• Ninth Grade - English

    Course Description: A major portion of the year’s work will emphasize writing and literature. In literature, students will analyze literary elements in novels, plays, poems, and short stories. In addition to in class discussions, assignments, and assessments, there will be independent reading given throughout the course of the year. Writing assignments will include literary analysis, argument essay, compare/contrast essays, and a variety of creating writing responses. The research process will be reviewed through a research project. Through reading and writing assignments students will practice the rules of grammar and correct usage of language. Students will also complete a variety of activities to prepare for the English Literature Keystone Exam. 

     

    Course Units:

    Struggle for Equality, Finding One's Voice, Survival/Man's Inhumanity to Man, The Hero's Journey 

     

    List of Primary Texts:

    • Night by Elie Wiesel
    • Lord of the Flies by William Golding
    • Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
    • Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
    • The Color of Water by James McBride
    • March by John Lewis
    • The Odyssey by Homer
    • Haroun and the Sea of Stories by Salmon Rushdie

     

    Supplemental & Secondary Texts 

    Once Upon a Time; I Have a Dream Speech; Selma Speech; Gettysburg Address; Fairy Tales and myths; Poetry and short stories related to thematic units

     
     

    Tenth Grade - English

    Course Description: This course is a thematic survey of literature with an emphasis on writing. Along with preparing students for the Keystone exams, the literature program will continue to expose students to literary works from around the world. Students will analyze literary elements in a variety of novels, plays, essays, poems and short stories. Non-fiction works will also be studied throughout the year. Writing assignments will include literary analysis essays, Keystone-style responses, a research project, as well as a variety of creative writing pieces. Through reading and writing assignments students will practice the rules of grammar and correct usage of language. Students will take the Literature Keystone Examination in May. 

     

    Course Units:

    • Ignorance; Authority; Conformity; Individuality; Resiliency; Power of Words; Perception v Reality; Expectations of Men and Women; Ourselves and Others; and Propaganda 

     

    Primary Texts:

    • Collections Anthology (HMH)
    • McDougall Littell Anthology 
    • Ellen Foster by Kaye Gibbons
    • Mango Street by Sandra Cisernos
    • Antigone / Oedipus by Sophocles
    • A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen
    • A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry
    • Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer

     

    Supplemental & Secondary Texts:   

    Poetry and short stories related to course themes; Keystone Preparatory Resource; and Advanced Word Power (Vocabulary) 

     

     
     

    Eleventh Grade - American Literature

    Course Description: The primary focus of the course is reading, interpreting and analyzing American Literature, literary periods, and themes. All literary forms will be read and studied. The literature program will move at an advanced and challenging pace exposing students to literary works from American writers. Independent reading of fiction and non-fiction will be assigned during the course of the year in which critical thinking skills will be assessed. The mainstay of writing will be the literary analysis, as well as the informational and argumentative essay. Through reading and writing assignments students will practice the rules of grammar and correct usage of language. 

     

    Course Units:

    • From Colony to Country
    • The Spirit of Individualism
    • Conflict and Expansion
    • The Modern Age

    Primary Text

    • The Literature of Language / American Literature (McDougal-Littell)

    Supplemental & Secondary Tects

     

    Supplemental & Secondary Texts:     

    • Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
    • The Crucible by Arthur Miller
    • The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 
    • The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
    • Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck 
    • Native Son by Richard Wright 
    • "The Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin 
    • "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge"  by Ambrose Bierce 
    • Death of Salesman by Arthur Miller 
    • Poetry related to thematic units

     

    Twelfth Grade - British Literature

    Course Description:

    • This course is a survey course of British literature with an emphasis on The Human Experience. The primary focus of the course is literature from the Anglo-Saxon Age to the 21st Century. The literature program will expose students to literary works from British writers and contemporary non-fiction articles. Students will analyze literary elements in a variety of novels, plays, poems and short stories. Writing assignments will include the informational, argumentative and critical analysis essays as well as the research paper, and a variety of creative writing assignments. 

    . 

     

    Course Units: 

    • Engaging in Acts of Heroism 
    • Love and Power
    • Self-Actualization and Existentialism
    • Progress and Diversity
    • Justice and Responsibility 

     

    Primary Texts: 

    • The Literature of Language/ British Literature [ McDougal Littell] 

     

    Supplemental & Secondary Texts:       

    • 1984 by George Orwell
    • The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
    • Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
    • "Hamlet" by William Shakespeare
    • "Harrison Bergeron" by Kurt Vonnegut
    • "Lamb to the Slaughter" by Ronald Dahl
    • Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie
    • About a Boy by Nick Hornby
    • Poetry as selected by thematic unit

     

     
     

    Grades Nine to Twelve - Visual Media 1

    Course Description: Visual Media 1 is an introductory course to analyze, discuss, and create varied forms of video production. Learners will engage in collaborative learning opportunities where they will take an idea for a visual media project from inception to publication. Film techniques necessary to understand the media we all consume are taught in a way that not only emphasizes how to evaluate film and video- but also with a focus on learners utilizing these techniques in the creative process. Learners will dive deep into varied exemplars of film and video through close readings to enhance their analytical skills and emerge as more savvy media consumers. 

