English Language Arts

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    057011 & 057012 (Year-long) - ENGLISH 1
    Grade:  9     
    1 English credit
    Prerequisite:  None

    In this course, students will read and study a variety of genres connected by powerful themes in the world. Genres will include short story, storytelling, poetry, spoken word and other performance literature, novels, and non-fiction. Students will grow their reading stamina and comprehension analysis skills, and make personal and global connections within and across texts. Students will approach texts as a reader and a writer. As writers, students in this course will strengthen the craft of writing, focusing on meaningful processes of topic and evidence exploration, matching organization structures or forms to audience and purpose. Students will practice effective communication skills in writing, audio composition, speaking, collaborating, and listening.

    058011 & 058012 (Year-long) - HONORS ENGLISH 1
    Grade: 9      
    1 English credit
    Prerequisite:  Department Approval

    In this course, students will read and study a variety of genres connected by powerful themes in the world. Genres will include short story, storytelling, poetry, spoken word and other performance literature, novels, and non-fiction. Students will grow their reading stamina and comprehension and analysis skills, and make personal and global connections within and across texts. Students will approach texts as a reader and a writer. As writers, students in this course will strengthen the craft of writing, focusing on meaningful processes of topic and evidence exploration, matching organization structures or forms to audience and purpose. Students will practice effective communication skills in writing, audio composition, speaking, collaborating, and listening. It is designed for the student who has an exceptional interest in language arts, desires an accelerated language arts program, or intends to take advanced placement courses in English. A weighted grade is given for this course.

    057021 & 057022 (Year-long) - ENGLISH 2
    Grade: 10        
    1 English credit
    Prerequisite:  Students must have passed at least one semester of English 1

    In this course, students will read and study literature that represents multiple perspectives. Genres will include memoir, poetry, short story, performance literature, narrative nonfiction, and novels. Goals include broadening the student’s reading life, increasing reading stamina, deepening analysis skills across and within text, and making connections between the world and others. Composition continues to focus on improving the craft of writing, and growing each student’s independent skills as a writer with authentic writing tasks that blend writing modes to best match audience, purpose, and style in creative writing, academic writing, research, and digital composition. The Missouri English 2 End of Course (EOC) Assessment is given at the conclusion of this course.

    058021 & 058022 (Year-long) - HONORS ENGLISH 2
    Grade: 10               
    1 English credit
    Prerequisite:  English 1 and Department Approval

    In this course, students will read and study literature that represents multiple perspectives. Genres will include memoir, poetry, short story, performance literature, narrative nonfiction, and novels. Goals include broadening the student’s reading life, increasing reading stamina, deepening analysis skills across and within text, and making connections between the world and others. Composition continues to focus on improving the craft of writing, and growing each student’s independent skills as a writer with authentic writing tasks that blend writing modes to best match audience, purpose, and style in creative writing, academic writing, research, and digital composition. It is designed for the student who has an exceptional interest in language arts, desires an accelerated language arts program, or intends to take advanced placement courses in English. A weighted grade is given for this course. The Missouri English 2 End of Course (EOC) Assessment is given at the conclusion of this course.

    057031 & 057032 (Year-long) - ENGLISH 3
    Grade: 11               
    1 English credit
    Prerequisite: English 2

    In this course, students will read and study literature that represents ideologies, institutions, and changes in American identity for different people and voices over time. Genres will include humor and satire, the essay, classic fiction, poetry, short story, performance literature, nonfiction, and novels.  Students approach texts as readers, researchers, and writers, continuing to increase their stamina as a reader and the complexity of the texts with which they engage. Goals also include making connections between history, culture, institutions, ideologies, and literary movements.  As writers, students continue to improve their independent writing craft with authentic writing tasks in creative writing, academic writing, research, and digital composition.

    057120 - INTRODUCTION TO COLLEGE WRITING
    Grade: 12       
    ½ English credit
    Prerequisite: Department approval

    This course is designed for college-bound seniors as well as students preparing to enter a technical or business career after graduation. The course will focus on the elements of clear writing, well-organized expository essays, and critical thinking skills necessary for both expository writing and analytical reading. In addition, this course includes a review of the principles of grammar. The goals of the course are to prepare college bound students to write acceptable college-level expository essays; familiarize career students with technical and business writing; familiarize all students with the writing skills valuable in their everyday experience; and make students aware of the way language functions and affects their lives.

