English

Creative Writing

This course offers opportunities to improve writing skills and become more creative. The course activities involve journal writing and thinking exercises, studying and composing poems and stories. (0.5 credit)

English I - Segment 1, Segment 2, and Honors

What can you see?  Somebody (your teacher) really wants to know.  This is one course in which what you see and what you say really matters. No two people experience books, plays, or community events in exactly the same way, and no two people describe their experiences with the same words.  How clearly can you see what is happening before you?  How compellingly can you describe what you saw to others?  In this course, you will find out. Great books, short stories, poems and plays convey messages and feelings that make them great.  In this course, you will learn how to look for the message.  You will learn how to trust your feelings about that message.  And you will learn how to express clearly and convincingly what you think.  The purpose of this course is to give you the tools to see and hear with real understanding, and to communicate with real conviction. (each segment is 0.5 credit)

English II - Segment 1, Segment 2, and Honors

Dreams (both achieved and unfulfilled) have powered the writings of authors from ancient Greece to the present day. Dreams about conquering nature, being respected, or even winning the lottery have given authors memorable characters and limitless storylines.  In this course, you will sample some of these storylines.  You will also get to create some dreams and stories of your own. In addition to evaluating the plot and characters of well-known writers, you will learn to identify themes, create dialogue, and appeal to emotions.  You will study various forms of communication including: oral, visual, electronic and textual.  You will also develop your own ability to communicate dreams and aspirations with conviction. Great authors have something to say and the ability to say it well.  This course will show you how they do it, and will invite you to do the same. (each segment is 0.5 credit)

English III - Segment 1, Segment 2, and Honors

"Extra, extra, read all about it!"  It's all right here in black and white, in the pages of The Virtual Times newspaper.  Published at key periods in our American history, The Virtual Times takes us right into the action.  The writing is clear and concise.  The stories and opinions give us perspective.  The sports and entertainment sections give us the color and flavor of the times. In English III, the writing and insights of authors throughout our history are collected in the fast-paced pages of The Virtual Times.  You'll gain an appreciation of American literature and the ways it reflects the times in which it was written.  You'll discover how people thought and lived and wrote about their experiences. You'll also be asked to observe, investigate and report on stories of today.  The goal is to be thorough, accurate and compelling in your writing.  Perhaps in times to come, people will want to read what you thought and wrote. (each segment is 0.5 credit)

English IV - Segment 1, Segment 2, and Honors

Come explore the world of big ideas in English IV, where you are able to choose which path you will travel first as you explore highly-engaging, thematic units. Each path will guide you through a series of literary pieces that allow you to analyze the political, social, economic, and cultural messages of its time as well as its relevance to the world you live in today. Each path revolves around a central theme. The works in the course span a period of over 1000 years and have been written by authors who share common ideas, but employ a variety of literary genres to express their views. Whether it is the dramatic ending of a play, or the colorful images in a verse of poetry, the words of these authors will leave you with a new understanding of the world around you. As you travel down each path, you will create authentic work pieces that will engage you in higher-level learning and provide you with a greater understanding of literature and its connection to the world. (each segment is 0.5 credit)