Students step back in time to explore our literary roots with a semester-long survey of British Literature. The course covers The Anglo-Saxon Period through the Elizabethan, Romantic, and Victorian periods. As they study such classic works as Beowulf, Macbeth, and “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner,” students hone their skills as close readers, listeners, viewers, and critical thinkers. They practice both analytical and creative writing. Other activities include virtual tours of England, creating a “Shakespearian” style sonnet, engaging with Jonathan Swift in satirical social commentary, exploring the tenets of nature, spontaneity, and self-expression that inspired Romantic poets like Wordsworth and Keats, and appreciating the emerging voices of Romantic and Victorian women novelists. Vocabulary study, working with literary terms, class discussions, guided practice with study and reading strategies, writing mini-lessons, and reader response journals are an integral part of each week’s course work.
Course Materials: Frankenstein, a novel by Mary Shelley (privately purchased, borrowed from a library, or accessed online); various online websites and resources
Honors Students: A British Victorian novel
Standards met: All strands of the Minnesota Language Arts standards are addressed.
Credit: 0.5 credit
Honors Opportunity: Yes
Prerequisites: 11th grade Language Arts course