English Language Arts

Students are required to earn 4.0 credits in English to earn an SKHS diploma.

The English Language Arts Department’s philosophy is that through the critical study of language and literature, we can help students better understand and contribute to the world they live in, encourage them to explore and understand the “text” of their own lives as well as the lives of others, and empower them to be life-long readers, writers, speakers, listeners, and critical thinkers. The South Kingstown High School Student Learning Expectations, the South Kingstown English/Language Arts Mission and Expectations, and the national Common Core of State Standards are integral to achieving this goal. Our purpose is, through a comprehensive, integrated curriculum, to enable all students to develop the skills necessary to become effective communicators, and to use language fluently in all of its forms to enhance their lives and their world.

Through a broad range of writing assignments, full-class discussions, and small-group activities, students explore topics and themes in developmentally appropriate literature, in a variety of genres (short story, novel, non-fiction, poetry, and drama), with an emphasis on comprehension, inference, literary analysis, and communication skills. The course also provides a structured review of basic vocabulary, spelling, usage, composition, and research skills, and focuses on establishing a foundation for further application of those skills at the high school and postsecondary level. Additionally, the course exposes students to a range of writing types: practical, academic, creative, and reflective. Course requirements include one oral presentation. 

Through a broad range of writing assignments, full-class discussions, and small-group activities, students explore themes and issues in literature at and above grade level in a variety of genres: short story, novel, non-fiction, poetry, and drama, with an emphasis on self-directed literary analysis, inferential and abstract thinking, and communication skills. This course also focuses on the development of rigorous vocabulary, spelling, usage, composition, and research skills. Additionally, the course exposes students to literature-based analytical essays and a wide variety of writing types: practical, academic, creative, and reflective. Course requirements include one oral presentation. Summer work is a requirement for this course.

In this course, students will examine American cultural identity and contemporary themes as expressed through our nation’s literature in a variety of forms, including short stories, novels, plays, and nonfiction. The course provides an in-depth study of literary genres and terms. Students will exercise a range of critical reading strategies in addition to developing their skills in analytical, argumentative, and narrative writing. Writing instruction focuses on using the writing process in essay composition (expository, analytical, and persuasive) to produce substantive content through precise, coherent, error-free writing, with developmentally appropriate vocabulary and standard usage. Course requirements include two research papers (one short, one longer) utilizing MLA format, and a minimum of two oral presentations, one informative and one argumentative/persuasive. 

This course examines American and multicultural voices and themes through historical and contemporary literature at and above grade level in a variety of forms, including short stories, novels, plays, and nonfiction. Instruction focuses on in-depth exploration of literature through critical reading and analysis. Students will examine and practice a variety of writing formats, including self-directed literary analysis and academic research. Expectations for students’ writing emphasize coherence and organization, analytical depth, stylistic precision and variety, and documentation. Course requirements include two research papers utilizing MLA format and a minimum of two oral presentations, informative and persuasive. Summer work is a requirement for this course.

In this course, students will examine the expression of cultural values through common universal themes, with particular focus on the archetypal figure of the hero, as conveyed through literature and other modes of communication in world culture from ancient through modern times. The course focuses on recurring themes that have defined and shaped cultural attitudes over the centuries, such as: Order and Balance; Power and Authority; Faith; Humanism; Reason; Nature; Freedom; and Change. As time and student interest allow, instruction will be supplemented by the study of other forms of expression and the arts. Students will extend the range of critical reading strategies acquired in Grades 9 and 10, in addition to further developing their skills in analytical, argumentative, and narrative writing. Writing instruction focuses on using the writing process in essay composition (expository, analytical, argumentative, persuasive, and reflective) to produce well-supported content through precise, coherent, error-free writing, with developmentally appropriate vocabulary and standard usage. Independent reading is expected at times throughout the school year. 

In this accelerated course, students will examine the expression of cultural values through common universal themes, with particular focus on the archetypal figure of the hero, as conveyed through literature and other modes of communication in world culture from ancient through modern times. The course focuses on recurring themes that have defined and shaped cultural attitudes over the centuries, such as: Order and Balance; Power and Authority; Faith; Humanism; Reason; Nature; Freedom; and Change. As time and student interest allow, instruction will be supplemented by the study of other forms of expression and the arts. Students will extend the range of critical reading strategies acquired in Grades 9 and 10, in addition to further developing their skills in analytical, argumentative, and narrative writing. Writing instruction focuses on using the writing process in essay composition (expository, analytical, argumentative, persuasive, and reflective) to produce well-supported content through precise, coherent, error-free writing, with developmentally appropriate vocabulary and standard usage. Independent reading is expected at times throughout the school year. Summer work is a requirement for this course. 

