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English Language Arts / Library MediaCOURSE DESCRIPTIONSHigh School:English 9: This is a college preparatory curriculum which begins to prepare students for the English Regents exam taken in Grade 11. It stresses all strands of the language arts and includes such literary works as Romeo and Juliet, The Old Man and the Sea, The Good Earth, A Raisin in the Sun, selected short stories, and an introduction to poetry. Essay work includes narrative, persuasive, and expository writing, with an emphasis on literary analysis. Click here to see Course Objectives, Textbooks, Exams & Assignments Grade 9 English 9 HONORS: This is an honors course of study and the most academically challenging in the 9th grade study of the language arts. Within the framework of reading, writing, listening and speaking, the course deals with such works as Great Expectations, The Good Earth and Romeo and Juliet. Analyzing writing is important and this is done in conjunction with reading short stories, novels, poetry and drama. The course demands close attention to language in all of its ramifications. Click here to see Course Objectives, Textbooks, Exams & Assignments Grade 9 English 10: This course helps students learn that reading, interpretation and discussion can bring literature to life. Works studied include such pieces as Julius Caesar, The Epic of Gilgamesh, A Separate Peace, The Pearl and All Quiet on the Western Front, as well as essays, short stories, myths, poetry, speeches and non- fiction. There is an emphasis on advanced reading, writing and research skills. Speaking and listening, the other components of the Standards, are also emphasized. All assignments are based on the Standards and are solid preparation for the English 11 Regents exam to be taken the following year in eleventh grade. Click here to see Course Objectives, Textbooks, Exams & Assignments Grade 10 English 10 HONORS (Prerequisites: English 9 or 9H, Honors criteria): This course requires critical, analytical, and creative writing based on works read, as well as narrative, descriptive, and argumentative essays. Students utilize methods of inquiry to identify, analyze, organize, and interpret information. Works studied include such text as A Tale of Two Cites, Hamilton’s Mythology, Julius Caesar, All Quiet on the Western Front, A Separate Peace, and Inherit the Wind, as well as selected poems, short stories, and non-fiction. Advanced listening and speaking skills are also emphasized. All assignments are geared towards having students achieve mastery of the Standards and score in the mastery range on the English 11 Regents exam to be taken in the eleventh grade. Click here to see Course Objectives, Textbooks, Exams & Assignments Grade 10 English 11: This course culminates with the English Regents examination. The study of literature and the act of writing continue with emphasis as well on listening and speaking. Such writing as these are studied in detail: Macbeth, To Kill a Mockingbird, Of Mice and Men, The Great Gatsby, The Crucible and The Catcher in the Rye, as well as selected poems and short stories. A strong emphasis is placed on expository writing, and a research paper is required. Click here to see Course Objectives, Textbooks, Exams & Assignments Grade 11 English 11 HONORS (Prerequisites: English 10 or 10H, Honors criteria): This honors course is designed for the student who has exhibited a keen interest in the world of writing and ideas. The curriculum includes an intense study of such works as Macbeth, The Great Gatsby, The Scarlet Letter, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Catcher in the Rye, Of Mice and Men, Death of a Salesman and The Crucible, as well as selected short stories and poems. The act of writing continues to define and develop critical and rhetorical skills. Expository writing is in constant demand and the research paper is required. Listening and speaking continue to be emphasized as well. All students will take the English Regents examination at the culmination of the course. Click here to see Course Objectives, Textbooks, Exams & Assignments Grade 11 Advanced Placement Language and Composition: (Prerequisite: English 10 honors, honor criteria or departmental recommendation) This Advanced Placement course demands the highest order of self-expression. Emphasis is placed on college level grammatical and stylistic structure; diction, tone and style; recasting sentences; advanced punctuation skills; writing and analyzing paragraphs and essays; and prose discourse. This course makes rigorous demands upon students that are equivalent to a college level course. Students take the A.P. Language and Composition examination in May for possible college credit and the English Regents exam in June, which is a requirement for graduation. Click here to see Course Objectives, Textbooks, Exams & Assignments Grade 11 English 12: This is a college preparatory English course focused on world literature. Students read a variety of genre, such as, The Canterbury Tales, Cyrano de Bergerac, Hamlet, Gulliver’s Travels, The Stranger and Metamorphosis, as well as selected poetry and short stories. The writing requirements are diversified with narrative and expository treatments. Listening and speaking continue as strands of the study of English. A research paper is required, and