ENGLISH EDUCATION COURSE DESCRIPTIONS ENGLISH COURSES OPEN TO FRESHMEN

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1 ENGLISH EDUCATION COURSE DESCRIPTIONS English is critical to your development. The ability to read with insight and to express yourself clearly is absolutely necessary no matter what career or life goals you may have. You should select English courses that will be challenging to you. In accepting challenge you assure your progress in these skills. You also prepare yourself best for what lies ahead. Finally, by reaching for challenge, you keep your options open. The English Department offers two parallel programs to students in grades 11 and 12. You may continue with the yearlong survey program OR you may choose from several semester long courses. Note well: In order to advance to the junior/senior program, students must demonstrate success by passing freshman and sophomore English. Honors Freshman English EN 0101 Full Year 4 Credits ENGLISH COURSES OPEN TO FRESHMEN Honors Freshman English is designed to engage students in an intensive exploration of reading, writing, and critical thinking. Quarterly themes include: The Individual and Society, Darkness of Man s Heart, Duty versus Desire, and Coming of Age. Students can expect to read and write daily. Students will read numerous novels (both whole class and independent choice), poetry, drama, short story, and non-fiction with increasing text complexity. Students will write for a range of purpose including, but not limited to, narratives, argument, and informative/explanatory texts. Students can also expect to participate in various activities designed to explore artistic mediums through listening, speaking, and viewing skills. Honors Freshman English is a rigorous course requiring extensive outside of class reading, writing, and investigation. College Preparatory Freshman English EN 0201 Full Year 4 Credits College Prep Freshman English is designed to engage students in reading, writing, and critical thinking. Quarterly themes include: The Individual and Society, Darkness of Man s Heart, Duty versus Desire, and Coming of Age. Students can expect to read and write daily. Students will read several novels (both whole class and independent choice), poetry, drama, short story, and non-fiction with increasing text complexity. Students will write for a range of purpose including, but not limited to, narratives, argument, and informative/explanatory texts. Students can also expect to participate in various activities designed to explore artistic mediums through listening, speaking, and viewing skills. Freshman English EN 0301 Full Year 4 Credits Freshman English is designed to engage students in reading, writing, and critical thinking. Quarterly themes include: The Individual and Society, Darkness of Man s Heart, Duty versus Desire, and Coming of Age. Students can expect to read and write daily. Student will read novels (both whole class and independent choice), poetry, drama, short story, and non-fiction. Students will write for a range of purpose including, but not limited to, narratives, argument, and informative/explanatory texts.

2 Integrated English I EN 804 Full Year 4 Credits This academic level course is designed for students who need individualized remediation with reading and writing skills. The pace and attention to individualized instruction and assistance is dependent upon the needs of the students. This class uses Language!, a comprehensive literacy curriculum with frequent assessments to gauge mastery. The students will have the opportunity to acquire the necessary skills needed to succeed in subsequent English courses. Students must be recommended for this course. Honors American Literature EN 0102 Full Year 4 Credits ENGLISH COURSES OPEN TO SOPHOMORES Honors American Literature examines major themes in American thought, ranging from the American Rebel to the American Dream. Writing assignments include creative fiction and non-fiction, research, literary analysis, personal reflections and critical synthesis essays. Reading includes contemporary and classic selections, from a variety of fiction and non-fiction genres. Participation in class discussion and presentation of original work are integral to student success in the course. The course culminates in a digital essay final that requires students to present their interpretation of the American Experience. Artifacts included in the final portfolio are student selected, but include sources from both in class as well as outside class, ranging from Ralph Waldo Emerson to NPR s This I Believe. Honors American Literature is a rigorous course, requiring extensive outside of class reading, writing, and investigation. College Preparatory American Literature EN 0202 Full Year- 4 Credits College Prep American Literature examines major themes in American thought, ranging from the American Rebel to the American Dream. Writing assignments include creative fiction and non-fiction, research, literary analysis, personal reflections and critical synthesis essays. Reading includes contemporary and classic selections, from a variety of fiction and non-fiction genres. Participation in class discussion and presentation of original work are integral to student success in the course. The course culminates in a digital essay final that requires students to present their interpretation of the American Experience. Artifacts included in the final portfolio are student selected, but include sources from both in class as well as outside class, ranging from Ralph Waldo Emerson to NPR s This I Believe. American Literature EN 0302 Full Year 4 Credits This course will focus on skill building to include reading, writing and vocabulary development. Literature is drawn from the works of American authors, and expository, practical, creative and journalistic writing is explored. There are reading and writing homework expectations. Pace of instruction will reflect the needs of the student. Integrated English II EN 805 Full Year 4 Credits This course is designed for students who need individualized remediation with reading and writing skills. The curriculum for this course includes the study of American literature, reading, writing and vocabulary development as well as the conventions of the English language. This class uses Language!, a comprehensive literacy curriculum with frequent assessments to gauge mastery. The students will have the opportunity to acquire the necessary skills needed to succeed in subsequent English courses. Students must be recommended for this course.

