Course Catalogue 2009-2010
One full year of English is required in each of the freshman, sophomore, junior and senior years.
SUMMER READING
All English courses may have required summer reading. Students are responsible for getting the summer assignment when they register for the course.
Course No.
FRESHMAN COURSES
English 1H 0020
English 1A 0020
English 1B 0020
SOPHOMORE COURSES
English 2H 0060
English 2H Collaborative 0060
English 2A 0060
English 2B 0060
JUNIOR RESEARCH COURSES
AP Eng. Language 0080
Research & Literature 0120
English 3: American Voices 0160
Effective Writ. & Research Skills 0200
ELECTIVE COURSES FOR JUNIORS AND SENIORS
LITERATURE AND WRITING COURSES
During 11th and 12th grade, each student must take 2.0 credits in English. From those credits, each student must take at least 1.5 credits from the courses listed below:
AP Language & Composition 0080 )
Research & Literature 0120 ) Students must take one of these.
English 3: American Voices 0160 )
Effective Writing & Research Skills 0200 )
Reading & Writing Poetry 0240
Contemporary American Lit. 0320
World Drama 0360
Mythology & Bible 0400
Shakespeare 0440
Images of Women in Literature 0480
African-American Literature 0520
World Lit.-The Caribbean 0560
Introduction to British Literature 0600
Irish Literature 0620
Students may take only one of the following courses to fulfill the 2.0 credit requirement in English
Speech 0640
Film Analysis & Criticism 0680
Reading & Writing Fiction 0720
Journalism for Publication 0760
Advanced Journalism 0800
YEAR LONG COURSES FOR SENIORS ONLY
AP Eng. Literature 0840
English 4: Sr. Themes 0860
FRESHMAN COURSES
Freshmen must take English 1H, 1A or 1B. Learning outcomes for ninth grade students are similar in H, A, and B levels. Higher level classes assume students are able to work more independently, read more complex literature, complete longer assignments in reading, writing, and vocabulary study, and write more complex essays based on abstract and original thinking.
Ninth grade students are individuals, each maturing at his or her own developmental pace. A student should be placed in the level that is most appropriately challenging for him or her.
BRAVE NEW WORLDS: WESTERN CULTURE & LITERATURE
The ninth grade courses listed below have been developed by both the English and the Social Studies Departments. The curriculum will focus on the evolution and expression of European and American cultural values, as well as specific social and political institutions from classical times until the recent past. Key units will be thematic, and assignments will encourage in-depth inquiry and learning. The progression of subjects will follow chronology in order to teach the relationship between and among events. Frequent references to art, music, and dance will complement the literary and historical perspectives.
The English course will require continual reading of classic and contemporary titles as well as frequent writing assignments. All levels will read The Odyssey, Midsummer Night’s Dream, Girl With a Pearl Earring or The Girl in Hyacinth Blue, Frankenstein or Pygmalion, and Animal Farm. Language study lessons focusing on vocabulary and grammar are also an important feature of the course.
The standards for quality work will be high. In order to accommodate a range of ability among students, the course is offered at all levels, H, A, and B. Additionally, teachers will use differentiated instructional strategies.
ENGLISH 1H (0020) 1 credit
Full year
The hallmark of an Honors level course is the depth of critical and original thinking required, as well as the amount of independent work.
This course focuses on analysis of complex literature, refinement of analytical writing skills, intensive study of vocabulary, refinement of grammar and usage, and development of speaking, listening, and viewing skills.
Students entering this course are expected to assume more independent responsibility for their work and to make a sustained commitment in terms of time and effort to longer, more abstract reading and writing assignments. In addition to the core texts, students are challenged by an additional literature unit taught each quarter, as well as a quarterly independent reading requirement.
This course will be taught in a parallel sequence to Ninth Grade Western Humanities to facilitate students making connections between literature and social studies.
For more detailed information, consult guidance counselor or department chairperson about learning outcomes.
ENGLISH 1A (0020) 1 credit
Full year
The hallmark of an A level course is that it challenges a student’s ability to exert purposeful effort in order to develop as a critical thinker.