a mature sense of expression is expected. Click here to see Course Objectives, Textbooks, Exams & Assignments Grade12 The Human Experience Through World Literature (English 12 honors): (Prerequisites: English 11 or 11H, honors criteria) This course, taken for honors credit, satisfies the English 12 requirement for graduation. Students trace the origins and cultures of humanity through its products: architecture, art, music, literature and philosophy. An emphasis is placed on the four “Cradles of Civilization” and their contributions to the development of world culture throughout the centuries. This course uses humanities-oriented materials to teach to the four New York State Standards: reading, writing, speaking and listening for information and understanding; literary response and expression; critical analysis and evaluation; and social interaction. Students develop an understanding of the diverse social, historical and cultural dimensions that have led to their own self-expression and artistic creations. They analyze offerings from a variety of perspectives and use the social communications of others to enrich their understanding of people and their views. Click here to see Course Objectives, Textbooks, Exams & Assignments Grade12 Advanced Placement Literature and Composition: (Prerequisites: AP Language, English 11 or 11H, honors criteria) This Advanced Placement course demands the highest order of self-expression. The students are exposed to some of the greatest works of literature in Western Civilization which raise universal, timeless questions of justice, search for identity, good/evil, and crime and punishment. The course is intellectually demanding, requiring students to read works from the Greeks and literature into the twentieth century. It is the goal of this Advanced Placement course to expose students to great ideas and to nurture them. Textbooks include the following: Billy Budd, Heart of Darkness, The Sun Also Rises, Lord of the Flies, Oedipus Rex, Antigone, Hamlet, Crime and Punishment, anthologies of poetry and short stories, and books from a summer reading list. Click here to see Course Objectives, Textbooks, Exams & Assignments Grade 12 Values Clarification Through Literature: This course helps students clarity their values by exploring literature that presents characters in the “self-evaluating” process. In addition, the class interacts in a group setting, thereby developing students’ skills of trust, freedom and self-expression. Writing assumes a personal touch, with the student being asked to constantly redefine himself/herself. Journals, recording the students’ daily progression, also are an effective learning tool. Students read such works as At Risk, Go Ask Alice, Alive, The Bell Jar and Ordinary People, all of which present models of characters facing moral dilemmas. Click here to see Course Objectives, Textbooks, Exams & Assignments Grades
11-12 Journalism: This course focuses on the skills needed to be a journalist. Students review various types of newspaper articles (news and feature stories, opinions, editorials, and sports writing), and they study topics, such as, lay out, photography and advertisements. Adobe Pagemaker software is utilized to produce professional-looking products. Student in this course also contribute to production of the school newspaper, The Harbour Voice. Click here to see Course Objectives, Textbooks, Exams & Assignments Grades
9-12 Creative Writing: This course is designed as a hands-on approach to writing. During the semester students pursue an in-depth study of their individual writing styles. All types of writing (creative, narrative, expository and persuasive) are explored. Students are expected to produce a portfolio of work in each of the above categories. Click here to see Course Objectives, Textbooks, Exams & Assignments Grades
10-12 College Essay Writing/Interviewing For the College Bound Student: If the anticipation of college concerns you, this English course is for you. This class is designed as a hands-on approach to the college acceptance process. The scope of the work includes researching college/university choices based on career interest, developing the personal essay, creating a resume needed for the college application, and practicing the college interview. Click here to see Course Objectives, Textbooks, Exams & Assignments Academic Intervention Services 7- 8: Small group instruction for students scoring below designated performance levels on New York State assessments or students for whom it is anticipated that they will have difficulty passing Regents exams because of weaknesses in basic reading and/or writing skills. In areas where no New York State assessments are given, students are eligible if they are determined to be at risk of not meeting the New York State Standards. Click here to see Course Objectives, Textbooks, Exams & Assignments Grades 7-8. Academic Intervention Services 9- 12: Small group instruction for students scoring
below designated performance levels on New York State assessments or
students for whom it is anticipated that they will have difficulty
passing Regents exams because of weaknesses in basic reading and/or
writing skills. In areas where no New York State assessments are
given, students are eligible if they are determined to be at risk of
not meeting the New York State Standards.