3 American Studies EN 905 and SS 905 (register for both courses) Full Year 8 Credits - 4 English and 4 Social Studies This course, which offers dual credit for Social Studies and English, meets daily for a double period. In an interdisciplinary approach, the American Experience is presented as a correlation and reliance on both of these subjects. It incorporates music and art into the curriculum as well. Success in this course requires the student to complete homework assignments, to contribute to class discussions, to listen to peers and teachers, and to keep a journal to explore thoughts on class work or personal issues. Students should expect regularly assigned homework, including reading, writing, and long-term projects. ENGLISH COURSES OPEN TO JUNIORS AND SENIORS Students have the option of continuing in full year survey courses similar in structure to Freshman and Sophomore English or selecting from among several semester-long, thematic courses. Students may also choose to take a semester course in conjunction with their survey course. Advanced Placement Language and Composition EN 0133 Full Year 4 Credits Honors American Literature and recommendation from tenth grade teacher is highly recommended Students selecting the AP Language and Composition course should be interested in studying and writing various kinds of analytical or persuasive essays on nonliterary topics. In this course nonfiction texts and contexts take center stage. Here students think deeply about language as a persuasive tool and about the dynamic relationship of writer, context, audience, and argument. Emphasis is placed on argumentation, expository prose, and stylistic analysis, critical readings stress stylistic forms and careful attention to close analysis. Students enrolled in this course are expected to take the Advanced Placement Examination in May. Refer to the General Information pages for more information regarding Advanced Placement. Honors Advanced Composition EN 0134 Full Year 4 credits Honors Advanced Composition is a full-year course for juniors and seniors who possess strong academic reading and writing. The content of this course meets the requirements of a college-level writing course. Students refine their ability to write in a variety of rhetorical modes: narration, description, division and classification, comparison and contrast, process, cause and effect, definition and argument and persuasion. Two formal and lengthy research papers will be assigned. The course presents a variety of methods of pre-writing, organizing, developing, drafting, revising, and editing academic papers. Opportunities are provided for students to read and discuss essays (both professional and those written by their peers), to explore writing and critical thinking strategies, and to practice the skills they have learned. Attention will be given to textual analysis and strategies necessary for comprehending difficult texts. A review of grammar fundamentals is emphasized. Reading assignments will provide models for grammar and syntax studies. Individual conferences with the instructor and comments on papers and drafts are all designed to help students acquire greater control over their writing, develop a more fluid writing style, and master the art of academic writing. Advanced Composition at the honors level is taught as the Southern New Hampshire University ENG120 College Composition course. Students are encouraged to enroll in the Southern New Hampshire University dual enrollment program and earn college credit. Refer to the General Information pages for more information regarding Dual Enrollment. Important Note: Students who have completed this course will not be permitted to take the semester courses Advanced Skills for credit.

