English Language Arts
Administrator: Jordan Sterio | Phone: 453-1500, ext. 4001 | Department Chair: Sara Ledwith
The English Language Arts Department offers a multilevel program consisting of Honors, Regents, Advanced Placement, OCC, and SUPA courses. The English department emphasizes building reading skills through study of both fiction and nonfiction texts. Writing skills are developed through study and production of multiple genres at all grade levels. English 12 students must select one senior writing workshop and one senior literature course to satisfy their senior English requirement. OCC English, Syracuse University Project Advance and Advanced Placement English 12 satisfy the senior English writing and literature requirements.
Courses:
ENGLISH 9
40 Weeks | 1 Credit | Grade 9 | Course Number: 1111
Prerequisite: Teacher recommendation
Required course materials: marble composition notebook, sturdy pocket folder, pens, pencils, highlighters (at least five different colors)
English 9 continues to build on the language arts instruction that was begun in the middle schools and introduces new skills necessary for successful performance in high school. Listening and oral skills instruction focus on formal and informal communications. Students will be exposed to various types of world literature including nonfiction, short stories, drama, poetry, and novels and write a variety of texts as well.
ENGLISH 9 WS
40 Weeks | 1 Credit | Grade 9 | Course Number: 1121
Prerequisite: Benchmarking data demonstrating need for foundational literacy support
Required course materials: marble composition notebook, sturdy pocket folder, pens, pencils, highlighters (at least five different colors)
English 9 continues to build on the language arts instruction that was begun in the middle schools and introduces new skills necessary for successful performance in high school. Listening and oral skills instruction focus on formal and informal communications. Students will be exposed to various types of world literature including nonfiction, short stories, drama, poetry, and novels and write a variety of texts as well. Students in this course will receive higher levels of support on assuring the foundational literacy skills are developed in conjunction with English 9 course priorities.
ENGLISH 9H
40 Weeks | 1 Credit | Grade 9 | Course Number: 1110
Prerequisite: Teacher recommendation
Required course materials: marble composition notebook
This course introduces a significant change in instruction and student performance levels. The course focuses on identifying and defining resources of language, analyzing poetry's underlying meaning and studying the literary tradition of classical theater and mythological allusions. Writing instruction will focus on a strong sense of organization, clarity of thought and composition, and the use of adequate detail for development and support.
ENGLISH 10
40 Weeks | 1 Credit | Grade 10 | Course Number: 1121
Prerequisite: English 9
Required course materials: Writing Utensil, Chromebook (school provided)
Tenth grade English challenges students to achieve new levels of mastery with critical reading and analytical writing. Students will use a variety of texts, such as narratives, poetry, plays, essays, speeches, articles, and primary sources, in order to better read and understand their world. They will read closely, asking questions of the text while making and supporting evidence-based claims. As students read closely and carefully they will see and understand the structure of a text; they will understand that a writer must make decisions about how to use language, how to connect ideas, and how to make meaning.
ENGLISH 10 WS
40 Weeks | 1 Credit | Grade 10 | Course Number: 1121WS
Prerequisite: Benchmarking data demonstrating need for foundational literacy support
Required course materials: chromebook (school provided), pens, highlighters, folder
English 10 WS continues to build on the language arts instruction from the previous year, reinforces the skills learned, as introduces new skills necessary for successful performance in high school and beyond. Students will be exposed to various types of world literature, including nonfiction, short stories, drama, poetry, and novels, and write a variety of texts as well. Students in this course will receive higher levels of support on assuring the foundational literacy skills are developed in conjunction with English 10 course priorities.
ENGLISH 10H
40 Weeks | 1 Credit | Grade 10 | Course Number: 1120
Prerequisite: English 9 Honors and teacher recommendation
Required materials list: Writing Utensil, Chromebook (school provided)
English 10 Honors offers a rigorous approach to reading and writing. Students will engage in a collaborative discourse with peers and the teacher. Students will practice the skills of sustained independent study in order to learn how to synthesize complex ideas using a variety of texts (poetry, novels, film, non-fiction, literary theory, etc.). It is expected that students will spend a significant amount of time in and out of school practicing the craft of analytic writing. Such writing will culminate in analysis papers, research papers/projects, and narrative pieces.
