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English Course Offerings
Required Course Descriptions
American Dream
Required Grade 9
This team-taught course blends English-language arts, reading, and social studies, covering the historical periods of the United States from the late 1800s through the 1960s, including connections to our world today. We will explore literature to help understand relevant ideas and themes related to industrialization, World War I, the 1920’s, the Great Depression & New Deal, World War II, the 1950s and the origins of the Cold War, and the Civil Rights Movement. Students will demonstrate their learning through a variety of projects emphasizing writing and presenting.
America in the World
Required Grade 10
This team-taught course blends English/Language Arts and Social Studies. The course is a continuation of the American Dream, focusing on events in a global context, starting with topics that include World War II and Genocide. The purpose is to broaden global perspectives and open our eyes to the world around us, its problems, and its connections to the United States. We will examine the unit questions by surveying twentieth and twenty first century history, culture and literature. We will analyze the evolving role and position of the United States in a globalized world, and examine movements and crises that change the individual’s relationship to society. Students will be empowered to take their knowledge and skills along the way to express their understanding and showcase their deeper realization of the world in which they live.
Senior Seminar
Required Grade 12
Senior Seminar is a semester-length seminar course, which challenges students not only to harness self-motivation while working independently, but also to work and participate respectfully as part of a group . Students will develop and present a proposal and implement a self-designed project that will culminate in an exhibition and written reflection. There will also be a focus on the development of effective public presentation skills. Additionally, students will be expected to read and think critically and to articulate well-reasoned arguments about problems facing individuals in society today in seminar-style discussions.
Senior Seminar (Summer)
This class begins in May and culminates in late August/early September. Students will develop and present a proposal and implement a self-designed project that will culminate in an exhibition and written reflection. It is a blended format. Though the requirements are the same as the traditional class (see above), because the class is mainly during the summer, the class is conducted mostly using Google Classroom and other technological resources. However, there are a handful of required meetings several times with both the teacher and peers throughout the course. Students who take this class should be self-motivated, as most of the work is done independently. Additionally, students should only sign up for this course if they are not going to be away for a significant amount of time over the summer, and do not have too many additional obligations as the pace of this class is more rigorous than the traditional semester course.
Hybrid Senior Seminar
This class is a blended format and can be taken during the school year. Though the requirements are the same as the traditional class (see Senior Seminar description, above), because the class is mainly asynchronous, it is conducted using Google Classroom and other technological resources. There are required in-person meetings with the teacher throughout the course as well. Students will develop and present a proposal and implement a self-designed project that will culminate in an exhibition and written reflection. Students who take this class should be self-motivated, as most of the work is done independently.
Elective Course Descriptions
Literature and Culture
Recommended for all Juniors
The need to understand other cultures has never been more important. In this year-long, junior-level English course, students will broaden global perspectives by reading and analyzing literature that addresses issues which impact the world at large. Students will read literary works from a variety of genres and make connections between the texts and the contemporary world. Students will read selections from several authors, including Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Kamala Markandaya, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and Chinua Achebe, as well as selections from other short fiction and nonfiction selections. Students will continue to fine tune critical reading and writing skills throughout the course, which will culminate in a final research paper. This course is recommended for all juniors.
Advanced Placement English Literature & Composition
This course will focus on an in-depth study of Western literature, ranging from ancient to modern. Students will write weekly analytical essays in various forms of discourse based upon the significant themes encountered in their reading. The course objectives are geared to prepare students for the Advanced Placement Test in Literature and Composition, which is given by the College Board in the spring.
Advanced Placement English Language & Composition
Dual Enrollment Option Available for Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors. Students will earn 7 credits for the year long class.
This course will focus on developing students’ analytical and writing skills. Students will analyze the rhetoric of prose passages and will write weekly essays of varying lengths in different rhetorical modes. The objectives of the class are geared to prepare students for the Advanced Placement Test in English Language and Composition given by the College Board in the spring.