    057130 - CREATIVE WRITING
    Grades: 11-12       
    ½ English credit
    Prerequisite: For 11th grade if concurrently enrolled in another English class, or permission of instructor.  May not be substituted for English 1, 2, or 3.

    The goal of this course is to encourage and nurture the student’s innate creativity.  Students will study techniques used by professional writers and will be motivated with enticing writing activities designed to help them improve their skills while experiencing the pleasure of success.  Writing may include a play, a short story, in addition to many poems and personal narratives.  The exhibition of students’ work produced in this class will be in the school’s creative writing magazine.

    057361 - ENGLISH 4A
    Grade: 12    
    ½ English credit (1st Semester)
    Prerequisite: Students must have passed at least five previous semesters of English.

    The essential questions for this course are: “How can the human spirit manage to triumph?” and “How is writing a means of discovering?” This course is a college preparatory course designed to increase student understanding and appreciation of challenging literature and to improve student written and oral communication skills. The course provides excellent preparation for a wide range of academic arenas as well as an opportunity to develop life-long literacy skills and literary appreciation. English 4A traces the beginnings of English literature and focuses on pieces through the 1800’s including Beowulf, Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, and Shakespeare’s Hamlet. The class includes other key and supplementary pieces by authors of various backgrounds, styles, and interests. Reading, writing, and communication skills are all stressed.

    057372 - ENGLISH 4B
    Grade: 12    
    ½ English credit (2nd Semester)
    Prerequisite: Student must have passed at least five previous semesters of English.

    Students may take 4A or 4B or both 4A and 4B.
    This course is a college preparatory course designed to increase student understanding and appreciation of challenging literature and to improve student written and oral communication skills. The course provides excellent preparation for a wide range of academic arenas as well as an opportunity to develop life-long literacy skills and literary appreciation. Students may take one or both semesters of this course.

    057540 - COMPARATIVE MYTHOLOGY
    Grades:   11 -12      
    ½ English credit
    Prerequisite:  For 11th grade if concurrently enrolled in another English class, or permission of instructor.  May not be substituted for English 1, 2, or 3.

    Students will explore and examine the myths of many cultures from around the world. Through analysis and comparison, students will gain an understanding and appreciation of the importance of myths throughout various places and times.

    057400 - FILM AND COMPOSITION     
    Grades:  11-12
    ½ English credit
    Prerequisite:  For 11th grade if concurrently enrolled in another English class, or permission of instructor.  May not be substituted for English 1, 2, or 3.

    In this class, students will be asked to engage in a critical study of film, focusing on the technical aspects of filmmaking and analytical approaches to cinema. As students learn this new information and begin to form an aesthetic appreciation for film, an understanding of the techniques/practices employed by filmmakers, and a brief understanding of film history, they will write a series of essays which vary in length and mode. Aside from enhancing the visual literacy skills of the students, this course is designed to support and improve the writing and speaking skills learned in 9th, 10th, and 11th grade.

    057590 - READING LITERATURE FOR PERSONAL ENRICHMENT     
    Grades:  9-10
    ½ English credit
    Prerequisite:  Must be taken concurrently with English 1 or 2

    This course provides all students the opportunity to read, enjoy, and share ideas about books of their choice. Students will choose books for their reading level and complete post-reading comprehension questionnaires. A student's reading comprehension will be tracked throughout the semester. Sixty percent of class time will be reserved for individual reading; the remaining 40% will be used for enrichment writing and discussion of ideas in the works, whereby students can practice written response skills as well as small group discussion skills. The vision for this course is to develop the confidence and desire to make reading a life-long habit.

    057890 - SPORTS LITERATURE & COMPOSITION    
    Grades:  11-12
    ½ English credit
    Prerequisite:  For 11th grade if concurrently enrolled in another English class, or permission of instructor.  May not be substituted for English 1, 2, or 3.

    Sports Literature is an English Language Arts class that will examine the unique relationship between sports and society through literature by contemporary authors, columnists and other media. Students will read high-interest and thought-provoking texts including informational text, poetry, biographies, and commentary. Students will write a weekly sports column and research the history of how sports and social issues connect.

    057920 - THE POETICS OF HIP HOP     
    Grades:  11-12
    ½ English credit
    Prerequisite:  For 11th grade if concurrently enrolled in another English class, or permission of instructor.  May not be substituted for English 1, 2, or 3.