This course focuses on analysis of literature and the development of analytical writing skills, with special emphasis on organization and supporting evidence. Students engage in a regular and systematic study of vocabulary and grammar and usage. Students develop speaking, listening, and viewing skills. Students will be challenged by choices for their independent reading requirement. Emphasis is placed upon the process of writing, frequent revisions, and conferences with the teacher.
This course will be taught in a parallel sequence to Ninth Grade Western Humanities to facilitate students making connections between literature and social studies.
For more detailed information, consult guidance counselor or department chairperson about learning outcomes.
ENGLISH 1B (0020) 1 credit
Full year
The hallmark of a B level course is the additional support provided to students to develop as learners who exert purposeful effort.
This course focuses on additional support and enrichment strategies for understanding literature and writing expository essays. Frequent revision of short pieces and conferences with the teacher provide opportunities to review and master the process of writing and the elements of a good essay: clarity, organization, and support. Students engage in a regular and systematic study of vocabulary and grammar and usage. In a smaller class setting, students are encouraged to review and expand speaking, listening, and viewing skills. Outside reading requirements are personalized for each student. This course will be taught in a parallel sequence to Ninth Grade Western Humanities to facilitate students making connections between literature and social studies.
For more detailed information, consult guidance counselor or department chairperson about learning outcomes.
Evaluation of all students is based on the quality of their work, participation (including attendance) in classroom activities, and consistent effort to meet course outcomes. Daily class work, homework, quizzes, tests, essays, oral work, and project displays or performances are assessed according to criteria and quality rubrics. Individual teachers will communicate to their classes how grades are derived.
SOPHOMORE COURSES
Sophomores must take English 2H, 2A, or 2B. The sophomore curriculum includes interrelated and overlapping areas: writing, literature, vocabulary, grammar and usage, research skills, listening, speaking and viewing skills, strategies for reading non-fiction. Learning outcomes for tenth grade students are similar in H, A, and B levels. Higher level classes assume students are able to work more independently, read more complex adult literature, complete longer assignments in reading, writing, and vocabulary study, and write more complex essays based on abstract and original thinking.
Tenth grade students are individuals, each maturing at his or her own developmental pace. A student should be placed in the level that is most appropriately challenging for him or her.
ENGLISH 2H (0060) 1 credit
Full year
The hallmark of an Honors level course is the depth of critical and original thinking required, as well as the amount of independent work.
English 2H is an advanced class for students who, in their freshman English year, demonstrated a compelling interest in reading and a high degree of proficiency in analytical writing. Students entering this course are expected to assume more independent responsibility for their work and to make a sustained commitment in terms of time and effort to longer, more abstract reading and writing assignments. Students continue to refine and develop analytical writing skills, engage in an intensive study of vocabulary (300-400 new words per year), polish speaking and listening skills, develop research skills, and refine strategies for non-fiction reading. Two outside reading assignments are required per quarter. Typical literary selections may include A Catcher in the Rye, Romeo and Juliet, Great Expectations, Dracula. For more detailed information, consult guidance counselor or department chairperson about learning outcomes.
ENGLISH 2H COLLABORATIVE (0060) 1 credit
Full year
The hallmark of an Honors level course is the depth of critical and original thinking required, as well as the amount of independent work.
Students taking this course are required to take U.S. History Collaborative. Enrollment for this course is limited. This interdisciplinary course will illustrate the connection between literature and history. Units, complementing one another thematically, begin and end with a combined class instructed by both teachers. The two courses will be graded individually, although some assignments may be jointly submitted.
This course is designed for the student who will benefit from a team-teaching approach. The focus is on collaboration among students and using technology to support learning. Students will be asked to do a variety of writing, ranging from journals to literary essays. They will work in peer-response groups. In addition, students will read several genres of literature, continually making connections to their work in U.S. History. Titles for the collaborative course might include: Angela’s Ashes, A Gathering of Old Men, Lord of the Flies, Catcher in the Rye, The Things They Carried, and Romeo and Juliet or The Merchant of Venice.
ENGLISH 2A (0060) 1 credit
Full year
The hallmark of an A level course is that it challenges a student’s ability to exert purposeful effort in order to develop as a critical thinker.
