English

Full Year, 1 credit
This course begins the four-year English sequence, which includes the New York State Next Generation English Regents Exam in junior year. This course requires students to read, discuss, and write about literature. English 9 engages students in a full-year Independent Reading Project that utilizes a “Windows and Mirrors” approach to introducing diverse authors, characters, and voices.

Literature: In addition to the independent reading project, students will read a wide selection of short stories and poems. Major literary works to be analyzed may include: To Kill a Mockingbird, Romeo and Juliet, Of Mice and Men, Twelve Angry Men, Oedipus the King and Devil at My Heels.

Composition: A major objective of this course is the development of expository writing skills. Paragraphs and essays will be assigned. By the end of the course, students will be expected to write well-structured, evidence-based argument essays, including a research-based paper. Other curriculum areas will include vocabulary development, grammar, listening and speaking. Class participation = 10% of the student’s grade and coursework = 90% of the student’s grade.

Full Year, 1 credit
In addition to the requirements of English 9, this class expects students to conduct mature, in-depth exploration and analysis of literature. Students will also develop analytical, persuasive argument-based writing skills. Directed research and problem solving throughout this course will be used to guide students through the learning process.

Literature: Major literary works to be analyzed may include: Twelve Angry Men, Taming of the Shrew, Romeo and Juliet, Jane Eyre, Devil at My Heels, To Kill a Mockingbird, A Raisin in the Sun, Oedipus the King, and The Odyssey. In addition, students will also be required to read independent full-length works.

Composition: In addition to composition requirements for English 9, students in English 9 Honors will complete more independent writing assignments, conduct research on topics related to the literature covered in class, and compose properly formatted research papers regarding these topics. Coursework is 90% of the student’s grade and Class Participation is 10%.

Full Year, 1 credit
English 10 is designed to give students a broad background in literature from multiple perspectives. The course, which will prepare students for the Common Core English Regents Exam, focuses on literary response, persuasive argument-based writing, and further development of communication skills.

Literature: Students will read novels, short stories, drama, poetry, and nonfiction.  At least two of the following full-length works will be read and analyzed: Julius Caesar, Fahrenheit 451, The Secret Life of Bees, The Joy Luck Club, The Color of Water, This Boy’s Life, Lord of the Flies, and Animal Farm. Students may also self-select independent reading texts.

Composition: A major objective of this course is the continued development of expository writing skills, with particular emphasis on persuasive/argument-based writing. Writing will be assigned frequently, and a research project will be required. Other curricular areas will include vocabulary development, grammar, listening, and speaking. Class participation and homework = 10% of the student’s grade and coursework = 90% of the student’s grade.

Full Year, 1 credit
This course is designed to give students a broad background in multicultural literature from multiple perspectives. The course focuses on four themes: Identity, Perspectives, Culture and Diversity, and Journeys. Students will be required to do extensive reading and writing. Since this course helps prepare students for the Common Core English Regents Exam, a major emphasis will be placed on the development of analytical, persuasive, argument-based writing skills as well as personal response. Students will learn to read critically and develop skills in literary analysis. Major literary works to be analyzed may include: The Stranger, A Doll’s House, The Bluest Eye, Hamlet, Lord of the Flies, Frankenstein, Fahrenheit 451, Animal Farm, The Grass Dancer, and various works of poetry.  Students will complete one major research project. Class participation = 10% of the student’s grade and coursework and 90% of the student’s grade.

Eligibility: Students who intend to take English 10 Honors should meet the following criteria: 92 first semester average from English 9/86 from English 9 Honors and/or recommendation from current English teacher.

Full Year, 1 credit
This course is designed to give students an understanding of the American Literary tradition. In addition to an independent reading unit, major works to be studied may include: The Crucible, The Great Gatsby, Death of a Salesman, Macbeth, The Scarlet Letter, The Catcher in the Rye, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, The Last Lecture, and The Glass Castle. Poetry, short stories, and nonfiction selections are studied in conjunction with the major works of literature. There is also an independent memoir unit. Essays and journal entries focused on literary analysis will be assigned regularly, along with continued work on the evidence-based argument essay and a research paper. Students are required to take the English Regents Exam in June. Class participation = 10% of the student’s grade and coursework = 90% of the student’s grade.

Full Year, 1 credit
This course is designed to give students a broad background in the American literary tradition. In addition to an independent reading unit, major works to be analyzed may include: The Crucible, The Scarlet Letter, Huckleberry Finn, The Awakening, The Great Gatsby, Death of a Salesman, The Catcher in the Rye, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Their Eyes Were Watching God, The Color Purple, A Farewell to Arms, and Macbeth. Poetry, nonfiction, and short stories are studied in conjunction with the major works of literature. Essays and journal entries focused on literary analysis will be assigned regularly. In addition to continuing to work on evidence-based argument essays and text analysis in preparation for the English Regents Exam, a research paper will also be required. Students registering for this course should have demonstrated strong ability in literary interpretation, writing skills, and independent research.

