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click on staff members' names to go to their individual website pages
Course Descriptions:
Sixth Grade Language Arts:
This course is organized around the introduction, practice and
refinement of four basic communication skills: reading, writing,
speaking and listening. Within these four areas, students learn to
think about abstract ideas, recognize and use vocabulary, read a
variety of materials, understand content, analyze plot and character,
organize and express ideas in writing, write effective sentences,
paragraphs, essays and short stories. Students learn to follow
instructions, to give speeches and to interpret poetry and dramatize
plays. A "sensory learning" approach serves to integrate the arts and
the academics. It also facilitates difficult concepts such as analysis
of literature and parts of speech. Challenge projects are offered to
students who consistently excel in the class.
Seventh Grade Language Arts:
This course is a comprehensive, standards-based overview of language
including the reading and analysis of a myriad of literary forms, daily
oral language requiring full class participation and the basics of
writing a research paper. Outside reading of a variety of materials is
mandatory.
Eighth Grade Language Arts:
This course serves as a transition from middle school English to high
school English. First, it is a class in which students' basic writing
skills are polished by writing essays, fiction, letters, poetry,
research papers, etc. Students who have mastered the basics move on to
developing their own voice and using more sophisticated syntax.
Secondly, students are exposed to some of the basic techniques of
literary analysis in preparation for their work in introduction to
literature, and they begin to make the transition from "young adult"
fiction to the type of literary classics they will be reading in high
school.
Introduction to Literature and Composition I & II:
This is the required English Course for 9th grade students. This course
is a survey of the novel, the epic, short stories, poetry, drama and
non-fiction. Both semesters emphasize critical, personal, and creative
writing. Also included are independent reading and alternative
(non-written) projects about literature.
AP English Language: This
is an advanced placement course that high school students can take in
place of the Freshman Composition courses offered at most
colleges. The course focuses on rhetoric and argument, most
clearly evinced in nonfiction.
British Literature (Classical):
This course offers a survey of classical literature from Great Britain,
including Chaucer, Milton, Shakespeare, the Romantic Poets, Austen, the
Brontes and Wilde. Full text plays and novels are read aloud in class.
Multimedia presentations of movies and music, and historic information
bring new understanding to the works. Students participate in the class
through discussions focusing on literary techniques, character
analysis, the history of literary movements, and the development of the
English language. Students write research papers on literature read in
class as well as books selected by students for independent reading.
British Literature (Contemporary):
This course concentrates on British Literature of the twentieth
century. The movements of modernism in poetry, expressionism in fiction
and the theater of the absurd are explored through readings of Conrad,
Forster, Wolf, Joyce, and Pinter. Students write research papers and
dramatic dialogues, and make presentations on novels as well as
literature associated with wars that Great Britain was engaged in
throughout the century.
World Literature I & II:
This course is a survey of the literature, religions and cultures of
the following areas: Central/South America, Ireland, eastern
Europe/Holocaust literature, Africa, India, Middle East and Asia. The
course offers an overview of many of the world's most recognized
writers from all genres: poetry, short story, drama, the novel and
nonfiction. There is a particular emphasis on making thematic
connections cross-culturally. The student participates in a
considerable amount of reading, creative and critical writing,
classroom discussion and presentations.
Humanities/Arts Criticism:
In this course, we look at central issues in all the major art
forms(music, dance, visual art, writing, cinema, architecture and
others), making connections between them. In particular, in the first
semester, we read and analyze pieces written by various arts critics,
and write our own critical pieces. The second semester is more
concerned with the issues underlying all the art forms-in short,
aesthetics, the philosophy of beauty.
Advanced Placement English Literature:
This course prepares the student to take the AP English literature test
in May (passing the test allows students to place out of the college
freshman English course). Accordingly, the class is taught at the level
of an introductory college class. By the end of the course, the student
should be able to analyze any work of fiction, drama or poetry using
standard techniques of literary analysis.
Yearbook:
Non English credit. This class is responsible for the creation and
marketing of the DSA annual yearbook. Each student is involved in every
aspect of the publication: deciding on a theme, marketing and selling,
producing on a set budget, photographing and reporting and learning
layout and design on a Macintosh computer. Extra school time is
required in order to meet publication deadlines.
Competitive Speech:
This course teaches the basics of public speaking and instructs
students in forensics events such as debate, extemporaneous speaking,
original oratory, and interpretation of drama, poetry and humor.
Students must attend at least two Saturday speech tournaments per
semester.
English 1020 College Composition I & II:
This UCD college credit class develops the writing of long,
well-structured and graceful essays. Writers enrich their writing with
excellent sentence structure, grammar and mechanics. A wide variety of
creative nonfiction and essays are read as well. Students must have a
grade of "C" or higher in order to meet the CU Denver core curriculum
requirement. Payment of tuition is required for college credit.
Prerequisites: introduction to literature and composition and ten
additional credits in language arts.
Film Studies:
This course is an investigation of film culture and its relationship to
social and historical contexts. This course focuses on mainstream
narrative cinema; documentary and avant-garde practices will also be
considered. Particular attention will be placed on analyses of films as
forms of social communication. The course introduces essential concepts
of film techniques, history and criticism and supplies the background
for more advanced work in film studies. It provides some familiarity
with the artistic, economic, technological and social factors that
exerted an influence on the development of the medium and the industry
to its present influential role in cultures today. Critical reading and
historical research lead to active viewing and to precise written and
oral evaluations of individual films.
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