104 FRESHMAN ENGLISH (CP)

1 credit

Open to: grade 9

Prerequisite: Successful completion of Grade 8 Language Arts

Scheduled: all year

Freshman English is a program that covers the following areas: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Each of the four areas will introduce basic elements that will form the foundation for students to successfully further their English study.

104A FRESHMAN ENGLISH ARTS (CP)

ENGLISH 1 credit

Open to: grade 9

Prerequisite: Successful completion of Grade 8 Language Arts

Freshman English Arts is a humanities based English class for students willing to extend themselves beyond normal expectations. Students in this course will participate in intensive reading and writing activities. Additionally, they will study a collection of challenging world literature in diverse genres like the short story, the novel, drama, and poetry. Works will be placed within their historical context.

Music, art, culture, and history relating to literature will be studied. Students will have the opportunity to respond creatively to literature through dramatic interpretations, 2D and 3D art, music, creative writing, and media. These will be avenues of personal expression and learning. This course also concentrates on expository writing, literary analysis, and oral communication.

110 FRESHMAN ENGLISH (AC) HONORS COURSE

1 credit

Open to: grade 9

Prerequisite: Successful completion of Grade 8 Language Arts

Scheduled: all year

Students in Advanced Freshman English can expect to cover the same basic curriculum as Freshman English class. However, the pace of Advanced Freshman English will be faster. Therefore, students enrolled in this course will be expected to cover more material. Through a close reading of fiction and nonfiction works, students in this class will also focus on more complex literary themes and elements, such as irony, ambiguity, tone, and symbolism. Each of the four areas of language arts—reading, writing, speaking, and listening—will be developed through demanding individual assignments and intense cooperative learning activities. For example, students in Advanced Freshman English will develop their written expression by creating analytical essays and narration, as well as through vocabulary development.

112 SOPHOMORE ENGLISH (AC) HONORS COURSE

1 credit

Open to: grade 10

Prerequisite: Successful completion of Freshman English

Scheduled: all year

Students in Advanced Sophomore English can expect to cover the same basic curriculum as the Sophomore English class. However, the pace of Advanced Sophomore English will be faster than Sophomore English class. Therefore, students enrolled in this course will be expected to cover more material. Through a close reading of fiction and nonfiction works, students in this class will also focus on more complex literary themes and elements, such as irony, ambiguity, tone, and symbolism. Each of the four areas of language arts—reading, writing, speaking, and listening—will be developed through demanding individual assignments and intense cooperative learning activities.

114 SOPHOMORE ENGLISH (CP)

1 credit

Open to: grade 10

Prerequisite: Successful completion of Freshman English

Scheduled: all year

Sophomore English covers fundamental English skills including reading, writing, speaking, and listening. These skills will be developed through a variety of methods including essays, class books and public speaking. This course will build upon the foundations established in Freshman English and will prepare students for English offerings in their junior and senior years.

114E SOPHOMORE ENGLISH ARTS (CP)

1 credit

Open to: grade 10

Prerequisite: Freshman English

Scheduled: all year

Sophomore English Arts is a humanities-based English class for students willing to extend themselves beyond normal expectations. Students in this course will participate in intensive reading and writing activities. Additionally, they will study a collection of challenging world literature in diverse genres like the short story, the novel, drama, and poetry. Works will be placed within their historical context. Music, art, culture, and history relating to literature will be studied. Students will have the opportunity to respond creatively to literature through dramatic interpretations, 2D and 3D art, music, creative writing, and media. These will be avenues of personal expression and learning. This course also concentrates on expository writing, literary analysis, and oral communication.

134 AMERICAN LITERATURE (CP)

1 credit

Open to: grade 11. Required

Prerequisite: Freshman and Sophomore English

Scheduled: all year

This course is a comprehensive exploration of the major movements and genres that helped shape American national character and literature. Students will consider the way in which the literature is a reflection of its times, of American identity, and of the American experience. The study of these ideas will occur through the reading of poems, short stories, essays, and novels. Through a close examination of genres, students will make connections to their own lives and gain a greater understanding of their identity as Americans.

