English 10 (Standard)

Course Overview

English 10 continues the rigorous college-preparatory English Language Arts sequence, deepening students’ skills in literary analysis, evidence-based writing, rhetoric, and research. This course supports Florida B.E.S.T. standards and College Board SAT readiness, preparing students for future Honors and AP coursework.

Students explore world literature, nonfiction, and historical texts to examine how language shapes power, culture, and society. Writing includes literary response, argumentation, expository essays, and source-based research aligned with MLA formatting. Students refine their speaking and listening skills through debates, presentations, and academic dialogue.

Key themes include leadership, ethics, social justice, and resilience. Texts are selected to reflect global perspectives and culturally relevant narratives. Instruction is differentiated and project-based, with digital tools supporting multimodal literacy and research fluency.

Learning Outcomes by Quarter

• Quarter 1: Analyze theme and tone, compare author perspectives, and write analytical essays with embedded citations.
• Quarter 2: Interpret narrative voice and characterization, and engage in oral presentations on social change.
• Quarter 3: Evaluate historical documents, construct argumentative claims, and analyze rhetorical appeals.
• Quarter 4: Conduct academic research, integrate multiple sources, and present findings in multimedia formats.

Instructional Methods

This course uses direct instruction, guided annotations, peer reviews, digital media tools, and research scaffolding. Units include project-based assessments, Socratic seminars, and performance tasks aligned to standards and differentiated for learner success.

Assessment and Grading

Category	Weight
Major Essays & Projects	35%
Tests & Quizzes	25%
Class Discussions & Presentations	15%
Homework & Journals	15%
Participation & Effort	10%

Anchor Text Justification

• Night by Elie Wiesel – A memoir exploring survival, resilience, and human rights during the Holocaust.
• Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe – Offers a postcolonial lens and critical insight into Igbo society and Western imperialism.
• Antigone by Sophocles – Engages students in ethical reasoning, justice, and classical tragedy.
• Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi – Graphic memoir enriching visual literacy and cultural empathy.
• Selected nonfiction – Paired articles and speeches related to civil rights, power, media, and youth leadership.

College Board – SAT Crosswalk

College Board Domain	Integrated Skills in English 10
Command of Evidence	Close reading, source integration, citation support
Words in Context	Academic vocabulary development, literary diction
Expression of Ideas	Argument structure, textual transitions, paragraph cohesion
Standard English Conventions	Grammar instruction, revision strategies, sentence clarity

Visual Elements

Instructional visuals include globe icons for world literature, quotation marks for rhetoric units, and research symbols for multimedia projects. These cues help orient learners and build digital navigation skills.

Unit Overview

Quarter	Unit Title	Florida B.E.S.T. Benchmarks	College Board Focus Skills
Q1	World Literature and Author Voice	ELA.10.R.1.1, ELA.10.C.1.3	Theme, tone, textual evidence
Q2	Character, Culture & Perspective	ELA.10.R.2.1, ELA.10.C.2.1	Point of view, cultural context
Q3	Speech, Ethics, and Rhetoric	ELA.10.R.3.1, ELA.10.C.3.1	Argument, rhetoric, structure
Q4	Research & Global Inquiry	ELA.10.C.4.1, ELA.10.C.5.1	Research, synthesis, presentation

Academic Vocabulary Matrix

Category	Key Terms	Contextual Application
Literary Techniques	Irony, Allegory, Juxtaposition	Used in literature analysis
Argumentation	Claim, Counterclaim, Refutation	Structured argument essays
Grammar	Appositives, Parallel Structure	Used in writing workshops
Research Skills	MLA Format, Database Navigation	Used in final research project