Semesters: 2
Credit: 1
Grade Placement: 9
Graduation Requirement: Required; replaces English I for eligible students.
Course Sequence: English I Honors is the first course in the English Honors program.Other Prerequisites: Must qualify for, or be invited for admission to an indexed course in this academic department. For specific information on indexed courses, see the handbook section titled ‘GRADE POINT AVERAGE INDEXING’.
Organization: Conventional.
Course Overview: English I Honors offers qualified students the opportunity to pursue their language arts studies at a challenge level commensurate with their ability. Instruction for this writing intensive course will focus on helping students develop higher order thinking skills through studying literature, and preparing oral presentations. An intensive vocabulary study begins. Special emphasis is given to independent and cooperative learning. Students will be required to purchase selected paperbacks so they can booknote their texts.
English I
Semesters: 2
Credit: 1
Grade Placement: 9
Graduation Requirement: Required.
Course Sequence: English I is the first course in the English department program.
Other Prerequisites: None.
Organization: Conventional.
Course Overview: This writing intensive
course is for students who are working at
or above grade level in language arts as
indicated by standardized test scores and/or
teacher recommendation. The goal of English
I is to prepare students academically to enter
a four-year collegiate institution upon graduation
from high school. Students receive
instruction designed to help them develop
and refine the verbal skills of reading, writing,
speaking, and listening along with library and
research skills that will facilitate future coursework.
Students will be requested to purchase
selected paperbacks so they will be able to
booknote their texts.
English II Honors - Indexed Course (Weighted)
Semester(s) 2
Credit(s) 1
Grade Placement 10
Graduation Requirement: Required; replaces English II for qualified students.
Course Sequence English II – Honors is the second course in the English Honors program.
Other Prerequisite(s) Must qualify for, or be invited for admission to an indexed course in thisacademic department. For specific information on indexed courses, see the handbook section titled ‘GRADE POINT AVERAGE INDEXING’.
Organization Conventional.
Course Overview English II – Honors offers
qualified students the opportunity to extend and
refine the skills and concepts learned in English I at
a challenge level commensurate with their ability.
Instruction for this writing intensive course will
again focus on helping students develop higher
order thinking skills while also providing students
with an appropriate background in reading, writing,
and listening. There will be a continuation
of intensive study of vocabulary. Students will be
required to purchase selected paperbacks so they
can booknote their texts.
English II
Semesters: 2
Credit: 1
Grade Placement: 10
Graduation Requirement: Required.
Course Sequence: English II is the second course
in the English department program.
Other Prerequisites: Successful completion of two
semesters of freshman English.
Organization: Conventional.
Course Overview: This writing intensive course
is designed to help students further develop and
refine their verbal skills and literacy skills in reading,
writing, speaking and listening. The goal of
English II is to continue the academic preparation
for students to enter a four-year collegiate
institution upon graduation from high school.
Students will be requested to purchase selected
paperbacks so they will be able to booknote
their texts.
AP English Language & Composition - Indexed Course (Weighted)
Semesters: 2
Credit: 1
Grade Placement: 11
Graduation Requirement: Required; replaces
English III for eligible students.
Course Sequence: AP English Language & Composition
is the third course in the English Honors
program.
Other Prerequisites: Must qualify for, or be invited
for admission to an indexed course in this academic
department. For specific information on
indexed courses, see the handbook section titled
‘GRADE POINT AVERAGE INDEXING’.
Organization: Conventional.
Course Overview: This year-long writing intensive
course focuses on reading, writing, and thinking
about ideas. Students will learn how to ferret
ideas out of American fiction and nonfiction
when reading, and how to clarify, refine and
express ideas in writing. Because the course
takes an inductive approach, students will be
encouraged to think critically. They will not be
asked to merely generate writing according to
a preconceived model. Instead, they will study
models of rhetoric, argument, and research and
analyze the literature and nonfiction in order
to determine the rhetorical principles behind
effective writing. Students will then generate
compositions using the insights gleaned from
this analysis. In the process, students will be
encouraged to develop their own writing styles,
find their own voices, develop persuasive arguments,
and integrate multiple forms of research
into their writing. Students may choose to take
the Advanced Placement test in English Language
and Composition in the spring for college credit.
Students will be required to purchase selected
paperbacks in order to booknote their texts.
English III
Semesters: 2
Credit: 1
Grade Placement: 11
Graduation Requirement: Required.
Course Sequence: English III is the third course in
the English department program.
Other Prerequisites: Successful completion of two
semesters of freshman English and two semesters
of sophomore English.
Organization: Conventional.
