Program of Studies Program of Studies 2018-19 | Page 21

above average competency in
English to develop skills more
intensively in the areas of reading,
public speaking and writing.
Students will be asked to read
college-level texts and to write
college-level essays.
NOTE: A summer reading
assignment is mandatory; see
details in the introduction to this
section.
Foundations of Senior English
(1 credit)
Prerequisite: placement by
department and school counselor
Students in this course will
continue working to develop their
written and oral communication
skills and their appreciation of
literature. Emphasis will be on
work-related learning and skills
enhancement. Community service
projects will be developed.
SEMESTER ENGLISH OPTIONS
FOR SENIORS
These courses continue to build on
work established in Junior English,
but will look toward the skills
needed as students transition from
high school to two- and four- year
colleges and universities.
If a senior was appropriately placed
in AP, Honors or a Foundations
English class as a junior, then s/
he should choose the same level
yearlong course for senior year (i.e.,
AP Language & Literature, Honors
Senior English, or Foundations of
Senior English). All other seniors
will take a pairing of the following
semester-long courses, all of which
include a foundation in both writing
and literature, as preparation for
further education at two- and four-
year colleges and universities.
Journeys in Short Fiction (0.5 credit)
This college prep semester elective
will explore short fiction as a
literary genre. Students will read
and discuss the best of both classic
and contemporary short fiction,
including stories, essays, poetry,
and plays. Class discussion will be
a critical component of this course
as students dissect the qualities
of the short fiction genre, paying
particular attention to rhetorical
and literary devices. Students
will be asked to write a variety
of works as part of this class,
including reflective, comparative
and analytical papers, as well as
creative pieces.
Dark Days, Dystopian Fiction
(0.5 credit)
Dystopian fiction presents
imaginary societies in which
“everything is unpleasant or bad,”
especially in the environmental
and political landscape. By
exaggerating the negative, these
works may be understood as
warnings, encouraging readers
to see the flaws in their cultures
and correct them before it is too
late. Reading works of this genre,
then, does not necessarily have
to be a depressing or pessimistic
enterprise. This course will examine
several dystopian texts (e.g.,
Fahrenheit 451, 1984, Brave New
World) in order to illuminate the
dangers of modern human culture,
to learn the possible consequen ces
of our societal and individual
actions and thus (we hope) avoid
them.
Literature of American Sport
(0.5 credit)
This course will examine sports and
sport issues through short stories,
poetry, fiction and nonfiction.
Students will read the Travis Roy
story Eleven Seconds and John
Grisham’s Bleachers in conjunction
with an independent choice read.
Students will also be exposed
to the dramatic play Fences by
August Wilson and conduct an in
depth research paper or project.
Various reading, writing and oral
assignments are also required
for successful completion of this
college preparatory course.
www.thorntonacademy.org
Monsters and Misfits (0.5 credit)
Monsters and misfits are pervasive
in our culture because they
represent both individual and
societal fears and anxieties. Mary
Shelley’s Frankenstein creates
horror not only through its portrayal
of the Creature, but also through its
examination of medical ethics and
personal accountability. Stephen
King’s body of work examines
contemporary gender, racial
and social concerns through his
portrayal of horror in hometown
Maine. In this course, students
will concentrate on examining
the nature of our fears and how
monsters and misfits come to
symbolize cultural anxieties.
Students will apply cultural theory
to examine and identify classical
literary misfits and monsters and
their manifestations in the 21st
century through research, writing
and critical cultural analysis of film
and literature. Works studied may
include Frankenstein, Salem’s Lot,
The Mist, Carrie, Haunting of Hill
House and various short stories.
Memoir and the Personal
Narrative (0.5 credit)
In this course the memoir will be
utilizes as a vehicle to interpret
the cultural events that shape and
impact personal identity. Students
will read various memoirs and
examine the experiences in order
to better find their own personal
voice and shape they’re writing.
Students will be required to keep
a journal and will develop their
pieces throughout the semester.
The concept of personal identity
will be explored through thoughtful
discussions and various writing
prompts while extracting their
own personal memoir. This is a
college preparatory course, which
requires extensive reading, writing
and oral contribution for successful
completion.
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