English Department

English I - Instructor: Mrs. Lawler - Reading selections from the student text cover the fundamentals of literature including conflict, character, theme, setting, point of view, moral tone, and structure.  In response to readings, students practice discussion and presentation skills on a variety of non-fiction topics, short stories, novels, plays, and poetry.  Grammar and vocabulary study support the student’s composition of a term paper in coordination with the science class.  Other writing formats include descriptive and narrative assignments, argumentative essays, and an introduction to literary analysis.

English II - Instructor: Mrs. Reynolds - This course covers a range of literary concepts and genres including poetic devices, biography, and fiction.  Numerous examples from talented and well-known authors are discussed, analyzed, and interpreted for each style of work.  Grammar, punctuation, writing styles and formats are practiced through workbook and various writing assignments.

Honors English II - Instructor: Mrs. Reynolds - (Teacher Recommendation) Honors English 10 expands upon students’ demonstrated competencies in English usage and mechanics, oral and written communication, and understanding literature. Class activities focus on analytical and critical thinking, advanced composition, and library research. Students examine, compare, discuss, and write about poetry, novels, short stories, essays, and drama. Skills necessary for success for English AP courses are reviewed, and preparation for language performance on post-secondary school admission tests is begun.

American Literature - English III - Instructor: Mrs. Welch - Elements of Literature/Grammar:  Readings from a variety of English and American authors that illustrate the different modes, marks, and forms of literature.  Includes exercises in grammar essentials and grammar application to writing.

AP English 11: - AP English Language and Comp - Must have completed 10th Grade Honors English
Description:The AP English Language and Composition course focuses on the development and revision of evidence-based analytic and argumentative writing, the rhetorical analysis of nonfiction texts, and the decisions writers make as they compose and revise. Students evaluate, synthesize, and cite research to support their arguments. Additionally, they read and analyze rhetorical elements and their effects in nonfiction texts—including images as forms of text—from a range of disciplines and historical periods.

British Literature - English IV- Instructor: Mrs. Welch - British Literature/Grammar:  Study of selections of British literature from the Middle Ages to the Modern Period; includes some history from each period.  Exercises in grammar include practice in essentials and application through composition.

AP English 12: AP English Literature and Comp - Must have completed 11th grade English
Description:The AP English Literature and Composition course focuses on reading, analyzing, and writing about imaginative literature (fiction, poetry, drama) from various periods. Students engage in close reading and critical analysis of imaginative literature to deepen their understanding of the ways writers use language to provide both meaning and pleasure. As they read, students consider a work’s structure, style, and themes, as well as its use of figurative language, imagery, and symbolism. Writing assignments include expository, analytical, and argumentative essays that require students to analyze and interpret literary work.