Coming of Age

The focus of this unit is Coming of Age: the ways in which adolescent girls and boys make the transition into fully functioning and contributing members of a society. Drawing on the writings of a variety of world authors, students will read and recognize literature as a record of human experience as they read, view, listen, respond, and discuss novels, poetry, short stories, and nonfiction essays .Because initiatory rites exist in all cultures, students will form a better understanding of the common themes in literature ofthe United States and in relationship to world literature. Additionally, students will read and view a variety of materials as they develop their knowledge of how societies throughout the world confer adult status. By assessing their own progress toward adulthood, students will apply thinking skills in their writing, speaking, listening, discussing and viewing activities. As a culminating activity, students will compose a narrative essay which reflects understanding of the Coming of Age process.
Novel Choices for this unit are the following: Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Sanfran Foer, or The Book Theif by Markus Zusak.