• The composition courses in the English Language Arts curriculum are designed for students who plan to attend college or high education after their high school tenure.  Students may take college writing as either a junior or a senior depending on when they satisify the prerequisite requirements.  

    Students also have the opportunity to take the cource through the dual enrollement program with Penn Highlands.  Students can register and pay through the college for up to 6 college credits.  See the instructor for details.

     

    Title:  English Composition I  (Penn Highlands Course - ENG 110:    English Composition I)

    Prerequisite Course: Introduction to Literary Studies, and one additional literature class (If taking for Penn Highland dual enrollment, students must pass the placement exam from Penn Highlands – the Compass Test)

    Credits:  1 (Blacklick Valley)  3 (Penn Highlands)

    Course Description:

    English Composition I emphasizes the techniques of writing expository essays with stress upon careful thinking, word choice, sentence structure, and methods of organization.  Students practice the writing of clear, coherent, and unified paragraphs and essays.  Students are also taught research skills and are required to write an argumentative research paper. 

    Editing skills and the use of correct grammar and mechanics are also emphasized. 

    Instruction will also focus on technical writing skills necessary to compose a business letter, a memo, a resume, forms, applications, and a public service announcement. 

     

    Topics Covered:

    Throughout the course of the year, students will review the practice of Standard English grammar, punctuation, mechanics, and usage, including the following: parts of speech; fragments; run-ons; pronoun agreement, reference, and case; consistency in tense, person, sentence structure, mood, and voice; subject-verb agreement; modifiers: misplaced and dangling modifiers, adjective and adverb usage; punctuation: comma, semicolon, colon, 2dash, brackets, parentheses, ellipsis marks, quotation marks; mechanics: hyphen, apostrophe, italics; spelling, capitalization, and numbers.

    Students will write essays that include the use of a thesis statement and topic sentences, adequate support, unity, coherence, and suitable organization.  Moreover students will write in all of the following rhetorical modes:  narration, description, process, definition, cause/effect, exemplification, comparison/contrast, and argumentation.  Students are also required wit write an analytical research paper.

    Students will also employ critical reading and thinking skills and strategies including evaluation of research sources, persuasion, avoidance of fallacies in reasoning, and analysis and refutation of opposing views.

    Students will develop and employ research skills including gathering of information from sources; evaluation of sources; summary, paraphrase, and quotation from sources; documentation, using MLA format; creation of outline and bibliography; avoiding plagiarism; analysis and synthesis of information; basic understanding of MLA and APA format.

     

    Students will also complete a variety of public presentation assignments that will focus on speech delivery skills such as eye contact, poise, diction, phrasing, pacing, volume, and overall effectiveness of delivery.

     

    Comp 1 Syllabus

     

    Title:  English Composition II  (Penn Highlands Course - ENG 200:    English Composition II) 

    Credits: 

    • 1 BV English Language Arts Credit AND/OR 3 Penn Highlands Credits

     

    Pre-Requisites: 

    • Composition 1
    • Introduction to Literary Studies
    • World Literature
    • American Literature or Honors American Literature
    • If taking for Penn Highland dual enrollment, students must pass the placement exam from Penn Highlands or complete the HS ELA curriculum – seniors only
    • Students who do not meet prerequisites will be review by the ELA team on an individual basis to ascertain if the individual’s skills will meet the rigor of an Advanced Placement Course.

     

    Course Summary:

    Course Description: English Composition II: Studies in Literature emphasizes the study of literary terms and techniques frequently used in literature.  This course introduces students to major themes found in fiction, poetry, and drama.  Students are required to read various types of literature and must be able to respond to their readings in well-developed essays and in an analytical research paper as well as to participate in class discussions.  This is a standard college introductory level literature course.  Students will be permitted to revise essays (exception: research paper).  Students who do not demonstrate proficiency (at least 70%) are required to revise essays.

     

     

    Comp 2 Syllabus

     

    As a means of communication and sharing our learning experience beyond the walls of the classroom, I utilize Google Classroom to allow a safe platform for sharing and collaborating.  Parents are welcome to join your child's Google Classroom to receive weekly update.

    Homework, long-term assignments, and essays are posted to the google classroom.  Please check there for assignments and deadline.

    I also keep an assignment board posted in the classroom, so students can monitor daily what the plans are for an entire week.

    Composition 1 Google Classroom

    Class Code Period 4 - 62orz8

    Class Code Period 6 - 1yy3lgy