English Language Arts

Category: English Language Arts / Description: English Language Arts (ELA) Department courses are designed to provide students with the tools necessary to improve their skills in reading, writing, listening, speaking, and critical thinking. Students learn to read for information, but also to appreciate the beauty and power of language through exposure to both classical and contemporary literature. Writing instruction focuses as much on the process of writing as on the end product, which allows students to develop critical-thinking skills, organize and convey information, and evaluate their work. All ELA Department courses focus on group discussions and cooperative learning to help students become well-rounded, effective communicators who are comfortable with both spoken and written expression. The ELA department curriculum is aligned with the Common Core Standards.

Course Number: C151 /Category: English Language Arts / Credits: 2 /Recommended Grades: 11,12 /Level: AP /Length: Full Year /Description: Students in this introductory, college-level course read and carefully analyze a broad and challenging range of fiction and nonfiction prose selections, deepening their awareness of rhetoric and how language works. Through close reading and frequent writing, students develop their ability to work with language and text with a greater awareness of purpose and strategy, while strengthening their own writing skills. Course readings feature expository, analytical, personal, and argumentative texts from a variety of authors and historical contexts. The course also allows students to write in several forms?narrative, expository, argumentative, analytical?on many different subjects, from public policies to personal experiences. Ultimately, all AP English Language and Composition students will be taking the AP English Language & Composition test in May, which offers the possibility of college credit. Students are required to complete a reading assignment and project assigned by the instructor during the summer preceding the course. Grades earned on this summer assignment are part of each student’s first quarter course grade. Prerequisites: A high level of success in previous English courses and a teacher recommendation.

Course Number: C150 /Category: English Language Arts / Credits: 2 /Recommended Grades: 12 /Level: AP /Length: Full Year /Description: This course is equivalent to a college-level freshman English course. Students engage in careful reading and critical analysis of literature to deepen their understanding of how writers provide meaning and pleasure through language. Students consider the structure, style, and theme of each work, as well as elements like the use of figurative language, imagery, symbolism, and tone. Students read and analyze works by British and American writers from the 16th century through the present day. Writing assignments focus on critical analysis of literature through expository, analytical, and argumentative essays. Students develop and express their ideas in clear, coherent, and persuasive language, while also learning to write effectively under severe time constraints. Students are expected to take the AP English Literature & Composition exam in May. Students are required to complete a reading assignment and project assigned by the instructor during the summer preceding the course. Grades earned on this summer assignment are part of each student’s first quarter course grade. Prerequisites: A high level of success in previous English courses and a teacher recommendation.

Course Number: C163D / Category: English Language Arts, Electives / Credits: 1 / Recommended Grades: ALL / Level: College Prep / Length: Semester / This course offers an in-depth exploration of the dystopian genre in literature. Dystopian literature portrays a fictional society or world that is characterized by oppression and, often, totalitarian control. The setting is typically bleak and oppressive, where individual freedoms and rights are restricted or entirely absent. The themes explored in dystopian literature often include power, control, societal norms, and the human condition. Dystopian literature is frequently used to comment on contemporary issues or trends in society and to offer a cautionary tale about the potential consequences of unchecked power or societal changes. Through the reading and analysis of selected novels, short stories, films, and other literary works, students will gain a deeper understanding of the themes, motifs, and literary techniques used to convey a dystopian world. This course is suitable for high school students who are interested in exploring themes related to power, control, societal norms, and the human condition.

Course Number: C121 /Category: English Language Arts / Credits: 2 /Recommended Grades: 10 /Level: College Prep /Length: Full Year /Description: ELA 10 begins with the exploration of the central question, How Do We Determine the Right Thing to Do? in which students conduct academic research as part of small pathway groups. Throughout the year, students read full-length Literary canon (Antigone, Things Fall Apart) or contemporary works (The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Alexander Hamilton) alongside curated collections of authentic texts to build background knowledge and to provide a diverse array of perspectives. Topical text collections include Telling Stories, and The Ethics of Public Health Decisions to allow students to engage in interdisciplinary learning. The year concludes with a student-driven research project and presentation to the learning community. Over the course of the year, students write a variety of longer writing assignments: fictional/historical/personal narratives, reflective narratives, literary analysis, expository essays, and argumentative essays. This course is aligned to the 2017 Massachusetts Language Arts and Literacy Curriculum Frameworks (9/10) and counts as a unit of ELA towards CHS graduation requirements.

