English

Grade 9   Full Year   1 Credit

Course Code: 321

Prerequisites:  Results of standardized tests, grade average of 90 or higher in English, and teacher recommendation.

Description: English/Language Arts I (9th grade) courses build upon students’ prior knowledge of grammar, vocabulary, word usage, and the mechanics of writing and usually include the four aspects of language use: reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Typically, these courses introduce and define various genres of literature, with writing exercises often linked to reading selections.

Grade 9   Full Year   1 Credit

Course Number: 322

Prerequisite:  None.

Description:  English/Language Arts I (9th grade) courses build upon students’ prior knowledge of grammar, vocabulary, word usage, and the mechanics of writing and usually include the four aspects of language use: reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Typically, these courses introduce and define various genres of literature, with writing exercises often linked to reading selections.

Grade 10   Full Year   1 Credit

Course Code: 324

Prerequisites:  Results of standardized tests, B+ or better in Honors English 9, or an A in CP English 9, examination of student writing scores, and teacher recommendation.

Description:  English/Language Arts II (10th grade) courses usually offer a balanced focus on composition and literature. Typically, students learn about the alternate aims and audiences of written compositions by writing persuasive, critical, and creative multi-paragraph essays and compositions. Through the study of various genres of literature, students can improve their reading rate and comprehension and develop the skills to determine the author’s intent and theme and to recognize the techniques used by the author to deliver his or her message.

Grade 10   Full Year   1 Credit

Course Code: 325

Prerequisites:  Successful completion of grade 9 English.

Description: English/Language Arts II (10th grade) courses usually offer a balanced focus on composition and literature. Typically, students learn about the alternate aims and audiences of written compositions by writing persuasive, critical, and creative multi-paragraph essays and compositions. Through the study of various genres of literature, students can improve their reading rate and comprehension and develop the skills to determine the author’s intent and theme and to recognize the techniques used by the author to deliver his or her message.

Grade 11   Full Year   1 Credit

Course Code: 337

Prerequisites:  B+ or better in Honor English 10, or an A of higher in CP English 10 and a teacher recommendation 

Description: This course includes instruction in various writing genres and interdisciplinary readings embedded into multiple thematic units. Students will examine rhetorical choices, rhetorical situations, interpretation, argumentation, and other writing techniques. In addition to examining other writers’ command of language, diction, and syntax, the students will produce their own writing to master these literary and rhetorical choices. Students will be able to demonstrate the ability to effectively develop and

articulate a persuasive argument, generate narratives for different purposes and effectively revise various writings of different genres. Within these writings students also explore multimodal designs of composition and presentations. The course requires a high level of independent reading and writing via their Norton Readers and Norton Field Guide to Writing. The ECE English 1007 is entitled Academic Seminar in Writing and Multimodal Composition and compliments the writing instructions for the AP Language and Composition portion of this course. Much of the work in this class is also used as preparation for the student’s taking the Advanced Placement Exam in May, which means the students complete multiple AP exam-formatted practices from September-May. AP Classroom, as well as other secure documents, are heavily utilized to ensure student success on the AP exam. Students will have the option to co-enroll in ECE, but it is not a requirement to take the AP course.

Enrollment in AP courses requires that students take the AP exam. The AP level added weight will be granted to students who successfully complete the required course work and who take the related AP exam. No AP designated weight will be granted to a student who does not take the related AP exam or who violates any College Board Exam Policy. All students taking an AP course must also take the course final exam or complete the final, subject specific, alternate assignment designated by the instructor. Students with an 87 average or higher may be exempt from the final exam with teacher approval.

Grade 11   Full Year   1 Credit

Course Code:  327

Prerequisites:  B+ or better in Honors English 10, an A in CP English 10.

Description: English/Language Arts III (11th grade) courses continue to develop students’ writing skills, emphasizing clear, logical writing patterns, word choice, and usage, as students write essays and begin to learn the techniques of writing research papers. Students continue to read works of literature, which often form the backbone of the writing assignments. Literary conventions and stylistic devices may receive greater emphasis than in previous courses.

Grade 11   Full Year   1 Credit

Course Number: 328

Prerequisites:  Successful completion of grade 10 English.

Description:  English/Language Arts III (11th grade) courses continue to develop students’ writing skills, emphasizing clear, logical writing patterns, word choice, and usage, as students write essays and begin to learn the techniques of writing research papers. Students continue to read works of literature, which often form the backbone of the writing assignments. Literary conventions and stylistic devices may receive greater emphasis than in previous courses.

Grade 11   Full Year   1 Credit

Course Code: 329

Prerequisites: Successful completion of grade 10 English.

