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THE ABSOLUTELY TRUE STORY OF A PART-TIME INDIAN, by Sherman Alexie
Winner of the 2007 National Book Award Standard 10 The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is a coming-of-age story told by Junior, a fourteen-year-old, Native American boy living on the Spokane Reservation, but attending school in a wealthy town nearby. It is an engaging, authentic story that grapples with topics like identity, racism, friendship, and growing up. This text does describe the poverty, alcoholism, and domestic abuse that is prevalent on the Spokane Reservation. As a first-person coming-of-age story, it also includes some profanity and sexual references. In conjunction with The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, students will read and view supplementary materials to establish necessary background information for understanding and appreciating the text. For example, they may read excerpts from Mary Crow Dog’s memoir, Lakota Woman and other relevant non-fiction texts. |
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ANTIGONE, by Sophocles
Honors 10 In this classic Greek play, Antigone must decide how to respond to injustice. This play includes sexual references as well as references to violence and suicide. OEDIPUS REX, by Sophocles Standard 10, Honors 10 In this classic Greek play, Oedipus, King of Thebes, investigates the murder of his predecessor, King Laius. Oedipus son learns that the truth is more shocking that he could have ever guessed. This play includes sexual references as well as references to violence and suicide. |
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"One of the greatest novels of the century...
a compassionate tale of a child adrift in the world. It's an American classic that everyone should read." -Common Sense Media CATCHER IN THE RYE, by J.D. Salinger
Standard 10, Honors 10 When it was published over 60 years ago, Catcher in the Rye introduced what is now a commonplace theme: teenage angst. It is a classic coming of age story narrated by its young protagonist, Holden Caufield, who is trying to come to terms with his brother’s death, his own isolation, and his frustration with “phonies.” This text includes some profanity, sexual references, and suicidal ideation. Students may view Rebel in the Rye (2017), a biopic on J.D. Salinger. |
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THE GREAT GATSBY, by F. Scott Fitzgerald Standard 10, Honors 10 This classic American novel is set in the roaring '20's and tells the story of the mysterious Jay Gatsby who goes to extravagant lengths to win back the love of Daisy Buchanan. This novel includes depictions of domestic abuse, violence, suicide, mild sexuality, and racism. Students will watch the 2013 film version of the novel. |
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TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, by Amy Tan
Winner of the Pulitzer Prize Standard 9, Honors 9 This classic American novel explores racism during the 1930s by telling the story of Jem and Scout Finch and their father who defends a black man on trial for the rape of a white woman. Students will watch the 1962 film version. This novel includes some racist language and references to violence. |
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THE JOY LUCK CLUB, by Amy Tan
Honors 10 In The Joy Luck Club, Amy Tan weaves together the stories of eight women, four Chinese mothers who immigrated to the United States, and their four Chinese-American daughters who grew up in the United States. The novel explores the complexities of mother-daughter relationships, cultural assimilation, and identity. This text does include a reference to suicide. While studying the novel, students may view portions of the film (2002) in order to better understand cultural references and to compare and contrast the film version with the novel. |
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KINDRED, by Octavia Butler
Standard 9, Standard 10, Honors 10 Kindred tells the story of Dana, a black woman who grapples with the realities of slavery and its legacy as she time travels from 1976 to the antebellum south. It its attempt to portray slavery realistically, the text does include some violence and racist language. In conjunction with Kindred, students will read and view supplementary materials to establish necessary background information for understanding and appreciating the text. For example, they may watch Unchained Memories: Readings from Slave Narratives (2004) and episodes of Roots (2016). |
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"Even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise."
