LANGUAGE ARTS

Please Note: By virtue of the fact that all of the following courses emphasize the mastery of communication skills, it is inherent that such courses are relevant to post-secondary study and/or the real world of work.

ENGLISH 1 - Required 9 - 1 credit

Prerequisite: None
This is a year-long required course that uses world literature as a foundation for the study of language arts. The students’ communication skills are improved through units of study that stress reading, writing, and speaking. Units of study include: a research paper, Romeo and Juliet, The Odyssey, The Book Thief. Students also continue developing skills with MLA documentation.

ENGLISH 2 - Required 10 - 1 credit

Prerequisite: English 1
English 2 is a year-long required course that uses world literature as a base for the study of language arts. Students receive instruction in writing, reading, grammar, speech, vocabulary and other related areas. The research project includes instruction in the MLA method of documentation. Highlights of this course include the reading of the novel To Kill A Mockingbird, The Tempest, and a historical fiction unit. Various exciting projects are based on the reading and discussion of these works.

ENGLISH 3 - Required 11 - 1 Credit

Prerequisite: English 1 & 2
In English 3, the student will complete units focusing on informational texts and literature, poetry, drama, short stories, novels and essays from early American literature through the present. Types of composition assignments linked to the literature units include: exposition, description, narration, and argumentation.

ENGLISH 4 - Elective 12 - 1 credit

Prerequisite: English 1, 2, & 3
English 4 is a year-long elective course that uses world literature as a base to the language arts. All strands of the language arts are woven together so that the students receive instruction in writing, reading, grammar, speech, vocabulary and other related areas. The literature is arranged in thematic units of mixed-genre selections. The language workshops include assignments in the following: narration, description, persuasion, exposition, creative expression, and research reports.

NOVEL - Elective 11-12 - 1/2 credit

Prerequisite: English 1 and 2 with a “C” average or better
Emphasis is on reading and discussing novels written since 1900. Class assignments and discussion help students with psychological and philosophical treatments of character, theme, and mood. Novels read in novel class include: Lord of the Flies, Night, Animal Farm, The Catcher in the Rye, The Hobbit, A Separate Peace, Of Mice and Men, In Cold Blood, The Secret Life of Bees, Light in the Forest, The Lucky One and The Things They Carried.

DRAMA (Offered odd years) - Elective 11-12 - 1/2 credit

Prerequisite: English 1 and 2 with a “C” average or better.
Drama students gain an understanding and appreciation of theater arts through studying theater history, stage crafts, and acting. Students will read informational texts and dramatic literature. Writing assignments include informative, narrative, and argumentative genres. The course emphasizes verbal and non-verbal communication.

WRITING 4 (Offered even years)- Elective 11-12 - 1/2 credit

Prerequisite: English 1, & 2 with a “C” average or better.
This is a course in modern composition that helps students develop the higher order critical thinking skills of analysis, synthesis, and inference. Literature, discussion, research, and study of writing modes prepare students to write a wide variety of essays, analyses,and other forms of writing including a unit on writing an MLA research paper. This course includes a memory book project. All steps of the writing process are emphasized, and students will be expected to compose multiple drafts and use revision techniques including peer-editing. This course is intended for the college-bound student.

WORLD LITERATURE - Elective 11-12 - 1/2 credit

Prerequisite: English 1 and 2 with a “C” average or better.
This is a course intended to provide students with a diverse and focused background in world literature. In-depth units of study are based on cultures and time periods such as “The Classical Age of Greece and Rome,” “Traditions in Chinese and Japanese Literature,” and “Modern and Contemporary Literature 1900- Present.” A rich diversity of traditional and modern literary forms is offered to develop the student’s understanding and appreciation of not only the literature of other cultures, but the cultures themselves. Thought-provoking composition topics are extensions of the units of study. In addition to readings from the textbook, an African novel unit on Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart will be incorporated. This course has a dual credit option through NDSCS in Wahpeton

SPEECH and DEBATE - Elective 11-12 - 1/2 Credit

Prerequisite: English 1 and 2 with a “C” average or better.
Thousands of speeches are given every day throughout the world. The chances are good that no matter what profession you choose, you will be called upon to speak in front of people. A one-semester course, “Speech and Debate” is designed to provide the skills needed to be successful when that time comes. The preparation for and presentation of different forms of speeches will be the focus of the course. Some of the types of speaking which will be covered are: Public Speaking (Impromptu, Inform, Persuade), and Debate.

CREATIVE WRITING (Offered odd years) - Elective 11-12 - 1/2 credit

Prerequisite: English 1 and 2 with a “C” average or better.
Creative Writing provides students an opportunity to hone their writing and storytelling skills through various projects across many genres. Analysis of literary forms, elements of the writing process, use of technology, and critique methods are integrated to create unique writing experiences.

AP ENGLISH LANGUAGE and COMPOSITION -- Elective 11 - 1 credit

Prerequisite: Completion of English 2 with English teacher recommendation, consideration of STARS scores, parent approval, and student commitment statement.
This course is a rigorous, year-long course. It is designed for the motivated 11th grader who wishes to complete a college-level course while in high school. The focus of “Language and Composition” will include both critical reading (style analysis and rhetorical analysis) and writing (argumentation). The student who enrolls in this course will have the opportunity to take an Advanced Placement exam at the end of the year with the possibility of earning college credit. Payment for the exam will be each student’s responsibility (cost approximately $92.00).

AP ENGLISH LITERATURE and COMPOSITION Elective 12 - 1 credit

Prerequisite: Completion of English 3 or AP English, with English teacher recommendation, parent approval, and student commitment statement.
This course is a rigorous, year-long course. It is designed for the motivated student who wishes to complete a college level course while in high school. The student will read a variety of literature drawn from multiple genres, periods and cultures. Students will reflect on the reading material through discussions, writing and rewriting. The student who enrolls in this course may take an Advanced Placement exam at the end of the year with the possibility of earning college credit. Payment for the exam will be each student’s responsibility (cost approximately $92.00).