Communication Arts: Sophomore Year
Sophomore Teaching Team
Sophomore English Course Descriptions:
Overarching theme: The individual's interaction and negotiation with society
Sophomore College Prep: This skills-based course continues the development of students' proficiencies in the areas of reading, literary analysis, writing, grammar/usage, oral communication, and research. Students explore the overarching theme through short stories, short nonfiction pieces, novels, poetry, and drama.
Commonly read texts include
Fahrenheit 451,
The House on Mango Street,
When the Emperor Was Divine,
Persepolis, and
Macbeth.
Through the literature, students build upon the various stylistic techniques introduced in Freshman English. A focus on persuasion introduces students to the study of rhetorical analysis. This writing intensive course builds upon the literary analysis essay introduced in Freshman English while reinforcing grammar and usage skills. Students write at least two process essays (persuasive and literary analysis) and at least one in-class essay per semester, along with shorter, informal pieces. Students are assessed regularly in the area of full-class and small-group discussions, and they are required to deliver one formal speech per semester. Vocabulary study and reading instruction continue to be integrated into the study of literature.
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Sophomore Accelerated English: This skills-based course continues the development of students' proficiencies in the areas of reading, literary analysis, writing, grammar/usage, oral communication, and research at a faster pace and at a greater level of sophistication than at the college prep level. Students explore the overarching theme through the study of challenging short stories, short essays and articles, novels, poetry, and drama selected for in-depth analysis.
Core texts included
Fahrenheit 451,
Jane Eyre, and
A Passage to India.
Through the literature, students build upon the various stylistic techniques introduced in Freshman Accelerated English. A focus on persuasion introduces students to the study of rhetorical analysis. This writing intensive course builds upon the literary analysis essay introduced in Freshman English while reinforcing grammar and usage skills. Students write regularly, producing at least two process essays and at least one in-class essay per semester (graded according to an adapted AP scoring guide).
Participation is a very important element at the accelerated level; students are assessed regularly in the area of full-class and small-group discussions, and they are required to deliver one formal speech per semester. Formalized independent vocabulary study requires students to meet overlapping deadlines.
Please consult the Stevenson Coursebook for electives available in the Sophomore Year.