English Courses:

In English 10 Semester A, students learn how to express their thoughts and feelings in writing. Emphasis is placed on the specific traits of the 6-Traits of Writing: Ideas, Organization, Voice, Word Choice, Sentence Fluency, and Conventions. Students also review the 5-step writing process as they practice the skills of prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing. Each unit also includes instruction in the Greek roots of common English words. In Semester A, students are guided through the 5-step writing process for each of the major types of writing: expository, persuasive, expressive, research, and functional. The writing projects center on each of the five major types. Students will receive comprehensive instruction on the various structures and styles of writing. Students are expected to produce original, high quality examples of each of the major types of writing. Writing samples are graded against the 6-Traits of Writing.

Honors students are expected to complete additional assignments throughout the course that build on the content provided. These assignments, like analyzing how a producer puts a movie together to develop theme, makes these students go above and beyond the curriculum content in creativity and application. In English 10 Semester A, students learn how to express their thoughts and feelings in writing. Emphasis is placed on the specific traits of the 6-Traits of Writing: Ideas, Organization, Voice, Word Choice, Sentence Fluency, and Conventions. Students also review the 5-step writing process as they practice the skills of prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing. Each unit also includes instruction in the Greek roots of common English words. In Semester A, students are guided through the 5-step writing process for each of the major types of writing: expository, persuasive, expressive, research, and functional. The writing projects center on each of the five major types. Students will receive comprehensive instruction on the various structures and styles of writing. Students are expected to produce original, high quality examples of each of the major types of writing. Writing samples are graded against the 6-Traits of Writing. In English 10

In English 10 Semester B, students broaden their reading experience with exposure to literature from around the world. Students are given vast exposure to a variety of reading samples, and are encouraged to connect and relate to the various authors and cultures within the contexts of the passages and works. Reading strategies, the literary elements, and new vocabulary and Latin roots are introduced. In addition, students are guided through an active reading process in preparation for high-stakes testing, which will assess their abilities to make inferences, comprehend, and analyze a variety of reading materials. Students are expected to respond to assigned reading materials in a variety of activities and manners. Students will be graded on their abilities to review, summarize, analyze, connect, and respond to reading materials. Additionally, students will practice important reading strategies such as determining the meaning of unfamiliar words. They will produce an independent vocabulary assignment as evidence of their familiarity with these strategies. Students are also expected to create original materials in an effort to grasp the complexity of the genres.

Semester B, students broaden their reading experience with exposure to literature from around the world. Students are given vast exposure to a variety of reading samples, and are encouraged to connect and relate to the various authors and cultures within the contexts of the passages and works. Reading strategies, the literary elements, and new vocabulary and Latin roots are introduced. In addition, students are guided through an active reading process in preparation for high-stakes testing, which will assess their abilities to make inferences, comprehend, and analyze a variety of reading materials. Students are expected to respond to assigned reading materials in a variety of activities and manners. Students will be graded on their abilities to review, summarize, analyze, connect, and respond to reading materials. Additionally, students will practice important reading strategies such as determining the meaning of unfamiliar words. They will produce an independent vocabulary assignment as evidence of their familiarity with these strategies. Students are also expected to create original materials in an effort to grasp the complexity of the genres.

English for grade 11 is an American Literature course, with units organized chronologically according to periods in literary history. As students read foundation works of literature and other historical documents written between 1600 and 1900, they’ll review and extend skills in five domains: analyzing literature, analyzing informational text, writing, speaking and listening, and language study, which includes word knowledge and grammar skills. Each module or unit begins with a lesson that provides historical context for the era and introduces themes that emerged in the literature of that era. Each lesson provides students with an opportunity to review basic analysis skills before applying those skills to works of literature or key historical documents. Lessons focused on more difficult historical documents include activities that help students comprehend the complex ideas in these works. Writing modes addressed in Semester A of this course include narrative, reflective, persuasive, and analytical modes. Assignments emphasize the use of details, evidence, and reasoning to support ideas. Writing lessons include model essays that demonstrate key features of each mode. The speaking and listening lessons in Semester A cover rhetoric, the peer review or writing workshop process, and performance skills. Vocabulary development instruction is integrated into literature and informational text lessons. Each unit ends with an authentic assessment that presents students with a real-world scenario requiring some of the skills they learned in the unit.

Honors students are expected to complete additional assignments throughout the course that build on the content provided. These assignments, like writing a children’s book, make the students go above and beyond the curriculum content in creativity and application. Honors English 11 is an American Literature course, with units organized chronologically according to periods in literary history. As students read foundational works of literature and other historical documents written between 1600 and 1900, they’ll review and extend skills in five domains: analyzing literature, analyzing informational text, writing, speaking and listening, and language study, which includesword knowledge and grammar skills. Each module or unit begins with a lesson that provides historical context for the era and introduces themes that emerged in the literature of that era. Each lesson provides students with an opportunity to review basic analysis skills before applying those skills to works of literature or key historical documents. Lessons focused on more difficult historical documents include activities that help students comprehend the complex ideas in these works. The Honors level of the course provides additional challenging assignments aimed at preparing college-bound students for advanced work in the study of literature and language arts. Writing modes addressed in Semester A of this course include narrative, reflective, persuasive, and analytical modes. Assignments emphasize the use of details, evidence, and reasoning to support ideas. Writing lessons include model essays that demonstrate key features of each mode. The speaking and listening lessons in semester A cover rhetoric, the peer review or writing workshop process, and performance skills. Vocabulary development instruction is integrated into literature and informational text lessons. Each unit ends with an authentic assessment that presents students with a real-world scenario requiring some of the skills they learned in the unit.

