GRADE LEVEL 9

ENGLISH 9 (A102)
English Language Arts (9th grade) course is aligned with grade 9-10 Maryland College and Career-Ready Standards, developing critical thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills. The course is designed to build knowledge through content-rich and informational texts and literature. Reading and writing instruction is grounded in text evidence and focused on strategies. The course provides regular practice with complex texts and academic vocabulary. Writing instruction will focus on arguments to support claims, informative texts, and narratives. Students will be evaluating sources and formatting formal essays.

HONORS ENGLISH 9 (A102H)
Honors English Language Arts (9th grade) is a rigorous course of study aligned with the Maryland College and Career- Ready Standards. This course utilizes pre-AP strategies and is designed to prepare students for the rigors of the Advanced Placement English courses and exams. The course studies texts in depth. Students independently read challenging works of fiction and literary non-fiction and engage in effective communication. Students will read for text significance and style with a focus on literary analysis, rhetorical analysis, and synthesis. Research and writing activities focus on using the writing process with an emphasis on editing and revision.

GRADE LEVEL 10

ENGLISH 10 (A104)
The English Language Arts 10 course is aligned with the Maryland College and Career-Ready Standards for developing critical thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills. The course is designed to build knowledge through content-rich and informational texts and literature. Reading and writing instruction is grounded in text evidence and focused on strategies. The course provides regular practice with complex texts and academic vocabulary. Writing instruction will focus on arguments to support claims, informative texts, and narratives. Students will be evaluating sources and formatting formal essays. Students must pass the Grade 10 MCAP to be considered College and Career Ready. Prerequisite: Successful completion of English 9

HONORS ENGLISH 10 (A104H)
Honors English Language Arts (10th grade) is a rigorous course of study aligned with the Maryland College and Career-Ready Standards. This course utilizes pre-AP strategies and is designed to prepare students for participation in Advanced Placement English courses. This course will provide an opportunity for students to gain skills and background knowledge and earn confidence for the AP's rigorous academic study. Students study a variety of literary genres as they analyze and evaluate the rhetoric of writers and apply these techniques in their own written argumentation, including on-demand responses and research-based papers. Students must pass the Grade 10 MCAP to be considered College and Career Ready. Prerequisite: Successful completion of English 9

AP SEMINAR: ENGLISH 10 (A189AP) AP/IB/200 Level Weight
AP Seminar: English courses expose students to a variety of texts covering multiple genres, topics, and rhetorical contexts in a seminar-style setting. This course fosters students' ability to summarize and explain the ideas in a text by analyzing an author's perspective, rhetorical choices, and argumentative structure. Students evaluate a variety of literary, informational, and visual texts and synthesize perspectives to develop evidence-based arguments. Students convey their findings through multiple written formats, multimedia presentations, and oral defenses. Prerequisite: Successful completion of English 9

GRADE LEVEL 11 AND 12

ENGLISH 11 (A106)
English Language Arts (11th grade) course is aligned with grade 11-12 Maryland College and Career-Ready Standards, developing critical thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills. The course is designed to build knowledge through content-rich and informational texts and literature. Reading and writing instruction is grounded in text evidence and focused on strategies. The course provides regular practice with complex texts and academic vocabulary. Writing instruction will focus on arguments to support claims, informative texts, and narratives. Students will be evaluating sources and formatting formal essays. Prerequisite: Successful completion of English 10

HONORS ENGLISH 11 (A106H)
English Language Arts (11th grade) course is aligned with grade 11-12 Maryland College and Career-Ready Standards, developing critical thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills. The course is designed to build knowledge through content-rich and informational texts and literature. Reading and writing instruction is grounded in text evidence and focused on strategies. The course provides regular practice with complex texts and academic vocabulary. Writing instruction will focus on arguments to support claims, informative texts, and narratives. Students will be evaluating sources and formatting formal essays. Prerequisite: Successful completion of English 10

ENGLISH COMPOSITION 101 (A1089SM) Dual Credit (ENG101), Accelerated Credit
The course provides instruction that focuses on writing skills, evaluating and explaining ideas, conducting research, developing a research composition, and documenting research. Students will be given extensive practice in creating and revising their compositions. Emphasis is placed upon Rhetorical Knowledge, Critical Thinking, Research, Processes, and Conventions. Prerequisite: Successful completion of English 10

ENGLISH 12  (A108)
English Language Arts (12th grade) course is aligned with grade 11-12 Maryland College and Career-Ready Standards, developing critical thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills. The course is designed to build knowledge through content-rich and informational texts and literature. Reading and writing instruction is grounded in text evidence and focused on strategies. The course provides regular practice with complex texts and academic vocabulary. Writing instruction will focus on arguments to support claims, informative texts, and narratives. Students will be evaluating sources and formatting formal essays. Prerequisite: Successful completion of English 11

ADVANCED ENGLISH COMPOSITION 102 (A1088SM) Dual Credit (ENG102), Accelerated Credit
This course continues with the transferable writing skills gained in ENG 101. This course refines the writing process after the student's confidence is established. Emphasis is placed upon Rhetorical Knowledge, Critical Thinking, Research, Processes, and Conventions. This course is for dual enrollment credit. Prerequisite: English Composition 101

ENGLISH TECHNICAL WRITING 112 (A188SM) Dual Credit (ENG112), Accelerated Credit
This course provides instruction on the principles and mechanics of technical writing that enable students employed in business and industry to present technical information in an approved manner. It will also provide students with a general review of English composition and reading for information.

