ADVANCED PLACEMENT LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION (Offered to Juniors and Seniors on a rotating basis with Advanced
Placement Literature and Composition)
Prerequisites:
Recommendation of the English Department, 85 or above GPA/English
courses such as Advanced English 10 and/or Advanced Placement Literature and
Composition
Students in this
college-level course will have previously demonstrated strong writing and
analytical skills. Students read and
carefully analyze a broad and challenging range of prose selections, and
develop their awareness of how language works.
Through close reading and frequent writing, students develop their
ability to work with language and text with a greater awareness of purpose and
strategy, while strengthening their own composing abilities. While the reading assignments feature
expository, analytical, and argumentative essays from a variety of authors and
historical contexts, students examine and respond to American writing including
literature and essays by authors such as Twain, Dillard, Murray, Capote, McPhee, Sanders, Baker, Ker
Conway, and Sontag. A Shakespeare play is also
studied (usually Macbeth). Students
accepted for AP Language and Composition must complete a summer reading and
writing assignment. Failure to complete
summer work makes a student ineligible for this class. Students prepare for the
Advanced Placement Examination in English:
Language and Composition to earn possible college-level credit.
ADVANCED PLACEMENT LITERATURE AND
COMPOSITION (Offered to Juniors and Seniors on a
rotating basis with Advanced Placement Language and Composition.)
Prerequisites: Recommendation of the English Department, 85
or above GPA/English courses such as Advanced English 10 and/or Advanced
Placement Language and Composition
This is
essentially a college course designed for the exceptional English student with
the ability and motivation to think, read and write at a mature, advanced
level. Material for the course comes from a broad array of recognized classics
in American, English, and world literature. Students accepted for AP Literature
and Composition must complete a summer reading and writing assignment, and sit
for an examination on the first day of class in the fall. Failure to complete summer work makes a
student ineligible for this class. Many colleges offer credit to students
who receive a 3 or higher on the final examination given by Education Testing
Service in
ENGLISH 9 English 9 provides freshmen with
intensive foundation work in basic English skills. The emphasis in this course is the
development of competence in oral and written communication. Specific units
focus on study skills, grammar, and usage integrated into the writing process. The required reading introduces students to
many forms of literature and to literary devices. Vocabulary development is an
integral part of the study of literature and focuses on context, word
structure, and etymologies. Students
will continue to develop skills in reading, speaking, listening, and critical
thinking as they read extensively and respond to what they read.
ENGLISH 10 The objectives of this
course include the continued study of written communication with an emphasis on
logical organization and effective sentence structure; vocabulary; grammar; and
literary analysis through the study of short stories, novels, plays, poetry and
forms of non-fiction. At this level
students are encouraged to look past the plot and examine theme, metaphor,
simile and other elements of good writing.
Students receive specific instruction in the annotation of text in order
to better comprehend the intended message.
ADVANCED
ENGLISH 10 Prerequisites: Successful
completion of English 9 with a GPA of 85 or above; recommendation of the
English Department. Students
enrolled in Advanced English 10 are on track for future AP English
courses. Advanced English 10 is a course
designed to further develop students’ skills in English language and literary
analysis. Throughout the year, we will
be looking at how select authors use writing as a tool to achieve a specific
purpose. Students will work in detail
with the compare/contrast essay, theme, story structure, and sophisticated
vocabulary. In addition, students will
participate in and develop an appreciation for literary discussion. Skills in reading, writing, grammar, and
literary analysis are the focus of this course.
Summer reading and writing is required.
Failure to complete summer work makes a student ineligible for this
class.
ENGLISH 11: This course includes
a chronological survey of British and American literature from fifth century
ADVANCED ENGLISH 11: The pace and
scope of this course is accelerated. It includes a chronological survey of
British and American literature from fifth century
ENGLISH 12 This course includes instruction in literature, grammar, writing,
vocabulary, spelling, listening, and study and research skills. The key focus in literature is a
chronological survey of world literature appropriate to the interests and needs
of students in grade twelve. Students
will examine the attitudes and customs of many cultures, will consider
historical context and points of view, and will study a variety of literary
types. Students will establish a
portfolio which includes an activities list, resume, essays, a research paper,
and other work as required. Approximately five books and a number of short stories
will be assigned for outside reading.
ADVANCED ENGLISH 12 This senior
college-preparatory English course engages college-bound seniors in
reading-writing-thinking-responding activities which help prepare them for the
academic and social challenges of college life.
The course includes instruction in literature, grammar, writing,
vocabulary, spelling, speech, listening, and study and research skills, and
in-depth studies of world classics and their cultural contexts. Students read representative pieces from
literary periods as Ancient East-Greece-Rome, Middle
Ages, Renaissance, Romanticism, Realism, and Modernism. Students will write an activities list,
resume, letter, essays, research paper, and other work as required. Eight to ten books may be required as outside
reading.
SPEECH This semester course in communication
will focus on preparing and presenting a speech. Areas to be covered include
planning a speech, selecting a subject, finding material, outlining,
introducing and concluding a speech,
and delivering a speech. Four main
speech types will be studied: speeches
to inform, to demonstrate, to entertain, and to persuade. Also included in this course will be reading
aloud, dramatizing, oral interpretation, and discussion.
THEATER Drama in its historical context
provides the framework for this course.
Assignments include oral reading and essay writing. Techniques involved
with directing, acting, set construction, lighting, sound, make-up, costuming,
and special effects are studied. One or
more creative projects will be required.
FRESHMAN I-SEARCH I-Search is an eight-week research program that is designed
to enhance reading, writing, organizing, and thinking skills. I-Search consists of four phases designed to
build the students’ reading, researching and writing repertoire. The four phases are: Immersion, Searching and Planning, Gathering
the Goods, and Writing.