English

Fifth-grade reading and writing workshop begins with an exploration of literary themes and the craft of narrative writing. Each student examines her individual roots by reflecting on and writing about turning points in her own life. Students will write stories based on their own personal experiences and meaningful moments. We also explore narrative writing though fictional novels that explore personal identity: Becoming Naomi Leon by Pam Munoz Ryan, Wonder by RJ Palacio, and Home of the Brave by Katherine Applegate. In these initial books, students begin using their active reading skills to analyze complex fictional texts. Later in reading workshop, fifth graders will learn how to approach, analyze, and summarize non-fiction texts. Each student builds a toolkit for understanding how to interact meaningfully with informational non-fiction texts. After developing these reading skills, students participate in a fully integrated humanities unit focused on topics of Westward Expansion. This unit, called, “The Lens of History,” thematically incorporates reading, writing, and social studies as students learn strategies for writing focused research reports about Westward Expansion. This unit requires students to develop advanced skills as historians, researchers, and writers. In our final reading workshop unit of the year, we do an in-depth study of fantasy novels in series. Students navigate complex characters and magical settings in order to analyze metaphors, life lessons, quests, and thematic patterns. This unit challenges each student to grow new interpretive reading skills within a book group. Students grow as readers and as community members while practicing critical communication skills, open-mindedness, and dialogue in small groups.

Throughout the year in writing workshop, students study narrative craft, research writing, and argument and advocacy writing in depth. In our narrative craft unit, each student generates a personal narrative with the goal of telling her personal story powerfully. Finally, in our research-based argument essay unit, students research a debatable issue, formulate a claim, and support their claim with evidence and reasoning. Each student then writes a final advocacy letter in support of her thesis.

Sixth-grade literature and language arts curriculum is part of an integrated humanities program. In Humanities, we 
focus on an exploration of active reading skills and evaluation of literary elements. Students are encouraged to build 
habits toward becoming life-long readers, and read fiction and non-fiction books as a class, in small groups, and 
individually with an emphasis on sampling a variety of genres. Short stories are also studied. In-class workshops and 
mini-lessons introduce students to tools to help them read their independent reading books deeply and 
thoughtfully. Students practice reading skills and show their thinking in a Reader’s Notebook. The online resource, 
Membean, is used as a tool for building vocabulary. 

Writing in sixth grade focuses on developing a commitment to the full writing process rooted in the curriculum of 
the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project. Through a variety of projects, including creative stories, personal 
narratives, literary essays and information writing, students explore the steps of brainstorming, prewriting, drafting, 
revising, editing, and publishing. Emphasis is placed on crafting a clear thesis and providing evidence to support 
claims. In addition, conventions and mechanics exercises practiced through No Red Ink reinforce accuracy and clear 
communication in writing. The emphasis placed on writing at Forest Ridge challenges students to write effectively 
in all areas of the sixth-grade curriculum.

The seventh-grade English program works to further introduce students to the discipline of language arts and to foster a community of readers and writers. The course continues development in conventions, composition, reading, vocabulary, and speaking and listening skills. Throughout the year, students read a variety of fiction and nonfiction texts independently and in small groups. They also practice being authors themselves by writing realistic fiction, and they conclude the year by jumping into Shakespeare with an interactive study of A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Seventh graders also take two semesters of 7^th and 8^th writing, where they practice both grammar and writing skills to support the work they do across the Forest Ridge Curriculum. Areas of focus include a study of narrative within a variety of writing forms, how to write engaging, informative texts, and the mechanics of a compelling argument. In addition, students will learn how to improve their feedback literacy by reflecting on how they seek, understand, and use feedback during the writing process.

In eighth-grade English, students begin the year with a survey of short stories with a focus on analyzing the use of literary devices and elements in discussion and writing. They then extend these skills to novel, drama, and non-fiction study. Students also engage in year-long vocabulary and conventions practice. Throughout the year, a thematic focus on identity, rights, and power offers opportunities for cross-curricular explorations with social studies and religion.

Eighth graders also take two semesters of 7^th and 8^th writing, where they practice both grammar and writing skills to support the work they do across the Forest Ridge curriculum. Areas of focus include a study of narrative within a variety of writing forms, how to write engaging, informative texts, and the mechanics of a compelling argument. In addition, students will learn how to improve their feedback literacy by reflecting on how they seek, understand, and use feedback during the writing process.

