English Language Arts Courses
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Course Descriptions
- English Language Arts
Credit: 0.5 Language Arts
Recommended: Speech
- Understand the fundamentals of argumentation and debate.
- Deliver an extemporaneous speech.
- Demonstrate the ability to construct affirmative and negative cases and plans.
- Participate in debates.
- Demonstrate the ability to keep a flow chart.
- Loveland High School
- Mountain View High School
- English Language Arts
Credit: 0.5 Language Arts
Dual college credit may be available – see your school counselor for more information
Recommended: English 11
Grade 12 at Thompson Valley High School
- Plan, write, and revise a minimum of three essays to include the evaluative, problem-solving, and argumentative modes.
- Think critically and logically.
- Demonstrate appropriate language skills.
- Loveland High School
- Mountain View High School
- Thompson Valley High School
- English Language Arts
Credit: 0.5 Language Arts
Dual college credit may be available – see your school counselor for more information
Recommended: College Composition 1
Grade 12 at Thompson Valley High School
- Read, write, and think critically to evaluate, analyze, and synthesize information.
- Write analytical, evaluative, and/or persuasive papers that incorporate research.
- Apply writing, speaking, and technology to a project presentation.
- Loveland High School
- Mountain View High School
- Thompson Valley High School
- English Language Arts
Credit: 0.5 Language Arts
In this semester-long class, the student will be introduced to the theories and processes of communication—verbal and nonverbal. Students will practice a variety of communication skills, including building self-confidence, poise, and good speaking techniques. The class will provide students with opportunities to practice and perform for a variety of subjects and situations in front of an audience.
- Mountain View High School
- English Language Arts
Credit: 0.5 Language Arts
Grade 12
This semester-long class counts as a Speaking/Listening 12 class at Loveland High School. In this semester-long class, the focus will be to provide students with opportunities to perform and practice communication in front of an audience and practice communication skills they will need in the workforce. Students will learn about verbal and nonverbal communication, social media, interviewing skills, and practice organizational communication techniques.
- Loveland High School
- English Language Arts
Credit: 0.5 Language Arts
Grade 12
This semester-long class counts as a Speaking/Listening 12 class at Loveland High School. The Argument and Debate course is taught in a fun, yet challenging classroom setting. Students receive encouragement and gain confidence as they practice argument and debate skills in a spirit of fellowship. The Argument and Debate fundamentals of types of arguments, constructing arguments, defending positions, choosing evidence, documenting sources, studying logical reasoning, recognizing fallacies of reasoning, cross-examining opponents, delivering rebuttal speeches, writing debate ballots, and giving oral critiques are integral components of this course.
- Loveland High School
- English Language Arts
Credit: 0.5 Language Arts
Dual college credit may be available, see your counselor
Grade 12
This semester-long class counts as a Speaking/Listening D class at Loveland High School. This course is designed to improve students’ written and verbal communication in a variety of everyday environments. Because effective communication skills help further one's education, career, and interpersonal life, we will study a variety of methods, settings, and purposes, with the goal of enabling each student to become a more confident, effective, and ethical speaker.
We will also emphasize how ethical communication includes demonstrating respect for a diverse range of opinions, hence modeling civility while learning how to disagree with style and class. The class also focuses on what we call an “invitational” style of speaking meant to create a sense of community built around fair argumentation. This course is a dual-credit course offering students the possibility of earning college credit with a ‘C’ or better in the class and is weighted.
- Loveland High School
- English Language Arts
Credit: 0.5 Language Arts
Dual college credit may be available, see your counselor
Grade 12
This semester-long class counts as a Speaking/Listening 12 class at Loveland High School and introduces students to the economy of the media, the analysis of media messages and new media technologies, and the ways popular culture influences our daily behavior. This course is a dual-credit course offering students the possibility of earning college credit with a ‘C’ or better in the class and is a Guaranteed Transfer List course.
- Loveland High School
- English Language Arts
Credit: 1.0 Language Arts
- Learn and identify language skills, use correct mechanics, and study vocabulary.
- Read, respond, and apply thinking skills to novels, short stories, nonfiction, poetry, and a Shakespeare play.
- Write, using the writing process, through argumentative, informative, and narrative short responses and essays.
- Present a problem/solution or cause/effect presentation.
