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English Classes

The goal of all English classes is to prepare the high school student for the life beyond high school, including higher education.  Quality literature and in-depth analysis prepare students for further study of English, as well as for any other subject requiring synthesis, analysis, and effective communication of ideas.  To that end, English classes are sequenced to present a full range of reading and writing experiences to prepare students to be thoughtful, discerning adults.  English classes are designed for students who are self-motivated and dedicated to making the most of their educational experience.
Please note that English classes require an assessment.
 
English classes do not accelerate.
Freshman-age students take English 1. 
Sophomore-age students take English 2 (or English 1). 
Junior and Senior-age students take English 3/4 (or English 1 or 2).

English 1 - Susan Samples, Instructor
susansamples@hotmail.com
 
English 1 is a literature and writing course focusing on genre and literary devices.  Students study how meaning is created in literature.  The course is designed for self-motivated students who are dedicated to making the most of their educational experience. 
 
Readings fit the categories of short stories, poems, plays, and novels.  The course syllabus includes many short reading selections from Holt, Rinehart, Winston’s Elements of Literature Third Course, as well as Shakespeare’s Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet and Gibson’s The Miracle Worker.  Students read seven additional novels. 
 
Writing topics and skills are chosen to correlate with the literature and to teach students how to synthesize, analyze, support, and effectively communicate ideas.  In addition to weekly writing assignments connected to readings, students will systematically learn to write an essay.  They will complete four to five essays during the year, including a research paper. 
 
English 1 will meet twice each week. Students should expect to spend 6 to 8 hours outside of class completing each week’s assignments. 
 
Enrollment for English 1 is limited to students who are 14 by October 1. 
An assessment is required for students not taking Reading Workshop and Writing Workshop at Core.
 
There will be a $25 copy fee for the year.
 
The following texts will be utilized:   
                 Holt, Rinehart, Winston’s Elements of Literature Third Course, copyright 2000
                               (must be the student edition)  ISBN: 0030520622 
                 The Little Seagull Handbook by Richard Bullock and Francine Weinberg
​                                ISBN: 978-0-393-91151-0
                  J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit
                  John Steinbeck’s The Pearl
                  Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express
                  Homer’s The Odyssey (translated by Robert Fitzgerald, poetry version)
                  Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird
                  Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations 

English 2 -  Susan Samples, Instructor
susansamples@hotmail.com

English 2 is a literature and writing course focusing on genre and literary devices that takes the concepts from English 1 to a deeper level.  The course is designed for self-motivated students who are dedicated to making the most of their educational experience. 
 
Readings, drawn from world literature, fit the categories of short stories, poems, non-fiction, philosophy, plays, and novels.  The course syllabus includes many short reading selections from Holt, Rinehart, Winston’s Elements of Literature Fourth Course, as well as Antigone and Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Julius Caesar.  Students read 8 additional plays, novels, and non-fiction works.  Readings containing adult themes and ideas will be discussed from a biblical perspective.  
 
Writing topics and skills are chosen to correlate with the literature and to teach students how to synthesize, analyze, support, and effectively communicate ideas.  In addition to weekly writing assignments connected to readings, students will write 6 to 8 essays, including a research paper. 
 
English 2 will meet twice each week. Students should expect to spend 6 to 8 hours outside of class completing each week’s assignments.
 
Enrollment for English 2 is limited to students who are 15 by October 1. 
An assessment is required for students not taking English 1 at Core.
 
There will be a $25 copy fee for the year.
 
The following texts will be utilized:
                  Holt, Rinehart, Winston’s Elements of Literature Fourth Course, copyright 2000
                                 (must be the student edition)  ISBN: 0030520630
                  The Little Seagull Handbook by Richard Bullock and Francine Weinberg 
​                                  
ISBN: 978-0-393-91151-0
                  Elie Wiesel’s Night
                  Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston’s Farewell to Manzanar
                  Sandra Cisneros’s The House on Mango Street
                  Ernest Gaines’ The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman
                  George Orwell’s Animal Farm
                  Chaim Potok’s The Chosen
                  Alan Paton’s Cry, the Beloved Country
                  Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart 

British Literature - Susan Samples, Instructor
English 3 and English 4 

susansamples@hotmail.com

​
English 3/4 is unique in that it is an upper high school level literature and writing course taught using American literature and British literature on a two-year rotating schedule.  (Students earn one English credit per year, but may take the class two years in a row since the material alternates.) 
 
This year’s English 3/4 syllabus utilizes British literature to deepen students’ understanding of literary devices, styles, and techniques in a variety of genres. 
 
Readings, drawn from British literature, fit the categories of short stories, poems, non-fiction, plays, and novels.  This year’s course syllabus includes many short reading selections from Holt, Rinehart, Winston’s Elements of Literature Sixth Course, as well as 10 to 12 additional plays and novels. 
 
Writing topics and skills are chosen to correlate with the literature and to teach students how to synthesize, analyze, support, and effectively communicate ideas.  In addition to weekly writing assignments connected to the readings, students will write up to eight essays, including a major research project. 
 
English 3 and English 4 will meet twice each week. Students should expect to spend 8 to 10 hours outside of class completing each week’s assignments.  Students taking this course will need to be self-motivated and dedicated to making the most of their educational experience. 
 
Enrollment for English 3/4 is limited to students who are 16 by October 1. 
An assessment is required for students not taking English 2 at Core.
There will be a $25 copy fee for the year.
 
The following texts will be utilized:
                  Holt, Rinehart, Winston’s Elements of Literature Sixth Course, copyright 2000 
                                 (must be the student edition)  ISBN:  0030520673
                  The Little Seagull Handbook by Richard Bullock and Francine Weinberg   
                                  ISBN: 978-0-393-91151-0
                  Beowulf translated by Seamus Heaney
                  Sir Gawain and the Green Knight translated by James Winny
                  Alexander Pope’s The Rape of the Lock (can be downloaded from the Internet)
                  Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest
                  George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion
                  Jane Austen’s Emma
                  John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress
                  Charles Dicken’s A Tale of Two Cities
                  H.G. Wells’ War of the Worlds
                  C.S. Lewis’ The Screwtape Letters
                  William Golding’s Lord of the Flies

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