English, Grade 11, University Preparation
Curriculum Policy
English, The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 11 and 12, 2007 (Revised)

Course Description:
This course focuses on developing literacy, communication, and critical and creative thinking skills essential for success in academics and everyday life. Students will analyze challenging literary texts from diverse periods, countries, and cultures, alongside various informational and graphic texts. They will create oral, written, and media texts in multiple formats. Emphasis will be placed on precise language use and the effective incorporation of stylistic devices. This course prepares students for the mandatory Grade 12 university or college preparation course.

Chapters and Description:

• Uncovering Historical Perspectives
  Unit 1 introduces the course’s exploration of past, present, and future through various lenses. Students will develop questioning skills and embark on an inquiry project that spans the course. This unit reviews narrative and poetic forms while teaching analytical skills necessary for reading these genres. An interactive lesson, The Quest, immerses students in an Egyptian tomb experience to learn about fact versus opinion, bias, and evidence selection. Assessments include crafting questions, writing a letter to their future selves, analyzing poetry and short stories, and creative writing exercises.
• Current Issues and Media Literacy
  Unit 2 shifts focus to non-fiction and media texts, addressing significant contemporary issues that will shape the future. Students will evaluate the influence of media, especially social media, on society, learn about the research process, and emphasize the importance of verifying sources. The second step of the inquiry process, exploring, is introduced. Assessments involve research and verification tasks, media text analysis, creating tailored texts for diverse audiences, and a midterm reflection.
• Imagining Tomorrow
  In Unit 3, students delve into the future through Emily St. John Mandel’s novel Station Eleven, which examines civilization, the role of art, and the power of memory. This unit also covers the third step of the inquiry process: explaining. Assessments include analytical reflections, developing an inquiry plan, writing a formal essay, and creating a video essay.
• Embracing Challenges
  Having explored the past, present, and future, Unit 4 invites students to reflect on personal challenges and what it means to overcome them. Students will hone various reading skills and engage with challenging texts often found in the literary canon. This unit introduces the final step of the inquiry process: extending. Assessments in this unit consist of a revision assignment, an annotated reading list, an essay, and crafting a commencement speech.