Our Curriculum › Reading › 11th Grade
English 11: Literature
A year of American literature from the Puritans to today, taught by period (Romanticism, Realism, Modernism, the Harlem Renaissance and more), with US legal and founding documents. Much of the second half is projects, mixed practice passages and review.
180 lessons
One a day for a school year
7 units
Each opens to its lessons
17 mixed passage sets
Plus 9 timed reading practices
Standards
Common Core Grade 11 reading & literature
What's taught, unit by unit
Interacting themes, irony & satireDays 1–11
How several themes interact in one work, structural choices (order of events, time manipulation), words with multiple meanings, and irony, satire and understatement as sophisticated points of view, ending with applying them to a full text.
- 1 · Welcome to English 11: Literature Grows More Complex
- 2 · Introducing Multiple Interacting Themes
- 3 · Author's Structural Choices: Order of Events
- 4 · Author's Structural Choices: Focus and Time Manipulation
- 5 · Cumulative Word Choice: Multiple-Meaning Words
- 6 · Introducing Irony as Sophisticated Point of View
- 7 · Introducing Satire
- 8 · Introducing Understatement
- 9 · Distinguishing Irony, Satire, and Understatement
- 11 · Applying Irony/Satire/Understatement to a Full Text
Plus 1 review day, not listed.
Early American literature & founding documentsDays 12–20
Anne Bradstreet and Puritan writing, American Romanticism (Bryant, Hawthorne's Young Goodman Brown, Melville's Bartleby), reasoning in seminal US texts, the Supreme Court's Marbury v. Madison and a dissenting opinion, and the themes and rhetoric of the Declaration of Independence.
- 12 · Foundational American Literature: Colonial and Early National Voices
- 13 · Foundational American Literature: American Romanticism
- 14 · Same-Period Thematic Comparison
- 15 · Analyzing Reasoning in Seminal US Texts
- 16 · Analyzing Legal Reasoning in a Majority Opinion
- 17 · Analyzing Legal Reasoning in a Dissenting Opinion
- 18 · Foundational US Documents: Themes and Purposes
- 19 · Foundational US Documents: Rhetorical Features
Plus 1 review day, not listed.
American literary periods, Realism to todayDays 21–70
Realism, Modernism, the Harlem Renaissance, Transcendentalism, regionalism (Jewett), naturalism (London), slave narratives (Douglass), the Beats (On the Road), Death of a Salesman, confessional poetry, postmodernism and contemporary voices, plus Poe, Washington's Farewell Address and Paine.
- 21 · American Literary Periods: Realism
- 22 · American Literary Periods: Modernism
- 23 · The Harlem Renaissance in American Literature
- 24 · Analyzing Two or More Themes Across a Longer Work
- 25 · Structural Choices: Fragmented Narrative
- 26 · Delineating Reasoning in a Seminal US Text
- 27 · Evaluating Reasoning in a Seminal US Text
- 28 · Comparing Legal Reasoning Across 2 Related Cases
- 29 · Cumulative Impact of Word Choices: Fresh and Beautiful Language
- 31 · American Literary Periods: The Confessional and Postmodern Turn
- 32 · Structural Withholding: O. Henry's “The Gift of the Magi”
- 33 · Multiple-Meaning Words in Poetry: Frost's “Mending Wall”
- 34 · Foundational and Response: Whitman's “I Hear America Singing” and Hughes's “I, Too”
- 35 · Delineating Dissent: Justice Holmes in Lochner v. New York
- 36 · Sustained Irony Across a Longer Work: Swift's “A Modest Proposal”
- 37 · Cumulative Structural Impact: Poe's “The Fall of the House of Usher”
- 38 · American Literary Periods: A Comparative Timeline
- 39 · Assessment-Prep Close Reading: Frederick Douglass's Fourth of July Address
- 41 · Foundational American Literature: The Transcendentalists
- 42 · Slave Narratives: Douglass on Learning to Read
- 43 · Regionalism: Sarah Orne Jewett’s “A White Heron”
- 44 · Naturalism: Jack London’s “To Build a Fire”
- 46 · Comparing Transcendentalism and Naturalism
- 47 · Multiple-Meaning Words in Dialogue: Chopin’s “Désirée’s Baby”
- 48 · Delineating Reasoning: Washington’s Farewell Address
- 49 · Recognizing Satire in Bret Harte’s “The Outcasts of Poker Flat”
- 51 · American Literary Periods: The Beat Generation
- 52 · Post-WWII American Drama
- 53 · Comparing 2 Interacting Themes Across a Full Play
- 54 · Contemporary American Voices
- 56 · Analyzing Irony in Contemporary Contexts
- 57 · Comparing a Foundational and a Contemporary Text on the Same Theme
- 58 · Evaluating Reasoning in a Contemporary Argumentative Text
- 59 · Practicing a Comprehensive Mixed Reading Passage Set
- 61 · Analyzing an Extended Metaphor Across a Full Poem
- 62 · Comparing 2 Poets from the Same Literary Period
- 63 · Analyzing the Effect of an Unreliable Narrator's Revealed Bias
- 64 · Evaluating the Persuasiveness of a Foundational Document
- 66 · Analyzing How Time Manipulation Shapes Meaning
- 67 · Assessment-Prep Close Reading: A Poetry Passage
- 68 · Analyzing How Understatement Reveals Rather Than Conceals
- 69 · Practicing a Comprehensive Mixed Reading Passage Set 2
Plus 8 review days, not listed.
