Hello! This is a fantastic set of texts and topics for a Grade 6/7 English course. It's ambitious, diverse, and perfectly suited for a selective school preparing students for an IB-style curriculum. The proposed course masterfully blends classic literature with contemporary, multimodal texts.
Here is a refined, four-term structure for the course, complete with specific text suggestions and supplementary sources to "upgrade" each unit's academic rigor.
Term 1: Foundations of Narrative and Poetic Form
This term is dedicated to building the foundational skills of close reading and textual analysis. Students will explore how meaning is constructed in both prose and poetry, paying special attention to the writer's craft and the deliberate use of language. This unit introduces core literary concepts like symbolism, imagery, characterization, and theme, which will serve as the basis for all subsequent terms.
Unit Focus: Short Stories & Imagist Poetry
Suggested Primary Texts:
Short Stories:
1. Suggested Short Stories
This selection of stories is chosen for its compelling plots, diverse characters, and complex themes that resonate with modern students. They will challenge students to think critically about identity, technology, and empathy.
Written Stories:
"The Veldt" by Ray Bradbury: A timeless science fiction story that explores the dangers of technology and the disconnect between a futuristic world and authentic human connection. It's a gripping narrative that leads to profound discussions.
"Zombies" by Chuck Palahniuk: A short, sharp, and darkly humorous story that presents a unique take on social conformity and the pressure to fit in. It's an excellent text for discussing satire and character archetypes in a modern context.
"All Summer in a Day" by Ray Bradbury: A poignant story about bullying, memory, and empathy on a planet where the sun only comes out once every seven years. Its emotional impact is immediate and powerful for this age group.
"The Paper Menagerie" by Ken Liu: A powerful story that blends magic realism with a deeply moving narrative about cultural identity, assimilation, and the complex relationship between a mother and son. It is a stunning example of how fantasy can illuminate real-world issues.
"The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas" by Ursula K. Le Guin: A classic ethical thought experiment presented as a story. It forces students to confront difficult moral choices and the nature of happiness, serving as an excellent entry point into philosophical discussion.
"A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings" by Gabriel García Márquez: A masterwork of magic realism that challenges students to interpret a strange, unexplained event. It is a fantastic text for teaching symbolism and theme.
"The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson: A chilling story that questions the blind acceptance of tradition and the dangers of groupthink. Its shocking twist provides a perfect opportunity to teach suspense and foreshadowing.
"The Elephant Vanishes" by Haruki Murakami (from the collection of the same name): A surreal and thought-provoking story about the mysterious disappearance of an elephant. It's a great entry point into magical realism and the exploration of an individual's sense of reality.
"The Thing Around Your Neck" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: While a longer story from her collection, "Cell One" or "The American Embassy" are compelling reads for mature students. "Cell One" explores familial love and the injustice of an unforgiving society, offering a different cultural perspective.
Video Stories (Short Films):
"The Present" (2014): A short, animated film about a boy with a physical disability who receives a surprise gift. This video is a moving exploration of friendship, empathy, and the power of connection, told without dialogue.
"Kitbull" (2019): A Pixar animated short film about a fearful stray kitten and an abused pit bull who form an unlikely friendship. It is a powerful exploration of empathy and trust, told with an authentic and moving visual style.
"Pip" (2018): This animated short from Southeastern Guide Dogs follows a tiny dog with a big heart who dreams of becoming a guide dog. It is an inspiring narrative about overcoming challenges, determination, and the rewards of hard work.
"Cuerdas" (2013): A Spanish short film that tells a touching story of friendship between a young girl and a new classmate with cerebral palsy. The film's use of non-verbal communication and its poignant ending make it an excellent text for teaching symbolism and theme.
"Alike" (2015): An animated short that explores the pressures of modern life and the struggle to maintain individuality in a conformist world. The visual contrast between a vibrant, creative world and a dull, repetitive one provides a rich opportunity for visual literacy analysis.
Imagist Poetry: Building on the foundation of Haikus, these imagist poems will introduce students to the principles of free verse and the direct, unadorned presentation of an image. The selections focus on concrete, relatable images that are accessible for a Grade 6/7 level.
"In a Station of the Metro" by Ezra Pound: The quintessential Imagist poem. Its two lines and stark imagery provide a perfect starting point for discussing the core principles of the movement.
"The Red Wheelbarrow" by William Carlos Williams: A deceptively simple poem that celebrates the beauty of ordinary objects. It forces students to consider how carefully chosen words can make a seemingly mundane image profound.
