English Department

Graduation Requirements

Every student must have four credits of English to graduate. Students must earn the four credits through enrollment in the required courses offered at each grade level. In addition to the required courses, students may select as many elective English courses as they wish.

Special Note

The required English courses are divided into three strands:

• Honors/Advanced Placement Strand (all classes are weighted)
• Traditional Strand (college-bound, non-weighted)
• Skills-Based Reading Strand (practical English, non-weighted)

Before you begin selecting courses, we’d like to stress the following important aspects of the three strands of English classes:

• All strands provide basic instruction in high school reading, writing, listening and speaking skills aligned with state standards, stressing individual growth for every student. The difference among the three is more a matter of pacing and independence rather than content.
• We do not have separate faculties for the three different strands. Teachers in the Honors strand also teach in the other two strands as well. No strand has the “better” or “easier” teachers.
• Traditional English and Honors/Advanced Placement English are both designed to prepare students for success in college and life after school. The curricula of both are the result of careful preparation to meet the needs of students who will attend trade schools, junior colleges and prestigious universities.
• There is mobility among the strands. Starting in one strand does not mean the student may never move to a different strand. We encourage you to help your child in selecting the strand that will help him or her reach his or her full potential.

The course descriptions that follow serve as a guide to assist students in picking the classes that best suit their needs. We encourage parents to read all the descriptions carefully and to remain an active partner in their child’s education throughout his or her high school education. If you have any questions prior to registering, please call the English Department Chair of the high school.

English Department Graduation Check List

Graduation Requirements: Every student must have four credits of English to graduate. Students must earn the four credits through enrollment in the required courses offered at each grade level. In addition to the required courses, students may select as many elective English courses as they wish.

Required English Courses

Freshman

Freshmen must enroll in one of the following year-long courses (one credit each):

• English I H (Honors Strand)
• English I (Traditional Strand)
• English I / Reading Workshop (Skills-Based Reading Strand)

How do I know which course to take?

English I H
If a student is strong in English, did well in middle-school English, likes to read and write independently and is prepared to work at a faster pace, this is the course for him or her. Students wishing to enter Advanced Placement English their junior and senior years should enroll in this course. English I H spends less time on the development of reading, writing and speaking skills and is meant more to challenge the student’s ability to critically read and analytically write about literature. Most students who take this course will take English II H their sophomore year.

English I
If a student isn't ready to successfully complete high school English independently, but would benefit from greater individual help and a more traditional approach to instruction, then this is the course for him or her. This course is a college preparatory course covering those skills necessary to succeed in college after high school and differs from the English I H course only in the pace of work and the amount of independent work expected of the student. Most students who take this course will take English II their sophomore year.

English I / Reading Workshop
Incoming freshmen who struggle with grade-appropriate reading and writing are placed in these two courses for 2 credits. If a student has difficulty completing assignments because of significant reading issues then this is exactly the program for him or her. Special attention is paid toward helping students catch up in their reading strategies for all the major content areas. Most students who take this course will take English II / Reading Workshop next year.

Sophomore

Sophomores must enroll in one of the following year-long courses (one credit each):

• English II H (Honors Strand)
• American Society (Block English Class)
• English II (Traditional Strand)
• English II / Reading Workshop (Skills-Based Reading Strand)

How do I know which course to take?

English II H
If a student did well in English I H, he or she most likely will continue in the honors track towards the Advanced Placement English classes by taking this course. The work will continue to be accelerated and students will continue to read and write analytically with increasing independency. As with English I H, this is for a student who welcomes the challenge of extensive reading. If a student successfully completed English I with high grades and would welcome a greater challenge and faster pace, he or she may also wish to move to the honors track by taking this class. English II H is a chronological survey of American Literature. Most students who take this course take English III AP next year.

American Society
This course is a combination of US History and American Literature that looks at the history and literature of American humanities concurrently. If a student might enjoy a more unique approach to studying literature and history together, then he or she may wish to take this course instead of the traditional English II class. This class will satisfy the graduation requirement for English II and US History. The class meets for two periods a day and counts as two credits, only one of which may be counted as an English credit. Most students who take American Society will take English III Choices next year.

English II
If English I seemed to provide an appropriate amount of work with the right degree of challenge, then English II is the logical and appropriate course to take next. Also, if a student was unsuccessful in English I H last year, this is probably a better choice for him or her sophomore year. English II is a chronological survey of American Literature. Most students who take this course will take English III Choices next year.

English II / Reading Workshop
Students who were in the English I Reading strand will most likely continue into this course their sophomore year. Students who were in any of the other strands their freshman year will probably only enter this class with teacher recommendation their sophomore year. Most students who take this course will take English III / Reading Workshop next year.

Junior

Juniors must enroll in one of the following year-long courses (one credit each):

• English III AP (Advanced Placement Strand)
• English III Choices (Traditional Strand)
• English III / Reading Workshop (Skills-Based Reading Strand)

How do I know which course to take?

English III AP
If students did well in English II Honors, they most likely will continue in the honors track with this first Advanced Placement English course. Not only does the course stress college-level reading and writing skills, but also prepares students for the English Language and Composition AP exam. This course challenges the student to rise to new levels of analysis, composition and time management as it stresses a great number of in-class, timed essays. Independent reading also increases. If a student was very successful in English II, he or she may wish to make the move into Advanced Placement English at this time by taking English III AP. Students who take this course most often take English IV AP their senior year.

