Humanities

English Language Arts Department

English I, 5 credits

English I is a freshman English survey class that introduces students to a variety of genres and authors. The writing and literature build upon the basic building blocks taught in seventh and eighth grades. Students will read, analyze, and write about literature through essays and research papers. Students receive instruction and practice in reading, writing, speaking, listening, and observing. Practicing the fundamentals of academic writing in its various models should help students communicate more coherently. An introduction to literature through reading renowned authors such as Shakespeare and Homer enables students to analyze the various elements of literary composition such as characterization, vocabulary, theme, and the implementation and identification of literary techniques. Development of vocabulary through reading material and workbooks is another major aspect of the course. Students also learn how to develop and write a 3-5 page research paper utilizing appropriate MLA Style. 

English I Honors, 5 credits

This 7th-grade honors science course will cover the key science concepts as outlined in the New Jersey  Academic Standards for Science. This course covers a wide range of materials, including studying Earth science, biology, chemistry, engineering, and design. Honors may also cover additional topics or some topics in greater depth. The main goal of this course is to develop an understanding of modern science and technology through experimentation and inquiry. Students will participate in labs and projects that will develop the following skills: writing, math, inquiry, time management, cooperation, and presentation skills that will help students prepare for honor physics.

English II, 5 credits

This course covers the development of American Literature as reflected in the works of major authors from the Colonial era through the late 20th century. The artistic achievements of these writers will be studied within the context of the shifting social, intellectual, and literary conventions of their respective eras. Examination of various genres and methods of literary analysis will provide students with the skills necessary to explicate a given text, engage in dialogue about it, and write in response to it. Continued emphasis on Standard English usage, vocabulary development, and research skills are integral to the curriculum. An MLA-documented literary analysis of 5-8 pages is required.

English II Honors, 5 credits

This course covers the development of American literature as reflected in the works of major authors from the Colonial era through the late 20th century. The artistic achievements of these writers will be studied within the context of the shifting social, intellectual, and literary conventions of their respective eras. Examination of various genres and methods of literary analysis will provide students with the skills necessary to explicate a given text, engage in dialogue about it, and write in response to it. The Honors curriculum includes a more expansive required reading list and introduction to the close reading and timed writing assignments typical of the AP curriculum in preparation for AP Literature & Composition in the junior year. Continued emphasis on Standard English usage, vocabulary development, and research skills are integral to instruction. Instruction in APA format is also covered while an MLA documented literary analysis of 5-8 pages is required.

Admission requirements: Write diagnostic essay; review of cumulative writing folders; grade level on standardized test scores; teacher recommendation; grade point average of 3.2 in English I.

English III, 5 credits

This course covers the development of British literature as reflected in the works of major authors from the Anglo-Saxon era through the 21st century. The artistic achievements of these writers will be studied within the context of the shifting social, intellectual, and literary conventions of their respective eras. Examination of various genres and methods of literary analysis will provide students with the skills necessary to explicate a given text, engage in dialogue about it, and write in response to it. Close reading, expository and persuasive writing, and vocabulary development are stressed in anticipation of the SATs taken in the junior year. An MLA-documented thesis paper of 8-10 pages is required.

English III Honors, 5 credits

This course covers a deeper understanding of British literature as reflected in the works of major authors from the Anglo-Saxon era through the 21st century. The artistic achievements of these writers will be studied within the context of the shifting social, intellectual, and literary conventions of their respective eras. Intricate examinations of various genres and methods of literary analysis will provide students with the skills necessary to explicate a given text, engage in dialogue about it, and write in response to it. Close reading, expository and persuasive writing, and vocabulary development are stressed in anticipation of the SATs taken in the junior year.  Students are prepared for the college classroom by maintaining college-level standards in writing and class discussions.  Students will learn about different literary movements in British Literature and understand basic literary criticism for each era.  An MLA-documented thesis paper of 8-10 pages is required.

