I plan to use many supplemental resources in the classroom, including trade books, picture books, young adult books (like the one in this project), films, and so on. I think trade books in particular have a lot of potential, both as whole-class supplements and as resources for individual projects. Every student should be able to find a trade book on a topic that interests him or her, and that interest will be a good motivating factor for the student. Trade books in other subjects will also provide the opportunity for multidisciplinary work.
Most English teachers I've met have personal libraries in their classrooms. Each library reflects the interests of the individual
teacher but usually includes a variety of classics, reference books, and miscellaneous trade books and other supplements for the classroom.
The level and kind of supplementation varies widely and depends on the tastes of the teacher and the policies at his or her school. I wouldn't say that good teaching necessarily requires supplementation: I think good teaching is just good teaching, whatever materials one uses. But selective use of the anthology and thoughtful supplementation can help make the class more interesting, rich, and engaging for the students. That's why I think books like An American Plague are so exciting and full of potential for the high school English classroom.
(The above comments are in response to questions posed in the assignment.)