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English

COURSE CREDIT OPEN TO PREREQUISITE
English 1 Essentials* 1.0 9 Assessment/recommendation
English 1* 1.0 9 Assessment/recommendation
Honors English 1 * 1.0 9 Assessment/recommendation
 
English 2 Essentials* 1.0 10 Assessment/recommendation
English 2* 1.0 10 English 1
Honors English 2 * 1.0 10 English 1 or Honors English 1
 
English 3* 1.0 11 English 2
Honors English 3 * 1.0 11 English 2 or Honors English 2
AP English:* Lang. and Comp. 1.0 11-12 English 2 or Honors English 2
 
British Literature* 0.5 11-12 English 2
Composition* 0.5 11-12 English 2
Career Communications* 0.5 12 English 3
Senior Project* 0.5 12 English 3
World Literature* 0.5 11-12 English 2
AP English: Lit. and Comp.* 1.0 11-12 English 3, Honors English 3 or AP Lang. and Comp.
 
Science Fiction and Fantasy* 0.5 9-11 None
Creative Writing 1* 0.5 10-12 English 1
Advanced Creative Writing* 0.5 11-12 Creative Writing 1
Mythology* 0.5 10-12 English 1
Speech 0.5 10-12 English 1
Literature and the Arts* 0.5 11-12 English 2
Film as Literature* 0.5 11-12 English 2
 
Intro to Journalism 0.5 9-12 None
Journalism-Newspaper 0.5 10-12 Intro to Journalism
Journalism-Yearbook 0.5 10-12 Intro to Journalism

*These courses are considered writing intensive, meeting the Illinois state requirement for graduation.

