ENGLISH DEPARTMENT 
 

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

American Literature I (Grade 9) 1111, 1112

This course begins with pre colonial and early native American writings and narratives and includes journals, essays, plays, novels and poetry up to World War I. This literature is the content vehicle for teaching vocabulary, grammar, reading, writing and presentation skills. An effort is made to coordinate readings in literature with the course of study in history.        

American Literature II (Grade 10) 1211,1212,1213*                                           

World Literature I (Grade 11) 1311,1312,1313*

This course is a survey of world literature from the western cultures of ancient times (Babylonian, Hebrew, Greek, and Roman) and the eastern cultures of ancient times (Chinese, Japanese, and Arabic) to the post-Renaissance era. Material will include: essays, narratives, novels, plays, and poetry. This literature will be the content vehicle for acquiring more sophisticated skills in vocabulary, grammar, reading, writing, evaluation, discussion, and presentation. Necessary skills for the SAT verbal and writing sections will be addressed.

World literature II (Grade 12) 1411, 1412, 1413*

This course continues the study of world literature from Romanticism and Realism to today’s literature, sampling authors and a variety of literary works from around the world.  The writing focus is on non-fiction, continuing the essay and exploring narratives, journal, and other aspects of non-fiction using the John Collins approach.  Grammar and language skills are addressed through exercises based on literature.

                                                                *  designates an honors course