English & Language Arts


English Department

 

Our primary goal at CVSR is the same for each one of our students. We want them to be more than simply prepared for college, work, and life; we want our students to find success wherever life takes them. The courses are as diverse and individualized as the students themselves. We are an Outward Bound school, which has us develop real-world application through expeditions that are interdisciplinary.  We believe that each student can find success, if offered the right opportunity. We offer our students the opportunity to grow in our writing seminar and college writing classes, the opportunity to explore, create, and discover in our many electives, and the opportunity to soar in our Advanced Placement classes.   Students by the time they graduate from CVSR will be ready to tackle the outside world with their college and career readiness skills they have learned in our school.

 

9th Grade English 1 – Introduction

      • Literary Analysis
      • Study of composition – exposition, persuasive, argument and narrative
      • Grammar and Writing Process – including sentence structure and grammar
      • Speaking and Listening skills
      • Vocabulary development

 

10th Grade English 2 – Building on our skills

      • Develops descriptive, personal narrative, expository, and persuasive writing skills
      • Focus on grammar, mechanics, and usage
      • Stresses vocabulary development
      • Written literary analysis through discussion of the elements of literature
      • Develops thinking, organizing, interpersonal communication (both verbal and nonverbal), and use of analogies, metaphors and their application to writing.

 

11th Grade English – English 3: American Literature and Composition

      • American literature from the Colonial Period to the modern era
      • Focus on Argument and Rhetorical analysis and writing
      • In depth literary analysis of variety of text
      • Continuation of Vocabulary development
      • Preparation for English Regents
      • Preparation for Reading section of SAT

 

11th Grade English  – English 3H: Advanced Placement Language and Composition/American Literature

      • Same components as English 3 plus;
      • Exposes students to college-level rigor
      • Provides opportunity to become skilled readers of prose written in a variety of periods, disciplines, and rhetorical contexts.
      • Students are expected to take the Advanced Placement examination upon completion of this course

 

12th Grade English – English 4: British Literature and Composition

      • Focuses on British literature from its origins to the modern era.
      • Further exploration of the writing process, including planning, drafting, and revising
      • Emphasizes research skills and essay composition and includes expository, persuasive, narrative, and descriptive writing.

 

12th Grade English – English 4H: Advanced Placement Literature and Composition

      • Same components as English 4
      • Exposure to college level rigor and accountability
      • Intensive study of works from various genres and students are asked to analyze poetry, drama, the short story, and the novel
      • Critical writing experiences include expository, analytical and argumentative essays
      • Students are expected to take the Advanced Placement examination upon completion of this course

 

12th Grade English – English 4: LINCT

    • In the ELA: Exploring Social Sciences course, students engage in a reading- and writing-intensive psychology and sociology curriculum. Students gain familiarity with the conventions of academic discourse and learn to use theoretical frameworks as tools for observing and analyzing individual, interpersonal, and societal phenomena. LINCT ESS’s professional development program includes coaching teachers in mastering content, deepening pedagogical knowledge and practice, and strategic use of digital learning platforms.

 

11 & 12th Grade English – Capstone: Advanced Placement Seminar and Research

  • Engages students to rigorous college-level curricula focused on the skills necessary for successful college completion
  • Extends students’ abilities to synthesize information from multiple perspectives and apply skills in new situations and cross-curricular contexts
  • Enables students to collect and analyze information with accuracy and precision
  • Cultivates students abilities to craft, communicate, and defend evidence-based arguments
  • Provides students opportunities to practice disciplined and scholarly research skills while exploring relevant topics that appeal to their interests and curiosity.
  • Students are expected to complete a 5,000 word research paper for Research course in addition to a 15-20 minute presentation
  • Students are expected in the Seminar course to complete one Independent Paper and one Team Paper both with 10 presentations
  • Students are expected to take the Advanced Placement examination upon completion of the Seminar course