Philosophy statement
We believe that God communicates to us through words, and that a Book, the Bible, is His revealed word to us. He gave us the gift of language and communication. Therefore, it is important to cultivate those gifts in students. God also uses stories, poetry, and other forms of literature to communicate His Word. Students will learn to read, comprehend, interpret, appreciate all types of literature. Finally, it is our duty as Christians to be able to participate in the arena of stories, literature, and ideas. Students will learn to understand, analyze, and sift ideas they encounter in literature, and be able to respond clearly through writing and discussion.

Course objective
This course emphasizes reading and learning the characteristics of various genres such as short stories, drama, essays, poetry, and novels. Students are expected to learn and be ready to explain various literary and writing terms as well as look for Biblical integration. (ESLR: NLL, DC. RUC) Students will regularly read additional books of their own choosing and report on them in a variety of ways. (ESLR: NLL, DC) Students will read and report on books about other countries. (ESLR: SCW)
In completing the vocabulary book, students learn and review 150-200 words chosen for their usefulness, appropriateness to grade level, and applicability to various themes or topics. They will use them in a variety of ways. (ESLR: NLL, DC)
Students review the vocabulary and function of grammar. Emphasis is on learning the structure of the English language and how to use it to become more effective communicators, to write creatively, to show, not tell. We experiment with and practice different stylistic techniques as well as seek to improve general mechanics. (ESLR: ET, DC)

Textbooks
Adventures for Readers, Book One, Athena Edition, Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1996
Vocabulary for Achievement, First Course, by Margaret Richek, etc., Great Source, 1998,
Houghton Mifflin English 7, 1990

Materials
textbooks
library books and magazines
literature circle books such as Johnny Tremain, Witch of Blackbird Pond, Code Talker, North

Time Allotment
50 minutes, 5 times weekly, 2 semesters

Course contents

  • Short stories
  • Drama – Shakespeare and part of A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream
  • Poetry
  • Nonfiction
  • Novel
  • Grammar: eight parts of speech, parts of the sentence
  • Mechanics
  • Write compare and contrast paragraph, short research paper, poem, analysis of a poem, and persuasive paper (along with study of various types of persuasive techniques).

Assessment
group projects
book, magazine reports
tests, quizzes, essays
creative writing, essay writing
public speaking