This course is a survey of various genres of European, American, and world literature, supplemented by the study of the fine arts. Though organized generally according to historical chronology, the course focuses on recurring themes that have defined and shaped Western cultural attitudes over the centuries: Order and Balance; Power and Authority; Faith; Humanism; Reason; Nature; Freedom; and Change. Students study classic works in depth through critical reading, creative writing assignments, and rigorous academic writing assignments that emphasize the use and analysis of rhetorical strategies. Students will also become acquainted with and prepared for the rigorous format of the AP Language and Composition exam administered in May. Independent reading is required during the summer and throughout the school year. The comprehensive course assessment for this class is a research-based essay tracing the development of a common theme through three or more of the works studied in the course. Students who enroll in this AP course are required to complete the appropriate AP exam in May. Payment and online registration for the exam will be required during the first weeks of school in September.

This course examines literature as an art form and as an expression of universal themes through diverse cultural voices. In this course students will learn to immerse themselves in challenging works of literature as an aesthetic experience, and to probe literature analytically. The comprehensive course assessment for this class is a fully documented research essay and presentation on a literary topic. Students who enroll in this AP course are required to complete the appropriate AP exam in May. Payment and online registration for the exam will be required during the first weeks of school in September. Prerequisite: Final grade of B- or above in AP English Language and Composition 11 or departmental approval.

Students will read, discuss, interpret, and analyze contemporary and classic literature exploring universal issues that writers throughout the ages have addressed. Students will respond to them through a variety of writing modes, including expository, reflective, and narrative. This year-long course meets both the writing and the literature requirements for 12th grade English.

From the following courses for Grade 12, seniors-to-be must select one writing course (½ credit) and one literature course (½ credit). Due to minimum enrollment requirements for these courses, each student should also indicate a second choice in both the writing and literature categories. 

Underclassmen and seniors may take most senior English courses as electives. Underclassmen taking 12th grade English courses as an underclassman and seniors taking additional courses as electives in 12th grade will be expected to meet all of the course requirements.

Students will read contemporary and historical autobiographical texts of varied lengths and study the wide-ranging themes and techniques common to memoir-writing. At the same time, students will work on creating their own autobiographies/memoirs, a final product that will serve as a summation of the themes and techniques they have explored through their readings while also reflecting their own experiences and values (and that for many students will be a keepsake for years to come). 

Students will read contemporary and historical autobiographical texts of varied lengths and study the wide-ranging themes and techniques common to memoir-writing. At the same time, students will work on creating their own autobiographies/memoirs, a final product that will serve as a summation of the themes and techniques they have explored through their readings while also reflecting their own experiences and values (and that for many students will be a keepsake for years to come). 

URI WRT 104 helps students become more effective writers by providing them with robust opportunities to develop lifelong habits that drive successful writing/communication. This course focuses on writing as the sharing of information with a variety of audiences through different media, modes, genres. Students are expected to meet the demands of different rhetorical situations and are asked to develop their ability to reflect on the effectiveness of their writing and writing processes, and those of others. In addition, this course provides extensive practice in using digital composing tools and digital information technologies. The course’s innovative badging design allows students to pursue their own interests, at the same time that it offers repeated exposure to and practice with key concepts and tools. 

Students taking this course may be eligible for credit in conjunction with the University of Rhode Island. The Concurrent Enrollment Program at the University of Rhode Island is designed for motivated students who seek to get a head start on college credit and who are looking to be challenged academically while in high school. HS students are expected to have a 3.0 minimum high school GPA. In order to receive a URI transcript for the HS course, students are required to follow all URI enrollment procedures and complete the enrollment process by the university registration dates. Student work will be assessed according to the university’s grading policy.

Students view, discuss, and write analytically and critically about the varied aspects of complex media, with a focus on classic and contemporary cinema. The major emphasis is on the specialized techniques used in the media to combine theme, structure, language, imagery, and sound.  

Students will utilize the investigative approach to write about contemporary issues and social trends through well-researched reports, features, and opinion pieces.  Students will produce writings in a variety of newspaper and magazine formats, and completed writing assignments will be considered for publication in the school newspaper. Students interested in taking this class will be expected to show dedication in conducting independent research, studying contemporary issues, and crafting rigorous multi-page compositions. 