This course focuses on response to literature, both personal and analytical. Special emphasis is placed on writing an analytical essay, with frequent revisions and teacher conferences. Students engage in regular and systematic study of vocabulary (200-300 new words per year) and grammar and usage. Students develop speaking, listening, and viewing skills, develop research skills, and learn strategies for non-fiction reading. One outside reading assignment is required per quarter. Typical literary selections may include The Catcher in the Rye, Romeo and Juliet, The Thins They Carried, The Bean Trees. For more detailed information, consult guidance counselor or department chairperson about learning outcomes.
ENGLISH 2B (0060) 1 credit
Full year
The hallmark of a B level course is the additional support provided to students to develop as learners who exert purposeful effort.
This course focuses on additional support and enrichment in strategies for understanding literature, reading non-fiction, and writing expository essays. Frequent revision of short pieces and conferences with the teacher provide opportunities to review and master the process of writing and the elements of a good essay. Students are supported in learning research skills. A smaller class setting allows students to review and develop speaking, listening, and viewing skills. Students engage in a regular and systematic study of vocabulary (150-200 new words per year) and grammar and usage. Outside reading requirements are personalized for each student. Typical literary selections may include The Catcher in the Rye, Romeo and Juliet, and Monster.
For more detailed information, consult guidance counselor or department chairperson about learning outcomes.
JUNIOR RESEARCH CLASSES
Juniors are required to take one of the following courses:
English 3: American Voices (A level) Full year
Research & Literature (A level) One semester
AP Language & Composition (AP level) Full year
Effective Writ. & Research Skills (B level) Full year
If a junior chooses Research and Literature for the required junior year course in English, he or she must choose an additional semester English course to satisfy the junior year English requirement. All students must complete the research paper successfully in order to pass the required junior research course and in order to graduate.
ADVANCED PLACEMENT ENGLISH LANGUAGE (0080) 1 credit
Prerequisite: Completion of Sophomore English, teacher recommendation, or departmental exam. Full year
Guideline: Completion of Sophomore English with at least an A-
Close reading and analysis of at least three texts are required during the summer previous to the course.
The College Board writes that “the AP English Language and Composition course is intended to provide high school students who are interested in studying and writing various kinds of analytic or persuasive essays on nonliterary topics with a college-level English option in language, rhetoric, and expository writing.” The Staples AP Language course will offer students the opportunity to analyze both works of fiction and non-fiction for ideas and rhetorical structure. The course will be organized thematically. Each quarter students will focus on close analysis of one or two major works of American literature as well as non-fiction essays from various authors and time periods, which are linked thematically to the literature. Students will also read and analyze Shakespeare’s Othello and write a research paper with particular emphasis on development of personal voice and effective rhetorical style. Non-fiction readings will serve as models for the students’ own writing. Students will write non-literary essays in the modes of analysis and persuasion. Student work will be assessed using college-level AP standards. Independent reading and research will be a major component of the course. The course will prepare students to take the AP Language and Composition Exam at the end of their junior year.
RESEARCH AND LITERATURE A (0120) 1/2 credit
Either semester
This course is designed for juniors who have a strong foundation in research, writing, critical reading and communication skills. Students will focus their efforts on completing an extensive research paper. Meeting deadlines is a critical part of the research process, as the paper must be completed in one semester! In addition, they will read several works of fiction, such as Othello and The Great Gatsby, as well as non-fiction works. Students are expected to be self-directed and independent learners who participate effectively in class discussion. They must balance the requirements for writing the research paper as they study various works of literature.
ENGLISH 3: AMERICAN VOICES: HEARD AND UNHEARD A (0160) 1 credit
Full year
This full year junior English class is based in American literature and features voices traditionally heard, including such authors as Twain, Fitzgerald, Franklin, Hawthorne, Dickinson, Thoreau, and Wharton. Additional texts explore the diverse voices of the American people, those which have not been heard so frequently in the past: Bradstreet, Equiano, Douglass, Hurston, and Erdrich. Students also study Shakespeare's play, Othello. Traditional authors will be linked thematically with modern novels, poems, short stories, films, and visual art. A requirement to receive credit for this course is the completion of a significant research paper, which also fulfills a Staples High School graduation requirement.
