Grade 11 English Curriculum

Family-facing version of the grade 11 English curriculum

Quarterly Overview of Grade 11 English

The objectives and outcomes for each unit are common across FCPS and based on the Virginia Standards of Learning.

Grade 11 English Language Arts teachers are expected to plan using Concept-Based Curriculum (CBC). Teachers are provided sample units and assessments for this course; this information reflects those samples.

Each school and teacher teams have autonomy over which CBC units they might use from the information below. Some schools have elected to write their own.

Families are encouraged to communicate with schools and teachers to receive accurate planning and pacing guides.

Units and Details

Why Stories Matter

Students will: 

  • Select and effectively use multimodal tools to design and develop presentation content.
  • Credit information sources.
  • Respond thoughtfully and tactfully to diverse perspectives, summarizing points of agreement and disagreement.
  • Use a variety of strategies to listen actively and speak using appropriate discussion rules with awareness of verbal and nonverbal cues.
  • Evaluate the various techniques used to construct arguments in multimodal presentations.
  • Use vocabulary appropriate to the topic, audience, and purpose.
  • Describe possible cause and effect relationships between mass media coverage and public opinion trends.
  • Create media messages with a specific point of view.
  • Evaluate media sources for relationships between intent and content.
  • Analyze the impact of selected media formats on meaning.
  • Manage, analyze, and synthesize multiple streams of simultaneous information.
  • Demonstrate ethical use of the Internet when evaluating or producing creative or informational media messages.
  • Use structural analysis of roots, affixes, synonyms, and antonyms to understand complex words.
  • Discriminate between connotative and denotative meanings and interpret the connotation.
  • Extend general and cross-curricular vocabulary through speaking, listening, reading, and writing.
  • Analyze American literature, as it reflects traditional and contemporary themes, motifs, universal characters, and genres.
  • Interpret the social or cultural function of American literature.
  • Analyze how context and language structures convey an author’s intent and viewpoint.
  • Evaluate how specific word choices, syntax, tone, and voice support the author’s purpose.
  • Generate and respond logically to literal, inferential, evaluative, synthesizing, and critical thinking questions about the text(s).
  • Compare/contrast literary and informational nonfiction texts.
  • Apply information from texts to clarify understanding of concepts.
  • Paraphrase and synthesize ideas within and between texts.
  • Draw conclusions and make inferences on explicit and implied information using textual support.
  • Analyze multiple texts addressing the same topic to determine how authors reach similar or different conclusions.
  • Recognize and analyze use of ambiguity, contradiction, paradox, irony, sarcasm, overstatement, and understatement in text.
  • Generate and respond logically to literal, inferential, evaluative, synthesizing, and critical thinking questions about the text(s).
  • Apply components of a recursive writing process for multiple purposes to create a focused, organized, and coherent piece of writing to address a specific audience and purpose.
  • Produce arguments in writing developing a thesis that demonstrates knowledgeable judgments, addresses counterclaims, and provides effective conclusions.
  • Organize claims, counterclaims, and evidence in a sustained and logical sequence.
  • Adapt evidence, vocabulary, voice, and tone to audience, purpose, and situation.
  • Use words, phrases, clauses, and varied syntax to create a cohesive argument.
  • Blend multiple forms of writing including embedding narratives to produce effective essays.
  • Revise writing for clarity of content, accuracy and depth of information.
  • Write and revise to a standard acceptable both in the workplace and in postsecondary education.
  • Use complex sentence structure to infuse sentence variety in writing.
  • Use verbals and verbal phrases correctly to achieve sentence conciseness and variety.
  • Make sense of information gathered from diverse sources by identifying misconceptions, main and supporting ideas, conflicting information, point of view or bias.
  • Define the meaning and consequences of plagiarism and follow ethical and legal guidelines for gathering and using information.
  • Demonstrate ethical use of the Internet.

