1.0 credit                 Grade 9                               Full-Year

Prerequisite: None

Graduation Requirement Area: English

The hallmark of an A-level course is that it challenges a student’s ability to exert purposeful effort in order to develop as a critical thinker. Units of study will focus on essential questions of identity, self, and society while incorporating full class, small group, and independent reading across multiple genres such as novels, short stories, poems, essays, and other media. Students will write in a variety of genres for a variety of purposes, composing shorter and more sustained pieces each quarter. This course focuses on analysis of literature and the development of analytical writing skills, with special emphasis on organization and supporting evidence. Emphasis is placed upon the process of writing, frequent revisions, and conferencing with the teacher. All writing is assessed using departmental writing rubrics for Argument, Informative, Research, and Narrative writing. In addition to reading and writing work, students will develop speaking and listening skills through independent presentations as well as small and large group discussions, engage in regular and unit-driven study of vocabulary, grammar, and usage, and are expected to maintain an active independent reading life.  

1.0 credit                 Grade 9                               Full-Year

Prerequisite: None

Teacher recommendation required

Graduation Requirement Area: English

The hallmark of an honors-level course is the depth of critical and original thinking required, as well as the amount of independent work. Honors-level classes assume students are able to work more independently, read and write at a more complex and sophisticated level and with a higher degree of stamina, and demonstrate a greater degree of comfort with abstract and original thinking. Units of study will focus on essential questions of identity and being while incorporating full class, small group, and independent reading across multiple genres and forms such as novels, short stories, poems, essays, and other media. Students will write in a variety of genres for a variety of purposes, composing shorter and more sustained pieces each quarter. Emphasis is placed upon the process of writing, frequent revisions, and conferencing with the teacher. All writing is assessed using departmental writing rubrics for Argument, Informative, Research, and Narrative writing. In addition to reading and writing work, students will develop speaking and listening skills through independent presentations as well as small and large group discussions, engage in regular and unit-driven study of vocabulary, grammar, and usage, and are expected to maintain an active independent reading life.  

Note: This course focuses on analysis of complex literature, refinement of analytical writing skills, intensive study of vocabulary, refinement of grammar and usage, and continued development of speaking, listening, and viewing skills. Students entering this course are expected to assume more independent responsibility for their work and to make a sustained commitment in terms of time and effort to longer, more abstract reading and writing assignments. All writing is assessed using departmental writing rubrics for Argument, Informative, Research, and Narrative writing. In addition to the core texts, students are challenged by an additional literature unit taught each quarter, as well as a quarterly independent reading requirement. 

.5 credit                   Grades 9, 10, 11, 12             S1, S2

Prerequisite: None

Graduation Requirement Area: Open Humanities (If a student is in grade 9, Introduction to Journalism must be taken in addition to English 9 and cannot count toward the English requirement.)                                                        

This course builds core English skills through the lens of journalism. Students will read, analyze, and produce three major forms: news, feature, and opinion articles. Students will study essential writing craft moves—effective leads, clear language, strong organization, purposeful word choice—and apply AP Style to improve clarity and mechanics. Students also learn to write headlines and captions, integrate evidence through quotations and research, and use structures such as the Inverted Pyramid.

Through close reading of professional models, students will examine technique, analyze rhetorical choices, and evaluate credibility and bias. They will also explore media-literacy concepts, including interview skills, First Amendment rights, journalistic ethics, and the press’s role in society, as well as how multimedia tools enhance reporting. This course prepares students for Advanced Journalism and strengthens the analytical reading, purposeful writing, and communication skills needed for high school English.

