English

English 9

Through literature, writing, and speaking, this college prep course covers the elements of the Common Core State Standards for 9th/10th grades.

Texts: Holt Handbook and Holt Literature & Language Arts 3rd Course and 9th-grade core novel and non-fiction works.

English 10

Through literature, writing, and speaking, this college prep course is designed to challenge students academically. This course covers the elements of the Common Core State Standards for 9th/10th. The grammar in this course consists of a review of the parts of speech, the parts of a sentence, phrases, clauses, subject and verb agreement, using pronouns, verbs and modifiers correctly, using end marks, commas, colons, semicolons, italics, quotation marks, ellipsis points, apostrophes, hyphens, dashes parentheses and brackets correctly, writing complete and effective  and diagramming sentences. The writing focuses on writing biographical narratives, comparative, persuasive, analytical, descriptive essays and consumer /workplace documents. Vocabulary development is emphasized by using words from the literary selections.

Texts: Holt Handbook and Holt Literature & Language Arts 4th Course and 10th grade core novel and non-fiction works.

English 11

This course is coordinated with students’ U.S. History course to enhance integration of the curricula of English and US History in a logical and enriching way. This course covers the elements of the Common Core State Standards for English 11th and 12th grades. The grammar in this course consists of a review of common usage problems—subject and verb agreement, forming plurals and possessives, choosing correct modifiers and punctuation (commas, colons, semicolons, hyphens). The writing focuses on developing a clear thesis statement and providing effective support. Vocabulary development is emphasized by using words from the literary selections. The literature is a survey of American literature from the Pilgrims to modern day. Students are expected to read outside of class and do homework regularly.

Texts: Holt Handbook and Holt Literature & Language Arts 5th Course and 11th grade core novel and non-fiction works

English 12

Through literature, writing, and speaking, this course is designed to challenge students. This course covers the elements Common Core State Standards for English11th and 12th grades. The grammar in this course consists of a review of common usage problems—subject and verb agreement, forming plurals and possessives, choosing correct modifiers and punctuation (commas, colons, semicolons, hyphens). The writing focuses on developing a clear thesis statement and providing effective support. Vocabulary development is emphasized by using words from the literary selections.

Texts: Holt Handbook and Holt Literature & Language Arts 6th Course and 12th grade core novel and non-fiction works

ERWC

The Expository Reading and Writing Course (ERWC) is designed to prepare students for college-level English and it is aligned with the Common Core State Standards for English 11th/12th grade. The course assignments emphasize the in-depth study of expository, analytical, and argumentative reading and writing.

Journalism

Students plan and prepare the school newspaper in the journalism classroom. While the course is open to all students, only those with strong writing skills will be likely to secure a passing grade. Students work in an editorial hierarchy, developing their composition and editing skills to create well-written prose. Various components associated with journalistic production will also be addressed, such as layout, research, photography, and the formation of editorial policy. Students must demonstrate the ability to work independently under a deadline and do well-documented research.

Text: How to Read Your Newspaper, 2nd Edition (Harcourt Brace & Janovich)