4 College Preparatory Advanced Composition EN 0243 Full Year 4 credits The aim of this full year course is to prepare college bound juniors and seniors for the demands of academic writing and reading. The course guidelines will be similar to the honors level; however, assignments covered in the college preparatory version will not be as lengthy and students can expect more time to complete their writing assignments. The emphasis at this level will be to develop strong academic reading and writing skills. Grammar, vocabulary development, and SAT practice will comprise a portion of this class. Important Note: Students who have completed this course will not be permitted to take either of the semester courses Advanced Skills for credit. British Literature EN 103 (Honors) EN 203 (CP) Full Year 4 Credits British Literature is open to both juniors and seniors. Students will survey British literature, to include works by Chaucer, Shakespeare, Milton, Swift, Joyce, Shaw and many others. In addition to an emphasis on the development of literary analysis, students will continue to hone their skills in composition, vocabulary, grammar and usage. Students are required to conduct independent research. British Literature is offered as both an honors level and a college preparatory course. Please speak with your English teacher, guidance counselor, and refer to the General Information pages of this guide to help you determine the appropriate level. Integrated English III and IV EN 806 Full Year 4 credits This course is designed for students in grades 11 or 12 who need individualized remediation with reading and writing skills. The pace and attention to individualized instruction and assistance is dependent upon the needs of the students. This class uses Language!, a comprehensive literacy curriculum with frequent assessments to gauge mastery. The students will have the opportunity to acquire the necessary skills needed to succeed in subsequent English courses. Students must be recommended for this course. FULL YEAR ENGLISH COURSES OPEN TO JUNIORS Junior English EN 0303 Full Year 4 Credits This course is designed to explore various themes including heroes, follow your bliss, morality, quest, and horror. Students will expect to read a Shakespeare play, do research, read independent novels, view supporting films, conduct Internet research, and complete homework assignments. In addition, students will write personal narratives as well as dabble in creative writing. FULL YEAR ENGLISH COURSES OPEN TO SENIORS Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition EN 0114 Full year 4 Credits Prerequisite: Honors British Literature and recommendation from eleventh grade teacher is highly recommended This AP course includes intensive study of representative works from various genres and periods, concentrating on works of recognized literary merit. Students read analytically, taking time to understand a work s complexity, to absorb its richness of meaning, and to analyze that meaning embodied in literary form. Careful attention to textual detail provides a foundation for interpretation. Writing is an integral part of the AP English Literature and Composition course, for the AP Examination is weighted toward student writing about literature. Writing assignments focus on the critical analysis of literature

5 and include expository, analytical, and argumentative essays. The goal of the writing assignments is to increase students ability to explain clearly and cogently what they understand about literary works and why they interpret them as they do. The AP examination tests the student s ability to analyze selected poems and prose passages analytically and to write critical or analytical essays based on the readings. Preparing for the exam is an integral part of the AP Program; however, it is not the only emphasis of the class. The AP course lays the groundwork for students to succeed on the exam, but more importantly the course provides students with the skills necessary to discover meaning in literature by becoming more attentive to language, image, character, and various other techniques and strategies a writer may utilize. Students enrolled in this course are expected to take the Advanced Placement Examination in May. Refer to the General Information pages for more information regarding Advanced Placement. World Literature EN 104 (Honors) EN 204 (CP) Full Year 4 Credits World Literature is devoted to the study of contemporary literature from around the globe. In essence students will be reading the world. Works are studied for their alternative perspectives on common ideals shared by all humanity. Students will continue to develop skills in textual analysis and strategies necessary for comprehending difficult texts. Works in drama fiction and poetry such as those of Gabriel Marquez, Arundhati Roy, Achebe, Gordimer, and Borges are read and discussed. Writing usually is comprised of discussion papers, essays of literary analysis and an extensive Senior Investigation (literary research paper). World Literature is offered as both an honors level and a college preparatory course. Please speak with your English teacher, guidance counselor, and refer to the General Information pages of this guide to help you determine the appropriate level. Senior English EN 0304 Full Year 4 Credits Employment, training, and college today require strong reading, writing, computing and analytical skills. This course provides the setting for students to improve their literacy skills for a smooth transition to life beyond Exeter High. Students will read and study quality, high interest, world literature, as well as pertinent magazines and websites as they focus on units devoted to reading for enjoyment, technical studies, a senior memory book, as well as film and music. Students will have the opportunity to complete independent studies (research, design, personal investigations, etc.) devoted to future career and educational interests. SEMESTER ENGLISH COURSES OPEN TO JUNIORS AND SENIORS Some semester courses are offered EVERY OTHER YEAR ONLY. Plan your last years of English in your sophomore year to be sure of getting the courses you want. Advanced Skills EN 213 Semester offered every year- 2 Credits This college preparatory course is designed to help students develop greater proficiency with language skills. Vocabulary development, grammar and usage review, and the reading, writing, and analysis of pieces of nonfiction are included. Students taking the SATs will find the course helpful. This course is recommended for college preparation.

