English

 Freshman Literature serves as the introduction to the English courses at Duchesne; it is intended to prepare ninth graders for the demands of reading, writing, and thinking encountered in subsequent courses. Students read and respond to a variety of texts written by authors from around the world and participate in discussions to support understanding. The foundations of formal academic writing will be emphasized and developed throughout the year, helping students develop effective habits in writing as a process. Finally, students begin a four-year sequential vocabulary program, Wordly Wise. Literature will leave the class thinking more critically and writing more clearly about what they have read.

This course will feature fast-paced reading, challenging texts, a high-frequency of formal writing exercises, and elevated expectations for students to be independently responsible for their own understanding of the literature so that they come to each class ready to participate in meaningful discussions. Throughout the year, students respond to a variety of literature through discussions, assessments, and compositions. Finally, students begin a four-year sequential vocabulary program, Wordly Wise. The desired outcome of this class is to have students elevate their analytical skills in reading, discussing, and writing about literature. Placement in this course is determined by performance on the entrance exam.

 Sophomore Literature aims to increase students’ confidence, interest, and stamina in reading and writing while also further developing students’ critical thinking and communication skills. The literature units in this course expose students to a range of genres and authors while staying rooted in these essential questions: What are the qualities of a fulfilling life? How do relationships impact people? What are the benefits and challenges of living in community? Students engage with the literature they read through close reading tasks, classroom discussion, writing, and creative projects. Composition study equips students to enhance their multi-paragraph essays through a recursive writing process. Literary analysis and research are important dimensions of advanced composition and students exercise these skills with each literary work throughout the year. Wordly Wise 10 continues the sequential vocabulary program. The desired outcome in Sophomore Literature is a student who thinks critically and reflectively about her reading, writing, and communication.

 Sophomore Literature Honors features rigorous reading, frequent formal writing exercises, and high expectations for students to take ownership of their engagement with the literature we read. The literature units in this course expose students to a range of genres and authors while staying rooted in these essential questions: What are the qualities of a fulfilling life? How do relationships impact people? What are the benefits and challenges of living in community? Students engage with the literature they read through analytical tasks, classroom discussion, formal writing, assessments, and creative projects. Composition study challenges students to enhance their multi-paragraph essays, emphasizing the importance of developing self-directed processes for pre-writing and revising. Literary analysis and research are important dimensions of advanced composition and students exercise these skills with each literary work throughout the year. Wordly Wise 10 continues the sequential vocabulary program. The desired outcome in Honors Sophomore Literature is a student who continually challenges herself to think critically and reflectively about her reading, writing, and communication.

American Literature is designed to develop student’s critical reading and thinking, as well as their ability to communicate effectively through writing, speaking, and listening. Students will practice close reading on a variety of American texts, from Nathaniel Hawthorne to Sandra Cisneros, and produce numerous pieces of writing. These texts will provide a survey of American literature throughout the history of our country and delve into major literary eras, including Romanticism, Transcendentalism, Realism, Naturalism, Modernism and Postmodernism. In addition to studying authors and literary pieces from each era, students will be able to explain how these texts relate to literary era characteristics and historical context, while deepening their understanding of literary structure, style, themes, and devices. This course will also encourage a love of reading and cultivating a habit of reading for enjoyment through a Silent Sustained Reading program. Wordly Wise 11 will continue our sequential vocabulary program.

American Literature Honors is designed to develop student’s critical reading and thinking, as well as their ability to communicate effectively through writing, speaking, and listening. Students will practice close reading on a variety of American texts, from Anne Bradstreet to J.D. Salinger and produce numerous pieces of writing. American Literature Honors requires additional reading, writing, and further analysis of literary works covered in American Literature (English III), including additional material by John Steinbeck, Willa Cather, Kate Chopin, Mark Twain, and Zora Neale Hurston. A number of poetry genres will be covered and students will read and discuss American plays written by Eugene O’Neill, Lillian Hellman, Tennessee Williams, and Arthur Miller. Work with the vocabulary series continues with Wordly Wise Book 11.

This course is designed to develop critical thinking, writing, speaking, and listening skills while examining a wide array of important texts in world literature. The course ranges from classical texts, such as Hamlet, to such contemporary work as Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner and Toni Morrison’s Sula. These diverse texts will bring a depth and breadth to the students’ literary experience by exploring contemporary and universal themes through multiple major genres. The student will write numerous essays and continue to build on critical thinking, reading, and writing skills in relation to the works covered. They will continue to expand their understanding of literary structure, style, themes, and devices. Wordly Wise 12 will continue our sequential vocabulary program and compositions will follow MLA style guidelines.

AP Literature has three main objectives: (1) to improve the student’s analytical writing, (2) to improve the student’s analysis of various literary genres, and (3) to acquaint the student with various types of criticism. This course is designed to engage students in the careful reading and critical analysis of works from various genres and periods, concentrating on works of recognized literary merit. Reading in this course is both wide and deep. The students will read deliberately and thoroughly, taking time to understand a work’s complexity, to absorb its richness of meaning, and to analyze how that meaning is embodied in literary form. In addition to understanding a work’s literary artistry, students will consider the social and historical values it reflects. Writing is essential. Essays will focus on the critical analysis of a work and will include expository, analytical, and argumentative pieces. The goal is to increase the students’ ability to explain clearly, cogently, and even eloquently what they understand about literary works and why they interpret them as they do. While it is not mandatory that students take the AP Literature and Composition exam, the course will be taught to prepare students for it; the level of work and the expectations of student are firmly at the AP level. Wordly Wise 12 completes our four-year sequential vocabulary series.