Students will read, discuss, interpret, and analyze the literature of baseball as a metaphor of American life. The primary focus is on the literary elements specific to sports literature, both fiction and non-fiction, as well as the history and culture of baseball. The Baseball Reader, The Natural, Eight Men Out, Shoeless Joe, Moneyball, and The Baseball Abstract are some of the works explored. Students will also examine references to the sport in such American literary classics as The Great Gatsby, The Catcher in the Rye, The Old Man and the Sea, and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Field trips may include: The Baseball Hall of Fame and Fenway Park. 

Students read, discuss, interpret, and analyze classic literature involving the archetypal figure of the monster, from the natural-born “monster” in The Elephant Man to the man-made monster in Frankenstein to the imagined/invented monster in Dracula. Students will explore what these narratives reveal about human behavior when faced with the unknown or unusual. 

In this college-level course students trace the development of drama from Greek through modern times. They will read, discuss, interpret, and analyze award-winning, literary plays of the last century. This course provides students with information about the playwrights’ lives and the historical factors that influenced them. Independent reading is required throughout the semester. 

Students taking this course may be eligible for credit in conjunction with the Rhode Island College Early Enrollment Program. In order to receive a RI College transcript for the HS course, students are required to follow all RI College enrollment procedures and complete the enrollment process by the college’s registration dates. Student work will be assessed according to the college’s grading policy.

This course traces cultural development from Greek through modern times, but with the focus exclusively on drama and dramatic literature. Students read, discuss, interpret, and analyze classic and award-winning plays of the past and present, as well as investigating the historical factors that influenced the works. Emphasis is placed on the historical, cultural, and literary aspects of each drama studied. 

Students read, analyze, and discuss literature written by and about people who have traditionally been denied a voice, with a focus on literature from the developing world. Readings examine and prompt discussions and research about past and present injustices associated with different cultures. The specific texts to be studied will vary depending on student interest. 

In this course students read, discuss, interpret, and analyze a variety of Shakespeare’s comedies, tragedies, and histories. Students study the literary elements characteristic of these genres, the theatrical aspect of Shakespeare’s work, thematic strands common to his plays, and the literary artistry that distinguishes them. 

Students read, discuss, interpret, and analyze literature about women’s issues in the media, family life, and politics. Through literature, students examine the varied and changing perceptions of and by women in our culture. 

This course will assist SKHS students in the completion of their Senior Project Graduation Requirement, and is to be taken in the fall of their senior year.  In preparation for the Senior Project Graduation Requirement, students will be supported in selecting and researching a topic that coincides with the focus for their Senior Project experience.  Students will not only be guided and supported through the process of writing an extensive research paper, they will also be supported in writing resumes, cover letters, and college application essays.  This course is both student-centered and reflective.  Consequently, when the students leave this course, not only will they be college and career ready, but they will be better equipped to handle the demands and rigor of life.

The Rebel Writing Center provides time for both aspiring and struggling writers to work on their craft. Students may work on writing assignments from their other content courses and will also explore personal interests through writing.  The writing coach will facilitate the class, and help students hone their writing skills through whole class instruction and 1-to-1 conferencing. This course assists students in increasing their proficiency in writing skills needed to succeed in high school courses and beyond. It is designed to individualize instruction and increase proficiency in targeted composition skills and processes. The curriculum and instruction focuses on identifying and improving the student’s level of proficiency in: mastery of foundational writing skills and use of the writing process. This course is open to all students as an elective.

This course is a study of a particular genre in film (i.e. documentary, horror, war, film noir, superhero). This course should appeal to any and all students who love to watch movies and discuss them.  Expectations for the course would include participation in small and whole group discussion and the completion of short written responses and one essay. The particular genre focus will be determined by the instructor.

This course is an overview of a chosen director (auteur). Focus will be on a different director (changing each year). The course would cover key biographical information and the director’s journey in the world of film. This course will analyze the style, trademarks, and growth as a director. Assessments would vary from small group work and discussions to whole group discussions. Written responses would also be included from short answer questions to full essays analyzing a chosen film from the director’s repertoire.

This course is scheduled with the MLL/EL Specialist’s recommendation specifically for English Learners(ELs)/Multilingual Learner (MLL) students who may have moved to, immigrated to, and/or are visiting the United States and/or qualify for English language support.   This workshop focuses on direct English language support through the academic areas and includes all MLL students of all English proficiency levels (WIDA English Language Development levels 1-5).  Students learn to build proficiency in English speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills through direct EL instruction and support in their academic content areas. 

Once students meet the required RIDE EL exit criteria and are deemed English proficient, students are exited from the MLL/EL support program/EL workshops and are monitored up to two years following the exit date.