9TH GRADE CLASS

DESCRIPTION

Students expand their critical thinking skills through written and spoken analysis  and argument, focusing on fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and visual texts. Students  also acquire more advanced research skills, gain valuable public speaking practice, make formal  presentations, and work collaboratively on projects. 

10TH GRADE CLASS

DESCRIPTION:

Students expand their critical thinking skills through written and spoken analysis  and argument, focusing on fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and visual texts. Students  also acquire more advanced research skills, gain valuable public speaking practice, make formal  presentations, and work collaboratively on projects. 

11TH GRADE CLASS

DESCRIPTION

The  course is designed to improve close reading and writing skills in ways that extend beyond the classroom,  such as formulating debates, proposals for civic change, and cover letters for applications. Students will  read, discuss, and write about a wide range of nonfiction texts and literary works, including speeches;  essays about contemporary issues; and op-eds, articles, and visual texts on current topics in the news. 

DESCRIPTION:

Students will create polished works of fiction, drama, poetry, and other forms. Students regularly engage in writing  exercises designed to stimulate imagination and develop skills. Class members must critique others' work in a welcoming, non-judgmental, and  inclusive, yet constructive workshop process. Selected readings will consist primarily of short stories, poems, plays, and writers writing about writing. 

DESCRIPTION:

This course introduces students to stories and ideas from around the globe that have been translated into English. Fiction, non-fiction, and poetry, including sweeping literary movements such as magical realism,  existentialism, and absurdism will be explored. One goal is to recognize our place in a global community  where ideas resonate across cultures and time. Students will have individual choices as writers and be  expected to take initiative regarding research. Over the course of the semester, students will work on a  number of different assessments related to the literature including presentations, Socratic seminars, and  common argumentative, informative/expository, and narrative assessments. 

DESCRIPTION:

This course covers a body of poetry across time, place, and form. Each lesson will focus on close reading,  annotation, and discussion of one or two poems. We will spend time researching, analyzing, and writing  about poetry, and also imitating poetic forms and themes to create our own poetry. Students must be  willing to work in groups, and share their ideas and writing with the class. We will publish our writing in a  culminating class project (i.e. poetry slam, portfolio, research presentation).