English Courses

English I and English I Honors: Literature and Composition

23.06107 | 9th grade | full year | 1 credit

Literature and Composition will be an introduction to literary genres and the varying types of writing; involving intensive student engagement in reading and writing activities, with the goal of making students better communicators and better thinkers.

Read, summarize, and analyze and explain a wide variety of printed materials including short stories, poetry, drama, and novels from a variety of literary periods.

Become more effective oral communicators through participation in discussions of literature and writing.

Expand recognition and usage of vocabulary and use a variety of strategies to determine and learn the meanings of unfamiliar words.

Become more aware of the errors frequently made in writing and will work to rid their own writing of such mistakes.

English II and English II Honors: World Literature

23.06207 | 10th grade | full year | 1 credit

The World Literature course teaches students to use words descriptively, empathetically, and persuasively with regard to others and to other world cultures. Students will read texts from Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Europe among others. They will research these cultures and literatures, and they will write about their research in extended papers. Studying world literature, Donovan students will come to understand more about the world, about its many peoples, and ultimately about themselves.

Actively research a variety of cultures through primary texts.

Develop analysis skills through a mixture of projects and writing activities.

Strengthen communication skills through persuasive essays and frequent large group discussions.

Continue to read a variety of literary genres including blogs, vignettes, dramas, short stories, poetry, and novels.

English III : American Literature

23.06307 | 11th grade | full year | 1 credit

This course will focus on the study of American Literature. They will also examine the interactions between the writers’ purpose, subjects, and audience expectations. Assignments will consist of expository, personal, and persuasive writing, oral expression, vocabulary development, and research and analysis; including a persuasive research paper. Assignments will involve an exploration and analysis of rhetorical and linguistic choices as well as literary, cultural, and historical topics germane to American literature.

Learn to think more critically and analytically through responses to questions about the literature we read and the comments of their classmates.

Become more fluent and proficient writers, particularly in relation to the development and support of thesis statements and in the analyses of literature we read through multi-paragraph essays.

AP Language : Language and Composition

23.24307 | 11th grade | full year | 1 credit

AP Language is an introductory college level course in rhetoric and composition. Basically, this is a course designed to help you become a better critical reader and writer by focusing primarily on American non-fiction writing and attempting to analyze the author’s purpose, intended audiences, and various strategies that he or she uses to make a point. When writing, students will be responding to thematic essays that are read, as well as “visual rhetoric.” Students may analyze a single piece of writing or “synthesize” several essays to form/support their own opinions. Throughout the course of the year, students will also write a research paper.

Effectively analyze and argue rhetorically on a given subject.

 

Develop the skills necessary to argue both orally and through writing on a given subject.

Research how authorial intent, audience expectations, and a variety of appeals work together to create either an effective argument or not.

Synthesize a variety of primary and secondary sources to a coherent argumentative and research paper.

Apply a variety of literary terminology to textual analysis through writing and daily discussion.

Use a variety of nonfiction texts to analyze basic themes as they apply to American culture.

English IV : British Literature

23.06407 | 12th grade | full year | 1 credit

This is a survey course which encompasses major prose and poetry of English writers from the Anglo-Saxon period through the 18th century. Our goal is to acquire an understanding of the ideas and literary genres that define these periods and to build a foundation for advanced studies in English literature. All readings will be considered in a literary and historical context so that the student will gain an understanding of the historical, cultural and philosophical influences that shape the texts. Students will express their understanding of key concepts through class discussions, writing assignments, and a midterm and final exam.

Closely read and critically analyze literature through annotation, free writing, and creating discussion questions and writing prompts

Read, summarize, analyze and explain a wide variety of printed materials including short stories, poetry, drama, and novels from a variety of literary periods

Solidify their ability to write coherent and effective argumentative and expository essays

Continue their discussion skills by daily large-group student-led class discussions over their readings.

AP Literature : Literature and Composition

23.26507 | 12th grade | full year | 1 credit

AP Literature is an introductory college level course in critical literary analysis. Developing careful reading and critical analysis skills by focusing on a work’s structure, style, and themes, as well as smaller-scale elements, and the ways in which writers use these to create meaning. Writing will be focused on analyzing literature through close reading.

Read, summarize, analyze and explain a wide variety of printed materials including short stories, poetry, drama, and novels from a variety of literary periods;

Recognize the social, cultural, and historical values a work embodies and reflects;

Closely read and critically analyze literature through annotation, free writing, and creating discussion questions and writing prompts;

Define, identify, analyze, and explain a variety of literary terms and techniques used by writers;

Recognize the structure and style of a work and how it creates tone and theme;

Identify figurative language, imagery, and symbolism in a work and their effectiveness in producing meaning.

Shofar - Elective

23.03307 | 9th, 10th, 11th, & 12th grade | half-year | .5 credit

As a student-driven class, Shofar consists of students planning, generating, and distributing an original MDCHS publication. The course introduces students to the various roles of newspaper production, including reporting, editing, photography, design, and distribution. Students will create both digital and printed newspapers on a monthly basis.

Creative Writing - Elective

23.03107 | 9th, 10th, 11th & 12th grade | 1 semester | 0.5 credit

  • The Creative Writing course teaches students to recognize quality writing in a wide variety of genres, and then to use proven methods to compose a portfolio of original work
  • Develop reading & writing skills through focused discussion which analyzes specific literary elements.
  • Make strong connections between the context of a written piece and the purpose of the piece itself.
  • Develop analysis skills through a mixture of projects and writing activities.
  • Continue to read a variety of literary genres including blogs, vignettes, dramas, short stories, poetry, and novels.
  • Students will use constructive criticism in a workshop setting to discuss each other’s work
Debate - Elective

23.04207 (9th to 12th grade) 2 semesters, .5 credit

This is a general study of the techniques of interscholastic debate. Students are involved in detailed and extensive analysis of debate theory and technique with application of skills in competition. Help in guiding and developing novice debaters is an inherent part of the class work. Participation in the interscholastic Debate/Forensics program is a requirement. This course may be repeated for additional credit.

Yearbook - Elective

23.03217 (9th, 10th, 11th, & 12th grade) 2 semesters, .5 credit

Students in this class will be members of the yearbook production staff and expected to take photos of school events throughout the year.  The course is designed to expose the student to the skills of photography, journalism, page production, and to assist them in acquiring the responsible attitude necessary to meet the demands of a production schedule and a publication deadline.