CURRICULUM GUIDE 2014
LANGUAGE: STUDYING THE NOVEL
(LAN4N)
This course is highly recommended for students intending to go on to post-secondary study in the Humanities.
During the course, students will be asked to read and analyze two novels: one historical and the other contemporary
and produce a variety of texts relevant to their understanding, analysis, and academic writing skill. Prerequisite:
LANRP: Reading with a pen. Recommended level: IIII
LANGUAGE: READING WITH A PEN
(LANOP)
In this course, students will learn to read with purpose: searching for details that will assist in producing a
comprehensive analysis of a text. We recommend this course to all students interested in post-secondary study:
whether at College, University, or within the trades. Students can choose to use one of the course’s suggested texts
or their own: this course is a technical study that will teach students to read any text with the goal of analysis in
mind. Highly recommended for level students interested in taking “writing the essay” at the next level.
LANGUAGE: SHORTER GENRES
(LANOS)
In this course, students will study a variety of shorter texts from many cultures, time periods, and genres. Through a
lens of genre, students will begin to unravel the components that combine to create a compelling short story. The
course will also explore the relatively new but very popular genre of web writing for its advantages and
disadvantages comparative to other text forms. Recommended level: II or III.
THAT BEGS THE QUESTION
(LANBQ)
Students enrolled in this course will learn to use logical argumentation, recognize logical fallacy in a variety of
media and a variety of texts, and to more closely read a variety of texts in search of argumentation flaws/successes
that should be ignored, as well as those that should be considered. Recommended for students who are interested in
entering post-secondary study in a social service or addictions field. Recommended level: II, III, or IIII. Open to
students outside of Gavin Academy under special permissions. Open to Alumni.
MULTIMEDIA
(LANOM)
A study of Marshall McLuhan’s assertion that “the medium is the message” will lead to a survey of literary forms in
a multimedia world. This course is both practical and academic: students will be expected to keep a blog visible
publicly or locked so that it can only be viewed by the class. Over the course of the school year, students will learn
how to add enhancements such as photos and videos to their blogs while writing on topics relevant to the study of
multimedia presentation. Students will develop a well-rounded education, learning both the “how” and the “why”
of multimedia trends in literature as well as other texts.
POPCORN ENGLISH I: READING FILM
(LANPF)
This course is designed as an introductory level of film appreciation, history, and techniques used in each genre to
create meaning. Beginning with early film exploration, students will learn the history and development of film, use
of film in the creation of other projects, and get a behind-the-scenes look at the Gavin Academy “crew” The focus
will be on culture creation and the use of film as a tool for communication. Recommended level: II or III
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