1.0 credit                 Grade 10                             Full-Year

Prerequisite: English 9 or English 9 Honors

Graduation Requirement Area: English

The hallmark of an A-level course is that it challenges a student’s ability to exert purposeful effort in order to develop as a critical thinker. Units of study for English 10 will focus on essential questions specific to the range of identities and diverse voices that contribute to the American experience, while incorporating full class, small group, and independent reading across multiple genres such as novels, short stories, poems, essays, and other media. Students will also develop research skills and strategies for nonfiction reading. Similar to the ninth grade English course, students will write in a variety of genres for a variety of purposes, composing shorter and more sustained pieces each quarter. This course focuses on analysis of literature and as well as research- based arguments, introducing students to basic rhetorical appeals and emphasizing audience awareness, organization and supporting evidence. Emphasis is placed upon the process of writing, frequent revisions, and conferencing with the teacher. All writing is assessed using departmental writing rubrics for Argument, Informative, Research, and Narrative writing. In addition to reading and writing work, students will develop speaking and listening skills through independent presentations as well as small and large group discussions, engage in regular and unit-driven study of vocabulary, grammar, and usage, and are expected to maintain an active independent reading life.

1.0 credit                 Grade 10                             Full-Year

Prerequisite: English 9 or English 9 Honors

Teacher recommendation required

Graduation Requirement Area: English

The hallmark of an honors-level course is the depth of critical and original thinking required, as well as the amount of independent work. Honors-level classes assume students are able to work more independently, read and write at a more complex and sophisticated level and with a higher degree of stamina, and demonstrate a greater degree of comfort with abstract and original thinking. Units of study for English 10 will focus on essential questions specific to the range of identities and diverse voices that contribute to the American experience, while incorporating full class, small group, and independent reading across multiple genres such as novels, short stories, poems, essays, and other media. Similar to the ninth grade English course, students will write in a variety of genres for a variety of purposes, composing shorter and more sustained pieces each quarter. This course focuses on analysis of literature and as well as research-based arguments, introducing students to basic rhetorical appeals and emphasizing audience awareness, organization, and supporting evidence. Emphasis is placed upon the process of writing, frequent revisions, and conferencing with the teacher. All writing is assessed using departmental writing rubrics for Argument, Informative, Research, and Narrative writing. In addition to reading and writing work, students will develop speaking and listening skills through independent presentations as well as small and large group discussions, engage in regular and unit-driven study of vocabulary, grammar, and usage, and are expected to maintain an active independent reading life.

Note: English 10 Honors is an advanced class for students who, in their freshman English year, demonstrated a compelling interest in reading, a high degree of proficiency in analytical thinking and writing, and a desire to challenge themselves. 

.5 credit                   Grades 9, 10, 11, 12             S1, S2

Prerequisite: None

Graduation Requirement Area: Open Humanities (If a student is in grade 10, Introduction to Journalism must be taken in addition to English 10 and cannot count toward the English requirement.)                                                  

This course builds core English skills through the lens of journalism. Students will read, analyze, and produce three major forms: news, feature, and opinion articles. Students will study essential writing craft moves—effective leads, clear language, strong organization, purposeful word choice—and apply AP Style to improve clarity and mechanics. Students also learn to write headlines and captions, integrate evidence through quotations and research, and use structures such as the Inverted Pyramid.

Through close reading of professional models, students will examine technique, analyze rhetorical choices, and evaluate credibility and bias. They will also explore media-literacy concepts, including interview skills, First Amendment rights, journalistic ethics, and the press’s role in society, as well as how multimedia tools enhance reporting. This course prepares students for Advanced Journalism and strengthens the analytical reading, purposeful writing, and communication skills needed for high school English.

1.0 credit                 Grades 10, 11, 12                 Full-Year

Prerequisite: Introduction to Journalism

Graduation Requirement Areas: Open Humanities or Open STEAM (If a student is in grade 10, Advanced Journalism must be taken in addition to English 10 and cannot count toward the English requirement.)                             

Note: The maximum number of students for this course is 100.

Advanced Journalism is an intensive English course for students who have completed Introduction to Journalism and want to develop further their analytical reading, advanced writing, and real-world communication skills. Students write for authentic audiences by publishing their work in Inklings News (newsmagazine and/or website). All writing must go through a rigorous editorial process to meet professional standards. Work that does not meet these standards must be revised, reinforcing the importance of clarity, accuracy, organization, and ethical decision-making.

