English (Cont.) Fundamentals in Literature and Composition (1 credit, full-year) 9th
This class seeks to expose students to a variety of literary voices and forms, and to encourage close, careful reading and well-structured, correct prose. Fundamentals of grammar, syntax, and rhetoric, as well as several literary forms (drama, novel, and poetry) are covered. Students study texts to gain an understanding of how authors create meaning, and to substantiate and specify this understanding. The class teaches and relies on discussion, and also dedicates lots of time to writing in various forms, including personal responses, formal analytical and persuasive essays, and creative pieces. Texts may include Beowulf or Homer’s Odyssey, Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God, as well as poetry, a graphic novel, a choice novel unit, and a Shakespeare play.
Genre Studies (1 credit, full-year)
Prerequisites: Fundamentals of Literature and Composition 10th
Students review fundamentals of the English language, including grammar, syntax and vocabulary, write essays of a personal and critical nature, and craft creative fiction. Students read and trace themes through broad divisions of drama, fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, augmenting their understanding of how authors create meaning in different genres, and substantiating and specifying this understanding. Core texts may include Shakespeare’s Macbeth and Sophocles’ Antigone, as well as Toni Morrison’s Recitatif, and a work of nonfiction about the Holocaust.
English Seminar: American Drama (0.5 credit, fall only)
Prerequisites: Fundamentals of Literature and Composition, Genre Studies 11th/12th
Theater examines what everyday people are doing when they are living their lives. This course will examine the art of the theater through the lens of American playwrights. We will examine what nearly three centuries of dramatic literature have had to say about our country and its people—through various lenses—and work to define the American experience for people from all walks of life. Students will write and analyze the plays through the roles of philosopher, responder, critic, linguist, historian, and psychologist. Each role has specific and unique ways of dissecting and learning from the text. Students then will use these analyses to lead class discussions and present their findings. This course fulfills the American Literature requirement.
English Seminar: American Literature: Poetry, Essay, Story and Song (0.5 credit, spring only) Prerequisites: Fundamentals of Literature and Composition, Genre Studies 11th/12th
In this course, students will engage in the critical study and interpretation of texts from diverse genres: music, poetry, speeches, advertisements, comic strips, street art, film-- the possibilities are numerous! The class also offers a hands-on investigation of class, gender, race, and identity by exploring the
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