COURSE OFFERINGS

ENGLISH 1—Grade 9    5 Credits

The major emphasis of English 1 is upon the skills of communication, both written and oral.  Students, as both producers and consumers of language, will receive instruction in communication by speaking, listening, reading, writing, viewing, and researching. A focus on further development of the writing process is an integral part of the course. In addition, students will be instructed in the use of library resources and in study skills. A research project, as well as various types of narrative, persuasive, and expository essays are part of the course.

ENGLISH 2—Grade 10    5 Credits

English 2 will target a student's growth in the areas of reading comprehension, the writing process, oral presentations, and media literacy. The thematic focus of the course is on the human condition as it is represented in literature. Students will be able to develop an idea clearly and logically, to refine skills of reading and writing for understanding, and to apply research, study, and library skills. A research project, as well as various types of narrative, expository, and persuasive essays are part of this course.

ENGLISH 2 HONORS—Grade 10    5 Credits

This course is offered to selected students whose past performance and intellectual interests give promise of their readiness to work at an advanced level.  Strong reading, writing, and speaking skills are essential in this program. This course will increase and refine a student's abilities in the areas of analytic reading, the writing process, public speaking, and viewing and media literacy. The thematic focus of the course is on the human condition as it is represented in literature. Students will be able to develop an idea clearly and logically, to refine skills of literary criticism, and to understand and apply research, study, and library skills. A research project, as well as various types of narrative, expository, and persuasive essays are part of this course.

ENGLISH 3—Grade 11    5 Credits

English 3 provides students with the opportunity to acquire a deeper understanding of literary analysis, a stronger familiarity with the research process, and a heightened sophistication in written work. Students will be guided in the writing process with an emphasis on oral and written argument, as well as analysis of images and language. A research project, as well as various types of persuasive and analytical essays are part of this course.

ENGLISH 3 HONORS—Grade 11    5 Credits

This course is offered to students whose past performance and demonstration of intellectual interests warrant their selection for advanced study.  Works studied will include both classic and contemporary American literature with a concentration on fiction and drama. In addition to reading novels, students will read essays, poems, speeches, and critical material.  Students will achieve the course objectives through reading and analysis, through class discussion, by preparing and presenting oral reports, by sharing and evaluating written work, by working in cooperative groups, and through project-based learning. A research project, as well as various types of persuasive and analytical essays are part of this course.

AP ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION—Grade 11    5 Credits

AP English Language and Composition engages students in becoming skilled readers of prose written in a variety of periods, disciplines, and rhetorical contexts, and in becoming skilled writers who write for a variety of purposes.  Students will become aware of a writer's purpose and an audience’s expectations. The emphasis will be on reading non-fiction selections: correspondence, journals, autobiography and memoir, biography, articles, and essays.  The intense concentration on language use in this course will enhance the student’s ability to use grammatical conventions as well as understand and make rhetorical and linguistic choices in their own writing.  Selected works from American literature are also part of the course content.  Students will complete practice AP exam questions to be able to recognize readily the effective use of rhetoric, including controlling tone, establishing and maintaining voice, and achieving appropriate emphasis through diction and sentence structure. A research project, as well as writing focused on persuasion, analysis, and synthesis are part of this course.  All students enrolled in an AP class are required to prepare for and take the AP exam in May.

ENGLISH 4—Grade 12    5 Credits

English 4 continues to stress growth in analysis and close reading strategies in honing the writing process and in developing voice in speaking and writing.  The curriculum emphasizes the refinement of cognitive processes, especially those of analysis and synthesis.  Students are encouraged to respond both emotionally and intellectually to the literature studied, and to become more aware of the value of language as a system of creating meaning.  Students will write papers and create projects relevant to class discussion and readings.  Readings are chosen from a varied list of classic and contemporary literature reflecting a range of periods, cultures, and forms. A research project, as well as essays that emphasize analysis and synthesis are part of this course.

ENGLISH 4 HONORS—Grade 12    5 Credits

This course is offered to students whose past performance and demonstration of intellectual interests warrants their selection for advanced study.  English 4 Honors involves students in a study of the social, cultural and historical impact of literature.  Through careful reading and critical analysis, students explore works of fiction, non-fiction, poetry and prose from different cultures and time periods.  Students deepen their understanding of the ways literature reflects and influences the world in which we live by investigating and drawing connections among a number of literary traditions.  Research and regular writing assignments will focus on the cultural and historical context of literature and will include analytical, argumentative, and imaginative pieces. A research project is required.

AP ENGLISH LITERATURE AND COMPOSITION—Grade 12    5 Credits

The Advanced Placement course in English Literature and Composition involves students in the careful reading and critical analysis of literature.  Through the close reading of selected texts, students deepen their understanding of the ways writers use literature to provide both meaning and pleasure.  Students consider a work’s structure, style, and themes as well as such elements as the use of figurative language, imagery, symbolism, and tone.  The course includes intensive study of representative works from various genres, periods, and cultural perspectives concentrating on works of recognized literary merit from the sixteenth to the twenty-first century.  Students are expected to read meticulously, taking time to understand a work’s complexity, to absorb its richness of meaning, and to analyze how that meaning is embodied in literary form.  Regular writing assignments will focus on the cultural and historical context of literature and will include analytical, argumentative, and imaginative pieces. A research project is required.  All students enrolled in an AP class are required to prepare for and take the AP exam in May.  

