American Literature B - English 11-12

Course Description:

This is the second course in a two-course sequence and has been redesigned to align to the Common Core Standards. Two major themes for this semester are “Becoming My Own Leader” and “Leading Others." Students will address several essential questions related to these themes while reading a variety of works by American authors. In addition to major works, students will read short stories and informational texts, engage in poetry analysis, view informational videos, and write for various purposes. Larger writing assignments include an argument essay, a narrative essay, and a business email. As a supplement to these assignments, students will partake in grammar challenges where they learn about grammar concepts and develop a mastery of their use. In addition to building their writing skills, students learn several reading strategies such as how to use graphic organizers to extract important information, take Cornell notes for an informational text or during a lecture, and summarize to monitor comprehension. Furthermore, students will explore several rhetorical devices and strategies like characterization, allusion, word choice and diction, setting, symbolism, point of view, and more.

Course Details:

Course Title (District): American Literature B - English 11-12
Course Title (NCES SCED) : American Literature
Course Provider : Michigan Virtual
Content Provided By : Michigan Virtual
Online Instructor Provided By : Michigan Virtual
Standards Addressed : Michigan Merit Curriculum, Common Core State Standards, National Collegiate Athletic Association
Alignment Document : https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ZedwLvYfMZuue8of77l_fLz8AoA3IMbqlxcThP9sUwU/edit?usp=sharing
Academic Terms : Semester, Trimester, Accelerated, Open Entry / Fixed End
NCES SCED Code : 01054
Subject Area : English Language and Literature
Course Identifier : American Literature
Course Level : High School (Secondary)
Available Credit : 0.5
Sequence : 2 of 2

How To Enroll:

Enrollment Website : https://slp.michiganvirtual.org/
Email : [email protected]
Phone : (888) 889-2840

Students and Parents: It is important to work closely with your local school counselor or registrar to follow the school's enrollment procedures. By clicking the "Start Registration Request" button below, you will be able to notify the school of your interest in registering for the online course. However, it is the responsibility of the district or school to review the registration request and approve or deny the request. Please make a note to follow up with your school after submitting a registration request.

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Additional Course Information:

Additional Cost: $0.0

Additional Cost Description: Students will be responsible for locating a print or online version of the following books:

  • Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer
  • The Great Gatsby by F.Scott Fitzgerald
  • The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien (links to online versions of this text are provided in the course)
    In addition, students may need to locate some short stories, essays, and poems.

    After completing this course students will be able to:
        UNIT 1: Becoming My Own Leader
          • identify their current responsibilities and develop plans for managing future responsibilities
          • activate prior knowledge and build a personal connection with unfamiliar texts
          • use graphic organizers to write a variety of paragraphs
          • understand, identify, and evaluate the effectiveness of several literary and rhetorical devices like characterization and word choice
          • use systematic approaches to analyze poetry
          • understand temperament types and apply what they learned to the lives of characters as well as their own lives
          • conduct and gather research using secondary sources
          • develop an effective argument essay with claims and counters claims
          • create a works cited page and parenthetical documentations using MLA format
          • use graphic organizers, Cornell notes, and summarizing to guide them through readings and help them to think critically about literary and informational texts
              Unit 2:
                • use comparison and contrast for evaluation
                • understand, identify, and evaluate the effectiveness of several literary and rhetorical devices like dialogue, symbolism, allusion, and point of view
                • evaluate how the passage of time alters perspectives
                • understand and identify the elements of a persuasive business email
                • construct a persuasive business email
                • understand and identify the elements of a narrative essay
                • construct an effective narrative essay