- Berthoud High School
- Harold Ferguson High School
- Mountain View High School
- Thompson Valley High School
- English Language Arts
Credit: 1.0 Language Arts
The aims of English 9 IB MYP are to encourage and enable students to:
- Use language as a vehicle for thought, creativity, reflection, learning, self-expression, analysis, and social interaction.
- Develop the skills involved in listening, speaking, reading, writing, viewing, and presenting in a variety of contexts.
- Develop critical, creative, and personal approaches to studying and analyzing literary and non-literary texts.
- Engage with texts from different historical periods and a variety of cultures.
- Explore and analyze aspects of a variety of cultures through literary and non-literary texts.
- Explore language through a variety of media and modes.
- Develop a lifelong interest in reading.
- Apply linguistic and literary concepts and skills in a variety of authentic contexts.
Our MYP unit content and texts will be drawn from the District-driven guaranteed and viable curriculum in the MyPerspectives textbook material.
- Loveland High School
- English Language Arts
Credit: 1.0 Language Arts
The aims of the English 9 IB MYP/Honors course are the same as English 9 IB MYP. At the honors level, students will:
- Use language as a vehicle for thought, creativity, reflection, learning, self-expression, analysis, and social interaction.
- Develop the skills involved in listening, speaking, reading, writing, viewing, and presenting in a variety of contexts.
- Develop critical, creative, and personal approaches to studying and analyzing literary and non-literary texts.
- Engage with texts from different historical periods and a variety of cultures.
- Explore and analyze aspects of personal, host, and other cultures through literary and non-literary texts.
- Explore language through a variety of media and modes.
- Develop a lifelong interest in reading.
- Apply linguistic and literary concepts and skills in a variety of authentic contexts.
Our MYP unit content and texts will be drawn from the District-driven guaranteed and viable curriculum in the MyPerspectives textbook materials.
At the honors level, students are expected, in addition to the above, to read assigned full-length texts outside of class, engage in high-level discussions of those texts in class, and be prepared to implement them in the work throughout the semester. Additionally, students will delve deeper into the course content and move quickly through the content.
Any students wishing to push themselves academically, become more confident readers and writers, and be a part of a class with other students with similar academic goals should take this class.
- Loveland High School
- English Language Arts
- LISA Courses
Credit: 1.0 Language Arts
- Use the visual and performing arts as an emphasis to learn the content listed below.
- Learn and identify language skills, use correct mechanics, and study vocabulary.
- Read, respond, and apply thinking skills to novels, short stories, nonfiction, poetry, and a Shakespeare play.
- Write, using the writing process, compare/contrast, cause/effect, and problem/solution responses and essays.
- Present a problem/solution or cause/effect presentation.
- Mountain View High School
- English Language Arts
Credit: 1.0 Language Arts
Learn the same skills as in English 9, but at a more advanced and rigorous level.
- Berthoud High School
- Mountain View High School
- English Language Arts
Credit: 1.0 Language Arts
Learn the same skills as in English 9, but at a more advanced and rigorous level. Per the AP Central College Board’s website, “Honors is based on the following two important premises. The first is the expectation that all students can perform well at rigorous academic levels. The second important premise of Honors is the belief that we can prepare every student for higher intellectual engagement by starting the development of skills and acquisition of knowledge as early as possible” (https://pre-ap.collegeboard.org/courses/course-descriptions/english-1).
- Thompson Valley High School
- English Language Arts
Credit: 1.0 Language Arts
- Understand and use parts of speech and punctuation mechanics correctly, and understand the function of language.
- Study and apply vocabulary.
- Read, respond, and apply thinking skills to novels, short stories, nonfiction, poetry, and multimedia texts, including how multiple texts comment on a similar concept.
- Learn conceptual strategies for approaching a variety of texts.
- Write short and extended responses in argumentation, literary analysis, informational, and narrative forms.
- Berthoud High School
- Harold Ferguson High School
- Mountain View High School
- Thompson Valley High School
- English Language Arts
- LISA Courses
Credit: 1.0 Language Arts
- Use the visual and performing arts as an emphasis to learn the content listed below.
- Understand and use parts of speech and punctuation mechanics correctly, and understand the function of language.
- Study and apply vocabulary.
- Read, respond, and apply thinking skills to novels, short stories, nonfiction, poetry, and multimedia texts, including how multiple texts comment on a similar concept.
- Learn conceptual strategies for approaching a variety of texts.
