Holdet 2024 En/x - Undervisningsbeskrivelse

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Undervisningsbeskrivelse

Stamoplysninger til brug ved prøver til gymnasiale uddannelser
Termin(er) 2024/25 - 2025/26
Institution Solrød Gymnasium
Fag og niveau Engelsk B
Lærer(e) Esben Laursen
Hold 2024 En/x (1x En, 2x En)

Oversigt over gennemførte undervisningsforløb
Titel 1 Dead Poets Society (EXAM THEME)
Titel 2 Jamaica (EXAM THEME)
Titel 3 The British Empire/Things Fall Apart (EXAM THEME)
Titel 4 Evil (EXAM THEME)
Titel 5 Humor (Not exam theme)
Titel 6 State of the Union (EXAM THEME)

Beskrivelse af de enkelte undervisningsforløb (1 skema for hvert forløb)
Titel 1 Dead Poets Society (EXAM THEME)

We have read the novel "Dead Poets Society" and mainly focused on how the themes below are explored in the book:

Individualism and Anti-conformity, child/parent-relationships, the expression "seize the day" and the significance of poetry.

On a more specific level we have mainly focused on Welton, i.e. what sort of school it is, and the following characters: Nolan, Keating, Knox Overstreet and Neil Perry and his relationship with his father and the significance of the suicide.

The Guardian text “Reclaiming carpe diem: How do we really seize the day?” (2017) was read to put our understanding of “Dead Poets Society” into perspective.
Indhold
Kernestof:
Omfang Estimeret: Ikke angivet
Dækker over: 17 moduler
Særlige fokuspunkter
Væsentligste arbejdsformer

Titel 2 Jamaica (EXAM THEME)

Initially, the commonwealth was covered very briefly: The Commonwealth consists of 53 countries, and it was created when the colonization stopped, so almost all countries in the Commonwealth are former British colonies. The countries in the Commonwealth are independent and have their own language: Jamaican patois. The concept of the Rastafari-movement and the legacy of the Jamaican legend Bob Marley were also explored.

Afterwards we covered the immigration waves from the Carribean to England. The focus was on immigrants from Jamaica from the 1950s and onward, including the Windrush generation and the Windrush scandal and the subsequent apology by then prime minister Theresa May.

Lastly, we worked with the significance of the district of Brixton in London and the gentrification that this district has experienced in recent years.

The course material consists of the following:

"Rastafari Culture"  (Blackhistorymonth.org.uk)

“One Spliff A Day” (Natasja Saad)

“Redemption Song” (Bob Marley)

“What is Windrush and who are the Windrush generation?” (www.bbc.com )

Theresa May’s apology to Caribbean leaders (from 2018)

“How has Brixton really changed? The data behind the story” (www.theguardian.com)

“People forget the Windrush generation built Brixton - gentrification is erasing its history” (www.mylondonnews.com)
Indhold
Omfang Estimeret: Ikke angivet
Dækker over: 5 moduler
Særlige fokuspunkter
Væsentligste arbejdsformer

Titel 3 The British Empire/Things Fall Apart (EXAM THEME)

The course started off by zooming in on the British Empire, including a focus on the famous expression “the empire where the sun never sets". We also went over aspects such as: colonialism, the role of missionaries and the Commonwealth.

Following this, we read Chinua Achebe’s novel “Things Fall Apart” with a focus on:

-Okonkwo – the main character.
-Ikemefuna, the boy who was given to Umuofia
-Life in a pre-colonial, Nigerian tribe, i.e. the role of religion.
-The role of the missionaries
-The aspect of English as a LINGUA FRANCA and the significance of the very last line in the novel: "The Pacification of the Tribes of the Lower Niger" (the title of the District Commisioner’s book).

READING LIST:

“The British Empire” (Targets coursebook, Berntzen, 2001)

“Things Fall Apart” (1958) – novel by Chinua Achebe

“Have we reached peak English in the world?” – www.theguardian.com (2018)
Indhold
Kernestof:
Omfang Estimeret: Ikke angivet
Dækker over: 10 moduler
Særlige fokuspunkter
Væsentligste arbejdsformer

Titel 4 Evil (EXAM THEME)

The course starts off by zooming in on Lars Svenden’s four types of evil: demonic evil, instrumental evil, idealistic evil and stupid evil. Following this the course is centered around reading Brian Garfield's novel "Death Wish" (1972) and applying Svensen’s theories to our understanding of said novel. In this regard, the concept of vigilantism is treated extensively.

Following this we watched parts of the Netflix series “Adolescence”, focusing on the issue of incel-culture and online-bullying, and, again, applying Svendsen’s theories in our discussions of the series.

Lastly, we read a classic in the genre: Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart”.

Course material:

Novel: “Death Wish”, Brian Garfield, 1972.

Netflix series: “Adolescence (2025)

“Adolescence is a technical masterpiece that exposes the darkest corners of incel culture”. Source: www.theconversation.com – March 18, 2025

“The Truth Comes Out in Adolescence’s Heartbreaking Finale”. Source: Elle Magazine – Amy Mackelden, March 2025.

“The Tell-Tale Heart”, Edgar Allan Poe (1843)
Indhold
Kernestof:
Omfang Estimeret: Ikke angivet
Dækker over: 10 moduler
Særlige fokuspunkter
Væsentligste arbejdsformer

Titel 5 Humor (Not exam theme)

Initially we looked at the philosophy of humor, including the superiority theory, the relief theory and the incongruity theory. In addition to that we worked with humorous devices such as absurdity, black comedy and the use of puns and the students had to apply these terms, or other humor-terms, to online content that they find funny.

The theoretical framework was also the backdrop for our understanding of “A Modest Proposal” and “Atypical”.

Reading list:

“Serious Business – Satire, wit and humor” (2011) p. 6-25, Bo Høpfner Clausen and Jesper Kaalund

“A Modest Proposal” (1729), Jonathan Swift

“Atypical” (2017), Netflix series, episode one.

Indhold
Kernestof:
Omfang Estimeret: Ikke angivet
Dækker over: 4 moduler
Særlige fokuspunkter
Væsentligste arbejdsformer

Titel 6 State of the Union (EXAM THEME)

The course starts off by zooming in on the Declaration of Independence and the American Dream. In this context Arnold Schwarzenegger was used as a case study for someone who has achieved the American Dream and has an American “Mindset”.

Following this, we zoomed in on modern America as shaped by the Pax Americana-period. Thereafter we focused on how J.D. Vance’s "Hillbilly Elegy" can help explain why Trump was elected. Lastly we focused on Trump; his personality traits, and more specifically, his comments about immigration and the affordability crisis as expressed in his State of the Union.


Material list:

Extracts from the Declaration of Independence

”Background Information about the American dream” (www.americanheritage.com, Anthony Brandt)

Trump Tried to Pull a Nicolas Cage, Steal the Declaration of Independence – New York Magazine, March 18, 2025.

The end of Pax Americana – Politico, November 8, 2024.

For Trump, the 1980ies still hold relevance. AP News, January 2, 2017

State of the Union – Donald Trump, February 24, 2026.

Episode one of the 2023 Netflix documentary “Arnold”.
Indhold
Kernestof:
Omfang Estimeret: Ikke angivet
Dækker over: 9 moduler
Særlige fokuspunkter
Væsentligste arbejdsformer