English

Students will read 6-8+ complete texts over the course of the year. Representative texts are Romeo and Juliet, The Odyssey, Of Mice and Men, Great Expectations, and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night. Much of the literature is structured around the hero’s journey. Students will follow the guidelines established by the California Common Core State Standards in their study of reading, critical thinking, vocabulary, writing and speaking. These skills include systematic vocabulary analysis, definition and study of the major genres of literature, and writing practice in the areas of literary response, autobiographical narrative, and persuasive writing.

Students will read 6-8+ complete works over the year. The core works studied are Wiesel’s "Night" and Shakespeare’s "Macbeth," supplemented by many other works from the extended reading list, A Raisin in the Sun, To Kill a Mockingbird, Flight, Medea, Persepolis and The 57 Bus. The English 2 curriculum addresses the California Common Core State Standards by uniting the study of literature and non-fiction around central themes common to the works studied or reflecting eras and themes studied in Modern World History. Students will read from selected world literature as well as from selected modern and classical works. Students will develop and strengthen writing skills, particularly as they relate to literary response and other modes of the standards. In addition, students will get systematic g

Students will read 6-8+ complete works over the year. The English 3 course addresses the California Common Core State Standards for vocabulary development, reading comprehension, and literary response and analysis through a focus on major movements in American literature and major works by American writers. In this way, the course echoes themes and situations studied by students in their American History classes. The course deals with novels, plays, stories, non-fiction, and poetry. The core works studied are Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, Shakespeare’s Othello, supplemented by many other works from the extended reading list, such as "The Crucible," "Their Eyes Were Watching God," and "The Catcher in the Rye." Both reading and writing are extensive and in-depth.

Prerequisite: A demonstrated proficiency in the English 2 standards as determined by a multi-measure placement matrix.

This is an Advanced Placement English language and composition course emphasizing expository, analytical, and argumentative writing that forms the basis of academic and professional communication. As in the college course, its purpose is to enable students to read complex texts with understanding and to write prose of sufficient richness and complexity to communicate effectively with adult readers. The reading focus is American literature: sermons, essays, fiction, drama, and poetry. The AP Language and Composition course assumes that students already understand the sophisticated interpretive reading and writing skills they will be asked to demonstrate on the AP Exam. This course is closely aligned to the curriculum and standards established by the College Board in preparation for success on the AP Exam. A summer reading assignment is required.

Students will read 6-8+ complete works over the year. The English 4 Curriculum extends the California Common Core State Standards for reading, writing, listening and speaking. In addition to the study of sophisticated classic and modern literature, students also read and analyze a number of non-fiction pieces. The core works studied are Shakespeare’s "Hamlet" and Sophocles’ "Oedipus the King," supplemented by many other works from the extended reading list, such as "Lord of the Flies," 1984 and The Kite Runner. Students continue to write responses to literature but also learn to develop rhetorical modes useful to college and work situations, such as the college entrance essay. There is extensive study and application of literary terms (both in poetry and prose) as well as systematic vocabulary acquisition.

Prerequisite: A demonstrated proficiency in the English 3 standards as determined by a multi-measure placement matrix.

This is an advanced placement English literature and composition course in which students study works from several genres and periods. Students continue to develop their analytical skills through close reading of literature to arrive at an interpretation of multiple meanings and consideration of a work’s social and cultural values. Students write interpretive essays at home and under timed conditions, practice how to make careful observations and draw from these connections a series of inferences leading to an interpretive claim about the work’s meaning and values. This course is closely aligned to the curriculum and standards established by the College Board in preparation for success on the AP exam. A summer reading assignment is required.