EFFECTIVE WRITING AND RESEARCH SKILLS B (0200) 1 credit
Full year
This course is designed for juniors who want to spend a full year developing their research, writing, critical reading, and communication skills. Students will complete several short research-based projects and one more extensive paper. Smaller class size allows for more individual attention and support. In addition, students will read and discuss works of fiction and nonfiction drawn from American literature. In this workshop, students will have opportunities to work both individually and in groups. Students will be expected to set goals, monitor their progress and reflect on the products and process of their learning.
ELECTIVE COURSES FOR JUNIORS AND SENIORS
Generally, the English elective courses for juniors and seniors do not have formal prerequisites. In some instances, however, courses are limited to seniors or are recommended for a particular grade/group of students. This is noted within the course description. The Elective Courses have been grouped in three general categories: Writing and Literature, Specific Areas, and Year-Long Courses for Seniors only. Except where noted, semester courses are available to both juniors and seniors. However, not all courses are offered either semester.
Juniors and seniors must take a full-year course or two one-semester courses. During 11th and 12th grade, each student must take 2.0 credits in English. From these, each student must take at least 1.5 credits from the courses listed below.
1. The following full-year courses will be offered every year:
AP Language & Composition
English 3: American Voices (A level)
Effective Writ. & Research Skills (B level)
A.P. English
English 4: Sr. Themes (A level)
2. The following half-year courses are offered each semester every year:
Research and Literature (A level) (11)
Irish Literature (A level) (11,12)
Film Analysis (A level) (11,12)
Contemporary American Literature (A level) (11,12)
Speech (A level) (11,12)
Journalism (A level) (11,12)
3. The following half-year courses are offered every year, semester A only:
Myth and Bible (A level) (11,12)
World Literature (A level) (11,12)
British Literature (A level) (11,12)
4. The following half-year courses are offered every year, semester B only:
Images of Women in Literature (A level) (11,12)
Shakespeare (A level) (11,12)
Reading and Writing Fiction (A level) (11,12)
5. The following courses are offered every other year:
African American Literature (A level) (11,12) (not offered 2010-11)
World Drama (A level) (11,12) (not offered 2009-10)
Poetry (A level) (11,12) (not offered 2010-011)
6. STUDENTS MAY TAKE ONLY ONE OF THE FOLLOWING COURSES TO FULFILL THE 2.0 CREDIT REQUIREMENT IN ENGLISH.
Reading & Writing Fiction (A level) (11,12) (offered sem. B)
Film Analysis (A level) (11,12) (offered sem .A)
Speech (A level) (11,12) (offered every year, each sem.)
Journalism for Publication (A level) (9,10,11,12) (offered every year, each sem.)
Advanced Journalism (A level) (10,11,12) offered every year
LITERATURE AND WRITING COURSES
READING AND WRITING POETRY (0240) (not offered 2010-11) 1/2 credit
Second semester
This course is designed for the student interested in poetry in the contemporary style. The course reading will focus on such poets as Walt Whitman, Wallace Stevens, William Carlow Williams, T.S.Elliot, Langston Hughes, e.e.cummings, and Denise Levertov. Some earlier poets such as Donne and Browning will also be discussed. Most classes will consider modern poetic theories and major elements of poetry such as diction, rhythm, and form and their uses, particularly in free verse. All students will be expected to respond to the reading and their learning about the nature of poetry by writing a considerable number of poems, as well as analytical essays about poems.
CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN LITERATURE (0320) 1/2 credit
Either semester
To appreciate literature is to appreciate literature’s role in the construction of the American identity. This course will examine contemporary American texts, and the relationship between literature and popular culture. The course will be structured around several essential questions, such as the following: How does literature reflect gender, race, and class in American society? How does literature explore the relationship between the self and others? Participants in this class will engage with a variety of genres and media which reflect the contemporary American experience, including poetry, art and film. Typical authors include Russell Banks, T.C. Boyle, Raymond Carver, Sherman Alexie, Louise Erdrich, and Jay McInerney. Assessment will be based on consistent classroom participation, a formal presentation, class discussions, and critical essays.
