English Department
Believing that literature is one of the most profound expressions of the human experience, Pacifica Christian’s English Department introduces students to literature from a variety of historical and artistic traditions. This approach gives students a sense of the diversity of the human experience and of their own place in the world. Students will be also made aware of the impact upon culture made by people of faith throughout history. This close work with literature can give students special insight into the shared resource that is our language and can make them more confident about their ability to express themselves and to evaluate the written expression of others. Moreover, this close work gives students the practice in critical reading and writing that prepares them for college and beyond.
We believe students should accumulate reading and writing skills that are reinforced throughout their careers at Pacifica Christian High School, as they encounter increasingly sophisticated forms of writing in their own work and the works they read. At the heart of this endeavor is the department’s conviction that expression through language is intrinsic to the development of young adults. Our curriculum, therefore, first introduces students to the joys of reading and writing, and then invites them to refine the skills inherent in each activity so as to enhance their abilities to develop their voices and to enrich their appreciation of other’s voices.
Course Descriptions
9th Grade English: Ancient Literature and Composition (Full year)
10th Grade English: World Literature and Composition (Full year)
This course offers a survey of Western literature written between the High Middle Ages and the middle of the 20th century. Students will become knowledgeable about several genres that predominated during those years and learn to understand, enjoy, analyze, and evaluate several representative writings in those genres. Students will also increase their mastery of vocabulary, grammar, and rhetorical skills, enhancing their confidence and facility in communicating effectively through the written and spoken word. Students will read, write and speak about many topics of their choice along the way, often making links between them and the themes raised by course readings and in-class conversations.
10th Grade English: Honors World Literature and Composition (Full year) This course aims to develop and sharpen students’ writing, speaking, interpretive reading, and critical thinking skills. The course constitutes a survey of Western literature written between the High Middle Ages and the late 20th century. Students will become knowledgeable about several genres that predominated during these periods and learn to understand, enjoy, analyze, and evaluate several representative writings in those genres. Students will continue to perfect the Close Reading method of literary analysis and to develop their literary essays to include evaluative as well as analytical interpretations. Students will also explore other modes of writing, including creative ones, as they sharpen their understanding of how language is used both in their own writing and the literature they read. Vocabulary building is strongly emphasized and approximately 180 new words will be learned, cumulatively, each semester. In addition, students will increase their mastery of grammar and rhetoric, enhancing their confidence and facility in communicating effectively through the written and spoken word. This honors level class moves at an accelerated pace, requires more advanced reading than non-Honors sections, and exposes students to more complex concepts.
11th Grade English: American Literature and Composition (Full year)
This course will challenge students to grow in their knowledge and appreciation of American literature as well as in their writing skills. It aims to develop further reading interpretation, writing, speaking, and critical thinking skills. Students will continue their education in preparation for college level reading and composition. Emphasis is placed on American literature from the 17th Century to present day, including speeches, essays, novels, narratives, plays, poetry, and short stories. Students will be introduced to the close reading method of literary analysis. Vocabulary building is strongly emphasized and approximately 120 new words will be learned, cumulatively, each semester. Expository, argumentative, and critical writing will be introduced with a strong emphasis on quote integration and use of specific evidence using MLA format. Proper thesis statement construction will be developed and the formal five paragraph essay will be a major part of this course
11th Grade English: AP Language and Composition (Full year)
This is a course in effective writing and critical reading. Writing skills are analyzed in a systematic way by studying a variety of prose. Students assess prose writing by examining the author’s use of diction, syntax, tone, structure, purpose, and meaning. Attention will be centered on developing a personal rhetorical style that cultivates strong persuasive writing skills. Students will analyze writings through close readings and the lessons learned will be transferred to their own writing. Emphasis will be focused on knowing how to select and use appropriate modes of writing. This course will use American literature as a base; however, it will require more reading and focused writing than the American Literature and Composition class. It is also designed to prepare students for advanced composition as well as to prepare students to pass the Advanced Placement Examination in English Composition in May. The ultimate goal of this class, however, is to expose students to the various tools of accomplished rhetoric and composition; the exam is secondary. Students will read and write in major literary genres such as drama, the novel, the short story, the essay, and poetry. A great deal of time will be spent writing in-class assignments, journal entries, and multiple drafts of each paper.
12th Grade English: Great Books (Full year)
This course is intended to enrich seniors’ final year of high school English with a discussion of some of the greatest works of human thought and imagination that have shaped the western world such as Milton’s Paradise Lost. It will help to prepare our seniors for the independent reading, sophisticated level of thinking, and the seminar format of learning that they will encounter at most four-year institutions. Emphasis will be placed on active reading, seminar style classes, literary analysis and response in writing, and analysis of recurrent patterns and themes. Students will work on annotating, recognizing motifs and themes, finding meaning, looking at rhetorical devices, developing vocabulary lexicons, and tackling difficult words and sentences. They will be introduced to critical essays about the novels and authors and will write several essays, papers and work on projects to help deepen literary understanding. Focus will also be placed on college essays and a college level research paper in conjunction with 12th grade History.
12th Grade English: AP Literature and Composition (Full year)
This college-level course is designed to prepare students for advanced critical reading, literary analysis, and composition; additionally, this course aims to ready students to pass the Advanced Placement Examination in English Literature and Composition in May. However, this class will be taught with the first goal in mind; once achieved, the second goal should naturally follow. More emphatically, the ultimate goal of this class is to expose students to the infinite depths of human experience through literature; the exam is secondary. The first semester encompasses an intensive survey of poetry focusing on literary modes; the second semester focuses on the epic novel. Throughout the year, composition reigns supreme. A great deal of time will be spent writing in-class assignments, journal entries, and multiple drafts of each paper. Students will also read intriguing texts, have lively discussions, and perform in-class activities. Much of the class will be held in seminar format. Emphasis will be placed on rhetorical strategies and devices, as well as advanced composition.
Journalism (Full year elective, grades 10-12)
This course will teach students journalistic skills such as finding and researching relevant topics, interviewing story subjects, feature and column writing, editing, revising, photographing, and blogging. Topics will range from current events internationally, nationally, and within the local community of West LA that may be relevant to students today, but the main focus will be upon the Pacifica community. Students will learn how to incorporate these skills in both online and print formats by contributing to an online campus newspaper and at least two special print editions, all of which will be available to students, parents, board members, and others in the PCH community. A high level of participation and responsibility will be expected from Journalism students, as well as a commitment to integrity in the written word and as representatives of Pacifica Christian High School.