*Weighted Courses

The following charts show the transitions necessary for the implementation of changes in the English curriculum. With the exception of Speech, all required course selections are included. Speech is required but does not have a designated year for enrollment.

NOTE: Levels of instruction are designed to provide the most effective English experience for each student, challenging while still allowing for his or her success. Students can and are encouraged to move into a higher level of instruction as they gain skills and confidence. Such movement will be done in consultation with the English department staff.

Course Descriptions

LITERACY STRATEGIES
One year, two credits
This course is recommended for students who are required to take Academic Learning Skills I. Literacy Strategies is designed for students who read at or below the 5th grade level. It provides concentrated instruction in reading comprehension and the writing that reinforces it. Strategies for improved reading comprehension include recognizing forms of discourse, finding main ideas, writing questions, recognizing and writing expository patterns, improving vocabulary, summarizing and paraphrasing, finding facts, and making inferences and predictions. Major texts are Breakthroughs in Critical Reading: Developing Critical Reading Skills, Disasters: 21 Famous Disasters–with Exercises for Developing Critical Reading Skills, additional selections primarily of nonfiction, as well as library books for independent reading.
ACADEMIC LEARNING SKILLS I
One year, two credits
This is a required course for certain students. Please refer to the Academic Learning Skills Policy in this publication for more information. The course provides instruction in basic content area reading, note taking from books and lectures, vocabulary, test taking strategies, grammar and conventions, and basic composition skills.
ACADEMIC LEARNING SKILLS II
One semester, one credit
This is a required course for certain students. Please refer to the Academic Learning Skills Policy in this publication for more information. This is a one semester course that is designed to improve student comprehension, study, and composition skills. Text: Reader’s: Handbook, A Student Guide for Reading and Learning. Specific emphasis will be placed on pre- and post- reading strategies, active reading, outlining, and note taking.
ENGLISH 9
One year, two credits
This course is recommended for 9th grade students who are required to take Academic Learning Skills II. It is designed for freshmen reading at the 6th to 8th grade level who may have deficits in one or more areas of English but also have distinct strengths. The primary textbook is The Language of Literature from McDougal Littell. Also included are supplemental works such as Romeo and Juliet, A Lesson Before Dying, Inherit the Wind, and Fahrenheit 451. This course provides practice in grammatical sentence structure, paragraphing, and clarity using Elements of Writing: Third Course by Kinneavy and Warriner.
COLLEGE PREP ENGLISH 9
One year, two credits
This course is designed for freshmen reading at or above grade level who are self-motivated and capable of doing extended lessons in reading and writing. Literature is focused on the thematic study of literary genre and reading for understanding of theme through analysis of point of view, setting, plot, characterization, language, and structure. The primary text is The Language of Literature from McDougal Littell. Also included are supplemental works such as Romeo and Juliet, A Lesson Before Dying, To Kill a Mockingbird, Inherit the Wind, Bless Me Ultima, Fahrenheit 451 and And Then There Were None. The course provides advanced instruction in grammar and paragraph structure and introduces concepts of composition for exposition and writing about literature using Elements of Writing: Third Course by Kinneavy and Warriner.
*AP PREP ENGLISH 9
One year, two credits
The Advanced Placement Preparation classes in the English Department are to help prepare students for the demands and rigor of senior Advanced Placement Literature and Composition. This course is designed for highly motivated and exemplary freshmen reading significantly above grade level, and who have mastered five paragraph expository compositions. This course will explore literature and composition at a very fast pace and with rigorous levels of analysis. Students are expected to devote significant time outside of class to meet course expectations. Students recommended for this class should have experienced high levels of success in English classes, have very strong reading and writing skills, and the maturity to sufficiently handle the rigorous work. The textbook for the class is The Prentice Hall Reader and the writing text is Elements of Writing: Third Course. Included are supplementary works such as Romeo and Juliet, To Kill a Mockingbird, Bless Me Ultima, Fahrenheit 451, Dandelion Wine, Beowolf, and British sonnets.
WORLD STUDIES FOR LIFE
One year, two English credits and two Social Science credits