Through the study of professional models, students strengthen craft and rhetorical awareness and apply these skills to produce polished news, feature, and opinion pieces that follow legal, ethical, and AP Style guidelines. In addition to writing, students will create multimedia content—such as videos, graphics, and photographs—which must also meet rigorous publishing standards.

The curriculum builds on and extends the skills taught in Introduction to Journalism, emphasizing continual application of reading, writing, critical thinking, and media literacy. Units are flexible and often overlap, as students advance through projects that require continued practice and refinement of English and communication skills. Because assignments and deadlines vary by student, strong time management and self-direction are essential. Consideration for editorial board positions will be given to those enrolled in Advanced Journalism. 

*Note: Not approved as an NCAA core course in English

1.0 credit                 Grades 10, 11, 12                 Full-Year

Prerequisite: Introduction to Journalism

Graduation Requirements Areas: English, Open Humanities, or Open STEAM (Students may count one semester of Advanced Journalism (.5 credit) toward the English credit requirement in either their junior or senior year. When a student chooses this option, they must also take an additional semester elective during that year to meet the English requirement. If not used to fulfill the English requirement, Advanced Journalism may instead count toward fulfilling the Open Humanities OR Open STEAM requirement.)

Note: The maximum number of students for this course is 100.

Advanced Journalism is an intensive English course for students who have completed Introduction to Journalism and want to develop further their analytical reading, advanced writing, and real-world communication skills. Students write for authentic audiences by publishing their work in Inklings News (newsmagazine and/or website). All writing must go through a rigorous editorial process to meet professional standards. Work that does not meet these standards must be revised, reinforcing the importance of clarity, accuracy, organization, and ethical decision-making.

Through the study of professional models, students strengthen craft and rhetorical awareness and apply these skills to produce polished news, feature, and opinion pieces that follow legal, ethical, and AP Style guidelines. In addition to writing, students will create multimedia content—such as videos, graphics, and photographs—which must also meet rigorous publishing standards.

The curriculum builds on and extends the skills taught in Introduction to Journalism, emphasizing continual application of reading, writing, critical thinking, and media literacy. Units are flexible and often overlap, as students advance through projects that require continued practice and refinement of English and communication skills. Because assignments and deadlines vary by student, strong time management and self-direction are essential. Consideration for editorial board positions will be given to those enrolled in Advanced Journalism. 

*Note: Not approved as an NCAA core course in English

1.0 credit                 Grades 11, 12                      Full-Year

Prerequisite: English 10 or English 10 Honors

Teacher recommendation required

Graduation Requirement Areas: English or Open Humanities

The College Board writes that “the AP English Language and Composition course cultivates the reading and writing skills that students need for college success and for intellectually responsible civic engagement. The course guides students in becoming curious, critical, and responsive readers of diverse texts and becoming flexible, reflective writers of texts addressed to diverse audiences for diverse purposes. The reading and writing students do in the course should deepen and expand their understanding of how written language functions rhetorically: to communicate writers’ intentions and elicit readers’ responses in particular situations.”  

The purpose of AP English Language and Composition is to enable students to read complex nonfiction texts with understanding and to write prose of sufficient richness and complexity to communicate effectively. This course emphasizes the expository, analytical, and argumentative writing that forms the basis of academic and professional communication through the study of non-fiction texts of varying lengths. Students are taught to read critically with an emphasis on deepening their awareness of how language functions in effectively communicating ideas. This close reading, coupled with frequent formal and informal writing, strengthens the students’ own writing skills by developing their ability to utilize language with a greater awareness of purpose and strategy. The course is broken into three larger units that consist of paired reading and writing skills, moving back and forth between the analysis of model arguments and the students’ development and composition of their own arguments. While written as three units, the skill work across each unit is recursive throughout the year, and teachers select increasingly complex texts aligned with the College Board expectations for continuous development and assessment of the various overlapping skills. The reading expectations, particularly in terms of complexity and pace, are significantly higher than in other courses. Student work is assessed using the College Board’s rubrics and the highest levels of the English Department’s common rubrics. In the summer before the course begins, students will be expected to read and analyze several assigned texts. This course will prepare students to take the AP English Language and Composition Exam at the end of the year by building their conceptual understanding and mastery of skills.