                iNACOL National Standards for Quality Online Courses

                Academic Content Standards and Assessments Rating Comments
                The goals and objectives clearly state what the participants will know or be able to do at the end of the course. The goals and objectives are measurable in multiple ways. Fully Met The syllabus outlines clear objectives for each unit and also includes a great topic outline as well.
                The course content and assignments are aligned with the state’s content standards, Common Core curriculum, or other accepted content standards set for Advanced Placement® courses, technology, computer science, or other courses whose content is not included in the state standards. Fully Met
                The course content and assignments are of sufficient rigor, depth and breadth to teach the standards being addressed. Fully Met
                Information literacy and communication skills are incorporated and taught as an integral part of the curriculum. Partially Met
                Multiple learning resources and materials to increase student success are available to students before the course begins. Fully Met There is a pacing guide, a reading pre-test, course introduction, and quiz.
                Course Overview and Introduction Rating Comments
                Clear, complete course overview and syllabus are included in the course. Fully Met The course overview is great!
                Course requirements are consistent with course goals, are representative of the scope of the course and are clearly stated. Fully Met
                Information is provided to students, parents and mentors on how to communicate with the online instructor and course provider. Fully Met
                Legal and Acceptable Use Policies Rating Comments
                The course reflects multi-cultural education, and the content is accurate, current and free of bias or advertising. Fully Met
                Expectations for academic integrity, use of copyrighted materials, plagiarism and netiquette (Internet etiquette) regarding lesson activities, discussions, and e-mail communications are clearly stated. Fully Met
                Privacy policies are clearly stated. Fully Met
                Instructor Resources Rating Comments
                Online instructor resources and notes are included. Partially Met Online instructor resources are included, no notes are included.
                Assessment and assignment answers and explanations are included. Fully Met Clear rubrics and examples are included.
                Accessing Course Effectiveness Rating Comments
                The course provider uses multiple ways of assessing course effectiveness. Fully Met
                The course is evaluated using a continuous improvement cycle for effectiveness and the findings used as a basis for improvement. Fully Met
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                The course is updated periodically to ensure that the content is current. Fully Met
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                Course instructors, whether faceto-face or virtual, are certificated and “highly qualified.” The online course teacher possesses a teaching credential from a state-licensing agency and is “highly qualified” as defined under ESEA. Fully Met
                Instructor and Student Support Rating Comments
                Professional development about the online course delivery system is offered by the provider to assure effective use of the courseware and various instructional media available. Fully Met
                The course provider offers technical support and course management assistance to students, the course instructor, and the school coordinator. Fully Met
                Course instructors, whether face-to-face or virtual, have been provided professional development in the behavioral, social, and when necessary, emotional, aspects of the learning environment. Fully Met
                Course instructors, whether face-to-face or virtual, receive instructor professional development, which includes the support and use of a variety of communication modes to stimulate student engagement online. Fully Met
                The provider assures that course instructors, whether face-to-face or virtual, are provided support, as needed, to ensure their effectiveness and success in meeting the needs of online students. Fully Met
                Students are offered an orientation for taking an online course before starting the coursework. Fully Met
                Instructional and Audience Analysis Rating Comments
                Course design reflects a clear understanding of all students’ needs and incorporates varied ways to learn and master the curriculum. Partially Met Most of the assignments appear to be the same - read and response.
                Course, Unit and Lesson Design Rating Comments
                The course is organized by units and lessons that fall into a logical sequence. Each unit and lesson includes an overview describing objectives, activities, assignments, assessments, and resources to provide multiple learning opportunities for students to master the content. Fully Met
                Instructional Strategies and Activities Rating Comments
                The course instruction includes activities that engage students in active learning. Fully Met The overarching theme, "Becoming My Own Leader", lends itself to engagement since the assignments are based on the students themselves.
                The course and course instructor provide students with multiple learning paths, based on student needs that engage students in a variety of ways. Partially Met
                The course provides opportunities for students to engage in higher-order thinking, critical reasoning activities and thinking in increasingly complex ways. Fully Met
                The course provides options for the instructor to adapt learning activities to accommodate students’ needs. Partially Met
                Readability levels, written language assignments and mathematical requirements are appropriate for the course content and grade-level expectations. Fully Met
                Communication and Interaction Rating Comments
                The course design provides opportunities for appropriate instructor-student interaction, including opportunities for timely and frequent feedback about student progress. Fully Met
                The course design includes explicit communication/activities (both before and during the first week of the course) that confirms whether students are engaged and are progressing through the course. The instructor will follow program guidelines to address non-responsive students. Fully Met
                The course provides opportunities for appropriate instructor-student and student-student interaction to foster mastery and application of the material. Fully Met Most of this would occur via feedback on assignments.
                Resources and Materials Rating Comments
                Students have access to resources that enrich the course content. Partially Met
                Evaluation Strategies Rating Comments
                Student evaluation strategies are consistent with course goals and objectives, are representative of the scope of the course and are clearly stated. Fully Met
                The course structure includes adequate and appropriate methods and procedures to assess students’ mastery of content. Fully Met
                Feedback Rating Comments
                Ongoing, varied, and frequent assessments are conducted throughout the course to inform instruction. Fully Met
                Assessment strategies and tools make the student continuously aware of his/her progress in class and mastery of the content. Fully Met
                Assessment Resources and Materials Rating Comments
                Assessment materials provide the instructor with the flexibility to assess students in a variety of ways. Fully Met
                Grading rubrics are provided to the instructor and may be shared with students. Fully Met
                The grading policy and practices are easy to understand. Fully Met
                Course Architecture Rating Comments
                The course architecture permits the online instructor to add content, activities and assessments to extend learning opportunities. Fully Met
                The course accommodates multiple school calendars; e.g., block, 4X4 and traditional schedules. Fully Met
                User Interface Rating Comments
                Clear and consistent navigation is present throughout the course. Fully Met
                Rich media are provided in multiple formats for ease of use and access in order to address diverse student needs. Partially Met Some use of audio files would help address diverse student needs.
                Technology Requirements and Interoperability Rating Comments
                All technology requirements (including hardware, browser, software, etc...) are specified. Fully Met
                Prerequisite skills in the use of technology are identified. Fully Met
                The course uses content-specific tools and software appropriately. Fully Met
                The course is designed to meet internationally recognized interoperability standards. Fully Met
                Copyright and licensing status, including permission to share where applicable, is clearly stated and easily found. Fully Met
                Accessibility Rating Comments
                Course materials and activities are designed to provide appropriate access to all students. The course, developed with universal design principles in mind, conforms to the U.S. Section 504 and Section 508 provisions for electronic and information technology as well as the W3C’s Web Content Accessibility guidelines (WCAg 2.0). Fully Met
                Data Security Rating Comments
                Student information remains confidential, as required by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Fully Met

