Academics

Department Overview

Elk Grove High School's English department is committed to providing high-quality education that prepares young people to meet the challenges of citizenship in a democratic society. Students must complete four years of study in English. Throughout freshman, sophomore, and junior years, students are engaged in the core program, during which they receive rigorous instruction in reading, writing, literary analysis, and oral communication. (The graduation requirement for speech is now embedded in the freshman curriculum.) All required English courses are aligned to the ACT College Readiness Standards, as well as to the curriculum in social studies. In their senior year, students choose classes from a variety of elective offerings.

The freshman program focuses on "Written and Oral Communication" and parallels a social studies course called "Introduction to Social Science. " The theme of the freshman year is "Finding Your Voice," and teachers present an integrated curriculum designed to help students develop as readers, writers, speakers, and listeners. Classes at the skills, general, and honors levels may vary in terms of pacing and content. However, all freshmen are exposed to a common set of concepts and are expected to master the same fundamental skills. Writing assignments in the freshman program provide practice with narrative, descriptive, and persuasive exposition, and the main texts are Inherit the Wind, Romeo and Juliet, and To Kill a Mockingbird.

Sophomore year is devoted to "World Literature and Composition" and is aligned with "World History." The theme of the sophomore year is "The Emergence of Individualism," wherein students examine how the individual's perspective has grown increasingly prevalent in the literature of different peoples from around the world. Again, teachers advance a common curriculum at all skill levels, working to develop students' ability to read inferentially and to write various kinds of essays. Key texts include Oedipus Rex, Othello, Night, The Bean Trees, and Fahrenheit 451, in addition to several stories, poems, and non-fiction pieces from Asian, African, and South American cultures.

The junior year features American literature and corresponds with the U. S. history curriculum taught in the social studies department. English teachers continue to promote development in the area of composition, with a strong emphasis on grammar and mechanics. All students learn research skills, and upper-level students are required to write a complete research paper. The literature and the concepts covered are thematically organized around the question, “What is an American?” The primary texts for the year are The Crucible, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Great Gatsby, and The Catcher in the Rye.

Seniors have the option of taking AP English, Humanities, Poetry, British Literature, Shakespeare, Short Story, Popular Literature, Philosophical Literature, Creative Writing, Expository Writing, and Film Study. These courses are also available to juniors, who are welcome to take electives while completing the three-year core program in English.

We also offer series of courses in journalism, yearbook, and acting, as well as classes in speech and debate. These are open to students of all grade levels. Our journalism, yearbook, speech, debate, and drama programs are all highly successful and consistently garner recognition at district, regional, state, and even national levels.

Another important program that operates within the English department is the Writing Center, where students (and staff) can receive help producing and editing written material. The Writing Center, also known as "Write Here," is located in room 119 and is manned by English teachers and writing tutors who are available throughout the day and before and after school.

The objectives of the English department are to develop the critical thinking and communication skills of all students. Meeting these objectives serves the general goal of making students more informed and competent citizens who are capable, not just of securing meaningful work in the marketplace, but of becoming effective advocates for positive change within our democratic society.