World Literature
10th or 11th grade

This fast-paced course requires students to complete daily reading and homework assignments, and turn them in for evaluation every week. Parents, students, and the instructor will collaborate through the year to ensure understanding and completion. Grades will be assigned according to the student’s homework, tests and quizzes, writing assignments, presentations, and class participation.
 
**In order to maximize their learning of World Literature, it is required that students take the companion World History course that is offered on the same day. These classes build upon one another and follow an identical time line. Students will read literature written from the time period being studied in history, thus, students take both courses and gain a more comprehensive understanding of the material.
 
Unit 1 – First Civilizations and Empires (3500 B.C. to A.D. 500)

• Creation Myths

  • Write an original creation myth

• Greek Mythology

  • Comparative research assignments

• Writings of Plato, Aristotle, and Socrates

  • Internet research project on the philosophies of each of the above

• One Thousand and One Arabian Nights

  • Analytical essay on themes in middle eastern mythology

• Haiku Poetry

  • Write original haiku poetry

 
Unit 2 – New Patterns of Civilizations (400-1500)

• Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe

  • Analytical essay on the theme of the Renaissance Man

• The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer 

  • Group project summarizing and performing one assigned tale

• African short stories and poetry

  • Internet research project on various works

 
Unit 3 – The Early Modern World (1400-1800)

• Hamlet by William Shakespeare

  • Argumentative essay on themes of Hamlet

 
Unit 4 –Era of European Imperialism (1800-1914) 

• Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

  • Opinion essay on Victorian era love and marriage

• Les Miserables (excerpts and movie)

  • Short answer timed essay 

• Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie

  • Plot analysis assignment

• “The Blue Carbunkle,” “Rikki Tikki Tavi,” “Toys of Peace” 

  • Annotation assignment
     

Unit 5 – The Twentieth-Century Crisis (1914-1945) 

• Multi-media research project to be completed and presented to the class

  • Detailed research essay

  • MLA formatting explained and practiced

• Various literary excerpts from this time period from all over the world

  • Poetry memorization and recital

 
Unit 6 – Toward a Global Civilization (1945-Present)

• Animal Farm by George Orwell

  • Narrative writing assignment 

  • Propaganda group project

• Uglies by Scott Westerfield

  • Utopian society writing assignment

This class fulfills the high school requirement for World Literature. It is recommended for students in 10th/11th grade, but may be taken during any year of high school. (US History & American Literature courses are taught on alternating years.)