English / Language Arts

This course offers college preparatory instruction closely aligned with the state standards using fiction and nonfiction readings, and example texts. Writing assignments will focus on the writing process for expository writing as well as narrative.

This course offers college preparatory instruction closely aligned with the state standards using fiction and nonfiction readings, and example texts. Writing assignments will focus on the writing process for expository writing as well as narrative. Teacher recommendation required.

This course uses the study and production of argumentative writing as a vehicle for developing reading, writing, speaking, listening, and critical thinking skills. These skills provide students leverage in all areas of application in school and beyond.

The enriched course focuses on reading and writing, with a particular emphasis on the argumentative mode, which will prepare the student for college. Reading will include poetry, short stories, novels, and dramas from different genres and cultures, as well as nonfiction. Prerequisite: A student must have earned a B or higher in the first semester of English 9.

This is a year long course with an emphasis on studying American Literature. The reading material and assignments within each unit are designed to provide students with practice in critical reading of, thinking about, and writing about complex texts. Students will explore and analyze various genres of text including podcasts, shorts stories, film, plays, and poems; as well as several selections of non-fiction including speeches, essays, and news articles. Students will also take the Smarter Balanced assessment as part of this course.

Humanities is an engaging, interdisciplinary course designed to explore the connections between literature, history, philosophy, and culture. Students will embark on a journey through a diverse range of literary works, including classic and contemporary texts, poetry, drama, and nonfiction, while also studying the historical and cultural contexts that shaped them. The course emphasizes critical thinking, close reading, and written expression, encouraging students to analyze themes such as identity, morality, justice, and human experience. Through discussion-based learning, students will explore how literature reflects and influences society, fostering an appreciation for the power of storytelling in shaping our world. Writing assignments will focus on strengthening skills in argumentation, analysis, and creative expression. Students will engage in both individual and collaborative projects, culminating in presentations and discussions that challenge them to consider the relevance of literature in today's world. By the end of the course, students will have developed stronger communication skills, deeper literary insights, and a broader understanding of the human condition, preparing them for both academic and personal growth.

This dual-credit course offers juniors an opportunity to take 8 college credits (Writing 115 and English 104) and satisfy the MHS English requirement for their junior year. Students will write college essays and study university-level literature. Students will also take the Oregon Statewide Assessment as part of this course. A student must have earned a B or higher in the first semester of the Advanced Sophomore Language and Literature class or an A in the first semester of Sophomore Language and Literature AND must also be earning a B or higher (10 Adv L/L) or an A (10 L/L) at the time of the second semester core recommendation conference in order to qualify. If EITHER term's grade is below the posted grade requirement, the student may not take this course. * At present, the colleges working with MHS do not require additional placement prerequisites in order for the student to participate in the dual-credit option for this class.

This English course prepares juniors for the AP Language and Composition exam, which measures their ability to analyze, synthesize and compose rhetoric and argument. Students may earn college credit for a score of 3 or higher on the exam. Students will also take the Oregon Statewide Assessment as part of this course.

Senior Language and Literature is a year-long course aimed at preparing students to be more effective readers, to expose them to college-level expectations in terms of reading, writing, discussion and argument and to prepare them for the kind of critical thinking and analysis that will be required of them in college. Course content may include project-based learning, film as literature units, specific genres like mystery novels or poetry, and individualized opportunities for demonstrating Essential Skills in reading and writing.

College Writing is a dual credit class that emphasizes essay development, critical thinking and basic research skills. The second half of the class focuses on the writing of logical argumentative essays, awareness of different audiences and documentation. A student must have earned a B or higher in the first semester of the AP Language and Composition or Introduction to Composition and Fiction class or an A in the first semester of 11 Language and Literature AND must also be earning a B or higher (AP Lang or ITCF) or an A (11 L/L) at the time of the second semester core recommendation conference in order to qualify. If EITHER term's grade is below the posted grade requirement, the student may not take this course. *At present, the colleges working with MHS do not require additional placement prerequisites in order for the student to participate in the dual-credit option for this class.

The AP English Literature and Composition course will engage you in the careful reading and critical analysis of imaginative literature. Through the close reading of selected texts, you can deepen your understanding of what it means to be a human being in the world and the ways in which writers use language to create meaning. You’ll learn to consider a work's structure, style, and themes, as well as smaller-scale elements such as the use of figurative language, imagery, symbolism, and tone.

This elective course will help you work with content from the advanced English class you’re already taking: AP Language, AP Literature, Intro to Comp & Fiction, or College Writing. The class will provide support and instruction in skills needed for advanced/college English, such as MLA and citation, allusions, vocabulary, grammar, essay formatting and revision technique, etc. All credit will come from in-class work and participation (not homework) and there will be time for extensive one-on-one conferencing with an English teacher while working on writing or revising work for AP, ITCF or College English. Prerequisite: Simultaneously enrolled in AP Language, AP Literature, Intro to Composition and Fiction, or College Writing.