English Department Courses
Students are required to successfully complete one
English course per year. Classes are organized by the PA Common Core
English standards. In grades 9 and 10, students will choose from the four
English 9/10 courses. In grades 11 and
12, students will choose from the four 11/12 English courses. Because of the
inquiry style of classes, all the electives are mixed grades and mixed ability.
Starting in 11th grade, students may opt to apply for admission to AP
Literature, AP Language, or English Composition.
The English department revised the curriculum to meet three
goals: improve state test scores, connect English content to contemporary
culture, and create lifelong readers and writers. Students need English courses
that meet their needs socially, emotionally, and academically. By the time
students leave Donegal School District, each of their English courses will have
prepared them for the real-world Language Arts skills that are vital to
becoming a successful citizen, including:
- Communicate with a variety of
audiences: peers, authority figures, subordinates, and formal audiences.
- Construct ideas through writing,
understanding how the rhetorical situation shapes writing tactics.
- Build increasingly sophisticated
use of age-appropriate grammar and vocabulary.
- Evaluate the validity of speech,
print, and advertising in a variety of sources to form fact-based
opinions.
- Study literature, literary
non-fiction, and poetry to broaden the human experience by giving access,
understanding, and empathy to other cultures and perspectives.
- Share their stories and
experience peers’ stories to answer big questions with nuance and empathy.
- See themselves represented in
the texts studied and be exposed to multiple perspectives to deepen their
understanding of others.
- Both read independently with
ease and enjoyment and persevere through more complex texts.
Regardless of topic, each class will address the same
standards and skills. Texts of a variety of reading levels will be held in
conversation with other articles, novels, poems, short stories, non-fiction
essays, and speeches to help answer key essential questions in an inquiry style
of learning.
107431 Literature 9-10: People and the Environment (Weight – 1.1) 1.0 credit
Beginning
with the mythology of indigenous peoples, moving through literature from
various cultures, and ending with contemporary argument and rhetoric, this
course will explore how humans developed the natural world and how those
changes shaped humans in turn. It will review how we impact our surroundings
collectively and individually, and what our ethical responsibilities are to our
global and local communities. The course will end with an argumentative project
that will allow students to make a case for what humanity’s relationship with
nature should be. Course requirements will include projects and writing that
encompass the ELA 9-10 standards. The following link provides a list of the books that
will be read as part of the course: Lit 9/10 Book Titles and Authors
107531 Literature 9-10: Power and the Justice System
(Weight – 1.1) 1.0 credit
This course
will focus on literature and non-fiction surrounding questions of human systems
of justice. Students will use the pieces from a variety of cultures and
historical periods to decide when justice is successful or unsuccessful, why
people should or should not pursue justice, and when the individual pursuit of
power can lead to injustice. The literature will especially highlight justice
in the courtroom and penal system. Course requirements will include projects
and writing that encompass the ELA 9-10 standards. The following link provides a list of the books that
will be read as part of the course: Lit 9/10 Book Titles and Authors
107631 Literature 9-10: Sci-Fi and Horror (Weight – 1.1) 1.0 credit
This course examines the relationship between Horror and Science
Fiction and the societies, cultures, and ideologies from which they are born.
Students will exchange with both classic and contemporary Horror and Sci-Fi
literature, with a focus on connecting themes from these texts to the real
world advances, apprehensions, and fears that birth them. Students will answer
a variety of big picture questions to build an understanding of this genre of
literature. What makes us afraid? Who decides what is monstrous and what isn’t?
How does fear influence us as people and as a society? Is the reality of our
world or the fiction of our imaginations more terrifying? These topics and more
will be thoroughly explored through a variety of texts. Course
requirements will include projects and writing that encompass the ELA 9-10
standards. The following link provides a
list of the books that will be read as part of the course: Lit 9/10 Book Titles and Authors
107831 Literature 9-10: Coming of Age in
a Dystopian World (Weight – 1.1) 1.0 credit
This course
studies a group often excluded from formal high school study: teenagers!
