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Grade 9 Required English Courses Grade 10, 11 & 12 Required English Courses Elective Courses
The mission of the Ludlow High School English Department is to provide educational opportunities in English language arts that foster effective communication as well as an understanding and an appreciation of the written word. English Department Expectations for Student Learning As a community of learners, the Ludlow High School English Department strives to develop graduates who will
ENGLISH OVERVIEW 1.
English is required of all students grades 9-12. ENGLISH 9 HONORS - Level: Honors
English 9 Honors is a class for students able and willing to work beyond the English 9 college-preparatory level. Students in this class will study composition according to MLA style, grammar, vocabulary, and literature. Students will be expected to write numerous short and long essays using many different types of writing, including narrative, fiction, descriptive, expository, and analytical. They will study various aspects of grammar, especially grammar as it pertains to writing. Vocabulary is presented regularly through reading and writing. Widespread emphasis is placed on SAT and MCAS preparation. Students in this class will concentrate on analytical skills, writing techniques, and writing style. In literature, students will study the short story, the novel, the poem, the epic, and drama, using Elements of Literature: Third Course. Interpretation and understanding of literature is stressed in this honors class. Selected works include Romeo and Juliet, No Promises in the Wind, The Pearl, The Miracle Worker, and The Odyssey. Summer reading and writing are required. The summer reading consists of four novels including To Kill a Mockingbird, House on Mango Street, Alas, Babylon, and Flowers for Algernon. Written reports on all four novels will be collected the first day of school. ENGLISH 9 - Level: Standard (CP)
Freshman English introduces students to the high school English program. Students will study grammar, composition, vocabulary and literature. They will study the grammatical elements directly relevant to writing and will write a variety of narrative, descriptive, and expository essays. They will also write poetry. Vocabulary is presented regularly through reading and writing. They will be taught library use, research skills, and MLA format which they will practice in two research projects. Students will concentrate on reading and interpretation skills, writing techniques and style, and knowledge of grammatical elements. Students will study the short story, the novel, the poem, the epic, and drama, using Elements of Literature: Third Course. Selected major works include Romeo and Juliet, No Promises in the Wind, Of Mice and Men, and The Odyssey. ENGLISH 9 - Level: Essentials (CP)
Freshman English uses Elements of Literature: Third Course. text and workbook and the novel No Promises in the Wind and Of Mice and Men. Students study three general areas: literature, language arts, and composition. The study of literature includes the short story, poetry, and drama, presented in a thematic approach. They study epic poetry through selections from The Odyssey. In addition to working on reading skills through the study of literature, students do sustained-silent reading and participate in the Accelerated Reader program which emphasizes the improvement of reading skills. The language arts component consists of daily vocabulary study and weekly grammar/mechanics exercises. The composition component is geared toward the kinds of writing that students will meet on the MCAS. An additional workbook, Writing Makes Sense, provides practice in the basic mechanics of writing.
English 9 is designed for students to improve their writing skills and reading comprehension skills. Students are responsible for reading short stories, poetry, and plays. Grammar, spelling, vocabulary construction, and improving writing skills are emphasized in this class. Strategies for taking the MCAS are also stressed. Concepts are presented at a pace and level appropriate for students with learning disabilities enrolled in the program.
Focus English 9 is designed for students to improve their writing skills and reading comprehension skills. Students are responsible for reading short stories, poetry, and plays. Grammar, spelling, vocabulary construction, and improving writing skills are emphasized in this class. Strategies for taking the MCAS are also stressed. Concepts are presented at a pace and level appropriate for students with learning disabilities enrolled in the program.
This course is designed to provide specialized instruction in decoding and comprehension skills. Grammar and vocabulary are stressed throughout the course. Readings are consistent with Grade 9 Massachusetts Curriculum guidelines.
This course provides intensive specialized instruction for students with specific language based impairments that have a significant impact on their ability to independently read grade level texts for understanding. Strategies are presented to assist the students in improving comprehension of varying types of text structures including narrative and expository texts. Information from other courses is utilized when appropriate to improve generalization of strategies.
This course provides intensive specialized instruction for students with specific language based impairments that have a significant impact on their ability to demonstrate their knowledge of content related information though written expression. Strategies are presented to assist the students in improving their ability to effectively communicate through writing in formal and informal contexts. Information from other courses is utilized when appropriate to improve generalization of strategies
This course provides intensive specialized instruction for students with specific language based impairments that have a significant impact on their ability to decode and encode at expected levels of proficiency. Strategies are presented to assist the students in improving their ability to access grade level materials for learning and to improve their use of spelling in written communication. Information from other courses is utilized when appropriate to improve generalization of strategies.
