• Graphic Design 1
• Graphic Design 2
• Advanced Print Technology
• Animation & Game Design 1
• Animation & Advanced Game Design 2
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Students at Wayzata High School earn English credits by choosing literature, writing, speech and/or general English courses. All courses include a variety of language arts activities; for instance, a literature course may include writing, vocabulary, and/or speech work. Be aware that certain colleges may not accept some courses for English credit. Courses with an asterisk (*) indicate they may not meet individual entrance requirements for some colleges.
Beginning with the class of 2014, the State of Minnesota requires that students take one “A” course and one “B” course their junior and senior year to fulfill State Standards.
9TH GRADE ENGLISH
100 ENGLISH 9
2 Terms Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 11 Grade 12 Prerequisite: None
This survey course is designed to provide a transition from the middle school to the high school academic environment. English students will study the novel, short stories, poetry, and plays. All students will read and analyze Of Mice and Men and Romeo and Juliet. Students will improve their vocabulary and develop their skills in grammar, usage, and mechanics. Special emphasis will be placed on speaking and writing.
Writing components include direct instruction and/or guided practice in the paragraph, the expository essay, research and documentation.
101 ENGLISH 9 HONORS
2 Terms Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 11 Grade 12 Prerequisite: None
This rigorous survey course provides a transition from the middle school to the high school academic environment.
Students study five literary subgenres: the short story, nonfiction, poetry, drama, and the novel. Students read and analyze John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, and other canonized and modern works, including Native American literature. Students improve their vocabulary and develop their skills in grammar, usage, and mechanics. Special emphasis is placed on speaking in large and small groups, delivering a formal, informative speech, and participating in Socratic Seminars.
Writing components include literary analysis essays, expository essays, poetry analysis, documentation, and research. Students read fiction, nonfiction, and poetry at the post-secondary level. The pace is brisk, and a strong work ethic is a must. *Students must complete a reading and writing assignment before the course begins.
40 ENGLISH 10
With some rare exceptions, all sophomores must take either the 10th grade English class or the 10th grade Honors English class. Sophomores are allowed to sign up for other elective English classes in addition to this 10th grade requirement.
107 ENGLISH 10
2 Terms Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 11 Grade 12 Prerequisite: None
English 10 is a survey course designed to equip students with the skills they need to be successful in upper-division English courses. It builds upon the foundational skills of English 9 and pushes students beyond the scope of literature with which they may already be familiar. We will study the core elements of language and literature, but always with an eye toward applications of critical thinking in the modern world.
As such, media literacy is an integral component of this course. As we study our course texts (Animal Farm, Night, A Raisin in the Sun, and Persepolis), we will examine the relevance of context, form, audience, and purpose and how they create and shape meaning. This examination carries over into our study of how the images we see in various media shape the ways in which we perceive others and ourselves. In doing this, we explore a number of topics from political rhetoric to pop culture depictions of success and “the American Dream” and their representations in film, media, and literature.
110 ENGLISH 10 HONORS
2 Terms Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 11 Grade 12 Prerequisite: English 9 Honors or teacher recommendation
This course is a comprehensive English course, including reading, writing and speaking/listening skills for students capable of engaging in accelerated learning. Strong emphasis is placed on reading challenging texts, writing for academic purposes (persuasion, analysis, argumentation), and fully participating in a discussion-based approach to learning. Students read, discuss, and write about literature from several genres, including poetry, drama, short story, essay, and novel. Students selecting this course should have experienced success in prior English courses and should be capable of advanced reading and writing performance. *Students must complete a reading assignment before the course begins.
“A” COURSES
115 AMERICAN LITERATURE
2 Terms Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 11 Grade 12 Prerequisite: None
This challenging and entertaining class focuses on the great American literary works, the authors who created them, and the methods by which they tell the American experience from the time of the Native Americans to present day.
