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 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.
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.
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
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
$25 copy fee
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.
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.
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
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
$25 copy fee
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.
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.
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
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
$25 copy fee
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.
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.
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
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
$25 copy fee
English 3 and English 4 - Susan Samples, Instructor
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 American literature to deepen students’ understanding of literary devices, styles, and techniques in a variety of genres. Readings, drawn from American literature, fit the categories of short stories, poems, non-fiction, plays, and novels.
This year’s course syllabus includes short reading selections from Holt, Rinehart, Winston’s Elements of Literature Fifth 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.
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.
The following texts will be used:
Holt, Rinehart, Winston’s Elements of Literature Fifth course, copyright 2000 (must be the student edition) ISBN: 0030520649
The Little Seagull Handbook by Richard Bullock and Francine Weinberg
The Scarlet Letter Nathaniel Hawthorne
Moby Dick Herman Melville
The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass Frederick Douglass
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Mark Twain
Daisy Miller Henry James
My Antonia Willa Cather
The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald
Of Mice and Men John Steinbeck
The Old Man and the Sea Ernest Hemingway
$25 copy fee
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 American literature to deepen students’ understanding of literary devices, styles, and techniques in a variety of genres. Readings, drawn from American literature, fit the categories of short stories, poems, non-fiction, plays, and novels.
This year’s course syllabus includes short reading selections from Holt, Rinehart, Winston’s Elements of Literature Fifth 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.
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.
The following texts will be used:
Holt, Rinehart, Winston’s Elements of Literature Fifth course, copyright 2000 (must be the student edition) ISBN: 0030520649
The Little Seagull Handbook by Richard Bullock and Francine Weinberg
The Scarlet Letter Nathaniel Hawthorne
Moby Dick Herman Melville
The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass Frederick Douglass
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Mark Twain
Daisy Miller Henry James
My Antonia Willa Cather
The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald
Of Mice and Men John Steinbeck
The Old Man and the Sea Ernest Hemingway
$25 copy fee