AP English III – Literature and Composition, 5 credits

Advanced Placement Literature & Composition is designed to give students the experience of a first-year college survey course. In addition to a strong focus on British literature, they may expect to also read from a broad cross-section of literature drawn from multiple periods, cultures, and genres from the 16th to the 21st century. Such texts, “of significant literary merit,” engage students in the close reading, interpretation, and critical analysis of imaginative literature. In addition to a consideration of mechanical and stylistic elements, students are made aware of the social and historical contexts out of which these works have emerged and the cultural values that they embody. Of equal importance to reading is composition, which reinforces student reading. Thus, students will compose expository, analytical, and argumentative essays about short fiction, novels, poems, dramas, and expository prose with stylistic maturity that includes the evaluation and synthesis of ideas incorporated from secondary sources and critical theorists. Emphasis is placed upon vocabulary development and long-term reading and writing tasks involving independent research and analysis. Completion of the AP Literature & Composition exam in early May of the junior year is required.

Admission requirements: Write diagnostic essay; review of cumulative writing folders; grade level on standardized test scores; teacher recommendation; grade point average of 3.2 in English II.

English IV, 5 credits

This course covers the development of world literature as reflected in the works of major authors from 3000 BC to the present. The artistic achievements of writers from the Americas, Eastern and Western Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia will be studied within the context of the shifting social, intellectual, and literary conventions of their respective eras. Examination of various genres and methods of literary analysis will provide students with the skills necessary to explicate a given text, engage in dialogue about it, and write in response to it. Emphasis on college application essays, résumé writing, and interviewing techniques are stressed together with continued vocabulary development and completion of a required MLA documented thesis paper.                    

AP English IV - Language and Composition, 5 credits

Advanced Placement Language & Composition teaches students to read, write, and think critically at the college level. Clusters of related classic and contemporary non-fiction readings on thematic issues juxtapose a variety of viewpoints and conflicting ideas intended to enable students to become aware of their own and others’ stake in the subject. Through close reading, discussion, and daily writing assignments, students become more engaged readers, thoughtful analysts, and creative writers who can work across several academic subject areas. Exposure to a broad cross-section of style, purposes, and rhetorical strategies employed by a variety of authors within specific historical moments is designed to encourage both an understanding of the methods by which language is used and how students can enrich and enhance their prose. To that purpose, students are continually engaged in the process of review and revision of a cumulative writing portfolio. Long-term reading and writing tasks involving independent research and analysis together with vocabulary enrichment are emphasized. Completion of the AP Language and Composition exam in May of senior year is required.

Admission requirements: Write diagnostic essay; review of cumulative writing folders; grade level on standardized test scores; teacher recommendation; grade point average of 3.2 in English III.

Independent Research in Language Arts, 5 credits

This research course is open to eleventh and twelfth-grade students at the recommendation of a faculty member and an administrator. It is essentially a way to provide highly motivated students with an educational challenge appropriate to their abilities and interests. The students are guided into a particular area of research that suits their interests. Students meet with the assigned faculty member(s) at a time convenient for both student and teacher to facilitate the completion of projects. While the scope of the course is broad, students will be responsible for their rate of progress to produce a completely researched study and/or project which will be a measure of the project objectives. The level of acceptable work for credit shall be determined by the assigned language arts teacher who shall take into consideration all pertinent evaluative criteria. Appropriate Core Standards will apply. Admission requirements: approval from two English teachers, the school counselor, and the high school principal.

Intro to Philosophy, 5 credits

Although philosophy can be taught as a historical survey or structured around a set of texts, these approaches are less appropriate or effective for high school students than a topical course organized around a set of key questions that invite conversation, analysis, and debate. Each teacher must find his or her way of motivating the philosophical question at hand. A carefully chosen thought experiment, case, story, or film clip can work effectively and excite students’ interest in demanding readings or arguments. Some teachers also assign journal entries that enable students to explore philosophical questions independently before they test their ideas in class or in a formal paper. Assessment of student performance is typically based on the quality of written work and class participation. Teachers vary in the kinds of writing expected from students. Here are a few other examples: a thesis-driven, formal essay that uses multiple sources in response to a question; a dialogue that uses multiple sources but investigates alternative points of view without defending a particular thesis; and an in-class assignment in which the student explicates a short primary source excerpt and explains its role in the philosopher’s larger argument. A student achieving a grade of 3 or better and completing all components of the course will earn college credits through the Program for Special Credit offered through St. Peter’s College.*

