISH II (A) Mrs. Hanks Room 148 Class Overview This class will

ENGLISH II (A)
Mrs. Hanks
Room 148
Class Overview
This class will be divided into units based upon literature studied during the course. Literary emphasis will be on both
comprehension and analysis, and students will read in class as well as independently. Each day, an agenda will be posted on the
board to prepare students for the daily activities. All literature units will involve the following major grades: bellringers,
homework, participation/accountability, quizzes, and tests.
READING
Novels:
 Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Drama:
 A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry
Short Stories:
 “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner
 “By the Waters of Babylon” by Stephen Vincent Benet
Poetry:
-“Simile” by M. Scott Momaday
-“Heart! We will forget him!” by Emily Dickinson
- “Three Japanese Tankas” by Ono Komachi
-“Ode to My Socks” by Pablo Neruda
- “Ex-Basketball Player” by John Updike
-“Miss Rosie” by Lucille Clifton
-“We Real Cool” by Gwendolyn Brooks
-“Journey” by Mary Oliver
-“Digging” by Seamus Heaney
-“Jazz Fantasia” by Carl Sandburg
-“Aristotle” by Billy Collins
- “Intro to Poetry” by Billy Collins
-“Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer’s Day” by William Shakespeare
LANGUAGE SKILLS
We will also cover grammar and style technique through review sentences, textbook exercises, quizzes, and teacher-created
handouts. Additionally, we will be working to apply these skills to your writing assignments.
Underlying Theme
People read for many reasons: to learn, to entertain, to escape, to get a grade… In this class, we will read for many reasons,
but with one major quest in mind: FIND YOUR VOICE. Reading can change your perspective about history, race, and
justice. It’s important to analyze what you read, to ask questions, and to connect it to your own life. Reading can help define
who you are, what you believe, what you want to do, and who you want to be. Search for yourself as you read.
“Books can be dangerous. The best ones should be labeled "This could change
your life." ~Helen Exley