     

    Course Units: 

    1. Shot Composure  

    2. Camera Movement  

    3. Lighting  

    4. Sound in Film  

    5. Advertising and Persuasive Appeals  

    6. Project planning and storyboards  

    7. Screenplay writing  

    8. Editing techniques  

    9. Sound editing  

    10. Visual Effects  

    11. Narrative film and analysis 

     
     

    Grades Nine to Twelve - Visual Media 2

    Course Description: Visual Media 2 expands on the groundwork laid in Visual Media 1- with additional aims of challenging the creativity of returning learners in the realm of media studies. In addition to creating video through the creative process for the school's announcement program "Kaleidoscope," learners will study film history, advanced film-making techniques, and collaborate on self-directed projects. Learners will receive opportunities to more finely tune skills acquired in the prerequisite course with a focus on appealing to the audience, collaborative planning, and understanding films through interpretive lenses. 

     

    Course Units: 

    1. Advanced Editing  

    2. Advanced Camera Techniques  

    3. Film history: Silent Films  

    4. Film History: Film Noir  

    5. Film History: International  

    6. Film history: Television  

    7. Stop Motion Animation  

    8. Music Videos 

     

     

    Grades Nine to Twelve - Broadcast Journalism

    Course Description: This course allows learners a unique opportunity to produce High School's announcement program "Kaleidoscope" and the many other video projects connected to the district. Learners will study examples of other student and professional broadcasts with the aim of developing a engaging and varied production. A focus on group-directed projects in which learners can use their individual skills to plan and execute a collaborative video project. Learners will study history of advertising and broadcast journalism in an effort to understand the "why" behind decisions made by creators. 

     

    Course Units: 

    1. Collaborative Video Planning  

    2. Editing Basics  

    3. Camera Basics  

    4. Persuasive Appeals  

    5. Social Media  

    6. Analyzing Student Broadcasts  

    7. History of Advertising  

    8. Podcasts 

     
     

    Grades Nine to Twelve - Film & Literature

    Course Description: The Film & Literature course will connect themes in literature to note-worthy cinema. Students will analyze film through discussion and writing; they will become more knowledgeable, appreciative, and perceptive viewers of film. Students will also draw connections between film and literature: they will be encouraged to see the connections in their own lives as well. 

     

    Course Units: 

    1. Introduction to Film & Lit 

    2. Coming of Age 

    3. Education and Empowerment 

    4. Horror and Suspense 

    5. The Epic 

    6. Warping Time 

    7. Comic Book Adaptations 

    8. Analyzing the Legend 

     

    Primary Texts 

    Unit 1: Story Arc: Disney Pixar Short Films and "Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin 

    Unit 2: Mis En Scene: Edward Scissorhands and "Alone" by Edgar Allan Poe

    Unit 3: Shot Types: Bride of Frankenstein and Fankenstein by Mary Shelley 

    Unit 4: Characterization: Rear window and "Lamb to Slaughter" by Ronald Dahl

    Unit 5: Understanding Theme: Cool Hand Luke and "The Prisoner Who Wore Glassess" by Bessie Head  

    Unit 6: Tone: It's a Wonderful Life and "Nicholas Was..." by Neil Gaimane 

    Unit 7: Imagery: Fantastic Mr. Fox and "Fantastic Mr. Fox" by Ronald Dahl 

     

     

     
     

    Twelfth Grade - AP English Literature and Composition

    Course Description: This course focuses on reading, analyzing, and writing about fiction, poetry and drama from various periods. Students engage in close reading and critical analysis of the text, considering a work’s structure, style, and themes, as well as its use of figurative language, imagery, and symbolism. Writing assignments include expository, analytical, and argumentative essays that require students to analyze and interpret literary works. The AP English Literature and Composition course aligns to an introductory college-level literature and writing curriculum. While there are no prerequisites, students should be able to read and comprehend college-level texts and write grammatically correct, complete sentences. 