The Voices Unheard

Students will: 

  • Select and effectively use multimodal tools to design and develop presentation content.
  • Credit information sources.
  • Demonstrate the ability to work collaboratively with diverse teams.
  • Respond thoughtfully and tactfully to diverse perspectives, summarizing points of agreement and disagreement.
  • Use a variety of strategies to listen actively and speak using appropriate discussion rules with awareness of verbal and nonverbal cues.
  • Evaluate the various techniques used to construct arguments in multimodal presentations.
  • Use vocabulary appropriate to the topic, audience, and purpose.
  • Describe possible cause and effect relationships between mass media coverage and public opinion trends.
  • Create media messages with a specific point of view.
  • Evaluate media sources for relationships between intent and content.
  • Manage, analyze, and synthesize multiple streams of simultaneous information.
  • Demonstrate ethical use of the Internet when evaluating or producing creative or informational media messages.
  • Use structural analysis of roots, affixes, synonyms, and antonyms to understand complex words.
  • Use context, structure, and connotations to determine meanings of words and phrases.
  • Discriminate between connotative and denotative meanings and interpret the connotation.
  • Explain the meaning of literary and classical allusions and figurative language in text.
  • Extend general and cross-curricular vocabulary through speaking, listening, reading, and writing.
  • Describe contributions of different cultures to the development of American literature.
  • Compare and contrast the development of American literature in its historical context.
  • Analyze American literature, as it reflects traditional and contemporary themes, motifs, universal characters, and genres.
  • Interpret the social or cultural function of American literature.
  • Analyze how context and language structures convey an author’s intent and viewpoint.
  • Critique how authors use key literary elements to contribute to meaning including character development, theme, conflict, and archetypes within and across texts .
  • Interpret how the sound and imagery of poetry support the subject, mood, and theme, and appeal to the reader’s senses.
  • Evaluate how specific word choices, syntax, tone, and voice support the author’s purpose.
  • Generate and respond logically to literal, inferential, evaluative, synthesizing, and critical thinking questions about the text(s).
  • Apply information from texts to clarify understanding of concepts.
  • Paraphrase and synthesize ideas within and between texts.
  • Draw conclusions and make inferences on explicit and implied information using textual support.
  • Analyze multiple texts addressing the same topic to determine how authors reach similar or different conclusions.
  • Generate and respond logically to literal, inferential, evaluative, synthesizing, and critical thinking questions about the text(s).
  • Apply components of a recursive writing process for multiple purposes to create a focused, organized, and coherent piece of writing to address a specific audience and purpose.
  • Produce arguments in writing developing a thesis that demonstrates knowledgeable judgments, addresses counterclaims, and provides effective conclusions.
  • Organize claims, counterclaims, and evidence in a sustained and logical sequence.
  • Adapt evidence, vocabulary, voice, and tone to audience, purpose, and situation.
  • Use words, phrases, clauses, and varied syntax to create a cohesive argument.
  • Blend multiple forms of writing including embedding narratives to produce effective essays.
  • Revise writing for clarity of content, accuracy and depth of information.
  • Write and revise to a standard acceptable both in the workplace and in postsecondary education.
  • Use complex sentence structure to infuse sentence variety in writing.
  • Make sense of information gathered from diverse sources by identifying misconceptions, main and supporting ideas, conflicting information, point of view or bias.
  • Cite sources for both quoted and paraphrased ideas using a standard method of documentation, such as that of the Modern Language Association (MLA) or the American Psychological Association (APA).
  • Define the meaning and consequences of plagiarism and follow ethical and legal guidelines for gathering and using information.
  • Demonstrate ethical use of the Internet.