Projects, halfway review & the capstone analysisDays 71–102
Mostly applied work: teaching irony, building a reading anthology, a family discussion, reviewing a text for a younger reader, a glossary, four cumulative reviews, a halfway reflection, a podcast script, a Socratic discussion and a researched literary analysis with a short presentation. Mixed practice passages are scattered through.
- 71 · Explainer Project: Teaching Irony, Satire, and Understatement
- 72 · Applied Project: Curating a Personal American Literature Anthology
- 73 · Applied Project: Leading a Family Discussion on a Text
- 74 · Practicing a Comprehensive Mixed Reading Passage Set 3
- 76 · Applied Project: Reviewing a Text for a Younger Reader
- 77 · Applied Project: Creating a Sophisticated Literary Terms Glossary
- 78 · Practicing a Comprehensive Mixed Reading Passage Set 4
- 79 · Timed Reading Practice: A Sophisticated Passage Set
- 81 · Cumulative Review: Interacting Themes and Structural Choices
- 82 · Cumulative Review: Irony, Satire, and Understatement
- 83 · Cumulative Review: American Literary Periods
- 84 · Cumulative Review: Legal and Textual Reasoning
- 85 · Timed Reading Practice: The Halfway Comprehensive
- 86 · Halfway-Year Reading Growth Reflection
- 87 · Explainer Project: Teaching Multiple Interacting Themes
- 88 · Comparing 3 American Literary Periods
- 89 · Practicing a Comprehensive Mixed Reading Passage Set 5
- 91 · Applied Project: Curating a Themed Reading List
- 92 · Applied Project: Writing a Literary Podcast Script
- 93 · Explainer Project: Teaching Foundational American Literature
- 94 · Practicing a Comprehensive Mixed Reading Passage Set 6
- 96 · Applied Project: Leading a Structured Socratic Discussion
- 97 · Capstone Prep: Choosing a Final Literary Analysis Topic
- 98 · Capstone: Researching and Gathering Textual Evidence
- 99 · Capstone: Drafting the Full Analysis
- 101 · Capstone: Presentation Prep
- 102 · Capstone: Presentation Delivery
Plus 5 review days, not listed.
More projects & practice passagesDays 103–120
Comparing two film adaptations, analyzing an award-winning recent text, tracing a symbol across works, a poetry anthology, a Robert Frost author study, comparing two translations of Dante's Inferno, and several mixed reading sets (Bierce, Zitkala-Sa, Chesnutt) and timed practices.
- 103 · Applied Project: Comparing 2 Film Adaptations of the Same Text
- 104 · Practicing a Comprehensive Mixed Reading Passage Set 7
- 106 · Applied Project: Analyzing an Award-Winning Recent Text
- 107 · Applied Project: Tracing a Symbol Across Multiple Texts
- 108 · Practicing a Comprehensive Mixed Reading Passage Set 8
- 109 · Timed Reading Practice: A Sophisticated Passage Set 2
- 111 · Applied Project: Curating a Poetry Anthology by Theme
- 112 · Applied Project: Writing an Author Study on Robert Frost
- 113 · Reviewing Common Errors in Textual Evidence Use
- 114 · Practicing a Comprehensive Mixed Reading Passage Set 9
- 116 · Applied Project: Comparing 2 Translations of Dante's Inferno
- 117 · Explainer Project: Teaching Close Reading
- 118 · Practicing a Comprehensive Mixed Reading Passage Set 10
- 119 · Timed Reading Practice: A Full-Year Mixed Set
Plus 4 review days, not listed.
