English IIA
Instructional Objectives

Students will be able to do the following upon the completion of each of the units.

Unit 1

Write an overview of the life of William Sidney Porter (O. Henry).
Recognize and identify the "surprise ending format" in three O. Henry short stories.
Analyze the philosophy which holds that there is more dignity to breaking the law than to accepting the "gifts of charity".
Identify and define his/her attitude toward sentencing of the reformed - yet nevertheless guilty - criminal.
Explore the emotions experienced by a dying human being.
Compare and contract self-sacrifice, as portrayed by O. Henry in two separate short stories.
Define 47 vocabulary words.

Unit 2

Analyze the potential negative effects of wealth on the life of the individual.
Examine the struggle of two diverse individuals for personal fulfillment.
Research the life of a famous American author.
Explore the concept of self-realization.
Compare and contrast life expectations with life realities.
Define 50 vocabulary words.

Unit 3

Demonstrate insight into the special life challenges which the handicapped face each day.
Understand the linguistic concept of the "idiom" and write six English idioms.
Research significant aspects of the lives of two courageous Americans, Helen Keller and Henry Brown,
Write an essay describing the courage of a runaway slave.
Analyze the theme of courage as reflected in two separate poems.
Define 37 vocabulary words.

Unit 4

Relay the content of seven poems.
Identify the poetic devices alliteration, personification, and symbolism.
Analyze and paraphrase selected poems.

Unit 5

Demonstrate the ability to understand a poem.
Relay the content of seven classic poems.
Define and spell 140 vocabulary words.
Identify the poetic device of onomatopoeia.
Analyze, recite, and paraphrase selected poems.

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