WORLD DRAMA (0360) (Not offered 2009-10) 1/2 credit
Second semester
An appreciation of theater and an interest in reading and seeing plays is fundamental to this course. Contemporary World Drama uses films, recordings, and extensive readings to help students explore works of world dramatists such as Albee, Williams, Synge, and Giraudox.
Upon requests of the students, the teacher will arrange and chaperone optional theater trips. Assessment is based on critical and creative essays, classroom discussion, quizzes, and a major project consisting of either extensive study of some aspect of theater (e.g. puppet theater, study of musical theater, Black theater) OR the writing of an original one-act play.
MYTHOLOGY AND BIBLE 0400) 1/2 credit
First semester
This course is designed for students interested in the study of mythology and the Bible as literature. They should enjoy written critical analysis. The basic purposes of the course are to provide students with an opportunity to investigate man’s expression of his beliefs and to broaden a student’s background in readings that are important in the understanding of Western literature.
The first quarter will deal with themes, patterns, or mythic archetypes from the ancient world focusing on Greek myths of gods and heroes as well as tragedies such as Oedipus Rex. The second quarter will be a study of the Bible as literature, with emphasis on the Old Testament. Major selections will include Psalms, Genesis, Exodus, Samuel, Job, and Isaiah. The Gospels from the New Testament will be studied as well. Written assignments will vary from critical to creative papers. Quizzes, tests, papers, projects, participation, and attendance contribute to assessment.
SHAKESPEARE (0440) 1/2 credit
Second semester
This course is recommended for students who enjoy Shakespeare and would like to increase their understanding of his plays as literature and possibly as live theater. It would be to the student’s advantage to have taken Research before taking Shakespeare. The course is designed to help the student understand the plays of Shakespeare and his qualities as a playwright, and will provide background material on Elizabethan history and culture, Shakespeare’s life, the Elizabethan theater and stage, other plays of the time, and the individual works to be studied. Discussions and compositions will deal with plot formation, characterization, style and major themes of plays studied. The schedule and curriculum will be primarily determined by the teacher but will offer some opportunity for individual study.
IMAGES OF WOMEN IN LITERATURE (0480) 1/2 credit
Second semester
This course, which will focus on the image of women in literature, is designed to meet a wide range of student interests and abilities. The emphasis will fall on how authors, men and women, have portrayed women in literature from the ancient Greeks through the twentieth century. Students will read novels, short stories, poetry and plays (such as Plath’s The Bell Jar, Morrison’s The Bluest Eye, Ibsen’s A Doll House) and write analytical papers that examine the literature. Students will keep personal response journals and will be encouraged to participate actively in class discussion. Young men as well as young women are encouraged to take the course.
AFRICAN-AMERICAN LITERATURE (0520) (Not offered 2010-11) 1/2 credit
First semester
From slave narratives to Delta blues to the Harlem Renaissance and beyond, African-American literature encompasses voices of protest and a search for identity, as well as a celebration of the richness of a unique language and culture. In addition to short stories, poetry, and drama, by authors such as Frederick Douglass, Richard Wright, Toni Morrison and Alice Walker, the course will analyze oral language, music, art, dance, popular culture, television and film in order to understand the African-American experience. Students will respond to text and media critically and creatively. Students will develop their analytical writing skills. Assessment will be based on classroom participation, written work, and a formal presentation.
TOPICS IN WORLD LITERATURE: THE CARIBBEAN (0560) 1/2 credit
First semester
This course is designed as a survey of literature from various areas of the world. Each year the course will focus on a different region. The course will emphasize the Caribbean, including the sociopolitical and cultural factors that influence the development of the literature and the resulting themes. The course will include fiction, poetry, and film. Typical authors include Jamaica Kincaid, Edwidge Danticat, Robert Antoni, V.S. Naipaul, and Derek Walcott. Assessment will be based on consistent classroom participation, a formal presentation, and critical essays.