*Requires English teacher recommendation and strong interest in the reading and analysis of complex nonfiction texts.

Note: There is no course offered at the Honors or A level similar to AP English Language and Composition. Should a student find the course to be too difficult once the deadline to add a new course has passed, they would need to drop AP English Language and Composition altogether without credit and add a replacement course for a future term (see course withdrawal policy).

1.0 credit                 Grades 11, 12                      Full-Year

Prerequisite: English 10 or English 10 Honors

Teacher recommendation required

Graduation Requirement Areas: English or Open Humanities

The College Board writes that in AP English Literature and Composition, “Students cultivate their understanding of literature through reading and analyzing texts as they explore concepts like character, setting, structure, perspective, figurative language, and literary analysis in the context of literary works.”

The course provides an introduction to the major genres, cultures, and historical periods of English literature, and teachers select primary texts from the College Board’s list of appropriate titles and authors. Representative authors include Chinua Achebe, Elizabeth Bishop, Charlotte Brontë, Gwendolyn Brooks, Kate Chopin, Joseph Conrad, John Donne, Louise Erdrich, William Faulkner, Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, Kazuo Ishiguro, Ian McEwan, Toni Morrison, Sylvia Plath, and William Shakespeare. The reading expectations, particularly in terms of complexity and pace, are significantly higher than in other courses.

Students write frequently to develop thinking, interpret literary texts, express themselves, and reflect on their development as writers. Student work is assessed using the College Board’s rubrics and the highest levels of the English Department’s common rubrics. In addition, this course features a major project in which students develop a Literary Exploration essay. Through a series of drafts, students independently investigate a topic of their choice using multiple fiction and critical texts and develop an extended essay synthesizing these texts and multiple points of view. 

The course will prepare students to take the AP English Literature and Composition Exam at the end of the year. In the summer before the course begins, students will closely read and analyze three independently chosen pieces of literary text as part of preparing for the Literary Exploration paper; students will also read a novel assigned to the entire class which is studied in depth at the very beginning of the course.

Note: There is no course offered at the Honors or A level similar to AP English Literature and Composition. Should a student find the course to be too difficult once the deadline to add a new course has passed, they would need to drop AP English Literature and Composition altogether without credit and add a replacement course for a future term (see course withdrawal policy).

.5 credit                   Grades 11, 12                      S1, S2    

Prerequisite: English 10 or English 10 Honors

Graduation Requirement Areas: English or Open Humanities

This course offers a survey of major English authors and time periods from Beowulf to something of the contemporary scene. Students will read widely and closely, focusing on the relationship between form and content. Students will also explore the historical context which impacts works of English literature.  Works studied will include poetry, plays, novels, and essays. Students will leave the class with a sense of some of England's major authors and texts, as well as a richer understanding of how the conversation between life and literature is enriched by writing about the texts that we have read.

.5 credit                   Grades 11, 12                      S1, S2    

Prerequisite: English 10 or English 10 Honors

Graduation Requirement Areas: English or Open Humanities

Students in Children’s Literature will analyze picture books, fairy tales, poetry, classic and contemporary chapter books, as well as whole class novels. Students will consider literary, cultural, and psychological implications of literature for children. In addition, students will explore the impact of early reading experiences on their individual reading identities and moral development using Jim Trelease’s The Read-Aloud Handbook as a seminal text on childhood literacy. Learning experiences will include read-aloud sessions with elementary and preschool children (when scheduling permits), analytical essays, picture book presentations, and the composition of an original children’s book. Students will analyze a variety of literature including, but not limited to, works such as the Grimm and Perrault Fairy Tales, Charlotte’s Web, and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. These texts will be paired with selected critical readings from more complex and theoretical texts, such as von Franz’s The Interpretation of Fairy Tales, Bettelheim's The Uses of Enchantment, and Molly Bang’s Picture This!, to name a few.

