American Literature A
Course Description:
In the American Literature course, students examine the belief systems, events, and literature that have shaped the United States. They begin by studying the language of independence and the system of government developed by Thomas Jefferson and other enlightened thinkers. Next, they explore how the Romantics and Transcendentalists emphasized the power and responsibility of the individual in both supporting and questioning the government. Students consider whether the American Dream is still achievable and examine the Modernists’ disillusionment with the idea that America is a “land of opportunity.”
Reading the words of Frederick Douglass and the text of the Civil Rights Act, students look carefully at the experience of African Americans and their struggle to achieve equal rights. Students explore how individuals cope with the influence of war and cultural tensions while trying to build and secure their own personal identity. Finally, students examine how technology is affecting our contemporary experience of freedom: Will we eventually change our beliefs about what it means to be an independent human being?
In this course, students analyze a wide range of literature, both fiction and nonfiction. They build writing skills by composing analytical essays, persuasive essays, personal narratives, and research papers. In order to develop speaking and listening skills, students participate in discussions and give speeches. Overall, students gain an understanding of the way American literature represents the array of voices contributing to our multicultural identity.
Course Details:
| Course Title (District): | American Literature A | ||||||||||
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| Course Title (NCES SCED) : | American Literature | ||||||||||
| Course Provider : | Ann Arbor Public Schools | ||||||||||
| Content Provided By : | Apex Learning Inc. | ||||||||||
| Online Instructor Provided By : | Ann Arbor Public Schools | ||||||||||
| Standards Addressed : | Common Core State Standards, National Collegiate Athletic Association | ||||||||||
| Alignment Document : | https://www.dropbox.com/sh/klh22tquqp5b8b1/BqtHgyDv4h | ||||||||||
| Academic Terms : | Semester, Trimester, Accelerated | ||||||||||
| NCES SCED Code : 01054 |
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How To Enroll:
| Enrollment Website : | http://a2virtual.org |
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| Email : | [email protected] |
| Phone : | 1-734-997-1208 |
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.
Additional Course Information:
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: 1-734-997-1208
Additional Cost: $0.0
Additional Cost Description: None
At the conclusion of this course students will be able to:
• Demonstrate comprehension of important American history documents and literary works by selecting and applying effective reading strategies.
• Identify and utilize different sentence types, paragraph types, and parts of an essay in required writing assignments.
• Decipher and define new vocabulary using a variety of techniques (etymologies, word part analysis, etymologies, content specific vocabulary, Greek and Latin roots, and analogies).
• Define and identify major genres within literature and their respective literary terms and characteristics.
• Evaluate author intent and reader interpretation through discussion of style and tone, word choice, author perspective, and proposed audience.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the literary, historical, and cultural context of various literary movements and periods in American history and recognize the unique characteristics of each.
• Recognize the contributions of important American writers and poets from various periods of American literature, as well as how their personal histories affected their writings.
• Differentiate between primary and secondary sources, and between paraphrasing and summarizing.
• Demonstrate an understanding of selected readings and writing studies by constructing journal responses and essays which utilize each step of the writing process. • Compare and contrast various works of poetry through close readings.
• Identify parts of speech and verb tenses as well as other grammatical structures including pronoun and antecedent agreement.
• Analyze a poem through the use of various techniques, recognizing how poetic elements achieve specific rhetorical and aesthetic purposes.
• Identify strategies for critiquing the arguments in public documents.
• Identify the purpose, structure, and language used in a variety of business documents, and select effectives methods for reading, creating, and completing such documents.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the development of an American novel, focusing on the relevance of setting and the narrator’s and author’s perspectives. • Demonstrate an understanding of literary criticism.
• Recognize the use of a portfolio in setting goals and improving one's study habits.
• Recognize the contributions of important American writers and poets from modern American literature, as well as how their personal histories affected their writings.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the literary and historical context of modern American literature and its movements by identifying its stylistic, thematic, and technical qualities as well as common characteristics of the literature.
• Define vocabulary specific to the literary and poetic elements of modern American literature and its genres.
• Demonstrate comprehension of modern American literary works by selecting and applying effective reading strategies.
• Identify the stylistic elements and social impact associated with specific American writers.
• Decipher and define new vocabulary as well as technical terms using a variety of techniques (Anglo-Saxon roots, connotation and denotation, affixes).