ADVANCED PLACEMENT ENGLISH LITERATURE AND COMPOSITION (A115AP) AP Weight
Following the College Board's suggested curriculum designed to parallel college-level English courses, AP English Literature and Composition courses enable students to develop critical standards for evaluating literature. Students study the language, character, action, and theme in works of recognized literary merit; enrich their understanding of connotation, metaphor, irony, syntax, and tone; and write compositions of their own (including literary analysis, exposition, argument, narrative, and creative writing). Students who take an AP course are expected to take the AP exam offered for that course in early May. Prerequisite: Honors English 10/English 10

ADVANCED PLACEMENT ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION (A116AP) AP Weight
Following the College Board's suggested curriculum designed to parallel college-level English courses, AP English Language and Composition courses expose students to prose written in various periods, disciplines, and rhetorical contexts. These courses emphasize the interaction of authorial purpose, intended audience, and the subject at hand, and through them, students learn to develop stylistic flexibility as they write compositions covering various topics intended for multiple purposes. Students who take an AP course are expected to take the AP exam offered for that course in early May. Prerequisite: Honors English 10/English 10

IB ENGLISH (PART 1) (HL) (A106IB)
English (Part 1), offered only at North Hagerstown High School, is the first course in the IB English sequence in preparation for the IB English Higher Level exam. This course provides students with a broad literary and cultural experience that encourages the thoughtful appreciation of both global diversity and literature as an art. Through literature study, IB English also examines and explores the static and dynamic aspects of the human experience throughout time. The course requires students to use knowledge from other disciplines to enhance appreciation and understanding of humanity. Students develop confidence and skill in both written and oral expression through a series of assignments that become progressively more independent of teacher direction. Prerequisite: Honors at NHHS

IB ENGLISH (PART 1) (SL) (A107IB)
IB English SL (Part 1), offered only at North Hagerstown High School, is the first course in the IB English sequence in preparation for the IB English Standard Level exam. This course is offered to students participating in the IB Career-related Programme. Students completing this course will have a thorough knowledge of a range of texts and an understanding of other cultural perspectives. They will also have effectively developed skills of analysis and the ability to support of an argument in clearly expressed writing, sometimes at significant length. The course will enable them to succeed in a wide range of university courses, particularly in literature but also in subjects such as philosophy, law and language. Students develop confidence and skill in both written and oral expression through a series of assignments that become progressively more independent of teacher direction.

IB ENGLISH (PART 2) (HL) (A108IB)
IB English (Part 2), offered only at North Hagerstown High School, is the concluding course in the IB English sequence in final preparation for the IB English Higher Level exam. This course continues the thoughtful appreciation of both global diversity and literature as an art, providing a broad literary and cultural experience. IB English also examines and explores the static and dynamic aspects of the human experience throughout time as related through literature. The course requires students to use knowledge from other disciplines to enhance appreciation and understanding of humanity. Students exhibit confidence and skill in both written and oral expression through a series of independent assignments. Students must complete all assessment requirements to receive IBO recognition for completing this course. Prerequisite: IB English (Part 1) (HL)

IB ENGLISH (PART 2) (SL) (A109IB)
English SL (Part 2), offered only at North Hagerstown High School, is the concluding course in the IB English sequence in final preparation for the IB English Standard Level exam. This course is offered to students participating in the IB Career-related Programme. This course continues the thoughtful appreciation of both global diversity and literature as an art; students will have a thorough knowledge of a range of texts and an understanding of other cultural perspectives. They will also have effectively developed skills of analysis and the ability to support an argument in clearly expressed writing, sometimes at significant length. The course will enable them to succeed in a wide range of university courses, particularly in literature but also in subjects such as philosophy, law and language. Students develop confidence and skill in both written and oral expression through a series of assignments that become progressively more independent of teacher direction, as well as both internal and external assessments as required by the IBO. Students must complete all assessment requirements to receive IBO recognition for completing this course. Prerequisite: IB English (Part 1) .

ELECTIVE CREDITS (THESE DO NOT MEET GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS FOR ENGLISH)

JOURNALISM I (A122) Grade Level 10-12
Journalism I focuses on developing the skills necessary to produce a news publication. Instructional materials and teaching strategies train students in news gathering, news writing, and overall newspaper production. Technology and media used in professional journalism are highlighted. Students enrolled in this course will participate in the production of a print or electronic high school newspaper.

JOURNALISM II (A124) Grade Level 11, 12
Journalism II reinforces the content and strategies presented in Journalism I. Students are introduced to newspaper management and administration. Students enrolled in this course are expected to serve in various administrative roles and are responsible for producing the school newspaper. Prerequisite: Journalism I

CREATIVE WRITING (A130) Grade Level 10, 11, 12
Creative Writing courses offer students the opportunity to develop and improve their technique and individual style in poetry, short stories, drama, essays, and other forms of prose. The emphasis of the courses is on writing; however, students may study exemplary representations and authors to obtain a fuller appreciation of the form and craft. Although most creative writing classes cover several expressive forms, others concentrate exclusively on one particular form (such as poetry or playwriting).

PUBLIC SPEAKING AND FORENSICS (A152SM) Dual Credit (COM103)
Public Speaking courses enable students, through practice, to develop communication skills that can be used in a variety of speaking situations (such as small and large group discussions, delivery of lectures or speeches in front of audiences, and so on). Course topics may include (but are not limited to) research and organization, writing for verbal delivery, stylistic choices, visual and presentation skills, analysis and critique, and development of self-confidence. This course offers students the opportunity to learn how to use oral skills effectively in formal and informal situations. Students learn such skills as logic and reasoning, the organization of thought and supporting materials, and effective presentation of one’s voice and body. Often linked to an extracurricular program, these courses introduce students to numerous public speaking situations, and they learn the methods, aims, and styles of a variety of events (e.g., formal debate, Lincoln-Douglas debate, expository speaking, radio broadcast, oral interpretation, and dramatic interpretation). Participation in competitions is encouraged, but not always required.