INTRODUCTION TO BRITISH LITERATURE (0600) 1/2 credit
First semester
This course will survey major English authors and various literary genres from the Beowulf poet through the modern period. Students will become familiar with the history of the English language as they trace the development of drama, poetry, comedy, the essay, and the novel through both an analytical and an historical approach. Students will read literature by writers such as Chaucer, Milton, Austen, Swift, Orwell and Shaw, and will understand the time periods that produced such works as Arthurian legends and gothic novels. The course is designed to appeal to a wide range of interests, and students can expect to respond to the literature critically, creatively and personally. Assessment will be based on both written work and classroom performance.
IRISH LITERATURE (0620) 1/2 credit
Either semester
This course will survey major writers of Modern Irish Literature. Students will examine how literature has been influenced by the ancient history and mythology of Ireland as well as the political and social history of the 20th century. The course will include fiction, non-fiction, poetry, music and film. Students will read such authors as Yeats, Gregory, Synge, Joyce, Behan, O’Brien, Heaney, and Doyle. The course is designed to appeal to a wide range or interests, and students can expect to respond to the literature critically, creatively and personally. Assessment will be based on both written work and classroom performance.
SPECIFIC AREA COURSES
SPEECH (0640) 1/2 credit
Either semester
Improving communication skills through use of language and other media is the goal of this course. Students learn to reach their audience through effective use of voice and body, in a variety of situations, including impromptu speaking, public speaking, and oral interpretation of literature. In addition, students will be introduced to various types of rhetorical devices used in effective oratory. They will read, view, and analyze political speeches in an attempt to better their own speaking skills. An emphasis is placed on structure, organization, and presentation of ideas with poise, self confidence and skill. Daily participation and peer evaluation are major components of this course.
FILM ANALYSIS AND CRITICISM (0680) 1/2 credit
Be advised: this course focuses on the development of analytical writing. Either Semester
Enrollment for this course is limited. You MUST register for an alternate course with your counselor.
This elective course for juniors and seniors teaches students to become active, critical viewers of film and requires analytical essays reviewing film. Students will be introduced to elements of film analysis (e.g. cinematography, acting and dialogue, sound), an overview of film history, and the rudiments of film theory. Although many films will be shown during class, students will be expected to view films at home on video or at local cinemas. Typical films for analysis are Todd Solondz’s Welcome to the Dollhouse and John Ford’s The Searchers, among others. In addition to viewing film, students will read texts, which aid in activating them as viewers. Possible readings might include screenplays, reviews, director’s notes, articles about the film industry, or a novel or play that has been used as the basis for a film. Students use writing, speaking, and visual texts to prepare for viewing, to think about what they have viewed, and to communicate their ideas to others.
READING AND WRITING FICTION (0720) 1/2 credit
Second semester
This elective course for juniors and seniors teaches students to write fiction by requiring them to produce between four and six polished stories. Toward that end, students will experiment with various approaches to generating ideas and developing them. They will study devices that fiction writers use, and write several analytical essays, in order to use those devices in their own work. Students will also spend considerable time sharing work with their peers, either in small groups or as a whole class. The readings in this class will serve as models for writing different kinds of fiction. They may be drawn from classical or contemporary literature; for instance, students may read Ernest Hemingway as well as Joyce Carol Oates.
JOURNALISM FOR PUBLICATION (0760) 1/2 credit
(Open to grades 9 through 12.) Either semester
Designed for students who want to improve their writing skills while publishing work in the school paper and yearbook, this course will teach the conventions and nuances of writing news, features, columns, editorials, reviews, and sports. Students will learn how to write leads, headlines, and captions. They will practice organizing stories, conducting interviews, and editing articles. While working on monthly articles for the paper, students will also study concepts essential to producing a good paper: history of journalism, ethics in the media, balanced reporting, First Amendment rights and responsibilities, newspaper business practices and use of photography.
JOURNALISM FOR PUBLICATION IS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED FOR ALL THOSE SEEKING EDITORIAL POSITIONS ON INKLINGS, THE SCHOOL PAPER.
If a freshman or sophomore elects to take Journalism, he or she must take it in addition to freshman or sophomore English.