English III Choices
Students successfully completing English II or American Society their sophomore year usually take English III Choices. If those classes challenged the student appropriately and the student has been developing skills successfully, then he or she would take this option. This remains a college preparatory option and will help all students prepare for the ACT and PSAE exams. To take English III Choices, the student must first sign up for English III British Literature, a chronological survey of literature from English beginnings through the Renaissance and Shakespeare. All students in English III Choices take this mandatory semester course.

The student must also take one of the following semester courses:

• British Literature II—a chronological continuation of English III Choices British Literature
• Contemporary Literature and Composition
• Dramatic Literature—the study of plays as literature
• Mythology—the study of the world’s great mythologies
• Cultural Studies—the study of world culture through literature

Students may, in their junior year, take more than one of the choices listed above and each will count toward the English graduation requirement. Students who take English III Choices usually will take English IV Choices their senior year.

English III / Reading Workshop
English III / Reading represents a continuation of the Reading strand in both high schools. Students who have been recommended by their previous teacher or still need work in basic skills should enroll in this class. As a rule of thumb, students intending to take this course should first speak with their sophomore English teacher and guidance counselor. Students continuing in the Reading strand into the junior and senior year should be aware that they are not in a college preparatory strand. Most students who take this course will continue with English IV / Reading their senior year.

Senior

Seniors must enroll in one of the following year-long courses (one credit each):

• English IV AP (Advanced Placement Strand)
• English IV Choices (Traditional Strand)
• English IV / Reading Workshop (Skills-Based Reading Strand)

How do I know which course to take?

English IV Advanced Placement
If students did well in English III Advanced Placement, they most likely will continue in the honors track and take this second Advanced Placement English class. This is a superb course for preparing to do college-level work, both in and outside of an English course. The course also prepares students to pass the English Literature and Composition Advanced Placement exam. This is our top-level course and students are encouraged to challenge themselves by taking it. Students who were very successful in English III Choices may make the move into Advanced Placement English at this time by enrolling in this course.

English IV Choices
Students who successfully completed English III Choices most often continue with this option their senior year. English IV Choices are college preparatory classes. Students electing to take this option must choose two of the seven semester-long classes.

• 20th Century and Beyond—studies the literary merits of futuristic, science fiction and fantasy literature. In addition, modern American authors and their works, which explore themes found in contemporary life, are also read.
• Poetry—for students who enjoy reading and writing poetry.
• Film Studies—studies classic films as opposed to print literature. While the amount of reading may be less in Film Studies, it is still an English course and the student may expect a considerable amount of writing as part of the grade.
• World Literature I—surveys a wide variety of the world’s literature, all of which is centered around four themes: War and Peace, Choices in Life, Satire and the Absurd, and the Power and Pain of Love.
• World Literature II—surveys literature centered around four themes: the Nature of Evil, the Paradox of Progress, the Search for Wisdom, and Yearnings of the Spirit. Students do not have to take World Lit I in order to enroll in this class.
• Philosophy—intensive study of some of the world’s most significant philosophies as well as how a philosophy can affect world view and events. Extensive reading and writing are required.
• Composition and Communications—emphasizes communicating effectively through writing and speaking in the 21st century. Students will refine their reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills. The emphasis is on learning how to communicate well in different settings.

English IV / Reading Workshop
English IV / Reading continues the reading strand into the senior year. The class is almost exclusively for students who had English III Reading. Students who weren’t in English III Reading should speak with their junior English teacher and guidance counselor before registering for this class. This is not a college-preparatory course.

Electives

How do I know which course to take?

The following electives do NOT count toward the four English credits required for graduation. The electives are not available to freshmen.

Newspaper (Grades 10,11,12)
Students may apply for and receive permission to work on the school’s newspaper. This year-long course does count as a credit toward graduation, but may not be used to fulfill the required four credits of English needed to graduate. This is a “repeatable credit,” meaning students may take this same course their sophomore, junior and senior years for credit toward graduation. To gain entrance to this course, students need to apply with the faculty director of the school paper at the end of their freshman year during the registration process. (One credit)

Yearbook (Grades 10,11,12)
Students may apply for and receive permission to work on the school’s yearbook. This year-long course, like Newspaper, counts as a credit toward graduation, but may not be used to fulfill the required four credits of English needed to graduate. This is also a “repeatable credit,” meaning students may take this same course sophomore, junior and senior years for credit toward graduation. Most students who take the Yearbook class intend to stay in the course through their senior year, becoming the editors of their senior yearbook. To gain entrance to this course, students need to apply with the faculty director of the yearbook at the end of their freshman year during the registration process. (One credit)

Theatre Arts I and II (Grades 10,11,12)
These semester-long courses are open to students interested in developing their skills in the theatre arts. The class is a hands-on experience in acting, directing, and theatre tech, all designed to further expand the student’s appreciation of theatre as an art form. If a student is interested in drama and the stage, then he or she may wish to consider enrolling. Further information on the courses is available from each school’s English department. (.5 credits each)

Creative Writing I (Grades 10,11,12)
This course is committed to developing students’ literary skills. If a student is interested in becoming a more accomplished writer and is prepared to write in many different genres, then this is the course for him or her. (.5 credit)

Creative Writing II (Grades 10,11,12)
This course is the sequel to Creative Writing I. Students must have successfully completed the first course before enrolling for this one. (.5 credit)

Public Speaking (Grades 10,11,12)
This class is for students interested in developing their public speaking skills in many different venues. If a student likes being at the podium and writing his or her own speeches, this class could be a favorite. This is a great class for students who participate on the school’s speech team.
(.5 credit)