ENGLISH 1 ESSENTIAL
Prerequisite: Assessment / recommendation
Open To: Grade 9
Length: 2 terms
Credits: 1.0
This course is for students who are experiencing difficulty with language arts skills. Students will develop reading, writing, listening and speaking skills in accordance with the Illinois State Standards for learning. They will study literature, vocabulary, composition, research, and grammar in a variety of thematic units. Students may be required to obtain one novel per term. This course has a required summer reading assignment. All summer reading assignments are described on the MHS website and in the student Pathfinder. Knowledge of the novel will be assessed on the first day of class.
ENGLISH 1
Prerequisite: Assessment/ recommendation
Open To: Grade 9
Length: 2 terms
Credits: 1.0
Students will develop language arts skills in accordance with the Illinois State Standards for Learning. Through thematic units and genre study, students will begin to understand the concepts of reading, writing, and learning as processes. Using reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills, students will study literature, vocabulary, composition, research, and grammar. Students may be required to obtain one novel per term. This course has a required summer reading assignment. All summer reading assignments are described on the MHS website and in the student Pathfinder. Knowledge of the novel will be assessed on the first day of class.
HONORS ENGLISH 1 Prerequisite: Assessment/ recommendation
Open To: Grade 9
Length: 2 terms
Credits: 1.0
Students who enroll in this course should have a high level of skills related to the Illinois State Standards for Learning. Through thematic units and genre study, students will begin to understand the concepts of reading, writing and learning as processes. Using language arts skills, the students will study genres of literature, vocabulary, composition, research, and grammar. This course is differentiated from English 1 in both the quantity and quality of material and student work, in addition to the pace at which topics are covered. Students will be expected to read and write extensively outside of class. Students may be required to obtain up to two novels per term. This course has a required summer reading assignment. All summer reading assignments are described on the MHS website and in the student Pathfinder. Knowledge of the novel will be assessed on the first day of class.
ENGLISH 2 ESSENTIALS
Prerequisite: Assessment/ recommendation and English 1
Open To: Grade 10
Length: 2 terms
Credits: 1.0
This course is for students who have successfully completed English 1 Essentials, but who are still experiencing difficulty with language arts skills. Students will continue to develop reading, writing, speaking and listening skills in accordance with the Illinois State Standards for Learning. Students will read world literature organized into thematic units exploring the concept of justice. They will produce papers and presentations emphasizing expository, analytical and persuasive thinking.
Students may be required to obtain one novel per term. This course has a required summer reading assignment. All summer reading assignments are described on the MHS website and in the student Pathfinder. Knowledge of the novel will be assessed on the first day of class.
ENGLISH 2
Prerequisite: English 1
Open To: Grade 10
Length: 2 terms
Credits: 1.0
Students will continue to develop reading, writing, speaking and listening skills in accordance with the Illinois State Standards for Learning. Students will read world literature organized into thematic units exploring the concept of justice. They will produce papers and presentations emphasizing expository, analytical and persuasive thinking. Students may be required to obtain one novel per term. This course has a required summer reading assignment. All summer reading assignments are described on the MHS website and in the student Pathfinder. Knowledge of the novel will be assessed on the first day of class.
HONORS ENGLISH 2
Prerequisite: English 1 or Honors English 1
Open To: Grade 10
Length: 2 terms
Credits: 1.0
Students will continue to develop reading, writing, speaking and listening skills in accordance with the Illinois State Standards for Learning. Students will read world literature organized into thematic units exploring the concept of justice. They will produce papers and presentations emphasizing expository, analytical, and persuasive thinking. This course is differentiated from English 2 in both the quantity and quality of material and student work, in addition to the pace at which topics are covered. Students will be expected to read and write extensively outside of class. Students may be required to obtain up to two novels per term. This course has a required summer reading assignment. All summer reading assignments are described on the MHS website and in the student Pathfinder. Knowledge of the novel will be assessed on the first day of class.
ENGLISH 3
Prerequisite: English 2
Open To: Grade 11
Length: 2 terms
Credits: 1.0
Students will read a variety of American literature ranging from colonial times to the present while exploring the concept of a national identity. They will integrate reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills to perform a number of tasks involving the interpretation of literature, persuasion, and research. Students may be required to obtain one novel per term. This course has a required summer reading assignment. All summer reading assignments are described on the MHS website and in the student Pathfinder. Knowledge of the novel will be assessed on the first day of class.
HONORS ENGLISH 3
Prerequisite: English 2 or Honors English 2
Open To: Grade 11
Length: 2 terms
Credits: 1.0
Students will read a variety of American literature ranging from colonial times to the present while exploring the concept of a national identity. They will integrate reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills to perform a number of tasks involving the interpretation of literature, persuasion, and research. This course emphasizes longer and more numerous works than English 3 and requires extensive reading and writing outside of class. Students may be required to obtain up to two novels per term. This course has a required summer reading assignment. All summer reading assignments are described on the MHS website and in the student Pathfinder. Knowledge of the novel will be assessed on the first day of class.
AP ENGLISH
Language and Composition
Prerequisite: English 2 or Honors English 2
Open To: Grades 11-12
Length: 2 terms
Credits: 1.0
