English/Language Arts

Students learn the characteristics of argumentative writing and how to build a resonable, logical argument. They analyze written arguments and speeches and write an argumentative research essay on the topic of their choice. This course emphasizes structure, evidence, and rhetoric in building an argument. It also emphasizes the importance of research, focusing on evaluating and properly citing sources.

Students read and respond to works of British literature that reflect the importance of historical and cultural context. They choose a piece of literature from seven different eras in British history and complete a project to show their understanding of that literature. Through these projects, students find patterns and common themes, examine structure, and analyze the use of literary elements and devices.

Film and television is an increasingly relevant way to experience storytelling and its lessons in modern culture. Film and television communicate meaning differently than written text, and their realm is a  world of rich visual language. This form of storytelling is just as worthy of analysis as traditional literature. Cinema as Literature will examine the elements of visual language and how filmmakers use them to translate traditional literary devices.

In this course, students engage with fiction narrative as both readers and writers. Students learn about key elements of fiction including plot, theme, character, dialogue, setting, tone, and sensory language. Students analyze stories for these elements and create short written pieces of their own. Introduction to Fiction culminates with the development of a story outline that can later be transformed into a full-length story. 

Grammar is the system and structure of a language, the governing force. It gives the users of that language rules, patterns, and guidelines to help them communicate effectively. Elements of Grammar will explore the important aspects of English language grammar. The course will begin by examining single words and build to developing varied and complex sentences.

Take an epic journey to refine your reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills. You will dive into literary and informational texts to discover the tools authors use to achieve their purpose and voyage through classic and contemporary works to reach new limits of comprehension.

English II uses the hero’s journey to explore world literature from ancient to modern times. Students will practice literary analysis and composition and learn about essential grammar and literary concepts. Finally, students will learn narrative & research writing concepts.

In English III, students delve deep into literary texts to uncover how literary elements enhance and add layers of meaning to an author's message. By exploring and evaluating the unique styles of a diverse selection of writers and works, students develop the skills needed to write literary analyses that inform an audience and defend an author's stylistic choices.

 In English IV, students explore history's impact on modern texts. By focusing on elements like universal theme, author's purpose and perspective, and historic influence, students are able to see literary works as a whole and understand the deeper experiences that surround these texts. With a strong focus on writing, speaking, and presenting, students engage with their audience and explore elements of English that are highly applicable to both college and the workforce.

Students review mythologies of the world and discover similarities that span time and culture. The course emphasizes the hero's journey, character archetypes, and creation myths. Students explore the common patterns in each. At the end of the course, the students show their knowledge through two student choice projects.

Students learn the basics of expository composition, with a strong emphasis on using the writing process to create well-structured essays. Students write outlines and matching essays with clear thesis statements and topic sentence agreement, and they develop their ideas through relevant details. They also learn basic research and citation skills. Students produce 4 essays in the course: division/classification, compare/contrast, cause and effect, and persuasive research.

From vampires to ghosts, these frightening stories have influenced fiction writers since the 18th century. This course will focus on the major themes found in Gothic literature and demonstrate how the core writing drivers produce, for the reader, a thrilling psychological environment. Terror versus horror, the influence of the supernatural, and descriptions of the difference between good and evil are just a few of the themes presented.

This course enables students to accelerate and strengthen the development of their reading and writing skills, so they are able to successfully read grade-level text. Lessons emphasize reading comprehension, writing fluency, and vocabulary study. Students also engage in question generation and research opportunities.

In this course, students explore a career in journalism and learn how to write a news story, a feature story, and an editorial. Throughout this course, they learn best practices for conducting research and interviews, analyzing the reliability of sources, and self-editing. This course provides a practical art credit to meet the art requirement for high school graduation.

In this course, students are introduced to the art of oration, a form that combines written text and verbal communication. Students examine various speeches for technique and effectiveness, including structure, language, tone, and nonverbal communication. They also learn practical strategies for writing and delivering speeches and presentations of their own. At the end of the course, students are expected to give an expository, persuasive, and special occasion speech.

The Lord of the Rings is one of the most popular stories in the modern world. In this course, students will study the movie versions of J.R.R. Tolkien's novel and learn about the process of converting literature to film. They will read and respond to classic literature that influenced Tolkien and his storytelling: Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Students will also explore fantasy literature as a genre and critique the three Lord of the Rings films.

In this course, students learn techniques from famous speakers throughout history while learning what it takes to make a great speech. Students bring their speeches to life by learning about body language, vocal, and other techniques. They learn about logic and reason while gaining the confidence to create and deliver great presentations and speeches. They will also critically examine their speeches and presentations and those of others to improve upon their skills.

In this course, students critically examine the art of narrative by reading and responding to pieces of literature. They learn about the core story components like plot, character, theme, setting, and point of view. They also learn how authors create unique stories using various literary devices.

In this course, students read and respond to 4 of Shakespeare's comedies: A Midsummer Night's Dream, Taming of the Shrew, Much Ado About Nothing, and Twelfth Night. Students analyze critical themes, characters, and conflicts in the plays while paying close attention to Shakespeare's language.

In this course, students read and respond to 4 of Shakespeare's tragedies: Romeo and Juliet, Othello, Macbeth, and Hamlet. Students analyze critical themes, characters, and conflicts in the plays while paying close attention to Shakespeare's language. They also complete assignments that allow them to examine film adaptations, re-envision a play's setting, create artistic representations, and research critical elements of Elizabethan England.  

In this course, students explore the wonderful world of poetry. They learn poetic terms and examine different structures and styles by creating collections of poems sourced from classic and contemporary works. Emphasis is placed on the language and themes, and at the end of the course, students are also expected to compose their own poems.