English 10th Grade

Instructor: Wendy Toy

Overview of Course:

I. Literature- The primary goal of this course is to read a lot, and to enjoy it! We will read and analyze many types of literature; the classics, as well as popular literature. The students will study the elements of the novels, and we will discuss the lessons taught in each story. They will also examine short stories and poems, for content as well as form. This year this course will be combined with the study of world history, so the literature will relate to the time periods we are studying, and may include the following, as well as others:

a. Old Man and the Sea, by Ernest Hemingway
b .Julius Caesar, by William Shakespeare
c. Farewell to Manzanar, by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston
d. Call of the Wild, by Jack London
e. Johnny Tremain, by Esther Forbes
f. Tom Sawyer, by Mark Twain
g. Cross and the Switchblade, by David Wilkerson
h. Red Badge of Courage,, by Stephen Crane


II. Writing- An important follow-up to reading is writing. The goal is for the students to learn to express their ideas thoughtfully and concisely. We will practice using the writing process in producing various types of compositions. Grammar, sentence and paragraph formation, and composition skills will be taught through their writing, as well as through specific lessons on problem areas. The students will build a portfolio of work, including the following:

A. Descriptive writing
a. expanding and developing vocabulary
B. Persuasive writing
C. Creative writing
a. poems
b. short stories
D. Expository writing
a. biography
b. business and friendly letters
c. journalism
d. reports and research papers

III. Vocabulary- The students will build their vocabulary in a number of ways. We will discuss new words that are in the literature we read, and will also have a list of words each week to study. We will use tools to help the students learn the words, such as looking at their derivations, and making word pictures. We will also write with the words so the students learn how to use them in context.
 

English 11th & 12th Grade

Instructor: Linda Brown

Overview of Course:

I. Literature- The primary goal of this course is to read a lot, and to enjoy it! We will read and analyze many types of literature; the classics, as well as popular literature. The students will study the elements of the novels, and we will discuss the lessons taught in each story. They will also examine short stories and poems, for content as well as form. The literature we will read may include the following, as well as others:

a. The Chosen, by Chaim Potok
b. Romeo & Juliet ,by Shakespeare
c. Death of a Salesman, by Arthur Miller
d. Crime and Punishment, by Dostoyevsky
e.Scarlett Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne
f. Poetry, short stories

II. Writing- An important follow-up to reading is writing. The goal is for the students to learn to express their ideas thoughtfully and concisely. We will practice using the writing process in producing various types of compositions. Grammar, sentence and paragraph formation, and composition skills will be taught through their writing. The students will build a large portfolio of work, including the following:

A. Descriptive writing
a. expanding and developing vocabulary
B. Persuasive writing
C. Creative writing
a. poems
b. short stories
D. Expository writing
a. biography
b. business and friendly letters
c. journalism
d. reports and research papers

III. Vocabulary- The students will build their vocabulary in a number of ways. We will discuss new words that are in the literature we read, and will also have a list of words each week to study. We will use tools to help the students learn the words, such as looking at their derivations, and making word pictures. We will also write with the words so the students learn how to use them in context.

IV. Public Speaking- This is a crucial tool for the students for the future. They will have opportunities to learn about projection, diction, and presentation. They will give speeches, participate in debates, and perform in acting roles.