AHC English

*201 English I*	*Grade 9: Full Year*
In the first year of the English program, students acquire a background in classical mythology. Following the study of literary themes and conventions found in mythology, the students trace these themes and conventions chronologically in British poetry and drama in order to understand and appreciate the literary traditions of western civilization. Students develop language skills in vocabulary, grammar, writing, and oral communication. During the second semester, all ninth graders participate in a field trip to the National Gallery. (1 credit)
*251 Honors English I*	*Grade 9: Full Year*
*Prerequisite: Departmental Approval* In addition to the material covered in English I, the students read Fitzgerald's translation of The Odyssey, additional short stories, and critical evaluations of works under discussion. They present seminars and do independent study and research. (1 credit)
*202 English II*	*Grade 10: Full Year*
Students continue the study of British Literature, beginning with Renaissance Literature and progressing through modern British Literature. Students explore and examine the traditions of British Literature through a study of developing genres, such as the satiric essay, the novel, the modern short story, and poetry. Students write several types of literary analyses and produce individual and group creative projects. Students learn and practice research skills by producing a well-documented paper and add to their vocabulary word bank. Students continue their study of language skills begun in English I. (1 credit)
*252 Honors English II*	*Grade 10: Full Year*
*Prerequisite: Departmental Approval* In an expansion of the material covered in English II, students read more works by the representative authors, and also critical works about these authors. Students explore additional types of literary analyses, write more modeling assignments, and produce additional individual and group creative projects. (1 credit)
*203 English III*	*Grade 11: Full Year*
Students examine the development of American Literature and thought, beginning with colonial literature and progressing through contemporary American Literature, and read selected works representing various genres. They also write critical analyses of these works and model poetic style in writing original poetry and short stories. (1 credit)
*253 Honors English III*	*Grade 11: Full Year*
*Prerequisite: Departmental Approval* *See Honors Program Criteria* In addition to the material covered in English III, students read more complex and sophisticated selections that extend their abilities to analyze and respond to techniques of language and structure. Students read Sister Carrie, Huckleberry Finn, Catcher in the Rye, and A Farewell to Arms, as well as many political, personal, satiric, and critical essays. Students also interact with each other through group work, panels, and seminars and participate in activities that require them to use the higher cognitive skills of analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. Students produce portfolio work. (1 credit)
*217 Advanced Placement English Language and Composition*	*Grade 11: Full Year*
*Prerequisite: Departmental Approval based upon writing portfolio from second semester sophomore year* See Honors Program Criteria A.P. English Language and Composition is the equivalent of a college-level language and composition course and could yield college credit depending on the student's final score on the official A.P. examination and the requirements of individual colleges. All students taking the course must take the external advanced placement examination in the spring. Students engage in the careful reading of expository prose in order to understand and analyze expository prose passages and recast sentences. Students also develop their ability to recall and organize information in an extensive way and penetrating manner. Students engage in the study of American Literature focusing primarily, but not exclusively, on expository prose. Students prepare to take the Advanced Placement Exam in Language and Composition, which is offered in May. (1 credit)
*218 Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition*	*Grade 12: Full Year*
*Prerequisite: Departmental Approval based upon writing portfolio from second semester junior year* A.P. English Literature and Composition is the equivalent of a college-level literature course and could yield college credit depending on the student's final score on the official A.P. examination and the requirements of individual colleges. All students taking the course must take the external advanced placement examination in the spring. Students engage in the careful reading of literature and the careful analyses of these works in order to sharpen their awareness of language and their understanding of the writer's craft. Students read each work and write about it with the critical awareness of the full range of its stylistic features, its structure, and its meaning. Through units on poetry, the short story, the novel, the drama, and the essay, students develop critical standards essential for the independent appreciation of any literary work and increase their appreciation of literature as a shared experience. Students prepare to take the Advanced Placement Exam in Literature and Composition, which is offered in May. (1 credit)
*214 Shakespeare*	*Grade 12: 1st Semester*
