Rosati-Kain High School
4389 Lindell Boulevard
St. Louis, MO 63108

Phone: (314) 533-8513
Fax: (314) 533-1618

English

Summer Reading Assignments

Faculty: Mrs. Sarah Cannon, Ms. Laura Govero-Yann, Mrs. Barb Hacker, Mr. Bryan Kasten

Courses:

Freshmen– Literary Types

Sophomores– American Literature with research paper writing

Juniors– British Literature with studies in Shakespeare; Writing Process; and English Literature

Seniors– Senior semester courses in literature and writing, or Advanced English Composition ACC/AP

By completing the English curriculum, students will use effective elements of good writing such as organization, style, grammar, mechanics and thesis formation with support. Students will participate in revision and editing processes of their own papers, as well as their peers’. In addition, students will use new vocabulary from workbooks and literary works in their writing and speech. Students will also learn to critically read, classify, research, interpret and analyze primary and secondary sources including technological sources. Through discussion, students will apply literary terms to newly explored works of literature and apply literary themes to everyday life based on Catholic values.

The English Department offers a variety of courses to enable students to fulfill the four-credit English graduation requirement. Each student will take one English course each semester. Required courses are taken during a student's freshman, sophomore, and junior year. These are Literary Types, American Literature, and Best of English Literature respectively. Seniors have a choice of a variety of semester courses. Those who fulfill the published prerequisites may register for college credit courses during their senior year.

ENGLISH COURSES

111 Literary Types

required for freshmen
1 credit
Prerequisites: none

The full year freshman English course aims to improve the students' control of the communication skills, reading, writing, speaking, listening; to expose students to language as a unique human invention, and to lead them to make discoveries about the structure and use of their own language. The content of this course will offer students a selection of good literature to read and to enjoy. A systematic approach to grammar and an emphasis on writing skills will help students build a firm foundation for the types of writing needed for future English courses.

121 American Literature

required for sophomores
1 credit
Prerequisites: one credit in English

The full year sophomore English course covers the writings of major American authors including Hawthorne, Poe, Melville, Twain, Chopin, Dickinson, Fitzgerald, and Hemingway. The main theme of this course is the search for an American identity through the eyes of its major authors. To build on the writing skills begun in freshman year, students write short essays and several longer papers each semester. This course will also include a unit emphasizing the writing of a research paper.

131 Best of English Literature

required for juniors
1 credit
Prerequisites: two credits in English

This year-long course is a study of the literature of England. Students will read some of the best of English authors: Chaucer, Spenser, Shakespeare, Donne, Milton, Bronte, Wordsworth, Keats, Austen, Browning and others. Students write short expository and analytical papers. This course also includes detailed studies of Hamlet and Macbeth.

SENIOR SEMESTER COURSES

Seniors must take one English class each semester. All senior courses require the writing of at least four formal essays (descriptive, process, comparison/contrast, literary criticism) as well as lengthy reading assignments.

141 Shakespeare II

½ credit

This semester course is a detailed study of the four types of Shakespearean plays. These works will include Julius Caesar, Othello, Measure for Measure, and Midsummer Night's Dream. Students are required to write at least four formal essays.

142 Major American Authors

½ credit

This semester course is a detailed study of all genres of literature, featuring influential American authors. Novels that will be studied include The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Great Gatsby, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Death of a Salesman, and 20th century poems and short stories. Students are required to write at least four formal essays.

143 Modern British Literature

½ credit

This semester course will include the novels And Then There Were None and Rebecca. Post-WWII poetry, short stories, The Importance of Being Earnest, and Blithe Spirit will also be studied. Students are required to write at least four formal essays.

144 Theatrical Literature Survey

½ credit

This semester course is an exploration of several plays both as dramatic literature and as theatrical event. Students are required to write at least four formal essays. Works will include Everyman, She Stoops to Conquer, Hedda Gabler, The Glass Menagerie, and Waiting for Godot.

145 Women in Literature

½ credit

This semester course is a study of literature by and about women. Emphasis is placed on the changing roles of and attitudes towards women throughout the ages, and the way these changes reflect the changes in society from century to century. All genres will be included. Works will include Wuthering Heights, A Doll's House, The Color Purple, and two anthologies. Students are required to write at least four formal essays.

146 Classical Readings

½ credit

This semester course on classical literature includes The Iliad, Medea, Antigone, and Oedipus Rex; philosophical works include works by Socrates and Plato. Students are required to write at least four formal essays.

147 Hero in Literature

½ credit

This semester course is a comparative study of the hero developed through a study of poetry including Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the dramatic work Henry V, and the novel Tess of the D'Ubervilles. Students are required to write at least four formal essays.

148 Short Story Reading and Creative Writing

½ credit

Students will read selected short stories from the 19^th and 20^th centuries of American literature with the objective of understanding their plot structures as well as the settings, character developments, imagery and themes created by the authors. Students will work on developing their own short stories through writing exercises for plots, settings, characters, imagery, themes, and dialogue. Formal writing projects will be assigned each cycle along with the creation of a complete short story, one act play or three chapters of a novel as a final project.

149 Themes in World Literature

½ credit

This semester course is a critical study of universal themes of truth, beauty, and justice as represented in the literature of various cultures. Students are required to write at least four formal essays.

199 ACC/AP Advanced English Composition

elective for seniors
1 credit
Prerequisites: a 3.5 GPA in previous English courses, a cumulative GPA of 3.0, and a writing sample that will be evaluated by the English faculty.

Students who register for this two semester class have the opportunity to earn three hours of college credit each semester in composition and literature. These courses are designed to help students write clearly, logically, and creatively. Discursive writing assignments in the first semester are based on current topics. During the second semester writing assignments will focus on the literature being studied.