2 Semesters (1 Credit)

Grade Levels: 9

Prerequisites: None

The texts explored in English 9 create a foundation for literary study by introducing our high school students to several keystone canonical works (Greek drama, Shakespeare, etc.). Then, referencing the philosophical and social changes students learn in freshman history, we move through time and space to make connections to our current age. Through close reading, discussion, and written work, students practice finding meaning, identifying tone and mood, drawing inferences, applying historical context, and understanding how they relate to the voices that preceded their own.

2 Semesters (1 Credit)

Grade Levels: 9

Prerequisites: None

Honors English 9 delivers the English 9 experience at a slightly faster pace and with higher expectations. The reading creates a foundation for literary study by introducing our high school students to several keystone canonical works (Greek drama, Shakespeare, etc.). Then, referencing the philosophical and social changes students learn in freshman history, we move through time and space to make connections to our current age. Through close reading, discussion, and written work, students practice finding meaning, identifying tone and mood, drawing inferences, applying historical context, and understanding how they relate to the voices that preceded their own. Honors students are expected to pursue challenging work, demonstrating greater competency in decoding meaning and expressing their own ideas more clearly. They participate in more frequent seminars and are asked to take more leadership in class discussion as critical thinkers, bridging the themes of literature to more modern concerns.

2 Semesters (1 Credit)

Grade Levels: 10

Prerequisites: None

English 10 walks students across a broad literary landscape where they will encounter the work of modern, postmodern, and contemporary authors from around the globe who are grappling to come to terms with problems that the early modern era created and introduced into literature. Our texts invite inquiry into how the authors attempt to orient themselves and their cultures both similarly and differently. Parallel to their studies in Human Geography, attention is paid to issues such as colonialism, the slave trade, war on a global scale, technological displacement, and climate change. Course assignments are both academic and creative, focusing on building the skills students need to be writers and readers of the world, discovering what it means to be part of a global community.

2 Semesters (1 Credit)

Grade Levels: 10

Prerequisites: None

Engaging the same themes and objectives as English 10, the honors option builds more quickly upon students’ more secure close reading and academic writing skills. The course walks students across a broad literary landscape where they will encounter the work of modern, postmodern, and contemporary authors from around the globe who are grappling to come to terms with problems that the early modern era created and introduced into literature. Our texts invite inquiry into how the authors attempt to orient themselves and their cultures both similarly and differently. Parallel to their studies in Human Geography, attention is paid to issues such as colonialism, the slave trade, war on a global scale, technological displacement, and climate change. Course assignments are both academic and creative to build skills students need to be writers and readers of the world as they discover what it means to be part of a global community. Honors students should desire deep engagement with course material and be ready to write with greater frequency, independence, depth, and skill.

2 Semesters (1 Credit)

Grade Levels: 11

Prerequisites: None

English 11 analyzes American literature as a window and a mirror through which to explore American culture. Students study classics as well as more contemporary works to learn about our country's myriad histories, mythologies, experiences, and values. In addition to learning about the American experience, students are expected to develop independence and accountability as readers and writers as they continue to practice critical reading, thinking, and writing skills. Assessments include literary analysis, literary research, and personal inquiry in formal papers; journal entries and creative writing; and discussions, seminars, and presentations.

2 Semesters (1 Credit)

Grade Levels: 11

Prerequisites: None

This advanced course for juniors focuses on analyzing why and how writers write while developing each student's own academic and pre-professional skills. Students read the required works from the American Literature curriculum (see English 11) while also meeting the expectations of a college composition course. As in a college course, students practice reading complex nonfiction texts with attention to the writer's purpose and audience. Under timed and untimed constraints, students practice addressing various goals, including argument, rhetorical analysis, and the synthesis of varied views. A love of reading and a desire to understand the structure and effect of language are essential for success; AP students should also demonstrate a high level of independence and desire to engage in a rigorous academic community.

2 Semesters (1 Credit)

Grade Levels: 12

Prerequisites: None

By senior year, students have been introduced to a wide array of literature from the classic to the contemporary. English 12 presents seniors with challenging ideas to inspire them to consider their place in the world and their responsibility as citizens as they begin their transition to the world outside GPS. Students will explore many different topics of historical and contemporary relevance and are encouraged to develop their voices and opinions, as well as their skills of critical analysis. After discussion and writing on the summer reading, the first unit of study will address the skills of writing well through the development of style, voice, and structure. Following units of study will be organized thematically around a variety of texts to provide students with opportunities to read and evaluate texts critically, write with sophistication and clarity, and engage in high-level discussion to develop and synthesize ideas. The process, resources, and skills needed to engage in academic research will also be developed and honed in the second semester of this course.

2 Semesters (1 Credit)

Grade Levels: 12

Prerequisites: None

AP English Literature and Composition emphasizes the critical reading of imaginative literature (fiction, poetry, and drama) from a variety of writers representing a range of time periods and genres. The course requires close reading of the assigned works, participation in class discussion, and frequent writing assignments, both timed and processed. Following standards set by the College Board, students will be expected to address and engage with the big ideas of character, setting, structure, and narration in a text; the use of figurative language in a text; and the process and product of literary argumentation. Engagement in close reading and critical analysis is expected to be demonstrated on a level commensurate with that of an introductory college-level literature and writing course. Enrollment is limited, and students are selected on the basis of their academic records, national test scores, and teacher evaluations. We expect AP students to be well prepared, self-motivated, dependable, enthusiastic, and willing to take on extra reading.