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English |
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Freshmen Sophomores |
Juniors Additional English Department Electives
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Freshman Composition/Grammar Essential Learner Outcomes |
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Continuing with skills learned in eighth grade, students will explore language, including grade-level vocabulary, as a means of improving written communication skills. They will study simple, compound, and complex sentences and punctuation of each type. Students will learn how to select and narrow topics, develop clear thesis statements, and organize ideas to include introductions, support, transitions, and conclusions. They will utilize process writing, which involves prewriting and editing to produce polished final drafts, and learn to adapt writing styles for a variety of purposes and audiences. | Top | Table of Contents | |
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01011-2 Honors Freshman Literature and Composition (Year; 1unit) |
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Prerequisite: Teacher/Counselor recommendation One semester is a grammar/composition course for the academically superior student who has advanced reading and writing skills. The student will study grammar and usage extensively as it relates to writing and speaking. Composition assignments will include paragraph development and essay writing. The other semester is a literature program designed for the academically superior student who has advanced reading and writing skills. Classical works in drama, poetry, novel, and short story will be studied with emphasis on literary analysis through discussion and composition. | Top | Table of Contents | |
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01031-2 Freshman Literature and Composition (Year; 1 unit) |
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Prerequisite: None One semester is composition and grammar for the student who has average to above average reading and writing skills. It is designed to improve the student's ability to write clearly and effectively. Writing process will be analyzed and practiced. The other semester examines the genres of the short story, drama, classical heritage, and the novel. Spelling, vocabulary, and composition skills will be reinforced. The challenging material is suitable for the student who has average to above average reading and writing skills. | Top | Table of Contents | |
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01051-2 Freshman Literature and Composition Essentials (Year; 1 unit) |
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Prerequisite: None One semester is designed for the student who has below average reading and writing skills. It begins with basic skills and, through study of the process of writing, encourages clearer and more effective compositions. Strong emphasis is placed on grammar, spelling, vocabulary, and writing development skills. Individual attention is given. The other semester is a study of material suitable for the student who has below average reading and writing skills. The short story, drama, the epic hero, and classical and modern novels are included. Comprehension, literary terms, and vocabulary are stressed in order to develop, expand and improve the student's reading skills. | Top | Table of Contents | |
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01071-01072 Techniques in Reading (Year; 1 unit) |
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Prerequisite: None, but this course is required for all freshmen essential level students This course is designed for students with below grade level reading ability. Emphasis is placed on reading texts for all academic classes, vocabulary skills, reading comprehension, reading strategies, and written response to reading material. Students will read and study a variety of materials including current news publications, modern fiction and non-fiction, and materials relevant to other core curriculum areas. Test taking skills will also be developed. | Top | Table of Contents | |
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01077-01078 Fr Lit/Comp – Bloomington Academy (Year; 1 unit) |
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Prerequisite: Membership in the Bloomington Academy This course is offered for the student who has been identified and admitted to this program. It is designed to improve each student's individual reading and writing skills. Please refer to the Bloomington Academy section for a complete description of this course. | Top | Table of Contents | |
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Sophomore Literature/Composition Essential Learner Outcomes |
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Students will build on reading and writing skills learned in the freshman year, exhibiting a higher level of mastery. They will read, interpret, analyze, and evaluate various forms of literature, with the addition of poetry. Students will make inferences about selections, including characters' emotions and motives, and will analyze how an author's philosophy and value system affect the meaning of a work. Using phrases and clauses to vary sentence structure, students will write compositions/essays based on the interpretation of literature, as well as other forms of personal and public writing for a variety of audiences. Students may use information processing when producing final drafts. | Top | Table of Contents | |
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Sophomore Speech Essential Learner Outcomes |
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Students will recognize what is conveyed by appearance, actions, voice, and words through an understanding of verbal and nonverbal communication. They will learn to use appropriate movement, gestures, facial expressions, and eye contact when speaking and will study voice production with emphasis on volume, articulation, and vocal variety. Students will select appropriate topics and materials for individual and group oral presentations; use research, opinion, and logic in developing presentations for a variety of purposes; and organize ideas using effective introductions, bodies, and conclusions into outline and script formats. They will evaluate their own performances and learn to be active, effective audience members by evaluating the performances of others. | Top | Table of Contents | |
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02000 Honors Sophomore Literature/Composition (Semester; 1/2 unit) |