ELECTIVES

Elective courses are intended to supplement interest in a given area of study and may not be taken in place of English 1, 2, 3, 4 or Honors and AP English courses.

CREATIVE WRITING—Grades 10-12    2.5 Credits (semester)

Creative Writing is a one-semester course intended to allow students to explore aspects of creative writing.  Emphasis is placed on the techniques of brainstorming, drafting, and refining original ideas into polished works.  Areas to be covered include writing, revising, and publishing short stories, poems, screenplays, and song lyrics.

HUMANITIES—Grades 11-12    5 Credits (full year)

Humanities is a full year course that examines the development of Western Culture from the Classical Period through the Modern Era.  Students examine representative examples of art, architecture, philosophy, music, drama, dance, film, photography, history, criticism, ethics, literature, and law.  This interdisciplinary exploration of Western Culture provides students with many opportunities for speaking, listening, thinking, viewing, interpreting, writing, researching, and understanding.

POETRY—Grades 9-12    2.5 Credits (semester)

Poetry is a one-semester workshop course open to grades 9-12, which consists of reading and writing poetry, listening to and reciting poetry, and consuming and producing projects including and about poetry. Students use writing prompts gathered from a variety of sources and read and discuss poetry selected by classmates and the teacher. Publishing and delivering poetry to an audience is an integral part of the course, with a focus on classroom readings, the Summit High School literary magazine, Quintessence, as well as teen-oriented online and print literary magazines, forums, and contests.

FILM STUDIES—Grades 10-12    2.5 Credits (semester)

Film Studies is a one-semester course whose primary focus is the analysis of the language of film.  Its central premise is that students are bombarded with visual storytelling and must develop critical skills for intelligently and technically examining this material.  This course will enable students to speak and write with clarity about editing, visual composition, and use of music, color, and angle. Students will become fluent in the critical scrutiny of varied works of cinema. 

JOURNALISM I—Grades 9-10    2.5 Credits (semester)

Journalism 1 is a one-semester course that offers students entry-level exposure to the monthly production of the SHS student newspaper.  Students will learn journalistic writing skills such as creating compelling article leads, headlines, and captions.  Writers will be challenged to develop a succinct and logical prose style.  Student reporters will also learn the basics of conducting effective interviews, crafting probing questions, and identifying real sources for hard news articles.  The basic elements of page design/layout will also be introduced.

JOURNALISM II—Grades 10-12    5 Credits (full year)

Journalism 2 is a full-year course open to students who have completed Journalism I and expressed a firm commitment to the continued production of the SHS newspaper. Advanced responsibilities of upper-level staff will include editorial decisions for feature articles, columns, personality profiles, photo essays, film and music reviews. The nature of journalistic ethics will be critiqued and provide the foundation for responsible reportage. By examining design and circulation trends in other national and scholastic newspapers, students will evaluate their final product and work to refine all elements of the production process including advertising and distribution. Editorial staff members who have successfully completed Journalism 1 may register for this course.

JOURNALISM III—Grades 11-12     5 Credits (full year)

A full-year course for the editorial staff of Verve. This is a production course with emphasis on editorial policy and the study and evaluations of national, regional, and local publications. Students must successfully complete Journalism 2 to register for the class.

JOURNALISM IV—Grade 12    5 Credits

A full-year course for the editorial staff of Verve. This is a production course with emphasis on editorial policy, and the study and evaluations of national, regional and local publications. Students must successfully complete Journalism 3 to register for the class.

SPEECH & DEBATE—Grades 9-12    2.5 Credits (semester)

This one-semester course will cover the art of public speaking and debate. Students will develop and deliver speeches on a variety of contemporary topics and participate in mock debates in class. They will learn the effect of a well-supported argument and the use of rhetorical appeals to connect with an audience. Both novice and experienced public speakers are encouraged to take this course.

YEARBOOK & PUBLICATIONS—Grades 9-12    5 Credits 

Yearbook and Publications is a year-long course where students will focus primarily on the writing and production of Summit High School’s annual yearbook, The Top. Students in this course will gain experience in aspects of production including writing, editing, photography, layout, design, marketing and distribution. Students will work collaboratively to complete assignments, meet deadlines, and engage with the school community to gather the contents for publication. Students will also gain experience with digital layout and production tools associated with publishing.

READING / WRITING STRATEGIES—Grades 9-10    1-5 Credits

Based on teacher evaluations and district assessments, students identified as demonstrating minimum proficiency in their language arts  skills will be assigned to this course.  This program uses individualized and small-group instruction to help students develop mastery of the basic skills.  Reading comprehension will be strengthened through a variety of materials including the daily newspaper, magazines, plays, short stories, and fiction, as well as skills-based exercises.  Special attention will also be directed to vocabulary-building activities including such skills as the use of the dictionary, use of context clues, and recognition of prefixes, roots, synonyms and antonyms.  A writing component will reinforce the mastery of basic skills.

TRANSITION ENGLISH—Grades 9-12     5 Credits (full year)

This course offers support for English Language Learners to improve their language arts proficiency.  These students have passed the minimum requirement to be in Advanced ESL or exit ESL.  This course will help students further develop their reading comprehension and writing skills, and will provide support and enrichment to their work in English class.