Description:  English/Language Arts III (11th grade) courses continue to develop students’ writing skills, emphasizing clear, logical writing patterns, word choice, and usage, as students write essays and begin to learn the techniques of writing research papers. Students continue to read works of literature, which often form the backbone of the writing assignments. Literary conventions and stylistic devices may receive greater emphasis than in previous courses.

Grade 12   Full Year   1 Credit

Course Code: 326

Prerequisites:  Results of standardized tests, B+ or better in Honors English 11, or an A in CP English 11, and teacher recommendation.

Description:  Following the College Board’s suggested curriculum designed to parallel college-level English courses, AP English Literature and Composition courses enable students to develop critical standards for evaluating literature. Students study the language, character, action, and theme in works of recognized literary merit; enrich their understanding of connotation, metaphor, irony, syntax, and tone; and write compositions of their own (including literary analysis, exposition, argument, narrative, and creative writing).

Enrollment in AP courses requires that the student take the AP exam. The AP level added weight will be granted to students who successfully complete the required course work and who take the related AP exam. No AP designated weight will be granted to a student who does not take the related AP exam or who violates a College Board Exam Policy (i.e.: use of cell phone, etc). All students taking an AP course must also take the course final or an alternate assignment (subject specific) unless they maintain an 87 average with teacher permission to exempt.

Grade 12   Full Year   1 Credit

Course Number: 336

Prerequisites: B- or better in Honors English 11, or an A- or higher in CP English 11 and a teacher recommendation.

Description: English/Language Arts IV (12th grade) courses blend composition and literature into a cohesive whole as students write critical and comparative analyses of selected literature, continuing to develop their language arts skills. Typically, students primarily write multi-paragraph essays, but they may also write one or more major research papers.

Grade 12   Full Year   1 Credit

Course Code: 332

Prerequisites:  Successful completion of grade 11 English and teacher recommendation.

Description:  English/Language Arts IV (12th grade) courses blend composition and literature into a cohesive whole as students write critical and comparative analyses of selected literature, continuing to develop their language arts skills. Typically, students primarily write multi-paragraph essays, but they may also write one or more major research papers.

Grade 12   Full Year   1 Credit

Course Code: 333

Prerequisites:  Successful completion of grade 11 English and teacher recommendation.

Description:  English/Language Arts IV (12th grade) courses blend composition and literature into a cohesive whole as students write critical and comparative analyses of selected literature, continuing to develop their language arts skills. Typically, students primarily write multi-paragraph essays, but they may also write one or more major research papers.

Grades 11-12   1 Semester   .5 Credit

Course Code: 338-O

Prerequisites:  Successful completion of grade 10 English courses.

Description: Students will be active participants as they plan and execute a variety of oral presentations. In doing so, they will consider both the purpose of their presentation as well as the audience for whom it is intended. In conjunction, fundamental techniques of effective oral presentation will be covered (both verbal and non-verbal), and students will be evaluated both on the substance and on the techniques employed in each presentation. Both peer evaluations and self-evaluation of the speeches are utilized for improvement purposes.

Grades 11-12   1 Semester   .5 Credit

Course Code: 341-E

Prerequisite:  Successful completion Honors English 9 and/or Grade 10 English.

Description:   Creative Writing courses offer students the opportunity to develop and improve their technique and individual style in poetry, short story, drama, essays, and other forms of prose. The emphasis of the courses is on writing; however, students may study exemplary representations and authors to obtain a fuller appreciation of the form and craft. Although most creative writing classes cover several expressive forms, others concentrate exclusively on one particular form (such as poetry or playwriting).

Grades 11-12   1 Semester   .5 Credit

Course Code: 342-O

Prerequisites:  Successful completion of grades 9 and 10 English courses.  

Description: These courses have the same aim as general literature courses (to improve students’ language arts and critical-thinking skills), focusing on one or several genres, such as poetry, essay, biography, short story, drama, film, and so on. Students determine the underlying assumptions and values within the selected works and also examine the structure, techniques, and intentions of the genre being studied. Oral discussion is an integral part of these genre-oriented courses, and written compositions are often required.

Grades 11-12 Full Year       1 credit

Course Code: 318

Prerequisite: Successful completion of English 10.

Description: The course focuses on addressing writing, speaking, and reading standards through a unique approach of replacing traditional novels with movies and cinematographic productions. Students will have the opportunity to systematically review basic storytelling elements in film, explore genre tropes, and analyze literary elements such as foreshadowing, metaphor, allegory, imagery, irony, mood, tone, and allusion. The curriculum encompasses the examination of plot progression from exposition to conclusion, including modifications made by some films. Additionally, the class will delve into various film elements, considering staging, framing, transitions, lighting, and camera angles both artistically and literally.