    Professor Adam Bradley once said, ‘Every rap song is a poem waiting to be performed.”  The Poetics of Hip-Hop, a semester-long English elective class, will investigate this quote.  Throughout the course, students will approach rap/hip-hop music through the lens of an English scholar, exploring rhyme, meter, rhythm, storytelling, and various other tools that fuel classical literature studies.  Students in this class will also read traditional texts such as essays and poetry to better fuel or understanding of contemporary lyrics.  Not a class for students who simply “like rap music,’ this course will continue the rigor and skills learned in previous English classes such as close reading, critical thinking, literary analysis, research, essay/digital compositions, and more.  NOTE:  given the nature of the course materials, students will be studying texts that have been labeled as “parental advisory” by the RIAA.

    059201 & 059202 (Year Long) - AP ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION
    Grade: 11-12     
    1 English credit
    Prerequisite: English 1 & 2 (or Honors Equivalent)

    AP English Language & Composition offers students a college-level course experience. It helps students strengthen the effectiveness of their writing through close reading and frequent practice at applying nuances of style and rhetorical strategies in a variety of modes. American Literature and a variety of non-fiction texts provide models of rhetorical strategies, opportunities for synthesis and analysis, and additional preparation for success in the senior year college-level AP English Literature & Composition course. This course prepares students for the AP English Language & Composition exam. Students have the option to earn college credit through the AP examination. A weighted grade is given for this course.

    059041 & 059042 (Year Long) - AP ENGLISH LITERATURE AND COMPOSITION
    Grade: 12     
    1 English credit
    Prerequisite: English 1, 2 and 3 (or Honors Equivalent)

    AP English Literature & Composition offers students a college-level course experience.  Literature covered is wide-ranging (classical, contemporary, and worldwide) and is representative of all literary genres, from satire to comedy and from tragedy to the epic.  The emphasis in the course is on reading and writing and analytical interpretation; it is presumed that the student is familiar with writing critical essays.  This course prepared students for the AP English Literature & Composition exam.  Students have the option to earn college credit through the AP exam.  A weighted grade is given.  College credit may be available for this course.  Check with your instructor.

    SCHOOL PUBLICATIONS

    057300 - CONVERGENCE JOURNALISM 1  “not an NCAA “core course”
    Grades:  9-11      
    ½ Elective credit
    Prerequisite: None

    Learn the roles and responsibilities journalists have when working in a multimedia news room. Student journalists will practice storytelling, photography, and design. See the program description for more information. Program description:  Producing news across emerging and existing media platforms…social media, photography, broadcast, print, online. As a member of the production team, journalists will produce the student newspaper, yearbook, and other student news media. Being a student journalist gives students a voice and allows them to exercise their constitutional right of free speech. Student journalists learn critical thinking, researching, interviewing, writing, editing, and creating visuals while collaborating with other staffers to produce media for an audience. Student Journalists learn how a free and responsible press can improve their school communities by informing, entertaining, and influencing their audience. These courses will offer a competitive edge to students pursuing any career as it enhances communication, confidence, leadership and global awareness. Students have the opportunity to travel to local, state, and national conferences. Coursework includes individual and group projects, guests speakers, field trips, leadership activities and community involvement.

    057350 - PHOTOJOURNALISM "not an NCAA “core course”
    Grades: 10-12      
    ½ CTE credit
    Prerequisite: None

    Students will explore visual storytelling by learning photography and journalism techniques.  Instruction and practice include skill development with basic camera operation to more advanced techniques including photo composition. Instruction will pertain to composing photos, manipulating photos, writing captions, and troubleshooting photo problems. Students will explore and practice the ethics of photojournalism with hands-on training. Students will be required to cover events during our after school.

    057311 & 057312 (Year-long) - NEWSPAPER 1
    Grades: 9-12      
    1 CTE credit
    Prerequisite:  Convergence Journalism 1, Photojournalism or recommendation of English teacher after application by student

    Following an initial training period, students enrolled in Newspaper I assist in the production of the school newspaper. Staff members write news, features, sports and editorials and gain experience in designing pages, computer word processing, providing photographic coverage and selling ads. Students may join the class second semester after successfully completing any of the prerequisites.

