English

Four English credits are required for graduation. All course numbers represent a semester, earning .5 credit (except VANTAGE courses). One English credit is required each year. Electives do not fulfill this requirement but may be taken in addition to required English options. No course may be repeated unless a student has failed that particular course and wishes to repeat it for credit.

Course Listing

Map of America

Course: #1022 - English, S1    
Course: #1024 - English, S2
Course: #2008 - Social Studies, S1
Course: #2010 - Social Studies, S2
*Students must register for all four courses.
Grade(s) offered: Grade 10
Credits: 0.5 (per semester, full-year course)
Prerequisites: Any English 9 Course Concurrent enrollment in Social Studies 2012 & 2013

This honors-level interdisciplinary course meets across two class periods and fulfills the requirements for both 10th grade social studies and English.

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Minnetonka AP Language and Composition 10

Course: #AP100, S1
Course: #AP101, S2
Grade(s) offered: grade 10
Credits: 0.5 (per semester, full-year course)
Prerequisites: Any English 9 Course

Students will analyze a broad and challenging range of fiction and nonfiction prose and trace the use of rhetoric in making arguments and appeals. Students will read and examine essays, letters, speeches, images, media messages, memoirs, and autobiographies from a variety of authors and historical contexts.

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AP Language and Composition 12

Course: #AP104
Online Option: #T1100*, Tonka Online 
*Select term F=fall, W=winter 
Grade(s) offered: Grade 12
Credits: 0.5 (single semester course)
Prerequisites: Any English 11 Course

In this course, students read and examine a broad range of nonfiction prose including essays, letters, speeches, images, media messages, memoirs, and autobiographies from a variety of authors and historical contexts.

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AP Literature and Composition

Course: #AP102, S1
Course: #AP103, S2    
Grade(s) offered: Grade 11, Grade 12
Credits: 0.5 (per semester, full-year course)
Prerequisites: Any English 10 or 11 Course

This course emphasizes perceptive readings of major British and American Literature representing all literary genres—poetry, drama, novel, short story—covering the 17th to the 21st Century.

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AP Research

Course: #AP107, S1
Course: #AP108, S2
Grade(s) offered: grade 12
Credits: 0.5 (per semester, full-year course)
Prerequisites: AP Seminar during junior year

AP Research allows students to deeply explore an academic topic, problem, or issue of individual interest. Through this exploration, students design, plan, and conduct a year-long research based investigation to address a research question.

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AP Seminar

Course: #AP105, S1
Course: #AP106, S2
This course may also be taken through VANTAGE #V102, Global Business or VANTAGE #V700, Public Policy (choose only one)
Grade(s) offered: grade 11, grade 12
Credits: 0.5 (per semester, full-year course)
Prerequisites: Any English 10 or 11 Course

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.

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CIS Public Speaking (VANTAGE)

Course: #V400
Grades Offered: Grade 11 or Grade 12
Credits: 1.0 English credit
College Credits: CIS Public Speaking (3.0 University of Minnesota credits)

*Successful completion of this course will give students University of Minnesota credits through our partnership with their CIS program.

This course is offered as part of the VANTAGE Education track. For details about taking CIS Public Speaking through VANTAGE, visit the VANTAGE page of the Skipper Log.

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Creative Writing

Course: #1038
Grade(s) offered: Grade 12
Credits: 0.5 (single semester course)
Prerequisites: Any English 11 Course

This course sharpens students’ observations and use of imagery in writing description, characterization, dialogue, satire, memoirs, short stories and poetry.

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Debate

Course: #1056    
Grade(s) offered: Grade 9, Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12 
Credits: 0.5 (per semester, full-year course)
Prerequisites: None

Course Description:
Students will learn the basic structure and theory of argumentation and debate as they research a variety of topics to be presented in class.

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book with flower

Course: #1000, S1
Course: #1002, S2    
Grade(s) offered: Grade 9
Credits: 0.5 (per semester, full-year course)
Prerequisites: None

Students will read short stories, novels, plays, nonfiction, and poetry to study various elements of literature. They will improve their writing skills, focusing on well-developed paragraphs and three-part essays.

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English 09 Honors

Course: #1004, S1
Course: #1006, S2    
Grade(s) offered: Grade 9
Credits: 0.5 (per semester, full-year course)
Prerequisites: None

Students will read a variety of literature, improve their writing skills, study grammar and vocabulary, and focus on critical reading, writing and speaking.

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English 09 Honors Communications

Course: #1008 - English Honors 09 Communications, S1
Course: #1010 - English Honors 09 Communications, S2
Course: AP300 - AP Physics 1-9, S1
Course: AP302 - AP Physics 1-9, S2
*Students must register for all four courses
Grade(s) offered: Grade 9 
Credits: 0.5 (per semester, full-year course)

This course blends traditional grade 9 language arts curriculum with a technical communications component that includes research writing and presentation skills to support AP Physics I.

