Creative Writing for Publication
(Yearbook)
(200/300 level)
1 credit
This course is designed for students who seek to improve and expand their creative writing skills through continued practice and instruction. Students will learn the basics of journalism reporting, while developing the skills necessary for page layout and design. In producing the school’s yearbook, students will also learn fundamental business skills for marketing the book. *This course is not NCAA approved.
Journalism
(200/300 level)
1 credit
This course gives students practical experience in newspaper writing, with an emphasis on writing articles for publication in the school newspaper, The Maroon Echo. This course covers such areas as news, sports, reviews, and editorials. In preparation of materials for publication, students develop an understanding of publishing format and terminology and editing processes. Open to 10th and 11th grade students with permission from the teacher and to students who wish to pursue a 5-year sequence, with permission of the ELA Director.
*Journalism II and III are not NCAA approved courses.
Film Study/Multimedia
(300 level)
1 credit
This challenging Honors-level course is designed to introduce students to the historical, sociological and theoretical aspects of film through viewing and research. After studying film language, the class will engage in production of their own films, working to conceptualize stories, capture images on camera and create an edited finished product. Some after-school time will be required to complete film production.
*This course is not NCAA approved
Mythology in Literature and Life
(200/300 level)
1 credit
This course will appeal to students who love mythology and who like to contemplate life’s most essential questions. Studying myths from the Americas, Scandinavia, Mesopotamia, Africa, Greece, Rome, India, the Far East, and Oceania, students will examine the similarities that unite the stories of humankind. Topics covered include creation, paradise, the Apocalypse, gods and goddesses, the afterlife, and the hero’s journey, with special attention paid to how these ancient tales affect or relate to modern civilization. In addition to ongoing textual study, students will be given ample opportunity to write personally and creatively, and to perceive their own lives as being both mythic and heroic. Though an English elective, this course is, by nature, interdisciplinary, incorporating art, music, poetry, prose, film, psychology, sociology and history into one unified curriculum.
Women’s Lives, Women’s Literature
(200/300 level)
1 credit
The purpose of this course is to explore the changing role of women over the last century, as depicted through a wide variety of fictional and nonfictional literature. Works reflecting stereotypes of women as well as those containing key cultural, historical, social, and educational events that have shaped women’s contributions to society will be read and analyzed. Diverse genres will include the following: myths, fairy tales, poetry, short stories, novels, interviews, films, news articles, the Internet, and a variety of primary source documents. Various literary techniques will be discussed and then mirrored by students in their own writing. Extended works studied may include The Color Purple, Joy Luck Club, and The Beauty Myth.
Advanced Placement English: Literature and Composition
(300 level)
1 credit
AP Literature and Composition engages students in the careful reading and critical analysis of fiction, poetry, and drama. Through close reading of selected texts, students will deepen their understanding of the ways writers use language to provide meaning. Students will read representative works from English and American literature written from the 16th Century to the 20th Century, as well as selected world literature texts in translation. Writing assignments, some given under time constraints, will include expository, analytical, and argumentative essays. Creative writing tasks will be assigned periodically to refine student understanding of the writer’s craft. This course is open to Seniors who meet entrance criteria, with ELA Director approval.