Sophomore English introduces the elements of narrative and many recurrent themes as students read such major works as Animal Dreams, The Crucible, Feed, and Twelfth Night. Recurrent themes within these works include many of the basic needs of humanity: survival, love, identity, personal power, and curiosity. At the beginning of the year, students will be taken step by step through the development of the five-paragraph thesis paper. At the beginning of the winter term, students will study the elements of the short story and will write their own stories. Literary selections will examine young women and their roles on the human stage. Students will follow a structured approach to vocabulary development: formal lists and accompanying exercises will be complemented with newly acquired vocabulary gleaned from literary works. Grammar and punctuation will be addressed throughout the year by means of introductory lessons and usage in ongoing formal writing. Students will study the basic forms and mechanics of poetry as a supplement to their study of literature and vocabulary. Finally, students will be expected to present their work verbally in front of the class. The final oral presentation, an original persuasive speech, will be delivered to an audience outside the classroom context.
This course is offered with an honor track. In English 10 Honors, in addition to the curriculum described above, students will be held to a higher standard of writing and literary analysis. They will read The Catcher in the Rye and Plain Song in addition to the core list for English 10. They will be expected to articulate their ideas clearly and precisely as they move from novel to novel and genre to genre. During class discussions they will be asked to demonstrate an ability to make inferences and complex arguments as well as identify main ideas and details.
English 10 Instructor:
Alex Bogel