English

College Prep. English 1 – 0171T 

Grades: 9 Length: 2 Semesters Credits: 1 

Fulfills English 1 graduation requirement.

Description: In this course, students will be exposed to a variety of fiction (including novels, poetry, drama, and short stories) and nonfiction texts (including articles, narrative essays, and speeches). Students will have practice in various reading and writing skills in conjunction with these texts, which will improve their comprehension and communication skills. Writing assignments will include paragraph writing, one essay per quarter (400-750 words), and an oral book presentation per semester. Vocabulary and grammar skills will be taught alongside the texts and writing assignments, through No Red Ink.

English Literature & Composition – 0166T 

Grades: 9 Length: 1 Semester Credits: 1/2 

Description:  This course is designed to make students better readers and writers.  Through customized instructional software, high-interest fiction and nonfiction, and direct instruction in reading skills, vocabulary, writing, and grammar, students will expand their literary skills.  Students are required to use their computers to work through Scholastic’s READ 180 software.  Students will be tested throughout the year using this software, which analyzes the students’ Lexile scores.  It then gives students work that is appropriate for their reading levels.  Teachers use this information to guide instruction in small group settings.  Students can take up to 2 semesters.

College Prep. English 2 Honors - 01790 

Grades: 10 Length: 2 Semesters Credits: 1 

Prerequisite: Successful completion of CP English 1 or CP English 1 Honors.  

Fulfills English 2 graduation requirement.

Description: College Prep. English 2 Honors students will sharpen their writing skills through this writing-intensive course.  They will develop an awareness of the power of written communication as they refine their composition skills through writing and editing essays ranging from 600-1,000 words. At a minimum, students will write one essay per quarter, and they will focus on persuasive and expository writing.  On all essays, an emphasis will be placed on organization, idea development, usage, and mechanics.  In order to help with their writing, students will also use the computer program No Red Ink to work on grammar skills.  Utilizing a variety of fiction (including short stories and novels) and nonfiction (including academic articles), students will analyze expert writers and learn how to integrate source material into their writing.  Honors students will be expected to read at least one full-length book per quarter as a class, and at least one full-length book per quarter independently.  

College Prep. English 3 Honors - 01440 

Grades: 11 Length: 2 Semesters Credits: 1 

Prerequisite: Successful completion of CP English 2 Honors or CP English 2.  

Fulfills English 3 graduation requirement.

Description: College Prep English 3 Honors is designed for the study of major American writers and artists. Students will balance their reading and writing with the integration of speaking and listening activities. Through rigorous analytical reading, thinking, and writing, students will demonstrate a heightened awareness of American heritage and human diversity utilizing papers, journals, oral presentation, group projects, artistic representations, and dramatizations. Students will compose short essays, each considering a different Essential Question in order to better understand American culture and the movement as a country.  Students will also write an analytic compare and contrast essay.  Students will read a novel independently, as well as focus on growing SAT Reading, English, and Writing skills. 

College Prep. English 4 Composition – 01590 

Grades:  12 Length: 1 Semester Credits: 1/2  

Prerequisite: Successful completion of a full year of English 3 credit.  

Fulfills half of the English 4 graduation requirement.

Description:  This writing-intensive course focuses on skills in creating clear, concise, and carefully edited essays and summaries. The central writing piece will be a persuasive research paper that is theory based. Overall, students will complete three full-length essays and a range of smaller writing assignments. Essays will range in length from 300 words to 1250 words and must be typed.  Students must be prepared to participate in scheduled teacher-student conferences. Students must be organized, disciplined, and willing to expand their background knowledge on their approved topics, in addition to meeting rigorous deadlines. In addition to writing, students will read a variety of short stories and articles to help them analyze expert writers. Students will also use No Red Ink to work on grammar skills.  Students will also read and analyze a minimum of one full-length novel.  Finally, students must be comfortable sharing ideas and working with groups. 

College Prep. English 4 Advanced Composition Honors AP- 01600 

Grades: 12 Length: 1 Semester Credits: 1/2 

Dual Credit: LCCC – ENGL 131.  LCCC charges $30 for dual credit in this course.

Prerequisite: There are no prerequisites for this course.  To receive dual credit, additional prerequisites may apply.

Fulfills half of the English 4 graduation requirement.

Description: This writing-intensive course is a dual partnership with Lewis and Clark Community College, and students may receive both high school and college credits (3) by meeting class requirements and guidelines.  ENGL 131 focuses on college-level writing, including four analytical essays of a minimum of 1000 words and a research project of at least 1250 words. Students are expected to learn to utilize proper grammar, writing, and research skills, all using proper MLA formatting and critical thinking skills.  Students should familiarize themselves with the Lewis and Clark rubric and be prepared to engage in peer editing.  Students must be ready to turn in a final draft of one of their papers to be reviewed by Lewis and Clark faculty.  Students will also use the computer program No Red Ink to work on grammar skills. In addition to writing, students will read a variety of short stories and articles to help them analyze expert writers.  Students will also read and analyze a minimum of two full-length novels.  Finally, students must be comfortable sharing ideas and working with groups.   