The Advanced Placement course in English Language and Composition engages students in becoming skilled readers of prose written in a variety of time periods, disciplines, and rhetorical contexts and in becoming skilled writers who compose for a variety of purposes. Through both their writing and reading, students become aware of the interactions among a writer’s purposes, audience expectations, and subjects as well as the way the resources of language contribute to effectiveness in writing. Students will read and write extensively both in and out of class. Students may be required to obtain up to three texts per term. This course has a required summer reading assignment. All summer reading assignments are described on the MHS website and in the student Pathfinder. Knowledge of the novel will be assessed on the first day of class.
*It is highly recommended that all students in an Advanced Placement course take the Advanced Placement Exam offered each May by the College Board.
BRITISH LITERATURE Prerequisite: English 2
Open To: Grades 11-12
Length: 1 term
Credits: 0.5
Students will read great works from significant time periods in British history. Students will understand the historic, economic, social, and political perspectives reflected in the literature and will demonstrate their understanding through a variety of academic and creative methods. Students may be required to obtain two novels. This course has a required summer reading assignment. All summer reading assignments are described on the MHS website and in the student Pathfinder. Knowledge of the novel will be assessed on the first day of class.
*This course meets _ of the senior year English requirement when taken during senior year.
COMPOSITION
Prerequisite: English 2
Open To: Grades 11-12
Length: 1 term
Credits: 0.5
Students will further develop the skills demanded in first year college writing courses. In this course, students can expect to write a number of essays (informative, persuasive, argumentative and research based) with an emphasis on organization, support, and effective use of Standard English. Students may be required to obtain one text. This course has a required summer reading assignment. All summer reading assignments are described on the MHS website and in the student Pathfinder. Knowledge of the novel will be assessed on the first day of class.
*This course meets _ of the senior year English requirement when taken during senior year.
CAREER COMMUNICATIONS
Prerequisite: English 3
Open To: Grades 12
Length: 1 term
Credits: 0.5
Students will develop and improve their oral and written communication skills required for future success in school and work. Each student’s critical thinking abilities, attitude, and self-knowledge will be explored as the basis of a research project. Letter and resume writing will also be covered. Students may be required to obtain one text. This course has a required summer reading assignment. All summer reading assignments are described on the MHS website and in the student Pathfinder. Knowledge of the novel will be assessed on the first day of class.
*This course meets _ of the senior year English requirement when taken during senior year.
SENIOR PROJECT
Prerequisite: English 3
Open To: Grade 12
Length: 1 term
Credits: 0.5
In this course students will apply their reading, writing, speaking, listening and researching skills to a project of their own design. Working with their instructor and a mentor specific to their area of inquiry, students will research an area of interest through books, periodicals, interviews, and personal experience. Classroom instruction will emphasize planning skills, research methods, and reflection. Students will demonstrate their learning through journals, an extensive formal paper, and a presentation. Note that the majority of off-campus research and observation will take place outside of the school day. Students may be required to obtain one text. This course has a required summer reading assignment. All summer reading assignments are described on the MHS website and in the student Pathfinder. Knowledge of the novel will be assessed on the first day of class.
*This course meets _ of the senior year English requirement when taken during senior year.
WORLD LITERATURE
Prerequisite: English 2
Open To: Grades 11-12
Length: 1 term
Credits: 0.5
Students will read poems, short stories, novels, and plays from a number of different countries, such as South Africa, Ecuador, China, and Germany. Most pieces will be from modern or contemporary time periods. Through this study of literature, students will explore how these authors address the issues and reflect the values of their cultures. Students may be required to obtain two novels. This course has a required summer reading assignment. All summer reading assignments are described on the MHS website and in the student Pathfinder. Knowledge of the novel will be assessed on the first day of class.
*This course meets _ of the senior year English requirement when taken during senior year.
AP ENGLISH
Literature and Composition
Prerequisite: Eng. 3, Honors Eng. 3, or AP Language and Composition
Open To: Grade 12
Length: 2 terms
Credits: 1.0
Students will read a wide variety of short stories, novels, plays, and poems. They will sharpen their interpretive skills and participate in extensive discussion of literature, as well as write a number of short and long essays to refine their interpretive and expressive skills. This course requires extensive reading and writing outside of class. Students may be required to obtain up to three novels per term. This course has a required summer reading assignment. All summer reading assignments are described on the MHS website and in the student Pathfinder. Knowledge of the novel will be assessed on the first day of class.
*It is highly recommended that all students in an Advanced Placement course take the Advanced Placement Exam offered each May by the College Board.
SCIENCE FICTION & FANTASY
Prerequisite: None
Open To: Grades 9-11
Length: 1 term
Credits: 0.5
Students enrolled in this class will explore the genres of science fiction and fantasy. Science fiction has long been a literary form that addresses the social, political, scientific, and technological issues of modern times, while fantasy, gives the reader a world of limitless possibilities. Students will read extensively, familiarizing themselves with some of the most important and popular texts of these genres. The class will include short stories, novels, class discussion, essays, and creative writing. This course has a required summer reading assignment. All summer reading assignments are described on the MHS website and in the student Pathfinder. Knowledge of the novel will be assessed on the first day of class.