ENGLISH 11
40 Weeks | 1 Credit | Grade 11 | Course Number: 1131
Prerequisite: English 10
Required course materials: Writing Utensil, Chromebook (school provided), highlighters
The focus of English 11 is twofold: providing students with a comprehensive analysis of American literature and nonfiction including seminal U.S. historical documents and preparing students to take the Common Core New York State Regents Exam in June. The thematic focus of the course is the American experience and the readings explore America’s search for cultural and personal identity, the pursuit of the American Dream, and the relationship writers have to historical time periods. Skills that are reinforced and further developed include synthesizing, listening, reading for information, literary analysis, writing for various audiences, and crafting an argument.
ENGLISH 11 (SEMESTER)
40 Weeks | 1 Credit | Grade 11 | Course Number: 1131S
Prerequisite: English 10
Required course materials: Writing Utensil, Chromebook (school provided), highlighters
English 11 semestered is for students who are interested in taking English 11 every day for one semester only. Students would take the ELA Regents either in January (if first semester) or June (if second semester). These students would be scheduled to take US History every day the semester opposite ELA, and take the US Regents in either January or June, accordingly. This semestered option will allow students to complete one Regents completed in January, leaving more time in June to focus on other exams.
*This course is offered in a semester format. Students who are enrolled in the semester English 11 course must be enrolled in the US History semester course during the same school year.
ENGLISH 11H
40 Weeks | 1 Credit | Grade 11 | Course Number: 1130
Prerequisite: English 10 Honors and teacher recommendation
Required course materials: Writing Utensil, Chromebook (school provided), highlighters
This course continues the development of skills used in 10 Honors and develops the skills necessary for 12H, SUPA English and English 12AP. Students will study American literary traditions, analyze increasingly complex texts, including but not limited to literature and nonfiction such as seminal U.S. documents. The student's writing will demonstrate sophisticated language, the use of complex sentence patterns, an ability to use a variety of writing styles, craft arguments, demonstrate the skill of synthesis and offering deeper insights into literature.
AP ENGLISH LANGUAGE & COMPOSITION
40 Weeks | 1 Credit | Grades 11 | Course Number: 1150
Prerequisite: English 10 Honors and teacher recommendation
Required Course Materials: Writing Utensil, Chromebook (school provided), highlighters
Note: Students will be required to buy a review book for this course. This book will be purchased in February and the teacher will communicate details in class regarding this purchase.
English 11 AP Language and Composition is a writing-intensive course in which students critically read and analyze selected nonfiction works of major writers, identifying and explaining the authors' use of rhetorical strategies and techniques. Interpretive reasoning skills are strengthened through oral and written activities such as analytical, expository and argumentative essays, group discussions and a research paper. Students in this course are expected to take the English AP Language exam in May. The estimated fee for the required AP exam is $96.
ENGLISH 12 SEMESTER COURSES
To receive senior English credit, the student must take one semester of a Writing Workshop and one semester of English 12 Literature. It is recommended that a student take the writing workshop course and the literature course in different semesters.
ENGLISH 12 WRITING COURSES:
WRITING WORKSHOP
20 Weeks | 1⁄2 Credit | Grade 12 | Course Number: 1142
Prerequisite: Senior standing and teacher recommendation
Required course materials: Writing Utensil, Chromebook (school provided)
Designed for the student who needs to improve writing skills, this course focuses on content, organization, development, and diction in a variety of real-world writing modes that reflect their purposes. The goal is to provide a variety of writing experiences through which students may grow in confidence, thought processes, expressive ability, and interpretive and analytical writing skills necessary for real-world applications: college and beyond. Students will write in a workshop setting that encourages teacher modeling and the use of mentor texts.
WRITING WORKSHOP: PROFESSIONAL WRITING
20 Weeks | 1⁄2 Credit | Grade 12 | Course Number: 1134
Prerequisite: Senior standing and teacher recommendation
Required course materials: Writing Utensil, Chromebook (school provided)
Writing workshop: Professional Writing is designed to meet the writing needs of students whose abilities and career goals lie in the fields of math, science, engineering, medicine, pharmacy, and business. Students will learn to write clear, concise prose, to tailor communication skills to specified audiences, and to use effectively the forms of communication prevalent in the technical writing world (e.g., abstracts, letters, reports).
Evaluation is based on a series of technical papers, a proposal report, and a final presentation.
This course satisfies the senior writing requirement and may be taken in conjunction with any level of senior literature.
