English
Course Description
This English course introduces students to the analysis of literature with a focus on reading, writing,
speaking, and listening skills in order to prepare students for higher-level English classes, testing, and the world beyond high
school. Over the course of the year, we will develop academic vocabulary; use the writing process to construct thoughtful essays;
read pieces of non-fiction, drama, poetry, and fiction; give oral presentations; have class discussions; and practice grammar,
formatting, mechanics, and writing conventions, including narrative, descriptive, persuasive and expository. This course includes
frequent reading and writing assignments and requires a willingness to participate cooperatively with one’s peers.
Course Focus
We will be exploring issues surrounding “Self and Society” throughout the course of this year. The major literary
works with which we will be engaging are: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, Lord of the Flies, Romeo and Juliet,
and To Kill a Mockingbird, as well as several short stories and poems. There will also be a separate book list of Independent
Reading Books (IRBs). Each student will have a choice for the IRB from this list and these are books that each student will be
expected to read and analyze independently while we are reading the core text as a class.