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English 10

Course: #1014, S1    
Course: #1016, S2    
Grade(s) offered: Grade 10
Credits: 0.5 (per semester, full-year course)
Prerequisites: Any English 9 Course

Students will read a survey of American literature from the Colonial period to the present and expanding their writing skills for a variety of purposes and audiences.

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English 11

Course: #1026, S1
Course: #1028, S2
Online Option: #T1026F, part 1, Tonka Online
Online Option: #T1028W, part 2, Tonka Online 
Online: Complete part 1 before part 2
Grade(s) offered: Grade 11
Credits: 0.5 (per semester, full-year course)
Prerequisites: Any English 10 Course

From graphic novels to film to classic literature, students will focus on the individual’s place in society. Student writing will include traditional essays, as well as more creative and exploratory pieces.

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iPad on Book

Elective or Required Option 
Course: #1032
Course: #T1032W, Tonka Online
Grade(s) offered: Grade 12
Credits: 0.5 (single semester course)

This survey course is designed to parallel the structure of English 12 FALL using a different set of materials.

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IB Language and Literature SL

Course: #IB100, S1
Course: #IB102, S2
Grade(s) offered: grade 11, grade 12
Credits: 0.5 (per semester, full-year course)
Prerequisites: Any English 10 or English 11 course

Students examine how language impacts the world, shapes identity and is used in the media, including newspapers, magazines, the Internet, social networking, mobile telephony, radio, and film.

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IB Literature and Performance SL

Course: #IB104, S1
Course: #IB106, S2
Grade(s) offered: grade 11, grade 12
Credits: 0.5 (per semester, full-year course)
This course fulfills the Arts credit requirement.    
Prerequisites: Any English 10 or English 11

In this course, students will experience a unique synthesis of language and theater study and explore the dynamic relationship between the two.

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IB Literature HL

Course: #IB108 Year 1, S1
Course: #IB110 Year 1, S2
Course: #IB112 Year 2, S1
Course: #IB114 Year 2, S2
Grade(s) offered: grade 11, grade 12
Credits: 0.5 (per semester, two-year course)  
Prerequisites: Year 1: Any English 10 Course; Year 2: IB Lit HL Year 1

This course encourages students to read literature in a deep, focused, interpretive manner, while also fostering confidence in individual insights and thoughtful reflection.
 

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Journalism

Course: #1044
Grade(s) offered: Grade 12
Credits: 0.5 (single semester course)
Prerequisites: Any English 11 Course

This course is a survey of journalism and media studies and an introduction to journalistic writing. Students will examine non-fiction pieces to understand the art of storytelling about the everyday world.

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Speech Hybrid

Course: #1040    
Grade(s) offered: Grade 12
Credits: 0.5 (single semester course)
Prerequisites: Any English 11 Course

Students will get a chance in this course to refine their public speaking skills in front of their peers. The speeches assigned entail a variety of delivery modes and purposes. Students will practice listening skills, develop logical arguments and understand the relationship between nonverbal, interpersonal and small group communication. Additionally, students will evaluate the text and delivery of famous speeches to understand the craft of public speaking. 

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Theater Arts (Inclusive)

Course: #1050
Grade(s) offered: Grade 9, Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12
Credits: 0.5 (single semester course)
This course fulfills the Arts credit requirement.
Prerequisites: None

Theater Arts is a semester-long course designed for students who are passionate about theater and want to be part of an intentionally inclusive community with peers who have developmental and cognitive disabilities.

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Theater I

Course: #1052
Grade(s) offered: Grade 9, Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12
Credits: 0.5 (single semester course)
This course completes .5 towards the Arts credit. 
Prerequisites: None

This course introduces actors to basic acting techniques of the theater, including improvisation, character analysis and development, monologue preparation, and scene preparation.

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Theater II

Course: #1054
This course completes .5 towards the Arts credit    
Grade(s) offered: Grade 9, Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12
Credits: 0.5 (single semester course)
This course completes .5 towards the Arts credit. 
Prerequisites: Theater 1 or permission of instructor

This course focuses on advanced acting technique and allows the student to expand on his/her acting skills and expertise.

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Yearbook I

Course: #1046    
Grade(s) offered: 
Grade 9, Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12
Credits: 0.5 (single semester course)
Prerequisites: Application, interview and teacher recommendations

In Yearbook I, students learn how to gather information for pages, photograph activities and events, conduct interviews, write copy, and design page layouts.

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Yearbook II

Course: #1048 
Grade(s) offered: Grade 9, Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12
Credits: 0.5 (single semester course)
This course completes .5 towards the Arts credit. 
Prerequisites: Yearbook I 

Students practice the elements of art and the principles of design as they apply to yearbook production.

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Students working on writing projects