English Language Arts

Recommendation: Completion of English 5-6  or English 5-6 Honors with a grade of A- or higher on all essays and participation, with an emphasis on the writing category .  Summer reading is assigned and required in advance of the course.  All students are expected to take the AP English Literature exam that is offered in May.

(UC approved “b”)

The Advanced Placement English curriculum follows the requirements of a college level English course, one in which students read widely and in depth, and engage in high level discussions of their critical, close reading.  In both their discussion and writing, students will examine the way in which a text is written rather than what the text is “about,” focusing on technique and style more than plot and theme. Although the readings vary from year to year, AP English focuses mainly on poetry and emphasizes works preceding the 20th century.  This AP course emphasizes literary analysis in precise focused writing; through speaking, listening and reading, but mainly through their own writing, students become more aware of the resources of language.   While concentrating on works of recognized literary merit, students develop their critical capacity for the independent appreciation and analysis of any literary work.  College credit may be obtained by scoring a 3 or above on an Advanced Placement Test administered in the Spring.    A donation for class novels is requested during online registration and can be made in Infinite Campus in the Fees section.

Recommendation: None

(UC approved “g”)

This is a course designed for students who are passionate about writing and serious about developing their creative writing skills. Students will have the opportunity to work in several genres, including short fiction, poetry, stage plays, screenplays, and creative non-fiction. Students should expect to write a great deal in a workshop environment that includes receiving regular feedback from peers and the instructor.

Required for all 9th graders 

(UC approved “b”)

The freshman English curriculum focuses on genre study of short stories, drama, poetry, novels, and non-fiction essays.   Students will not only analyze the form of the texts but also the literary elements contained within the texts.  As freshmen begin to shape their place in a new school environment, they examine the themes of identity, alienation, community, maturation, and exploration, both in their own lives and in literature through class discussions and literary analysis.  In addition to writing literary analysis, students will also complete an intense research project called the I Search, in which students self-select a topic, research the topic, and write a variety of pieces about it.  Descriptive and analytical writing encourages students to write vividly about themselves and the world around them, but they also emphasize an attention to detail that serves them well in their analysis and evaluation of literature.   A donation for purchase of one course novel for personal annotation is requested during online registration and can be made in Infinite Campus in the Fees section.

Required for all 10th graders.

(UC approved “b”)

The sophomore English curriculum extends the ninth grade study of literary terms such as symbol and theme to focus on the analysis and appreciation of tone, voice, and point of view.   Students explore perspective not only as a way of understanding the speaker/audience relationship in a text, but also as a way to hone this skill in their own persuasive writing.  Literature focuses on multiple points of view drawing attention to issues of gender, race, class, and community.  The context of these themes often dovetails with the 10th grade World History curriculum and the analysis of these themes extends to students’ own reflective writing.   Students also continue the non-fiction component of writing through researching and creating public service announcements.    A donation for class novels is requested during online registration and can be made in Infinite Campus in the Fees section.

Required for all juniors unless enrolled in English 5-6 Honors

(UC approved “b”)

The junior English curriculum focuses on American Literature, dovetailing with the concurrent U.S. History course.  In this context, students examine the issues of justice, democracy, idealism, and power.  As they explore the complexities of what it means to be an American, they examine the effects of race, gender, and class.   Analysis of such themes is far more complex than at previous grade levels, as students delve into style, structure, and diction in their close reading and analytical writing.  Through both class discussions and reflective writing they will also strive toward a higher level of analysis; as they explore the characters’ relationships to society, they develop a deeper understanding of their own connections to their world.   A donation for class novels is requested during online registration and can be made in Infinite Campus in the Fees section.

Recommendation:  Completion of English 1-2 and 3-4 with a grade of A- or higher, with an emphasis of A- or higher on all essays and participation.  Summer reading is assigned and required in advance of the course.

(UC approved “b”)

This is an advanced class for juniors and satisfies the junior year of English requirement.  This advanced course is intended to push already skilled students who wish to dive deeper into their language arts abilities to become critical readers of American prose written in a variety of rhetorical contexts, and become skilled writers who compose for a variety of purposes.  Both their writing and their reading will make students aware of the interactions between a writer’s purpose, audience expectations, and subjects, as well as the way conventions and the resources of language contribute to effectiveness in writing.     College credit may be obtained only by scoring a 3 or above on the Advanced Placement exam in English Language and Composition administered in the Spring.  A donation for class novels is requested during online registration and can be made in Infinite Campus in the Fees section.

Required for all seniors unless enrolled in AP English Literature.

(UC approved “b”)

The Senior English curriculum connects and synthesizes the skills and ideas introduced in the previous grade levels.  Students learn to look beyond the themes in an individual text and to appreciate the text as a reflection of a larger movement or school of thought (e.g., existentialism and romanticism).  In addition, students read literary criticism in order to improve critical thinking skills.   As they prepare to shape their own independent lives, seniors explore the search for self in literature.  A donation for class novels is requested during online registration and can be made in Infinite Campus in the Fees section.

Open to 10th-12th grade students only. 

(UC approved “g”) 

Learning to read visual media is a critical skill in our modern digital culture, and a natural progression from classic literary analysis.  In this course, students will use the literary terminology and analytical techniques they’ve learned in their English classes to critically explore the movies that have contributed to our social and intellectual identities.  The class will also watch and critically analyze film techniques, screenwriting choices, sound design, and directorial decisions, and maybe use what they have learned to produce their own media. 

Recommendation:  None

(UC approved “g”)

This course is designed to help students become more confident public speakers while learning the basics of proper speaking techniques, including breath and vocal control, anxiety management, and the use of classical rhetorical tools. Students will create individual speeches, perform impromptu speeches, play games designed to improve “thinking on their feet,” and will learn oral interpretation of literature.