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Prerequisite: Grade 9 English; Teacher/Counselor recommendation This semester course is designed for the highly motivated, academically superior student with advanced skills in reading and writing. The genres studied will include short stories, poetry, nonfiction, drama, the Arthurian legend, and the novel. Communication skills, involving vocabulary, spelling, and grammar, will be expanded through extensive composition work. A semester project is required. | Top | Table of Contents | |
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02010 Sophomore Literature/Composition (Semester; 1/2 unit) |
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Prerequisite: Grade 9 English This course emphasizes material for the high average to above average English student. Included will be the study of short stores, poetry, nonfiction, drama, legends, and novels. Also, the student will be expanding grammar, spelling, vocabulary, and composition skills. | Top | Table of Contents | |
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02021-02022 Sophomore Literature/Composition and Speech Essentials (Year; 1 unit) |
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Prerequisite: Grade 9 English This course is designed for the student who has below average reading and writing skills. This course will emphasize various literary forms including short stories, poetry, nonfiction, drama, legends, and novels. Grammar and composition, involving comprehension and interpretation of literature, will continue to be stressed as well as public speaking. | Top | Table of Contents | |
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02050 Speech (Semester; 1/2 unit) |
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This course provides the basics of a public speaking course with many types of formal speaking explored and performed in class. Methods of research and organization of ideas will be developed and used within the course. The student will examine all phases of the communication process, including written, spoken, and nonverbal forms. This course aims to develop communication skills for the speaker and listener in both individual and group activities. | Top | Table of Contents | |
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02027-02028 Sophomore Lit/Composition/Speech – Bloomington Academy (Year; 1 unit) |
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Prerequisite: Freshman Literature/Composition – BA; membership in the Bloomington AcademyThis course is offered for the student who has been identified and admitted to this program. This class combines grammar, literature, writing, and speaking. Please refer to the Bloomington Academy section for a complete description of this course. | Top | Table of Contents | |
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Junior Literature/Composition Essential Learner Outcomes |
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Students will continue to build on reading, writing, thinking, listening, and speaking skills learned in the freshman and sophomore years, demonstrating a greater level of expertise. They will analyze American literature in terms of literary techniques, synthesize various selections, and make inferences that will include mood and tone. Students will recognize stylistic and thematic qualities from different historical periods and analyze philosophical movements in American literature. They will examine nonfictional elements, differentiate personal opinions and assumptions from those of the writers, and support generalizations. Students will write research papers showing critical analysis of the relationships between authors and their works. They will compare and contrast ideas from a variety of sources, verify information, analyze material, and logically support their ideas in the research projects. Use of an information processor is encouraged. | Top | Table of Contents | |
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03001-03002 Honors Junior Literature/Composition (Year; 1 unit) |
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Prerequisite: Grade 10 English; Teacher/Counselor recommendation This challenging course offers the study of American literature and culture to the academically superior student who has advanced reading and writing skills. It is designed to promote excellence in thinking, writing, and literary analysis skills. The student will read American works representing various periods and genres. Outside reading is required, as well as the submission of an extended, research-based, literary criticism paper each semester. | Top | Table of Contents | |
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03011-03012 Junior Literature/Composition (Year; 1 unit) |
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Prerequisite: Grade 10 English This course emphasizes material for the student who has average to above average reading and writing skills through the chronological study of American literature (diary, essay, short story, poetry, novel, drama). Grammar, spelling, vocabulary, and composition work are required with outside reading. A research paper on a literary topic is also required. | Top | Table of Contents | |
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03021-03022 Junior Literature/Composition Essentials (Year; 1 unit) |
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Prerequisite: Grade 10 English This course emphasizes material for the student who has below average reading and writing skills through the chronological study of American literature (diary, essay, short story, poetry, novel, drama. Grammar, spelling, vocabulary, and composition work are required. A research paper is also required. | Top | Table of Contents | |
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03027-03028 Junior Literature/Composition - Bloomington Academy (Year; 1 unit) |
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Prerequisite: Sophomore Literature/Composition/Speech – BA; membership in the Bloomington Academy This course is offered for the student who has been identified and admitted to this program. This course emphasizes writing, speaking, and reading skills. Please refer to the Bloomington Academy section for a complete description of this course. | Top | Table of Contents | |
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Senior English Electives |