This course is recommended for 10th grade students who are required to take Academic Learning Skills II. It is designed for sophomores reading significantly below grade level with deficits in composition skills as well. The social science portion of the course is identical to World Studies in that the course will examine major regions of the world through the lens of human geography. However, the English component of the class will be designed to specifically meet these students’ literacy needs. The focus of instruction will be reading comprehension, and writing at the sentence, paragraph, and basic composition level. The primary literature text is Literature for Life and Work, Book 1 by the National Textbook Company. The writing text for this is Elements of Writing: Fourth course.
WORLD STUDIES
One year, two English credits and two Social Science credits
This course is designed for sophomores reading at or slightly below grade level. The course integrates the social sciences and the language arts. The social science portion of the course will examine major regions of the world through the lens of human geography. The language arts component will focus on major literary works from these regions as both products and shapers of their local cultures. The course provides instruction in writing at the sentence, paragraph, and basic composition level. The primary literature text is Elements of Literature: Fourth Course with Readings in World Literature by Holt, Reinhart & Winston. The writing text is Elements of Writing: Fourth Course.
COLLEGE PREP WORLD STUDIES
One year, two English credits and two Social Science credits
This course is designed for sophomores reading at or above grade level and provides an approach to world studies that integrates the social sciences and the language arts. The social science portion of the course will examine major regions of the world through the lens of human geography. The language arts component of this course will focus on major literary works from these regions as both products and shapers of their local cultures. The primary literature text is World Literature by Holt, Rinehart, and Winston. Also included are supplemental works such as Things Fall Apart, Almost a Woman, Angela’s Ashes, and One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich. The writing component of this course includes introduction to research and expository, persuasive, and literary analysis papers in addition to research projects. The writing text for this class is Elements of Writing: Fourth Course by Kinneavy and Warriner.
*AP PREP WORLD STUDIES
One year, two English credits and two Social Science credits
The Advanced Placement Preparation classes in the English Department are to help prepare students for the demands and rigor of senior Advanced Placement Literature and Composition. This course is designed for more mature, independent, and advanced sophomores who read and write significantly above grade level. *AP Prep World Studies combines the social sciences and the language arts and provides a more rigorous approach and pace to its subject. Students are expected to devote significant time outside of class to meet course requirements and expectations. Students recommended for this class should have experienced high levels of success in challenging and rigorous English classes have very strong and effective reading and writing skills, and the maturity to sufficiently handle the rigorous work. The social science portion will analyze regions by way of human geography. The language arts portion will further explore major works from these regions in their social, historical, and cultural contexts while analyzing these works as literature in their own right. The primary text is World Literature by Holt, Rinehart, and Winston. Supplemental works include, Things Fall Apart, Almost a Woman, Angela’s Ashes, and One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich. The writing component of this course includes expository, persuasive, and literary analysis papers in addition research projects. The writing text for this class is Elements of Writing: Fourth Course by Kinneavy and Warriner.
AMERICAN STUDIES
One year, two English credits and two Social Science credits
This course is designed for juniors and provides an approach to American Studies that connects the social sciences with the language arts. The focus is on the study of literature from Romanticism to the present and the study of history from Reconstruction to the present. The primary social science text is The Americans: Reconstruction through the 20th Century and the primary literature text is Elements of Literature: Literature of the United States with Literature of the Americas by Holt Rinehart, and Winston. Supplemental literary works include Fallen Angels, A Raisin in the Sun, The Crucible, Catcher in the Rye, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Ellen Foster and Welcome to the Monkey House. The writing component of the course includes instruction in writing research papers, exposition, persuasion, and grammar.
*AMERICAN STUDIES
One year, two English credits and two Social Science credits
This course is designed for the mature, independent junior who reads and writes significantly above grade level. It provides an advanced and rigorous approach by combining American Literature and U.S. History. Some sections may be taught in a two-hour block. The focus is on the study of literature from Romanticism to the present and the study of history from Reconstruction to the present. This course will involve students committing a significant amount of time outside of class to meet the expectations and requirements. The primary social science text is the American Pageant by Houghton Mifflin and Elements of Literature: Literature of the United States with Literature of the Americas by Holt, Rinehart, and Winston. Supplemental works include Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Jungle, The Great Gatsby, The Grapes of Wrath, The Autobiography of Malcolm X, and Johnny Got His Gun. The writing component of this course includes instruction in the writing process with expository and persuasive essays, research papers, literacy analysis, and practice in impromptu writing.
