English Language Arts

English 1,2,3

Grade Level: 9,10,11

Reading, where students read and understand a wide variety of literary and informational texts; Writing, where students compose a variety of written texts with a clear controlling idea, coherent organization, and sufficient detail; Research, where students are expected to know how to locate a range of relevant sources and evaluate, synthesize, and present ideas and information; Listening and Speaking, where students listen and respond to the ideas of others while contributing their own ideas in conversations and in groups; and Oral and Written Conventions, where students learn how to use the oral and written conventions of the English language in speaking and writing. The standards are cumulative--students will continue to address earlier standards as needed while they attend to standards for their grade. In English I, students will engage in activities that build on their prior knowledge and skills in order to strengthen their reading, writing, and oral language skills. Students should read and write on a daily basis.

English 4

Grade Level: 12

Reading, where students read and understand a wide variety of literary and informational texts; Writing, where students compose a variety of written texts with a clear controlling idea, coherent organization, and sufficient detail; Research, where students are expected to know how to locate a range of relevant sources and evaluate, synthesize, and present ideas and information; Listening and Speaking, where students listen and respond to the ideas of others while contributing their own ideas in conversations and in groups; and Oral and Written Conventions, where students learn how to use the oral and written conventions of the English language in speaking and writing. The standards are cumulative--students will continue to address earlier standards as needed while they attend to standards for their grade. In English III, students will engage in activities that build on their prior knowledge and skills in order to strengthen their reading, writing, and oral language skills. Students should read and write on a daily basis.

Yearbook 1,2,3

Grade Level: 10,11,12

Students enrolled in Yearbook write in a variety of forms for a variety of audiences and purposes. High school students enrolled in this course are expected to plan, draft, and complete written compositions on a regular basis, carefully examining their papers for clarity, engaging language, and the correct use of the conventions and mechanics of written English. In Journalism, students are expected to write in a variety of forms and for a variety of audiences and purposes. Students will become analytical consumers of media and technology to enhance their communication skills. Published work of professional journalists, technology, and visual and electronic media are used as tools for learning as students create, clarify, critique, write, and produce effective communications. Students enrolled in Journalism will learn journalistic traditions, research self-selected topics, write journalistic texts, and learn the principles of publishing.

Reading 1,2,3

Grade Level: 9-12

Reading offers students reading instruction to successfully navigate academic demands as well as attain life-long literacy skills. Specific instruction in word recognition, vocabulary, comprehension strategies, and fluency provides students an opportunity to read with competence, confidence, and understanding. Students learn how traditional and electronic texts are organized and how authors choose language for effect. All of these strategies are applied in instructional-level and independent-level texts that cross the content areas.

Technical Writing

Grade Level: 9-12: 0.5 credit

The study of technical writing allows high school students to earn one-half to one credit while developing skills necessary for writing persuasive and informative texts. This rigorous composition course asks high school students to skillfully research a topic or a variety of topics and present that information through a variety of media. All students are expected to demonstrate an understanding of the recursive nature of the writing process, effectively applying the conventions of usage and the mechanics of written English. The students' evaluation of their own writing as well as the writing of others ensures that students completing this course are able to analyze and discuss published and unpublished pieces of writing, develop and apply criteria for effective writing, and set their own goals as writers.

**Additional options can be found under the Career and Technical Education section.**