English Language Arts
The English Language Arts curriculum, aligned with the California English Common Core Standards, focuses on reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills. The courses are sequenced so that the knowledge and skills acquired in each course prepare students for the knowledge and skills to be learned in each sequential course. Students must earn 40 units of English Language Arts credit (English 9, English 10, English 11, and English 12 for graduation.
English Language Arts 7 HP
Grade Level: 7 Course Length: One Year
This class will study reading, writing, listening and speaking. The class will read informational material, short stories, poetry, and novels. The class will write research reports, essays and short answer responses. Students will give class presentations and do group work in which students will analyze information and speak and respond to each other.
Grade Level: 7 Course Length: One Year
This class will study reading, writing, listening and speaking. The class will read informational material, short stories, poetry, and novels. The class will write research reports, essays and short answer responses. Students will give class presentations and do group work in which students will analyze information and speak and respond to each other.
English Language Arts 8 HP
Grade Level: 8 Course Length: One Year
This class will study reading, writing, listening and speaking. The class will read informational material, short stories, poetry, and novels. The class will write research reports, essays and short answer responses. Students will give class presentations and do group work in which students will analyze information and speak and respond to each other.
Grade Level: 8 Course Length: One Year
This class will study reading, writing, listening and speaking. The class will read informational material, short stories, poetry, and novels. The class will write research reports, essays and short answer responses. Students will give class presentations and do group work in which students will analyze information and speak and respond to each other.
English Language Arts 9
Grade Level: 9 Course Length: One Year
This course places emphasis on fundamental language skills: reading, writing, speaking, listening, viewing, and presenting. An emphasis on vocabulary and composition skills will be on-going part of the program. The course includes studies of various literary genres: short story, poetry, novel, drama, and non-fiction. The development of critical writing skills is a major emphasis of the course.
Grade Level: 9 Course Length: One Year
This course places emphasis on fundamental language skills: reading, writing, speaking, listening, viewing, and presenting. An emphasis on vocabulary and composition skills will be on-going part of the program. The course includes studies of various literary genres: short story, poetry, novel, drama, and non-fiction. The development of critical writing skills is a major emphasis of the course.
English Language Arts 9 HP
Grade Level: 9 Course Length: One Year
UC/CSU Requirement: B
This course covers all material listed for English Language Art I. Students will study works from various genres and develop and strengthen interpretive, critical thinking, and analytical skills. Students will write in-depth essays analyzing literature.
Grade Level: 9 Course Length: One Year
UC/CSU Requirement: B
This course covers all material listed for English Language Art I. Students will study works from various genres and develop and strengthen interpretive, critical thinking, and analytical skills. Students will write in-depth essays analyzing literature.
English Language Arts 10
Grade Level: 10
Course Length: One Year
UC/CSU Requirement: B
Students who enroll in this college preparatory course will participate in advanced grammar, vocabulary, reading, and writing practices. Students will learn to analyze and critique major and minor works in world literature, through discussion and formal writing assessments. Through literary analysis, the students will examine the style and structure of the work as well as the writer’s diction, language, imagery, and use of detail. The aim of this course is to aid students in English syntax and comprehension for future success. An aggressive approach to this course is necessary in order to succeed.
Grade Level: 10
Course Length: One Year
UC/CSU Requirement: B
Students who enroll in this college preparatory course will participate in advanced grammar, vocabulary, reading, and writing practices. Students will learn to analyze and critique major and minor works in world literature, through discussion and formal writing assessments. Through literary analysis, the students will examine the style and structure of the work as well as the writer’s diction, language, imagery, and use of detail. The aim of this course is to aid students in English syntax and comprehension for future success. An aggressive approach to this course is necessary in order to succeed.
English Language Arts 10 HP
Grade Level: 10
Course Length: One Year
Recommendation: Students earned a “B” in English 9 HP And/or teacher recommendation if no Honors Program
UC/CSU Requirement: B
English 10 HP is a course for the college bound sophomore who wishes to prepare critical thinking skills and study habits needed to be successful in college. Outside of class reading is required, as much of the longer class readings are assigned as homework. Therefore, students must be able to read and write and study independently outside of school, as well as in the classroom. Students will learn to support their ideas with sources while using the MLA format, and to back up their ideas and statements when developing an argument or thesis. Students will observe and learn to use rhetorical features--like diction, syntax, organization and imagery--to build effective arguments and to communicate effectively, as they become increasingly aware of their audience and how this affects their strategies. Literature will present challenging themes and require students to show an understanding of irony, symbol, and satire as they read works such as Julius Caesar, Lord of the Flies, Brave New World, Night, and Oedipus Rex. Emphasis will be on forming ideas in response to literature and understanding literary features. Students will also work on finding support for their ideas in the text, a skill that will continue to be developed as they progress through other college preparatory English classes.