WRITING WORKSHOP
One year, two credits
Prerequisite: American Studies – English or *American Studies - English
This course is based on the workshop model of study. It is specifically designed to provide concentrated and individualized instruction in written composition to prepare students for success in work or in continued academic study. In addition, the use of technology is integrated to enhance student skills for work or continued education. Assignments include the basics of narrative, expository, and persuasive writing. A secondary focus of the course is individual reading of fiction and nonfiction works of literature in order to encourage life long learning.
*LITERATURE AND COMPOSITION
One year, two credits
Prerequisite: American Studies – English or *American Studies - English
This course provides a rigorous thematic approach to longer works through literary analysis. Primary texts include works such as A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Othello, Hamlet, The Metamorphosis, Unsettling America, Native Son, Their Eyes Were Watching God, Catch 22, Siddhartha, The Poisonwood Bible, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, Ceremony, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, and The Snows of Kilimanjaro. The focus of composition is impromptu, exposition, and persuasion incorporating critical secondary sources.
*AP LITERATURE AND COMPOSITION
One year, two credits
Prerequisite: American Studies – English, *American Studies - English
This highly rigorous course is appropriate for seniors who read and write significantly above grade level. The text is Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama by X.J. Kennedy, a text used in colleges. Longer works studied include King Lear, Love Medicine, Beloved, The Things They Carried, All the King’s Men, White Noise, and four plays by Ibsen. Reading and writing assignments are similar to those which can be expected in college English courses, including a required second semester research paper and oral presentation of that research. Taking this class can prepare the student to take the Advanced Placement exam in May. Scoring well on that exam can result in up to 6 hours of college credit in Rhetoric or English.
SPEECH COMMUNICATION
One semester, one credit
This course is appropriate for students in grades 11 or 12 and for students in grade 10 if concurrently enrolled in *AP Prep World Studies. Students who enroll in this course should have solid research skills as they are necessary for effective completion of information and persuasive speeches. This course fulfills the Speech Communication requirement for graduation. The major goal of this course is to develop appreciation for and practice in speech concepts, including self-communication, one-to-one communication, small group communication, and public speaking. Good listening skills, essential to communication, are emphasized throughout the course.
DRAMA
One semester, one credit
May be repeated with consent of instructor. The major goal of this course is to study and practice techniques of acting, direction, and production. There will be a class production for which additional rehearsal time will be expected. This course is especially recommended for students interested in performance and in extra-curricular drama activities.
JOURNALISM
One year, two credits
This course is recommended for sophomores, juniors, and seniors who are interested in developing skills in objective reporting and an appreciation of the American media. The course provides an understanding of journalism and its role in our society, as well as such basics as news writing, feature writing, editing, layout design, and desktop publishing. Students in the class will write for The Echo, the student newspaper, and all students will benefit from the emphasis on writing skills, regardless of whether they ultimately pursue journalism as a career. This course is repeatable with the consent of the instructor. Students who elect to repeat the course will be primarily responsible for The Echo and will be given the weighted option.
YEARBOOK
One year, two credits
This course is recommended for sophomores, juniors, and seniors who are interested in developing skills in objective reporting and layout design. This course is repeatable with the consent of the instructor. Students who elect to repeat this course will be given the weighted option. The first year of the course provides an introduction to the basic elements of yearbook production by stressing copy writing, caption writing, cropping, editing, layout design and computer use in all areas. The second year of this course is recommended for juniors and seniors who are interested in becoming editors of the Rosemary. During the second year, students will be primarily responsible for the Rosemary and will be provided with a thorough understanding of the production process.

*Weighted Courses

Page updated 8-23-05

Urbana High School
1002 S. Race Street
Urbana, Illinois 61801

Phone: 217-384-3505
Fax: 217-384-3532