Novels are drawn from a list that includes The Scarlet Letter, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, My Antonia, The Great Gatsby, The Grapes of Wrath, The Catcher in the Rye, and The Things They Carried. Dramatic works may include The Crucible, The Glass Menagerie, A Streetcar Named Desire, and Death of a Salesman. Film studies include Gone with the Wind. In addition, students will read short stories, contemporary essays, and poetry. Seminal American documents range from the Declaration of Independence and Constitution, to Lincoln’s Second Inaugural and Gettysburg Address, to Native American-related fiction and non-fiction. Students will learn approaches to literary analysis and persuasive essay writing, and examine literature through various lenses of literary criticism. The reading pace is brisk and heavy, and students are expected to enthusiastically engage in class discussions and small-group projects.
41 118 MODERN AMERICAN LITERATURE: 1940 - 1970
2 Terms Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 11 Grade 12 Prerequisite: None
This class will focus on American literature between World War II and the Conflict in Vietnam and the relation of that literature to developments in art, politics, business, music, science, and culture. It will involve a great deal of reading, writing about, public speaking about, and discussion of challenging, sophisticated, and controversial texts.
These might include The Naked and the Dead, Revolutionary Road, the United States Constitution, The Declaration of Independence, Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address, In Cold Blood, Invisible Man, The Crucible, A Streetcar Named Desire, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, The Bell Jar, Lame Deer, Seeker of Visions, and On The Road.
One might also read the stories and articles of such authors as John Cheever, Hunter Thompson, David Halberstam, Joan Didion, Dee Brown, Tom Wolfe, David Maranis, and Norman Mailer, as well as the poetry of Sylvia Plath, Allen Ginsberg, Gary Snyder, Diane DiPrima, Adrienne Rich, and Theodore Roethke. Films such as Pleasantville, Guilty by Suspicion, Quiz Show, Psycho, and High Noon might also be explored. These texts will be considered in the context of such phenomena as the Civil Rights Movement and its antecedents, the Cold War, developments in corporate America, the rise of McCarthyism, the Beat and Counterculture movements, and the rise of Rock ‘N Roll.
Students should expect to engage in robust critical and imaginative thinking and to take an enthusiastic part in class discussion.
139 ADVENTURE STORY
2 Terms Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 11 Grade 12 Prerequisite: None
The goal of this class is to develop the reading habit and to build enjoyment of literature through high-interest materials, engaging in-class activities and clear instruction in literacy strategies in a supportive and structured environment. We will read and discuss stories and novels about adventure and survival and in the process, help you develop a tool-kit to improve your reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. Texts may include Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games, James Dashner’s The Maze Runner, and S.A. Bodeen’s The Compound. There will be some in-class reading, discussion to encourage reflection, and written journal responses to build connections to and draw reactions from the topics and themes found in novels, short stories (including those by Native American authors), short non-fiction works, films, seminal U.S. texts, and foundational U.S. documents. There will also be opportunities for student-selected reading material. This class relies heavily on discussion that encourages reflection and making real-life connections to the stories and novels we read. Active participation will be expected.
Writing components include direct instruction and/or guided practice in reflective writing, literary analysis, research and documentation.
** Due to the nature of this course, teacher and/or counselor recommendation may be requested.
140 SPORTS LITERATURE & EXPOSITORY WRITING
2 Terms Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 11 Grade 12 Prerequisite: None
Through fiction and nonfiction written about sports, students will view the field and the impact it has on our society.
A wide variety of areas will be topics for reading, writing, discussion, and individual presentations to the class.
Students will read class assignments, write expository and personal papers, participate in class discussions and activities, and complete an in-depth study of at least two works of contemporary sports literature. Various reading, writing and speech assignments will be required of students, and each student should expect to be an active learner on a daily basis. This class is limited to juniors and seniors.
42 stretching back hundreds—if not thousands—of years. By combining images and text, graphic novels explore the same issues found in “serious” literature. Reading a graphic novel requires the reader to make connections between the images and the text and to create the links between each panel and page. Multimedia literacy is vital in succeeding in the 21st century and graphic novels meet that need. We will read a selection of graphic novels covering a wide range of genres and themes: The Death of Superman, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Pride of Baghdad, Maus, Vietnamerica and Watchmen. We will study the history of medium, and we will identify the use of traditional literary elements while developing our reading, writing and speaking skills. We will also apply our learning by trying our hand at writing and illustrating a graphic novel of our own. This course does not meet NCAA Athletic Eligibility Requirements.