Theater Production, 5 credits

Theater Production is designed to introduce students to all aspects of creating a theatrical production from start to finish, from on stage to backstage and beyond. It is open to all students in grades nine through twelve. Students will take on the various roles of theater practitioners throughout the course and demonstrate mastery of their job functions by the end of the year. Students will experience a theater production from the perspective of a director, actor, stage manager, house manager, and designer. This course will directly intersect with the drama productions and spring musicals, giving the class a chance to use their skills firsthand in full-scale productions presented to our community. Students will leave this course with the knowledge and skills to continue a career in the theater field.

*There is a nominal fee of $100.

Social Studies Department

Global Studies, 5 credits

World history is required for ninth-grade students. It aims to have students understand the achievements of civilizations from the Italian Renaissance and Enlightenment periods to the universal reason for revolution, industrialization, and imperialism. Students are urged to apply the same methods of analysis to today’s world as those applied to study the past so that they may better understand their environment. All students will complete a cooperative MLA formatted thesis paper.

AP World History, 5 credits

AP World History is a rigorous, college-level course designed to explore human history from 1200 C.E. to the present. The course is broken up into four time periods with a focus on examining six themes central to the development of the modern world. There will be an emphasis on the analytical and writing skills necessary for success at the collegiate level. The course devotes considerable time to the critical evaluation of primary and secondary sources, analysis of historiography (the principles, theories, or methodology of scholarly historical research and presentation), and inquiry into global connections that have shaped our present world. Special emphasis will be given to preparation for the AP Exam, including historical writing through essay and document-based questions (DBQ) as well as objective evaluations. Students are assessed on their mastery of the course goals when they take the College Board AP World History Exam in the spring.

United States History I, 5 credits

United States History I, offered in the tenth and eleventh grades, is the first course of a two-year sequence in United States history that meets the requirements for high school graduation in the State of New Jersey. United States History is studied from its beginning in America to the end of the nineteenth century. Student studies are enhanced with class discussions, projects, presentations, applications of technology, and various writing activities. Emphasis is placed on the meaning and value of our democratic form of government, the achievements of American men and women, the developments of our institutions, and relationships between causes and effects in history. All students will complete a cooperative MLA formatted thesis paper. The deadline of the paper shall not conflict with the English thesis paper.

United States History I Honors, 5 credits

The first in a two-year sequence United States History I Honors is open to tenth and eleventh-grade students with a potential for advanced study who have a commendable scholastic record. This course is a study of our history from its beginning to the end of the nineteenth century and meets the New Jersey State Department of Education requirements in US History. With chronology as a guide, special emphasis is placed on significant periods of history that relate to the present. Through discussion and selected readings, the student learns how to arrive at critical judgments important to responsible citizens. This is done through extensive use of primary source documents. Teacher referral is mandated. All students will complete a cooperative MLA formatted thesis paper. The deadline of the paper shall not conflict with the English thesis paper.

Admission requirements: cumulative weighted grade point average of 3.0; un-weighted grade point average of 3.0 in World History; World History and English I teacher recommendations.

United States History II, 5 credits

This course for the eleventh and twelfth-grade students (in addition to United States History I, meets the New Jersey State Department of Education requirements in United States history. United States History II, arranged chronologically from the end of the nineteenth century to the present day, introduces students to the problems and issues of the contemporary American scene and the world of which it is a part. Employing a variety of approaches and techniques, each area and issue is analyzed and examined to achieve a better understanding of our heritage and to prepare the students to be responsible citizens. All students will complete a cooperative MLA formatted thesis paper. The deadline of the paper shall not conflict with the English thesis paper.

