! Denote classes required for graduation.
* Denote classes that are one semester in length
^ Denote classes taught in-house for Senior Plus credit with Iowa Central.
CREDIT: One Credit
COURSE LENGTH: One Semester
GRADE LEVEL: 11, 12
PREREQUISITE: Fundamental English Courses
Content Description:
This course teaches the necessary oral and written communication skills needed to be successful in the workplace. Topics include goals, first impressions, conflict resolution, communications, rules and ethics, and job search. Towards the end of the semester, the student will interview with community members. At the completion of the course, the student will have composed a resume and letter of application.
CREDIT: One Credit
COURSE LENGTH: One Semester
GRADE LEVEL:11, 12
PREREQUISITE: Fundamental English Courses .
Content Description:
Creative Writing is a class that offers the student the opportunity to improve writing skills through practice and analysis. Most of the class time will be spent working in workshop format: creating, responding, and revising the writing. Specific strategies, such as dialogue, vivid verbs, similes, and extended ideas, are emphasized in each writing. Also, one day a week is allotted for large group work involving a variety of objectives to improve vocabulary and thinking skills. Assessment is based on the quality of each final draft and following the workshop format.
Credit: One Credit
Course Length: One Semester
Grade Level: 11,12
Prerequisite: Fundamental English courses
Content description: Elements of Writing explores persuasive, narrative, informative, research, and analytical writing.
CREDIT: Two Credits
COURSE LENGTH: Full Year
GRADE LEVEL: 9,10,11,12
PREREQUISITE: NONE
Content Description:
English IA focuses on the study of short stories, essays, poetry, and non-fiction excerpts. Students will work to improve reading and writing skills in these literature-based units. Writing workshop will be the setting for process writing practice and writing conferences. Required writing types include personal and expository composition. Students will be expected to write complete sentences using standard conventions, and they will be required to write the paragraph essay. English IA students will be required to complete all assigned work to pass the course. English IA is a prerequisite to English IB. Students who have completed English IA requirements are eligible to enroll in English IB.
This semester course focuses on the study of long literary works. These units include a modern play, a novel, and a Shakespearean unit. Students will work to improve reading and writing skills in these literature-based units. In writing workshops, students will practice new types of writing, including listing, observation, research, and comparison/contrast compositions. English IB students will be required to complete all assigned work to pass the course. English IB is a prerequisite to English II.
Credit: Two Credits
Course Length: Full Year
Grade Level: 10, 11, 12
Prerequisite: English I
Content Description: In 10th Grade English Language Arts, students explore the tension between individuality and community through a selection of diverse and relevant texts from the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, including Fahrenheit 451, Purple Hibiscus, Antigone, and various magical realism short stories from Latin American authors, along with thematically aligned short stories, articles, poems, and digital media. Students will examine the reciprocal relationship between individuals and society, considering how personal values influence interactions within a community and how community dynamics affect individual identity.
Building upon the English Language Arts skills developed in earlier grades, students will engage deeply with complex texts through independent reading and guided Close Reading. They will prepare for and participate in long-form discussions, including Socratic Seminars, and write multi-paragraph responses to Essential Questions, gathering evidence to effectively communicate their insights.
CREDIT: 2 Credits
COURSE LENGTH: Full Year
GRADE LEVEL: 11, 12
PREREQUISITE: English I, English II
Course Description: Each semester includes a variety of language arts skills: reading, writing, speaking, listening, and analyzing, which focus on literary works, including a modern play, poetry, novels, a Shakespearean unit, various short stories, and American literature. Students will refine writing skills and will write more complex papers than in the previous English courses. Fridays will be reserved for enhancing individual reading skills. Each student will read an individually chosen book per quarter and present an oral book review and other book review choices.
CREDIT: 1 Credit
COURSE LENGTH: One semester
GRADE LEVEL: 12
PREREQUISITE: English I, English II, English III
This course is centered around independent reading. The first quarter entails half the class period of reading a student-selected novel and recording single word or short phrase reactions.
The second half of each class period includes independently working on an ‘option’ of choice. Eight ‘options’ need to be completed at quarter’s end. Options include a variety of language arts skills.
The second quarter entails choral reading, a poetry smackdown, infographics, and more reading of novels. The culminating activity includes a group novel centered around inquiry, using questioning to develop deeper comprehension.
CREDIT: 1 Credit
COURSE LENGTH: One semester (spring)
GRADE LEVEL: 11, 12 Open to students with instructor approval.
This course demands a high level of independent work and critical thinking. To ensure that students are adequately prepared for the rigors of Independent Inquiry Literature, successful completion of English 1 and English 2. Proficiency in reading, writing, and analytical skills gained in the earlier English courses will provide a solid foundation for the challenges presented in this literature course.
Description: The Independent Inquiry Literature course is designed for 11th and 12th grade students who are passionate about literature and eager to explore essential questions through independent inquiry. The semester-long course allows students to choose their path of exploration, connecting classic and world novels, films, and informational sources to gain a deeper understanding of complex themes. Through guided checkpoints, students will analyze, reflect, and synthesize information, culminating in an analytical essay and a presentation.
CREDIT: 1 Credit
COURSE LENGTH: One semester
GRADE LEVEL: 10-12
This course explores the relationship between film and literature, analyzing how stories are adapted from page to screen. Students will examine narrative techniques, themes, and cinematic elements while reading literary works and viewing their film counterparts. Through discussion, writing, and analysis, students will develop critical thinking skills and a deeper appreciation for storytelling across mediums.
CREDIT: 1 Credit
COURSE LENGTH: One semester
GRADE LEVEL: 10-12
Media literacy is the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, and interpret media in its various forms. This course helps students develop critical thinking skills to better understand the media they encounter daily. Students will examine how media messages are constructed, identify bias and misinformation, and explore strategies used to influence opinions and behaviors. Topics include advertising techniques, social media dynamics, and ethical media consumption. By the end of the course, students will have the tools to navigate today’s media landscape with confidence and critical awareness.