.5 credit                   Grades 11, 12                      S1, S2    

Prerequisite: English 10 or English 10 Honors

Graduation Requirement Areas: English or Open Humanities

This course will explore the rich territory of American literature of the last 25 years, as well as its relationship to popular culture. The course will be structured around several essential questions: How does literature reflect gender, race, and class in American society? How do authors use their writing to define and explore what it means to be American? What literary techniques do authors use to explore these questions and definitions? Students will read works from a variety of genres that reflect the contemporary American experience, including short stories, novels, poems, and plays. Students will analyze these rich texts through analytical discussion and essay writing; students will also use these texts as mentors for writing and workshopping creative material like their own stories, poems, and plays.

.5 credit                   Grades 11, 12                      S1, S2    

Prerequisite: English 10 or English 10 Honors

Graduation Requirement Areas: English or Open Humanities

Note: This course focuses on the development of analytical writing.

This course teaches students to become active viewers of film. Students will be introduced to elements of film analysis such as cinematography, music, sound, editing, and acting, as well as a brief overview of film history. Typical films and directors for analysis range from the classics to the contemporary, and students will be expected to take copious viewing notes as the basis for activities and assessments. Although many films will be shown during class, students will also be expected to complete a major project that may involve independent research and viewing. In addition to viewing films, students will read a variety of texts including essays, articles, and reviews; a key writing assignment will include reading a novel and comparing it to its film adaptation. After completing the course, students will possess a variety of skills that will enable them to read film as visual text. 

*Note: Not approved as an NCAA core course in English

.5 credit                   Grades 11, 12                      S1, S2    

Prerequisite: English 10 or English 10 Honors

Graduation Requirement Areas: English or Open Humanities

Note: Enrollment in this course is limited, and a lottery will be used to select students. If selected, students must commit to taking the course and may only drop or change if there is a conflict with a different course and with administrative approval. Students must register for both Food in Literature (Culinary) and Food in Literature (English) in the same semester.

Food writing is about putting food in context through experimentation with cooking and a variety of writing styles. This double-period course with Culinary Arts enables rigorous analysis and practice in reading and writing high-quality, challenging models and material, while also experimenting in the test kitchen, given students’ thematic studies. Students will express their writers’ voices through creating and maintaining a digital portfolio that showcases the variety of food writing from the semester’s studies, and inspired by their experiences in the test kitchen. Through the study of mentor texts, students will study and craft food memoirs and poems, restaurant reviews, and research-based feature articles and/or videos. They will conduct interviews, engage in menu writing and learn how to incorporate photography and videos into their writing. Using their experiences in the kitchen, students will be able to authentically adapt, develop, and hone their food writing abilities to effectively communicate with their audience. 

*Note: Not approved as an NCAA core course in English

.5 credit                   Grades 11, 12                      S1, S2    

Prerequisite: English 10 or English 10 Honors

Graduation Requirement Areas: English or Open Humanities

This course will introduce students to the Gothic literature genre, as well as a variety of horror-themed texts. Students will learn about the history of the genre, from the 19th century Gothic literature that gave rise to the iconic monsters of Western culture, through the contemporary phenomena of urban legend and horror films. Students will develop an appreciation for the unique ability of Gothic and horror writers to generate feelings of terror and dread. Students will have opportunities to analyze the social, political and cultural significance of this genre. The course will include both fiction and nonfiction texts from authors such as Edgar Allan Poe, H.P. Lovecraft, Stephen King, and Joyce Carol Oates. Students will understand and apply language and craft techniques of the genre in creating their own original urban-legend, multi-genre piece. 

.5 credit                   Grades 11, 12                      S1, S2    

Prerequisite: English 10 or English 10 Honors

Graduation Requirement Areas: English, Open Humanities, or Open STEAM

This interdisciplinary course will introduce students to the graphic literature medium. In doing so, students will learn about the history of comics from the advent of the daily strip through the rise of the comic book and its heroes into the underground and contemporary graphic book. Students will develop an appreciation for the unique ability that comics and graphic works of literature possess to both show and tell a story. Students will have opportunities to analyze the social, political, and cultural significance of this medium by studying various genres. The course will include both fiction and nonfiction as well as informational readings. The course will require students to write analytical and creative papers, culminating in the creation of their own original graphic literature piece in order to show the complexities and conflicts surrounding a global issue. Students will be using industry-standard technology (Photoshop, Illustrator).