ENGLISH 12 LITERATURE COURSES:
ENGLISH 12: LITERATURE
20 Weeks | 1⁄2 Credit | Grade 12 | Course Number: 1147
Prerequisite: English 11
Required course materials: Binder or folder, Pens/pencils, Writing Utensil, Chromebook (school provided)
Critical Reading is a course that gears students to process and experience a text through multiple perspectives, especially those tied to race, socioeconomic class, and gender. Students will be able to use critical reading skills to deconstruct a text and foster a better understanding of authorial intent, the purpose and historical context of a text, and the relationship of a given text to our own experience of the world around us.
ENGLISH 12 FULL-YEAR COLLEGE CREDIT SENIOR COURSES
SUPA ENGLISH LITERATURE/WRITING ETS192/WRT105
40 Weeks | 1 LHS Credit | 6 College Credits | Grades 12 | Course Number: 1153/1154
Prerequisite: English 11AP or English 11H, senior standing and teacher recommendation
Required course material: Writing Utensil, Chromebook (school provided)
SUPA consists of two Syracuse University courses, WRT105 and ETS192. Each is a semester course and a student may earn a total of three college credits for each course successfully completed (total of 6 for both courses). The estimated tuition for the school year is $672.
WRT105, Academic Writing, is a reading intensive writing course, using writing as a means of discovering and evaluating ideas for various academic audiences. This course is designed for students who wish to concentrate on writing beyond literary context and develop their collegiate writing and thinking methods.
ETS192, Gender and Literary Text, is a writing-intense reading and interpretative workshop that examines how gender influences and is influenced by literary texts. This course is for students who wish to study both literary and non-literary texts and to examine language, its embedded power structures and its cultural significance.
OCC ENGLISH 103/104
40 Weeks | 1 LHS Credit | 6 OCC College Credits | Grades 12 | Course Number: 1152
OCC 103:
Prerequisite: Prerequisite: English 11, 11AP or English 11H, and senior standing.
Required Course Materials: Writing Utensil, Chromebook (school provided)
Emphasizing the recursive nature of writing and the process of revision, this course teaches students the skills and processes necessary for writing and revising college-level academic prose. Various aspects of writing, including invention/pre-writing, composing, revision, and editing/proofreading will be taught. Critical readings of various nonfiction texts may be used to develop an understanding of rhetorical conventions and genres. Composing in and for electronic environments, as well as their conventions, will also be taught.
OCC 104:
Prerequisite: Successful completion of OCC ENG 103.
Teaches students to comprehend, respond to and use the ideas of others in their own writing. Skills such as analytic and critical reading and writing, summarizing, and paraphrasing are developed through the study of literature. Term paper form will also be taught.
AP ENGLISH LITERATURE & COMPOSITION
40 Weeks | 1 Credit | Grades 12 | Course Number: 1151
Prerequisite: English 11AP or English 11H and teacher recommendation
Required course materials: Chromebook (school provided), notebook
Advanced Placement English is designed for the highly motivated and skilled English student. The primary focus of the course is a close analysis of literature and skillful, concise expression in writing. Through an emphasis on a wide range of literature (primarily American and British), students will develop a proficiency at analyzing the novel, poetry, and dramatic literature. The course includes a focus on preparing for the Advanced Placement Examination in literature and composition, which, with an acceptable score, is widely accepted by colleges and universities across the country in lieu of freshman composition and literature. The estimated fee for the required AP exam is $94.
ENGLISH ELECTIVES
ACADEMIC SKILLS
20 Weeks | 1⁄2 Credit | Grade 9-12 | Course Number: 1158
Prerequisite: staff recommendation
Required course materials: Writing Utensil, Chromebook (school provided)
The main objective is to teach students to be successful, independent students and citizens. This would be done by: increasing knowledge of resources available to students in the school, increasing organizational skills, increasing ability to manage time and prioritize effectively, increasing soft skills, increasing note taking skills, increasing study skills, increasing ability to effectively plan essays and other types of writing, increasing ability to effectively conduct research which includes the ability to evaluate sources of information.
CREATIVE WRITING
20 Weeks | 1⁄2 Credit | Grade 9-12 | Course Number: 1165
Prerequisite: None
Required course materials: Writing Utensil, Chromebook (school provided)
The Creative Writing elective is designed for students who wish to develop their craft within traditional genres (poetry, short-stories) and expand their skill set by experimenting with unfamiliar genres. Through daily writing exercises and critical examination of the writing process, students will develop unique and powerful voices. Evaluation will be based on major projects in multiple genres, in-class work, and through collaborative work sessions with peers.