- Write short and extended responses in argumentation, literary analysis, informational, and narrative forms.
- Mountain View High School
- English Language Arts
Credit: 1.0 Language Arts
Learn the same skills as in English 10, but at a more advanced and rigorous level.
- Berthoud High School
- Mountain View High School
- English Language Arts
Credit: 1.0 Language Arts
The aims of English 10 IB MYP are to encourage and enable students to:
- Use language as a vehicle for thought, creativity, reflection, learning, self-expression, analysis, and social interaction.
- Develop the skills involved in listening, speaking, reading, writing, viewing, and presenting in a variety of contexts.
- Develop critical, creative, and personal approaches to studying and analyzing literary and non-literary texts.
- Engage with texts from different historical periods and a variety of cultures.
- Explore and analyze aspects of a variety of cultures through literary and non-literary texts.
- Explore language through a variety of media and modes.
- Develop a lifelong interest in reading.
- Apply linguistic and literary concepts and skills in a variety of authentic contexts.
Our MYP unit content and texts will be drawn from the District-driven guaranteed and viable curriculum in the MyPerspectives textbook material.
- Loveland High School
- English Language Arts
Credit: 1.0 Language Arts
The aims of English 10 IB MYP are to encourage and enable students to:
- Use language as a vehicle for thought, creativity, reflection, learning, self-expression, analysis, and social interaction.
- Develop the skills involved in listening, speaking, reading, writing, viewing, and presenting in a variety of contexts.
- Develop critical, creative, and personal approaches to studying and analyzing literary and non-literary texts.
- Engage with texts from different historical periods and a variety of cultures.
- Explore and analyze aspects of personal, host, and other cultures through literary and non-literary texts.
- Explore language through a variety of media and modes.
- Develop a lifelong interest in reading.
- Apply linguistic and literary concepts and skills in a variety of authentic contexts.
Our MYP unit content and texts will be drawn from the District-driven guaranteed and viable curriculum in the MyPerspectives textbook materials.
At the honors levels, students are expected, in addition to the above, to read assigned full-length texts outside of class, engage in high-level discussions of those texts in class, and be prepared to implement them in the work throughout the semester. Additionally, students will delve deeper into the course content and move quickly through the content.
Any students wishing to push themselves academically, become more confident readers and writers, and be a part of a class with other students with similar academic goals should take this class.
- Loveland High School
- English Language Arts
Credit: 1.0 Language Arts
- Write a rhetorical analysis.
- Read more complex texts.
- Study and apply ACT-based vocabulary.
- Emphasize non-fiction reading and analysis in preparation for AP Language and Composition.
- https://pre-ap.collegeboard.org/courses/course-descriptions/english-2
- Thompson Valley High School
- English Language Arts
Credit: 1.0 Language Arts
AP Seminar is a foundational course that engages students in cross-curricular conversations that explore the complexities of academic and real-world topics and issues by analyzing divergent perspectives. Using an inquiry framework, students practice reading and analyzing articles, research studies, and foundational literary and philosophical texts; listening to and viewing speeches, broadcasts, and personal accounts; and experiencing artistic works and performances. Students learn to synthesize information from multiple sources, develop their own perspectives in research-based written essays, and design and deliver oral and visual presentations, both individually and as part of a team. Ultimately, the course aims to equip students with the power to analyze and evaluate information with accuracy and precision in order to craft and communicate evidence-based arguments.
- Thompson Valley High School
- English Language Arts
Credit: 1.0 Language Arts
- Apply language skills, correct mechanics, and vocabulary.
- Read, respond, and apply thinking skills to novels, short stories, nonfiction, poetry, dramas, and multimedia texts.
- Write rhetorical analysis, arguments, narratives, short responses, and a research-based synthesis paper.
- Berthoud High School
- Harold Ferguson High School
- Mountain View High School
- Thompson Valley High School
- English Language Arts
Credit: 0.5 Language Arts
Grade 12
- Read complex texts that require the use of literary and interpretive analysis, and evaluative strategies.
- Interpret and evaluate complex informational texts that require the understanding of rhetoric, critical reading, and analysis skills.
- Articulate a position through a sophisticated claim or thesis statement and advance it using evidence, examples, and counterarguments in writing.
- Deliberately manipulate the conventions of standard English for stylistic effect appropriate to the needs of a particular audience and purpose.