*Note: Not approved as an NCAA core course in English

.5 credit                   Grades 9, 10, 11, 12             S1, S2

Prerequisite: None

Graduation Requirement Areas: English or Open Humanities

This course builds core English skills through the lens of journalism. Students will read, analyze, and produce three major forms: news, feature, and opinion articles. Students will study essential writing craft moves—effective leads, clear language, strong organization, purposeful word choice—and apply AP Style to improve clarity and mechanics. Students also learn to write headlines and captions, integrate evidence through quotations and research, and use structures such as the Inverted Pyramid.

Through close reading of professional models, students will examine technique, analyze rhetorical choices, and evaluate credibility and bias. They will also explore media-literacy concepts, including interview skills, First Amendment rights, journalistic ethics, and the press’s role in society, as well as how multimedia tools enhance reporting. This course prepares students for Advanced Journalism and strengthens the analytical reading, purposeful writing, and communication skills needed for high school English.

.5 credit                   Grades 11, 12                      S1, S2    

Prerequisite: English 10 or English 10 Honors

Graduation Requirement Areas: English or Open Humanities

This course will survey major writers of Modern Irish Literature. Students will examine how literature has been influenced by the ancient history and mythology of Ireland as well as the political and social history of the 20th century. The course will include fiction, nonfiction, poetry, music and film. Students will read such authors as Yeats, Synge, Joyce, McDonagh, Heaney, and Doyle. The course is designed to appeal to a wide range of interests, and students can expect to respond to the literature critically, creatively, and personally. Assessment will be based on both written work and classroom performance.

.5 credit                   Grades 11, 12                      S1, S2    

Prerequisite: English 10 or English 10 Honors

Graduation Requirement Areas: English or Open Humanities

This course is designed for students who are interested in analyzing the various depictions of gender in literature and media and the consequences of those depictions. Students will discover the difference between sex and gender and its impact on the creation of identity. The emphasis will fall on not only how authors have created gender archetypes through the portrayal of women and men in literature, but also the implications of those archetypes. Students will analyze a wide variety of texts, including children’s literature, novels, short stories, poetry, plays, and nonfiction articles. Students will also consider the role of media, from film to advertising, in the construction of gender. The course will require students to write analytical and creative papers that examine the literature and media, participate consistently in class discussions, and make connections to their own experiences. Any student interested in how gender norms impact their own world is encouraged to enroll.  

.5 credit                   Grades 11, 12                      S1, S2    

Prerequisite: English 10 or English 10 Honors

Graduation Requirement Areas: English or Open Humanities

This semester-long course is designed to provide those with an interest in the subject the opportunity to learn about and examine the purpose of mythology, the hero’s journey, and beliefs and archetypes across various cultures and time periods. Students will study texts from various cultures, including but not limited to: Greek, Norse, Babylonian, and Japanese, along with the Hebrew Bible and the Christian New Testament. Throughout this course, students will examine creation myths, hero myths, flood myths, and apocalypse myths, along with others. Students will deepen critical reading skills while engaging with these classic texts by identifying patterns and values, making connections within and across texts, and applying these ideas to our contemporary experience. Throughout this course, students will write multiple creative and analytical compositions, design and deliver presentations, and participate in small group activities and Socratic discussions. 

“As we explore the world of myth, we should remember that we are not journeying through a maze of falsehood, but through a marvelous world of metaphor that breathes life into the essential human story…” (Leeming, The World of Myth).

