High School English Courses
The course’s first semester focuses on the culture of the United States surrounding the Civil War while the second semester highlights the consequences of our country’s progressive social evolution away from being predominantly Christian.
Students will learn how classic American authors utilized characterization, setting, irony, and other literary tools to expand upon various themes, often in ways that are unique to American culture. Students are encouraged to contemplate the use of these tools and themes and analyze them from a Christian perspective through class discussion and writing assignments.
Lessons and homework include:
An overview of the history of the time period and its predominant worldviews, An explanation of the authors, their backgrounds, and personal worldviews, Charts, essay questions, and literary analysis essays.
Parents are responsible for purchasing the course workbook and each of the reading titles (print version preferred) for their student at the beginning of the year. While library editions are also permitted, students must have the workbook and the current reading book with them in class each week. Parents are also asked to help their student pace out their reading, fill in the worksheets, and submit their writing and worksheet assignments on time.
High School English 1
13-15 years, approximately ninth or tenth grade
High School English 1 introduces students to a variety of writing types and purposes, as well as literary analysis elements and techniques. These include narrative, descriptive, and persuasive writing, literary analysis, basic essay writing, and research and presentation skills.
High School English 1 is an introductory writing and composition course for the high school years. Students review basic grammar, punctuation, and composition through daily grammar practice exercises. Students are also introduced to sentence variety and complexity through a focused study of clauses and phrases and will build on previous vocabulary study by continuing work with vocabulary roots and derivatives. Writing instruction includes scaffolded instruction for a variety of writing purposes: narrative, descriptive, persuasive, informative, and creative writing, as well as building literary analysis skills.
Parents are responsible for helping students establish a routine that includes daily grammar and sentence writing practice and feedback as well as time to work on required homework and class preparation. Parents are responsible for grading anything with a key, which includes Vocabulary and Grammar, while teachers will grade all writing, compositions, and exams. It is highly recommended that parents review student writing and offer feedback before final drafts are turned in.
British and Classical Literature
To aid the student in thoughtful analysis of various classical and British works of ancient origin through the 20th century.
Students will learn how the Bible’s authors, Homer, and British authors utilized characterization, setting, irony, and other literary tools to expand upon various themes in ways unique to the local culture at the time of the work’s conception, yet still relevant today. Through this course, students learn to discuss at a college level major artistic works in the context of their impact on society and on individuals while becoming more confident in expressing their interpretations based on a Christian worldview. Lessons include:
An overview of the history of the time period and its predominant worldviews,
An explanation of the authors, their backgrounds, and personal worldviews,
Themes of the works and their biblical relevance,
Charts, essay questions, and literary analysis essays.
Parents are responsible for purchasing the course workbook and each of the reading titles (print version preferred) for their student at the beginning of the year. While library editions are also permitted, students must have the workbook and the current reading book with them in class each week. At this level, students are encouraged to pace out their reading, fill in the worksheets, and submit their writing and worksheet assignments independently and on time.
High School English 2
High School English 2 builds on previous writing and literature studies to introduce upper high school students to rhetorical analysis, and critical thinking and evaluation skills, as well as the research and writing skills needed to succeed in the workplace or in university studies.
High School English 2 is an advanced composition course that builds on previous grammar and vocabulary study, as well as previous writing and literature courses to extend and expand student skills in understanding, analysis and communication. The course includes continued study in essay writing, including the college essay or personal narrative, timed essays, and persuasive essays. Students are introduced to rhetorical analysis, how to construct an effective argument, and the persuasive research paper and recorded presentation. Students will also develop critical thinking skills as they evaluate and compare a wide variety of historical documents, speeches, essays, and stories.
Parents are responsible for helping their student establish a weekly routine that includes daily grammar and sentence writing practice and feedback as well as time to work on required homework and study for class each day. Parents are also responsible to implement daily instruction from the Easy Grammar Ultimate Series (grade 11), check student work and offer feedback. Students will benefit most from this daily practice in grammar and sentence practice, as well as time each day for writing, reflection, revision, and/or vocabulary study. It is highly recommended that parents review student writing and offer feedback before final drafts are turned in.
13 and up
The focus of this class will be on journalistic writing, but students also will be instructed on the various branches of the news media and the general communications field. This will include:
Article writing (online or print news)
History of journalism and Christian ethics in journalism
Analyzing and tracking current news topics
Editing and proofing
Copy writing (television, radio)
Photography as it relates to journalism with emphasis on content and what constitutes good visual coverage of a story
Opinion and editorial writing
Overview of the communications field, including broadcast journalism, social media, public relations, etc.
Students will write for ODA Insight, One Day Academy’s online blog. Reporting, writing, and photography are assigned as homework, with weekly progress and drafts graded for effort, writing quality, and timeliness. This class is considered an introduction to publishing and other media, so students will learn the importance of meeting deadlines and how to produce an article from start to finish in a timely manner.