English Department

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English Course Offerings

Click on the name of the course to go directly to its description.

English 1 Embedded Honors

Grade Level: 9  |  Term: Yearlong  |  Level: College Preparatory (CP)  |  UC/CSU "b" requirement

The Embedded Honors English 1 course is designed to equip all students with the foundational skills necessary to ensure success as a student of English at Woodbridge High School.  This course will provide all students access to the same learning opportunities; the necessary structures/supports in place regardless of skill level to achieve those outcomes; and invaluable experiences in collaborating for the common good.  Any student interested in pursuing the Honors distinction will distinguish themselves by exhibiting creativity and a high skill level, and by engaging the curriculum with added complexity and depth.  A student must routinely present exemplary work on skill checks and products to earn or maintain the Honors designation.  At Woodbridge High School, the Honors designation in any English 1 class does not result in a weighted grade point.  Still, it does reflect on the transcript and is one of many indicators of a student's potential to perform in future Honors/AP-level courses in English.

Skills and Assessment: Students will be able to…

• Possess an understanding of an expanded, mature vocabulary necessary for college preparedness.  
• Demonstrate an understanding of a variety of genres of literature including both fiction and non-fiction: poetry, short stories, novels, dramas, essays, and speeches.
• Understand the process of composing essays in the three Common Core modes and demonstrate their ability to  produce an appropriate response controlled by a central idea as directed by a writing prompt.
• Articulate their ideas in speech and writing in the classroom setting in forms that may vary from Socratic discussions to small group interaction.
• Ask critical questions, summarize and analyze texts, and make connections to their own experiences and the world around them.

Prerequisite: None

ENGLISH 2

Grade Level: 10   |   Term: Yearlong   |   Level: College Preparatory (CP)  |  UC/CSU "b" requirement

In this college prep course, students will address essential questions through a variety of written and literary genres. Skills embedded within these units will focus on vocabulary development, reading comprehension, literary response, writing strategies, writing applications, speaking skills/discussions, and grammar. This study is based on the objectives outlined in the Common Core State Standards.

Skills and Assessment: Students will be able to…

• Analyze and communicate effectively through written narratives, expository essays, argumentative essays, on-demand essays, and journal entries.
• Comprehend textual information in the form of content rich non-fiction articles, short stories, poetry, drama, and novels.
• Have conversations to engage with grade level topics, build on ideas, and express ideas clearly. Students will present information, findings, and support evidence clearly. They will continuing to adapt their speech to a variety of contents and tasks to demonstrate a command of formal English.Communicate information orally through class presentations and classroom/journal discussions.

Prerequisite: None

AP ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION

Learn more about AP Language at WHS

Grade Level: 10   |   Term: Yearlong   |   Level: Advanced Placement (AP)+  |  UC/CSU "b" requirement

This College Board approved sophomore honors course satisfies the “b” requirement for admission to a UC/CSU school and carries a weighted grade point. The course engages students in becoming skilled readers of prose written in a variety of rhetorical contexts, and skilled writers who compose for a variety of purposes. Both their writing and their reading should make students aware of the interactions among a writer’s purposes, audience expectations, and subjects as well as the way genre conventions and the resources of language contribute to effectiveness in writing. 

Skills and Assessment: Students will be able to…

• Understand the methodology of the use of rhetoric in a variety of mediums, including: speeches, informational texts, fiction, visuals, etc. 
• Write in a variety of genres and understand how their knowledge of rhetoric impacts their own writing.
• Evaluate the appropriateness of resources and how to use a variety of resources to develop arguments.
• Effectively participate in conversations with their peers both orally and in writing. 
• Use appropriate technology to enhance learning, understanding, and applying course content. 

Prerequisites: Grade of B or higher in both semesters of English 1 Honors or an A in English 1 with written recommendation of 9th grade English teacher.

AMERICAN LITERATURE

Grade Level: 11   |   Term: Yearlong   |   Level: College Preparatory (CP)  |  UC/CSU "b" requirement

 American Literature is a college prep course that satisfies the “b” requirement for admission to a UC/CSU school. Students will develop college and career skills through varied analytical and writing tasks focused on essential questions. Students will engage in thematic units that guide them through a range of American literature, with selections from the nation’s foundational documents to its more contemporary works.

Skills and Assessment:  Students will be able to…

• Analyze a variety of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, and apply their ideas in both writing and discussion.
• Complete short-term research relating to argumentative writing
• Identify, analyze, and incorporate rhetorical devices in their own writing and the writings of others.
• Lead and contribute to discussions on author’s craft,  literary techniques, and life issues as reflected in literature.
• Create a draft of a personal essay for college and scholarship applications.
• Use appropriate technology to enhance learning, understanding, and application of course content.

Prerequisite: None

HONORS AMERICAN LITERATURE

Learn more about Honors American Literature at WHS

Grade Level: 11   |   Term: Yearlong   |   Level: College Preparatory/Honors (CP)+ | UC/CSU "b" requirement

This one year course is a survey of American Literature from the beginning of the United States to the present. This class will trace the historical, political, and cultural development of America as reflected in its literature through key movements and authors. The reading for this course covers genres such as fiction, non-fiction, drama, historical documents, poetry, and literary criticism. This course is designed to prepare the student for Advanced Placement Literature, as well as to be successful in a collegiate environment. Honors American Literature is a college prep course that satisfies the “b” requirement for admission to a UC/CSU college. It carries an honors weighted grade point.

Skills and Assessment: Students will be able to… 

• Develop critical thinking and literary analysis skills through the use of active reading strategies
• Develop effective writing skills within the analytical and argumentative writing domains
• Represent their level of understanding of the content as well as disciplinary skills through the use of class discussions, presentations, and other formats

Prerequisite: Grade of B or better in both semesters of AP English Language Composition or a written recommendation of 10th grade English teacher.

English 4

Grade Level: 12   |   Term: Yearlong   |   Level: College Preparatory (CP)  |  UC/CSU "b" requirement

English 4 is a college prep course that satisfies the “b” requirement for admission to a UC/CSU school. English 4 is designed to prepare students for success in postsecondary    reading, writing, and critical thinking. This course provides opportunities for students to read, analyze, and compose expository and persuasive texts through a structured and systematic process. Emphasizing critical reading, rhetorical analysis, and frequent writing tasks, English 4 engages students in meaningful discussions and inquiry-based learning. Lessons follow a comprehensive yet flexible framework informed by current research and effective instructional strategies.
 

Prerequisite: None

AP ENGLISH LITERATURE

Learn more about AP Literature at WHS

Grade Level: 12   |   Term: Yearlong   |   Level: Advanced Placement (AP)+  |  UC/CSU "b" requirement

This College Board approved senior honors course satisfies the “b” requirement for admission to a UC/CSU school and has also been approved for extra honors G.P.A credit. An AP English Literature and Composition course engages students in the careful reading and critical analysis of imaginative literature. It is an advanced course taught at a collegiate level and designed for students who have demonstrated interest and exceptional ability in analyzing and writing about literature. Through the close reading of selected texts from a variety of genres and time periods, students will deepen their understanding of the ways writers use language to provide both meaning and pleasure for their readers. 

Skills and Assessment: Students will be able to…

• Read carefully in order to critically interpret complex literature.
• Consider a work’s overall structure, style, and themes, as well as elements of figurative language, imagery, symbolism, and tone in order to grasp the complexity and  richness of meaning in literary form.
• Write frequently in varying formats, from formal, extended analyses to timed, in-class responses.
• Understand and use the process of pre-composing, writing, revision, and editing.

Prerequisite: Grade of B or higher in both semesters of Honors American Literature or written recommendation of 11th grade English teacher.