English - St. John's Preparatory School

Beyond the Page

ENGLISH

Our English curriculum helps students discover meaning in what they read while building the communication skills they'll use for a lifetime. In Middle School, students strengthen reading comprehension, critical thinking, writing, discussion, public speaking, and research through novels, poetry, drama, memoir, and nonfiction, with grammar and vocabulary providing a strong foundation.

In High School, students continue to grow as readers, writers, and thinkers through a four-year progression of literary study. Ninth grade builds the academic skills needed for success at Prep while introducing the major literary genres. Sophomores examine archetypes and tragedy, juniors explore American literature, and seniors engage with the rich tradition of British literature.

Course of Study

Required Course | Elective | All High School students must take four years of English

Grade 6	Grade 7	Grade 8	Grade 9	Grade 10	Grade 11	Grade 12
English	English	English	English 1	English 2	English 3	English 4
					AP English Language
						AP English Literature

Course Descriptions

Middle School English Courses

Grade 6

In grade 6, students gain from a unified humanities approach to language arts and social studies. By helping students make connections to their own lives, this course explores the spirit and experience of the individual through themes of origin, culture, and environment in literature, geography, and history. Students will learn about the factors that contribute to the formation of their identity as they develop the means of self-expression.

The course will begin by focusing on geography in order to understand the relationship between the physical environment, the individual, and the community. Students will examine historical case studies, as well as literary characters that reveal the importance of geography in individual development and survival.

Teachers will then introduce students to the study of history as a narrative through an examination of early American and local history. Students will compare primary and secondary historical sources to stories told through fiction, memoir, drama and poetry. By developing familiarity with narrative structure, students will develop composition skills for personal narrative writing.

The course will also explore the ways in which individuals are shaped by events and experiences inside and outside their control. Students will analyze defining moments in the lives of historical and literary characters before shifting their focus to examine their own personal history. They will conduct research on census data, legal records, primary documents, and family traditions, etc. As part of a final project, students will express their identities through poetry, art, music, and creative writing, as well as through visual and oral presentations.

Finally, students will consider and assess the options and choices they face as individuals. Through this study, they will develop life skills in personal economics, communication, and collaboration. Students will also participate in Literature Circles to discuss the themes presented throughout the year and articulate their understanding of personal identity and their individual goals.

Grade 7

The curriculum of grade 7 English focuses on themes related to leadership, conflict and social structures. Course readings will primarily represent the genres of mythology, folklore, historical fiction and dystopian literature. Through careful analysis of literary characters, students will evaluate the nature of human relationships as a means of better understanding their own community.This course will further develop students’ reading fluency and critical reading skills through oral reading, small and large group discussions, reading comprehension activities, in-depth literary analysis, and vocabulary lessons. Students will also increase their proficiency in writing, including: exposition, narrative, summary, comparison, argument, and research review. The ongoing study of English grammar will highlight sentence craftsmanship to improve written expression. Finally, students will learn and practice speaking skills through discussion, group presentations and individual presentations.

Grade 8

Students in grade 8 English will broaden their perspectives as they explore themes of difference, freedom, reconciliation, and wellness. Course readings, both classic and modern, will highlight multicultural characters in varied settings. By exploring the causes and effects of diversity through literature, students will better appreciate the varying experiences and values of global communities, and they will better understand their responsibilities in their community and in the world. In this final year before high school begins, students focus on the skills they need for high school reading, writing, speaking, vocabulary and research. The grade 8 reading curriculum will prepare students to successfully navigate a complex text through effective close-reading methods. The writing curriculum will emphasize thesis-driven essay organization, supplemented by open-ended writing assignments to improve natural written expression. Students gain opportunities throughout the year to compose and deliver oral presentations for different purposes. Students also continue to expand their vocabulary skills to aid reading, writing and speaking ability. Lastly, the course will feature a variety of research-based activities, allowing students to further understand standard research methods.

