British Literature & Composition is a literature and writing course that focuses on major works of British literature and the composition skills necessary to write effectively at the high school level and which will prepare them for a subsequent literature and composition course and the college preparatory course Writing for College. During this year, students will grow as readers, writers, and learners. Students will learn to read actively, make careful observations of textual detail, establish connections among observations, and make interpretive conclusions about meaning and value. They will learn to think critically, analyze, synthesize, evaluate, and compare through lectures, discussion, reading, writing, and presentation. All literature will be analyzed through the lens of Scripture, and students will learn through repeated practice in class discussion and composition to always question how and in what way what they read is in alignment with Truth and how these analyses impact them on a personal level. In this way, students will come to take ownership of their growth as lifetime learners and Christ followers. Expectations and requirements will be at the 10-12 grade high school level, so it is imperative that students are committed to diligence and excellence in all reading, discussing, and writing. Students should expect to be in each class session as each is vital to understanding the material and instruction. Additionally, students should expect to spend approximately three hours a week on homework assignments (sometimes more in advance of a formal essay or substantial reading assignment and sometimes less when reading poetry). Major essays: 1) Analysis 2) Compare & Contrast 3) Research 4) Persuasive 5) Reflection
The following textbooks and supplies are to be purchased by parents.
Under Class Details, see Class Attachment for a picture of the textbooks.
Textbooks:
Chaucer, Geoffrey. Selected Canterbury Tales. ISBN-13# 978-0486282411
Shakespeare, William. Macbeth. ISBN-13# 978-1586638467
Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. ISBN-13# 979-8614455781
Update 7/9/24:
Dickens, Charles. A Tale of Two Cities (Dover Thrift, Unabridged) ISBN-13: 978-0-486-40651-0
Also, select and purchase ONE of the following to read either this summer or during the school year (any edition is fine):
Orwell, George. 1984
Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice
Golding, William. Lord of the Flies
If students are interested in extra credit, purchase and read: And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
To be provided by the instructor:
Cronin, A.J. The Innkeeper's Wife (short story)
Poetry: Tennyson, Blake, Wordsworth, Browning, Kipling, Yeats
Supplies:
2-inch, 3-ring binder
10 binder tabs
2 highlighters - any color
loose-leaf college-ruled paper
consistent access to printer, ink, printer paper
Successful completion of KEYS HS English I and/or II, and preferably American Literature and Composition, with permission of the instructor. If students are NOT CURRENTLY ENROLLED in a KEYS Math or English class, we require Placement Evaluations to be sure they are placed at the best level to help them be successful in the coming year. Please contact the office to schedule an evaluation prior to class selection.
Parents are responsible for purchasing all textbooks and supplies before the first day of class.
KEYS will invoice supply fees at the time of registration and class selection. This fee covers materials, lab supplies, and other expenses incurred by the teacher. It is a one-time fee, transferable until August, but non-refundable.
Please note the grade level for this class. Students younger than the recommended grade levels need special permission before signing up for the class. Please contact the office for more information.
What happens if a class is full? You may email administration@keysofva.org to be waitlisted.