This course is designed to provide specially designed instruction for students with language deficits primarily impacting understanding and use of vocabulary and sentence structure in expository texts. Strategies for understanding text structure, academic vocabulary and organization of academic material are a primary focus of instruction. This course is offered by team recommendation. WRITING, ENCODING AND DECODING (WED)
This course is designed to provide specially designed instruction to address deficits in phonological awareness, encoding, decoding and their application in written language. This course is offered by team recommendation. ENGLISH 10 HONORS - Level: Honors
English 10 Honors is a continuation of the comprehensive study of grammar, composition, and literature begun in English 9 Honors. Students move into advanced lessons in grammar, usage, and mechanics. In composition, students work to improve and broaden the skills involved in various types of essays such as expository, persuasive, and descriptive by following the Writer's Workshop format provided in the text. In literature, students are given a more sophisticated perception of the nature of literature by studying the literary genres of short story, poetry, and drama in the Elements of Literature: Fourth Course. In addition to those genres covered in the text, the novel is studied in depth with such titles as The Awakening, A Tale of Two Cities, and Anthem. Students must do summer reading and writing. During the first week of school, students hand in summer writing assignments and take tests on the summer reading. Throughout this comprehensive course, students are preparing for the SAT and the MCAS tests given in the spring. ENGLISH 10 - Level: Standard (CP)
Sophomore English continues to develop the basic areas of grammar, literature, and composition already introduced in English 9. In grammar, students begin with a review of the material presented the preceding year and progress into the study of more advanced concepts. Students explore universal themes in literature through an examination of various genres in Elements of Literature: Fourth Course. Students learn to identify and appreciate the literary techniques employed by writers. Comprehension and evaluation skills become more advanced in sophomore English. Through a variety of writing lessons, students refine their composition skills while making a connection to literature. Students employ various aspects of composition writing such as narration, persuasion, exposition, and evaluation. Particular attention is paid to literary analysis. Selected texts for the course include Julius Caesar and To Kill a Mockingbird. Throughout this comprehensive course, students are preparing for the SAT and the MCAS tests given in the spring. ENGLISH 10 - Level: Essentials (CP)
Sophomore English uses The Reader's Anthology text and the Elements of Literature: Fourth Course. to concentrate on the fundamentals of reading, listening, and writing. The text employs a thematic approach to the study of literature. It emphasizes an almost daily attempt to improve students' basic writing ability. The concentrated study of vocabulary and spelling is also an integral part of the program, not only in the primary text and workbook, but also in an additional workbook entitled Vocabulary Makes Sense. Another workbook entitled Capital Letters and Punctuation Make Sense is used to further emphasize basic mechanical writing skills. Students will read the novel To Kill a Mockingbird. In addition to the basic curriculum of the course, students benefit from participation in sustained-silent reading and the Accelerated Reader program which is intended to further students' appreciation and comprehension of a wide variety of reading material. As with all of the English 10 classes, students are also preparing for the MCAS test given in the spring with appropriate lessons emphasizing the skills addressed in that exam. Students write a variety of compositions of the type required on the MCAS.
English 10 is designed for students to improve their writing skills and reading comprehension skills. Students are responsible for reading short stories, poetry, and plays. Grammar, spelling, vocabulary construction, and improving writing skills are emphasized in this class. Strategies for taking the MCAS are stressed and practiced in this class. Concepts are presented at a pace and level appropriate for students with learning disabilities enrolled in the program.