Persuasion & Consumerism

Students will: 

  • Select and effectively use multimodal tools to design and develop presentation content.
  • Credit information sources.
  • Respond thoughtfully and tactfully to diverse perspectives, summarizing points of agreement and disagreement.
  • Use a variety of strategies to listen actively and speak using appropriate discussion rules with awareness of verbal and nonverbal cues.
  • Anticipate and address alternative or opposing perspectives and counterclaims.
  • Evaluate the various techniques used to construct arguments in multimodal presentations.
  • Use vocabulary appropriate to the topic, audience, and purpose.
  • Evaluate effectiveness of multimodal presentations.
  • Describe possible cause and effect relationships between mass media coverage and public opinion trends.
  • Evaluate media sources for relationships between intent and content.
  • Determine the author’s purpose and intended effect on the audience for media messages.
  • Manage, analyze, and synthesize multiple streams of simultaneous information.
  • Demonstrate ethical use of the Internet when evaluating or producing creative or informational media messages.
  • Use context, structure, and connotations to determine meanings of words and phrases.
  • Discriminate between connotative and denotative meanings and interpret the connotation.
  • Extend general and cross-curricular vocabulary through speaking, listening, reading, and writing.
  • Analyze how context and language structures convey an author’s intent and viewpoint.
  • Evaluate how specific word choices, syntax, tone, and voice support the author’s purpose.
  • Generate and respond logically to literal, inferential, evaluative, synthesizing, and critical thinking questions about the text(s).
  • Apply information from texts to clarify understanding of concepts.
  • Paraphrase and synthesize ideas within and between texts.
  • Draw conclusions and make inferences on explicit and implied information using textual support.
  • Analyze false premises, claims, counterclaims, and other evidence in persuasive writing.
  • Generate and respond logically to literal, inferential, evaluative, synthesizing, and critical thinking questions about the text(s).
  • Apply components of a recursive writing process for multiple purposes to create a focused, organized, and coherent piece of writing to address a specific audience and purpose.
  • Produce arguments in writing developing a thesis that demonstrates knowledgeable judgments, addresses counterclaims, and provides effective conclusions.
  • Organize claims, counterclaims, and evidence in a sustained and logical sequence.
  • Adapt evidence, vocabulary, voice, and tone to audience, purpose, and situation.
  • Use words, phrases, clauses, and varied syntax to create a cohesive argument.
  • Blend multiple forms of writing including embedding narratives to produce effective essays.
  • Revise writing for clarity of content, accuracy and depth of information.
  • Write and revise to a standard acceptable both in the workplace and in postsecondary education.
  • Use complex sentence structure to infuse sentence variety in writing.
  • Critically evaluate quality, accuracy, and validity of information.
  • Make sense of information gathered from diverse sources by identifying misconceptions, main and supporting ideas, conflicting information, point of view or bias.
  • Synthesize relevant information from primary and secondary sources and present it in a logical sequence.
  • Cite sources for both quoted and paraphrased ideas using a standard method of documentation, such as that of the Modern Language Association (MLA) or the American Psychological Association (APA).
  • Define the meaning and consequences of plagiarism and follow ethical and legal guidelines for gathering and using information.
  • Demonstrate ethical use of the Internet.

Conformity & Group Think

Students will:

  • Select and effectively use multimodal tools to design and develop presentation content.
  • Credit information sources.
  • Respond thoughtfully and tactfully to diverse perspectives, summarizing points of agreement and disagreement.
  • Use a variety of strategies to listen actively and speak using appropriate discussion rules with awareness of verbal and nonverbal cues.
  • Anticipate and address alternative or opposing perspectives and counterclaims.
  • Evaluate the various techniques used to construct arguments in multimodal presentations.
  • Use vocabulary appropriate to the topic, audience, and purpose.
  • Evaluate effectiveness of multimodal presentations.
  • Describe possible cause and effect relationships between mass media coverage and public opinion trends.
  • Evaluate media sources for relationships between intent and content.
  • Determine the author’s purpose and intended effect on the audience for media messages.
  • Manage, analyze, and synthesize multiple streams of simultaneous information.
  • Demonstrate ethical use of the Internet when evaluating or producing creative or informational media messages..
  • Use context, structure, and connotations to determine meanings of words and phrases.
  • Discriminate between connotative and denotative meanings and interpret the connotation.
  • Extend general and cross-curricular vocabulary through speaking, listening, reading, and writing.
  • Compare and contrast the development of American literature in its historical context.
  • Analyze American literature, as it reflects traditional and contemporary themes, motifs, universal characters, and genres.
  • Interpret the social or cultural function of American literature.
  • Analyze how context and language structures convey an author’s intent and viewpoint.
  • Critique how authors use key literary elements to contribute to meaning including character development, theme, conflict, and archetypes within and across texts ..
  • Evaluate how specific word choices, syntax, tone, and voice support the author’s purpose.
  • Analyze the use of dramatic conventions in American literature.
  • Generate and respond logically to literal, inferential, evaluative, synthesizing, and critical thinking questions about the text(s).
  • Compare/contrast literary and informational nonfiction texts.
  • Apply information from texts to clarify understanding of concepts.
  • Paraphrase and synthesize ideas within and between texts.
  • Draw conclusions and make inferences on explicit and implied information using textual support.
  • Analyze multiple texts addressing the same topic to determine how authors reach similar or different conclusions.
  • Analyze false premises, claims, counterclaims, and other evidence in persuasive writing.
  • Recognize and analyze use of ambiguity, contradiction, paradox, irony, sarcasm, overstatement, and understatement in text.
  • Generate and respond logically to literal, inferential, evaluative, synthesizing, and critical thinking questions about the text(s).
  • Apply components of a recursive writing process for multiple purposes to create a focused, organized, and coherent piece of writing to address a specific audience and purpose.
  • Produce arguments in writing developing a thesis that demonstrates knowledgeable judgments, addresses counterclaims, and provides effective conclusions.
  • Organize claims, counterclaims, and evidence in a sustained and logical sequence.
  • Adapt evidence, vocabulary, voice, and tone to audience, purpose, and situation.
  • Use words, phrases, clauses, and varied syntax to create a cohesive argument.
  • Blend multiple forms of writing including embedding narratives to produce effective essays.
  • Revise writing for clarity of content, accuracy and depth of information.
  • Write and revise to a standard acceptable both in the workplace and in postsecondary education.
  • Use complex sentence structure to infuse sentence variety in writing.
  • Critically evaluate quality, accuracy, and validity of information.
  • Make sense of information gathered from diverse sources by identifying misconceptions, main and supporting ideas, conflicting information, point of view or bias.
  • Demonstrate ethical use of the Internet.

American Identity

Students will: 