- Conduct independent research, articulate and defend information, conclusions, and solutions that address specific contexts and purposes.
- Berthoud High School
- Harold Ferguson High School
- Mountain View High School
- Thompson Valley High School
- English Language Arts
Credit: 1.0 Language Arts
Fee: Student pays for textbook and AP Exam
Grades 11, 12 at Thompson Valley High School
- Read a variety of expository writings, i.e., essays, memoirs, nonfiction books.
- Analyze rhetoric, and the effectiveness of stylistic elements such as diction, syntax, tone, and author's purpose.
- Write a variety of expository essays.
- Demonstrate an understanding of both the multiple choice and the essay sections of the AP Exam.
- Berthoud High School
- Loveland High School
- Mountain View High School
- Thompson Valley High School
- English Language Arts
Credit: 1.0 Language Arts
Dual college credit may be available – see your school counselor for more information
Recommended: AP Language and Composition
Fee: Student pays for textbook and AP Exam
Grades 11, 12 at Loveland High School and Thompson Valley High School
- Read various genres from world literature.
- Analyze the use and effectiveness of literary elements such as imagery, tone, juxtaposition, and voice.
- Demonstrate college-level skills through writing literary-analysis essays.
- Understand both the multiple choice and essay sections of the AP Exam.
- Berthoud High School
- Loveland High School
- Mountain View High School
- Thompson Valley High School
- English Language Arts
Credit: 1.0 Language Arts
Grade 11
This year-long course is the first year in the two-year Diploma Programme. In this highly rigorous course, students can expect to explore a variety of text types and genres from a global perspective, with a focus on close reading and analysis skills. Students can expect these explorations to look deeply and critically at units of study such as “Women in Conflict” and “Journey to the Darker Side of Humanity.”
Students will learn the nuances of both language devices and literary devices in order to support those analysis skills, which will be demonstrated in a variety of ways, including but not limited to on-demand writing, oral presentations, group presentations, and essays. This practice centers around student choice for both topics and approaches to various class assessments in order to ultimately meet the expectations of the IB exams, which are divided across the two-year program.
- Loveland High School
- English Language Arts
Credit: 1.0 Language Arts
Grade 12
This highly rigorous course is ideal for students who seek to be the best thinkers, writers, readers, and speakers in the room. The foundation of this course is analyzing authorial choices in a wide variety of texts and examining how they provide commentary on global issues. This course allows students a high degree of choice in selecting interesting texts for assessments. Text choices range from translated foreign novels to modern works by Kendrick Lamar and Banksy.
- Loveland High School
- English Language Arts
- IB Diploma Programme (DP)
Credit: 1.0 English Language Arts
This is the first of a two-year course that explores the crucial role language plays in communication, reflecting experience and shaping the world, and the roles of individuals themselves as producers of language. Throughout the course, students will explore the various ways in which language choices, text types, literary forms, and contextual elements all affect meaning. Students will explore the relationship between readers, writers, and texts as well as look at the influence of time and space on the way texts are produced and received by their audiences. A range of texts are explored including advertisements, song lyrics, visual art as well literary forms such as novels, short stories, essays, and graphic novels. Although this is a weighted course, the content is appropriate for all 11th-grade students. The standard level (SL) course is differentiated from the higher level (HL) in the depth of course content and the level of assessments. Students can expect to explore the following as part of their coursework:
- Success skills (ATLs)
- Learner Profile qualities
- Global issues
- Communicating for different audiences and purposes
- Inquiry
- Loveland High School
- English Language Arts
- IB Diploma Programme (DP)
Credit: 1.0 English Language Arts
As a continuation of the 11th-grade course, students will continue their exploration of the role of communication by striving to make connections between the variety of texts read as well as connecting the topics within those texts to the world at large. Students will continue to explore a variety of text types with an emphasis on understanding how texts unite and connect. An emphasis is placed on helping students develop critical thinking skills that are transferable to post-high school experiences. The course will explore the crucial role language plays in communication, reflecting experience and shaping the world, and the roles of individuals themselves as producers of language. Throughout the course, students will explore the various ways in which language choices, text types, literary forms, and contextual elements all affect meaning. Although this is a weighted course, the content is appropriate for all 11th graders. The standard level (SL) course is differentiated from the higher level (HL) in the depth of course content and the level of assessments. Students will have the opportunity to earn college credit for this class by fully meeting the IB requirements and taking the IB exams in May.
