Description
The purpose of this course is to allow students the opportunity to read and respond to historically and culturally significant works of American literature and produce evidence of comprehension by conducting in-depth analyses of recurrent patterns and themes that reflect the evolution of the American voice. Students will be given the opportunity to complete integrated tasks individually and in groups through a variety of authentic assessments.

Outline
1. Beginnings to 1800 (Fall)
2. American Romanticism, 1800-1870 (Fall)
3. Historical Investigation Research Paper (Fall)
4. The Rise of Realism, 1850-1914 (Fall)
5. Modernism, 1914-1939 (Spring)
6. Contemporary, 1939-Present (Spring)

Core Literature

Holt Literature and Language Arts, Fifth Edition, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (fall), The Great Gatsby (spring). Besides the core literature listed above, students will also read historical documents, literary criticisms, short stories, poems and non-fiction works.  Students must have an appropriate SSR book, of their choosing, by the second week of the semester in order to receive SSR points.