520 AMERICAN STUDIES ENGLISH (AC) HONORS COURSE

1credit

Open to grade: grade 11

Prerequisite: Freshman and Sophomore English

Scheduled: two terms

This advanced, interdisciplinary course aims for a sophisticated appreciation and understanding of American thought and culture through a study of American history, literature, art, and music. A conceptual approach provides the focus for the four disciplines. This course is designed for students who have attained a high degree of skill in reading and using the language. Much emphasis is placed on expository writing, as well as on historical and literary analysis and synthesis. In addition, students will be expected to demonstrate a mastery of speaking and listening skills through panel discussions, role-plays, and student lectures. American Studies is designed for students willing to extend themselves beyond the average amount of study or work. It fulfills both junior English and social studies requirements.

130 ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION (AP)

1 1/2 credits

Open to: grades 11 and 12

Prerequisites: 1. Minimum of 3.5 GPA in English 2. Successful completion of summer assignments

Scheduled: all year

English Language and Composition emphasizes expository, analytical, and argumentative writing as the basis for academic and personal reflective writing, as well as future professional communication. In this course, students study prose from a variety of periods, disciplines, and rhetorical contexts, reading complex texts in order to understand and write rich, effective prose. As students prepare to write, they will consider audience expectations, selection of subject matter, the use of supportive evidence, and the contribution of language conventions to effective writing. Assignments begin with three summer readings with related essays, which are evaluated on a pass/fail standard. During the school year, assignments are planned and assessed to help students write effectively and confidently

in their college courses across the curriculum. Course standards, therefore, replicate those of a first-year composition course in college. Additionally, students will prepare for the Advanced Placement examination in English Language and Composition that is given to registered students in May.

140 ENGLISH LITERATURE & COMPOSITION AP

1 1/2 credits

Open to: grade 12

Prerequisite: 1. Minimum of 3.5 GPA in English 2. Successful completion of summer reading and writing assignments.

Scheduled: all year

AP English Literature & Composition is a highly advanced class designed for the skilled students who want an intensive final year of English study before college. The specific emphasis of the course will be significant literary works taken from a variety of cultures and time periods. Students

will write expository assignments about the literature read. Class discussions and formal oral presentations will also be expected. Various field trips to view plays, listen to speakers, and engage in cultural and literary events will be part of AP Literature class. Students will participate in activities to prepare them for the Advanced Placement exam in literature that is offered in the spring.

165 SENIOR ENGLISH (CP)

1 credit

Open to: grade 12

Prerequisites: Freshman, Sophomore, and American Literature

Scheduled: two terms

Senior English is a world literature class in which students will be expected to read assigned books, including selections of fiction and nonfiction, as well as independently- chosen readings. Short stories and poetry will also be studied in Senior English. The course will focus on literary analysis, writing, listening and speaking activities, and study skills, as outlined by the Vermont Learning Standards. A variety of activities will be used to achieve these goals, including daily reading, writing, speaking and listening tasks, along with individual and group projects and presentations.

116 DRAMA (CP)

1 credit

Open to: grades 11-12

Prerequisite: Freshman and Sophomore English

Scheduled: one or two terms

This is a literature-based course that will allow for the development of sophisticated literary interpretation of the dramatic genre. Dramatic activities will grow from the thematic elements of drama studied. These activities may include dramatic readings, translations, costume design, performance of specific scenes and/or other teacher-formulated activities appropriate to the works studied. Students will explore themes, characters, cultural origins, history, and dramatic writing styles during their studies.

