Welcome! You are embarking in a class experience filled with educational opportunities that will stretch our imaginations, challenge our thoughts, and inspire our creativity. This year we will use language to learn more about ourselves and the world around us. We will read stories, poems, plays, and articles. We will write daily. We will work in groups and share knowledge. We will prepare for the years to come by utilizing every resource available.
Composition
In this course we will write a multitude of essays including the genres of autobiography, observation, interpretation, evaluation, reflection, controversy, narrative, definition, division/classification, process analysis, cause and effect, argumentation/persuasion, and comparison/contrast. We will write fiction and poetry. We will use journals to explore our reactions to text and identify with our inner-selves. Students will assume a critical stance to analyze a variety of literature and life events, utilizing literary terminology and vocabulary they develop along the way.
It is the aim of this course to develop students who are proficient, critical and creative writers—they will establish a thesis, organize and argue a thesis effectively, and analyze literary elements. Depending upon need, students will review significant grammatical and usage concepts to improve written and oral communication.
This is a portfolio course, meaning that all hard copies of drafts, revisions, and class notes shall be kept in order to incorporate these works in a final project.
Language
Students will practice and perform understanding of literary forms, figurative language, rhetorical strategies, narration, syntax, structure, prosody and poetic forms.
Through our exploration of texts, students will learn abundant vocabulary—both terms and phrases to prepare them for academic conversations, as well as contextual vocabulary used in literature and life.
Presentation
Beyond experiencing an intense exploration of literature and composition, students will also be engaged in public speaking assignments to prepare them for future classes, as well as collegiate and life endeavors.
Literature
Honors English embraces a broad survey of authors ranging from 400 years ago to present day. In this course, we will embrace literature through a platform of diversity acceptance, tolerance and understanding. By reading a truly variegated list of texts, we will further our comprehension of linguistic style and develop interpretive and analytical skills.