     

    Course Units:

    • Unit 1: Introduction to AP Lit 
    • Unit 2: Poetry & Short Story Bootcamp I 
    • Unit 3: The Search for Knowledge 
    • Unit 4: The Search for Revenge 
    • Unit 5: Poetry & Short Story Bootcamp II 
    • Unit 6: The Search for Freedom 
    • Unit 7: The Search for Identity 
    • Unit 8: Exam Prep 

     

    Primary Texts: 

    • Unit 1: Introduction to AP Lit - The Stranger by Albert Camus; How to Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster 
    • Unit 2: Poetry & Short Story Bootcamp I - Perrine's Sound and Sense, "A Rose for Emily" by William Faulkner, "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been" by Joyce Carol Oates, and "Eleven" by Sandra Cisneros 
    • Unit 3: The Search for Knowledge - Frankenstein by Mary Shelley 
    • Unit 4: The Search for Revenge - Hamlet by William Shakespeare 
    • Unit 5: Poetry & Short Story Bootcamp II - Perrine's Sound and Sense, "Two Kinds" by Amy Tan, "Clothes" by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, "Everyday Use" by Alice Walker 
    • Unit 6: The Search for Freedom - "The Awakening" by Kate Chopin 
    • Unit 7: The Search for Identity - "A Streetcar Named Desire" by Tennessee Williams 
    • Unit 8: Exam Prep - Previously released College Board AP Exam passages 
    • Literature Circle 1 (The Search for Redemption): The Color Purple by Alice Walker, The Kite Runner by Khalid Hosseni, Beloved by Toni Morrison, Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurst, Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi 
    • Literature Circle 2 (The Search for Utopia): 1984 by George Orwell, Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood, Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel, The Road by Cormac McCarthy 

    List of Supplemental/Secondary Texts 

    • Voice Lessons by Nancy Dean 

     

     

    AP Language & Composition 

     

    An AP course in English Language and Composition engages students in becoming skilled readers of prose written in a variety of periods, disciplines, and rhetorical contexts, and in becoming skilled writers who compose for a variety of purposes.  Both their writing and their reading should make students aware of the interactions among a writer’s purposes, audience expectations, and subjects as well as the way generic conventions and the resources of language contribute to effectiveness in writing.

     

    • Course Units: 

      • Education

      • The American Dream

      • The Individual and Society

      • Race, Class, and Gender

     

    • Primary Texts: 

      • The Language of Composition: Reading, Writing, Rhetoric – Shea, Scanlon, and Aufses

      • They Say I Say with Readings  - Graff and Birkenstein

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      Supplemental & Secondary Texts:       

      • Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas  
      • From Education -Ralph Waldo Emerson
      • This is Water - David Foster Wallace
      • Report of the Massachusetts Board of Education - Horace Mann
      • Best in Class - Margaret Talbot
      • Should Everyone Go to College? – Owen and Sawhill
      • Are Too Many People Going To College? - Charles Mann
      • Blue Collar Brilliance – Mike Rose
      • Me Talk Pretty One Day - David Sedaris
      • Let Teenagers Try Adulthood- Leon Botstein
      • Declaration of Independence - Jefferson
      • Letter from Birmingham Jail - Martin Luther King
      • From Economy - Thoreau
      • From Serving in Florida - Ehrenreich
      • On Dumpster Diving - Lars Eighner
      • What the Bagel Man Saw - Dubner, Levitt
      • How to Restore the American Dream – Fareed Zakaria
      • The Case for Working with your Hands - Matthew Crawford
      • Selections from “The Onion” and “The Wall Street Journal” and “The New York Times”
      • from Self Reliance - Emerson
      • from Resistance to Civil Government - Thoreau
      • Shooting an Elephant - Orwell
      • A Letter from Birmingham Jail - King
      • Aria: A Memoir of a Bilingual Childhood – Richard Rodriguez
      • Facebook Friendonomics - Scott Brown
      • From Lifeboat Ethics - Garret Harding
      • From the Gospel of Wealth - Andrew Carnegie
      • Health and Happiness – Robert Putnam
      • Women’s Brains - Stephen Gould
      • Just Walk on by: A Black Man Ponders His Power to Alter Public Space - Brent Staples
      • Letter - John and Abigail Adams
      • The Ways of Meeting Oppression - Martin Luther King Jr.
      • Momma, the Dentist, and Me - Maya Angelou
      • Shame - Dick Gregory
      • Being a Man - Paul Theroux
      • Poetry: Cullen, Hughes, Brooks

     

    Grades Ten to Twelve - Genocide and the Holocaust

    Course Description: The purpose of this course is to study genocide and the Holocaust in detail. This course will concentrate on the steps leading to the Holocaust, events of the Holocaust itself, and the aftermath through literature, film and historical analysis. The course will also touch on major atrocities in the late 20th century. Students must be in 10th through 12th grade to participate in the course due to the need for background knowledge acquired in 9th grade English. 

     

    Course Units: 

    • Abuse of Power 
    • Resistance 
    • Survival/Resilience 
    • Turning a Blind Eye 

     

    Primary Texts: 

    • Sarah's Key by Tatiana deRosnay 
    • The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne
    • The Pianist (film) 

    Supplemental & Secondary Texts   

    • Various short stories, articles, documentaries related to course themes