Course Overview: This writing intensive course
is designed to prepare students for college-level
work in the language arts. The goal of English
III is to continue the academic preparation for
students to enter a four-year collegiate institution
upon graduation from high school. The course
will help students increase their proficiency in the
skills of reading, writing, speaking, and listening.
The course focuses on study skills, expository
and persuasive writing, and an in-depth study of
American literature. Students will be requested
to purchase selected paperbacks in order to
booknote their texts.
AP English Literature & Composition Seminar - Indexed Course (Weighted)
Semesters: 2
Credit: 1
Grade Placement: 12
Graduation Requirement: Elective.
Course Sequence: Students must also register for both the English and History components of this Seminar.
Other Prerequisites: Must qualify for, or be invited for admission to an indexed course in this academic department. For specific information on indexed courses, see the handbook section titled ‘GRADE POINT AVERAGE INDEXING’.
Organization: Seminars and law-school model study groups utilizing one and two hour blocks as appropriate.
Course Overview: This writing intensive course
integrates the teaching of literature with the
teaching of history. Some of the class time is
devoted to a systematic review and development
of world literature from late medieval times to the
20th century. The remaining time is given to the
reading, discussion, and debate of original works
by some of the greatest thinkers and writers in
the West. Readings and discussions are organized
around philosophical, political, economic,
and social problems. Students are given special
assistance in developing and refining their collegiate
level thinking, reading, speaking, listening,
and writing skills. An unusual opportunity in this
course is the Senior Project, which allows the student
to select any problem or topic of interest and
develop it in whatever form is most appropriate.
This course intends to make a valuable contribution
to the student's general education and cultural
literacy. In addition, students may choose to
take the Advanced Placement tests in European
history and in English Literature and Composition
in the spring for college credit. Students will be
required to purchase selected paperbacks so that
they can booknote their texts.
AP English Literature & Composition -
Indexed Course (Weighted)
Semester: 2
Credit: 1
Grade Placement: 12
Graduation Requirement: Elective.
Course Sequence: Follows AP English Language
& Composition.
Other Prerequisites: Must qualify for, or be invited
for admission to an indexed course in this academic
department. For specific information on
indexed courses, see the handbook section titled
‘GRADE POINT AVERAGE INDEXING’.
Organization: Conventional.
Course Overview: This writing intensive course
will continue to focus on the reading, writing,
thinking, and listening about ideas begun in AP
English Language & Composition. Students will
be given the opportunity to study significant
works of British and World literature compelling
them to examine the human experience from a
historical perspective. The learning experiences in
this class will encourage understanding, analysis,
and critical thinking as well as challenge students
to develop their abilities to the highest possible
level. This includes the open discussion of ideas
and extends to the writing process where students
will be encouraged to become thoughtful,
literate writers with unique voices. They will be
encouraged to see relationships between what
they are learning and what they have already
learned. These learning experiences will also
take into consideration the need of students to
function as individuals as well as members of a
group. In addition, they will be nurtured to love
ideas and become confident, life-long learners.
Students may choose to take the Advanced
Placement test in English Literature and Composition
in the spring for college credit. They will be
required to purchase selected paperbacks in order
to booknote their texts.
English IV
Semesters: 2
Credit: 1
Grade Placement: 12
Graduation Requirement: Required for Class of
2010 and beyond.
Course Sequence: English IV is the fourth course
in the English department program.
Other Prerequisites: Successful completion of two
semesters of freshman English, two semesters of
sophomore English, and two semesters of junior
English.
Organization: Conventional.
Course Overview: This writing intensive course
is designed to give students the opportunity to
study significant works of literature which compel
them to examine the human experience from an
historical prospective. The goal of English IV is to
continue the academic preparation for students
to enter a four-year collegiate institution upon
graduation from high school. The course focuses
on study skills, expository and persuasive writing,
and an in-depth study of British literature.
Students will be requested to purchase selected
paperbacks in order to booknote their texts.
Drama Workshop
Semesters: 1
Credit: 1/2
Grade Placement: 10, 11, 12
Graduation Requirement: Elective. Meets onehalf of the fine arts graduation requirement.
Course Sequence: Elective.
Other Prerequisites: None.
Organization: Conventional.
Course Overview: This semester drama course
offers students an opportunity to actively participate
in a variety of basic drama experiences.
All projects will involve group or individual participation.
Class experiences will include pantomimes,
improvisations, acting scenes from great
playwrights, extemporaneous discussions, group
panel presentations, oral interpretation of dramatic
literature programs, and creative dramatic
presentations. Students will read, act, analyze,
and critique dramatic literature from the world's
greatest playwrights.
Introduction to the Theater
Semesters: 1
Credit: 1/2
Grade Placement: 10, 11, 12
Graduation Requirement: Elective. Meets onehalf of the fine arts graduation requirement.
