English 4

By grade twelve, students read two million words annually, including a wide variety of classic and contemporary literature, magazines, newspapers, and online information. English 4 focuses on British literature, beginning with the Anglo-Saxons and extending through modern and contemporary literature. Students analyze both the features and the rhetorical devices of different types of public documents; analyze the way in which clarity of meaning is affected by the patterns of organization, hierarchical structures, repetition of the main ideas, syntax, and word choice in the text; and critique the power, validity, and truthfulness of arguments set forth in public documents. They will write clear, coherent essays that contrast the major literary forms, techniques, and characteristics of the major literary periods; relate literary works and authors to the major themes and issues of their eras; and evaluate the philosophical, political, religious, ethical, and social influences of the historical period that shaped the characters, plots, and settings.