Through the lens of themes like the balance of hope and despair in the human
spirit and the dangers of naiveté and cynicism, this course begins by reading
literature to discover the threshold between childhood and adulthood. It will
explore literature and non-fiction that will help determine whether teenagers
are capable of making responsible decisions. By the end of the course, the tone
will shift from the individual to the societal, ending with an argumentative
piece about the impact teens can have on their world. Course requirements will
include projects and writing that encompasses the ELA 9-10 standards. The following link provides a list of the books that
will be read as part of the course: Lit 9/10 Book Titles and Authors
107135 Freshman Writing Seminar (Weight
– 1.1) (Grade 9 required)
0.5
credits
This course
provides students with a foundation in the essentials of rhetorical analysis,
research, and writing in order to evaluate and form arguments, communicate
effectively, and solve problems logically. Throughout each unit of this course,
students will participate in reading, research, and discussion while building
on their knowledge of informational, narrative, and argumentative writing
structures. Students will leave this course having a better understanding of
who they are as individuals, how they behave in groups, and what sort of
community responsibility we all have. This course is designed to prepare ninth
graders for future high school English courses as well as help responsible,
critical-thinking community members.
V107135 Freshman Writing Seminar VIRTUAL (Weight – 1.1)
(Grade 9 required) 0.5
credits
Developed for students who are ready to
take on the challenge of rigorous writing and reading instruction in a
self-paced virtual environment, this course provides students with a foundation
in the essentials of rhetorical analysis, research, and writing in order to
evaluate and form arguments, communicate effectively, and solve problems
logically. Throughout each unit of this course, students will participate in
reading, research, and discussion while building on their knowledge of
informational, narrative, and argumentative writing structures. Students will
leave this course having a better understanding of who they are as individuals,
how they behave in groups, and what sort of community responsibility we all
have. This course is designed to prepare ninth graders for future high school
English courses as well as help responsible, critical-thinking community
members.
Prerequisite: Interested students must secure two
recommendations from DSD staff. The evaluator must have interacted with you
within the last semester (or last two marking periods). Recommendation forms
can be found in the counseling office.
104331 ELA 11/12: Information Overload: Journalism
in a Modern World (Weight – 1.1)
1.0 credit
Students in this class will examine the importance of
storytelling and the necessity of truth in communication and media. This course
will address the fundamental skills associated with journalistic writing and
the ethics that surround it while also presenting students with essential
issues that surround journalism today. Through the reading of memoirs, true
crime, and relevant news stories, students will construct meaningful responses
to the following unit questions: At what point does memoir cross the line into
fiction? How important is objectivity in journalistic storytelling? How do we
find meaningful patterns out of endless information and draw ethical conclusions?
Can being too connected to a story keep you from telling the truth? How
can/should journalism use elements of literature? And why is ethical journalism
necessary, especially in today’s world when the stakes are so high? Course
requirements will include narrative, informative, literary analysis,
argumentative writing, and reflection on texts that encompass the ELA 11-12
standards.
104431 ELA 11/12: Master of Two Worlds: The Journeys
of Heroes and Villains (Weight – 1.1)
1.0 credit
Students will examine the evolution of two literary roles
that have been essential to our stories for millenia: heroes and villains.
Charting the development of heroic myths from the classical era all the way to
the world around us, students will evaluate the ways that cultural values
impact the figures we place on the pedestals of society. Conversely, students
will examine what the forces and people we classify as villains have to say
about which ideas we hold dear, and which we revile. In this course, students
explore the circumstances that divide heroes and villains, weighing intentions,
outcomes, influences, and legacies to determine a spectrum of good and evil.
How do we distinguish between misguided vigilantes, heroes who fall from grace,
and the truly evil? Furthermore, students will analyze why societies have
rallied behind heroic figures in the face of external threat and internal
strife. Ultimately, this course seeks to connect larger-than-life struggles
between heroes and villains to our own experiences to determine what these
figures tell us about ourselves.
104531 ELA 11/12: The Bonds We Form: The Literature
of Love, Hate, and Indifference (Weight – 1.1)
1.0 credit
This course examines the complexities of developing and
maintaining relationships and how those connections are portrayed in text and
media. We will examine how our personal experiences shape the relationship with
one’s self, the dynamics of relationships with others, and the meaning of true
connection. Components include narrative, informative, literary analysis, and
argumentative writing and reflecting on texts. Units of study will focus on
power dynamics in relationships, identifying one’s own emotional needs and the
needs of others, the extent to which we have choice in relationships, and how
exposure to a variety of cultures and perspectives helps to develop one’s own
worldview.