• Demonstrate an understanding of selected readings and writing studies by constructing journal responses and other writing tasks which utilize effective elements of writing.
• Analyze works of literature (both fiction and non-fiction) by identifying and defining literary elements such as figurative language, rhetorical devices, theme, bias, and dialect found within the work.
• Define literary canon and recognize how works are canonized.
• Define the research essay in the scope of its associated forms as well as its stages.
• Perform the stages of the research process by writing a research question, locating, evaluating, and interpreting credible sources of information, and writing an outline for a research essay.
• Recognize copyright laws by demonstrating an understanding of proper citations of quotes and paraphrases which adhere to MLA standards.
• Identify effective listening strategies.
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 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. | Fully Met | |
| Multiple learning resources and materials to increase student success are available to students before the course begins. | Fully Met |
| Course Overview and Introduction | Rating | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Clear, complete course overview and syllabus are included in the course. | Fully Met | |
| 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. | Fully Met | |
| Assessment and assignment answers and explanations are included. | 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. | Fully Met |
| 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 course and course instructor provide students with multiple learning paths, based on student needs that engage students in a variety of ways. | Fully 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. | Fully 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 |
| Resources and Materials | Rating | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Students have access to resources that enrich the course content. | Fully 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. | Fully Met |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Course Updates | Rating | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| The course is updated periodically to ensure that the content is current. | Fully Met |
| Certification | Rating | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Review Conducted By: Apex Learning Inc.
Date of Review:
08/15/2014
American Literature A
UNIT 1: THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
Lesson 1: Increasing Tension
Lesson 2: Declaring Independence
Lesson 3: Setting Up a Nation
Lesson 4: Wrap-Up: The American Revolution
UNIT 2: ROMANTICISM AND TRANSCENDENTALISM
Lesson 1: Whitman and Dickinson
Lesson 2: "The Raven"
Lesson 3: Emerson and Thoreau
Lesson 4: Wrap-Up: Romanticism and Transcendentalism
UNIT 3: THE AMERICAN NARRATIVE
Lesson 1: Humor and Subjectivity
Lesson 2: Formality in Personal Narratives
Lesson 3: Diaries and Journals
Lesson 4: Wrap-Up: The American Narrative
UNIT 4: MODERNISM AND THE AMERICAN DREAM
Lesson 1: The Rise of Modernism
Lesson 2: The Great Gatsby, Part I
Lesson 3: The Great Gatsby, Part II
Lesson 4: Wrap-Up: Modernism and The American Dream
UNIT 5: SEMESTER WRAP-UP
Lesson 1: Wrap Up
American Literature B
UNIT 6: MODERNISM AND LANGUAGE
Lesson 1: Steinbeck and the Depression
Lesson 2: The Modernist Poets
Lesson 3: Experimenting with Language
Lesson 4: Wrap-Up: Modernism and Language
UNIT 7: REDEFINING HOME
Lesson 1: A Raisin in the Sun, Part I
Lesson 2: A Raisin in the Sun, Part II
Lesson 3: The Reaction to Change
Lesson 4: Wrap-Up: Redefining Home
UNIT 8: FRACTURED IDENTITIES
Lesson 1: Vietnam
Lesson 2: Divided Loyalties
Lesson 3: Culture Clash
Lesson 4: Wrap-Up: Fractured Identities
UNIT 9: THE INFLUENCE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Lesson 1: Humans and the Environment
Lesson 2: Humans and Media
Lesson 3: Humans and Machines
Lesson 4: Wrap-Up: The Influence of Science and Technology
UNIT 10: SEMESTER WRAP-UP Lesson 1: Wrap-Up
| Term Type | Enrollment Opens | Enrollment Ends | Random Draw Date | Enrollment Drop Date | Course Starts | Course Ends | # of Seats | Course Fee | Potential Additional Costs |
|---|
| Drop Policy | Completion Policy | Term Type | Enrollment Opens | Enrollment Ends |
|---|
| School Year | Enrollment Count | Pass Count | Completion Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23-24 | 8 | 6 | 75.0% | |
| 22-23 | 11 | 10 | 90.91% | |
| 21-22 | 17 | 14 | 82.35% | |
| 19-20 | 5 | 5 | 100.0% | |
| 18-19 | 7 | 6 | 85.71% | |
| 17-18 | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | |
| 16-17 | 2 | 2 | 100.0% |