English 11
Course Length: One Year
Grade Level: 11
UC/CSU Requirement: B
The English 11 American Literature course covers representative literary works from the foundations of the American colonies through the World War I and World War II eras. Several types of genre, from basic letters to well-crafted essays, represent a fairly diverse understanding of the time periods in which they were written. Both the prose and the poetry in this course have been chosen to engage students in understanding how the United States’ literature became its own, rather than a duplicate of European style writings. Students are also expected to improve their writing through different forms of essays (narrative, expository, persuasive, etc.), to not only understand the concepts learned, but also apply the knowledge learned into their own writing. Besides understanding the basic concepts of grammar like the parts of speech, multiple types of phrases, and sentence construction, students must utilize their grammar proficiency to improve their writing. Assignments and projects will require students to develop and apply critical thinking, analytical writing skills, and an understanding that further prepares students for the CSU English Placement Test.
Course Length: One Year
Grade Level: 11
UC/CSU Requirement: B
The English 11 American Literature course covers representative literary works from the foundations of the American colonies through the World War I and World War II eras. Several types of genre, from basic letters to well-crafted essays, represent a fairly diverse understanding of the time periods in which they were written. Both the prose and the poetry in this course have been chosen to engage students in understanding how the United States’ literature became its own, rather than a duplicate of European style writings. Students are also expected to improve their writing through different forms of essays (narrative, expository, persuasive, etc.), to not only understand the concepts learned, but also apply the knowledge learned into their own writing. Besides understanding the basic concepts of grammar like the parts of speech, multiple types of phrases, and sentence construction, students must utilize their grammar proficiency to improve their writing. Assignments and projects will require students to develop and apply critical thinking, analytical writing skills, and an understanding that further prepares students for the CSU English Placement Test.
Advanced Placement English 11 – AP Language and Composition
Recommendation: Students must earn a “B” or higher in English 10 HP and teacher recommendation
Course Length: One Year
Grade Level: 11
UC/CSU Requirement: B
The Advanced Placement Language and Composition course is sanctioned by the College Board as providing students with a college level experience that will prepare them for the AP exam in May. Students will be engage in a rigorous curriculum that focuses on college level reading, in addition to developing critical thinking skills, and literary and composition analysis. Further, students will participate in writing workshops that hone analytical, persuasive, and argumentation skills, while instructing students to work with various modes of development, literary devices, and rhetorical appeals and strategies. Students will become skilled readers of American prose written in various periods, disciplines, and rhetorical contexts and skilled writers who compose for a variety of purposes and audience expectations. Students write effectively and confidently in a number of forms – narrative, exploratory, expository, and argumentative. The desired goals are the effective use of language and the organization of ideas in a clear, coherent and persuasive way, as well as the perceptive understanding of sophisticated masterpieces of American Literature. This course may be offered pending sufficient enrollment.
Recommendation: Students must earn a “B” or higher in English 10 HP and teacher recommendation
Course Length: One Year
Grade Level: 11
UC/CSU Requirement: B
The Advanced Placement Language and Composition course is sanctioned by the College Board as providing students with a college level experience that will prepare them for the AP exam in May. Students will be engage in a rigorous curriculum that focuses on college level reading, in addition to developing critical thinking skills, and literary and composition analysis. Further, students will participate in writing workshops that hone analytical, persuasive, and argumentation skills, while instructing students to work with various modes of development, literary devices, and rhetorical appeals and strategies. Students will become skilled readers of American prose written in various periods, disciplines, and rhetorical contexts and skilled writers who compose for a variety of purposes and audience expectations. Students write effectively and confidently in a number of forms – narrative, exploratory, expository, and argumentative. The desired goals are the effective use of language and the organization of ideas in a clear, coherent and persuasive way, as well as the perceptive understanding of sophisticated masterpieces of American Literature. This course may be offered pending sufficient enrollment.
English 12
Recommendation: None
Course Length: One Year
Grade Level: 12
UC/CSU Requirement: B
English 12 is a college preparatory course focusing on the English language through the written and spoken word. The class will accomplish this through the lens of British Literature and writings from ancient to modern times. Students will gain an understanding of the MLA format as it pertains to both multiple source and single source essays. Students will be expected to complete a Senior Research Project plus various written and oral assignments.
Recommendation: None
Course Length: One Year
Grade Level: 12
UC/CSU Requirement: B
English 12 is a college preparatory course focusing on the English language through the written and spoken word. The class will accomplish this through the lens of British Literature and writings from ancient to modern times. Students will gain an understanding of the MLA format as it pertains to both multiple source and single source essays. Students will be expected to complete a Senior Research Project plus various written and oral assignments.
AP English Language & Composition
Recommendation: Grade 11 B or Better
Course Length: One Year
Grade Level: 12
UC/CSU Requirement: B
UC/CSU Requirement: B
This college preparatory course is provided by the College Board. This is an introductory college-level composition course. Students cultivate their understanding of writing and rhetorical arguments through reading, analyzing, and writing texts as they explore topics like rhetorical situations, claims and evidence, reasoning and organization, and style. Prepares students for the national AP exam. (Weighted GPA)
Women’s Literature
Recommendation: None
Course Length: One Year
Grade Level: 12
UC/CSU Requirement: B
UC/CSU Requirement: B
Using literature from the 19th to the 20th century, students read, analyze, and evaluate women's literature and its relevant issues while having an understanding of how a time period influences that literature.