English I A & B
Course Length:
Two one-semester courses (students must independently register for each semester)
Course Description:
In English IA, students take a journey through important concepts–the Unknown, Equality, and Identity–to learn the foundations of communication and analysis. In English IB students will explore a new set of themes: Achievement, Opportunity, and Understanding. In each unit of the course, students explore a variety of STEM-related literature, including genre fiction, poetry, non-fiction, and speeches. Through the study of this writing, students hone their own skills in communication and analysis.
To facilitate engagement and academic responsibility, students are encouraged to make choices at different points in the course. Most notable is the novel unit in English IA, in which students must select their book from a list of titles available (see below). This practice gives ownership to the student and places each learner in a position to develop a deeper appreciation of reading.
Prerequisites:
Should be prepared to read and write at a 9th-grade level.
Comprehensive Syllabus:
Required Materials:
-
Disk space on your computer as well as an external device to back up your files (flash drive, external hard drive, CD-Rom, etc.)
-
Research materials which are typically found online or at public and school libraries
-
Word processing and presentation software
-
All students will need to provide one of the following novels for segment one Journey to Identity Unit:
-
Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom
-
I Am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced by Nujood Ali and Delphine Minoui
-
Now Is the Time for Running by Michael Williams
-
The Red Umbrella by Christina Gonzalez
-
Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs
-
Of Beetles and Angels: A Boy’s Remarkable Journey from a Refugee Camp to Harvard by Mawi Asgedom
-
In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez
-
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne
-
The Boy from Baby House 10 by Alan Philps and John Lahutsky
-
Tasting the Sky: Palestinian Childhood by Ibtisam Barakat
-
Specific Technical/Software Requirements in Addition to General Requirements:
Please review the general original credit software requirements at http://mtda.link/techreq
Course Availability (subject to resource and teacher availability):
Fall: A semester available
Spring: B semester available
Local schools may count either semester for credit for either A or B semester.
Lead Teacher:
Jenna Clark, Helena High School, jenna.clark@montanadigitalacademy.org