186 SPEAKING OUT AND SOCIAL ISSUES
2 Terms Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 11 Grade 12 Prerequisite: None
Every student who enters college is expected to take a rhetoric course. This class prepares students to identify important social issues, research the opinions surrounding these issues, and use rhetorical strategies to write and deliver speeches that highlight their ideas and positions on these topics. A variety of speeches will be studied including informative, persuasive, special occasion speeches, creative expression and oral and/or dramatic interpretation. Students will read and study famous American speeches and analyze the rhetorical strategies that these speakers employed to make them great speakers. Examples are Martin Luther King’s I Have a Dream, John F.
Kennedy’s Inaugural Address, Stephen Job’s Commencement Address. Students will study important Supreme Court cases that discuss freedom of speech and religion and topics inevitably cover the rights and responsibilities surrounding the freedoms bestowed upon us as American citizens. This course is an excellent preparation for students who enjoy speaking and who might like to participate on the speech team.
Writing components include rhetorical analysis, issue analysis and speech construction skills.
189 * DEBATE FOR COMPETITION
2 Terms Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 11 Grade 12 Prerequisite: None
This course will help the student who wishes to be a member of the school debate team. Geared for students just beginning debate, the class will center its study and practice around the national debate topic debated by teams throughout the United States. Students will study the resolution, develop cases, and participate in interscholastic competition. Class activities stress skills such as selection of issues, in-depth research, building cases, and presenting them effectively. Students will participate in minor skirmishes and practice debates to prepare them for competition. Since class participants are members of the team, they are required to attend weekend tournaments from October through December. Students must be able to practice 2 days each week after school.
Contact the instructor or your counselor if you have questions.
Writing components include guided practice in the expository essay, research and documentation.
190 * HONORS DEBATE FOR COMPETITION
2 Terms Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 11 Grade 12 Prerequisite: Debate for Competition and Teacher Approval
This is an advanced debate class for students who will be debating on the junior varsity or varsity debate team.
Debate for Competition is a prerequisite for this course unless the student is a transfer student and has debated elsewhere. Students will study the national debate topic, but will learn advanced skills in terms of debate theory, research, logic and argumentation, and skills of persuasion. Since members of this class are members of the debate team, the course requires participation at the interscholastic tournaments from October until early February.
Writing components include guided practice in the paragraph, the persuasive essay, research and documentation.
43 193 CULTURAL DYNAMICS THROUGH LITERATURE
2 Terms Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 11 Grade 12 Prerequisite: None
The objective of this course is to examine cultural dynamics within the U.S. as well as throughout the world, while learning about others, through the lens of literature. We will also tackle our own perspectives, global views and beliefs about issues surrounding diversity. This class will include the history of various cultures as well as a wide variety of literature. Students should be prepared to come to class and share focused ideas surrounding the literature as well as to be active listeners. We also expect students to be able to create a safe learning environment that allows others to share informed opinions on class material. This course does not meet NCAA Athletic Eligibility Requirements.
194 COMPOSITION/GRAMMAR & USAGE
2 Terms Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 11 Grade 12 Prerequisite: None
Composition/Grammar & Usage is an intermediate level writing class that allows students to practice their writing skills alongside the formal rules of grammar. As students write a number of essays throughout the semester, they will apply traditional grammar instruction to their writing. Since students will be called on to write in a variety of situations, both in and after high school, writing well is crucial for their success. This class especially serves college-writing preparation. Students will focus on developing the ability to generate ideas with depth and to organize those ideas in a clearly structured form. To further aid in clear express of ideas, students will receive instruction in identifying parts of speech and sentence components, classifying phrases and clauses, proper use of mechanics and special problems with usage.
In addition to frequent reading and writing activities, students may write a personal essay, a persuasive essay, a compare/contrast essay, a research-based essay and a critical analysis essay. All of this work will be done in a community of writers who share their work, and give and receive feedback through a writer’s workshop. Students will take each essay through all stages of the writing process and will revise essays multiple times. This course does not meet NCAA Athletic Eligibility Requirements.