  • Demonstrate the ability to work collaboratively with diverse teams.
  • Use a variety of strategies to listen actively and speak using appropriate discussion rules with awareness of verbal and nonverbal cues.
  • Use vocabulary appropriate to the topic, audience, and purpose.
  • Use context, structure, and connotations to determine meanings of words and phrases.
  • Discriminate between connotative and denotative meanings and interpret the connotation.
  • Explain the meaning of literary and classical allusions and figurative language in text.
  • Extend general and cross-curricular vocabulary through speaking, listening, reading, and writing.
  • Describe contributions of different cultures to the development of American literature.
  • Compare and contrast the development of American literature in its historical context.
  • Analyze American literature, as it reflects traditional and contemporary themes, motifs, universal characters, and genres.
  • Interpret the social or cultural function of American literature.
  • Analyze how context and language structures convey an author’s intent and viewpoint.
  • Critique how authors use key literary elements to contribute to meaning including character development, theme, conflict, and archetypes within and across texts .
  • Interpret how the sound and imagery of poetry support the subject, mood, and theme, and appeal to the reader’s senses.
  • Evaluate how specific word choices, syntax, tone, and voice support the author’s purpose.
  • Analyze the use of dramatic conventions in American literature.
  • Generate and respond logically to literal, inferential, evaluative, synthesizing, and critical thinking questions about the text(s).
  • Compare/contrast literary and informational nonfiction texts.
  • Apply information from texts to clarify understanding of concepts.
  • Draw conclusions and make inferences on explicit and implied information using textual support.
  • Recognize and analyze use of ambiguity, contradiction, paradox, irony, sarcasm, overstatement, and understatement in text.
  • Generate and respond logically to literal, inferential, evaluative, synthesizing, and critical thinking questions about the text(s).
  • Apply components of a recursive writing process for multiple purposes to create a focused, organized, and coherent piece of writing to address a specific audience and purpose.
  • Produce arguments in writing developing a thesis that demonstrates knowledgeable judgments, addresses counterclaims, and provides effective conclusions.
  • Organize claims, counterclaims, and evidence in a sustained and logical sequence.
  • Adapt evidence, vocabulary, voice, and tone to audience, purpose, and situation.
  • Use words, phrases, clauses, and varied syntax to create a cohesive argument.
  • Blend multiple forms of writing including embedding narratives to produce effective essays.
  • Revise writing for clarity of content, accuracy and depth of information.
  • Write and revise to a standard acceptable both in the workplace and in postsecondary education.
  • Distinguish between active and passive voice.
  • Cite sources for both quoted and paraphrased ideas using a standard method of documentation, such as that of the Modern Language Association (MLA) or the American Psychological Association (APA).
  • Define the meaning and consequences of plagiarism and follow ethical and legal guidelines for gathering and using information.
  • Demonstrate ethical use of the Internet.

Reflection

Students will: 

  • Select and effectively use multimodal tools to design and develop presentation content.
  • Demonstrate the ability to work collaboratively with diverse teams.
  • Respond thoughtfully and tactfully to diverse perspectives, summarizing points of agreement and disagreement.
  • Use a variety of strategies to listen actively and speak using appropriate discussion rules with awareness of verbal and nonverbal cues.
  • Evaluate the various techniques used to construct arguments in multimodal presentations.
  • Use vocabulary appropriate to the topic, audience, and purpose.
  • Create media messages with a specific point of view.
  • Manage, analyze, and synthesize multiple streams of simultaneous information.
  • Demonstrate ethical use of the Internet when evaluating or producing creative or informational media messages.
  • Extend general and cross-curricular vocabulary through speaking, listening, reading, and writing.
  • Critique how authors use key literary elements to contribute to meaning including character development, theme, conflict, and archetypes within and across texts .
  • Generate and respond logically to literal, inferential, evaluative, synthesizing, and critical thinking questions about the text(s).
  • Apply information from texts to clarify understanding of concepts.
  • Paraphrase and synthesize ideas within and between texts.
  • Draw conclusions and make inferences on explicit and implied information using textual support.
  • Apply components of a recursive writing process for multiple purposes to create a focused, organized, and coherent piece of writing to address a specific audience and purpose.
  • Adapt evidence, vocabulary, voice, and tone to audience, purpose, and situation.
  • Revise writing for clarity of content, accuracy and depth of information.
  • Demonstrate ethical use of the Internet.

Grade 11 English Language Arts teachers are expected to plan using Concept-Based Curriculum (CBC). Teachers are provided sample units and assessments for this course, and this scope and sequence reflects those samples. However, each school and teacher teams have autonomy over which CBC units they might use from our pacing guide. Some schools have elected to write their own. Parents are encouraged to communicate with schools and teachers to receive accurate planning and pacing guides.

Virginia Department of Education Resources

Assessments

Student assessments are part of the teaching and learning process.

  • Teachers give assessments to students on an ongoing basis to
    • Check for understanding.
    • Gather information about students' knowledge or skills.
  • Assessments provide information about a child's development of knowledge and skills that can help families and teachers better plan for the next steps in instruction.

For testing questions or additional information about how schools and teachers use test results to support student success, families can contact their children's schools.

In Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS), 11th grade tests focus on measuring content knowledge and skill development.

Other High School Information