College Composition
Dual Enrollment Option Available for Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors
This course is the equivalent of a writing 101 course, required of first year students at most colleges, and may be taken for college credit. (See Dual Enrollment section for details) Students will be asked to complete a wide variety of assignments designed to explore different forms of writing: personal, college essay, analytical, definition, compare/contrast, and persuasive. Students will also work on devices of language and elements of grammar, structure and organization, report writing, analytical, personal narratives, descriptive, process analysis, and self-reflective writing. Students will be asked to conference, share their papers with others, edit and revise pieces of writing.
Public Presentation
Dual Enrollment Option Available for Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors
This course will provide students with the opportunity to improve their oral communication skills. Students will be asked to prepare a variety of speeches (informative, persuasive, extemporaneous, impromptu and special occasion). Students will also be exposed to debate and develop listening skills in this course. (See Dual Enrollment section for details)
Creative Writing
This course will provide students with the opportunity to develop a style and voice that reflects their vision. The course will promote an individualized approach to writing poetry, short stories, and short plays, and include both fiction and nonfiction writing. The benefits of writing circles, peer editing and conferencing will be explored. Students will also have an opportunity to expand their knowledge of writing by reading other authors’ works.
Film Making
This course is designed for students who are interested in filmmaking. Students will work on the four phases of filmmaking including: development, pre-production, production and post-production. Work on video production will involve writing scripts, shooting segments, editing and viewing film. Films produced will include several genres. Not only will students produce films, they will view and analyze film footage as well.
Mythology
Explore the ancient world through the stories and culture of the times. Through stories of gods and heroes, we can learn about the ancient world’s culture and history. By blending the history, philosophy, politics, science, and religion with the literature and stories of the ancient Greeks and Romans, we can learn more about our own culture. Relive the excitement of mythology.
Poetry Workshop
This course will include both the study of poetry and the writing of poetry. Students will be introduced to a wide variety of poems from various cultures and time periods. Upon further examination of works, students will begin to write and critique their own poetic works.
Gender Studies
What does gender mean in the 21st century? How do ideas of gender roles and expectations vary over geography, historical era, and cultures? How does the media create expectations, and how have groups advocated for their own rights and representation? This course will explore the multifaceted complexity of how identity and gender have changed over time and how we as individuals reflect our gender norms. Mature topics will be discussed.
Book It!
This English elective is designed to spark an appreciation for literature in reluctant and avid readers alike. This is a literature-based course in which students choose their own novels to read, study, and discuss. While there will be occasional shorter teacher-assigned texts, each student will select their own full-length novels. In this course students will gain and enrich skills in comprehension and analysis. Students will respond to their chosen texts through class discussions, projects, and writing assignments.
Happiness Mindset
Together we will discover ways to bring more happiness and joy in our lives by examining mindfulness and practicing gratitude. Additionally, we will explore the misconceptions about happiness, and the topics of mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual health and their connections to happiness. You will gain the skills of mindfulness, happiness, and gratitude through reading, writing, and researching. This is a journey you definitely want to take.
Rebels and Heroes
What makes ordinary people do extraordinary things? At what point are outcasts, agitators, and fools considered leaders, activists, and heroes? What sacrifices are made to create change? In this course, students will examine the qualities and flaws of rebels and heroes, the issues that move these individuals to act or not to act, and the path they choose in order to live in -or overturn- a power structure in which they don’t morally, ethically, or culturally feel they belong. Students will analyze, compare, and write about classic and contemporary literature that have had enduring appeal to audiences.
Theater Studies
This half-year course will serve as an introduction to theater studies representing a variety of cultures. Texts and accompanying films will reflect a myriad of genres, and styles. Writers may range from traditional to contemporary. Students may be asked to compare a variety of works simultaneously, and will examine how dramatic works tell stories and reveal characters and themes through literary analysis, discussion, and response. A variety of acting techniques may be explored, which would give students opportunities for in-class performances. A portion of the semester will be devoted to studying theater history so that students understand the context of modern theater traditions and practices.
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