199 ADVANCED PLACEMENT ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 2 Terms Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 11 Grade 12 Prerequisite: None
This rigorous college-level course is modeled after common first-year university composition courses that lay the groundwork for future college-level thinking and writing. It is a great opportunity for students who have consistently been successful writing for other courses, who have demonstrated mastery of basic conventions of writing, and who wish to challenge themselves further by studying how the features of rhetoric and style function in a variety of nonfiction tests, both written and visual (as in advertising, political cartoons, documentary, etc.), and then applying that study to their own work.
Students in this course will read and write in various rhetorical modes, with special attention given to argument and persuasion. Students will engage in extended close reading and rich analysis and discussion of how an author’s purposes, choice of subject-matter, audience, expectations, and use of convention and language resources contribute to the effectiveness of the text. *There is required summer reading for this course.
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“B” Courses
117 WORLD LITERATURE & HUMANITIES
2 Terms Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 11 Grade 12 Prerequisite: None
World Literature students will experience great literature from around the world. Areas studied will include but not be limited to: Africa, Central and South America, India, China, Japan and Afghanistan. Students will look at the cultural, political and religious influences on the literature we read. Through our study we will celebrate cultural differences and discover those elements of life and thought that transcend cultural boundaries and are universally human. All students read Kite Runner, Things Fall Apart, and In the Time of the Butterflies, a variety of short stories, plays and poetry from the class textbook, and selections chosen by the instructor. Students are all given the opportunity for an independent reading project that allows them to study an area of the world and themes that interest them. Writing components include journal writing, essay writing, research, documentation and literary analysis. Speech components include discussion and individual and group presentations.
127 SHORT FICTION
2 Terms Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 11 Grade 12 Prerequisite: None
The goal of this class is to develop the reading habit and to build enjoyment of literature through high-interest materials, engaging in-class activities and clear instruction in literacy strategies in a supportive and structured environment. We will read and discuss stories and novels about topical and sometimes controversial issues to which high school students can relate and in the process, help you develop a toolkit to improve your reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. Novels include Sharon Draper’s Forged by Fire, Margaret Bechard’s, Hanging on to Max, Patricia McCormick’s Cut, and Gene Yang’s American Born Chinese, and multiple modern interpretations of Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet. The class will culminate with students creating and presenting one multimedia work that uses technology to call attention to one critical issue that affects teens today. There will be some class-time reading and opportunities for students to select their own reading material. This class relies heavily on discussion that encourages reflection and making real-life connections to the stories and novels we read. Active participation will be expected. Writing components include direct instruction and/or guided practice in reflective writing, creative writing and literary analysis.
** Due to the nature of this course, teacher and/or counselor recommendation may be requested.
132 CRITICAL ANALYSIS: 20TH CENTURY NARRATIVE
2 Terms Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 11 Grade 12 Prerequisite: None
“Critical Analysis” 20th Century Narrative” focuses on the structure, development, and style of fictional narratives in the 1900s. Substantial emphasis is put on written work (both formal analysis and personal responses) and discussion skills. Students will develop and utilize critical interpretive skills in response to writings, drama, and fictional films.
192 CREATIVE WRITING
2 Terms Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 11 Grade 12 Prerequisite: None
Creative Writing begins with a thorough study of the elements of story: plot, setting, audience, perspective, and character. Next, students begin exploring different genres such as realistic fiction, speculative fiction, memoir, and the creative essay. Last, they experiment with various other forms of creative communication, including writing, directing, and making a film, analyzing song lyrics, submitting work for publication, and performing original poetry before an audience. Students read a variety of short work and full-length books by published authors—from
Creative Writing begins with a thorough study of the elements of story: plot, setting, audience, perspective, and character. Next, students begin exploring different genres such as realistic fiction, speculative fiction, memoir, and the creative essay. Last, they experiment with various other forms of creative communication, including writing, directing, and making a film, analyzing song lyrics, submitting work for publication, and performing original poetry before an audience. Students read a variety of short work and full-length books by published authors—from