                Review Conducted By: Michigan Virtual
                Date of Review: 07/18/2014

                NSQ National Standards for Quality Online Courses: Fourth Edition (2025)

                Rating Comments
                A1: A course overview and syllabus are included in the course. Fully Met
                A2: Minimum computer skills and digital literacy skills expected of the learner are clearly stated. Fully Met
                A3: The instructor’s biographical information and information on how to communicate with the instructor are provided. Fully Met
                A4: Learner expectations and policies are clearly stated and readily accessible within the introductory material of the course. Fully Met
                A5: Minimum technology requirements for the course are clearly stated, and information on how to obtain the technologies is provided. Fully Met
                A6: Grading policies and practices are clearly defined in accordance with course content learning expectations. Fully Met
                A7: The course instructions articulate or link to a clear description of the technical support offered and how to obtain it. Fully Met
                A8: Learners are offered an orientation prior to the start of the course. Fully Met
                Rating Comments
                B1: The course objectives or competencies are measurable and clearly state what the learner will be able to demonstrate as a result of successfully completing the course. Fully Met
                B2: Where applicable, the course content is aligned with accepted state and/or other accepted content standards. Fully Met
                B3: Digital literacy and communication skills are incorporated and taught as an integral part of the curriculum. Fully Met
                B4: Supplemental learning resources and related instructional materials are available to support and enrich learning and are aligned with the content delivered. Fully Met
                B5: The course content and supporting materials reflect different perspectives and provide non-stereotypical forms of representation. Fully Met
                B6: The course materials (e.g., textbooks, primary source documents, Open Education Resources “[OER])” that support course content standards are accurate and current. Fully Met
                B7: The course is free of adult content and avoids unnecessary advertisements. Fully Met
                B8: Copyright and licensing status for any third-party content is appropriately cited and easily found. Fully Met
                B9: Documentation and other support materials are available to support effective online course facilitation. Fully Met
                Rating Comments
                C1: The course design includes activities that guide learners toward promoting ownership of their learning and self-monitoring. Fully Met
                C2: The course’s content and learning activities promote the achievement of the stated learning objectives or competencies. Fully Met
                C3: The course is organized by units and lessons arranged in a logical sequence. Fully Met
                C4: The course content is appropriate to the reading level of the intended learners. Fully Met
                C5: The course design includes introductory assignments or activities to engage learners within the first week of the course. Fully Met
                C6: The course provides learners with multiple learning paths as appropriate, based on learner needs, that engage learners in a variety of ways. Fully Met
                C7: The course provides regular opportunities for learner-learner interaction. Fully Met
                C8: The course design provides opportunities for learner-instructor interaction, including opportunities for regular feedback about learner progress. Fully Met
                C9: Course instructional materials and resources present content in an effective, engaging, and appropriate manner. Fully Met
                Rating Comments
                D1: Learner assessments align with stated course, unit, or lesson-level objectives or competencies. Fully Met
                D2: Valid course assessments measure learner progress toward understanding of content. Fully Met
                D3: Assessment practices provide frequent and varied opportunities for self-monitoring and reflection of learning. Fully Met
                D4: Assessment materials provide the learner with the flexibility to demonstrate their understanding in a variety of ways. Fully Met
                D5: Rubrics that clearly define expectations for varied levels of proficiency are created and shared with learners. Fully Met
                Rating Comments
                E1: Course navigation is logical, consistent, and efficient from the learner’s point of view. Fully Met
                E2: The course design facilitates readability. Fully Met
                E3: The course provides accessible course materials and activities to meet the variable needs of learners, following Universal Design for Learning principles. Fully Met
                E4: Multimedia in the course is easy to use. Fully Met
                E5: Vendor accessibility statements are provided for all technologies required in the course. Fully Met
                Rating Comments
                F1: All technologies and tools included for use as part of the course ensure that learner privacy is protected in accordance with the Acceptable Use Policy and applicable law. Fully Met
                F2: The course tools further the learning objectives and course competencies. Fully Met
                F3: The course technology allows for customization and personalization. Fully Met
                F4: The course operates within a platform to score and record assessments and calculate earned course points or grades. Fully Met
                F5: Courses utilize emerging technologies that can enhance the learning experience, prioritizing learners and outcomes. Fully Met
                Rating Comments
                G1: The course uses multiple methods and sources of input for assessing course effectiveness. Fully Met
                G2: The course is regularly reviewed to ensure that the course is current and relevant. Fully Met
                G3: The course is updated on a continuous improvement cycle for effectiveness based on the findings from ongoing reviews. Fully Met

