Grade 11 ELA Curriculum Guide

In junior-year English, students consider the theme of the individual vs. establishment through a variety of classic and contemporary works of American literature. Additional readings will include a variety of nonfiction, poetry, and short stories that are thematically connected to the core text of each major unit. Students will work toward college-level writing with a focus on evidence-based argument, literary analysis, and synthesizing research. 

Unit

Timeframe

Big Ideas (Statements or Essential Questions)

Major Learning Experiences from Unit 

Unit 1:

The Individual vs. The Establishment

September - October

  • What does it mean for an individual to be truly self-reliant?

  • What is “the establishment?” What forms does “the establishment” take in our lives today?

  • What does the establishment owe to the individual?

  • To what extent does the individual have an obligation to put the good of society before him/herself?

  • How can an individual’s own beliefs result in his/her alienation from society?

Students will:

  • Explore the theme of the individual vs. the establishment through one of the following readings: various essays by transcendentalist writers, various short stories by Native American writers, or The Crucible by Arthur Miller.

  • Read critically for the power dynamics between the individual and society in chosen readings.

  • Discuss important themes and essential questions collaboratively with classmates.

  • Conduct research on related social phenomena such as scapegoating, bystanderism, civil disobedience, etc. 

  • Write critical responses to short excerpts and argument analysis of authors’ positions.

Unit 2:

Social Class and the American Dream

November - January

  • What is the American Dream? How achievable is it for different social classes?

  • What are the barriers that prevent social mobility in the United States?

  • How does wealth impact people’s values and morals?

  • What makes The Great Gatsby one of the most enduring works of American literature?

Students will:

  • Read the novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald in order to experience an American classic and consider Fitzgerald’s commentary on the American dream. 

  • Read critically for the author’s use of symbolism and other literary techniques.

  • Discuss important themes and essential questions collaboratively with classmates.

  • Write literary analysis on Fitzgerald’s commentary on wealth, social class, and the American dream. 

Unit 3:

Gender, Immigration, and the American Dream

February - April

  • What is a bildungsroman novel? How do authors structure bildungsroman novels to illuminate central ideas?

  • What does it mean to come of age? How do societal and cultural norms influence our psychological and moral development? To what extent can individuals resist societal and cultural norms as they come of age?

  • How do gender and power intersect and what is the impact of that intersectionality on our development?

Students will:

  • Read the novel Dominicana by Angie Cruz, focusing on the modern coming-of-age story from the perspective of a Latina girl. 

  • Read critically for the author’s use of narrative structure to write a modern novel in the traditional structure of the bidungsroman.

  • Discuss important themes and essential questions collaboratively with classmates.

  • Write argument pieces on issues of gender, power dynamics, and immigration in modern America.

Unit 4:

Challenging the Establishment Through Activism

April - June

  • What part do culture and history play in the formation of our individual and collective identities?

  • How do our intersecting identities shape our perspectives and the way we experience the world?

  • How could one person’s identity threaten another person’s rights?

  • Why is it important to hear an account of an event from different parties, especially when considering someone’s innocence or guilt?

Students will:

  • Read the play Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 by Anna Deveare Smith, focusing on the role of various social perspectives on a historically significant event.

  • Read critically for the author’s 

  • Discuss important themes and essential questions collaboratively with classmates.

  • Research

  • Write