-Victor Hugo, Les Miserables LES MISERABLES by Victor Hugo
Standard 10, Honors 10 Les Miserables is a classic and considered to be the greatest work of Victor Hugo because of its memorial characters and focus on injustice. It tells the story of Jean Valjean who is haunted by a childhood crime: stealing bread to feed his starving family. He escapes prison and devotes his life to helping those in need. His greatest act of kindness is taking in Cosette, an orphan child. Students will read a slightly abridged version of this novel. This text does include some violence, mild language and mild sexual content. Throughout the study, students will watch scenes from various film adaptations of the novel and, at the end of the unit, they will be given the opportunity to attend a performance of the play at the Blumenthal Theater. |
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A LONG WAY GONE, by Ishmael Beah
Standard 9, Honors 9 When we hear stories of the Holocaust, like the one told by Elie Wiesel, we often pledge: "never again." Tragically, however, hate did not end with the Holocaust. In his riveting memoir, A Long Way Gone, Ishmael Beah tells his story of being caught up in the Civil War that has occurred the 1990s in Sierra Leone. At 12 years old, Beah was forced to fight as a child soldier. His story is painful and heartbreaking, but ultimately hopeful. After being rescued by UNICEF and rehabilitated, Beah was educated in the United States and wrote this powerful account of his experience. This text does include descriptions of violence and drug use related to the relevant historical events, however, these are not described in ways that are gratuitous or intended to shock. As part of this study, student will view Hotel Rwanda (2005), a film that tells the true story of Paul Rusesabagina, a Hutu, who used his position as the manager of Hotel Des Milles Collines to hide over 1,200 Tutsi refugees from Hutu militia during the Rwandan genocide. Also, Mugabo Yves, a Tutsi survivor of the Rwandan genocide, will return to Corvian to share his powerful story with the freshman class. |
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LORD OF THE FLIES, by William Golding
Standard 9, Honors 9 Lord of the Flies, the classic story a group of British boys stranded on a deserted island, is a dystopian parable. It explores the idea of a paradise that is quickly transformed into a deadly retreat from civilization. This text does include some violence and mild language. |
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MACBETH, by William Shakespeare
Honors 9 Mabeth is the story of a Scottish warrior turned murderer. Written in the model of a classic Greek tragedy, it explores the potential of unbridled ambition to lead to corruption. It is also a play which means that it was intended to be seen. For this reason, students reading will be complemented with a graphic novel version. In this version, Shakespeare's original, unabridged text is accompanied by beautiful, full-color illustrations which allow students to see the action as it unfolds and to better follow the plot and connect with the characters. Movie clips from various versions of the play may be shown to help the students understand the way that different directors interpret the text as they bring it to the stage/screen. As with other Shakespearean plays, Macbeth does contain some violence, mature language, and sexual humor. It also references suicide. |
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OF MICE AND MEN by John Steinbeck
Honors 9 Of Mice and Men is a poignant story of friendship and tragedy. Set in the 1930's, it chronicles the hardships faced by migrant workers during the depression. This text does contain some mature language, violence, and mild sexual innuendo. |
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NIGHT, by Elie Wiesel
Standard 9, Honors 9 Night is Elie Wiesel's unforgettable account of surviving the Nazi death camp, Auschwitz. In conjunction with Night, students will read and view supplementary materials to establish necessary background information for understanding and appreciating the text. For example, students may view The Path to Nazi Genocideand the Oprah Special: Oprah and Elie Wiesel Return to Auschwitz. This text does include descriptions of violence related to the relevant historical events. As part of this unit, students will take a field trip to the Levine Jewish Community Center to participate in the Butterfly Project workshop. This experience includes interactive lessons designed to help students identify and combat prejudice, stereotyping, and discrimination. They will also hear the story of a Holocaust survivor and paint a ceramic butterfly in memory of a specific child who perished in the holocaust. This butterfly will become part of the Margaret and Lou Schwartz Butterfly Garden, a memorial to the 1.5 million children killed in the Holocaust. |
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A RAISIN IN THE SUN, by Lorraine Hansberry
Standard 10, Honors 10 This compelling play explores the hopes and disappointments of an urban black family in the 1950's. This novel includes some racial language and mild sexual innuendo. |
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ROMEO AND JULIET, by William Shakespeare
Standard 9, Honors 10 William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet is a classic high school text. It is also a play which means that it was intended to be seen. For this reason, students reading will be complemented with a graphic novel version. In this version, Shakespeare's original, unabridged text is accompanied by beautiful, full-color illustrations which allow students to see the action as it unfolds and to better follow the plot and connect with the characters. Movie clips from various versions of the play may be shown to help the students understand the way that different directors interpret the text as they bring it to the stage/screen. As with other Shakespearean plays, Romeo and Juliet does contain some violence, mature language, and sexual humor. It also depicts suicide. |
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SUGAR CHANGED THE WORLD, by Marc Aronson and Marina Budhos
Standard 9 Sugar Changed the World is a non-fiction account of the role sugar played in shaping global trade, ethics, and modern day slavery. Students will analyze how this commodity shaped people, culture, and belief systems. They will read supplementary texts to help build their understanding of global trade and slavery. Students will focus on research and argument based writing. |
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THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD, by Colson Whitehead
Honors 9 The award-winning novel The Underground Railroad provides a powerful portrait of slavery in antebellum America. It tells the story of Cora's escape via the Underground Railroad (in this telling a literal railroad that runs in a tunnel system underground). At each stop on her journey, Cora enters a different world as if she is traveling through time. It its attempt to portray slavery realistically, the text does include some violence and racist language. In conjunction with Underground Railroad, students will read and view supplementary materials to establish necessary background information for understanding and appreciating the text. For example, they may read excerpts from Harriet Jacobs’ Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl and Frederick Douglas’ Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglassand watch episodes of Roots (2016) and excerpts of 12 Years a Slave (2013). Students will also visit the Levine Museum of the New South. |