                Review Conducted By: Quality Matters
                Date of Review: 05/23/2025

                 

                Unit 1: Becoming My Own Leader
                    •    What are My Responsibilities, and How do I Balance Them?
                    •    Alice Walker’s “Everyday Use”
                    •    characterization
                    •    How Do I Balance My Responsibilities with Who I Am?
                    •    Temperament types
                    •    “Danse Russe”
                    •    Word Choice and Connotation
                    •    How Do I Change My World?
                    •    Krakauer’s Into the Wild
                    •    Romanticism
                    •    Emerson’s “Self-Reliance “
                    •    Thoreau from Walden
                    •    Poetry Analysis
                    •    Longfellow’s “Psalm of Life”
                    •    Mayer’s “Waiting on the World to Change”
                    •    Argument Writing


                Unit 2: Leading Others
                    •    What rules or principles do I use for how I treat others?
                    •    Codes of Conduct
                    •    O’Connor’s “A Good Man is Hard to Find”
                    •    Comparison and Contrast
                    •    Dialogue
                    •    How can I use my talents to create new opportunities for myself and others?
                    •    Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
                    •    F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby
                    •    Symbolism
                    •    Allusion
                    •    How can I effectively articulate my opinions and perspectives?
                    •    T.S. Eliot’s “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock”
                    •    Point of View
                    •    Rhetorical context
                    •    Business writing
                    •    Narrative Writing

                Term Type Enrollment Opens Enrollment Ends Random Draw Date Enrollment Drop Date Course Starts Course Ends # of Seats Course Fee Potential Additional Costs
                Accelerated 01/02/2025 06/27/2025 04/01/2025 06/06/2025 05/23/2025 08/01/2025 100 $350 $0
                Accelerated 01/02/2025 06/27/2025 04/01/2025 06/13/2025 05/30/2025 08/08/2025 100 $350 $0
                Accelerated 01/02/2025 06/27/2025 04/01/2025 06/20/2025 06/06/2025 08/15/2025 100 $350 $0
                Drop Policy Completion Policy Term Type Enrollment Opens Enrollment Ends
                Students have 14 days from the enrollment start date to drop the course and receive a full refund. No refunds are given after 14 days. Drop dates are calculated and what is posted is the last possible drop date for enrollments created within the enrollment window. Students may access their course from their enrollment start date to their enrollment end date. A completion is a 60% final score or higher. Accelerated 01/02/2025 06/27/2025
                Students have 14 days from the enrollment start date to drop the course and receive a full refund. No refunds are given after 14 days. Drop dates are calculated and what is posted is the last possible drop date for enrollments created within the enrollment window. Students may access their course from their enrollment start date to their enrollment end date. A completion is a 60% final score or higher. Accelerated 01/02/2025 06/27/2025
                Students have 14 days from the enrollment start date to drop the course and receive a full refund. No refunds are given after 14 days. Drop dates are calculated and what is posted is the last possible drop date for enrollments created within the enrollment window. Students may access their course from their enrollment start date to their enrollment end date. A completion is a 60% final score or higher. Accelerated 01/02/2025 06/27/2025
                Students can use chat, email or private message system within the course to access highly qualified teachers when they need instructor assistance.
                School Year Enrollment Count Pass Count Completion Rate Notes
                23-24 197 170 86.29%
                22-23 184 167 90.76%
                21-22 292 259 88.7%
                19-20 196 138 70.41%
                18-19 233 194 83.26%
                17-18 203 171 84.24% Enrollment data includes all enrollments (21f and non-21f) for the 2017-18 school year.
                16-17 182 166 91.21% Enrollment data include all enrollments (21f and non-21f) for the 2016-17 school year.
                15-16 189 173 91.53% None
                14-15 165 139 84.24% Enrollment data includes all enrollments (21f and non-21f) for the 2014-15 school year.
                13-14 110 83 75.45% Enrollment data include all enrollments (21f and non-21f) for the Spring and Summer 2013-14 school year.
                https://michiganvirtual.org/about/support/knowledge-base/technical-requirements/