Junior year is a vitally important stage in an English student's development. Students will move into a study of American Literature, examining literary expression as a reflection of the historical emergence of American national identity. 

Students may choose one of the following levels:

• English 11 Foundations is designed for students who intend to pursue a business or trade career instead of college. This course offers practical literacy and writing skills to prepare students for the demands of the twenty-first century. 

• English 11 CP is designed to continue to prepare students for the demands of a four-year college course of study.

• English 11 Honors, offered in the first semester, is part of a dual-enrollment program in which students will earn EEP credit from Rhode Island College. In the second semester, students may begin a three-semester AP English Literature course of study which is intended to run every other day through the end of senior year.

Core readings include:

• The Crucible

• The Declaration of Independence

• The Preamble to the Constitution

The English Department is excited to offer the following elective opportunities. Please note that some of these courses are offered on a rotational basis, and therefore may not run every year. Check the Program of Studies for our current offerings.

• Senior Research Paper: This course is designed to assist students with the research component of the Senior Project process.

• Writing to Inform and Explain: This Honors level elective course is offered to seniors and highly qualified juniors. Students will earn dual-enrollment credit from URI. A portion of this course will satisfy the senior research paper requirement.

• Creative Writing: This course provides specialized instruction for students who wish to develop their voices as fiction writers in a project-based environment.

• Speech and Debate: Focused instruction is provided in public speaking and the art of rhetoric. Students are introduced to the Parliamentary Debate format.

• The Mythological Tradition in Literature: Students study the mythological traditions of the Egyptian, Greek, Roman, and Norse cultures. This study unlocks for them a whole new world of literary allusion. Students also, through a number of oral presentations, work on mastery of the art of storytelling.

• Journalism: Students in this course learn the fundaments of reporting, including gathering information, interviewing, and writing. They are also introduced to the legal and ethical principles governing the field. Emphasis is placed on applied learning, as students contribute to the production of the school newspaper.

• Living the Nightmare -- Dystopian Societies in Fiction: Students examine the political, societal, and cultural constructs presented in a variety of dystopian works. Emphasis is placed on making real-world connections with the texts being studied.

• Drama: Students are introduced to the fundaments of dramatic production and provided with the opportunity to practice performing in front of live audiences.

• From Books to Film: This course provides a special opportunity for literary study as students closely compare the creation of meaning between literary and cinematic works.