Celebrating Creative, Respectful and Rigorous Education Since 1973

ENGLISH

 

GREEKS I: The Wine Dark Sea                                                            

 

Cary Honig

 

This is the first trimester of a full year exploration of the development of one of the world’s most advanced and influential cultures.  We will utilize literature to explore the Greeks from a cultural perspective.  We will also assess the significant groundwork the Greeks provided for modern culture.  This trimester, we will address the beginnings of civilization in Egypt and Mesopotamia and these cultures' increasingly recognized influence on the Greeks.  Our central focus at home will be Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey, the two great texts that stand, with The Bible, at the heart of western literature.  We will look at these texts as myths, as historical documents and as works of art. In order to learn more about Greek mythology, we will also read selections from Homer’s contemporary, Hesiod. The class will spend time examining the beginnings of Greek art, philosophy, religion, poetry and drama this trimester, focusing in class on Aeschylus's plays Prometheus Unbound and Agamemnon.  This class will prepare students for college level work, so students should expect an essay almost every week and challenging but rewarding reading. This class is not for barbaroi!  See me when you sign up to get a head start on the reading. Punctuality in arrival of students and assignments is necessary.  Note taking and willingness to voice opinions, participate in play reading and ask questions are also crucial for earning credit.   Nil sine magno vita labore dedit mortalibus.  This class is an intellectual marathon, so if your brain is in shape, join us.  (English or History elective credit)

 

 

AMERICAN LITERATURE: The Great American Novel            

 

Michael Fox

 

In this course we will explore the idea of the “Great American Novel,” which has obsessed authors since the early days of our literary culture. These complex novels, including famous works like Moby Dick, The Sound and the Fury and The Grapes of Wrath, attempt to evoke the essence of the American experience: they seek to define who we are, where we have been and where we are headed as a civilization. We will read brief excerpts from a few novels and wrestle with historical, literary and philosophical issues that the novels raise. Each of us will then choose a novel to read independently and present to the class by the end of the trimester. The whole class will be reading F. Scott Fitzgerald’s, The Great Gatsby, often considered one of the finest works of American fiction. We will find out why through close reading and by keeping a detailed reading/discussion notebook. In addition, to earn credit for the course you will need to complete short critical essays about the novel, a synthesis essay using supplemental readings and films and a final essay about your independently chosen novel.

 

 

PLAYWRITING                                                                               

 

Joanna Miller

 

In this yearlong course, we will explore the craft of playwriting by studying its form through close reading and analysis of texts and through the act of writing itself. We will therefore explore a variety of styles, time periods, and perspectives as models upon which to base our discussions and our own writing. Some of the writers you will likely encounter in this class are William Shakespeare, Aristotle, Henrik Ibsen, Edward Albee, David Mamet, Caryl Churchill, Sarah Ruhl, Tennessee Williams, Margaret Edson, David Ives, Christopher Durang.  You will be expected to write both critical and analytic essays about the material as well as your own scenes and creative pieces.  The trimester will culminate in a performance of works written for the class. In order to receive credit, you will need to be punctual, engaged in our group discussions and responsible for all of the assignments (both reading and writing).

 

 

LITERATURE AND TIME I: The Persistence of Memory             

 

Michael Fox

 

This is the first installment of a three-trimester investigation into the nature of time (past, present, future). We will begin at the beginning by thinking about the workings of memory and the ways in which the past haunts and/or beautifies our experience of the present. Our readings include selected poetry and short stories, including The Circular Ruins by Jorge Luis Borges and Dreaming Child by Isak Dinesan. Since photography is a powerful means of remembering the past, we will also complete a unit in which we collect, discuss and write about meaningful photographs. To earn credit you will need to actively participate in class and complete class assignments with quality and care.  Major assignments include a narrative essay about a personal memory, an essay analyzing a photograph and short critical writings about the literature we read.

 

 

TRIALS I: The Bill of Rights                                                              

 

Cary Honig

 

This is the first trimester of a two year course designed for those of you who are interested in law and U.S. history as well as improving your English skills for the competency exam.  This trimester, our focus will be on understanding the Bill of Rights, which should be your favorite part of the Constitution.  Which rights does it provide?  Are they limited at all?  Against whom do you have these rights?  (Do you have a legal right to use them against your parents, your friends or School One?  You may not like the answer.)  Our primary focus will be on the religion and speech clauses of the First Amendment, and in this connection, we will be looking at the Puritan period in U.S. history to understand why these clauses were so important.  We will read Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel The Scarlet Letter and Arthur Miller's play The Crucible, which is about the Salem Witch Trials and, by implication, about McCarthyism in the 1950s.  In each unit, students will read part of the book, answer questions, join a class discussion and write and revise an essay.  Some of the essays will begin training you to think like lawyers, for which there is no known antidote.  We will also review grammar at least once a week.  Careful, consistent work and strong attendance will lead to progress in English skills and historical and legal knowledge.  Punctuality of students and assignments will be necessary to earn credit.  We will be working up to mock trials during the second and third trimesters.     (English or history elective credit)

 

 

NEWSPAPER ONE                                                                            

 

Michael Fox

 

This course introduces students to the exciting and rapidly changing world of journalism. Over the course of the school year, you will need to wear a few different journalistic “hats.”  You will learn to think and act as a reporter as you will be responsible for assisting in the production of the school newspaper. You will learn to write the various kinds of articles found in newspapers including hard news, features, editorials, profiles and reviews. Writing the news is only part of the job, as you will be responsible for editing stories and fitting them into a visually appealing layout for the printed newspaper. In addition to producing news, you will be learning to think critically as a consumer of news. We are bombarded, it seems, from every angle by information, and becoming media literate is of great importance to the 21^st century student. We will read and watch news reports, analyzing them for the methods they use to engage, inform, persuade and manipulate us. To earn credit, you will need to “do your job” for each issue of Newspaper One, complete news analysis worksheets and participate actively in discussion and news production meetings.

 

 

LITERARY GENRES I: The Short Story                                         

 

Michael Fox

 

In this yearlong course, we will explore the various genres of literature: fiction, poetry, and non-fiction. The first trimester focuses on short stories. We will learn about the various elements that make up a quality short story including strong character development, an evocative setting, an engaging point-of-view and a compelling theme. By analyzing and writing about short stories, we will improve our critical thinking and communication skills. We will also be able to think imaginatively as we compose our own original short stories.  For credit you will need to be actively engaged in class activities, complete analysis worksheets for each story, and complete all writing assignments.

 

 

CURRENT AFFAIRS                                                            

 

Siobhan Ritchie Cute

 

How far can Arizona go in searching out illegal immigrants?  Will the voters or the courts prevail on the question of same sex marriage in California?  How does this relate to protecting your rights?  Will Bristol and Levi ever get married?  If they do, will Steve be invited?  In this class, we will study current events that may include some of those just listed.  In addition, this class will help you identify your own beliefs and state them clearly in writing.  We will complete four separate units of study this trimester, each including vocabulary work, grammar sheets, reading comprehension questions, a class discussion and rough and final draft essays.  Students must complete all assignments and be present and on time in body and work in order to earn credit.