ADVANCED JOURNALISM (0800) 1 credit
Note: This course is included on the list from which students may take only one to fulfill
the 2.0 credit requirement in English Full year
Advanced Journalism is a class for students who, after successfully completing Journalism for Publication, want to join the paper’s staff. Students entering this course are expected to take on the various roles and positions of the paper (writer, layout artist, editor, business management, and editor-in-chief) and assume the responsibility of producing a quality monthly paper with excellent writing, the highest ethics, and effective layout. Students enrolling in the course must commit to work after school in order to publish the paper. If students wish to hold an editor’s position on the staff, it is strongly advised that the students be enrolled in the course.
YEAR LONG COURSES FOR SENIORS ONLY
ADVANCED PLACEMENT ENGLISH LITERATURE (0840) 1 credit
Prerequisite: Completion of junior English course requirements; teacher recommendation or departmental exam Full year
Guideline: Completion of A level junior English course with at least an A- or completion of AP Language and
Composition with at least B-.
Close reading and analysis of four texts are required during the summer previous to the course.
The College Board writes that the AP Literature and Composition course “should engage students in the careful reading and critical analysis of imaginative literature…. Students should deepen their understanding of the ways writers use language to provide both meaning and pleasure for their readers…. In addition to considering a work’s literary artistry, students should consider the social and historical values it reflects and embodies.”
AP students read many challenging works prior to class discussions. All reading-based discussions and writing provide practice in making specific observations of text structure and rhetorical devices as well as drawing inferences which lead to an interpretation of the work’s meaning. Different genres, cultures, and historical periods are considered. Staples teachers select primary texts from a College Board list of appropriate titles and authors. For example, most classes will read Antigone,
The Inferno, Hamlet, King Lear, Crime and Punishment, Mrs. Dalloway and Heart of Darkness. Additionally authors likely to be represented in the curriculum include Chaucer, Joyce, Albee, Ellison, Faulkner, Beckett, Camus, and Kafka. The reading expectation (interest, comprehension and pace) is significantly higher than in other courses.
Students write frequently to develop thinking, interpret a literary text, express themselves, and reflect on their development as a writer. A major requirement is a Literary Exploration paper. Through a series of drafts, students independently investigate a topic of their choice using three books of fiction and one of non-fiction.
All student work will be assessed using college level standards. The course will prepare students to take the AP Literature and Composition exam.
ENGLISH 4: SENIOR THEMES, IDENTITY AND DECISIONS (0860) 1 credit
Full year
This course focuses on the themes of individual identity as well as the conflicts which occur in personal relationships. The course syllabus features critical reading of classic and contemporary literature (short stories, novels, plays, and poetry). Core texts which have been chosen to support the themes include Hamlet, Kafka's Metamorphosis, Into the Wild, and the film Apocalypse Now. Other books may be chosen by authors such as Wright, Quindlen, Vonnegut, Morrison, and Garcia Marquez. The Staples summer reading requirement is assessed at the beginning of the course.
Both analytical and personal writing are encouraged. Students will write in a variety of modes including journal entries, literary analysis essays, creative pieces and personal essays. Students review and practice the principles of good writing: organizations clarity, fluency, grammatical and mechanical correctness. Revisions of major writing assignments are expected.
ENGLISH FOR SPEAKERS OF OTHER LANGUAGES (ESOL) (4220) 1 credit
ADVANCED ENGLISH FOR SPEAKERS OF OTHER LANGUAGES (4300) Full year
ESOL is designed for non-native speakers of English. Students are recommended by parents or a staff member. Emphasis is on integrating students into regular classes. In addition to providing students with the skills and knowledge necessary for academic success in content areas of English and history, ESOL courses will help students adjust to the school culture and American culture in general.
The ESOL curriculum is designed to give students mastery of English through an integrated skill approach. All four skills, reading, writing, speaking and listening, are emphasized. Authentic English readings and videos lead to class discussion and writing assignments. Grammar is studied within the context of high-interest topics and readings. Students are assessed by means of written/oral tests and quizzes. In addition, class participation and completion of homework are essential for success in ESOL.