English 300

English 300 covers the literature of the United States from the Puritan Era to the present.  All the forms of literature which have been studied specifically in themselves during the first two years are now studied as they emerge historically through the imaginative lives of major U.S. authors.  This course complements the study of American History, which is also taken during the junior year.  The students’ writing aims at greater and greater control over the expository essay and specifically at developing analytical theses on literature. Students will write at least twelve papers during the year in various rhetorical modes including the personal narrative (at least 1), the expository essay (5-7), the synthesis essay, the timed quick-write, and the creative composition.   After consulting with their teachers, students taking this course may opt to take the AP Language and Composition examination.  Both this course and the honors course prepare students to pass the Junior Writing Exam taken in the second semester.  Students who do not pass this exam with an acceptable score must take Literature and Composition:  Non-fiction during the senior year.

English 203H

The major difference between this honors course and the regular sophomore course is in the number of books that are read and their inherent difficulty, in the mode of instruction in the classroom, in the student initiative required, and in the number of writing assignments (generally 2-3 additional essays per year) along with their increasing and various difficulty.

 

Class receives honors weighting in SI weighted GPA

English 200

English 200 continues the course of study begun in the freshman year.  Skills learned the previous year are refined, expanded, and enhanced.  Basic grammar is reviewed and new material introduced throughout the year.  The lower division writing sequence continues with a review of paragraph writing, which leads into the year’s emphasis on descriptive, narrative, and expository essay writing.  Students will write approximately 10-12 papers in a variety of rhetorical modes.  The writing becomes not only more formal, but increased in length as well with students writing multi-paragraph expository essays by the end of the first quarter.  The reading of literature includes all the major genres: novel, drama, poetry, short story, and essay; however, the study of literature shifts from an organization by form to an organization by themes that reveal an insight into the human condition.

English 103H

The major difference between English 100 and English 103H is in the number of books that are read and their inherent difficulty, in the mode of instruction in the classroom, in the student initiative required, and in the number of writing assignments and their increasing and various difficulty.

 Class receives honors weighting in SI weighted GPA

English 100

The purpose of freshman English is three-fold: 1) to master certain grammatical material that will aid in the discussion of composition, 2) to begin a systematic approach to writing, and 3) to identify certain literary concepts in a variety of literary genres.  To achieve these goals, English 100 presents the incoming students with a course of study that exposes them to the forms of literature: the short story, non-fiction essay, poem, drama, and novel.  Freshman English also presents the students with various writing assignments that will start them on the process of building a personal writing style. The subjects for these assignments move from the students’ own experiences to topics related to their reading, and the movement during the course of the year is from narrative and descriptive writing to writing that is more expository in nature.  Writing assignments generally will progress from one-page papers at the beginning of the year to longer essays at the end of the year.  By the end of the course, the student will have written approximately 10-12 papers in a variety of rhetorical modes including creative, descriptive, narrative, expository, and literary analysis writing.  The student will also have completed at least one multi-paragraph expository essay.

AP English Literature and Composition

This full-year course is intended for the seniors who qualify in two ways: First, they must have the desire to sustain a high degree of effort throughout their senior year; second, they must have the proven ability to do accelerated work.  The course itself has two goals:  1) to prepare the students to pass the AP exam administered in May of the senior year, and 2) to prepare them to take their place in a sophomore English class at whatever college they attend.  The content of the course is divided into two major parts.  The first is the study of literature required by the AP exam.  Here the students become familiar with the novel, short story, poem, drama, and essay, particularly in their historical development.  In the second part, the students work at perfecting their writing skills.  Here they do two separate kinds of practice: 1) that aimed at proficiency for the exam itself, and 2) that aimed at proficiency in written expression for college level audiences.  Admission to this course is by application, recommendation of the junior year teacher, and approval of the Chair.  English 403AP is a senior English course in which the 1.00 increment is awarded by the UC system.

Class receives honors weighting in SI weighted GPA and UC/CSU GPA calculations

French 4

French 4 is a two-semester course for students who have received an A, B or C+ in French 3 and/or teacher approval.  This course is designed for students who are interested in using their foundation in French to explore in greater depth the cultures of the francophone world through art, film, literature, history, current events, and social justice issues. The primary aim of this course is to improve the student’s ability to speak, read, write and comprehend French in more sophisticated social, historical and political contexts.  The student will review vocabulary and grammar, master new advanced language concepts, and enhance his/her knowledge of the cultural  diversity of the French-speaking world.  The class is conducted entirely in French except for complex grammatical explanations and students are expected to speak in French at all times.

 

*This class will be offered pending adequate enrollment.

AP French Language and Culture

French 4AP is a two-semester advanced language course designed for students who have excelled in French 1, 2H, and  3H  and who are interested in pursuing a more rigorous course of study in the language and cultures of the francophone world.  Students will have the opportunity to demonstrate and improve proficiency in the three modes of communication—Interpersonal, Interpretive, and Presentational—defined as foundational in the Standards for Foreign Language Learning in the 21st Century. This course will enhance the student’s cognitive, analytical, and communicative skills while emphasizing both fluency and accuracy in French. Authentic materials from the francophone world will be used to enhance student exploration of culture in both contemporary and historical contexts. There are 6 primary themes presented throughout the year: Beauty and Aesthetics, Global Challenges, Science and Technology, Contemporary Life, Personal and Public Identities, Family and Community.  These themes, which also parallel the content of the AP exam, will be addressed through literature, art, music, poetry, politics, and world events. The class is conducted entirely in the target language and students are expected to speak in French at all times.

*This class will be offered pending adequate enrollment.

**Class receives honors weighting in SI weighted GPA and UC/CSU GPA calculations

Latin 1

The Cambridge Latin Course, Units 1 and 2, open the door to the Latin language and literature for the beginning student through adapted readings about a Roman family living in Pompeii. Students will engage in the following activities: reading Latin aloud and silently; asking and answering Latin questions about the readings; translating Latin sentences into English and vice-versa; memorizing and using vocabulary; developing listening and speaking skills; studying the history and origin of English words derived from Latin; and learning about the customs, history, and mythology of the ancient Romans, especially as they have affected our own culture today. The aims of the course are: to teach students to read Latin accurately and confidently; and to familiarize students with life in the early Roman Empire.

Latin 2

Latin 2 continues the progress of first-year Latin. Students will read and write more sophisticated Latin, incorporating passive voice, various types of clauses, participles, infinitives and the subjunctive mood (mode), as they begin to transition to “real Latin,” authentic primary sources from the Roman era.