.5 credit                   Grades 11, 12                      S1, S2    

Prerequisite: English 10 or English 10 Honors

Teacher recommendation required

Graduation Requirement Areas: English or Open Humanities

In this course, students will study a variety of world myths, sections of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian New Testament, novels, short stories, poems, and films, as well as history, culture, and art in order to investigate the archetypes that organize and influence cultural expressions of belief. As students identify and analyze these connections, they will come to understand how humans attempt to explain, shape, order, and structure their experience in the world. Students will continue to develop critical and analytical reading skills, refine writing skills, and engage in in-depth discussions to advance speaking and listening skills. As this is an honors level course, students should be comfortable grappling with complex text and delving into critical and original thinking as well navigating the accelerated pace of instruction and learning and amount of independent work required. A summer assignment may be required.

.5 credit                   Grades 11, 12                      S1, S2    

Prerequisite: English 10 or English 10 Honors

Graduation Requirement Areas: English or Open Humanities

This course will explore a broad range of nonfiction texts, ranging from essays and documentaries to new media and emerging digital platforms. The course will emphasize texts that have value for traits unrelated to their subjects; students will grow as writers of nonfiction as they explore the approaches of nonfiction writers who seek to describe, understand, entertain, or persuade. In addition, students will explore how graphic imagery shapes the process of understanding and how new technologies have impacted the geography of reading.

.5 credit                   Grades 11, 12                      S1, S2    

Prerequisite: English 10 or English 10 Honors

Graduation Requirement Areas: English or Open Humanities

In this course, students will learn and apply effective skills for writing narratives by producing between four and six polished pieces of original fiction. Toward that end, students will read a series of mentor stories from a wide variety of classic and contemporary authors and genres in order to analyze and apply key literary techniques, like story arcs, character development, chronology, flashbacks, dialogue, imagery, and figurative language. Readings will come from classic short fiction as well as from contemporary sources like The Atlantic, The New Yorker, and similar publishers of fiction. Students will then apply their understanding of these techniques, both in shorter informal pieces and in longer, fully developed stories. As part of the writing process, students will spend considerable time sharing and workshopping their own writing, either in small groups or with the whole class.

.5 credit                   Grades 11, 12                      S1, S2    

Prerequisite: English 10 or English 10 Honors

Graduation Requirement Areas: English or Open Humanities

This course will help students understand both the craft and the art of poetry as well as how poems are created and why they are valuable. Students will be expected to write and read widely, exploring works from numerous poets and various time periods. Together, students will examine poetic craft, with special attention paid to how poets use literary devices to construct meaning. Much emphasis will be placed on learning to read a poem for deeper understanding as well as the proper techniques for reading poems aloud. Throughout the course, students will create their own poems, strengthening their voices through a variety of writing exercises. There is an expectation that students will participate in workshop and share pieces frequently. The aim of this course is to eradicate the notion that poetry is antiquated and elitist, and instead to show that poetry can be accessible, entertaining, and relevant to our everyday lives. Students can expect, therefore, to gain not only a knowledge of the nature, history, and variety of poetry, but also to gain greater skill, insight, and pleasure as readers, writers, and thinkers. 

.5 credit                   Grades 11, 12                      S1, S2    

Prerequisite: English 10 or English 10 Honors

Graduation Requirement Areas: English or Open Humanities

Today’s leaders must demonstrate not only the ability to analyze thoughtfully, but also the ability to communicate clearly and effectively in a variety of situations, both formal and informal, in the community and in their professions. In this course, students will learn how to reach their audience effectively through use of voice, body, and rhetorical skills. Students will develop expertise in the historical and contemporary processes of rhetoric, persuasion, and influence. They will read, view, and analyze historical and contemporary political and historical speeches in an attempt to improve their own critical thinking and speaking skills. They will write and present a variety of types of speeches, with an emphasis on persuasion. Students will learn how to structure, organize, and present ideas with poise, self-confidence and skill. Daily participation and peer evaluation are major components of this course.

.5 credit                     Grades 11, 12                         S1, S2

Prerequisite: English 10 or English 10 Honors

Teacher recommendation required

Graduation Requirement Areas: English or Open Humanities

Note: Students taking this course must register with UConn in order to have access to course materials. Seniors may take this course in first semester only. Enrollment is capped by UConn at 20 students per course section, and priority is given to seniors. Overrides into this course are not permitted.