Students read at least three of Shakespeare�s plays, including Hamlet, a comedy, and the play under production at the Shakespeare Theatre during the first semester. Students investigate the complex process of bringing a play into production. They research the creation of a theatrical production and undertake some of the tasks involved in bringing a play to life, presenting scenes from at least two plays. Students read critical essays written about the works under discussion, write their own analyses, and maintain journals reflecting the study of the plays. All students purchase at least one theater ticket and watch at least two feature-length movies on their own time. (1/2 credit)
*219 Women of Mystery*	*Grade 12:* *1st Semester*
Students explore the traditions of the Gothic mystery and the detective tale introduced in the works of Edgar Allan Poe and developed and refined by twentieth century women writers. Students read short stories, novels, and plays representative of the Golden Age of this genre, with particular emphasis in the first quarter on the works of Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, and Patricia Highsmith. During the second quarter, students examine the works of contemporary writers, such as Ellis Peters, and P.D. James. Students write critical analyses of these works, tracing themes and pattern. The culminating project of the course requires students to create a detective character and write the first chapter of a mystery novel. (1/2 credit)
*224 Visions of the American Dream*	*Grade 12: 1st Semester*
This course looks at a range of responses, both literary and cinematic, to the theme of the American Dream. Texts will include The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams, The Hours by Michael Cunningham, and Digging to America by Ann Tyler. Films will include El Norte and Smoke Signals. (1/2 credit)
*229 Drama Queens*	*Grade 12: 1st Semester*
Drama Queens is a study of literary plays depicting the challenges faced by a variety of female protagonists over several centuries. The first quarter examines the Cleopatra plays and differing portrayals of an historic woman. The second quarter focuses on humorous, satirical, and sad studies for the stage which portray women dealing with concerns of independence, agency, and the value of their lives. Required texts: Antony and Cleopatra by William Shakespeare; Caesar and Cleopatra by George Bernard Shaw; She Stoops to Conquer by Oliver Goldsmith; A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen; Major Barbara by George Bernard Shaw; A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams; To Be Young, Gifted and Black by Lorraine Hansberry. It is possible there may be a substitution of a play for one produced on the Washington stage during the semester of the course. (1/2 credit)
*231 Fantastic Realities*	*Grade 12: 1st Semester*
This survey course examines the genre of fantastic fiction including the sub-genres of science fiction and fantasy. The main focus is on writers of the Golden Age of the genre, but will include selections from more contemporary writers. Students will submit both written and oral responses to works of the fascinating but often neglected literature. Texts: The Trial by Franz Kafka; 1984 by George Orwell; Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury; Hard-Boiled Wonderland and The End of the World or The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Hiruki Murakami. (1/2 credit)
*226 Creative Writing*	*Grade 12: 2nd Semester*
*Prerequisite: Departmental Approval* Students develop their writing skills by studying the components of poetry and fiction. Students look at creative writing as a process that involves reading, writing, and revision. Students use contemporary poems and stories as models for developing their own sense of craft, style, and voice. Students discuss their writing in a workshop environment. The texts include a poetry anthology and a fiction anthology. (1/2 credit)
*222 Voices: Women Writing About Women*	*Grade 12: 2nd Semester*
Students discover the richly diverse voices of international women writers and their origins through essays, poetry, short stories, and novels in order to fully appreciate the creation, composition, and impact of culture and ethnicity on styles of writing and forms of expression. Students read works by contemporary writers, write essays, and develop presentations, examining both the distinctive and common elements contained within these works. (1/2 credit)
*228 An Age of Innocence*	*Grade 12: 2nd Semester*
Students examine the works of two great American writers, Willa Cather and Edith Wharton. They explore the themes, styles, and philosophies of these women and their importance to American literature. Students discover each writer�s gift to the American Voice. As in any literature course, emphasis falls on close reading and on written critical analyses of the texts. Works studied may include Song of the Lark, My Antonia, O Pioneers, Age of Innocence, and House of Mirth, as well as selected short stories. (1/2 credit)
*244 Literary Journalism*	*Grade 12: 2nd Semester*
The Journalism course explores those non-fiction writers and works which have made the most dramatic impact on the course of American social and political crises. Students debate the crucial role freedom of the press plays in preserving democracy, and the profound sacrifices and personal risks journalists have endured to defend "freedom and justice for all." Against the drama of election year 2008, students will contribute newspaper columns, editorials, feature stories, critical reviews, letter and field reports to local newspapers and Crosscurrents under their own by-lines. (1/2)
*246 Democratic Thought*	*Grade 12: 2nd Semester*
Students read and study works reflecting the governing choices available to individuals and societies. They then trace the emergence of democratic thoughts and ideals and examine the conditions necessary for a viable democracy through reading late twentieth century works. The course work includes worksheets, dramatic presentations, and seminar presentations. (1/2 credit)