Eligibility: Students in English 10 who intend to take English 11 Honors should meet the following criteria: 92 first semester average from English 10R/86 from English 10 Honors and/or recommendation from current English teacher.

College Course Name: Freshman Composition 1
Full Year, 1 credit
Opportunity to earn 3 credits from SUNY New Paltz
English 12 will provide the student with opportunities to become a more effective writer and critical, lifelong reader through the development of a digital writing portfolio. Literature will be primarily nonfiction focusing on the themes of “Challenges” and “Reflections.” Reading selections may include: The Body, Night, A Streetcar Named Desire, Othello, and Into the Wild among others. Independent reading may be assigned, and shorter works will also be studied. In addition, students will examine different aspects of culture (television shows, radio, movies, advertisements, newspapers, and magazines). While examining works from various eras, students will critically analyze the ways in which different genres convey similar themes. This class will begin with personal essay writing and also include class discussions/debates, journal entries, response papers, research papers, presentations, and a digital portfolio project. Students enrolled in English 12 have the option of registering to earn college credit through SUNY New Paltz.

College Course Name: Freshman Composition 1
Full Year, 1 credit
Opportunity to earn 3 credits from SUNY New Paltz
English 12 Honors is designed to give students a broad background in literature. The difference between this class and English 12 will be in the complexity of both the selected literature and the work assigned to and expected from the students. Major works to be analyzed may include: The Canterbury Tales, Into the Wild, Twelfth Night, The Body, Othello, The Tempest, A Streetcar Named Desire, and Night. Poetry and short literary pieces will also be assigned. In addition, students will examine different aspects of culture (television shows, radio, movies, advertisements, newspapers, and magazines). While examining works from various eras, students will critically analyze the ways in which different genres convey similar themes. This will involve class discussions/debates, research papers, journal entries, response papers, and presentations. The first quarter will include a unit of study on writing strategies for personal essays. Essays requiring in-depth literary analysis will be assigned regularly, and a writing portfolio project will be required. Students enrolled in English 12 also have the option of registering to earn college credit through SUNY New Paltz. Class participation = 10% of the student’s grade and coursework = 90% of the student’s grade.

College Course Name: Freshman Composition 1
Full Year, 1 credit
Opportunity to earn 3 credits from SUNY New Paltz
English 12 will provide the student with opportunities to become a more effective writer and critical reader through the development of a writing portfolio. Literature will be primarily nonfiction focusing on the themes of “Challenges” and “Reflections.” Reading selections include The Body, Night, and Into the Wild among others. Shorter works will also be studied. This class will begin with the college entrance essay and also include class discussions/debates, journal entries, response papers, research papers, presentations, persuasive/argument-based essays and a writing portfolio project. Students enrolled in English 12 have the option of registering to earn college credit through SUNY New Paltz.

The Senior Seminar portion of the course is offered in conjunction with Participation in Government III. In the spring, students will intern or work with a mentor from the community to explore a career opportunity and/or personal interest. Students must be able to provide their own transportation to and from the internship. In addition, students will be required to write a research paper, keep a journal, and give a presentation reflecting on their program experiences.

College Course Name: Freshman Composition 1
Full Year, 1 credit
Opportunity to earn 3 credits from SUNY New Paltz
English 12 Honors is designed to give students a broad background in literature. The difference between this class and English 12 will be in the complexity of both the selected literature and the work assigned to and expected from the students. Major works to be analyzed may include: The IIiad, The Canterbury Tales, Into the Wild, 1984, The Body, Othello, The Tempest, A Streetcar Named Desire, and Night. Poetry and short literary pieces will also be assigned. While examining works from various eras, students will critically analyze the ways in which different genres convey similar themes. This will involve class discussions/debates, research papers, journal entries, response papers, and presentations. The first quarter will include a unit of study on writing strategies for the college essay. Persuasive, argument-based essays and essays requiring in-depth literary analysis will be assigned regularly, and a writing portfolio project will be required. Students enrolled in English 12 Honors also have the option of registering to earn college credit through SUNY New Paltz. Class participation = 10% of the student’s grade and coursework = 90% of the student’s grade.

The Senior Seminar portion of the course is offered in conjunction with Participation in Government III. In the spring, students will work with a member of the community or their teacher to develop projects that explore a career opportunity and/or personal interest.  Students must be able to provide their own transportation to and from the internship. In addition, students will be required to write a research paper, keep a journal, and give a presentation reflecting on their program experiences.

College Course Name: Freshman Composition 1
Full Year, 1 credit
Opportunity to earn 3 credits from SUNY New Paltz
Candidates for this college-level course must have demonstrated high ability in both literature interpretation and essay writing skills. Students engage in intensive analytical study of many classic works of drama, fiction, and poetry, with frequent writing assignments.  Research projects, a portfolio, and presentations are also required.

