- Academics
Course Information Sheets
2024-25 American Literature
Course Content: What does it mean to be an “American” and what responsibilities accompany citizenship in a democratic society? We will read and discuss texts from the 1400s to the present, analyzing them in our effort to answer the above questions and questions students bring to the course about the intersection of literature, culture, and identity.
This college preparatory, National Common Core Standards-based English course builds skills in reading, writing, listening and speaking. In this class, students:
- Learn and practice critical reading skills with a wide variety of non-fiction and fictional texts;
- Learn and practice composition skills with instruction in the elements of effective writing, daily writing practice and language development;
- Engage in academic discourse (in pairs, small groups and whole class) to practice speaking, listening to and synthesizing ideas in response to text;
- Give informal and formal presentations to gain confidence and skill as public speakers;
- Become familiar with online and library resources as an introduction to the formal research process.
In addition to the content standards emphasized in the class, this course will help students develop skills in all areas of academic life. At MVHS, we are committed to helping students develop critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, learning and creative skills. We build supportive classroom culture and hold students to a high standard of scholarship and citizenship.
2024-25 American Literature (Honors)
The goals of American Literature Honors are 1) To thoroughly prepare juniors seeking a challenging course that engages them in the dialogue, research and writing skills required in post-secondary learning environments; 2) To create critical thinkers through discussion of discordant readings from 1600 to the present; 3) To engage students in answering the following essential questions for themselves by contributing meaningfully in their writing to the ongoing discourse about American culture and history:
- What is the American Dream?
- What are the traits of the American literary voice?
- How is literature expressive of philosophies of identity?
- Given four centuries of reading and research of American voices in literature, how will I participate in or contribute to its development as a participant in American democracy?
Through a blend of synchronous and asynchronous instruction, students in our year-long course will develop proficiencies in college-level literary analysis, research, speaking and listening, writing, and academic language. The course develops students’ understanding of literary texts from 1600 - 1870 in the first semester, culminating in a synthesis essay in December. The second semester applies all of the analytical reading and writing skills from the first semester to the literature from 1870 - 202, culminating in an in-depth research project of one cultural or philosophical question that echoes through the literature.
2024-25 Composition and World Literature
The course is designed so that students will become proficient in the Common Core State Standards grades 9 and 10.
2024-25 English Language and Composition (AP)
In this demanding college-level course, students will learn to write rhetorical analysis, argument and synthesis essays. Heavy emphasis will also be placed on developing independent thinking and on learning to support an argument with evidence in writing and in discussion. Practice timed writings will help prepare students to take the AP test.
Expected Learning Results:
- Critical Thinking: Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the expository essay with proficiency in the following skills: analyzing styles of diverse writers, composing and revising original expository writings.
- Communication Skills: Communicate an abstract idea or theme in written and such spoken forms as Socratic discussions, extemporaneous and prepared speeches, classroom conversation and discussion, develop and demonstrate a range of listening skills from quiet respect for others to the ability to question, interpret, and apply information given.
- Know How to Learn: Develop study skills by brainstorming and outlining topics before writing essays. Annotating texts, maintaining class notebooks, and seeking assistance from teacher and tutorial center.
- Problem Solving Skills: Sharpen problem solving skills by answering difficult essential questions through the synthesis of text, personal experience, personal interaction and knowledge of current world affairs.
- Creative Skills: Learn to work with a wide variety of texts and people on a highly varied menu of individual and group activities, develop personal writer’s voice.
2024-25 English Literature and Composition (AP)
The goal of AP Literature is to prepare seniors seeking a challenging learning experience for the literacy and technological demands of higher education. Through a blend of synchronous and asynchronous instructional activities, students in this year-long course develop proficiencies in college-level literary analysis, research, and argumentative reading, speaking and listening, writing, and academic language. The course presents a process for helping students read, comprehend, and respond to informational and literary texts via distance learning which culminates in a self-directed research project (senior thesis). This includes a variety of approaches to reading and writing that draw upon teacher-guided and student-facilitated discussions. The course will also prepare students to take the Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition Exam in May. To facilitate these learning outcomes, group work and ongoing self-assessment of student work play a significant role in the learning process as outlined by the Common Core Standards for 11th and 12th grade. Students will learn how to direct their learning in an online environment and become advocates for their education.
2024-25 Philosophy in Literature
Philosophy in Literature is a college-preparatory senior English class in which we study the development and ideas of Philosophy through analysis of literature. Through a sequence of rigorous instructional units, students in this course develop advanced proficiencies in argument, informative/explanatory and narrative reading, writing and speaking and listening. All students complete a Senior Thesis that involves in-depth inquiry and college-level research skills. In-class discussions to develop skills in Socratic discussion and collaborative learning are an essential component of the class.
2024-25 Literature, Culture and Society (ERWC)
The goal of the course is to prepare seniors seeking a challenging learning experience for the literacy demands of higher education. Through a blend of synchronous and asynchronous instructional activities, students in this year-long course develop proficiencies in college-level narrative, expository, and argumentative reading, speaking and listening, writing, and academic language. The course presents a process for helping students read, comprehend, and respond to informational and literary texts via distance learning which culminates in a self-directed research project (senior thesis). To facilitate these learning outcomes, group work and ongoing self-assessment of student work will play a significant role in the learning process as outlined by the Common Core Standards for 11th and 12th grade. The course also fulfills the ERWC course description approved by the UC and CSU.
2024-25 Seminar (AP)
AP Seminar is a foundational course that engages students in cross-curricular conversations that explore the complexities of academic and real-world topics and issues by analyzing divergent perspectives. Students learn to investigate a problem or issue, analyze arguments, compare different perspectives, synthesize information from multiple sources, and work alone and in a group to communicate their ideas. Students explore the complexities of one or more themes by making connections within, between, and/or among multiple cross-curricular areas and by exploring multiple perspectives and lenses (e.g., cultural and social, artistic and philosophical, political and historical, environmental, economic, scientific, futuristic, ethical) related to those themes. Students develop and apply discrete skills identified in the learning objectives of the enduring understandings within the following five big ideas: › Question and Explore › Understand and Analyze › Evaluate Multiple Perspectives › Synthesize Ideas › Team, Transform, and Transmit (College Board).
2024-25 Survey of Composition and Literature
Course Content: This college preparatory, National Common Core Standards-based English course builds skills in reading, writing, listening and speaking. In this class, students:
- Learn and practice critical reading skills with a wide variety of non-fiction and fictional texts;
- Learn and practice composition skills with instruction in the elements of effective writing and language development;
- Engage in academic discourse (in pairs, small groups and whole class) to practice speaking and listening skills and synthesizing ideas in response to text;
- Become familiar with online and library resources as an introduction to the formal research process.
In addition to the content standards emphasized in the class, this course will help students develop skills in all areas of academic life. At MVHS, we are committed to helping students develop critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, learning and creative skills. We build supportive classroom culture and hold students to a high standard of scholarship and citizenship.