    057321 & 057322 (Year-long) - NEWSPAPER 2
    Grades: 10-12        
    1 CTE credit
    Prerequisite: Newspaper 1

    This course concentrates on continued emphasis of quality standards in newspaper writing and production. Instruction grows from the production of the newspaper, including sophistication of writing and design, photography and continued examination of current issues related to scholastic and professional journalism. Students may apply for an editorial position. Those in editorial positions will learn coaching/mentoring strategies to employ with less experienced students.

    057331 & 057332 (Year-long) - NEWSPAPER 3 (HONORS OPTION)
    Grades: 11-12        
    1 CTE credit
    Prerequisite: Newspaper 2

    This advanced course is designed for the student who wants to conduct in-depth studies in journalism and play an increasing role in the production of the newspaper. Students will explore career opportunities, journalism law and ethics, and magazine journalism, in addition to assuming editorial positions. Upon successful completion of additional expectations, an honors grade may be earned.

    057341 & 057342 (Year-long) - NEWSPAPER 4 (HONORS OPTION)
    Grades: 12        
    1 CTE credit
    Prerequisite: Newspaper 2 and 3

    This is an advanced course for students who wish to continue their in-depth study of journalism. In addition to assuming editorial roles and mentoring new staff members, they will cover school board meetings and submit articles to local publications when appropriate. Students will explore new ideas for templates and possible changes in overall design of the publication as well as an in-depth study of national publications. Upon successful completion of additional expectations, an honors grade may be earned.

    057411 & 057412 (Year-long) - YEARBOOK 1
    Grades: 9-12       
    1 CTE credit
    Prerequisite: Convergence Journalism 1, Photojournalism or recommendation of English teacher after application by student

    This course continues to build upon the basics of journalism presented in Convergence Journalism 1.  It expands to include more advanced study of design/layout and participation in production of the school yearbook and photography.  Students begin the exploration of scholastic journalism and the law as well as current issues in scholastic and professional journalism. Students may join this course second semester after successful completion of any of the prerequisites.

    057421 & 057422 (Year-long) - YEARBOOK 2
    Grades: 10-12     
    1 CTE credit
    Prerequisite: Yearbook 1

    This course concentrates on continued emphasis of quality standards in yearbook production including enhancement of writing and layout skills, use of software and camera operation, including digital equipment and the study of scholastic and professional journalism. Students may apply for an editorial position. Those in editorial positions will   learn   coaching/mentoring strategies to employ with less experienced students.

    057431 & 057432 (Year-long) - YEARBOOK 3 (HONORS OPTION)
    Grades: 11-12     
    1 CTE credit
    Prerequisite: Yearbook 2

    This advanced course is designed for the student who wants to conduct in-depth studies in journalism and play an increasing role in the production of the yearbook. Students will explore career opportunities, journalism law and ethics, and magazine journalism, in addition to assuming editorial positions on the yearbook.  Upon successful completion of additional expectations, an honors grade may be earned.

    057441 & 057442 (Year-long) - YEARBOOK 4 (HONORS OPTION)
    Grade: 12               
    1 CTE credit
    Prerequisite: Yearbook 3

    This advanced course is for students who wish to continue their in- depth study of journalism. In addition to assuming editorial roles and mentoring new staff members, students will explore new ideas for templates and possible changes in overall design of the publication as well as an in-depth study of national publications. Upon successful completion of additional expectations, an honors grade may be earned.

    SPEECH & DEBATE

    057630 - PUBLIC SPEAKING
    Grades: 9-12        
    ½ Elective credit
    Prerequisite: None

    Public Speaking builds confidence and poise. Students present a wide variety of speeches in an informal classroom atmosphere. Self-expression through speaking, listening, and critical thinking is emphasized. Evaluation is based on performance, criticism, and reflection.  College credit may be available for this course. Check with your instructor.

    057700 - BROADCAST & PRODUCTION
    Grades: 9-12     
    ½ Elective credit
    Prerequisite: None

    This single semester, project-based course provides students with the chance to better understand both on air and production aspects of entertainment, news and sports broadcasting. Students will work independently and collaboratively; be introduced to audio and video editing; and participate in real world application in the broadcasting world.

    057650 - ADVANCED BROADCAST & PRODUCTION
    Grades: 10-12        
    ½ Elective credit
    Prerequisite:  Broadcast & Production and Instructor approval

    This project-focused course provides students with the chance to further explore both on air and production aspects of entertainment, news and sports broadcasting. Students will work independently and collaboratively; apply advanced audio and video editing techniques; and have the opportunity to produce content that will be shared with the public.

