Grade 9
Grade 9 emphasizes the integration of advanced grammar, critical thinking and problem-solving, and writing skills necessary for the different types of writing students will need later in high school and college. Students receive instruction in writing academic essays, short or constructed response questions, document-based questions, long essay questions, argumentative essays, rhetorical analysis essays, reports, and research papers. These writing lessons are ideal for students who will enroll in AP or IB courses starting in 10th grade. The course also emphasizes reading comprehension and writing fundamentals to start preparation for the SAT/PSAT when students are in 10th or 11th grade. Lesson material also introduces students to the fundamentals of the ACT English, Reading, and Science tests. Teaching addresses differences in reading approaches for science, social science, humanities, and classical fiction passages. Science instruction for the ACT science test focuses on data representation tables and graphics, comparison of experimental results, and analyzing differences in scientific viewpoints. This course provides an introduction to STEM writing.
Grade 10
This class develops the skills students need to excel on the SAT Reading and Writing Test. The course emphasizes reading comprehension and writing fundamentals necessary to start preparation for the SAT. Teaching addresses differences in reading approaches for science, social science, fiction, and historical document passages with a particular emphasis on the types of short passages used by the digital PSAT and SAT. Additionally, grammar and writing fundamentals essential to high scores on the writing questions are part of the weekly lesson plan. While the primary focus is PSAT/SAT preparation, the course also emphasizes essay writing principles necessary for the writing portion of many AP exams. Students practice writing argumentative essays, synthesis essays, and rhetorical analysis essays. Students learn the critical thinking, problem solving, organization, and writing skills necessary after high school. Enrollment is limited.
Grade 11
Classes emphasize integrated reading, writing, and vocabulary building. Core topics are advanced non-fiction reading comprehension strategies, advanced grammar, and essay writing. Grammar instruction covers topics -- such as use of the EM dash or the use of the colon to join independent clauses -- not typically covered in high school English classes. Essay writing focuses on essay types of direct relevance to Grade 11 students. Students learn more advanced methods and techniques for three different types of essays: argumentative, rhetorical analysis, and synthesis essays. In addition to crafting strong traditional (Aristotelian) arguments, students also learn how to construct Rogerian and Toulmin arguments and explore how these approaches to argumentation are used in public discourse. The class also covers more advanced approaches to rhetorical analysis and synthesis essays. Each of these essay types is tested on the AP Lang national exam for Grade 11 students. The course provides students with more advanced reading passages in history, psychology and sociology, economics, and physics and astronomy. These passage sharpen students' reading comprehension skills in preparation for college.
