English 9 - This course teaches core high school English skills. Writing is refined with a review of how to write proper sentences and how to vary them for effectiveness. Next, students review how to write paragraphs with an emphasis on main ideas, introductions, and conclusions. Students will learn how to support their writing with evidence, both factual and logical. Students will learn how to cite sources and how to prepare a works cited page. Skills will be synthesized in a final, short research paper.
Students will also read selected works of literature and answer questions and compose brief reports on their readings. Some readings will be assigned, others may be chosen by the student. Readings will vary from poems and short stories to books. Students will be required to read at least three short-to-medium length books during this course of study. In the final quarter of study, students will prepare their final paper in place of a book assignment but are still encouraged to read for enrichment and pleasure.
English 10 - This course teaches literature with composition skills used to prepare reports on the assigned material. Students will read four novels and write reports on each. Students will also summarize each work of literature, identifying characters and characterizations, key conflicts, and the overall theme of each work. Longer, detailed reports will evaluate the student’s mastery of comprehension and composition. Students will end the class by reading a work of their choosing and providing a summary, then a full report of the work. The report should demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the work as well as mastery of composition.
English 11 - Students will begin developing reading and writing skills necessary for college and professional life. Students will learn how to write interpretive essays. Advanced reading comprehension will also be taught. Emphasis will be placed on deeper meanings and abstract ideas. Students will survey great works of literature as well as explore writings from great Catholic thinkers. Students will learn to understand the Catholic point of view through their reading and writing.
English 12 - Students will survey classic British literature with an emphasis on Catholic thoughts and ideas. Studies will range from Beowulf to the modern era. Poetry will also be studied as well as several works from Shakespeare.
Students will demonstrate their understanding by answering analytical and discussion questions.
American Literature - Students in this course will survey American literature from the time of Columbus to the modern era. While emphasis is placed on American authors, writings from missionaries and explorers such as St. Junipero Serra will also be studied. The course will end with selections from 20th century writers. Students will be assessed through a variety of assignments that will reinforce their composition skills.
World Literature - Students will study literature from ancient times to the modern, taken from around the world. Discussion questions will help students see these works from a Catholic perspective. The course will also examine biographies and non-fiction writings.
Honors American Literature - Students will follow the American Literature course of study with additional assignments and questions which require more thoughtful analysis.
Honors World Literature - Students will follow the World Literature course of study with additional assignments and questions which require more thoughtful analysis.
Grammar - This course will reinforce a student’s understanding of fundamental grammar principles and rules. Emphasis will be placed on clarity. Students will learn about subject-verb agreement, and verb tense consistence. Students will also review punctuation. Finally, students will learn when it is acceptable to break certain grammar rules to make better choices when writing.
Advanced Grammar - Students will diagram sentences for a deeper understanding of the relationships between words of a sentence. Subtle concepts such as cognate verbs, adverbial objectives, and nouns clauses are studied.
Mechanics of Composition - Students will develop their composition skills by studying the characteristics of a good paragraph. Emphasis will be places on topic sentences, unity and coherence, and the use of evidence and other supporting details. Students will then work on longer compositions including descriptive, narrative, comparison and contrast, and persuasive writings.
Vocabulary - Students will develop vocabulary for personal conversation, college, and for comprehension. Emphasis will be placed on vocabulary for doing well on college entrance examinations.
Students will learn many new words, including words derived from Greek, Latin, French, and other influential languages.
Shakespeare - Senior students will study the plays of Willian Shakespeare. Emphasis will be placed on Catholic thinking and how such thought is evident in Shakespeare’s plays.