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English/Language Arts

English Department Welcomes New Seahawk Members

The English Department welcomes four NEW Seahawks members to the Nest this year. We are all very excited to be able to add their energy and experience to the Hilton Head Island High School English team.

Natalie Bode

Natalie Bode is from Wadsworth, Ohio. This is her first year teaching. She loves reading, writing, weightlifting, traveling, and painting. Ms. Bode has three siblings and five pet dogs back home. "I am in love with this community. I am excited to be a part of HHIHS and I wish everyone a great school year!"

Deirdre johns

Deirdre is originally from Pennsylvania but has also lived in New Jersey and Maryland before relocating to the Lowcountry with her family in 2012. She has a B.A. in English from Clarion University and an M.A. in Writing Arts from Rowan University. Ms. Johns did not plan to become a teacher; instead, she worked for a magazine in Philadelphia while attending graduate school for writing. "The 'office job' was not for me, so I enrolled in classes again to become a teacher. I have been teaching since 2006! I love all things about language, and I have started to publish some of my work. I enjoy reading, writing, traveling, and running."

Kali Stroud

Kali Stroud teaches English II and ACT Prep. It is her first year teaching. Ms. Stroud is from Tallmadge, Ohio, and just graduated from The University of Akron in May. "I am excited to be spending my first teaching year at HHIHS."

Rachel Tinervin

Rachel Tinervin is originally from NYC but moved to Maine almost 30 years ago, and she taught high school English in her town. Ms. Tinervin has two grown children, one living in SC and one attending college in Florida. "I love walking the beach with my dog and my husband, and of course, reading. I’m grateful for the opportunity to work here and to meet new people."

Outside Reading Requirements for English Classes

All the English teachers would like to remind students to read their outside reading assignments prior to the first day of English class. The list of required reading can be found on the school’s website under the Students tab and under the Academics/Media Center tab. If students or parents should have any questions, you can reach out to any English teacher.

Honors - IB - AP

The outside reading list for IB/Honors English courses is listed below. You are required to read specific works. Your teacher will assess your knowledge of the book at the end of the first week of class. There will also be additional assessments on the books such as a Socratic Seminar and/or an essay during your scheduled English class. This work will be a start to the curriculum you will encounter as you enter your English course. See the Media Specialist in your school or local library if you are having difficulty obtaining a copy.

English I H - Of Mice and Man by John Steinbeck
English II H - Lord of the Flies by William Golding
English III H - Their Eyes Were Watching by Zora Neale Hurston
English IV H - Frankenstein by Mary Shelly
AP English Language - Cry the Beloved Country by Alan Paton
IB HL 1 - The Complete Stories by Flannery O'Connor
IB HL 2 - Einstein's Dream by Alan Lightman

During the first week to week and a half of school, you will have a summative, creative writing assignment with a rationale, a sensory journal, and a summative 3-part literary analysis essay on this fictional text. In addition, we will study some short non-fiction texts that will complement our study. For your annotations (also a grade), IB HL2 students should note the following on a typed document:

Take notes on the organization of the text and the purpose behind the juxtaposition of its sections.
Have a summary (1-2 sentences) of each theory of time by chapter in an outline.
From each chapter note significant quotes, literary devices, syntactical choices, and tone.
Track global issues with page numbers and a short snippet of text to illustrate each topic.
Note your connections/reactions to the text. How does a passage relate to another book you have read, a movie you have seen, or another subject area? What questions do you have? What new words have you defined? What sentences are most important? Evaluate character thoughts and/or actions.

Outside Reading

Outside Reading Requirements are listed below and will also be posted to the school website. We will let the public library and Barnes and Noble be aware of our selections as well, so they are prepared for your requests for these titles. Remember your Sora accounts through BCSD can be accessed from any device, so check there for these titles as well. If you have questions about any of the selections, please reach out to your English teacher or the Department Chairperson: michelle.hartman@beaufort.k12.sc.us
Also, we are supporting college prep students and their parents in making enjoyable choices for reading. On the website, you will see a recommended list of books. These books are the South Carolina Young Adult Book Award (2021-2022) nominees. We recommend your student read at least one of these books to gain a great start toward being able to participate in the voting for the best SC Young Adult Book in February. If your student reads three books from this list, he or she will be able to participate in the voting process. Within the first two weeks of class, students will be allowed to reflect on their reading experience.
IB HL 1 - The Complete Stories by Flannery O’Connor (selected stories only)

"Introduction" - vii-xvii (11)
"The Geranium" - pp. 3-14 (11)
"The Train" - pp. 54-62 (8)
"A Good Man is Hard to Find" - pp. 117-133 (16)
"The Life You Save May Be Your Own" - pp. 145-156 (11)
"Good Country People" - pp. 271-291 (20)
"Everything that Rises Must Converge" - pp. 406-420 (14)
"Judgement Day" - pp. 531-550 (19)

During the first two weeks of school, you have will have a summative assessment covering the outside reading. In addition, we will research non-fiction sources to prepare for a panel discussion that will be another summative assignment. Finally, this text may be used for one of three IB formal assessments. Please read the material carefully. The quizzes are not based on remembering characters, plot, setting, or central symbols (like one would find in an online study/reading aid).
For your reading Journal/Annotations, IB HL1 students must complete all three of the following for each story:

Track issues over multiple pages across multiple stories (recording the page numbers and a brief snippet of the passage). These may be concrete or abstract topics/subjects/concerns/issues.

Note your connections/reactions to the text. How does a passage relate to another book you have read, a movie you have seen, or another subject area? What questions do you have? What new words have you defined? What sentences are most important? Evaluate character thoughts and/or actions.

Label and give examples of figurative language such as simile, metaphor, personification, symbol, and imagery. Also, note syntactical patterns.

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