Technical Writing 4 - 01430 

Grades: 12 Length: 2 Semesters Credits: 1 

Prerequisite: Successful completion of a full year of CP English 3 or Tech Writing 3.  

Fulfills English 4 graduation requirement.

Description:  Technical Writing 4 develops writing and research skills by often focusing on career interests.  Each semester consists of one major writing assignment (career analysis and technical report.)  A group proposal project is completed in the 2nd semester.  Smaller writing units include resumes, cover letters, and company/personal manifestos.  Reading and listening comprehension skills are developed through current informational texts, podcasts, and other media.  Technical Writing 4 will not read or analyze literature (novels, short stories, or poetry.)  ELA skills addressed will not involve fictional elements.  Course difficulty is comparable to CP English 4 and addresses the same grammar and writing topics on NoRedInk. Technical Writing’s focus is to develop skills that will help students with a post-secondary goal to attend technical/trade schools, community colleges, or military (without a concurrent plan of university attendance) and those directly entering the workforce.   If a student is planning to attend a four-year college/university, they are encouraged to take College Prep English 4.

Creative Writing - 01620 

Grades: 11, 12 Length: 1 Semester Credits: 1/2 

Fulfills half of the English 4 graduation requirement.

Description: Creative Writing is designed for students who are genuinely interested in writing creatively and productively and who have the discipline necessary for success in various writing projects. Individualized writing assignments relate to the student’s special interest when possible. In addition to the writing of poetry and the keeping of a journal, emphasis is placed on the development of plot and characterization and on the mastery of the techniques of description and dialogue, which students use in their short stories and plays. Students are encouraged to enter a variety of writing contests and to submit their work to appropriate magazines and newspapers including the Redbird Word. Mastery of English skills is essential for success in the course and the ability to use word processing for composing, writing, and editing is required. Creative Writing should never be substituted for a course in remedial writing. 

Journalism 2 Honors - 01920

Grades: 11, 12 Length: 2 Semesters Credits: 1 

Dual Credit: LCCC – MCOM 134 - LCCC charges $30 for dual credit of this class.

Prerequisite: LCCC Prerequisites include: 11th grade- Accuplacer Score of 250 or

12th grade- ACT Reading (18), SAT Reading (25) or 2.3 GPA

District Prerequisites include: Successful completion of Journalism 1

Description: Journalism 2 is a practical, hands-on course for students to explore their interests and talents in the field of journalism, improve their writing skills, and gain experience in a leadership role. All students in Journalism 2 are expected to apply for one of the following editorial staff positions: editor-in-chief, assistant editor, news editor, sports editor, features editor, arts & entertainment editor, or station manager. The course offers students real-life experience in various aspects of creating print and digital content for our student media outlets, The Redbird Word, The Daily Bird, and WLCA 89.9-2 Redbird Radio. Journalism 2 students collaborate with small teams of other journalism students to identify relevant, high-interest stories, complete the interview process, improve student writing through peer coaching, and create media products through writing/editing, design/layout and video production. Students also explore public relations, advertising, and marketing.   This class is recommended for students who are strong writers and show leadership qualities.

African American Literature - 01950

Grades: 11, 12 Length: 1 Semester or 2 Credits: ½-1 

Prerequisite: Successful completion of CP English 2 or Honors CP English 2.  Additional prerequisites may be listed on the Course Descriptions website.

Description: In African American Literature A, students read both fiction and nonfiction texts that provide a fundamental understanding of African American literature’s roots. These roots include oral traditions, didactic texts, religious syncretism, and the Black fantastic. The catalog of readings for this class provides an overview of  African American literature evolution since its foundations, exposing students to culturally significant writers in this field such as Alex Haley, Octavia Butler, Frederick Douglass, and Ida B. Wells.  In African American Literature B, students read both fiction and nonfiction texts that provide a fundamental purview of African American literature’s principal subjects during the 20th-Century and the revolutionary authors who reshaped African American literature during and beyond Jim Crow. The catalog of readings for this class provide an overview of  African American literature evolution in the 20th-Century, with special emphasis on the Harlem Renaissance and the Black Arts Movement, exposing students to culturally significant African American writers, such as W.E.B. Du Bois, Angela Y. Davis, Zora Neale Hurston, James Baldwin, and Alice Walker.  Across both classes, students will synthesize knowledge gained from assigned readings that are designed to help students establish connections between the texts they read, themselves, their knowledge from other courses, and the present day.