Moral dilemmas, legacy & belongingDays 121–160
Fresh analysis days on ambiguous morality (Ethan Frome), inherited trauma, restraint, reconciliation, legacy, silence, hope and despair, belonging and compromise (Mary Antin, Yezierska), parallel storylines and the epilogue of The Scarlet Letter. A three-part cumulative review and timed practices are mixed in.
- 121 · Analyzing a Text’s Treatment of Ambiguous Morality
- 122 · Analyzing a Text’s Portrayal of Inherited Trauma
- 123 · Analyzing Restraint as a Deliberate Craft Choice
- 124 · Practicing a Comprehensive Mixed Reading Passage Set 11
- 126 · Analyzing How a Text Portrays Reconciliation
- 127 · Assessment-Prep Close Reading: A Full-Length Sophisticated Passage
- 128 · Comparing How 2 Texts Portray the Same Moral Dilemma
- 129 · Practicing a Comprehensive Mixed Reading Passage Set 12
- 131 · Cumulative Review, Part 1 of 3: Interacting Themes and Sophisticated POV
- 132 · Cumulative Review, Part 2 of 3: American Literary Periods and Legal Reasoning
- 133 · Cumulative Review, Part 3 of 3: Structural Choices and Cumulative Word Choice
- 134 · Explainer Project: Teaching Legal and Textual Reasoning
- 136 · 2 Timed Reading Practices, Part 1: The Comprehensive Final Prep
- 137 · 2 Timed Reading Practices, Part 2: The Comprehensive Final Prep
- 138 · Common Error Review: English 11's Trickiest Skills
- 139 · Final Year Reflection: My Year in English 11
- 141 · Analyzing a Text's Portrayal of Legacy
- 142 · Analyzing a Text's Treatment of Silence as Communication
- 143 · Analyzing How a Text Balances Hope and Despair
- 144 · Practicing a Comprehensive Mixed Reading Passage Set 13
- 146 · Analyzing a Central Question a Text Refuses to Answer
- 147 · Comparing How 2 Texts Portray Legacy Differently
- 148 · Practicing a Comprehensive Mixed Reading Passage Set 14
- 149 · Timed Reading Practice 2: Du Bois on Double-Consciousness
- 151 · Analyzing a Text's Treatment of Belonging
- 152 · Analyzing a Text's Portrayal of Compromise
- 153 · Analyzing a Text's Use of Parallel Storylines
- 154 · Practicing a Comprehensive Mixed Reading Passage Set 15
- 156 · Analyzing an Epilogue's Function
- 157 · Assessment-Prep Close Reading: A Final Sophisticated Passage
- 158 · Practicing a Comprehensive Mixed Reading Passage Set 16
- 159 · Timed Reading Practice: A Full-Year Mixed Set 2
Plus 8 review days, not listed.
Final review, reflection & celebrationDays 161–180
Full-year cumulative reviews, timed practice, an explainer project and growth reflection, a preview of English 12, final reviews, a year-end presentation, celebration days, and a closing reflection.
- 161 · Full-Year English 11 Cumulative Review, Part 1
- 162 · Full-Year English 11 Cumulative Review, Part 2
- 163 · Full-Year English 11 Cumulative Review, Part 3
- 164 · Timed Reading Practice: The Comprehensive Final Passage
- 166 · Explainer Project: Teaching Sophisticated POV Analysis
- 167 · Full-Year Reading Growth Reflection
- 168 · Practicing a Comprehensive Mixed Reading Passage Set 17
- 169 · Looking Ahead: English 12 Next Year
- 171 · Final Review: Interacting Themes and Sophisticated POV
- 172 · Final Review: Literary Periods and Legal/Textual Reasoning
- 173 · Preparing Your Year-End Reading Presentation
- 174 · Delivering Your Year-End Reading Presentation
- 175 · Celebration Day: Reflecting on a Year of English 11!
- 176 · Celebration Day: A Favorite Passage Challenge
- 177 · Celebration Day: Irony and Satire All Around You
- 178 · Looking Ahead: Becoming an Independent Reader in English 12
- 179 · Final Reflection: My Year in English 11
- 180 · Congratulations! You Completed English 11!
Plus 2 review days, not listed.
By the end of the year, your child can
- Trace two or more interacting themes across a longer work
- Recognize irony, satire and understatement and explain what the author means
- Describe the main American literary periods and place a text within its period
- Delineate and evaluate the reasoning in a foundational document or court opinion
- Compare how two American texts treat the same theme or dilemma
- Read an unfamiliar passage closely and answer questions under a time limit
Other 11th Grade subjects: Algebra II · English 11: Composition & Grammar · Physics · US Government & Civics