Course Number: C120/Category: English Language Arts/Credits: 2 /Recommended Grades: 10 /Level: Honors /Length: Full Year /Description: ELA 10 begins with the exploration of the central question, How Do We Determine the Right Thing to Do? in which students conduct academic research as part of small pathway groups. Throughout the year, students read full-length Literary canon (Antigone, Things Fall Apart) or contemporary works (The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Alexander Hamilton) alongside curated collections of authentic texts to build background knowledge and to provide a diverse array of perspectives. Topical text collections include Telling Stories, and The Ethics of Public Health Decisions to allow students to engage in interdisciplinary learning. The year concludes with a student-driven research project and presentation to the learning community. Over the course of the year, students write a variety of longer writing assignments: fictional/historical/personal narratives, reflective narratives, literary analysis, expository essays, and argumentative essays. This course is aligned to the 2017 Massachusetts Language Arts and Literacy Curriculum Frameworks (9/10) and counts as a unit of ELA towards CHS graduation requirements.

Course Number: C131 /Category: English Language Arts / Credits: 2 /Recommended Grades: 11 /Level: College Prep /Length: Full Year /Description: ELA 11 begins with the exploration of the central question, What Does it Mean to Be an American? in which students conduct academic research as part of small pathway groups. Throughout the year, students read full-length Literary canon (The Great Gatsby, Beloved) or contemporary works (Friday Night Lights, The Warmth of Other Suns) alongside curated collections of authentic texts to build background knowledge and to provide a diverse array of perspectives. Topical text collections include Telling Stories with Film, and The American Dream of Homeownership to allow students to engage in interdisciplinary learning. The year concludes with a student-driven research project and presentation to the learning community. Over the course of the year, students write a variety of longer writing assignments: original narratives, reflective narratives, literary analysis, expository essays, argumentative essays, and a film proposal. This course is aligned to the 2017 Massachusetts Language Arts and Literacy Curriculum Frameworks (11/12) and counts as a unit of ELA towards CHS graduation requirements.

Course Number: C141 /Category: English Language Arts / Credits: 2 /Recommended Grades: 12 /Level: College Prep /Length: Full Year /Description: ELA 12 begins with the exploration of a central question, How Do I Prepare for Life After High School? or What Does it Mean to Live a Life Well-Lived? in which students conduct academic research as part of small pathway groups. Throughout the year, students read full-length Literary canon (Frankenstein, 1984, Hamlet) or contemporary works (In the Time of the Butterflies) alongside curated collections of authentic texts to build background knowledge and to provide a diverse array of perspectives. Topical text collections include Community, and Artificial Intelligence to allow students to engage in interdisciplinary learning. The year concludes with a student-driven research project and presentation to the learning community. Over the course of the year, students write a variety of longer writing assignments: original narratives, reflective narratives, literary analysis, expository essays, argumentative essays, and a film proposal. This course is aligned to the 2017 Massachusetts Language Arts and Literacy Curriculum Frameworks (11/12) and counts as a unit of ELA towards CHS graduation requirements.

Course Number: C111 /Category: English Language Arts /Credits: 2 /Recommended Grades: 9 /Level: College Prep /Length: Full Year /Description: ELA 9 begins with the exploration of the central question, Who Changes the World? in which students conduct academic research as part of small pathway groups. Throughout the year, students read full-length Literary canon (Romeo and Juliet, Animal Farm, The Odyssey) or contemporary novels (The Book of Unknown Americans) alongside curated collections of authentic texts to build background knowledge and to provide a diverse array of perspectives. Topical collections include a unit on Global Food Production and a unit on Photojournalism to allow students to engage in interdisciplinary learning. The year concludes with a student-driven research project and presentation to the learning community. Over the course of the year, students write a variety of longer writing assignments: fictional narratives, reflective narratives, literary analysis, expository essays, and argumentative essays. This course is aligned to the 2017 Massachusetts Language Arts and Literacy Curriculum Frameworks (9/10) and counts as a unit of ELA towards CHS graduation requirements.

Course Number: C110 /Category: English Language Arts / Credits: 2 /Recommended Grades: 9 /Level: Honors /Length: Full Year /Description: ELA 9 begins with the exploration of the central question, Who Changes the World? in which students conduct academic research as part of small pathway groups. Throughout the year, students read full-length Literary canon (Romeo and Juliet, Animal Farm, The Odyssey) or contemporary novels (The Book of Unknown Americans) alongside curated collections of authentic texts to build background knowledge and to provide a diverse array of perspectives. Topical collections include a unit on Global Food Production and a unit on Photojournalism to allow students to engage in interdisciplinary learning. The year concludes with a student-driven research project and presentation to the learning community. Over the course of the year, students write a variety of longer writing assignments: fictional narratives, reflective narratives, literary analysis, expository essays, and argumentative essays. This course is aligned to the 2017 Massachusetts Language Arts and Literacy Curriculum Frameworks (9/10) and counts as a unit of ELA towards CHS graduation requirements.