Course Sequence: Elective.
Other Prerequisites: None.
Organization: Conventional.
Course Overview: This course is an introduction
to the study of the theater. The aim of this
semester course is to give the student a wellrounded
overview of the theater from these
perspectives: historical, critical, aesthetic, and
practical. The students will experience live theater
and investigate its relevance. This is where
the practical application of theatrical study comes
into play. Unlike a novel, a play is a performance
about the human experience. Students will not
only read the script, but also experience the live
performance and, finally, become the actor. Each
student will perform a memorable scene from
one of the plays studied during the semester.
Field trips may be included so students can experience
live performances.
Journalism I
Semesters: 2
Credit: 1
Grade Placement: 10, 11, 12
Graduation Requirement: Fine Arts credit.
Course Sequence: Elective offering.
Other Prerequisites: Interviews and/or sample
essays may be requested from students.
Organization: Workshop.
Course Sequence: Journalism is a two-semester
class offered to sophomores, juniors, and seniors.
Students may not take the second semester
without having taken the first semester of the
class. Students will learn the basics of newswriting
and page design in the first semester and will
produce the school newspaper in the computer
lab. During the second semester, students will
work on longer articles designed for publication
in local newspapers and continue to produce the
school newspaper. Students will be required to
write for the school newspaper on a regular basis.
Each student will have a chance to write and edit
his/her own and others’ work. Proficiency in
grammar and mechanics is a prerequisite. Keyboarding
ability is a plus.
Journalism II
Semesters: 2
Credit: 1
Grade Placement: 11,12
Graduation Requirement: Fine Arts credit.
Course Sequence: Second journalism course.
Other Prerequisites: Successful completion of Journalism I.
Organization: Workshop.
Course Overview: Journalism II is a two-semester
class offered to juniors and seniors who have successfully
completed Journalism I. Students will
work to develop the skills they were introduced
to in Journalism I. Students will be required to
write for the school newspaper on a regular basis.
See description of Journalism I.
Yearbook Production
Semesters: 2
Credit: 1
Grade Placement: 10, 11, 12
Graduation Requirement: Career and Technical
Education credit.
Course Sequence: Successful completion of
English I.
Other Prerequisites: Interviews and/or sample
essays may be requested from students.
Organization: Conventional. Emphasis on individual
and small group work.
Course Overview: Yearbook Production offers
the student the opportunity to contribute to
his/her own yearbook while learning about book
production fundamentals, commercial art, and
journalism. The course is designed to enable the
student to gain skill in layout design, interviewing
techniques, copywriting, cropping, and content
coverage. The student will be involved in decisions
concerning theme, format, photography
and design of the book. The majority of the year
will be spent in actual book production and meeting
deadlines. A few students will be selected to
learn Aldus Pagemaker on the Macintosh and
will be responsible for creating the actual pages
on the computer. Because of the heavy emphasis
put upon individual responsibility, students
should be self-motivating and academically high
achievers. The students will also be involved in
the selling and distribution of yearbooks. An
opportunity to evaluate the book and make
improvements will be provided at the conclusion
of the course.
Creative Writing
Semesters: 1
Credit: 1/2
Grade Placement: 10, 11, 12
Course Sequence: Elective.
Organization: Conventional.
Course Overview: Creative Writing is for students
who would like to expand their writing proficiency
and explore the creative writing forms of short
stories, scripts, commercials, poetry, and creative
non-fiction. The class is structured as a reading
and writing workshop and students will learn
how to effectively give and receive constructive
criticism about their writing, and revise work
based on peer and faculty critiques. Performance
and public reading of original work are also components
of the class. Students may be required
to purchase selected writing textbooks.
English for English Language Learners (ELL)
Semesters: 2
Credit: 1
Grade Placement: 9, 10, 11, 12
Graduation Requirement: Required for students
deemed eligible. May be used to satisfy English
requirement.
Course Sequence: None.
Other Prerequisites: None.
Course Overview: The English as a Second Language
Program in the Lincoln-Way Community
High School District is designed as a Transitional
Program of Instruction to accommodate the
individual needs of non-native English speaking
students. Students who come into the district
from abroad or from an ESL program at a feeder
school are enrolled in the English as a Second
Language class and evaluated for English proficiency
level using a state approved test. The goal
of the English as a Second Language class is to
help each student improve their skills in listening,
speaking, reading, and writing, as well as to assist
students with the material in their mainstream
content courses. In this way, the class not only
involves English instruction, but also support for
those students who need additional accommodations
in the content areas due to a language barrier.
The ESL teacher also corresponds with the
content area teachers to provide assistance with
assignments and testing when needed.