6 Adventure Literature EN 0313 Semester offered every year- 2 Credits This academic level course is designed for students with a desire to read non-fiction books exhibiting the adventures of men and women around the globe. Students will read extensively as well as write responses, reviews, news stories, letters and analysis papers associated with the reading. Speakers, discussion, Internet tracking of adventures and the design of a first-hand adventure will round out the course. Applied Writing EN 0323 Semester offered every year 2 Credits This academic level course is designed to help students develop writing skills that will be useful to them in their adult lives. Essays, journals, oral histories, interviews, narratives, and personal letter writing will be one focus of this course. Business writing, such as letters, memos, resumes, summaries, and technical writing is another focus. Students will revise their work and keep a writing folder. Argumentation and Debate EN 993 Semester offered every year - 2 Credits This course is an introduction to the fundamentals of debate theory and practice. The course helps to prepare students for future professional activities as well as everyday life experiences by providing them with the necessary skills for researching, organizing, developing, and delivering arguments in debates. They also will learn the skills for critiquing arguments of others and critically evaluating arguments in various other contexts. Research papers will focus on the affirmative and negative constructive speeches for competitive debate practice. Various types of rhetoric and research writing will be studied and evaluated for the purpose of persuasion. All students will be presenting in traditional (four person) debates. Students may take Argumentation and Debate in consecutive semesters for credit. Children s Literature EN 333 Semester offered every year - 2 Credits This is an academic level reading and writing course in which students evaluate the literature available to children in order to come to an understanding of its purpose. Daily reading and writing assignments are required in addition to many projects. Selections include children s classics as well as contemporary pieces. The course provides good preparation for parenting and careers involving children. Contemporary Fiction EN 223 Semester offered every year - 2 Credits Contemporary Fiction is a challenging semester college preparatory course that focuses on novels selected from various genres, cultures, themes, voices, and issues. Students will hone their skills in discovering meaning in literature by being attentive to language, image, character, style and other various techniques authors use to evoke emotional responses from their readers. Close reading of the text is important in order to take the time to understand a work s complexity, to absorb the meaning and to analyze that meaning. Careful attention to textual details provides a foundation for interpretation. Students can expect daily outside reading assignments and contribute to class discussions. Writing assignments will supplement the readings for this course. Written assignments are frequent and an integral component of this class and may take the following forms: critical analysis, expository essays, and response or discussion papers.

7 Creative Writing and Poetry EN 903 Semester offered every year 2 Credits This course, open to all academic levels, is an introduction to the multitude of creative writing genres including short story, poetry, and drama. Students can expect daily writing assignments that challenge their ability to capture in words their experiences, ideas, and imaginative worlds. Revision and editing are critical aspects of the writing process required of students in Creative Writing. Participation in a classroom community that shares and evaluates its work is also required. Students can expect to create a portfolio that is reflective of their individual effort and their growth as a writer. Publication outside the classroom is encouraged. Selected readings are used for discussion, analysis, and writing models. Film Studies EN 915 Semester offered every year 2 Credits In this course, students will learn the basics of film making: shots, camera angles, lens, camera movement, editing techniques and theories, lighting, sound, and color. They will study how filmmakers use these techniques to create their stories and the effect it has on their audiences. Students will study Charlie Chaplin and Alfred Hitchcock, viewing and analyzing many of their films. Other films viewed will include such greats as On the Waterfront, From Here to Eternity, Bonnie and Clyde, and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, which will be studied for technique and for theme. Animation is studied as well. Writing assignments include movie reviews, analytical essays, research papers, and screenplay, writing and creating storyboards. Tests are given on films and text units. The final project is the creation of a film, complete with storyboard and screenplay. Great Works EN 906 Semester- offered every year 2 Credits The Great Works course focuses on a single text over the course of one semester. The text is a complete translation of Homer s The Odyssey. Clever Odysseus, the man skilled in all ways of contending, leaves behind 10 years of war to return to a world that seems to have no place for an old soldier. The journey home by ancient Greece s greatest and deeply flawed hero is much more than an adventure story; Odysseus exploits embody much of the human condition. An allegory of the journey of life, The Odyssey takes on topics of identity, spiritual growth, and the emergence of modern thought. The reading requirements for this course are challenging and require significant commitment from students who enroll, as the full text of the epic will be studied. Students will explore the cultural impact of this work on Western Civilization for the last 4,000 years, as well as its relevance to our current post-war America. Students also read other works from a variety of genres influenced by The Odyssey, as well as scholarly articles and literary critiques of the epic s major themes, providing the unique intellectual rewards that come from an in-depth examination of a Great Work. If the instructor has chosen a different focus text, students may take Great Works in consecutive years for credit. Media Literacy EN 923 Semester offered every year - 2 Credits Media Literacy is a semester-long course for students of all academic levels who have an interest in studying various forms of mass media including journalism, advertising and television. The goal of this course is to provide an understanding of how media works and to make students better consumers of media-related issues. Students should expect to participate in discussions about current events as they unfold within the media. Course work includes a variety of reading and writing assignments. Students are expected to read from the required textbook as well as supplementary readings including newspapers. Journalistic writing assignments including news reporting, interviewing, and editorial writing are also required. A major research project will be assigned and students can expect to write several critical analysis essays based on the topics covered in class.

