American Literature (7 Sisters)

The curriculum uses appropriately complex classic literature for high school students.

The nine assigned works include challenging classics like 'The Scarlet Letter,' 'Fahrenheit 451,' and 'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn' that represent grade-appropriate complex texts for high school literature study.

This curriculum is strongly centered on whole books, with students reading nine complete classic novels or plays throughout the year.

The course assigns 'one novel or play per month' with complete works including A Separate Peace, The Scarlet Letter, To Kill a Mockingbird, and six others, avoiding excerpt-based approaches entirely.

The curriculum provides teacher guides with answer keys but minimal professional development or instructional support.

Teacher files include 'suggested answers for questions' and some assignments require 'parents familiarize themselves with the books,' but the approach assumes teachers can manage literary instruction without extensive guidance.

The curriculum is designed for independent student work with minimal direct instruction, relying on discussion questions and self-guided study.

Students should be able to complete most work independently' and 'are encouraged to discuss their answers with others,' with teacher guides providing suggested answers but limited instructional guidance.

The curriculum provides background knowledge about authors and historical contexts but appears to focus more on literary analysis skills than systematic domain knowledge building.

Each guide includes 'background information on the author and the book' and the introduction mentions 'short stories, poetry, essays, speeches, tales, and folklore' as additional reading, but the primary focus is on literary elements rather than broader cultural knowledge.

The curriculum includes comprehension questions and discussion opportunities but does not emphasize systematic retrieval practice or spaced review.

Study guides have 'discussion questions for each chapter' with questions ranging 'from simple comprehension questions to those requiring deeper critical thinking,' but no evidence of structured review or retrieval practice.

The curriculum includes vocabulary instruction but leaves implementation details to the teacher or parent.

Each guide includes 'a list of vocabulary words' but 'it is up to you to determine how to work with the vocabulary words,' indicating vocabulary is present but not systematically structured.

The curriculum emphasizes substantial writing practice with flexible requirements but lacks explicit instruction in writing processes.

Writing requirements range from 'four short papers, two essays, and one 5-page paper' for average students to 'eight short papers, eight essays, and two 10-page papers' for honors students, with 'writing assignments also challenge students to apply various levels of critical thinking.'

Not applicable for this high school curriculum focused on literature analysis.

The curriculum is designed for grades 9-12 and focuses on literary analysis rather than foundational reading skills.