Semester B of English 11 consists of units focused on historical eras and literary movements of the 20th and 21st Centuries, such as Naturalism, Imagism, the Harlem Renaissance, and Post-Modernism. Literature analysis lessons in Semester B focus on the forms of literature that were most commonly written during the 20th Century and how the forms, styles, and techniques of that century inform literature written today. Students will also evaluate various modes and forms of language expression, including single media and multimedia messages. Writing and informational text lessons guide students through the stages of a rigorous research process and demonstrate how to evaluate, integrate, and share the information gathered during research. Students are required to share their ideas and analysis using several different modes, including oral and multimedia presentations.

Semester B of Honors English 11 consists of units focused on historical eras and literary movements of the 20th and 21st Centuries, such as Naturalism, Imagism, the Harlem Renaissance, and Post-Modernism. Literature analysis lessons in Semester B focus on the forms of literature that were most commonly written during the Twentieth Century and how the forms, styles, and techniques of that century inform literature written today. Students will also evaluate various modes and forms of language expression, including single media and multimedia messages. Writing and informational text lessons guide students through the stages of a rigorous research process and demonstrate how to evaluate, integrate, and share the information gathered during research. Students are required to share their ideas and analysis using several different modes, including oral and multimedia presentations. As in Semester A, the second semester of Honors English 11 provides additional challenging assignments aimed at preparing college-bound students for advanced work in the study of literature and language arts.

Students examine major works of literature organized into thematic units. Each unit contains poetry, short stories, and a novel that revolve around the theme for the unit. Themes include the self, relationships, alienation, choice, and death. As students read these works, they have the opportunity to reflect on these important themes by writing in multiple modes and creating cross-disciplinary projects.

Students examine major works of literature organized into thematic units. Each unit contains poetry, short stories, and a novel that revolve around the theme for the unit. Themes include the self, relationships, alienation, choice, and death. As students read these works, they have the opportunity to reflect on these important themes by writing in multiple modes and creating cross-disciplinary projects. As an Honors course, emphasis will be placed on additional reading and writing project-based instruction. Students will integrate the 6-Traits of Writing (i.e., ideas and content, organization, voice, word choice, sentence fluency, and conventions) to all of their writing.

Students examine major works of literature organized into thematic units. Each unit contains poetry, short stories, and a novel that revolve around the theme for the unit. Themes include the self, relationships, alienation, choice, and death. As students read these works, they have the opportunity to reflect on these important themes by writing in multiple modes and creating cross-disciplinary projects.

Students examine major works of literature organized into thematic units. Each unit contains poetry, short stories, and a novel that revolve around the theme for the unit. Themes include the self, relationships, alienation, choice, and death. As students read these works, they have the opportunity to reflect on these important themes by writing in multiple modes and creating cross-disciplinary projects. As an Honors course, emphasis will be placed on additional reading and writing project-based instruction. Students will integrate the 6-Traits of Writing (i.e., ideas and content, organization, voice, word choice, sentence fluency, and conventions) to all of their writing.

English for grade 9 is an integrated curriculum. Each unit contains thematically related lessons in five domains: reading and the study of literature, reading informational text, writing, speaking and listening, and language study, which includes word knowledge and grammar skills. Topics are presented in ways that help young adolescents relate literacy skills to other aspects of their lives. Writing assignments include narrative, expository, and persuasive/argumentative modes and emphasize the use of details and reasoning to support ideas. Speaking and listening lessons in semester A emphasize collaborative discussion skills and peer review. Vocabulary development instruction is integrated into literature and informational text lessons. Each unit ends with an authentic assessment that presents students with a real-world scenario requiring some of the skills they learned in the unit.

English Honors for grade 9 is an integrated curriculum with challenging assignments aimed at preparing Honors-level students for advanced work in the study of literature and language arts. Each unit contains thematically related lessons in five domains: reading and the study of literature, reading informational text, writing, speaking and listening, and language study, which includes word knowledge and grammar skills. Topics are presented in ways that help young adolescents relate literacy skills to other aspects of their lives. Writing assignments include narrative, expository, and persuasive/argumentative modes and emphasize the use of details and reasoning to support ideas. Speaking and listening lessons in semester A emphasize collaborative discussion skills and peer review. Vocabulary development instruction is integrated into literature and informational text lessons. Each unit ends with an authentic assessment that presents students with a real-world scenario requiring some of the skills they learned in the unit. Assignments that are specific the Honors level of this course ask students to apply advanced skills earlier in the course and more often than students in the regular version of English 9. For example, students move immediately beyond the identification of literary elements or aspects of informational text to the analysis of these components. Likewise, Honors students don’t simply recognize and describe rhetorical strategies—they also use these strategies to create specific effects. Some Honors assignments require students to go one step farther in developing an assignment—for instance, writing an essay after generating ideas for the essay using the worksheet provided to students in the regular course. Clear and extensive guidelines are provided for each Honors assignment along with a detailed rubric for evaluation.

Like semester A, semester B consists of integrated units focused on a theme or mode of study. Literature study in semester B focuses on the analysis of different forms of literature and on comparative studies of world literature and literature delivered in different media. Writing and informational text lessons guide students through the stages of research and demonstrate how to evaluate, integrate, and share the information gathered during research. Students are required to share their ideas and analysis using several different modes, including oral and multimedia presentations.

Like Semester A, Semester B of English 9 Honors consists of integrated units focused on a theme or mode of study. Literature study in Semester B focuses on the analysis of different forms of literature and on comparative studies of world literature and literature delivered in different media. As in Semester A, Honors assignments in this semester require students to take a more analytical or active approach to many of the assignments and activities in the course. Honors students will write more often and more deeply about topics and also reflect more critically on the processes they use to read and write. Writing and informational text lessons guide students through the stages of research and demonstrate how to evaluate, integrate, and share the information gathered during research. Students are required to share their ideas and analysis using several different modes, including oral and multimedia presentations.