Focus English 10 is designed for students to improve their writing skills and reading comprehension skills. Students are responsible for reading short stories, poetry, and plays. Grammar, spelling, vocabulary construction, and improving writing skills are emphasized in this class. Strategies for taking the MCAS are stressed and practiced in this class. Concepts are presented at a pace and level appropriate for students with learning disabilities enrolled in the program. AMERICAN LITERATURE HONORS- Level: Honors
American Literature Honors is open to the student who has taken English 9 Honors and English 10 Honors and has met the stated requirements. American literature will be studied chronologically beginning with Native American literature and concluding with contemporary poets laureate and dramatists. Each major period will be represented by a classic American novel as well as by short stories, poetry, and essays. Among the novels that the students will study are The Scarlet Letter, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Ethan Frome, The Great Gatsby, The Poisonwood Bible, and Angela's Ashes. They will learn specific skills in researching, organizing, and writing a research paper according to MLA format, culminating is a ten-page research paper. They will also do a creative project, either in a group or individually. Students must do extensive summer reading and writing. During the first week of school, students hand in summer writing assignments and take tests on the summer reading. AMERICAN LITERATURE - Level: Standard (CP)
American literature surveys major literary figures from the colonial times through the early twentieth century. Using a chronological approach in Elements of Literature: Fifth Course, students complete a review of American authors combining this study with a historical survey of the life, thoughts, and literature of America. Major works include The Crucible, The Great Gatsby, and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Vocabulary study, grammar lessons, literary terms, and writing techniques are integrated into this literary study. Students will write a variety of expository papers using narration, logic, argument, reflection, and description. They will learn specific skills in researching, organizing, and writing a research paper according to MLA format. Students will write a primary source report in term 2, do group projects in terms 1 and 3, and write a five-to-seven page research paper in term 4 that counts as one-third of the fourth-term grade. The student will also prepare for the SAT given in the spring. LITERATURE BY AMERICANS - Level: Essentials (CP)
This course is a non-sequential approach to American short stories (10 weeks), poetry (10 weeks), and novels (20 weeks). This course is a non-sequential approach to American short stories (10 weeks), poetry (10 weeks), and novels (20 weeks). Short Story: The material was chosen for high-interest level and relevance to students' lives. The short story texts are 75 Short Masterpieces and From One Experience to Another. The first text contains three-to-five page stories written by recognized writers from Poe to Steinbeck. The latter text is by contemporary writers who write for and about high school students and their concerns. In addition, students will read selected stories from a variety of sources. Poetry: Using the text Participating in the Poem, students will read, discuss, and create poems, together and alone. They will study some important terms as they pertain to poetry. Although the poems will represent a variety of ages, styles, and philosophies, emphasis will be on the more modern poets whose voices are closest to students' own experience. Novel: This section includes two full novels (Flowers for Algernon and The Chosen) and sections of others as well as relevant short fiction, thematically related to the novels. Student writing will include creating screen plays or skits based on parts of the novels, drawing story boards, creating character sketches, and summaries of online and library research. Students will view and evaluate films of the principal novels and of other novels.
English 11 is a continuation of English 9 and 10. It is designed for students to improve their writing skills and reading comprehension skills. Students are responsible for reading short stories, poetry, plays, and novels. Grammar, spelling, vocabulary construction, and improving writing skills are emphasized in this class. Strategies for taking the MCAS are stressed and practiced in this class. Concepts are presented at a pace and level appropriate for students with learning disabilities enrolled in the program.
Focus English 11 is a continuation of English 9 and 10. It is designed for students to improve their writing skills and reading comprehension skills. Students are responsible for reading short stories, poetry, plays, and novels. Grammar, spelling, vocabulary construction, and improving writing skills are emphasized in this class. Strategies for taking the MCAS are stressed and practiced in this class. Concepts are presented at a pace and level appropriate for students with learning disabilities enrolled in the program. ADVANCED PLACEMENT/HONORS ENGLISH LITERATURE AND COMPOSITION - Level: Advanced Placement
Designed for qualified seniors only, this is a full-year course that offers an intensive study of British, American, and world literature of various periods and genres. This course provides students with an opportunity for independent thinking, scholarship, and development of analytical and critical-writing skills. Through a close reading of the texts, students learn to make careful observations of textual detail, establish connections based on observation, and draw from those connections a series of inferences leading to an interpretive conclusion about the work's meaning and value. Writing assignments focus on the critical analysis of literature and include expository, analytical, and persuasive essays. Selected texts include Greek drama, Shakespearean plays, Crime and Punishment, Return of the Native, Their Eyes Were Watching God, and Beloved. A comprehensive study of Shakespearean comedies culminates in a research paper and multimedia project. Extensive summer reading and writing assignments prepare the students for the intense work required in the course. In addition to writing about literature, students learn to write for various audiences by entering essay and speech contests. They also attend cultural events and after-school movie nights as a class. Students are encouraged to take the Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition test in the spring. Advanced placement credit and weight will be awarded for this course only if the student takes the May advanced placement exam. Honors credit and weight will be awarded for this course if the student does not take the May advanced placement exam. MAJOR BRITISH AUTHORS- Level: Standard (CP)
Major British authors is a full-year required course in the Standard (CP) academic level. It is a survey of the writers who dominated England from the Anglo-Saxon culture to the twentieth century. Using a chronological approach in Elements of Literature: Sixth Course, students see the progression of British literature from Beowulf to Dylan Thomas. They study representative authors from each major period in British literature. Novels include Frankenstein, Tale of Two Cities, and Brave New World. Students will also read poetry, short stories, essays, and either Macbeth, Hamlet, or The Merchant of Venice. SELECTED LITERATURE - Level: Essentials (CP)
Selected literature is a full-year course in which students study fiction and non-fiction pieces by writers from a variety of ethnic and cultural backgrounds, Western, and otherwise. Selected texts include Heroes and Villains in Literature, and Finding America. The course covers selected examples of classical and contemporary prose and poetry, including folktales, memoirs, and short stories. In addition, students are required to participate in the Accelerated Reader program in which they are tested on independently read library books. Selected texts may include Pygmalion, A Raisin in the Sun, A Place Where the Sea Remembers, Catcher in the Rye, The Things They Carried, and Death of a Salesman. Critical and creative writing assignments supplement the curriculum.
