English Course Offerings

Study Skills
Grade 9 (one quarter)
Course #0800,00804

This course is designed to develop and reinforce student study skills. Instruction will focus on time management, organization, memory techniques, and comprehension of test questions in order to promote success in all content-area classes. This class encourages student responsibility and accountability.

SAT/PSAT Verbal Prep
Grades 9, 10 (One Quarter)
Course #0806

This SAT/PSAT prep course is designed to help students prepare for the rigors of taking the Verbal section of these standardized tests. The course will focus on the following areas: writing a formal essay, including thesis statement, topic sentences, paragraph development, and supporting examples; vocabulary sentence completion; grammar conventions; sentence corrections; and critical reading. The course will also instruct students in vocabulary acquisition and comprehension skills.

Mock Trial: A Study in Jurisprudence and Debate
Grades 9, 10 (One Quarter)
Grades 11, 12 (One Semester)
Course #0808,0810,0808L

Mock courtroom drama will commence as students become the players in an array of simulated trials that demonstrate the workings of our legal system. Students will analyze the structure of our court system, the functions of judge and jury, basic trial procedures, and strategies that attorneys use to win cases. The course guides students in developing communication styles to take a logical stance on an issue and argue controversial topics effectively. They will study orderly discourse in different forms:  the persuasive speech, the Lincoln-Douglas debate, Policy and Public-Forum debating, and proposing bills and laws in the setting of a Student Congress.

English I - CP
Grade 9
Course #0815

English I at the college-preparatory level is a foundation course for future studies of English that offers modifications as an opportunity for all learners to succeed.  This course presents extensive work in basic skills. Literature is presented in the format of the six genres: the short story, the epic, non-fiction, drama, the novel, and poetry.  The values of the Catholic faith provide a foundation for the discussion of the values transmitted in these works of literature and the relevance of these values to a student’s life. Regular grammar instruction supplements composition and vocabulary development.

English I - ACP
Grade 9
Course #0817

English I is a foundation course for all future studies of English. In the first semester, the course focuses on the writing process and fundamental skills in reading comprehension and grammar. The course presents literature in the format of six genres: the short story, the epic, non-fiction, drama, the novel, and poetry. The values of the Catholic faith provide a foundation for the discussion of the values transmitted in these works of literature and the relevance of these values to a student’s life.  Comprehension and vocabulary development accompany the study of literature.  The composition program is sequential, stressing at this level sentence structure, the topic sentence, and paragraph patterns. The students will also review the rules and uses of correct grammar.  

Honors English I   
Grade 9
Course #0819

English I explores various literary genres, including short story, epic poem, nonfiction, drama, novel, and poetry.  Writing, reading comprehension, and vocabulary development accompany the study of literature, and students also review the rules and uses of correct grammar. The Honors-level course requires students to read more independently, participate in higher-level discussions, and demonstrate skills in critical thinking and analysis.

American Literature - CP
Grade 10
Course #0825

This course reinforces fundamental skills in reading comprehension, grammar, and composition, and stresses writing skills ranging from effective sentence structure to proper paragraphing. After review of these fundamentals, students will commence study of the literature textbook, which offers a survey of relevant works coupled with related literary terms and vocabulary. In addition to reading selections from the anthology, students will read three novels. From these novels students will draw on themes, conflicts, and characterization in order to produce various writings. The progress of the students will dictate the pace of the class.

American Literature - ACP
Grade 10
Course #0827

This course is a survey of American Literature, covering the years 1650-1960. Focus is on literary forms: poetry, sermons, speech, autobiography, essay, short story, novel, and play. The course materials follow chronological order of date of writing and build on the literary forms introduced to the students in Literature I. The course also emphasizes  vocabulary, covering 12 lessons, each introducing 20 words.  Additionally, there is a writing component, building on sentences, paragraphs, thesis statements, topic sentences, and conclusions to form essays and long papers of specific design. These writings include essays of persuasion, description, comparison/contrast, and personal reflection. Students will also write papers of literary analysis incorporating single-source and multi-source research.

Honors American Literature
Grade 10
Course #0829

This course presents a survey of American literature combined with instruction in the skills required to read and write effectively. The course will stress analytical writing and the personal essay, and writings will correlate with the study of literature. The course also includes grammar, spelling, and vocabulary development. Honors students will be expected to make critical appraisals of literary works, analyze the strengths and weaknesses of various authors, and thoughtfully discuss the relation of the literature studied to the moral, social, and historical context of the work.

Major British Writers
Grade 11
CP Course #0835
ACP Course #0837

This course is a study of significant works in English from Old English times to the 20th century with particular attention to the main currents of thought and the major writers of Britain. Through close reading, students will improve cultural literacy as they become familiar with works and their context. The course promotes an understanding of literary techniques and changes in forms and language through the centuries.  All students will improve their composition and critical-thinking skills through close reading and through writing essays that incorporate references to text and to literary criticism. The course emphasizes vocabulary development both in traditional study of units and in close attention to words encountered in the study of literature.

Honors Major British Writers
Grade 11
Course #0839

Students will develop skills in language, reading, and written and oral expression with the goal of college and career readiness.  Students will study selected texts from British Literature in chronological order and will write essays demonstrating ability to analyze and synthesize content.  At the Honors level, students are expected to achieve discrimination in choice of diction and syntax patterns in order to produce what is commonly called Academic Writing.  Students will develop an appreciation of British culture and the place of the English language in history.

English IV

Grade 12

Course #

The traditional English course for seniors includes instruction in and practice in writing, critical thinking, public speaking, and the discussion and analysis of literature and film. Seniors will write both research papers and analytical essays, learn the skills of speech and rhetoric, and read literature by authors such as Hemingway and Shakespeare.

Advanced Placement Literature and Composition 
Grade 12
Course #0850

Students examine a number of literary works by authors ranging in time from ancient Greece (Oedipus the King) to the contemporary period (recent poetry).  They learn to appreciate cultural context and the unique voice of an author in that context. The course stresses the technical proficiency important in writing that demands intellectual, emotional, and imaginative responses from the reader. Students write short responses to text and longer analytical essays that examine the relation of technique and form to meaning. Formal papers will incorporate research from literary criticism, but will focus on close reading of primary sources. Students are expected to perfect their skills in Academic Writing (structure, support, varied syntax), and to demonstrate facility of expression using sophisticated vocabulary.  All students must take the Advanced Placement examination in May.

Honors World Literature and the Fine Arts

Course #0849

*Dual Enrollment Course

Students examine a selection of works from the canon of world literature, including The Epic of Gilgamesh, Sophocles’ Oedipus the King, Dante’s Inferno, and Shakespeare’s Othello. They will also explore more contemporary works through film, poetry, and short stories. Along with a fine arts component, the class fosters an appreciation of cross-cultural archetypes and the distinct voice of global authors.  Students will engage with the texts through critical reading, writing, and discussion.

AP Seminar for Juniors

AP Seminar is a foundational course that engages students in cross-curricular conversations that explore the complexities of academic and real-world topics and issues by analyzing divergent perspectives. Students learn to investigate a problem or issue, analyze arguments, compare different perspectives, synthesize information from multiple sources, and work alone and in a group to communicate their ideas.