English Department
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1).
The word -- spoken, written, thought -- is full of powerful potential. The study of language and literature, then, becomes a study of works that have shaped our culture and our thinking. But not only that, working hard at the way we use language becomes a key to effective communication, powerful expression, and clear thinking.
To this end, all English courses will stress clear and logical thinking, strong study in the conventions of language (grammar, syntax, mechanics, the figurative, vocabulary), reading, critical thinking, speaking, and listening. Students will learn to deal with the various writing situations with which they will be faced, and to do so with calm confidence. In the same way, students will learn to read well for various purposes.
The great works cannot be fully appreciated in isolation. The literature in English at PCH will often parallel the same year’s course in history and Bible to reinforce understanding of the truths of Scripture and of the world as a whole. In the same way that language, writing, and literature study are often naturally integrated, English, History and Bible relate closely and naturally.
Course Descriptions
9th Grade English: Foundations of Literature & Composition (Full year)
Students read classic literature including excerpts from the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament, Greek Mythology, The Odyssey, Greek tragedies, medieval and renaissance poetry, and Shakespeare. In addition, students will be exposed to various philosophies as depicted in literature. Various modes of writing are explored, including the formal analysis essay, using specific evidence for support. MLA format is reviewed and required for all written work. Vocabulary building is strongly emphasized and approximately 120 new words will be learned, cumulatively, each semester. This course is taken in conjunction with 9th grade Ancient World History. Effective speaking skills are developed through dramatic interpretations, presentations and models of class discussion. Students will be expected to become increasingly conscious of the way they create meaning from texts. The honors level class moves at an accelerated pace, requires more advanced reading, and exposes students to more complex concepts; the high honors level class prepares the highly motivated English student for advanced placement work. Students must complete at least one Independent Cultural Excursion. The topic for the final project in this class is: Courage.
10th Grade English: World Literature & Composition (Full year)
The emphasis in this course is rhetoric: students are asked to analyze the author’s purpose and the rhetorical strategies used to achieve this purpose. Major works are studied chronologically and thematically with an emphasis on European literature ranging from neoclassicism, romanticism, and modernism to the contemporary era. Students will continue developing their literary essay skills to include evaluative as well as analytical interpretations. Other modes of writing will also continue to be explored as students sharpen their understanding of how language is used in both their own writing and the literature they read. Various forms of verbal activities are incorporated. Major works are studied chronologically and thematically with an emphasis on European literature ranging from neoclassicism, romanticism, and modernism to the contemporary era. Students will be introduced to the close reading method of literary analysis. MLA format is reviewed and required for all written work. Vocabulary building is strongly emphasized and approximately 120 new words will be learned, cumulatively, each semester. This course is taken in conjunction with 10th grade World History. The honors level class moves at an accelerated pace, requires more advanced reading, and exposes students to more complex concepts; the high honors level class is even more accelerated and prepares the highly motivated English student for advanced placement work. Students must complete at least one Independent Cultural Excursion. The topic for the final project in this class is: Integrity.
11th Grade English: American Literature & Composition (Full year)
This course aims to develop further reading interpretation, writing, speaking, and critical thinking skills. Students will continue his/her education in preparation for college level reading and composition. Emphasis is placed on American literature from the 19th 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. MLA format is reviewed and required for all written work. 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. Proper thesis statement construction will be developed and the formal five paragraph essay will be a major part of this course. This course is taken in conjunction with 11th grade American History. The honors level class moves at an accelerated pace, requires advanced reading, and exposes students to complex rhetorical concepts. The college essay will also be addressed and written. Students must complete at least one Independent Cultural Excursion. The topic for the final project in this class is: Compassion.
11th Grade AP Language & Composition (Full year)
This college-level course is designed to prepare students for advanced composition; additionally, this course is designed to prepare students to pass the Advanced Placement Examination in English 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 various tools of accomplished rhetoric and composition; the exam is secondary.
Students will read and write in five major literary genres: 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 (literary interpretation, personal narrative, argumentation, etc.). Students will also read intriguing texts, have lively discussions, and perform in-class activities. Students will engage in various types of pre-writing and writing in order to express themselves through writing.
12th Grade English: Great Books (one year)
If you could take only ten books to a deserted island on which you were to be marooned for the rest of your life, what would they be? As Mortimer Adler says, this is no game--we are all in precisely that position. We are simply unable to read all the books there are; therefore, we had better choose well. Some books exercise our minds by their rigor and move our spirits by their beauty with every reading, some books help us communicate with our culture because they have been a common element in education for centuries, some books aid our understanding of the physical world by a clear exposition of careful observations by powerful minds, but only a very few books do any of these things well. And as C. S. Lewis says, old books give us a radically different perspective on life and our assumptions, and no modern books can do this at all, no matter how good they are.
As Christians, we understand that ours is an historical faith, one that originated, developed, and grew in certain times at certain places. To study and understand the long stream of history and thought, and to comprehend our place in that stream, is to increase our appreciation of our cultural inheritance, our ability to use wisely and build faithfully upon that inheritance, and our ability to understand and respond to God's work in history. The conclusion we may draw from all of this is that the old books are best, and the best of the old books are the best of all. That is why we read the Great Books.
This course will be taught in a seminar format; one great book of literature will be selected democratically and read enthusiastically. In addition to class meetings, excursions to the instructor’s home and/or students’ homes will supplement discussion locations, and hopefully enhance the depth of appreciation for the text of choice. Assessment will consist of one 12 to 15 page paper devoted to a thematic aspect in the novel. Potential selections may include Anna Karenina, Moby-Dick, Grapes of Wrath, Roots, The Magic Mountain, One Hundred Years of Solitude, Don Quixote, Tale of Two Cities, Middlemarch, etc.
Students must complete at least one Independent Cultural Excursion. The topic for the final project in this class is: Success.
12th Grade AP Literature & Composition (Full year)
This college-level course is designed to prepare students for advanced critical reading and composition; additionally, this course is designed to prepare 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 from Old English to the present day; the second semester is a journey on the seas with Moby-Dick.
Students will read and write in five major literary genres: 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 (literary interpretation, personal narrative, argumentation, etc.). Students will also read intriguing texts, have lively discussions, and perform in-class activities. Emphasis will be placed on rhetorical strategies and devices, as well as advanced composition.
Journalism/Newspaper Production (Full year elective, grades 10-12)
This course is designed to teach students how to write newspaper articles as well as to achieve a basic understanding of all aspects of newspaper publishing. The course provides a hands-on experience in that students conduct interviews, write and edit articles, design and layout the pages, and assist in all aspects of the production of the student newspaper, The Bruin.
Prerequisites: Satisfactory completion of 9th grade English, teacher recommendation, and department chair approval