English Department Course Descriptions
Course # 102
British Literature A
Half year - ½ credit
Fulfills requirements for: one half of the required fourth English credit needed for graduation
Target Audience: 12
Prerequisites: Students must have passed Eng 9, 10, and 11
This class will include a survey of British Literature from Beowulf to the Elizabethan Period. We will use various methods to both read and understand the world view of the writers who wrote during this period. In addition students will be required to do a major project during each term.
Culminating Activity: Project
Course # 103
British Literature B
Half year - ½ credit
Fulfills requirements for: one half of the required fourth English credit needed for graduation
Target Audience: 12
Prerequisites: Students must have passed Eng 9, 10, and 11
This class will include a survey of British Literature from the Seventeenth Century to the Modern Period. We will continue the survey begun in British Literature A and continue to assign a major project for each term.
Culminating Activity: Project
Course # 106
Creative Writing 10/11/12
Half year - ½ credit
Fulfills requirement for: one half of the required fourth English credit needed for graduation
Target Audience: 12
Prerequisites: Students must have passed Eng 9
The emphasis in this course is on student-produced writing. The major types of writing examined during the semester will be the short story, the poem, the character sketch, and the play. Students taking this class share in the evaluation of their work and in the evaluation of their classmates’ work. At least one class per week is given to the student for writing. One class per week is also given to reading and maintaining a reading log to examine the work of published authors.
Culminating Activity: Final Exam
Course # 107
Public Speaking
Half year - ½ credit
Fulfills requirement for: one half of the required fourth English credit needed for graduation
Target Audience: 12
Prerequisites: Students must have passed Eng 9, 10, and 11
The emphasis in this course is on student participation. Students will be required to produce some pieces for speaking and will participate in a variety of communication activities.
Culminating Activity: Final Project
Course # 108
Arthurian Legends
Half year - ½ credit
Fulfills requirement for: one half of the required fourth English credit needed for graduation
Target Audience: 12
Prerequisites: Students must have passed Eng 9, 10, and 11
The emphasis in this course is the study of the legendary King Arthur and the many different stories and legends that have resulted from the original King Arthur story. Students will be required to read a variety of literature, discuss that literature, and write about that literature. Students will also view some of the many films that have been produced using the legend of King Arthur as their basis. Students will also complete one major project per quarter.
Culminating Activity: Final Project
Course # 109
Creative Writing 12
Half year - ½ credit
Fulfills requirement for:
Target Audience: 12
Prerequisites: Students must have passed Eng. 9, 10, 11 - for Grade 12 students only
Culminating Activity: Final Exam
Course # 111
Classical Mythology
Half year - ½ credit
Fulfills requirement for: one half of the required fourth English credit needed for graduation
Target Audience: 12
Prerequisites: Students must have passed Eng 9, 10, and 11 (Underclassmen are admitted only in special circumstances and with teacher’s permission)
This is a one-semester course that fulfills one half of the required fourth English credit needed for graduation. This course will involve an intense study of the mythology of antiquity. The focus will be primarily on the classical myths of Greece and Rome as well as the actual cultures. Students will read Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey as well as other famous stories of Gods & Heroes.
Culminating Activity: Final Exam
Course # 112
Research Paper
Half year - ½ credit
Fulfills requirement for: one half of the required fourth English credit needed for graduation
Target Audience: 12
Prerequisites: Students must have passed Eng 9, 10, and 11
This course details the process needed to successfully complete a research paper or project. Students will learn to use the library effectively and instruction will include library exercises and all other aspects of research. Students will also become familiar with the systems set in college libraries and have hands-on experience using the Feinberg Library at Plattsburgh State. Students will be expected to work independently in producing a completed research project.
Culminating Activity: Research project
Course # 114
English 11R
Full Year – 1 credit
Target Audience: 11
Prerequisites: Students must have passed Eng 9 and 10
This is a one-year Regents preparatory course. The course concentrates on literary analysis and discussion, essay writing, grammar, and vocabulary development. The literature for this course is primarily American literature.
