ENGLISH 1
Grade Level: 9 (General Studies)
Credit: 0.5 or 1.0
Prerequisite: None
This course emphasizes the use of composition to reflect upon, analyze, and evaluate various literary texts. Students edit their work for errors in sentence structure, usage, mechanics, and spelling. They study representative pieces of world literature as unique reflections of their time and culture. They also engage in research processes and recognize various documentation techniques.
English 1 Syllabus
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ENGLISH 2
Grade level: 10 (General Studies)
Credits 0.5 or 1.0
Prerequisite: English 1 or English 9
Through Greek literature, students analyze chosen readings and connect them to present day occurrences. By connecting their present with the past, students can make connections to the importance of ancient Greek literature. Students are responsible for the language mechanics of their work and must make corrections and edit as needed. Students also plan, compose, and edit a 5-paragraph essay with emphasis on strong introduction, conclusion, and supporting details. Students are also introduced to research and documentation.
English 2 Syllabus
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ENGLISH 3
Grade Level: 11 (General Studies)
Credit: 0.5 or 1.0
Prerequisite: English 1 & 2 or English 9 & 10
This course emphasizes communication and critical thinking skills. The non-college preparatory course focuses on the ability to think, speak, and write logically. Students analyze and evaluate the historical, cultural, political, and biographical influences on a variety of literary genres. Students apply writing skills and strategies to communicate effectively for different purposes. Students generate a clearly worded and effectively placed thesis statement to develop an essay that has a clear, logical progression of ideas in the introduction, body, and conclusion. Students apply listening, speaking, and media literacy skills and strategies to communicate for different purposes. Grammar and documentation skills are also directly reinforced in several lessons. Students edit all their work for errors in sentence structure, usage, mechanics, and spelling.
English 3 Syllabus
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BUSINESS ENGLISH
Grade Level: 12 (General Studies)
Credit: 0.5 or 1.0
Prerequisite: English courses 9-11 or 1-3 completed
Business English is an upper level English course choice designed to prepare students to properly communicate in the business world. Students will learn to organize and write concise, correct, and complete business correspondence. They will learn to recognize and adapt messages for the intended audience while eliminating bias from the correspondence. Other topics covered include letter and memo formatting, report writing, documentation/plagiarism/paraphrasing, job/career research, resume writing, and more.
Business English Syllabus
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ENGLISH 9 CP
Grade Level: 9 (College Prep)
Credit: 0.5 or 1.0
Prerequisite: None
This course emphasizes the use of composition to expand writing, comprehension, and communication skills. Students edit their work for errors in sentence structure, usage, mechanics, and spelling. They study various genres and writing styles. They also engage in research processes and recognize various documentation techniques.
English 9 Syllabus
ENGLISH 9 Honors
Grade Level: 9
Credit: 0.5 or 1.0
Prerequisite: None
Honors English 9 teaches students how to do critical analyses of literary and historical texts. It introduces the concepts of theme, tone, structure, pace, point of view, character development, context clues, word choice, and figurative language, guiding students in the application of these concepts as they analyze various types of texts. Students compose a range of writing including argumentative, narrative, and informative, as well as creating a multimedia project. Students strengthen their grammatical and self-expression skills both through the revision of their own writing as well as grammar exercises. This course is aligned to Common Core Standards in English Language Arts.
English 9 Honors Syllabus
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ENGLISH 10 CP
Grade Level: 10
Credit: 0.5 or 1.0
Prerequisite: English 9
English 10 CP challenges students to grow their composition and reading comprehension skills through a focus on World Literature and themes such as freedom and heroism. Students read key works of historical non-fiction, poetry, short stories, a novel, Shakespeare, as well as film as literature. Students compose works in various genres including expository, narrative, and multimedia.
English 10 CP Syllabus
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ENGLISH 10 Honors
Grade Level: 10
Credit: 0.5 or 1.0
Prerequisite: English 9
Honors English 10 guides students in refining their critical reading and writing skills through the examination of World literary and historical texts. Students explore the meaning of freedom, the tale of Pyramus and Thisbe reflected in Shakespeare, the Gothic mystery genre, and the hero’s journey reflected in Beowulf and the Odyssey. Students hone their grammar and self-expression skills as they discuss these topics in a variety of modes including argument, narrative, research, and multi-media projects. This course is aligned to Common Core Standards in English Language Arts.
English 10 Honors Syllabus
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ENGLISH 11
Grade Level: 11 (College Prep)
Credit: 0.5 or 1.0
Prerequisite: English 9, 10
Students will refine and enhance their foundation in literature and the writing process through academic mastery. Throughout the course, the ability to think, listen, and write logically will be the primary focus as well as school-to-career experiences, including college entrance exam preparation. This course will emphasize proper grammar and mechanics while developing the writing process. Students will be asked to implement research and writing skills throughout the curriculum as well as to adapt and evaluate literature.
English 11 Syllabus
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ENGLISH 11 Honors
Grade Level: 11
Credit: 0.5 or 1.0
Prerequisite: English 9, 10
Honors English 11 is an intensive literary analysis and critical thinking course. It includes the units “Humor” which looks at a Shakespearean comedy and early works of satire, “The Highest Court in the Land” which looks at the legal reasoning in Supreme Court cases, “Survey of American Literature” which looks at sample works from the Puritan period to Modernity exploring key themes of each literary movement, and “What is missing? Reading Omissions” in which students are encouraged to read historical and literary texts with an eye for what is left out. Through writing assignments of various lengths as well as specific exercises, students are encouraged to refine their use of syntax with a focus on a style. Students must also lead a debate with at least two friends and complete a multimedia project. This course is aligned to Common Core Standards in English Language Arts.
English 11 Honors Syllabus
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AMERICAN LITERATURE
Grade Level: 11, 12 (College Prep)
Credit: 1.0
Prerequisites: English 9 and 10
American Literature allows students to delve into the variety of literature produced by American writers from colonial times forward. The course uses the poetry, essays, and short stories of American writers to teach key literary concepts and devices including style, imagery, irony, tone, diction, and structure. The class culminates in the writing of a final essay about several pieces of literature through which students practice the writing process of literary analysis, thesis formation, outlining, and drafting. **Can be taken in place of English 11.
American Literature Syllabus
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ENGLISH 12
Grade: 12 (College Prep)
Credit: 0.5 or 1.0
Perquisites: English 9-11
The course focuses on the reading and analysis of literature, development of writing skills, expansion of vocabulary, and enhancement of critical thinking skills. Students are exposed to different genres through both reading and writing. It emphasizes essay writing in different styles and for different audiences to establish good writing skills. Students edit their work for content and for errors in sentence structure, usage, mechanics, and spelling. They read and critique canonical works, works of their own choosing, as well as study works across different genres. They engage in research processes and documentation techniques. By the end of the course, students will have improved their reading, writing, research, critical thinking, and communication skills.
English 12 Syllabus
ENGLISH 12 HONORS COMPOSITION
Grade: 12
Credit: 0.5 or 1.0
Prerequisites: English 9-11
English 12 Honors Composition introduces students to the writing process as a series of steps building to a final draft. Students learn that formal academic writing is a particular rhetorical situation with specific requirements and standards including proper grammar and punctuation, formal diction, and use of present tense, active voice, third person and parallel structure. Students learn to write a thesis, then gather, organize, develop, and cohere information and ideas to support that thesis. They learn to use MLA style to format a page and to properly cite sources of information. Students learn the critical thinking skills of evaluating sources of information and recognizing logical fallacies. Students learn to use rhetorical devices to lend their academic writing personal style and strength.
English 12 Honors Syllabus
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