AP United States History II, 5 credits

The Advanced Placement United States History (APUSH) course is available to eleventh and twelfth-grade students. Emphasis is placed on how the historical development of the United States continues to evolve in a global context and how cultural diversity has had and continues to have an impact on American life. The course is designed to prepare students to take the Advanced Placement Test in United States History in May. The students will be required to read and analyze an extensive amount of primary source materials, as well as prepare written assignments that are indicative of advanced students preparing for college. 

AP Human Geography, 5 credits

Learn about the systematic study of patterns and processes that have shaped human understanding, use, and alteration of Earth's surface. Use spatial concepts and landscape analysis to examine the human social organization and its environmental consequences and learn about the methods and tools geographers use in their science and practice.

*There is a nominal fee of $100.

Perspectives on Sociology Honors, 5 credits

This course explores what Sociology is today, how it developed, what has been done in its name, and where it might be going.   Students will become aware of the influence of groups and societies in shaping people’s lives and in changing society as a whole.   Students will explore the potential relevance of Sociology to the job market. They are expected to acquire a greater understanding of cultural diversity and the challenges of living in a diverse world.  Skills will be developed to gather and analyze social issues to be able to put the Social Sciences in perspective.  Successful completion of the course awards the student one Carnegie Unit. A grade of 3 or better earns college credit through the Special Program for Credit (SPFC) offered through St. Peter’s College.* The class alternates every year with Perspectives on Politics.

*There is a nominal fee of $100.

Human Rights, 2.5 credits

Human rights violations and genocides did not end with the perpetrators of the Holocaust being brought to justice at the post-World War II Nuremberg and Tokyo tribunals. This course builds on the introduction to human rights and global security issues studied in Global Studies, as well as the 20th-century genocides examined in US History. The course addresses essential questions about the contemporary protection of international human rights and the continuing problem of genocide in the world community.

Civics, 2.5 credits

The United States Constitution is a living, breathing document, and this course will explore the rights and responsibilities of citizens in a democratic society. Topics such as free speech, state rights, responsible citizenship, political participation, elections, the role of media, and civil rights will be explored. Students will acquire a base of knowledge that will enable them to be more active and responsible citizens for these young adults who are about to become eligible to vote. All civics students will complete an active citizenship project requiring them to develop and demonstrate their ability to solve problems. Students will identify and propose a solution for a problem that exists on a local level. 

Modern World Affairs, 5 credits

This course is a report and research-based study of modern issues through newspapers, TV, Internet, radio news broadcasts, news magazines, and other reliable sources of primary information including graphic organizers. Class sessions will consist of teacher presentations, student reports, readings, viewings, student discussions, debates, and oral reporting. Students may only take this course once in their high school careers.

Film, 5 credits

Film Studies is the study of the production, aesthetics, and history of the 20th century’s most important visual medium—the cinema. As a storytelling device, as a historical document, as an expression of imagination, as an artistic object, there is no form more capable of capturing our interest and provoking the senses. The cinema can create worlds of magic, fantasy, and romance just as easily as it can expose the dim reality of actually lived life.

21st Century Skills, 5 Credits

21st Century Skills is designed to prepare students for success in a rapidly evolving world. This course focuses on developing essential skills that are crucial for thriving in both academic and professional environments. Students will engage in activities that enhance their abilities in critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, collaboration, digital literacy, and adaptability. Through project-based learning and real-world scenarios, students will build competencies that are vital for their future careers and personal growth. Topics to be covered are as follows: Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving; Communication Skills; Collaboration and Teamwork; Digital Literacy; Adaptability and Flexibility; Creativity and Innovation; and Global Awareness and Cultural Competence. By the end of this course, students will have developed a diverse set of skills that will enhance their academic performance and prepare them for future careers. They will be equipped to tackle real-world problems with confidence, work effectively with others, and adapt to an ever-changing landscape. This course aims to empower students with the competencies needed to excel in the 21st century.

