English Electives

Grades 8-9 | Credits: 2.5

This semester English elective course is designed for students who wish to develop their creative writing abilities through independent practice and frequent individual conferences with the instructor. This course trains students to express themselves through original poems, short stories, and essays, based upon their own experiences and sensory impressions.  Students read and discuss literary models, as well as read and discuss one another's work. Students also have opportunities to publish their work both within and outside of the school context. Ideal candidates for this course are motivated, self- directed learners who are able to complete and submit tasks independently.

Grades 8-9 | Credits: 2.5

This English elective course is designed to help students become more confident speakers and better speech writers. Students will learn to research, organize, write, and present various types of speeches: informative, persuasive, and demonstrative. They will also read, analyze, and deliver memorable speeches from literature and history. At the end of the course, students will understand how to effectively write speeches and how to deliver them using rhetorical techniques.

Grade 9 | Credits: 2.5

Heroes, Villains, and Mythology is a semester English elective course for all students interested in exploring the social, artistic and philosophical implications of world mythology.   Students will learn about the foundations of Greek and Roman myth and the ways in which these myths inform works such as Homer’s Iliad and Virgil’s Aeneid.  Ultimately, students will examine myths from a variety of cultures in order to better understand the relevance of mythology to art as well as contemporary issues concerning justice, identity, family and war.   Students will complete reading and writing assignments on a daily basis as well as engage in spirited class discussions. All ninth graders are eligible to enroll in this elective.

Meets NCAA Core Course Requirements

Grades 8-9 | Credits: 2.5

This semester English elective course is designed for students who wish to develop their creative writing abilities through independent practice and frequent individual conferences with the instructor. This course trains students to express themselves through original poems, short stories, and essays, based upon their own experiences and sensory impressions.  Students read and discuss literary models, as well as read and discuss one another's work. Students also have opportunities to publish their work both within and outside of the school context. Ideal candidates for this course are motivated, self- directed learners who are able to complete and submit tasks independently.

Grades 8-9 | Credits: 2.5

This English elective course is designed to help students become more confident speakers and better speech writers. Students will learn to research, organize, write, and present various types of speeches: informative, persuasive, and demonstrative. They will also read, analyze, and deliver memorable speeches from literature and history. At the end of the course, students will understand how to effectively write speeches and how to deliver them using rhetorical techniques.