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Students will select from reading/literature and writing/composition courses to fulfill the senior level language arts required for graduation from Bloomington High School and the total of 4 units of English for colleges (4 units are required for the class of 2009 and beyond for graduation). Seniors should choose both a writing and literature course to complete their English courses of study. (Students are advised to check with colleges to determine policies on how the sophomore speech class and the senior electives are treated for admissions requirements.) These courses continue to build on the skills learned in the freshman, sophomore, and junior years, but require the students to perform at a higher level of proficiency. Students involved in reading classes will analyze and draw information from multiple sources and expand vocabularies. They will develop study skills, with emphasis on using reference materials and taking notes from lectures and reading. Students enrolled in literature courses will read, analyze, and interpret American, British or World literature, and they will be able to explain the philosophical movements and value systems as they apply to the selections. Students electing writing classes will write research papers using analytical skills and will complete writing projects. | Top | Table of Contents | |
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04030 College Literature I (Fall semester; 1/2 unit)* 04040 College Literature II (Spring semester; 1/2 unit)* |
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Prerequisite: Junior or Senior standing This course will require reading of works considered as classics needed by the college-bound student. The fall semester will include works by Chaucer, Shakespeare, Milton, Swift, Wordsworth, Shelley, and Hardy. The spring semester will include works by Huxley, Hesse, Wright, E. Bronte, Williams, and Vonnegut. Papers analyzing authors' philosophies and some creative writing projects will allow the student to work to eliminate grammatical errors and errors in logic, unity, coherence, and transition. A student may take either or both semesters. * Counts as senior literature course. | Top | Table of Contents | |
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04050 English Language/Composition (Semester; 1/2 unit)# |
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Prerequisite: C or better in Jr. Literature/Composition The goal of this senior writing class is to prepare each student to complete successfully a university level composition course (English 101) and to acquire competent writing skills for life. In order to accomplish this goal, the class is structured as a writing workshop; students have essays in progress continuously, and class time is spent in supervised peer response, teacher response, individual conferences, whole group lessons on specific writing skill elements, and instruction on critical thinking skills. A multi-stage recursive writing process driven by quarter and semester writing portfolio assessment engages each student to produce rhetorical, opinion essays through prewriting, multiple drafts and revision. The inclusion of an interdisciplinary essay in each portfolio evidences the use of writing skills across the curriculum. Regular impromptu writings develop timed thinking and writing skills. An extended essay of 7-10 pages requires students to master research skills, MLA documentation and format. Reading logs are submitted on a regular basis to develop skill in evaluation research sources and to learn other writers’ styles and techniques. Self-assessment of writing and peer evaluation skills help students become independent and competent writers. # Counts as senior writing course. | Top | Table of Contents | |
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| 04051-04052 AP English Language/Composition (Year; 1 unit)*# | |
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Prerequisite A or B in Honors Junior English, or Teacher recommendation In preparation to write argumentative and persuasive essays, the student will study invention and prewriting strategies, as well as drafting, revision, and editing. The student will practice skills in logic, analysis, and evaluation with regard to problem solving and literary analysis. The class will focus on improvement of general writing skills. This course follows the College Board Advanced Placement Syllabus, and the student is strongly encouraged to take the College Board exam in May. Please see the section at the beginning of this guide concerning AP exams. *# Counts as senior writing and literature course. | Top | Table of Contents | |
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04053 English Language and Composition Workshop |
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Prerequisite: Junior Literature/Composition# The goal of this senior writing workshop is to complete successfully a community college or university level composition course (English 101) and to acquire competent writing skills for life. This course will help the student who needs writing interventions in order to meet grade level standards. To accomplish this goal, the class is structured as a writing workshop: students have essays in progress continuously, and class time is spent in supervised peer response, teacher response, individual conferences, whole group lessons on specific writing skill elements, and instruction on critical thinking skills. A multi-stage recursive writing process driven by quarter and semester writing portfolio assessment engages each student to produce rhetorical, opinion essays through prewriting, multiple drafts and revisions. The inclusion of an interdisciplinary essay in each portfolio evidences the use of writing skills across the curriculum. Regular impromptu writings develop timed thinking and writing skills. An extended essay of 7-10 pages requires students to master research skills, MLA documentation and format. Reading logs are submitted on a regular basis to develop skill in evaluating research sources and to learn other writers’ styles and techniques. Self-assessment of writing and peer evaluation skills help students become independent and competent writers. #Counts as senior writing course. | Top | Table of Contents | |
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04070 Creative Writing (Semester; 1/2 unit) |
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Prerequisite: Junior/Senior standing; C or better in Freshman and Sophomore This course is designed to meet the needs of the student who seeks an outlet for artistic expression, who possesses interest and talent in composing original fiction, and who is interested in writing for performance and publication. The student will write literary analyses of multi-cultural works of modern fiction writers. The class will utilize a workshop format with peer analysis of original works in progress. Included will be the writing of poetry, short stories, and drama. A quarter portfolio and final semester portfolio must be submitted to earn credit. | Top | Table of Contents | |
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04080 Modern Fiction I (Fall Semester; 1/2 unit)* |
