This page presents an outline for a high school literacy instruction handbook. The process of creating a handbook that your teachers can agree on is just as important as the product itself: in fact, it’s an important step toward ensuring that your school provides high-quality literacy instruction to EVERY student.
If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions (or materials to donate to the cause!), please contact me at literacycookbook@gmail.com
POLICIES, PROCEDURES, PRACTICES:
Generally Accepted Policies, Procedures, and Practices for Teachers
- Lesson Plans (See sample templates in “Templates for Lessons & Units.”)
- Unit Plans (See sample template, sample overview, and sample unit in “Templates for Lessons & Units.”)
- Sample Classroom Management Plan
- Humanities Dept. Grading Policies (An opportunity to meet and come to consensus)
- Sample Introduction Letter to Parents re: class rules and policies (in the Download Zone below.)
- The “Visible Curriculum”: suggestions for use of wall space, e.g., word walls, student work with rubrics and descriptions of assessments, class rules, inspirational quotes….
CURRICULUM:
Grades 9-12 Scope and Sequence for Literacy (2-3 pages per grade, including essential questions, key unit topics, texts, objectives, assessments, and grammar points emphasized)
Information on Common Core Standards (See "Standards.")
See the HS English Lessons & Units page for practical resources.
HOW WE TEACH READING:
Provide an overview with reference to “Analyzing Literature,” “Comprehension 101,” and “Connecting Reading, Writing, Test Prep.” See also this TLC Blog post, "Essential Literacy Work Before You Begin Test Prep."
How We Teach Annotation: See “Analyzing Literature” and “Nonfiction Reading Strategies.”
- Sample Rubrics
- Sample Annotated Texts
How We Teach Vocabulary
- Sample Materials (See “Building Robust Vocabulary.”)
- See also “Root of the Week.”
- See also “Idiom Power.”
Recommended Reading--See “Recommended Reading” for the following:
- The Book Talk Project
- Recommended Nonfiction
- Recommended Poetry Collections
- Recommended Short Story Collections
Independent Reading (See "Independent Reading.")
- Rationale
- Explanation of Logistics (e.g., HW, Strategic Reading Time, etc.)
- Sample Reading Log
Summer Reading (See "Independent Reading.")
- Rationale
- Explanation of Logistics
- Summer Reading Lists
- Sample Summer Reading Assignments (in the Download Zone below).
HOW WE TEACH ORAL PRESENTATIONS:
How We Use Socratic Seminars
- Sample Materials (See “Socratic Seminars.”)
How We Teach Public Speaking
- Sample Public Speaking Assignments
- See “The Book Talk Project.”
- See “Oral Fluency Rubrics.”
HOW WE TEACH WRITING:
How We Teach Writing
- See this TLC Blog post, "Essential Literacy Work Before You Begin Test Prep."
- Sample Materials (See “Writing 101" and "Effective Topic Sentences.")
How We Teach Grammar (See "Grammar.")
Sample Major Writing Assessments in Each Grade
- Literary Analysis Writing (See "Literary Response Paper Guide," "Analyzing Literature," and “PARCC Prep.")
- Narrative Writing (See "Narrative Writing" and “PARCC Prep.")
- DBQ Writing/Research Paper Simulation Task (See "History Writing: DBQ Essays" and “PARCC Prep.")
- The Research Paper (See “Research Paper Guide.”)
- Sociological Writing (See “Sociological Writing.”)
- Other Project Explanations
- Rubrics (See “Writing Rubrics.”)
- Graded Student Samples (all typed)
HOW WE TEACH TEST PREP:
How We Use Benchmarks/Interim Assessments/DDI
- Philosophy (See “DDI 101.”)
- Logistics: Implementation and Follow-through (For suggestions, see “DDI 101.”)
How We Prepare for PARCC
- See this TLC Blog post, "Essential Literacy Work Before You Begin Test Prep."
- Reading: Strategies are infused in the curriculum.
- Writing: Timed writing needs some specific preparation and review (See "PARCC Prep.”).
IN THE DOWNLOAD ZONE for HS Lit Handbook:
- Sample Introduction Letter to Parents
- A Hope in the Unseen: Independent Reading Assignment
- Native Son: Summer Reading Overview
- Native Son: Character Analysis Organizer for Bigger
- Native Son: Response Paper Rubric