Culminating Activity: English Language Arts Regents Exam in June
Course # 117
English 10/Global II or CTM Section
Full year - 1 credit
Target Audience 10
Prerequisites: Students must have passed Eng 9 and Global 9
This is a one-year Regents preparatory course in which the English 10 and Global II curricula are linked; the classes meet two periods per day. This course continues the student’s instruction in literary analysis and discussion, essay writing, the fundamentals of grammar, and vocabulary development. The literature for this course is linked to the Global Studies curriculum.
Culminating Activity: Global Studies Regents Exam in June
Course # 119
English 10 (9 Loop)
Full year - 1 credit
Target Audience: 10
Prerequisites: Passing English 9 Loop
This is the second year of a two-year Regents preparatory class with the same teacher. See English 10 description.
Culminating Activity: Final Exam
Course # 120
English 9/Global I or CTM Section
Full year - 1 credit
Target Audience: 9
Prerequisites: Students must have passed Grade 8
This is a one-year Regents preparatory course. This course introduces the student to literary analysis and discussion, essay writing, the fundamentals of grammar, and vocabulary development. The literature for this course includes American as well as international literature.
Culminating Activity: Final Exam
Course # 125
Literary Analysis
Half year - ½ credit
Fulfills requirement for: one half of the required fourth English credit needed for graduation
Target Audience: 12
Prerequisites: Students must have passed Eng 9, 10, 11
This course emphasizes literary analysis and discussion and is designed to teach college-bound seniors active reading skills that will enable them to improve comprehension and analysis of all literary genres.
Culminating Activity: Final Exam
Course # 127
Shakespeare
Half year - ½ credit
Fulfills requirement for: one half of the required fourth English credit needed for graduation
Target Audience: Seniors and Juniors
Prerequisites: Students must have passed Eng 9 and 10 (Seniors are given first consideration)
This course focuses on the works of Shakespeare, most of which will be read in class. Students will also learn about Shakespeare as a person and the times in which he lived. Several movies will be shown in class, including some plays, the wildly popular Feisty Old Men documentary, and the critically acclaimed Shakespeare in Love! No prior Shakespearean experience is necessary, but a love of classic literature is a plus.
Culminating Activity: Final Exam
Course # 131
AP English Literature and Composition
Full year - 1 credit
Fulfills requirement for: the fourth English credit needed for graduation
Target Audience: 12
Prerequisites: Students must have passed EEG 9, 10, and 11 with an average 85 or better in each class.
Students in this course will read extensively and write essays in preparation for the AP exams in May. Students in this class begin work in the summer with the summer reading list and writing activities. This course is recommended for highly motivated seniors who want to work at a college level. Scores of three or higher on the AP exam usually transfer into college credits.
Culminating Activity: English Language Arts Regents Exam in June
Course # 132
Advanced Writing
Half year - ½ credit
Fulfills requirement for: one half of the required fourth English credit needed for graduation
Target Audience: 12
Prerequisites: Students must have passed Eng 9, 10, and 11
(Underclassmen are admitted only in special circumstances and with teacher’s permission)
This course is designed for the student who is interested in improving her or his writing skills before going to college. All aspects of grammar will be addressed with special attention given to syntax and advanced grammatical techniques.
Culminating Activity: Final Exam
Course # 135
Film and Literature
Half year - ½ credit
Target Audience: 11 and 12
Prerequisite: students need to have passed the ELA Regents Exam
Students will
- examine both written and video stories with an emphasis on the critical analysis of film as a story-telling medium, whether fiction or non-fiction.
- be required to read and analyze short stories and/or a novel, and view and analyze up to 10 films over the course of a semester.
- be expected to think and write critically about films.
- write up to seven 2-5 page analytical/critical essays and create one research project as their final test/project.
- view several segments of films and up to 10 full-length films and analyze same.