English

English A - Accelerated (10th only)

Grades: 10 Length/Credits: Full Year (1.0 credit)

A yearlong course designed for 10th graders who have successfully completed ENG B. In this class, designed for those seeking additional academic rigor, students will practice reading, writing, communication, and critical thinking skills through research writing and literary analysis. This course accelerates and increases the workload of ENG A, with more in-depth text study, accelerated projects, and additional opportunities to develop writing skills. While this course is designed to better prepare students for AP and CIS courses, it is not a required prerequisite. 

American Literature (English 11)

Grades: 11 Length/Credits: Full Year (1.0 credit)

In this course, composition assignments are integrated with the study of important works of American literature such as The Great Gatsby, Their Eyes Were Watching God, The Things They Carried, and Catch-22. Supplementary readings include nonfiction essays, short stories by American authors, American poets from the 18th century to the present, and at least one modern play such as Fences. Students gain an understanding of literary forms, dominant philosophies, and historical background. Writing instruction focuses on the expository essay – narrative, comparison/contrast, literary analysis, and descriptive. Students will prepare for the college application process; ACT writing preparation; and writing a college application essay.

British/World Literature (English 12)

Grades: 12 Length/Credits: Full Year (1.0 credit)

British Literature studies a variety of primarily British works while encouraging students to think deeply and critically. Basic and finer points of both persuasive and expository literary analysis are developed and demonstrated in essays, and a literary research paper. Students can expect to study Chaucer, Shakespeare, the Brontës; and modern authors such as Kazuo Ishiguro and Zadie Smith. World Literature introduces literary works from different countries, all written in the 20th and 21st centuries. The objective of this course is the study and consideration of the literary, cultural, and human significance of selected great works from non-Western literary traditions.

AP English Language and Composition

Grades: 11-12 Length/Credits: Full Year (1.0 credit) Prerequisite: B- or above in English

AP English Language and Composition is an introductory college-level composition course. Students cultivate their understanding of writing and rhetorical arguments through reading, analyzing, and writing texts as they explore topics like rhetorical situation, claims and evidence, reasoning and organization, and style.

CIS WRIT 1301: Writing Studies

Grades: 12th Grade Length/Credits: Semester 1 (0.5 credit) Prerequisites: B or above in English this year or Teacher Approval

CIS WRIT 1301 and CIS ENGL 1001W are taken consecutively in Semester 1 and Semester 2

WRIT 1301 introduces students to rhetorical principles that provide a framework for successful written communication in college and beyond. Students study and write in a variety of genres and disciplines and in multimodal forms (project based assignments that are written and digital.) The course focuses on writing as a way of knowing and learning to develop ideas through critical thinking, including analysis and synthesis. Based on the assumption that writing is a social activity, the course is a workshop format and requires active engagement in the writing process, including pre-writing, peer review, revision, and editing. With successful completion of the class you will earn 4 credits. If you attend the University of Minnesota this class fulfills the first year writing requirement. 

CIS ENGL 1001W: Introduction to Literature: Poetry, Drama, Narrative

Grades: 12th Grade Length/Credits: Semester 2 (0.5 credit) Prerequisites: B or above in English this year or Teacher Approval

CIS WRIT 1301 and CIS ENGL 1001W are taken consecutively in Semester 1 and Semester 2

This is a writing-intensive course that also meets the Literature Core requirement. From epic battles against monsters in legendary kingdoms to stories about characters in worlds similar to our own, literature engages us with the diverse perspectives and experiences that make up our communities and world. ENGL 1001W introduces students to ways of understanding and appreciating literature in English across cultures and historical periods. Throughout this course, we will develop skills to help us understand literature, especially the ability to read language closely (a skill valuable in many disciplines beyond literature). We will explore how writers use language and literary aspects, such as genre, voice, tone, symbol, motif, theme, imagery, narrative, and form. We also will learn how to write about literature, sharing our interpretations of how and why literary works have meaning for ourselves and others, while viewing them through critical cultural lenses, including ways to understand how gender, race, ethnicity, religion, and class can function in literary texts.

Argumentation and Public Speaking

Grades: 10-12 Length/Credits: One Semester (0.5 credits)

We will learn about arguing to learn not to win and how to argue respectfully. We will do a formal speech with research, Debates and congress (where they would try to pass a law). In the class there will be a heavy portion of research, because of this we would be learning how we research and about credible sources and how to use them. 

Film Studies and Media Literacy

Grades: 9-12 Length/Credits: One Semester (0.5 credits)

In this course, students will study different techniques used in creating films, and understand how these techniques shape our perceptions and understandings of the media we consume. 

Freestyle Writing

Grades: 9-12 Length/Credits: One Semester (0.5 credits)

This class is for students who want to explore the world of creative writing, including short stories, fanfiction, lyrics, flash fiction, poetry, and experimental writing.  Students will curate their artistic expression and personal writing style as well as develop cultural awareness regarding various styles of writing.

Genre Study: Horror, Fantasy & Sci-Fi

Grades: 9-12 Length/Credits: One Semester (0.5 credits)

In this course, students will read and analyze different techniques used in horror, fantasy, and science fiction stories. We will build in analysis of different mediums (through written, audio, visual texts, podcasts, films) as well as the historical context for these genres.