English Department

LITERATURE & COMPOSITION (Honors and College Prep)

Prerequisite: PLACEMENT

Students will study a variety of genres including short stories, poetry, non-fiction, drama, and novels.  Vocabulary is taken from assigned readings and literary terms.  Students will learn to read critically and analytically while learning to appreciate language.  Writing instruction focuses on sentence maturity and the construction of a well-developed essay with emphasis on the process of writing. Writing assignments cover everything from creative poems to serious research with numerous essays in between.  Daily grammar study builds on the recognition of parts of speech with a focus on the analysis of sentence structure.

LITERATURE & COMPOSITION  II (Honors and College Prep)

Prerequisite: PLACEMENT

The focus of this course is to help students build confidence in reading and writing. Literature and reading skills strengthen reading comprehension proficiency and use of literary vocabulary, so students are able to analyze and discuss literature. Reading and writing assignments consist of both in class and out of class assignments. Writing instruction is process-based and focuses on informative and argumentative writing. All writing will support the correct use of grammar, usage, mechanics, conventions, and vocabulary. Students will read selections from the textbook and at least one novel per quarter. Students will learn how to prepare and deliver formal presentations. 

AMERICAN LITERATURE

Students will engage in a chronological study of the history and development of American Literature through the modern era.  Students will become proficient in a variety of genres, including short stories, poetry, novels, drama, and non-fiction. Students will continue to develop critical reading and thinking as well as composition skills in order to respond to literature in an organized and logical manner.

*ADVANCED PLACEMENT ENGLISH LANGUAGE & COMPOSITION

Prerequisite: 85% in LITERATURE & COMPOSITION II – HONORS or AP Potential score

This course will have required summer work.

Students in this challenging course will develop an awareness of the expressive potential of language.  AP English Language students will become skilled readers of nonfiction prose written in a variety of periods, disciplines, and rhetorical contexts and will gain understanding of the connections between interpretive skill in reading and writing.  Students will become skilled writers who compose for a variety of purposes. Emphasis is placed on independent learning. Students will also practice taking AP Language and Composition tests with emphasis placed on developing strategies and skills in both the multiple-choice and essay components. -College Board

ENGLISH LITERATURE

Students in this course will engage in a historical study of classical British literature ranging from the Anglo-Saxon period through the post-modern era.  They will encounter numerous classics as they focus on the various genres such as the novel, poetry, short stories, and drama. Composition skills will include the formal essay process as well as poetry explication and more.

*ADVANCED PLACEMENT ENGLISH LITERATURE & COMPOSITION

Prerequisite:  85% in AP ENGLISH LANGUAGE & COMPOSITION or AP Potential score 

This course will have required summer work.

This course prepares students to pass the Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition exam through reading and writing exercises appropriate for the college or college preparatory level. Students will analyze major works of literary significance through engaged reading, focused writing, and facilitated discussion. Furthermore, students will gain an understanding of larger issues related to the study of literature, such as periodization, genre, and critical theory. –College Board

*COURSES THAT QUALIFY FOR ACADEMIC RIGOR