English 12 is a continuation of English 10 and 11. It is designed for students to improve their writing skills and reading comprehension skills. Students are responsible for reading short stories, poetry, plays, and novels. Grammar, spelling, vocabulary construction, and improving writing skills are emphasized in this class. Strategies for taking the MCAS are stressed and practiced in this class. Concepts are presented at a pace and level appropriate for students with learning disabilities enrolled in the program.
Focus English 12 is a continuation of English 10 and 11. It is designed for students to improve their writing skills and reading comprehension skills. Students are responsible for reading short stories, poetry, plays, and novels. Grammar, spelling, vocabulary construction, and improving writing skills are emphasized in this class. Strategies for taking the MCAS are stressed and practiced in this class. Concepts are presented at a pace and level appropriate for students with learning disabilities enrolled in the program. FOCUS LANGUAGE
Focus Language is taught by speech and language staff with a goal of increasing overall language processing skills. These skills include but are not limited to: understanding and use of vocabulary, understanding of word use and how changes impact meaning and using these skills in written expression. FOCUS READING
Focus Reading is a skills based remedial course continuing instruction provided in previous grades. Specific areas of instruction are phonological and phonemic instruction, fluency and comprehension of both narrative and expository text. Specialized approaches to instruction are utilized.
This course provides intensive specialized instruction for students with specific language based impairments that have a significant impact on their ability to independently read grade level texts for understanding. Strategies are presented to assist the students in improving comprehension of varying types of text structures including narrative and expository texts. Information from other courses is utilized when appropriate to improve generalization of strategies.
This course provides intensive specialized instruction for students with specific language based impairments that have a significant impact on their ability to demonstrate their knowledge of content related information though written expression. Strategies are presented to assist the students in improving their ability to effectively communicate through writing in formal and informal contexts. Information from other courses is utilized when appropriate to improve generalization of strategies.
This course provides intensive specialized instruction for students with specific language based impairments that have a significant impact on their ability to decode and encode at expected levels of proficiency. Strategies are presented to assist the students in improving their ability to access grade level materials for learning and to improve their use of spelling in written communication. Information from other courses is utilized when appropriate to improve generalization of strategies. ELECTIVE COURSES
This introductory course focuses on the history and responsibilities of journalism in various media, concentrating on print journalism. The student will learn the basics of news, editorial, feature, and sports writing, as well as study advertising, interviewing, and proofreading. Students will learn basic newspaper layout on paper and on the computer using PageMaker 6.5. Many assignments will be based on field work and will require attendance at events beyond the school day. This is not a creative writing course.
This workshop course offers the enthusiastic student a challenging opportunity to put journalism knowledge to work. Self-motivated, responsible students publish the school newspaper The Cub through writing, advertising, computer layout, photography, copy editing, and proofreading. Students also study the Associated Press Style Manual and write regular assignments based on current events.
The third-year journalism students assume more responsibilities on The Cub. These students are in management roles as well as doing all of the assignments of the Journalism II students.
By senior year, the fourth-year journalism students are making key decisions on the newspaper staff, editing the paper, directing the work of underclassmen, conducting the most difficult interviews, and writing the deepest editorials. They are also responsible for all class assignments.
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