Year-long / Required

This freshman year course bridges middle school and high school English, building a strong foundation in close reading of a range of literary texts to develop critical and analytical skills, and on writing intensively in a variety of modes for a variety of purposes. Students practice the stages of the writing process - from invention to the editing and polishing of a final draft - for both academic and personal writing. Through reflection, self-evaluation, and conferencing, students will develop their own writing goals and strategies. Emphasis on imagination and engagement as readers and writers is paired with encouragement to explore the expressive possibilities of language and communication. Students will learn to ask provocative questions of literature, of each other, and of their thinking and writing. 

Prerequisite: None

Grade level:  9

Credits earned: 1.0 English

Year-long (10th graders take Sacred Stories or U.S. Stories)

Please note that this is a 2-period, co-curricular class. 

In this integrated English and religious studies course, students will explore how the Bible provides what critic Northrop Frye calls the “mythological framing of culture” to build a foundation for understanding a wide variety of texts and genres within American literature. Because religious and Christian values are embedded within the American story, we will encounter Biblical narratives, archetypes, and motifs both through scripture itself and through more contemporary literary forms, and we will develop a Biblical literacy to provide a depth of understanding and access to references and common interpretations of western culture. In the second semester, students will focus on the implications of narrative choices by using the lenses of race, class, and gender theory to look at contemporary American culture and the ways in which Catholic concepts shape individuals’ understandings and interactions with the world around them.

Prerequisite: None 
Grade level: 10
Credit earned: 1.0 English and 1.0 Social Studies

Year-long (10th graders take Sacred Stories or U.S. Stories)

Please note that this is a 2-period, co-curricular class.

In this integrated English and Social Studies course, students will explore the diversity of the American people and their patchwork of voices and perspectives through multiple sources and artforms. Using the lenses of race, class, and gender, this course will critically examine the founding ideals of the United States in history and literature. Depending upon perspective and identity, these ideals, such as equality, liberty, opportunity, respect for rights, and popular sovereignty, have been applied and interpreted differently. Students will further develop their writing skills, with a focus on clarity and well-supported claims. Students will also work to develop habits as independent readers, focusing on comprehension and close reading. Written work will include in-class composition, primary source analyses, and a major thesis-driven research paper.

Prerequisite: None
Grade level: 10
Credit earned: 1.0 English and 1.0 Social Studies

Prerequisite: None
Grade level: 11
Credits earned: 0.5 English
 

One Semester

With a focus on literature created in languages other than English, this course will add more international voices to your reading experience. You will practice close reading, analysis and writing about works of prose and poetry, both as they reflect their social and political contexts and as they reflect their writers’ unique voices and visions. We will also consider the art of translation across language and culture.

Prerequisite: None
Grade level: 11, 12
Credits earned: 0.5 English

Desire and revenge, love and envy, wisdom and grievous error! In this course you will have close encounters with the admirable, the detestable, and the foolish in human nature. Our study of Shakespeare will encompass language, dramatic structure, character, psychology, art, history, and performance. Expect to gain skill and confidence as a reader and writer and to find yourself habitually speaking in iambic pentameter.

Prerequisite: None
Grade level: 11, 12
Credits earned: 0.5 English

One Semester

This course is offered every other school year. It will be offered in the 2022-2023 school year.

In this course students will be both readers and writers as they make a deeper investigation into narrative techniques in fiction and nonfiction writing. The first quarter reading will focus on fiction, primarily through short stories by writers with both artful entertainment and social criticism. The second quarter reading will focus on a range of approaches to nonfiction that engages the reader critically and aesthetically. Throughout the semester students will practice narrative techniques in short fiction exercises and write essays reflecting personal experience and observation.

Prerequisite: None
Grade level: 11, 12 
Credit earned: 0.5 English

One Semester

The Advanced Genre Studies course takes a deep dive into a single genre. In this semester-length course, we make a comparative study of poetic traditions in different parts of the world, then focus on the works of one or two poets to study how they developed their art. Students will hone their reading, writing, and discussion skills in a student-centered environment that promotes independence and serious inquiry. Students will have opportunities to demonstrate their understanding and ability to develop a persuasive argument in both written and oral analyses; they will also practice writing poetry and explore their own creative processes as writers.

Prerequisite: None
Grade level: 11, 12 
Credit earned: 0.5 English

One Semester

In this course, we examine the role of storytelling in challenging cultural norms. We’ll focus on voices that have been historically underrepresented both in the U.S. and abroad, whose work subverts the dominant narrative. This Socratic Seminar encourages critical and comparative thinking and offers students the opportunity to engage deeply with issues such as the role of art/the artist in society, and the politics and power of representation on-screen and on the page. We will examine the techniques used by writers and film makers to construct powerful stories and study the underlying theory present in both mediums. Students will hone their analytical skills in discussion and writing and will apply various critical lenses as they investigate both film and text. This course will culminate in a major project that will have both a creative and an analytic component, and will be completed in cooperation with the Digital Media Lab.

