Liberal Arts
Graduation Requirement: 4 Years
ACADEMIC ENGLISH 9 (AC ENG 9 P)
| Grades 9 | Required | 1 Year |
| The course includes an introduction to the novel, drama, the short story, poetry and literary terms. Discussion and demonstration of interpretive thinking and analysis are stressed. Composition of structured paragraphs and essays are reviewed and taught. A unit on research techniques and library resources culminates in a research paper. Basic skills in grammar and usage are developed. Vocabulary is emphasized throughout the year. | ||
ACADEMIC ENGLISH 10 (AC ENG 10 P)
| Grades 10 | Required | 1 Year |
| This course explores world literature (Mediterranean, European, African, Asian, and Latin American) regionally, past to present. Extensive reading and discussion are emphasized; thinking and writing skills are extended through activities such as original projects, online activities, and joint research work with World History. Standard departmental study of grammar, vocabulary, and the aims/modes of composition are reinforced as well. | ||
ACADEMIC ENGLISH 11 (AC ENG 11 P)
| Grades 11 | Required | 1 Year |
| This course is a thematic approach to American literature from the Native American to the present with a study of poetry, short stories, novels, as well as drama and non-fiction. The essay work is designed to improve writing skills on an analytical level, in conjunction with the literature. Forms of compositions are comparative evaluation, the persuasive essay, the research paper and the thesis. Vocabulary and style development, journal writing and peer response are other activities which complete the work of the course. A portfolio of selected work by students will be submitted in May. | ||
AP ENGLISH LANGUAGE /COMP (AP ENG 11 LANG/COMP)
| Grades 11 | 1 Year by Dept Selection | |
| PREREQUISTE: English Department recommendation based
on student’s English grades, PSAT verbal and Writing scores, cum GPA, teacher recommendation,
and an essay sample. The course allows students to write in a variety of forms – narrative, exploratory, expository, argument and on a variety of subjects ranging from personal experiences to public policies, from imaginative literature to popular culture. The course will incorporate aspects of the former English 11 Honors course, especially in terms of the American literature studied. There will also be extensive writing across many genres. Rhetorical analysis may include focus on such diverse forms as speeches, diary entries, letters, and scientific essays as well as standard literary works. All students are required to take the AP test in May. | ||
ACADEMIC ENGLISH 12 (AC ENG 12P)
| Grades 12 | Required | 1 Year |
| This course incorporates the study of world authors through fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama; both semesters encompass a critical study of the authors’ styles and thematic development. There is also some emphasis on concepts of heroism, self-discovery, growth, and responsibility taking, in line with the integrated component of the Senior Service Project. Seniors are expected to hone skills in analytical writing, vocabulary, speaking, and research, culminating in a Senior Service Project presentation in the spring. | ||
AP ENGLISH LITERATURE/COMPOSITION (AP ENG 12 LIT/COMP)
| Grades 12 | 1 Year by Dept Selection | |
| PREREQUISTE: English Department recommendation based
on student’s English grades, PSAT verbal and Writing scores, cum GPA, teacher
recommendation, and an essay sample. Senior AP English is a college-level freshman seminar with three major goals: 1) to study the process of writing and refine student writing; 2) to analyze literary works of international and historical merit; 3) to prepare for the National AP English Exam in May. Students will learn to critique their own writing and other students’ through peer response. The class requires a willingness to critically investigate the philosophical, psychological and aesthetic ideals within the works of literature. A survey of world authors, as well as a detailed analysis of poetry is also included. The Senior Service Project is an integrated component of this course. During the first semester students complete research related to their chosen project. | ||
CREATIVE WRITING (CRTVWRTG P)
| Grades 11-12 | Elective | 1 Semester |
| PREREQUISTE: Interest and willingness to write. This class focuses on providing students with a wide variety of writing genres and projects, from the short story to writing mystery plays and producing a satirical newspaper. Instruction also centers on making students aware of style by analyzing the structure of imagery writers such as Hemingway, Morrison, Fitzgerald, and Brautigan. Experimental, creative and unconventional literature including exposure to various points of view and narrative modes (e.g., dramatic monologue, stream of consciousness, anecdotal) along with fictional elements will be explored. Assessment is based on a portfolio of the student’s representative works. | ||
PUBLIC SPEAKING (PUBLIC SPKG P)
| Grades 9-12 | 1 Semester | |
| This speech course offers the students an introduction into speechmaking. The skills learned progress from developing verbal confidence and body movement, to preparing all sorts of speeches, formal and informal. Performances range from solo speeches (persuasive, impromptu, personal anecdote, etc.) to duo or group speeches (panel discussion, among others). Outlines are the usual written work but full scripts are required for certain (researched) speeches. | ||
ADVANCED SPEECH/DEBATE (ADV SPCH/DEBATE)
| Grades 10-12 | Elective | 1 Semester |
| PREREQUISTE:Successful completion of Public
Speaking and/or Department approval. Audition may be required. This course will meet a semester of the Ursuline Humanities requirement. This course is a performance class available to students interested in competitive forensics and debate. The course builds on the skills learned in the Public Speaking course and will refine the students’ preparation methods, presentation techniques and confidence. In preparation for competition students will learn oral interpretation (literary and dramatic) and debate. The debate component will develop critical thinking, argumentation and research strategies, effective speechwriting, and the talent of persuasion using both affirmative and negative opinions. Class level and public debates will be the primary focus of the class. | ||