Course Number: CXH-141 /Category: English Language Arts, Pathways / Credits: 2 /Recommended Grades: 11,12 /Level: College Prep /Length: Full Year /Description: Health & Life Science Pathway students read a variety of fiction and nonfiction works, focusing on drama, poetry, short stories, novels, and nonfiction. Selected texts explore the human stories and systemic issues prevalent in the health-care system. Students examine a variety of texts that focus on themes present in the patient health care relationship, such as spirit, care, sickness, grief, and faith. They also debate current events in the field, such as prescription drug advertising and the rising cost of health care. Coursework also develops students’ patient communication skills through role-playing exercises, video evaluations, and self-evaluation. This is an interdisciplinary class that must be taken with three other HLS core classes: Anatomy and Physiology and BioEthics Prerequisites: Successful completion of English 11 or AP English Language and Composition and acceptance into the Health & Life Sciences Pathway.

Course Number: CXL-141 /Category: English Language Arts, Pathways / Credits: 2 /Recommended Grades: 11,12 /Level: College Prep /Length: Full Year /Description: Law & Public Policy Pathway students read a variety of fiction and non-fiction works, focusing on drama, poetry, short stories, novels, and nonfiction. Selected texts focus on the fields of law and public policy and explore issues such as human rights, school safety, and the conflict between freedom and security. Students produce writing portfolio pieces including a research paper, a college essay, a position paper, and a short story. This is an interdisciplinary class that must be taken with three other LPP core classes (Forensic Science, Law & Public Policy, and Statistics), all of which focus on the same curriculum units simultaneously. Units include: Crime Scene Investigation; Human Nature, Rules, and Power; and Criminal Law and the Pursuit of Justice. (For more information on the Pathways, see Page 37) Prerequisites: Successful completion of English 10, 11 or AP English Language and Composition and acceptance into the Law & Public Policy Pathway.

Course Number: C186PS Category: English Language Arts, Electives / Credits: 1 / Recommended Grades: ALL / Level: College Prep / Length: Semester / Description: Considering a career in business, politics, or education? Do you imagine yourself being a lawyer, counselor, real estate agent, performer, teacher, coach, announcer, or manager? These careers and so many more require strong public speaking skills. In this class we will develop our skills as public speakers by writing, preparing, and delivering speeches for a variety of purposes (to entertain, to teach/inform, and to argue/persuade.) We will go over ways to lessen anxiety while presenting, effectively prepare for public speaking, and use visual aids well as we develop our verbal and nonverbal communication skills.  

Course Number: C163 /Category: English Language Arts, Electives /Credits: 1 /Recommended Grades: ALL /Level: College Prep /Length: Semester / Description: In this course, we’ll take a closer look at the relationships and friendships that teenagers encounter in literature, media, and social media. Through reading and analyzing a variety of texts, we’ll examine how the archetypes and models of relationships that teenagers consume in the media impact their expectations of relationships in their own lives. Throughout the course, we’ll focus on developing critical thinking and reflection skills. We’ll have small group and full class discussions to analyze and deconstruct relationships, and we’ll engage in reflective exercises to help us examine our own experiences and biases. We’ll explore the different types of relationships, their qualities, and the ways they influence the characters and their behaviors. We’ll investigate the impact of communication, trust, empathy, and conflict resolution in relationships, and we’ll discuss how to develop and maintain these important skills in our own lives. By the end of this course, students will have gained an increased understanding of the role of media in shaping their attitudes and behaviors towards relationships. Students will also have also developed their critical thinking and reflection skills, empowering them to form their own conclusions and make informed decisions about their own relationships.  This course is ideal for those who are interested in understanding the impact of media on relationships, as well as those who are looking to develop their critical thinking and reflection skills.

Course Number: C185 / Category: English Language Arts, Elective / Credits: 1 / Recommended Grades: ALL / Level: College Prep / Length: Semester / Description: In True Crime, students will explore crime, psychology, and the criminal justice system through nonfiction articles, essays, and books. Students gain insights into the techniques writers use to write narrative and expository works about real-life occurrences. True Crime delves into the history, mechanics, and oddities of the famed genre. The class explores crime dating back to America?s first murder trial all the way to modern day media examples such as Serial and Making a Murderer. Aside from experiencing crime nonfiction across multiple mediums, True Crime places an emphasis upon how we view crime, criminals, and the criminal justice system in our society, school, and community.

Course Number: C164 /Category: English Language Arts, Electives /Credits: 1 /Recommended Grades: ALL /Level: College Prep /Length: Semester / Description: In this elective, students will read short stories about magical realism from different authors from around the world, including Gabriel García Marquéz from Latin America, Salman Rushdie from India, Haruki Murakami from Japan, Isabel Allende from Chile, and Toni Morrison from the United States (among others).  In addition to reading and analyzing the stories, this course would also provide opportunities for students to engage in discussions, debates, and creative projects related to the readings. This will allow students to develop their critical thinking, writing, and analytical skills, while also encouraging creativity and imagination. The elective would be open to students of all grade levels who have a passion for literature and a desire to explore the complexities of magical realism.