Works are selected from among:

• Drama: Enemy of the People
• Novels: Pride and Prejudice, Wuthering Heights, Heart of Darkness, As I Lay Dying, Bless Me, Ultima, Things Fall Apart, and The Things They Carried

The regularly assigned papers, both timed and untimed, will involve questions similar to those required on the Advanced Placement Exam. Additional emphasis will be placed on more extensive persuasive, research-based papers. Students enrolled in AP English Literature and Composition also have the option of registering to earn college credit through SUNY New Paltz. Active class participation (10% of the course grade) is essential.

Eligibility: Students who intend to take AP English Literature should meet the following criteria: current average of at least 90 from English 11 Honors and/or recommendation from current English teacher.

One Semester, 1/2 credit
Creative Writing is a seminar intended for students who wish to explore writing creatively. Students will complete assignments in poetry, nonfiction, and fiction. Various literary readings will be discussed in class in an effort to acquaint the writer with recent creative and artistic trends. Students will be required to submit their work to Tones, the high school literary magazine. This course can be taken multiple times.

One Semester, 1/2 credit
The goal of Public Speaking is to make the student an effective speaker anytime, anywhere. It will teach the student how to deliver speeches that inform and persuade, and how to deliver speeches of introduction and welcome. Stage fright and nervousness will be addressed. Other areas that will be emphasized are: understanding the audience, using the voice effectively, studying non-verbal communication, and using visual aids. Students will be expected to use presentation tools.

Full Year, cycled 1/2 credit
This elective is designed for students who have an interest in journalism. Each aspect of putting a newspaper together will be covered from coming up with ideas for articles to layout and publication. The course will involve writing a variety of articles and assisting in the publication of Tapress four or five times during the school year. Students will learn how to conduct interviews in addition to writing news stories, features, sports, and opinions/reviews. Other topics will include the role of social media in journalism, the ethical duties and responsibilities of a journalist, the difference between a high school newspaper and a privately owned commercial newspaper or magazine, and whether a journalist actually has the right to keep his/her sources confidential. Projects may also include writing for audio (i.e., podcasts). This course can be taken multiple times.

Full Year, 1 credit
Taught jointly by an English and a Social Studies teacher, this course emphasizes collaborative learning. Through group work and assignments students will examine legal issues including Supreme Court decisions, landmark trials, literature, and actual case files that have been reproduced for use in this class. Students will learn how to analyze complex legal issues and prepare extensive oral and legal arguments while considering audience, subject matter, and tone. These public speaking skills will be put to the test during mock trials and other group presentations throughout the year. Course expectations include interest in reading, writing, public speaking, collaboration, and thinking critically. Students who successfully complete the course will receive 1/2 credit for English and 1/2 credit for Social Studies. Students must register for this course under both English and Social Studies. 

*Not offered 2026-27 school year
One Semester, 1/2 credit
In this semester course, students will explore the world of podcasts, including their origins, popularity, and growth in recent years. Goals will include finding podcasts that stimulate thinking, challenge pre-established ideas and present a variety of viewpoints. Examining various formats including daily, weekly, and seasonal podcasts, students will gain an understanding of the process of producing a podcast and realize that it is more than just sitting and talking into a recording device. Students will complete several projects where they create a 2-3 minute podcast on a given or chosen topic and final assignment to research, develop, record, and produce a 10-15 minute podcast.

*Not offered 2026-27 school year
One Semester, 1/2 credit
A film may be just as complex as a piece of literature. Acclaimed director Orson Welles once explained, “The only point of making a movie is to have the eye of a poet behind the lens.” In a digital age when students are viewing more film and screen content than ever before, this semester course will help students become critical evaluators of film and screen content as they study and analyze cinematic techniques used by filmmakers such as camera angles, shots, transitions, montage, lighting, framing, and score. Students will learn to recognize this “eye of the poet” by reading films as they would texts, analyzing each work for elements such as character, conflict, theme, foreshadowing, irony, etc. Students will also read some original texts (or excerpts) from which films were adapted and discuss the filmmaker’s choices about changes, omissions, and additions.

Full Year, 1 credit
This course introduces English Language Learners to the fundamentals of English with an emphasis on reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Vocabulary and grammar are presented in context, and practical English, such as that needed to navigate the school environment, is emphasized. Students in this course are also encouraged to take advantage of several computer programs available for independent study. This course uses material appropriate for students whose English language skills could be described as entering, and requires two periods of instruction daily.

Full Year, 1 credit
This intermediate level course is designed to give English Language Learners a background in literature and non-fiction texts with the goal of preparing them for mainstream ELA and for the English Regents exam. The course exposes students to classic literature from various traditions, as well as a variety of nonfiction texts, and uses material appropriate for students whose English language skills could be described as emerging or transitioning. Grammar is presented in context and individualized remediation is developed based on assessment of students’ written work. The course includes a mandatory cycled grammar lab.

This advanced level course is designed to continue to build students’ backgrounds in literature and non-fiction texts with the goal of preparing them for mainstream ELA and for the English Regents exam. The course exposes students to classic literature from various traditions, as well as a variety of nonfiction texts, and uses material appropriate for students whose English language skills could be described as emerging or transitioning. Grammar is presented in context and individualized remediation is developed based on assessment of students’ written work.