English 11 Options
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In Junior English, students will use reading, writing, speaking, and listening to explore what it means to live in America and be an American. As part of this exploration, we will examine uniquely American myths/tropes that are embedded in our culture from generation to generation. We will dig into how Americans are both motivated and led astray by our tropes. In particular, we will discuss The American Dream and the diversity of American experiences and American voices.
Students will build on their understanding of literary theory from freshman year (psychological and archetypal theories) and sophomore year (cultural criticism and semiotics) by using historical and new historical theory to understand how a text both reflects and contributes to its context. We will use historical context to add complexity to our understanding of texts and also to explore questions about how our past dictates our present and predicts our future as well as how it can inform and guide our present and future understanding and choices.
First semester will focus on the development of artistic and analytical skills, particularly how form interacts with meaning and purpose in both narratives and poetry. Students will write in both forms and will write an analysis of professionally published text. Additionally, students will practice their analytical skills collaboratively while strengthening their discussion skills.
Second semester, the focus will shift to argument, synthesis, and presentation skills. Students will study the building blocks of solid arguments and analyze the effectiveness of arguments presented in various texts (ie. film, art, fiction, poetry, speeches, etc.). Students will then present their own arguments through writing, discussions, and presentations. Ultimately, students will be challenged to synthesize the skills they've learned throughout the year as they select a topic of their own interest, locate credible texts to further their understanding of the topic, and identify key information and themes within those texts. Students' synthesis will conclude with a presentation of their information and their own contribution to the conversation of the topic they studied.
The Course Description is similar to English 11 Standard, but the main difference between honors and standard is text complexity, pacing, level of independence, and a higher level of expectations in assignments (not necessarily length of assignments but the complexity of thought).
The English 11 Honors course is designed for students seeking further challenges, who are willing and able to read more sophisticated literature, and to engage in more complex and extensive writing assignments. Students should be prepared to independently read significant amounts of texts. Students will learn how to critically read and analyze a text, synthesizing multiple sources to draw conclusions and formulate arguments.
There is also an expectation of mastery of 10th grade skills (including convention and grammar usage, spoken and written analytical skills and reading comprehension and analysis) as we scaffold directly from those skills.
Course Description: American Studies is a two period interdisciplinary course that examines the United States and the American Experience through a combined study of history and literature. This course satisfies the US History and English 11/American Literature graduation requirements. Students elect to take this course in the place if the traditional approach of an isolated study of each subject. Throughout the course, students will read and write in a variety of styles and forms and will be asked to utilize both their creativity and research skills to complete their assignments. Students will explore our nation’s history and literature thematically instead of chronologically and will be exposed to a wide array of cultural and artistic elements of ‘American’ work. This includes the study of significant and relevant primary and secondary sources, fiction and non-fiction works, novels, poems, music, drama, debate, painting, cinema, etc. that will ultimately help us have a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of the United States and the American Experience.
UNITS OF STUDY
Unit 1: Who are we?
American Revolution, Creation of the Constitution & the United States and the Early Republic
Unit 2: How can a democracy both cause and respond to injustice?
Consequences of Expansion- Manifest Destiny, Indian Removal Act, Expansion of Slavery, the Civil War and Reconstruction
Unit 3: What causes change in America?
Industrial Revolution-The Progressive Movement, The Great Depression & the New Deal
Unit 4: The American Dream: Who’s Responsible? Is it Achievable
Immigration, Urbanization, Transcendentalism – 1920’s, 1950’s
Unit 5: What values are worth fighting for?
Causes and Actions of WWI, WWII and The Cold War, Vietnam and their domestic and international impact
Unit 6: Who Are We NOW?
Return to our question from Unit 1: Who are we now? What’s similar? What’s changed? The Civil Rights Movement, the 1960’s, Modern Social & Political Movements (Impact of Technology, Environmental changes, etc.)
Potential Texts: Unbroken
For more information you can view the syllabus here.
UNIT OF STUDY: The AP English Language and Composition course enables students to read and listen to complex texts with understanding and to write and speak “prose of sufficient richness and complexity to communicate effectively with mature readers” and listeners (AP Course Description). Students read and listen to engaging and challenging texts providing them with ideas and models for their own writing and speaking. Through exposure to multiple perspectives, genres, and ideas, students will expand their reading and listening interests and enjoyment even as their analytical abilities and writing skills mature.
Upon completion of AP English Language and Composition students will be able to analyze and interpret a wide variety of texts (primarily nonfiction) with a strong understanding of rhetorical strategies and techniques.
Upon completion of AP English Language and Composition students will be able to analyze how an author or speaker creates and uses tone, voice, diction, figurative language, and sentence structure to effectively communicate meaning to specific audiences. They then will be able to apply appropriate rhetorical structures and modes in their own written and oral communication.
Upon completion of AP English Language and Composition students will be able to describe their own use of and move effectively through the stages of the rhetorical process.
Upon completion of AP English Language and Composition students will be able to write and speak in a variety of modes (including narrative, exploratory, expository, analytical, and argumentative), drawing on source texts to support a complex and mature position.
For more information you can view the syllabus here.
Semester 1
Destination Essays
Journalism Project
Rhetorical Analysis Student Led Discussion
Literary Analysis Paper (Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass)
Lit Circle Project: Non-Fiction Book of Ideas
Synthesis Essay
Current Events: Student-Led Discussions of Brief Issue Articles
AP Test Prep
Semester 2
Humor Piece
Argumentation: Persuasive Essay
Problem/Solution Research Paper
Language Study Essay
Advertising Analysis Presentations
Rhetorical Analysis Essay
Critical Review: Documentary Film Analysis Presentation
Current Events: Student-Led Discussions of Extended Essays
AP Test Prep
Potential Texts: Narrative in the Life of Frederick Douglas
Students are a good fit for AP Lang Blended Learning if . . .
They can work independently without guidance and prompting.
They are self-motivated to complete assignments.
They enjoy more face-to-face, one-on-one instruction with teachers.
They can effectively learn in-person and online.
They like to have control over their time and how they manage it.
Students are a good fit for AP Lang Traditional Learning if . . .
They like to have a consistent routine in the classroom.
They want more support in managing time and assignments.
They enjoy more social interactions in the classroom with other students.
They prefer more in-person instruction, complemented by online instruction.
If you have any questions about AP Lang (Blended or Traditional), please email Mr. Ryan Colton or Mr. Scott Von Essen--and we will be happy to help!
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