Grades 9-12. Literacy Connections: This class meets one period every other day for the entire school year. Students continue to learn, develop and reinforce essential literacy skills and strategies, and grow as independent readers and writers. This course allows for a wide scope of reading materials in an environment that encourages the reading of both young adult and traditional literature. The students continue to learn to function in a reading / writing workshop and in a book discussion setting. Click here to see Course Objectives, Textbooks, Exams & Assignments Grades 7-8. Reading Advantage: Small group instruction for students reading below grade level. Emphasis will be upon building comprehension skills and strategies. Click here to see Course Objectives, Textbooks, Exams & Assignments The Great Film Tradition: This course traces the development of film from silent movies through “talkies” to present day cinema. Movies have always fascinated audiences because they can draw the viewers into a different, totally new environment. Through the use of such classic films as Citizen Kane (Orson Wells) and North by Northwest (Alfred Hitchcock), students will be better able to appreciate and understand modern productions on the silver screen. Discussion papers of critical analysis and oral presentations are used to develop students’ sensitivities in this medium. Students also have the opportunity to learn techniques which will enable them to produce their own video. Grades 10-12 Dramatic Literature and The Actor: This course affords the student the opportunity to analyze dramatic literature and its relationship to acting. Emphasis is placed on the structure of the play and its influence on acting technique. Students engage in character analysis through reading, writing, and acting in a workshop setting. A strong emphasis is placed on the listening, speaking, and writing components of the Standards. How to audition is also included in this course. Grades
10-12 Dramatic Literature and the Director: (Prerequisite: Dramatic Literature and The Actor) This course is designed for the student who wants to continue the study of dramatic literature. It emphasizes how a director analyzes a play and makes decisions concerning the playwright’s intentions. Students maintain a director’s log that will serve as an analysis of the play and of the director’s role. Directing scenes is also a course requirement. A strong emphasis is placed on the reading, writing, listening and speaking components of the Standards. Grades
10-12 Library: Enhances and supports the curriculum. Serves as a research facility for staff and students and as a site for special programs. A location for quiet study and recreational reading, the library also provides fiction and non-fiction for at home student and staff use. Click here for the Library web site. Vernon School:TC Reading/Writing Project: “For nearly two decades, the Project has supported teachers establishing workshops in which they act as mentors and coaches for children learning the processes of writing and reading. In writing workshops, children become powerful writers: they learn to observe the world within and around them, write drafts, revise, edit and present polished and well crafted pieces of writing. In reading workshops, children become avid and competent readers: they learn to live richly literate lives and read texts purposefully, rigorously, and joyfully. These reading and writing workshops function as bases out of which teachers build new images of what is possible in their classrooms throughout the day. Thus teaching becomes the entry point for helping them make and sustain fundamental changes in classroom practices.” http://rwproject.tc.columbia.edu/ Library: The Vernon library program supports the curriculum, teaches research skills and enables students to borrow quality fiction and non-fiction on a regular basis. Theodore Roosevelt School:TC Reading/Writing Project: “For nearly two decades, the Project has supported teachers establishing workshops in which they act as mentors and coaches for children learning the processes of writing and reading. In writing workshops, children become powerful writers: they learn to observe the world within and around them, write drafts, revise, edit and present polished and well crafted pieces of writing. In reading workshops, children become avid and competent readers: they learn to live richly literate lives and read texts purposefully, rigorously, and joyfully. These reading and writing workshops function as bases out of which teachers build new images of what is possible in their classrooms throughout the day. Thus teaching becomes the entry point for helping them make and sustain fundamental changes in classroom practices.” http://rwproject.tc.columbia.edu/ Library: The Roosevelt library program enhances students’ literacy development. Different genres are introduced and students are encourages to borrow different types of books that meet their interests. |
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