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.