104631 ELA 11/12: Escape From Reality: Finding
Meaning in Mythology and Fantasy (Weight
– 1.1)
1.0 credit
Human
beings have always used mythology as a way to understand, and sometimes escape
from, the world around them. The class will begin by exploring how the
commonalities of ancient myths revealed universal human truths. Then, students
will connect their understanding of mythology to our contemporary mythos.
Students will study literary fantasy paired with realistic fiction to
understand how fantasy is useful as an escape from reality. The course will end
with an argumentative project that will allow students to make a case for ways
that fantasy can inform more hopeful societal ideals in the face of the
darkness of humanity. Components include narrative, informative, literary
analysis, and argumentative writing and reflecting on texts. Course
requirements will include reading, writing, and projects that encompass the ELA
11-12 standards.
103631 World Dramatic Literature (Weight
– 1.1) (Grade 12) 1.0 credit
Using
an overview of theater conventions, stagecraft, and cultural context, students
will study dramatic literature beginning with ancient Greek theater and ending
with contemporary American drama. Students will build on their knowledge of
informational, argumentative, and narrative writing structures. Students will
continue their study of Greek and Latin roots. Course requirements will include
a play review of a theater performance and production of an original drama.
101111 Advanced Placement English
Literature and Composition (Weight – 1.3) 1.0 credit
(This course will be scheduled to meet every other day
for the full year)
Course Overview as published by College
Board: “The AP English Literature and
Composition course aligns to an introductory college-level literary analysis
course. The course engages students in the close reading and critical analysis
of imaginative literature to deepen their understanding of the ways writers use
language to provide both meaning and pleasure. As they read, students consider
a work’s structure, style, and themes, as well as its use of figurative
language, imagery, symbolism, and tone. Writing assignments include expository,
analytical, and argumentative essays that require students to analyze and
interpret literary works.”
Prerequisites: Teacher approval required. To qualify for AP
Literature at Donegal High School, students will need to earn an A or B in an
honors English course in tenth or eleventh grade and also satisfactorily
complete an admission essay. Prospective students should see Mrs. Brackbill to
receive a copy of the assignment prior to registering for the course.
Summer Reading Requirement: Over the summer, accepted students will read three
novels and keep a reading journal which is due on the first day of class. Materials will be distributed prior to
summer break.
101311 Advanced Placement English
Language and Composition (Weight 1.3) 1.0
credit
(This
course will be scheduled to meet every other day for the full year)
Course Overview as published by College
Board: “The AP English Language and Composition course aligns to an
introductory college-level rhetoric and writing curriculum, which requires
students to develop evidence-based analytic and argumentative essays that
proceed through several stages or drafts. Students evaluate, synthesize, and
cite research to support their arguments. Throughout the course, students
develop a personal style by making appropriate grammatical choices.
Additionally, students read and analyze the rhetorical elements and their
effects in non-fiction texts, including graphic images as forms of text, from
many disciplines and historical periods.”
Prerequisites: Teacher approval required. To qualify for AP Language
at Donegal High School, students will need to earn an A or B in an honors
English course in tenth or eleventh grade and also satisfactorily complete an
admission essay. Prospective students should see Mrs. Brackbill a copy of the
assignment prior to registering for the course.
Summer Reading Requirement: Over the summer, accepted students will read three
novels and keep a reading journal which is due on the first day of class. Materials will be distributed prior to
summer break.
101511 English Composition (Weight 1.3) (Grade 11
or 12)
1.0 credit
(College in the High School Course) - Approval of school counselor and principal
required.
This
Harrisburg Area Community College, Lancaster Campus course focuses on the development of fluency in writing
clear, forceful, and effective prose.
Students will learn and utilize the writing process for many modes of
writing, including analytical, narrative, evaluative, argumentative, and
explanatory writing. Deep understanding
of the grammatical concepts of the English language as well as proper form and
citation will also be studied. In short, the course prepares the student for
the many types of writing required in a
college setting. Completion of this course results in the awarding of 3.0
college credits, transferable to any college or university that accepts
transcripts from HACC. A nominal registration and course fee is required by
Harrisburg Area Community College in order to participate.
Prerequisites: Must have taken an honors-level English
course in 10th or 11th grade and submit a qualifying essay to Mrs. Stokes
for approval prior to registering. Students will also need to pass HACC’s
entrance exam to take the course. Students who have applied in 11th
grade and were not accepted are encourage to apply again for their senior year.
625345
Literature I (Weight – 1.1) 0.5
credits
625445
Literature II (Weight – 1.1)
0.5 credits