8 Science Fiction EN 943 Semester offered in Credits Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry once reportedly said, For me, science fiction is a way of thinking, a way of logic that bypasses a lot of nonsense. It allows people to look directly at important subjects. The exploration of science fiction allows the reader to delve into unknown worlds and at the same time, turn the analytical eye upon our own world. This course will focus on the study of various genres of science fiction, such as novels, short stories and film. Students will read, study and analyze literature, as well as complete related analytical and creative writing exercises. Short Stories EN 954 Semester offered every year 2 Credits Reading is a gymnasium for the imagination where people can work out, get ready for the shocks of existence. (Robert Hass, an American poet) 0Stories constitute an important part of cultural heritage in many forms: folktales, ballads, fables, myths and legends. These stories go by names but all provide recognizable antecedents for the modern short story. Selected Shorts is a study of the short story. Like any form of art, the short story is comprised of certain devices or elements, each of which contributes to the making of an integrated and unified whole. This course, open to all academic levels, examines those elements. Students can expect to examine and analyze the elements of fiction: plot character, setting, point of view, symbol, theme, style and tone. A working knowledge of such terms will enable students to organize their responses to a work and discuss them with others. Time will be devoted to refining student skills in how to read closely and critically. Daily reading assignments are drawn exclusively from short stories and novellas. Activities for pairs or groups are planned, leading to class discussion. Class participation is expected. Writing in the following formats can be expected: commentaries, responses, reviews, discussion papers, and critical analysis essays. Opportunities may be given for students to write in a variety of short story forms. Shakespeare EN 963 Semester will be offered in Credits Shakespeare s plays are scripts, not texts. This course, open to all academic levels, will present his works, life and times through reading, improvisations, acting, and related activities. Writing of analytical papers is required for character analysis. Memorization of lines is required for acting. Students will organize and participate in a Shakespeare production as a culminating activity of the course. This course is also listed under Performing Arts. ALSO OFFERED BY THE ENGLISH DEPARTMENT Newspaper Publications EN 900 Full Year 4 Credits Newspaper Publications is a course in which students receive hands-on publishing experience and learn the challenges of writing for a real audience, running a business, and working in a team situation. The Newspaper Publications class publishes monthly issues of The Talon, the EHS newspaper. Students develop skills in reporting, writing, editing, word processing, layout, photography, advertising, and business management. Special Information Limited enrollment with permission of instructor. Approval of previous English teacher is strongly recommended. This is a full year course available to students in all four grades. Students will be able to take this course repeatedly for elective credit. This course does not earn English credit.

9 Leadership in Publications Seminar EN 0914 Full Year- 4 Credits This course will focus on issues and skills that are relevant to students in leadership positions including the management of peers, organization, and editing. Writing instruction will focus on column and editorial writing and investigative reporting. Careers in journalism will be explored through on-site visitations to local media outlets. The course is available only to seniors who, prior to their senior year, successfully complete Newspaper Publications and are selected by the instructor to take on positions of leadership on The Talon staff. These positions include Editor-in-Chief, editor of a section, and Talon Weekly Editor. Students will be selected for the positions and the course using the following as criteria: application essays, portfolios, class participation, grades, and attendance. This course awards English credit Alternative English ES 910 Full Year 4 Credits Students do not select this course; recommendations are required by the teacher.