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Prerequisite: Junior or Senior standing These courses are designed for the average student who enjoys reading a modern book in a variety of literary types. These titles will come from the following: adolescent literature, adventure, mystery, western, and science fiction/fantasy novels, and contemporary short stories. Grammar study will be done independently to meet the student's needs. Writing will include written analysis of authors' ideas as well as creative projects. * Counts as senior literature course. | Top | Table of Contents | |
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04091-04092 AP English Literature/Composition (Year; 1 unit)*# |
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Prerequisite: A or B in Honors Junior English or Teacher Recommendation This course is designed for students who are interested in earning college credit through the AP program. The course follows the College Board AP syllabus which prepares students for the AP exam in May. Course content includes the study of classic literature from ancient Greece to the 21st century across genres and cultures. Sophocles, Chaucer, Dante, Shakespeare, Cervantes, Milton, Swift, Wordsworth, Shelley, Huxley, Hesse, Camus, Wright, Vonnegut, Homer, More, Goethe, Malory, Donne, Voltaire, Wollstonecraft, Chopin, Bronte, and Dostoevsky are some of the key writers studied. Through literary analysis we will examine style and structure, the writer’s diction, imagery, use of detail, language and syntax. Students will write about literature extensively as they explore philosophy, psychology, and connections to contemporary life. Outside reading of modern, as well as canan authors, is required. *# Counts as senior writing and literature course. | Top | Table of Contents | |
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Additional English Department Electives |
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The English department offers several elective programs that afford interested students the opportunity to expand their interests in speaking, writing, and reading. Some colleges require four units of English credit as a condition for admission and exclude some electives from meeting this requirement. Students are advised to check with colleges to determine policies on how these courses are treated. | Top | Table of Contents | |
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05031-05032 Journalism I (Year; 1 unit) |
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Prerequisite: Freshman English or teacher recommendation This course is designed to introduce the student to basic journalism by examining the roles and responsibilities of media through history. The student will define, identify, and analyze newsworthiness and will practice the skills necessary for basic reporting through information gathering. The student will also study style, proofreading, and copy-editing. The course will involve news, editorials/opinions, features, sports stories, headlines, and captions. The student will produce news articles, a front page, and various other types of writing as they pertain to the Aegis and Aepix. This course cannot be used to meet the English graduation requirement. | Top | Table of Contents | |
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050N1-050N2 Journalism II -- Newspaper Production (Year; 1 unit) |
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Prerequisite: Journalism I and/or Teacher approval This production course is designed to give the student further journalistic experience with newspaper layout, interviewing, reporting, copywriting, and publication of the Aegis. The student will also study marketing and management and will develop the social skills necessary to work effectively as part of a joint effort. In addition to reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills, the course will involve technical experience in the use of the computer programs, Quark Express and Adobe Photoshop, and with photography equipment. The student must be willing to spend time after school. This course cannot be used to meet the English graduation requirement. | Top | Table of Contents | |
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050Y1-050Y2 Journalism II - Yearbook Production (Year; 1 unit) |
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Prerequisite: Journalism I and/or Teacher approval This production course is designed for the student with an interest in photojournalism. The course will include evaluating the purpose of a school yearbook and how this purpose is revealed in formulating of editorial positions. The student will work to further develop skills in writing and editing of headlines, copy, and captions. An emphasis will also be placed on the collaborative work needed for the production of the Aepix. Yearbook software will be used in planning and executing the layouts. The student must be willing to spend time after school. This course cannot be used to meet the English graduation requirement. | Top | Table of Contents | |
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05070 Drama I (Semester; 1/2 unit) |
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Prerequisite: Teacher/Counselor recommendation
In this course, the student will
develop skills in performance, production, and analysis of theater.
Course work will include origins of theater, acting, direction,
production, and analysis of dramatic literature. Reading, writing,
and speaking objectives will be met through the study and practice
of dramatic literature. The student will also develop skills in
critical and creative thinking. The student will be encouraged, but
not required, to assist in the production of the fall play or spring
musical. This course cannot be used to meet the English
graduation requirement. |
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05080 Drama II (Semester; 1/2 unit) |
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Prerequisite: Drama I
This course is designed for the
student who wishes to formally explore and study drama/theater for
the purpose of production. It would also be for the student who
wishes to study drama as literature. The course will include acting
methodologies, technical elements, and various genres representing
historical periods and cultures. The final class project will
involve the production of a theatrical performance. This course
cannot be used to meet the English graduation requirement. |
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16001-16002 English as a Second Language (Year; 1 unit) |
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Prerequisite: Teacher/Counselor recommendation
The purpose of this course is to help
the student with limited English proficiency make the transition to
the regular English curriculum. Skill goals will include basic
interpersonal communication and reading, writing, speaking and
listening as they pertain to the classroom. An English language
skills assessment test will be administered to determine individual
needs and goals. |
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