Covering the State Standards
The State of Tennessee has many curriculum standards in place for every subject taught in the public school system. A comprehensive list of these subjects and their standards is available on the Tennessee Department of Education website. Below are two grade levels, English III and English IV, taught in Tennessee high schools. Listed beneath each subject are the standards and expectations which could possibly be met through a unit study on Batman: The Dark Knight Returns.
Tennessee Curriculum Standards for English III (Grade 11)
Standard 1 - Language
CLE 3003.1.4 Consider language as a reflection of its time and culture.
Standard 2 - Communication
Speaking
CLE 3003.2.7 Participate in work teams and group discussions.
Standard 3 -Writing
CLE 3003.3.1 Write in a variety of modes, with particular emphasis on persuasion, for
different purposes and audiences.
CLE 3003.3.2 Employ various prewriting strategies.
CLE 3003.3.3 Organize ideas into an essay with a thesis statement in the introduction, wellconstructed paragraphs, a conclusion, and transition sentences that connect paragraphs into a
coherent whole.
CLE 3003.3.4 Revise documents to develop or support ideas more clearly, address potential
objections, ensure effective transitions between paragraphs, and correct errors in logic.
Standard 4 - Research
CLE 3003.4.1 Define and narrow a problem or research topic.
CLE 3003.4.2 Gather relevant information from a variety of print and electronic sources, as
well as from direct observation, interviews, and surveys.
CLE 3003.4.3 Make distinctions about the credibility, reliability, consistency, strengths, and
limitations of resources, including information gathered from websites.
CLE 3003.4.4 Write an extended research paper, using primary and secondary sources and
technology and graphics, as appropriate.
CLE 3003.4.5 Use a standard format to arrange text, to cite sources, and to document
quotations, paraphrases, and other information.
Standard 7 - Media
CLE 3003.7.1 Evaluate the aural, visual, and written images and other special effects used in
television, radio, film, and the Internet for their ability to inform, persuade, and entertain.
CLE 3003.7.2 Examine the agreements and conflicts between the visual (e.g., media images,
painting, film, graphic arts) and the verbal.
CLE 3003.7.3 Recognize how visual and sound techniques or design (e.g., special effects,
camera angles, music) carry or influence messages in various media.
CLE 3003.7.4 Apply and adapt the principles of written composition to create coherent
media productions.
Standard 8 -Literature
CLE 3003.8.1 Demonstrate knowledge of significant works of American literature from the
colonial period to the present and make relevant comparisons.
CLE 3003.8.2 Understand the characteristics of various literary genres (e.g., poetry, novel,
biography, short story, essay, drama).
CLE 3003.8.3 Recognize the conventions of various literary genres and understand how they
articulate the writer’s vision.
CLE 3003.8.4 Analyze works of American literature for what is suggested about the
historical period in which they were written.
CLE 3003.8.5 Know and use appropriate literary terms to derive meaning and
comprehension from various literary genres.
Complete outline of Standards for English III
CLE 3003.1.4 Consider language as a reflection of its time and culture.
Standard 2 - Communication
Speaking
CLE 3003.2.7 Participate in work teams and group discussions.
Standard 3 -Writing
CLE 3003.3.1 Write in a variety of modes, with particular emphasis on persuasion, for
different purposes and audiences.
CLE 3003.3.2 Employ various prewriting strategies.
CLE 3003.3.3 Organize ideas into an essay with a thesis statement in the introduction, wellconstructed paragraphs, a conclusion, and transition sentences that connect paragraphs into a
coherent whole.
CLE 3003.3.4 Revise documents to develop or support ideas more clearly, address potential
objections, ensure effective transitions between paragraphs, and correct errors in logic.
Standard 4 - Research
CLE 3003.4.1 Define and narrow a problem or research topic.
CLE 3003.4.2 Gather relevant information from a variety of print and electronic sources, as
well as from direct observation, interviews, and surveys.
CLE 3003.4.3 Make distinctions about the credibility, reliability, consistency, strengths, and
limitations of resources, including information gathered from websites.
CLE 3003.4.4 Write an extended research paper, using primary and secondary sources and
technology and graphics, as appropriate.
CLE 3003.4.5 Use a standard format to arrange text, to cite sources, and to document
quotations, paraphrases, and other information.
Standard 7 - Media
CLE 3003.7.1 Evaluate the aural, visual, and written images and other special effects used in
television, radio, film, and the Internet for their ability to inform, persuade, and entertain.
CLE 3003.7.2 Examine the agreements and conflicts between the visual (e.g., media images,
painting, film, graphic arts) and the verbal.
CLE 3003.7.3 Recognize how visual and sound techniques or design (e.g., special effects,
camera angles, music) carry or influence messages in various media.
CLE 3003.7.4 Apply and adapt the principles of written composition to create coherent
media productions.
Standard 8 -Literature
CLE 3003.8.1 Demonstrate knowledge of significant works of American literature from the
colonial period to the present and make relevant comparisons.
CLE 3003.8.2 Understand the characteristics of various literary genres (e.g., poetry, novel,
biography, short story, essay, drama).
