Faculty

Robert Brad

Adam Burkart

Christopher Elwert

Jason Griffin

Tara Henschel

Alexandra Preveti

Gregory Weeks

 

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT OVERVIEW

The overall goal of our English Department is to promote literacy—specifically the ability to read, write, and think critically.  We encourage students to think beyond the obvious and to equip them with the language arts skills necessary to meet the expectations of college professors and employers; this includes the fostering of such technological literacy as information retrieval, research, and communication.  Students will also craft their expository and persuasive writing abilities while utilizing the Modern Language Association (MLA) format.  While we maintain the intrinsic value of literature through a variety of genres and encourage students to become lifelong readers and writers, we also encourage them to read across the boundaries of time, place, and culture, and to recognize the historical and cultural contexts in which literature is created. 

Courses

AMERICAN STUDIES

American Studies is the honors course for grade 10.  It focuses on the history of American development from the post Civil War Era to the present. The “American Personality” is explored through English, social studies, art, and music.  Using primary sources from all four disciplines, students are asked to analyze our culture and make connections across time and discipline; connections are made to the present day whenever possible. The nature of the course is conceptual, and the students should expect to perform proficiently in a wide variety of learning and assessment strategies including a formal research paper in MLA format. A PowerPoint presentation used to inform prospective students and their parents about this course can be accessed below as well as the course syllabus. Both American Studies and Global Studies are scheduled as double periods: 1 credit of English, 1 credit of social studies.  Note: A summer reading list and/or assignments will be required as preparation for this course. Prerequisite(s): Students must have achieved high scores (at least 2 A’s and nothing less than a B in their grade 9 English and grade 9 social studies courses) and must be recommended by their teachers in order to be scheduled into American Studies.

Click Here to View PowerPoint Presentation (This may take a minute; please be patient.)

American Studies Course Syllabus

ENGLISH 10 HONORS

ENGLISH 10 COLLEGE PREPARATORY

This course is required of all sophomores not enrolled in American Studies.  Students will read, study, and analyze pieces of American, British, and world literature.  The building of skills in grammar, vocabulary, speech, literary analyses, and writing will be emphasized.  Within the area of composition, cohesive paragraph and essay writing will be highlighted, and students will write expository pieces, persuasive essays, literary analyses, and a formal research paper in MLA format.

GLOBAL STUDIES

Global Studies is the honors course for grade 11 and includes the subject areas of English, social studies, music, and art.  The various cultures of Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Europe will be explored from a primarily non-Western standpoint.  An emphasis will be placed on contemporary issues facing these regions and their impact across the world today.  This course includes art, literature, music, and theater—areas in which human values and individual expressiveness are celebrated.  This course traces the history of that expression through the eyes of global cultures.  Students must be willing to become involved in learning and participating in these various forms of expression as well as completing formal written research papers on these topics in both MLA and APA formats.  This course is scheduled as a double period: 1 credit of English, 1 credit of social studies.  Note: A summer reading list and/or assignments will be required as preparation for this course.  Prerequisite: American Studies.

ENGLISH 11 COLLEGE PREPARATORY

This course is required for all juniors not enrolled in Global Studies.  Focusing on a chronological study of American literature, students will develop an understanding of the importance of various periods of literature that characterize and reflect the American experience. They will read, interpret, analyze, and apply knowledge of the structures, themes, and elements of American fiction and nonfiction.  Additionally, the course will continue to build upon the conventions and skills of vocabulary, reading, writing, speech, grammar, and research. Students will be expected to successfully complete research-based assignments and projects including literary analyses and a formal research paper in MLA format. 

AP ENGLISH LIT & COMP

This specialized English course is targeted for the senior honors student planning to take the Advanced Placement test in Literature and Composition.  It demands a strong, confident command of standard written English and proficiency with expository writing.  The student will be required to read, analyze, explicate, and respond to many pieces from the various literary genres.  Students may choose to take the AP exam at the student’s expense.  Note: A summer reading list and/or assignments will be assigned and required in preparation for this course. 

ENGLISH 12 HONORS

This course is for the honors English student. Focusing on the study of British literature, students will develop higher-order thinking skills through application and analysis as they encounter a variety of literary genres, periods, and themes.  Mastery of written and oral communication skills is practiced daily.  A formal research paper in MLA format is a course requirement.  Note: A summer reading list and/or assignments will be required as preparation for this course, and students should be recommended by their grade 11 English or Global Studies teachers.

ENGLISH 12 COLLEGE PREPARATORY

This course is required for all high school seniors not enrolled in 12 Honors or AP English.  Focusing on the study of British literature, students will develop higher-order thinking skills through application and analysis as they encounter a variety of literary genres, periods, and themes.  Mastery of written and oral communication skills is practiced daily.  A formal research paper in MLA format is a course requirement.

ENGLISH ELECTIVES

English electives are one-semester or full-year courses that meet six times per cycle. They may not be used as substitutes for regular course requirements. Not all English electives will be offered each year; therefore, students may wish to plan elective choices accordingly.

SAT ENGLISH PREP

This English elective is designed to familiarize students with the SAT exam's structure, content, and directions for both the Critical Reading and the Writing sections of the SATs. Students will learn time management strategies and test taking strategies as well as have the opportunity to practice the following types of questions: Sentence Completion Questions, Passage-Based Reading Questions, Identifying Sentence Error Questions, Improving Sentence Questions, Improving Paragraph Questions, and the 25-minute Essay Question. Students will be given practice test sections scored under the same guidelines as the actual SAT exam and will be provided with feedback on their progress throughout the semester. Junior who plan on taking the SAT can choose this elective, and it must be taken along with the SAT Math Prep course.

 

WRITING ELECTIVE

The Writing Elective presents students with an exciting opportunity to enrich basic skills. This course goes beyond report, research, and essay-answer writing, to narrative and creative writing. Students will have many opportunities to write stories and poems, journals, and reviews. The Writing Elective is an active process that stresses the relationship between content and form.

SPEECH ELECTIVE

The Speech Elective gives students an opportunity to improve their skills in a variety of speaking and listening situations. This course goes beyond basic informative speech and classroom discussion techniques to the areas of debate, parliamentary procedure, oral interpretation, and speaking for the media. This elective will present speaking as a way of enhancing career potential.