1. English Department
7-20-2012
Present: Matt Butcher, Dean Poignant, Jennifer Albrecht, Spencer Byrd, Rolf Sivertsen
Final consensus of curriculum materials for 2012-2013 school year
1. Research paper
a. Scaffolding
i. Freshman year responsibilities
1. Paper set-up/format
2. Introduction to embedding quotes
3. 1-2 sources MLA, given by teacher
4. Basic single paragraph structure
5. Introduction to transitions
6. Sentence diagramming for syntax understanding
ii. Sophomore year responsibilities
1. Create self-chosen bibliography
2. Focus on self-chosen thesis statement creation
3. Topic sentences, referring back to thesis
4. More on embedding quotes from multiple sources
5. Final product: 3-4 page research paper with 4-5 sources
iii. Junior year responsibilities
1. Final product: 5-8 page paper with 8-10 sources
a. Database sources, print, video, interview, surveys
2. Essential questions--self chosen
3. Paraphrasing versus quoting
b. Weekly writing
i. Each week will be a writing assignment, graded on Six-Trait rubric
1. 300 words or less
2. Summary, exposition, narrative, based on class needs at that time
3. Writing will give topics for bellringers on classroom needs, such as
specific grammar issues, syntax, paragraphing
4. Will also be used to analyze sources used in final products for Junior and
Sophomore year
5. Consistent, high-stakes writing on a regular basis, ready for publication
c. Teacher responsibilities
i. Grading in timely fashion to use feedback on next writing
ii. Using and explaining Six-Trait Writing rubric
iii. Documenting the year’s step-by-step approach to hopefully publish at end of
the next year or two a “How Midland Teaches Writing” packet

2. 2. Novel List
a. Attached, listed by year taught
3. Six-Trait Writing Rubric
a. Each piece of writing in English and all other classes at Midland will be graded with this
b. Some assignments may have more added to the rubric
i. Ex: Research paper requires more specific evaluation than Six-Trait rubric lists.
While Six-Trait is great for evaluation of ideas and flow, sometimes writing must
be evaluated on completion of specific steps and procedures.
c. The writing rubric may have a different point structure
i. Ex: One paper may need to be weighed heavier on one aspect of the Six-Traits,
like a persuasive paper will be weighed heavier on ideas
ii. Ex: Point structure may be increased or decreased, depending on assignment,
but all will still be graded with basic Six-Trait Writing Rubric
d. Teaching Staff how to use rubric so they incorporate it
4. Basic Syllabus
a. Course overview
b. Classroom expectations, esp. behavior
c. Grading expectations
d. Course outline, including major units taught
e. Classroom procedures
5. Homework for those present
a. Read through Common Core standards for ELAR
b. Mark how they accomplish each now
c. Mark which ones they don’t hit now
d. Next meeting, go through and fill in gaps in standards, asking also what is best practice
for some standards
e. Final product will be a compendium on how each standard is taught 9-12
6. Next meeting
a. Thursday, July 26, 2012, 10:00 am at HS
b. Bring homework
c. Topics to be discussed:
i. Finals Assessments--the end product in mind for each semester
ii. Freshman Academy topics
iii. Common Core

3. Novel List
It is the recommendation of this group that the novels chosen for group study at the Middle School be
examined for relevance and engaging readers with a passion for learning.
Freshman
1st Semester
Of Mice and Men
To Kill a Mockingbird
2nd Semester
Romeo and Juliet
The Odyssey
Sophomore
1st Semester
Lord of the Flies
Night
Fahrenheit 451
12 Angry Men
2nd Semester
Things Fall Apart
Taming of the Shrew
Julius Caesar
Literature Circles
Junior
1st Semester
Huckleberry Finn
2nd Semester
Red Badge of Courage
The Great Gatsby

4. The Crucible
Senior--English IV
1st Semester
Beowulf
Monster
Dante’s Inferno
(Macbeth)
2nd Semester
1984
Handmaid’s Tale
Hunger Games
Native American Literature
Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian--Sherman Alexie
Lakota Way--Joseph M. Marshall III

5. English Department 7-26-2012
Present: Matt Butcher, Dean Poignant, Jennifer Albrecht
Jennifer--here is that link for good English actor Julian Glover reading Beowulf in modern and Old
English: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IR464WBmA2s
1. Conscientious incorporation of 21st century technology in classroom
a. teachers will experiment with
i. electronic books
ii. electronic literature circles
iii. re-write Wikipedia page
iv. creation of student-centered Midland English Department Wiki page
v. class dictionary
vi. blogs for journals
vii. databases
viii. twitter
ix. uploading student videos to youtube for class project
x. prezi and powerpoint
b. teachers will create a survey of technology, administer to students, and share data with staff
asap
2. The Department went through each and every Common Core standard for reading and writing and
specifically addressed how these would be assessed in each classroom, 9-12 and Native American
Lit/21st Century Writing
3. Incorporation of AP Language textbook, as it hits many of the Common Core standards, and we
already have a classroom set of the books
4. English Department will diligently document major works, literary terms, etc., taught each month in
each class, and this list will be completed into a compendium in May 2013 called Midland English
Department Month-By-Month. This document will be a cornerstone in highlighting when key concepts
are taught.

6. a. See Calendar files here on Google Docs, 2012 and 2013 calendars, that teachers will complete
as a running document throughout the year. This is in addition to Curriculum Mapper.