English

English I

Open to: Freshmen

Prerequisite: None

Duration/Credit: 1 year/1 credit

Level: Standard

Freshmen English is an introduction to the joys of the written word.  Each course develops the writing techniques, reading proficiency, and study skills needed to ensure a student’s ability to meet or exceed 9th grade standards for reading, writing, listening, and speaking.

Honors English I

Open to: Freshmen

Prerequisite: Teacher Recommendation

Duration/Credit: 1 year/1 credit

Level: Honors

This course is designed for students who demonstrate above-average skills in comprehension, analysis, and communication as they work with texts of increasing complexity, actively collaborate with other students, and share their insights through presentations and in-class discussions.  Students should be able to work independently for sustained periods of time both in and out of class.  This  course is recommended for students intending to pursue more advanced classes throughout  high school and post-secondary education.  Summer reading is required.

English II

Open to: Sophomores

Prerequisite: English I and Teacher Recommendation

Duration/Credit: 1 year/1 credit

Level: Standard

Sophomore English builds on the literary analysis and writing skills developed freshmen year. Each course includes the study of the short story, the novel, nonfiction, and Shakespeare, as well as vocabulary and grammar development that contributes to success on the PSAT and SAT.  Research-based papers, projects, and presentations ensure a student’s ability to meet or exceed 10th grade standards for reading, writing, listening, and speaking.

Honors English II

Open to: Sophomores

Prerequisite: English I Honors and Teacher Recommendation

Duration/Credit: 1 year/1 credit

Level: Honors

This course is designed for students who are able to work at an accelerated pace and extend learning with self-designed independent projects and self-guided reading.  Students will demonstrate an ability to identify universal themes, offer critical analysis, express personal perspective, and appreciate cultural diversity as they work with texts of increasing complexity, actively collaborate with other students, and share their insights through presentations and in-class discussions.  Students should be able to work independently for sustained periods of time both in and out of class.  This rigorous course is recommended for students who intend to pursue the Early College Experience and Advanced Placement English. Summer reading is required.

English III

Open to: Juniors

Prerequisite: English II and Teacher Recommendation

Duration/Credit: 1 year/1 credit

Level: Standard

Junior English builds on the literary analysis and writing skills developed freshmen and sophomore years. This course includes the study of the short story, the novel, and nonfiction, as well as vocabulary and grammar development that contributes to success on the PSAT and SAT.  Special emphasis is placed on comprehending and developing a perspective on material that helps students shape their worldview.  Research-based papers, projects, and presentations developed on individual interests ensure a student’s ability to meet or exceed 11th grade standards for reading, writing, listening, and speaking.

Honors English III

Open to: Juniors

Prerequisite: English II (Standard or Honors) and Teacher Recommendation

Duration/Credit: 1 semester / ½ credit

Level: Honors

Junior year English credit is comprised of two standards-based one semester courses that provide intellectual challenge and opportunities to study material and topics of personal interest.  These courses are designed for students who will actively pursue post-secondary education opportunities. Students should demonstrate above-average skills in comprehension, analysis, and communication as well as an ability to actively collaborate with other students on projects, presentations and in-class discussions.  Students should be able to work independently for sustained periods of time both in and out of class.

Each semester takes an in-depth look at a different type of writing, and the thematic approach invites an exploration of multiple genres, writers, and eras of literature. Students will select their own appropriate reading material, self-design relevant assessment products, and pursue their particular interests within the course of their choice.  