Independent Study in Social Studies, 5 credits

This course is designed to meet the needs of students who wish to pursue concepts in the social sciences through a personalized learning plan. The student will design a project that meets the core curriculum content standards for the area they wish to study. The project must also foster the student’s career goals and follow other district-approved protocols. Admission requirements: approval from two history teachers, the school counselor, and the high school principal.

World Language Department

French I, 5 credits

In this course, students will be introduced to basic vocabulary and fundamental sentence structures in French. Students will work on their listening and comprehension skills, as well as speaking, reading, and writing skills at the beginner's level. This will be achieved through different activities such as short skits, and brief oral presentations. Furthermore, students will begin to develop cultural awareness and the ability to recognize the products, practices, and perspectives of French and Francophone culture. They will use the language to expand their knowledge in all content areas. 

French II, 5 credits

The second-year French course is open to all students who have completed the first year level. Review work and continuous emphasis on basic linguistic skills strengthen this progressive language-learning process. Students continue to develop their listening, speaking, reading, and writing abilities in French by engaging in activities such as skits, brief oral presentations, and guided compositions. Accurate pronunciation is stressed.  Furthermore, students continue to develop cultural awareness and the ability to recognize the products, practices, and perspectives of French and Francophone culture.

French III, 5 credits

In this course, students continue to develop and refine their proficiency in all four language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing— with emphasis on the ability to interact orally and in writing.  Instruction and class activities will be conducted as much as possible in French. Students will be able to communicate using more complex language structures on a variety of topics, moving from concrete to more abstract concepts using the appropriate tense.  Students will expand their vocabulary and conversational skills through discussions based on selected readings (current events, poetry, excerpts from notable literary texts.) Furthermore, students continue to develop cultural awareness and the ability to recognize the products, practices, and perspectives of French and Francophone culture.

AP French, 5 credits

This advanced course is open to students upon recommendation of the instructor. At this stage, they will have completed the third-year level of French and will have a solid grammar foundation and structure.

This course increases emphasis on speaking, reading, writing, and listening. Articles, stories, poems, novels, and films will provide resources for students to develop a more extensive vocabulary and expand their knowledge of Francophone culture and history. This course is conducted almost exclusively in the French language.

Admission requirements: completion of French III and approval from French III teacher is required.

Spanish I, 5 credits

First year Spanish students proceed through these basic steps of language learning: listening comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing. Before participating in simple conversations about everyday situations, they must understand common sentence patterns and be able to repeat these expressions with proper pronunciation and intonation. Through their study of Spanish and Latin American people, they become more aware of the similarities and differences in these cultures. During their whole linguistic experience, they gradually develop reading and writing skills.

Spanish II, 5 credits

This course is open to all who have completed Spanish I. Through a review of basic first-year vocabulary and sentence structures and further use of the audio-lingual approach, the students improve and expand their language skills. Knowledge of Hispanic and Latin American culture is supplemented by reading plays and selections about these countries.

Spanish III, 5 credits

Goals for student attainment in the third year are: increased speaking and writing ability, mastery of grammatical structures, improved listening comprehension and analysis, and a greater appreciation of culture.

AP Spanish Language, 5 credits

Spanish IV AP is an advanced course designed to prepare students for the Advanced Placement exam given in May. Students who successfully pass the AP exam may earn three (3) college credits. This course is the equivalent of a college-level advanced grammar and composition course with a heavy emphasis on listening and speaking skills. Classroom discussions and compositions will be based on Spanish/Latin American literature and culture as well as current events and popular culture.

American Sign Language, 5 credits

This dual credit course introduces students to American Sign Language. The course is offered at WHS in the summer by Hudson County Community College. Students earn 3 transferable college credits and 5 high school credits. 

Option II: 

Students can demonstrate proficiency in a world language by taking one of the following assessments:

• The Standards-Based Measurement of Proficiency (STAMP) online assessment;

• The Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) or Modified Oral Proficiency Interview (MOPI); or

• A New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE)-approved, locally designed competency-based assessment.