Prerequisite: None
Grade level: 11, 12
Credit earned: 0.5 English

One Semester

This course is offered every other school year. It will be offered in the 2022-2023 school year. Please note that this is a 2-period, co-curricular class.

False historical beliefs are pervasive in our culture. Students in this interdisciplinary course will apply critical thinking as they examine historical and literary texts through varied analytical lenses, considering various critical readings of a given text. Students will cultivate deep understandings of perspective through the lens of myths, misconceptions, and manipulations of the past. Course topics include myths about Westward expansion, race, Native American genocide, Colonialism, and Antisemitism. We will examine the ways people manipulate the past, common techniques used to perpetuate problematic myths and claims about the past, and how and why the past has been appropriated throughout time. Students will discuss, reflect upon, and write about how myths, misconceptions, and manipulations of the past influence ideas about their society and culture. An important focus of this class will be the methods and evidence used by scholars to interpret past peoples and events – specifically critical thinking, interpretative, and analytical skills used to disprove inaccurate and problematic claims about the past. Students will learn about these methods and apply them in their own analytical writing and presentations throughout the course, including assignments to help students be more critical consumers of information as they examine their own beliefs about history. This course is part of the Matteo Ricci Institute through Seattle University, and students may earn college credit.

Prerequisite:  None
Grade level: 11, 12
Credit earned: 0.5 English and 0.5 Social Studies

One or multiple semesters

This course is open to students who want to improve their writing skills. Students may enroll for one or multiple semesters. They will learn about different academic writing forms, writing techniques, and academic vocabulary. Through examination of writing samples and daily discussions, students will expand their understanding of the writing process. This class will also give students an opportunity to work on current writing assignments, either individually or within a small peer group. By the end of their enrollment in the course, students will be confident expressing academic ideas in writing, integrating quotations, and engaging in the editing process. This course is graded on a credit/no credit scale and is not calculated into a student’s GPA.

Prerequisite: None (students will be recommended by English teacher) 
Grade level: Open to all students
Credit earned: 0.5 English and 1.0 Elective

One Semester

This course is offered every other school year. It will be offered next in the 2023-2024 school year.

This semester course is open to anyone who wishes to explore the craft and practice of creative writing. Whether you’re well into your tenth chapter or have never written anything longer than a tweet, this class will encourage you to stretch your creative muscles. You will experience reading and writing fiction, poetry, personal narrative, and drama in a workshop setting. The course will include individual and class critiques of work, as well as discussion of the techniques writers use to make their words leap off the page!

Prerequisite: None
Grade level: Open to all students
Credit earned: 0.5 Elective

One Semester

This course is offered every other school year. It will be offered in the 2022-2023 school year.

This course presents a unique opportunity for in intensive practice and development of oral presentation and academic writing skills. Students will work to create meaning and knowledge through writing and speaking as they negotiate issues of language, culture, and power. This workshop-type course explores and develops presentation skills for students through projects that include, but are not limited to, debate, impromptu speaking, oration and civil discourse, mock interviews, and tools for cross cultural dialog. While the teacher will provide exercises and projects, students will work towards meeting their own goals, and evaluation will be based on growth. Students may earn credit for either a Fine Arts class or an English elective.

Prerequisite: None
Grade level: 10, 11, 12 
Credit earned: 0.5 Fine Arts

Year-Long

This course focuses on supporting students as they actively read and engage with texts, especially in their concurrent English and Exploring Global Cultures classes. As students read a variety of genres, they will practice comprehension strategies for active reading and respond in reflective, analytical, and creative modes. The process of writing will be emphasized in forming coherent and logical paragraphs and essays. Along with student writing skills, this course also works to build academic vocabulary, foundational grammar concepts, and editing strategies. Students will learn speaking and discussion skills; active participation is an essential aspect of this course throughout the year.

Prerequisite: None
Grade level: 9
Credit earned: 1.0

Year-Long

This course provides continued English language support for students in grades 10-12. Students will refine their academic English as they work both in small groups and individually with their teacher. Group instruction will focus on grammar, syntax, and appropriate word usage, and students will have opportunities to work on reading and writing assignments in other classes. This course is assessed on a Credit/No Credit scale and does not calculate into a student’s GPA.

Prerequisite:  None
Grade level: 10, 11, 12
Credit earned: 1.0