This course is a 4-credit UConn First-Year Writing course with the same goals and practices as on-campus courses, designed for highly motivated students able to work at a collegiate level of independence. It introduces students to the work of academic writing for college. Composition in this class is project-building, a practice of developing meaningful contributions to academic public conversations on topics. These projects include extensive writing in traditional genres like informational, argument, and narrative, as well as composing in other modes, like audio, photography, video, graphic design, and speech. Students will develop skills of composition and digital media literacy including: collecting and curating, engaging, contextualizing, theorizing, analyzing, circulating, and engaging with wide and varied audiences.

The class foregrounds collaborative, student-driven inquiry developed in the context of a shared course investigation, meaning that students will spend the semester researching chosen subtopics within a realm of inquiry defined by the instructor. That inquiry will include a field research component, requiring students to identify experts and to interview them as part of building a body of knowledge on their topic.

The seminar nature of this course expects students to lead and actively engage in collaborative academic discussions, and roughly one quarter of class time will take the form of a studio model of collaborative workshopping of material at different stages in the composition process in order to revise students’ thinking, techniques, and projects based on peer and teacher feedback. A summer assignment may be required.

Note: Final grades for project work will usually correspond with the end of a marking period. 

SEMINAR AND STUDIO IN WRITING AND MULTIMODAL COMPOSITION ALSO OFFERS CREDITS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT THROUGH UCONN EARLY COLLEGE EXPERIENCE.

UCONN ENGL1007: SEMINAR AND STUDIO IN WRITING AND MULTIMODAL COMPOSITION

Four credits

.5 credit                   Grades 11, 12                      S1, S2    

Prerequisite: English 10 or English 10 Honors

Teacher recommendation required

Graduation Requirement Areas: English or Open Humanities

Why is William Shakespeare the best known and most studied author in the English language for the last four hundred years? This course aims to answer that question by helping students to increase their understanding and enjoyment of Shakespeare’s work. Designed for students already possessing a foundational understanding of Shakespeare and the period in which he lived and wrote, this honors level course will focus on deepening close reading and analysis skills through concentrated study of multiple works of Shakespeare through both full class and independent study. Students should be comfortable grappling with complex text and delving into critical literary theory. Discussions and compositions will center on characterization, major themes, plot structure, and stage-to-film comparisons. Because theater is a cooperative art, there is an expectation that students will read aloud and engage in interactive classroom activities. While students explore Shakespeare’s language through critical lenses, they will learn to situate Shakespearean drama in its historical moment and consider the implications of his work in contemporary society. A summer assignment may be required.

.5 credit                   Grades 11, 12                      S1, S2    

Prerequisite: English 10 or English 10 Honors

Graduation Requirement Areas: English or Open Humanities

The literature of any society encompasses voices of protest and a search for identity, as well as celebration of the richness of many languages and cultures. Students will explore current articles and nonfiction texts by authors like Ta-Nehisi Coates and Joy Reid as well as short stories, poetry, memoir, and drama by both contemporary and classic authors, including Paul Beatty, Margo Jefferson, James Baldwin, August Wilson, and Toni Morrison, among others. In addition, students will analyze oral language, music, art, dance, popular culture, television, and film in order to understand the African-American experience as well as the experiences of other groups who have protested for their rights. Students will have the opportunity to respond to text and media critically and creatively while also developing their analytical reading and writing skills. Assessment will be based on classroom discussions, written work, and a formal project or presentation.

.5 credit                   Grades 11, 12                      S1, S2    

Prerequisite: English 10 or English 10 Honors

Graduation Requirement Areas: English or Open Humanities

This course focuses on ways that writers around the globe represent their fellow citizens’ everyday lives as they encounter work, war, poverty, family, school, leisure, and love. Students will seek to understand the commonalities among all peoples. Students will read modern fiction, poetry, and critical essays by internationally acclaimed authors from Asia, South and Central America, the Middle East, Africa and the Caribbean. In addition, the literature will be studied in contexts: cultural, political, historical, and in terms of gender, race and class. Students will conduct research, work independently and in small groups, and share their work with others as they expand their knowledge of other cultures through literature.