CLE 3003.8.3 Recognize the conventions of various literary genres and understand how they
articulate the writer’s vision.
CLE 3003.8.4 Analyze works of American literature for what is suggested about the
historical period in which they were written.
CLE 3003.8.5 Know and use appropriate literary terms to derive meaning and
comprehension from various literary genres.
Complete outline of Standards for English III
Tennessee Curriculum Standards for English IV (Grade 12)
Standard 1 - Language
CLE 3005.1.4 Consider language as a reflection of its time and culture.
Standard 2 - Communication
Speaking
CLE 3005.2.7 Participate in work teams and group discussions.
Standard 3 -Writing
CLE 3005.3.1 Write in a variety of modes for different purposes and audiences.
CLE 3005.3.2 Employ various prewriting strategies.
CLE 3005.3.3 Organize ideas into an essay with a thesis statement in the introduction, well constructed paragraphs, a conclusion, and transition sentences that connect paragraphs into a
coherent whole.
CLE 3005.3.4 Revise documents to develop or support ideas more clearly, address potential
objections, ensure effective transitions between paragraphs, and correct errors in logic.
Standard 4 - Research
CLE 3005.4.1 Define and narrow a problem or research topic.
CLE 3005.4.2 Gather relevant information from a variety of print and electronic sources, as
well as from direct observation, interviews, and surveys.
CLE 3005.4.3 Make distinctions about the credibility, reliability, consistency, strengths, and
limitations of resources, including information gathered from websites.
CLE 3005.4.4 Write an extended research paper, using primary and secondary sources and
technology and graphics, as appropriate.
CLE 3005.4.5 Use a standard format to arrange text, to cite sources correctly, and to
document quotations, paraphrases, and other information.
Standard 7 - Media
CLE 3005.7.1 Evaluate the aural, visual, and written images and other special effects used in
television, radio, film, and the Internet for their ability to inform, persuade, and entertain.
CLE 3005.7.2 Examine the agreements and conflicts between the visual (e.g., media images,
painting, film, graphic arts) and the verbal.
CLE 3005.7.3 Recognize how visual and sound techniques or design (e.g., special effects,
camera angles, music) carry or influence messages in various media.
CLE 3005.7.4 Apply and adapt the principles of written composition to create coherent
media productions.
Standard 8 -Literature
CLE 3005.8.2 Understand the characteristics of various literary genres (e.g., poetry, novel,
biography, short story, essay, drama).
CLE 3005.8.3 Recognize the conventions of various literary genres and understand how they
articulate the writer’s vision.
CLE 3005.8.4 Analyze works of British literature for what is suggested about the historical
period in which they were written.
CLE 3005.8.5 Know and use appropriate literary terms to derive meaning and
comprehension from various literary genres.
Complete outline of Standards for English IV
CLE 3005.1.4 Consider language as a reflection of its time and culture.
Standard 2 - Communication
Speaking
CLE 3005.2.7 Participate in work teams and group discussions.
Standard 3 -Writing
CLE 3005.3.1 Write in a variety of modes for different purposes and audiences.
CLE 3005.3.2 Employ various prewriting strategies.
CLE 3005.3.3 Organize ideas into an essay with a thesis statement in the introduction, well constructed paragraphs, a conclusion, and transition sentences that connect paragraphs into a
coherent whole.
CLE 3005.3.4 Revise documents to develop or support ideas more clearly, address potential
objections, ensure effective transitions between paragraphs, and correct errors in logic.
Standard 4 - Research
CLE 3005.4.1 Define and narrow a problem or research topic.
CLE 3005.4.2 Gather relevant information from a variety of print and electronic sources, as
well as from direct observation, interviews, and surveys.
CLE 3005.4.3 Make distinctions about the credibility, reliability, consistency, strengths, and
limitations of resources, including information gathered from websites.
CLE 3005.4.4 Write an extended research paper, using primary and secondary sources and
technology and graphics, as appropriate.
CLE 3005.4.5 Use a standard format to arrange text, to cite sources correctly, and to
document quotations, paraphrases, and other information.
Standard 7 - Media
CLE 3005.7.1 Evaluate the aural, visual, and written images and other special effects used in
television, radio, film, and the Internet for their ability to inform, persuade, and entertain.
CLE 3005.7.2 Examine the agreements and conflicts between the visual (e.g., media images,
painting, film, graphic arts) and the verbal.
CLE 3005.7.3 Recognize how visual and sound techniques or design (e.g., special effects,
camera angles, music) carry or influence messages in various media.
CLE 3005.7.4 Apply and adapt the principles of written composition to create coherent
media productions.
Standard 8 -Literature
CLE 3005.8.2 Understand the characteristics of various literary genres (e.g., poetry, novel,
biography, short story, essay, drama).
CLE 3005.8.3 Recognize the conventions of various literary genres and understand how they
articulate the writer’s vision.
CLE 3005.8.4 Analyze works of British literature for what is suggested about the historical
period in which they were written.
CLE 3005.8.5 Know and use appropriate literary terms to derive meaning and
comprehension from various literary genres.
Complete outline of Standards for English IV