"Oread" by H.D. (Hilda Doolittle): A short, powerful poem that uses an ancient Greek mythological figure to describe a natural scene. Its use of imperative verbs and personification is a great teaching tool.
"Heat" by H.D.: A poem that captures a strong sensory experience through precise, evocative language.
"This Is Just to Say" by William Carlos Williams: A poem that blurs the line between poetry and a simple note, encouraging students to find poetry in everyday life.
"Winter Sunset" by John Gould Fletcher: A poem that uses a series of strong images to paint a picture of a winter sky.
"The Pond" by Amy Lowell: A poem that uses a haiku-like structure to capture a fleeting moment in nature, making a clear connection to their previous learning.
"Wind" by Adelaide Crapsey: A poem that masterfully uses the sound of its words to mimic the subject matter.
"L'Art, 1910" by Ezra Pound: A short, humorous imagist poem that makes a statement about art through a simple image.
"Gulls" by Sara Teasdale: A poem that uses strong verbs and concise imagery to capture the movement of gulls.
"Autumn" by T.E. Hulme: A poem that uses a single, powerful metaphor to describe the season.
"The Fish" by Marianne Moore: A poem that uses a single, extended image to create a complex and layered picture.
Term 2: Pre-Modern Literature and Epic Storytelling
This term introduces students to the rich heritage of English literature. By engaging with foundational texts, students will learn to navigate archaic language, understand the historical context of a work, and recognize how ancient stories continue to resonate in modern narratives. This unit emphasizes the skills of contextual reading and the importance of translation.
Unit Focus: Beowulf & The Canterbury Tales
Suggested Primary Texts:
Beowulf: The epic poem should be read using a modern English translation. Seamus Heaney’s acclaimed translation is an excellent choice for its poetic power and accessibility.
Selected Canterbury Tales: A selection of tales that are thematically rich and age-appropriate.
Pardoner's Tale and Miler's Tale studied in Previous year
Term 3: The Novel Study: A Deep Dive into a Single Text
The final term provides students with the opportunity to engage deeply with a single, extended text. This unit synthesizes all the skills learned throughout the year—close reading, thematic analysis, and an understanding of narrative structure. The chosen novel is complex yet accessible, serving as a powerful capstone to the year's curriculum and a clear bridge to the analytical depth required in the IB Diploma Program.
Unit Focus: Dystopian and Thematic Novel Study
Suggested Primary Texts (Choose one):
The Giver by Lois Lowry: A classic dystopian novel that explores themes of individuality, memory, and social control. It is an ideal text for teaching literary analysis and thematic development.
Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt: A lyrical and philosophical novel that tackles existential themes of immortality, life, and death. It's a great choice for a deeper, more thematic analysis.
Term 4: Multimodal Storytelling: Graphic Novels and Film
This term is dedicated to the study of modern narrative forms, with a specific focus on how visual elements work in conjunction with text to tell a story. Students will develop skills in visual literacy and learn to analyze how different media—from the graphic novel page to the movie screen—construct meaning. This unit prepares students for the multimodal analysis required in IB English.
Unit Focus: Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse & I Kill Giants
Suggested Primary Texts:
I Kill Giants: A graphic novel by Joe Kelly and J. M. Ken Niimura. This text offers a rich, complex narrative that explores themes of loss, grief, and escapism, perfectly blending a fantasy world with psychological realism.
Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse: The animated film. This text is an excellent example of a modern hero's journey, multiverse theory, and a visually innovative style that is ripe for deep analysis.
Suggested Sources & Resources:
"Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art" by Scott McCloud: A foundational text on the theory of comics and graphic novels. Key concepts like closure, gutters, and the relationship between image and text will provide a professional vocabulary for students' analysis.
"Film as Text: The Language of Cinema": A resource that introduces students to film analysis. Topics will include mise-en-scène, camera angles, editing, and sound design, which are essential for deconstructing Spiderverse.
Critical Essays on I Kill Giants: A collection of essays or reviews that offer different interpretations of the graphic novel's themes, characters, and visual style. This exposes students to the idea of a scholarly debate.
Director's Commentary or 'Making Of' Featurettes: These resources can provide behind-the-scenes insights into the creative decisions made during the production of Spiderverse, enhancing students’ understanding of the director’s craft.
"The Multiverse in Modern Storytelling": An article or essay that explores the concept of the multiverse in contemporary fiction, helping students to contextualize Spiderverse within a broader cultural phenomenon.
There are a range of great videos on youtube exploring different aspects of the movie.