High School English Courses

English 1

In the ninth-grade English curriculum, students are not only exposed to a diverse range of literary texts but also challenged to think critically about themselves and the world around them. This inclusive approach encourages students to find their voices through various writing exercises such as descriptive paragraphs, personal narratives, analytical essays, and original poetry. The curriculum fosters a love of reading by incorporating both traditional and modern works, including a collection of short stories, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie, and either Romeo and Juliet or Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare. Furthermore, St. John's Prep emphasizes the importance of developing 21st-century research skills through papers and projects. As students progress through the year, they not only enhance their writing abilities but also build confidence in public speaking through class presentations. To prove their proficiency in acquiring these various skills, students will take quizzes and tests, write papers, complete projects, and present their findings in public speaking exercises. Students who face challenges in demonstrating proficiency will receive constructive feedback and find opportunities to meet with teachers one-on-one for additional support. All of our work aligns with the school's mission and commitment to promote human dignity, compassion, integrity, justice, and service to society.

required course - grade 9 [1 credit]

English 2

In this course, students will engage in a comprehensive study of language and literature, with a focus on expanding their vocabulary, exploring poetry, conducting literary analysis and research, honing their creative and reflective writing skills, mastering study skills, delving into grammar, and analyzing literary works such as Macbeth, Lord of the Flies, and The Poet X, along with various supplementary titles.

required course - grade 10 [1 credit]

English 3

In the eleventh-grade English curriculum, students are exposed to a diverse range of American literary texts and challenged to think critically about themselves and the world around them. This inclusive approach encourages students to find their voices through various writing exercises, such as personal narratives, analytical essays, and original poetry. The curriculum fosters a love of reading by incorporating both traditional and modern works, including The Nickel Boys, The Great Gatsby, a collection of short stories, and an American play. Building on research skills developed freshman and sophomore years, students will compose a comprehensive research essay based on a work by an American author. As students progress through the year, they not only enhance their writing abilities but also build confidence in public speaking through class presentations. To prove their proficiency in acquiring these various skills, students will take quizzes and tests, write papers, complete projects, and present their findings in public speaking exercises. Students who face challenges in demonstrating proficiency will receive constructive feedback and find opportunities to meet with teachers one-on-one for additional support. All of our work aligns with the school's mission and commitment to promote human dignity, compassion, integrity, justice, and service to society.

required course - grade 11 [1 credit]
*student may substitute this class with AP English language

English 4

With a foundation of British Literature, senior classes explore critical questions, themes, and issues surrounding identity, heroism, and free will. Literature includes required titles -- Beowulf, Hamlet, and Frankenstein -- and supplementary works of a variety of authors, genres, and cultural perspectives. All students write a personal narrative, complete at least one research project using multiple sources, and compose journal responses, creative fiction, and literary analysis essays, among other techniques of writing.

required course - grade 12 [1 credit]
*student may substitute this class with AP English Literature

AP English Language

Requires successful completion of English 2 Honors or department approval) What is rhetoric? The AP Language course seeks to answer that question by examining the crucial relationship between form and content in the pages of American literature, history, and culture. The principal objective of this course is for all students to become engaging writers for a variety of audiences and purposes. The course includes a comprehensive introduction to classical rhetoric, focusing on persona, audience, rhetorical appeals, and rhetorical schemes and tropes. During the course of the year students compose a variety of expository, narrative, and argumentative papers, focusing on rhetorical analysis in close reading essays. The Advanced Placement Writing Rubric is also used to assess numerous timed compositions. At the conclusion of the course, students are expected to sit for the AP English Language and Composition Exam.

[1 credit]
prerequisite: successful completion of english 2 honors or departmental approval

AP English Literature

The Advanced Placement English program at St. John's is a sophisticated approach that is open to highly motivated students. It focuses on a class experience where the students are able to learn and to teach at the same time in an atmosphere of both lecture and discussion. It presupposes not only the highly motivated student, but also the student who has mastered the forms and skills of English usage and who is ready to attain mature and college-oriented abilities in reading, writing, analysis, class discussion, critical technique and the integration of these skills with a love for the material and its application to human experience. The students study the chronological development of English literature in its various forms. Students may also participate in a series of seminars which specifically prepare them for the AP exam's style of questions. These seminars enhance the participants' awareness of what is required for success on the AP examination in May.