    057660 - DEBATE
    Grades: 9-12          
    ½ English credit
    Prerequisite:  None

    Debate is designed to introduce the student with the procedures involved in a researched, structured verbal argument. The course centers on the current controversial issues. Organizational skills, as well as public speaking skills, are reinforced during the semester. In class debates put these skills into practice. This course may be taken for 1/2 English credit, but may not replace English 1, 2, or 3.

    057670 - COMPETITIVE SPEECH & DEBATE
    Grades: 10-12        
    ½ Elective credit
    Prerequisite: Debate

    Competitive Speech & Debate is an in-depth study of presentation techniques, particularly those used in competitive speech and debate. Students will focus on a particular competitive aspect:  Public Speaking, Debate, or Oral Interpretation. Close study of that event will hone competitive skills. Students will also be introduced to other arenas of debate competition to prepare for the Advanced Competitive Speech & Debate course. Speech and Debate team participation is a requirement of this course.

    058620 -  ADVANCED COMPETITIVE SPEECH & DEBATE (HONORS OPTION)
    Grades: 11-12        
    ½ Elective credit
    Prerequisite: Competitive Speech & Debate and permission of instructor

    Advanced Competitive Speech & Debate is an in-depth study of presentation techniques, particularly those used in competitive speech and debate. Students will focus on both a Debate and an Event (either Public Speaking or Oral Interpretation). They will study those events closely, hone their competitive skills, and work to share their knowledge with beginning members. Speech and Debate team participation is a requirement of this course.

    ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS

    052911 & 052912 (Year-long) - ELL LEVEL 1
    Grades: 9-12
    1 English credit
    Prerequisite: Instructor approval

    This course is designed for students who have limited English proficiency. Emphasis is placed on acquiring skills in listening, reading, speaking, and writing. This intensive instruction in a supportive and non-threatening environment helps students learn English quickly and allows ELLs to make necessary academic and social adjustments. Placement in this class is determined by WAPT/ACCESS scores and ESOL staff recommendation.

    052921 & 052922 (Year-long) - ELL LEVEL 2
    Grades: 9-12
    1 English credit
    Prerequisite: Instructor approval

    This course is designed for students who have limited English proficiency. English language skills are developed and refined in this course. Reading skills progress from reading for specific information to reading for meaning and from there, to reading for enjoyment. Writing is used to strengthen the other skill areas and students compose, revise and edit a variety of texts. Students will listen to English from a variety of sources, for many different purposes and in a variety of contexts. Emphasis is placed on speaking skills allow students to progress from word level to the sentence level, and from the sentence level to paragraph level. English language learners who have an intermediate proficiency determined by WAPT/ACCESS scores and ESOL staff recommendation are eligible for this class.

    052931 & 052932 (Year-long) - ELL LEVEL 3
    Grades: 9-12
    1 English credit
    Prerequisite: Instructor approval

    English Language Learners who are progressing into advanced proficiency levels, but still need to strengthen their skills to prepare for regular English classes need to enroll in this course. Emphasis is placed on improving grade-level reading, writing satisfactory essays, and improving foundations for writing. Placement in the class is determined by WAPT/ACCESS scores and ESOL staff recommendation.

    052941 & 052942 (Year-long) - ELL LEVEL 4
    Grades: 9-12
    1 English credit
    Prerequisite: Instructor approval

    This class is for English Language learners who are progressing into advanced proficiency levels, and who still need to strengthen their skills. Student placement takes into consideration SRI scores, grades, teacher recommendation, WIDA ACCESS scores, WAPT, etc. Students considered for this class at North High will be in English Language Arts I classes in addition to this class.  Emphasis is placed on grade-level reading and improving the writing process. The class works in tandem with content classes, and is reading, writing, and vocabulary intensive.

    052951 & 052952 (Year-long) - ELL ESSENTIALS
    Grades: 9-12
    1 English credit
    Prerequisite: Instructor approval

    This course is designed for students who have limited English proficiency. Emphasis is placed on acquiring skills in listening, reading, speaking and writing. This intensive instruction in a supportive and non-threatening environment helps students learn English quickly and allows ELLs to make necessary academic and social adjustments.