Grade 9
ENGLISH 9
English 9 aims to help students develop and further refine their communication and literacy skills to become more engaged and active citizens. The course focuses on reading, writing, and speaking skills. Students will be successful in this course when they can demonstrate their ability to understand and connect, as well as create and communicate in a variety of forms. Upon completion of the course, students will have a better understanding of the power and creativity of stories and texts and how they are interpreted uniquely by different perspectives. Also, they will be able to question and connect to what they read for deeper meaning. Students will have also built an understanding of the crafting process of writing and speaking to express their opinions, interpretations, and creativity.
Grade 10
ENGLISH FIRST PEOPLES LITERARY STUDIES 10:
English First Peoples 10 offers students of all backgrounds the opportunity to explore First Peoples’ worldviews through literature, founded on the First Peoples Principles of Learning. Students are encouraged to grow and build upon their understanding of Canada’s past, present, and future through the exploration of Indigenous literature and authors. In this course, students will demonstrate skills in composition, spoken language, creative writing, and literature. Students will gain confidence in academic and personal writing while enhancing their lifelong knowledge and communication skills. This course is part of the Academy of Indigenous Studies. In English First Peoples 10, students are expected to complete the Provincial Grade 10 Literacy Assessment.
LITERARY STUDIES & COMPOSITION 10:
Literary Studies & Composition 10 offers students the opportunity to build skills in all the following areas: Literary Studies, Indigenous Literature, Creative Writing, Composition, New Media, and Spoken Language. Literary Studies allows students to engage with texts in a meaningful way, as well as explore contemporary social issues. Indigenous literature offers students of all backgrounds the opportunity to explore First Peoples’ worldviews through literature, founded on the First Peoples Principles of Learning. Creative Writing focuses on how we share our ideas through story and other forms, while the Composition component focuses on writing mechanics and formal writing strategies. New Media encourages students to think critically about forms of expression that have evolved alongside the growth of new technologies in the 21st century, and examine how texts are socially, culturally, geographically, and historically constructed. Finally, the Spoken Language component allows students to explore creative spoken expression through a variety of methods. In Literacy Studies & Composition 10, students are expected to complete the Provincial Grade 10 Literacy Assessment.
Grade 11
CREATIVE WRITING & LITERARY STUDIES 11:
Creative Writing 11 is for students who are passionate about writing and wish to further develop their writing skills. It will involve extensive practice to explore writing for a variety of purposes, including fiction, non-fiction, editorial, opinion, poetry, and free writing. In addition, students will read published texts and pay attention to the “moves” professional writers make. Students will explore the process and craft of writing and everything that goes into engaging a reader. Students will produce a portfolio of work that demonstrates their growth and refinement in the craft of writing and their creative observations of the world. Students should come ready to write, read, and explore.
ENGLISH FIRST PEOPLES LITERARY STUDIES 11
English First Peoples Studies 11 offers students of all backgrounds the opportunity to explore First Peoples’ worldviews through a variety of literature, founded on the First Peoples Principles of Learning. Students are encouraged to grow and build upon their understanding of Canada’s past, present, and future through the exploration of Indigenous literature, authors, and media. In this course, students will demonstrate skills in composition, spoken language, creative writing, and literature. Students will gain confidence in academic and personal writing while enhancing their lifelong knowledge and communication skills. This course is part of the Academy of Indigenous Studies
NEW MEDIA & LITERARY STUDIES 11
In this course, students will analyze, respond to, and create a variety of texts which seek to explore how various forms, structures, and features of texts reflect a variety of purposes, audiences, and messages for what we read, watch, and listen to. Students will use digital and multimedia writing and design processes to plan, develop, and create engaging and meaningful literary, imaginative, and informational texts for a variety of purposes and audiences. Coursework is aimed at providing students with a set of skills vital for success in an increasingly complex digital world by offering numerous opportunities to demonstrate understanding and communicate sophisticated ideas through a wide variety of digital and print media.
COMPOSITION & LITERARY STUDIES 11
This course satisfies the "Language Arts 11" graduation requirement. Students will examine, create, and respond to a variety of texts such as short stories, drama, poetry, music, videos, and novels. This course aims to foster how students question what they hear, read, and view, and how it contributes to their ability to be educated and engaged citizens. The course can focus on the critical lens of human experience (examples include: nature versus nurture, motivation, ambition, and resilience). Formal academic writing and research, as well as creative exploration opportunities, will be covered as students journey through the vastness that is humankind.
Pre- AP Language and Literature 11- LITERACY STUDIES (HONOURS) 11
Pre-AP Language and Literature 11 is designed for students who have a keen interest in literature, language, and writing, as well as students who are planning on attending post-secondary studies. In this course, students will begin to learn about literature and language analysis by reading, analyzing, and studying a variety of text types, as well as responding in analytical and creative ways. They will explore concepts such as character, setting, structure, perspective, figurative language, and literary analysis within the context of different literary works. In terms of language, students will explore rhetorical situations, claims and evidence, reasoning and organization, as well as style. Pre-AP Language and Literature 11 is recommended for students interested in taking AP Literature 12.
Grade 12
ENGLISH FIRST PEOPLES LITERARY STUDIES 12
English First Peoples Studies 12 offers students of all backgrounds the opportunity to explore First Peoples’ worldviews through literature, founded on the First Peoples Principles of Learning. Students are encouraged to grow and build upon their understanding of Canada’s past, present, and future through the exploration of Indigenous literature and authors. In this course, students will demonstrate skills in composition, spoken language, new media, creative writing, and literature. Students will gain confidence in academic and personal writing while enhancing their lifelong knowledge and communication skills. This course is part of the Academy of Indigenous Studies. In English First Peoples 12, students are expected to complete the Provincial Grade 12 Literacy Assessment as a graduation requirement.
Advanced Placement Literature and Composition 12 (ENGLISH STUDIES Honours)
AP Literature and Composition 12 is designed for students who have a keen interest in literature, and writing, as well as students who are planning on attending post-secondary studies. In this course, students will begin to learn about literature analysis by reading, analyzing, and studying a variety of text types, as well as responding in analytical and creative ways. Throughout the course, students will engage with poetry, short stories, and other longer texts such as novels and plays. They will explore concepts such as character, setting, structure, perspective, figurative language, and literary analysis within the context of different literary works. Students are expected to complete the Provincial Grade 12 Literacy Assessment as a graduation requirement. In addition, students will explore an advanced curriculum that combines the rigorous requirements of both English Studies 12 and AP Literature and Composition, allowing students to earn credit for both courses. Pre-AP 11 Language and Literature (Literary Studies 11 (Honours)) is not required for this course.
CREATIVE WRITING 12
**Note: This course satisfies the "Grade 12 Elective" graduation requirement and does not satisfy the "Language Arts 12" graduation requirement Creative Writing 12 is an elective course for students who are especially passionate about writing. The course focuses primarily on personal writing projects, so expect a lot of in-class writing time and frequent writers’ workshops to share, critique, and celebrate the writing produced by you and your peers. Teacher-led lessons will highlight the process and craft of writing, focusing on the tools authors use to engage readers. Students will be encouraged to explore and experiment with various genres, including fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and scriptwriting. Come join a class of like-minded people who love to write, read, and explore the world of Creative Writing.