Honors English III students must choose two courses to meet their one credit requirement for Junior year: 

Comedy: This Class is a Joke - a collaborative exploration of comedy through literature and writing

Dystopia - a collaborative exploration of the inversion of justice through writing and literature

Fiction from Fact - a collaborative exploration of fact-based fiction through writing and literature

This Could Be Me - a collaborative exploration of teen voices through writing and literature

The Play’s the Thing - a collaborative exploration of drama through writing and literature

ECE English: Writing & Multimodal Composition

Open to: Juniors. Seniors

Prerequisite: Juniors: English II Honors and Teacher Recommendation

    Seniors: AP English Literature & Composition

Duration/Credit: 1 year/1 credit

Level: Advanced

This class meets the requirements for the University of Connecticut’s first-year English course, ENGL 1007: Seminar & Studio in Writing and Composition. Students explore various methods of communication to determine how medium affects message.  UConn ENGL 1007 requires students to complete “studio” projects, which challenge the student to determine the best medium for communicating the message they wish to convey; field work, which requires students to expand their research beyond the classroom and into the community; and media literacy.  The class focuses on college composition through the rhetorical, digital, and information literacies necessary for twenty-first-century contexts. Students will utilize various genres of writing to analyze and synthesize the rhetoric of interdisciplinary print, visual, and multimedia texts.  Students are expected to present their findings to the class.  Summer reading is required.

This course is developed as a University of Connecticut ECE course. Students have the opportunity to earn four UCONN credits for English 1007: Seminar  and Studio in Writing and Multimodal Composition. Students must complete registration through UConn to be eligible for UConn credit. 

English IV

Open to: Seniors

Prerequisite: English III and Teacher Recommendation

Duration/Credit: 1 year/1 credit

Level: Standard

Senior English builds on the literary analysis and writing skills developed throughout high school. This course includes the study of the short story, the novel, and nonfiction, as well as vocabulary and grammar development that contributes to success in college and career.  Special emphasis is placed on the personal narrative to help students articulate their worldview.  The expectations for research-based papers, projects, and presentations developed on individual interests ensure a student’s ability to meet or exceed 12th grade standards for reading, writing, listening, and speaking.  

Honors English IV

Open to: Seniors

Prerequisite: English III and Teacher Recommendation

Duration/Credit: 1 year/1 credit

Level: Honors

Senior year English credit is comprised of two standards-based one semester courses that provide intellectual challenge and opportunities to study material and topics of personal interest.  These courses are designed for students who will actively pursue post-secondary education opportunities. Students should demonstrate above-average skills in comprehension, analysis, and communication as well as an ability to actively collaborate with other students on projects, presentations and in-class discussions.  Students should be able to work independently for sustained periods of time both in and out of class.

Each semester takes an in-depth look at a different type of writing, and the thematic approach invites an exploration of multiple genres, writers, and eras of literature. Students will select their own appropriate reading material, self-design relevant assessment products, and pursue their particular interests within the course of their choice.  

Honors English IV students enroll in two courses to meet their one credit requirement for Senior year: 

Semester 1:

This is Real Life - a collaborative exploration of the personal narrative through writing and literature 

Semester 2 Offerings:

Uncovering Conspiracy  - a collaborative exploration of truth, disinformation, and propaganda through writing and literature

What’s the Big Idea? - a collaborative exploration of logic and philosophy through literature and writing

Comedy: This Class is a Joke - a collaborative exploration of comedy through literature and writing

The Human Condition - a collaborative exploration of human experience through writing and literature

AP English Literature & Composition

Open to: Seniors

Prerequisite:  English III Honors  or ECE English: Writing & Multimodal Composition and Teacher Recommendation

Duration/Credit: 1 year/1 credit

Level: Advanced

This course is designed for those students of proven superior academic ability in English and who have consistently demonstrated the ability to work independently. This seminar-style course will require active student participation in discussions of texts and related ideas, independent research, frequent (i.e. daily) writing, and writing conferences and revision.  Throughout the year, students will engage in academic writing through interdisciplinary reading, with a focus on a rhetorical analysis of print, visual, and multimedia texts.  Writing will require analysis and synthesis of texts and will include narrative, expository, argumentative, creative, and reflective genres. Consequently, this course will address many state ELA standards and college requirements. Summer reading is required. Students in this course are expected to take the Advanced Placement English Exam in May. *The cost for 2024-2025 was $99 per AP exam and is subject to change as determined by College Board. Students who are eligible for free or reduced meals are will receive a fee waiver.