117 PERFORMANCE

1/2 elective credit

Open to: grades 11 and 12

Prerequisite: Freshman and Sophomore English

Scheduled: one term

This class, as the name implies, focuses less on dramatic literature (although we will read and analyze texts from a character perspective) and more on the art of acting for the stage. We will work extensively through exercises and discussion on focus and concentration, and expanding students’ performance skills. Additionally, we will explore the nature of acting as we work on a variety of scenes that we hope to share with the school community. Students will learn technical skills as well.

119 PLAYWRITING

1/2 credit

Open to: grades 11 and 12

Prerequisite: Freshman and Sophomore English

Scheduled: one term

This elective course concentrates on playwriting strategies and culminates in either a finished one-act play or a skeletal outline for a full-length script. Writing activities such as character, scene, and dialogue development will be utilized to create new and different characters, imaginative places, and descriptive dialogue. Overcoming special problems in the writing process through these and other techniques will be explored as the need arises. Reading in theater arts will be assigned through the term. Writing will include analyses of character motivation. The areas of costumes, set design, lighting, and special effects will be touched upon. This is a writing-oriented class and students must be willing to work at developing their skills.

144 journalism (CP)

elective credit

Open to:    grades 9-12

Prerequisite:  grade 9 following one term of English with instructor’s permission

Scheduled:  1 semester

Normally taken during sophomore year, but also open tostudents in grades 9-12, this course is a prerequisite for Advanced Journalism(145) which produces the Green Horn and for Broadcast Journalism (146) which produces Green Horn Live. In this introductory course, students will develop grammar, punctuation, capitalization, vocabulary, and organization skills needed for successful writing. Additionally, students will work on activities that explore various journalistic forms of expression such as straight news, features, editorials, and sports writing. Finally, students in this class will work on techniques such as interviewing, note-taking, and writing leads which will make them superior journalists. The First Amendment will also be studied by students in this class.  Successful completion of this class (an average of 88 or better) will allow a student to enroll in Advanced Journalism 145 or Broadcast Journalism 146 and work on the Green Horn or Green Horn Live.

146 Broadcast journalism

1 elective credit

Open to: grades 10, 11, and 12

Prerequisite:   Successfulc ompletion of Journalism class (B+ average or better) or by permission of instructor

Scheduled:   all year

Broadcast Journalism students, guided by the SAPA-TV Director teaming with the journalism instructor, will produce Green Horn Live, the weekly SHS broadcast program.  Students will learn the basics of camera operation and develop techniques for scriptwriting, interviewing, and filming.  In the language foundation of this course, excerpts from Mervin Block’s classic textbook, Writing Broadcast Journalism, will be used to instruct students about such broadcast reporting topics as lead-ins, lead-outs, voice-overs, simplicity, clarity, and diction. Students who excel in communication and speech will serve as news anchors and reporters.  Students who develop strong technical skills will work as videographers, editors, and technicians.  All students enrolled in the class will cooperate to produce a final product which will display clear mastery of both journalistic writing and television production techniques.   Broadcast Journalism students will create a regular weekly news show and will eventually work on documentary or magazine programs to be aired on SAPA-TV.  In completing these projects, students in Broadcast Journalism will be expected to work before and after regular school hours to cover stories and to prepare and air programs.

145 advanced journalism

1 elective credit

Open to:  grades1 0, 11, and 12

Prerequisite:   B+ or above in 144 Journalism or special permission from instructor

Scheduled:  all year

This is a rigorous journalism class, open only to students who successfully complete 144 Journalism or have special permission from the instructor.  In this course, students will produce the Green Horn, the SHS student newspaper.  For the Green Horn, students will be assigned articles and stories that must be handed in by established deadline days. Journalists will be responsible for researching their articles, editing their copy through conferences with the teacher, and typing their articles in one of the computer locations at the high school. Students may be asked to attend extra curricular activities in their role as journalists. Since the Green Horn will be printed every three to four weeks, students enrolled in this class must have a great interest in disciplined writing. They also must have an intense desire to contribute to a more positive school environment through responsible, mature reporting.