Required: 4 units

English Requirements
Freshmen - English 9 (year course)
Sophomores - English 10/ or Honors English 10 (year course)
Juniors - American Literature (semester course) & elective/ or Honors English 11
Seniors - English Literature (semester course) & elective/ or Honors English 12

English 9
Grade: 9
Duration: Year
Prerequisite: None
Freshmen English is designed to increase vocabulary knowledge and use, review forms of grammar, introduce the elements and genres of literature, and develop writing and researching skills. New vocabulary is introduced weekly and strengthened through memorization and usage. Areas of grammar study include parts of speech, parts of the sentence, phrases, and clauses. Diagramming is also utilized to help augment visual learning strategies involved in the writing process. Literature is introduced through the study of short stories, mythology, drama, poetry and the novel. Writing skills are honed with an emphasis on several essay strategies and a research paper.

English 10
Grade: 10
Duration: Year
Prerequisite: English 9
The sophomore year continues the study of grammar, composition and literature. Grammar focuses on reviewing sentence structure, usage and mechanics. Composition is emphasized with a variety of essay types and a research paper. Literature study includes class reading and analysis of a novel, a drama, short stories, non-fiction and poetry. Public speaking is also introduced by covering a variety of speech types and strategies. Vocabulary knowledge and application is studied throughout the year.

Honors English 10
Grade: 10
Duration: Year
Prerequisite: Earned A in English 9 and Department Approval
Class size is limited to 28.
This course is a two-semester, college-preparatory course for high-achieving sophomores. Main content of the course is American and English literature, essays, drama novels, poetry, short stories, speech and literary research techniques. Students are involved in literary discussion, writing and rewriting as regular activities. Intensive outside reading is required as well as written essays and literary analysis. A novel is assigned during the summer before the class begins and students are required to have it completed before day one of the sophomore year.

Advanced Placement Language and Composition
Grade: 11
Duration: Year
Prerequisite: 3.5 cumulative grade point average. Class may be limited.
This course satisfies the Junior English requirement.

The AP® English Language and Composition course blends the study of American literature with the use and impact of rhetorical strategies.  While studying various American authors, we will also focus on authors’ use of rhetorical strategies.  Authors write with purpose and use various language tools to accomplish this purpose.  They also write to specific audiences.  This course will also examine the tools needed to write for a variety of audiences with a variety of purposes.  Students will experience the different types of writing including argumentative, expository and analytical by reading models found in American literature and by using the different strategies in various writing assignments.  

A novel is assigned during the summer before the class begins and students are required to have it completed before the first day of class.

American Literature
Grade: 11
Duration: Semester
Prerequisite: English 10
This class is a semester course in which works by American authors are read and discussed in their historical context. The genres include poetry, drama, short stories, the novel and non-fiction. Writing skills are developed through formal and informal literary response. This includes a thesis paper in which the students independently read, research and analyze a novel from an American author. Oral presentations are related to the thesis paper, literary selections and other various assignments.

English Literature
Grade: 12
Duration: Semester
Prerequisite: American Literature
This course marries the history of the English language to the resulting literary works in a chronological survey of English literature from 449 AD to the present. The effect of major historic events of the culture of English society is explored through major writers. All genres of literature, from epic poetry to Shakespearean drama are visited; literary analysis and response takes the form of essays, projects and a thesis paper.

AP Literature & Composition 12 (AP)
Grade: 12
Duration: Semester
Prerequisite: 3.5 GPA in English, faculty recommendation, and English department approval.

(AP Literature & Composition 12 satisfies the Senior English requirement.) The AP® English Literature and Composition is the exit course of the English department.  This course strengthens reading, writing and literary analysis skills.  It also augments a student’s ability to evaluate, judge, analyze and synthesize literature.  This is accomplished by reading a variety of literature from different countries, periods and genres.  The course will focus on specific authors, themes, genres and analyses.  Every author and literary work studied requires various types of critical thinking. This course aligns itself with the requirements found in the AP®English course description.  Strategies towards understanding and taking the Advanced Placement test occur throughout the course. A novel is assigned during the summer before the class begins and students are required to have it completed before the first day of class.

Expository Writing
Grades: 11,12
Duration: Semester
Prerequisite: English 10
This one semester course is designed to improve the writing skills for both high school and college applications. Students will examine, experience, learn and demonstrate writing strategies for various types of essays. Each week the students will craft an essay that reveals an understanding of topic, purpose, tone, grammar, and style. This will be done with a heavy emphasis on writing as well as reading a variety of essay types. Students will experience a variety of strategies that will improve their ability to compose essays that reveal paragraph development, paragraph transitions, unity, and purpose.

Speech
Grades: 11,12
Duration: Semester
Prerequisite: English 10
This class is designed to improve the student’s ability in the area of public speaking. After learning about the communication process, the student will actively participate in demonstration, informative, persuasion, and impromptu speeches, as well as being introduced to oral interpretation of literature (forensics) and formal debate.

The Novel
Grades: 11,12
Duration: Semester
Prerequisite: English 10
This one semester course is designed to improve student awareness and appreciation of the novel as a literary form. A variety of novels will be read and studied, primarily from the late 19 th and 20 th centuries. In connections with reading of the novels, the students will be involved with various research projects and written assignments.

Writing for Publication I & II
Grades: 10,11,12
Duration: Semester/or Year
Only fulfills ½ English credit. Must take I before II.
Prerequisite: English 10 & or teacher approval. (Does not fulfill NCAA clearing house English credit)
This course will concentrate on the practical side of writing. The students will be instructed to write clearly, accurately, and simple. Students will gain experience in gathering, weighing, and organizing facts. This class will produce the school newspaper and the literary journal. This will include the techniques of newspaper layout.

Writing for Publication: Independent Study
Grades: 11,12
Duration: Semester/or Year
Only fulfills ½ English credit.
Prerequisite: Writing for Publication and teacher approval
This course is designed for the student who wants to learn more about journalism than Writing for Publication offers. It will take an in-depth look at gathering, weighing, and organizing facts. The independent study student will be an editor for the school newspaper and will be responsible for numerous out-of-class responsibilities. The class will meet during Writing for Publication and the independent study student will assist in organizing and creating the school newspaper.

Equus-Yearbook I & II
Grades: 10, 11, 12
Duration: Year
Prerequisite Teacher approval- Only fulfills ½ English credit.
This course will concentrate on the development of writing clarity and effectiveness as well as the application of general journalistic principles. This course will produce the school yearbook. This will involve caption and article writing, editing, page design and layout, and photography.