- Success skills (ATLs)
- Learner Profile qualities
- Global issues
- Communicating for different audiences and purposes
- Inquiry
- Loveland High School
- English Language Arts
- IB Diploma Programme (DP)
Credit: 1.0 Language Arts
This course aims to explore the relationship between literature and theater. The main focus of the course is the interaction between the literary skills of close reading, critical writing, rhetoric, and discussion and the practical, aesthetic, and symbolic elements of performance. Students engage with a wide variety of texts to explore the concept of transformation, examining the ways in which the contexts of production and reception shape meaning. Students will be able to experience a live production, experiencing the craft of stage production.
- Loveland High School
- English Language Arts
- IB Diploma Programme (DP)
Credit: (1.0)
This course continues to deepen the understanding of the relationship between literature and theater. The main focus of this course is to study the art of theatre production, including performance. Students will examine modern and classical theatre in a comparative analysis, diving into all the technical aspects of directing a play. Students will also take on a role and examine what choices are made to make words on a page into a believable and complex character.
- Loveland High School
- English Language Arts
Credit: 0.5 Language Arts
Dual college credit may be available, see your counselor
- Be introduced to fiction, poetry, and drama.
- Emphasize active and responsive reading.
- Prepare and deliver a variety of speeches that develop skills in research, persuasion, incorporating technology, and presentation.
- Analyze the validity and relevance of sources.
- Thompson Valley High School
- English Language Arts
- Media Arts – Broadcasting, Journalism, and Video Production
Credit: 0.5 Language Arts
- Demonstrate the ability to write for newspapers, magazines, and the yearbook.
- Demonstrate the ability to design and layout pages for various publications.
- Research the Internet for online publications.
- Berthoud High School
- Loveland High School
- Mountain View High School
- Thompson Valley High School
- English Language Arts
Credit: 0.5 Language Arts
Many stories are retellings of older tales, reworked, reimagined, and retold by writers seeking to tell old stories in new ways. As literature continues to reference literature, a reader benefits from exploring these ancient tales. In this class, students explore the ancient literature of the Mesopotamians, Hebrews, Christians, et al., as well as the Western texts and literary traditions they influence.
- Berthoud High School
- English Language Arts
Credit: 0.5 Language Arts
- Demonstrate an understanding of gods, heroes, and characters of classical mythology.
- Demonstrate an understanding of comparative mythology.
- Demonstrate an understanding of science fiction.
- Demonstrate an understanding of folklore.
- Berthoud High School
- Mountain View High School
- Thompson Valley High School
- English Language Arts
Credit: 0.5 Language Arts
- Demonstrate an understanding of the communication process.
- Demonstrate an understanding of intrapersonal and interpersonal communication.
- Demonstrate an understanding of and develop skills in the group process.
- Berthoud High School
- Loveland High School
- Mountain View High School
- Thompson Valley High School
- English Language Arts
Credit: 0.5 Language Arts
- Demonstrate, through delivery and examination, understanding of these essential factors in Public Speaking: speaker, message, delivery, audience, occasion, and purpose, along with the critical thinking processes related to each.
- Evaluate selected speeches using the following skills: listening, reasoning, content analysis, and speech criticism.
- Incorporate understanding of these speaker factors into speech performance: source credibility, communication apprehension, and speaker ethics.
- Prepare and deliver a speech that includes knowledge of these communication concepts: topic selection, preparation, organization, support/research materials, and language.
- Demonstrate understanding of Selected Speech Modes as illustrated through these accomplishment strategies: impromptu, extemporaneous, manuscript, and memorized.
- Demonstrate understanding of Vocal and Bodily Delivery: vocal pitch, rate, volume, vocal variety, movement, gestures, eye contact, facial expression, visual/audio aids.
- Demonstrate the ability to select and apply contemporary forms of technology to solve problems or compile information.
- Read, analyze, and apply written materials to new situations.
- Berthoud High School
- English Language Arts
Credit: 0.5 Language Arts
In Women and Their Literature, students will:
- read and study novels, poetry, essays, plays, and short stories by and about women
- evaluate women’s roles in American and foreign movies and public media
- read and interpret fairy tales, children’s stories or folktales from a variety of cultures
- identify an author or issue of personal interest or research
- Thompson Valley High School