Senior English Foundations
1 Credit Prerequisite : Placement by instructor and school counselor
This course is designed for those students who plan to enter the workforce , military , or vocational training directly after graduation . Students will continue to develop their reading , writing and oral communication skills and will explore the impact of non-fiction and fiction to their daily lives and views . They will read The Poacher ’ s Son and The Stranger in the Woods , many non-fiction pieces , and keep a blog about their reaction to this work that will include a series of 5 paragraph essays and many informal journals . Emphasis in the spring will be on work-related learning and skills enhancement .
Senior English Honors
1 Credit Prerequisite : Successful completion of Honors Junior English or AP Language & Composition , and placement by instructor
This accelerated and demanding course will further develop the skills of reading , writing , and discussing literature in preparation for life after high school . Students will read from a selection of whole-class texts , as well as completing their own independent reading . Additionally , they will participate in structured , student-centered discussions to further their communication and analysis skills . Daily informal writing will enforce skills and build confidence . Larger written components will include research papers and autobiographical writing ; as well as persuasive , informative , and narrative works . Past whole-class texts have included Educated , Hamlet , Interpreter of Maladies , The Stranger in the Woods , and Slaughter-House Five .
Senior English for the Real World
1 Credit Prerequisite : Placement by instructor and school counselor
This course is designed for those students who plan to enter the workforce , military , vocational , or community college directly after graduation . Students will read a combination of fiction and non-fiction as well as develop the writing and critical thinking skills necessary for the adult world . Students ’ individual post graduation plans will be explored in order to find , cultivate , and refine their goals . Major topics include personal identity , lifestyle and careers , societal issues , and research .
AP Literature & Composition
1 Credit Prerequisite : Successful completion of Honors Junior English or AP Language & Composition , and placement by instructor
This college-level course offers students who have shown exceptional ability and keen interest in English an opportunity for intensive reading , writing , and discussion . Course readings will span time ( from Chaucer and Shakespeare through contemporary authors ) as well as genre ( short fiction , novels , poetry , and drama ). Students will hone the analytic and rhetorical tools necessary for sophisticated and original literary analysis through class activities such as seminar discussions , collaborative projects , writing conferences , and peer review workshops . The course also includes structured exam practice and it is expected that all students will sit for the AP exam in May .
Nonfiction Literature / Journalism
1 Credit
This year-long , college preparatory , reading and writing elective will explore a number of writing styles and genres . Students will read and discuss classic examples of writing and be asked to create a variety of original pieces . As reporters , photojournalists , designers , and writers for our online news magazine , students will be engaged in real work . Mini-lessons each day will introduce students to the best work in the field . Additionally , for at least part of each class , students will be working in a writing lab / newsroom environment on your individual assignments . An emphasis will be placed on understanding the specific style or genre , the historical aspect of this work , and the literary or historical significance of this type of writing .
Creative Writing
1 Credit
Creative writing is a writing-intensive course designed for students interested in writing , regardless of experience . All students will explore short fiction , poetry , and a variety of creative nonfiction . The course will conclude with an independent study in which students get to explore a genre of choice that was not covered in the class , such as : writing for the screen , drama , graphic stories , novel writing , video game narratives , songs , podcasting , etc .
Literature of American Sport
1 Credit
This college preparatory English course will examine sports and sport issues through fiction , non-fiction , and dramatic reading . Readings such as Travis Roy ’ s Eleven Seconds , August Wilson ’ s Fences , and John Grisham ’ s Bleachers are a few of the selections . Students will also conduct an in-depth research project through the multi-genre perspective ; various reading , writing , and oral assignments will also be required .
Monsters and Misfits
1 Credit Prerequisite : Placement by instructor and school counselor
Monsters and misfits are pervasive in our culture because they represent both individual and societal fears and anxieties . In this course , students will concentrate on examining the nature of our fears and how monsters and misfits come to symbolize cultural anxieties through the study of the horror genre . Through research , writing , and critical cultural analysis of horror film and literature , students will apply critical theories to examine and identify classical literary misfits and monsters and their manifestations in the 21st century . Major literary works studied will include Frankenstein , Salem ’ s Lot , and The Haunting of Hill House .
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