FILM STUDIES
20 Weeks | 1⁄2 Credit | Grade 9-12 | Course Number: 1159
Prerequisite: None
Required course materials: Writing Utensil, Chromebook (school provided)
Film studies is an Introduction to Film course that exposes students to various genres of film, as it explores the expectations created by a genre and the ways that filmmakers abide by or challenge those expectations. Students move from being consumers of film to being critical thinkers of film, as they explore various topics related to cinematography, editing, auteur theory, among others. Be advised, to achieve the purposes of the course, films containing mature content may be used.
GENDER STUDIES
20 Weeks | 1⁄2 Credit | Grade 10-12 | Course Number: 1167
Prerequisite: None
Required course materials: Writing Utensil, Chromebook (school provided)
This course will serve as an introduction to the study of gender. We will examine gender as a subject that permeates our senses of self, culture, relationships, economics and power in society. The course will introduce students to basic concepts such as gender, sex, sexuality, gender differences, and gender socialization. The course will then go on to examine how ideas about gender shape and are shaped by popular culture and advertising, relationships, modes of production in the economy, policies, and other topics.
HORROR STUDIES
20 Weeks | 1⁄2 Credit | Grade 10-12 | Course Number: 1161
Prerequisite: None
Required course materials: Writing Utensil, Chromebook (school provided)
This course will serve as an introduction to the study and psychology of horror texts and films. The course will introduce the depth and complexities of the genre as well as explore the intersection of horror with society, culture, gender, comedy, and more. Students will be engaged to read and write about the genre while sustaining their own personal inquests and research into related topics.
MYTHOLOGY
20 Weeks | 1⁄2 Credit | Grade 10-12 | Course Number: 1163
Prerequisite: None
Required course materials: Writing Utensil, Chromebook (school provided)
Mythology is a course designed to familiarize students with the timeless tales of the past, most especially, Greek, Norse and Celtic, and with literature, art, and music utilizing these tales. This course will culminate in a project related to the course content and the student’s special interest.
PUBLIC SPEAKING
20 Weeks | 1⁄2 Credit | Grade 9-12 | Course Number: 1166
Prerequisite: None
Required course material: Writing Utensil, Chromebook (school provided)
This course in public speaking emphasizes effective communication in both performance and conversation. Included are units on oral interpretation of literature, informative and persuasive speaking, and debate. Evaluation is based on speaking performance, written speech preparation, written peer evaluation, and a final speech.
SPORTS LITERATURE: ISSUE AND ETHICS
20 Weeks | 1⁄2 Credit | Grades 9-12 | Course Number: 1162
Prerequisite: None
Required course material: Writing Utensil, Chromebook (school provided)
The intent of this course is to move the student from an interest in sports to an analysis of the significance of sports to the individual and to society. Readings will focus on different genres of writing, including journalistic features, essays and biographies. The content of the readings will include media coverage, business considerations, ethics, and gender issues. Guest speakers from the sports world are part of the course.
THEATRE STUDIES
40 Weeks | 1 LHS Credit | Grades 10-12 | Course Number: 8879
Prerequisite: None
Required Course Materials: Writing Utensil, Chromebook (school provided)
This course will provide a rich exploration of the historical and cultural conventions of drama and theatre. Students will have the opportunity to develop and synthesize original ideas in a drama or theater work, utilizing critical analysis, historical and cultural context, research, and global theater traditions. Students will respond to, analyze, reflect and evaluate the physical and vocal choices artists use to develop a performance that is believable, authentic, and relevant. The course will also consider the role of theatre in fostering understanding between self and others through critical awareness, social responsibility, and the exploration of empathy. The course will involve both individual and group tasks with written, visual, and performance-based texts. This course is cross-listed with both English and Music & Theatre.
Notes: No prerequisite study is necessary. This course will not satisfy the Regents requirement for credit in music and/or art.
ADVANCED THEATRE STUDIES
20 Weeks | 1/2 LHS Credit | Grades 11-12 | Course Number: 8885
Prerequisite: Successful completion of Introduction to Theatre Studies and recommendation by the teacher.
Required Course Materials: Writing Utensil, Chromebook (school provided)
Advanced Theatre Studies is a course for those students who have successfully completed Theatre Studies and who would like to continue training in the history, culture, and artistry of the theater arts. Much of the class time will be independently planned and structured by the student and approved and monitored by the classroom teacher(s).
Note: This course will not satisfy the Regents requirement for credit in music and/or art.