CREATIVE WRITING 1
Prerequisite: English 1
Open To: Grades 10-12
Length: 1 term
Credits: 0.5
This course is for students who want to develop and practice creative expression. Class time will include the study of different genres of writing: the essay, short story, poetry, drama. Using the process of writers’ workshop, students will create their own works, as well as read and critique their own writing and that of their classmates. Students may be required to obtain up to two texts. This course has a required summer reading assignment. All summer reading assignments are described on the MHS website and in the student Pathfinder. Knowledge of the novel will be assessed on the first day of class.
*This course meets _ of the senior year English requirement when taken during senior year.
ADVANCED CREATIVE WRITING
Prerequisite: Creative Writing 1
Open To: Grades 11-12
Length: 1 term
Credits: 0.5
This course is designed for students who use creative writing as an important part of their artistic expression. Those who want to significantly improve their creative writing skills or plan to study writing in college are encouraged to enroll. Students will spend time writing poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, and they will also study various pieces of literature to influence their own work. The demands will be high, both in the production of new work and the degree of revision. The class will use the collegiate workshop format as a way to share and develop student pieces. Students are required to bring a portfolio of their previous work (3 poems, 2 short fiction pieces) on the first day of class. This course has a required summer reading assignment. All summer reading assignments are described on the MHS website and in the student Pathfinder. Knowledge of the novel will be assessed on the first day of class.
*This course meets _ of the senior year English requirement when taken during senior year.
MYTHOLOGY
Prerequisite: English 1
Open To: Grades 10-12
Length: 1 term
Credits: 0.5
In this course, students will examine several Greek, Norse, and Roman myths; the roots of mythology; the role of mythology in the creation of fairy tales; and the role of myth in the arts, drama, religion, politics, and social institutions of today. Students will understand that peoples of markedly different cultures, customs, and time periods have told stories closely resembling their own, and will demonstrate this knowledge through a variety of projects, tests, and essays. Students may be required to obtain two texts. This course has a required summer reading assignment. All summer reading assignments are described on the MHS website and in the student Pathfinder. Knowledge of the novel will be assessed on the first day of class.
*This course meets _ of the senior year English requirement when taken during senior year.
SPEECH
Prerequisite: English 1
Open To: Grades 10-12
Length: 1 term
Credits: 0.5
The areas of listening, nonverbal communication, interpersonal communication, public and business communication, persuasion, organization, and leadership will be explored. Students will learn about themselves as communicators by engaging in a variety of class activities such as sharing experiences, preparing and presenting talks to the class, participating in panel or symposium presentations, and interviews. Other areas of study will include storytelling, oral interpretation, and the analysis of famous speakers and speeches. Students will be asked to assess themselves and their peers for the group exercises and performances. This course has a required summer reading assignment. All summer reading assignments are described on the MHS website and in the student Pathfinder. Knowledge of the novel will be assessed on the first day of class.
*This course meets _ of the senior year English requirement when taken during senior year.
LITERATURE AND THE ARTS
Prerequisite: English 2
Open To: Grades 11-12
Length: 1 term
Credits: 0.5
After studying various authors, social issues, and genres through literature, students will design their own search as a way to deepen their understanding of a particular area of interest or inquiry. Although critical analysis of literature of the 19th century is the emphasis of this course, several mediums of expression such as film, television, art, dance, and particularly classical music will be integrated to enhance the literature being studied. Students may be required to obtain two novels. This course has a required summer reading assignment. All summer reading assignments are described on the MHS website and in the student Pathfinder. Knowledge of the novel will be assessed on the first day of class.
*This course meets _ of the senior year English requirement when taken during senior year.
FILM AS LITERATURE
Prerequisite: English 2
Open To: Grades 11-12
Length: 1 term
Credits: 0.5
Note: “R” rated movies are part of the Film as Literature curriculum. The course instructor will distribute information regarding the movie selections and descriptions at the beginning of the course.
Film as Literature offers students the opportunity to sharpen their critical, analytical, and observation skills through film analysis. Students will analyze genre, symbolism, setting, characterization, story development, author/director style (camera angles, camera as storyteller, and purpose of editing), etc. to develop meaning from and think critically about films. Students will demonstrate their reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills through journals, formal papers, presentations and/or tests. Students may be required to obtain two texts. This course has a required summer reading assignment. All summer reading assignments are on the MHS website and in the student Pathfinder. Knowledge of the novel will be assessed on the first day of class.
*This course meets _ of the senior year English requirement when taken during senior year.
INTRODUCTION TO JOURNALISM
Prerequisite: None
Open To: Grades 9-12
Length: 1 term
Credits: 0.5
Students enrolled in Introduction to Journalism will gain a strong foundation in all aspects of journalism including interviewing, news writing, feature writing, sports writing, editorial writing, editing, photojournalism, layout, production, and journalistic ethics. This course is a one term prerequisite for Journalism Newspaper and Journalism Yearbook. Students may be required to obtain two texts.
*This course may not be used to fulfill English requirements for graduation.
JOURNALISM - NEWSPAPER
Prerequisite: Intro. to Journalism or instructor consent
Open To: Grades 10-12
Length: 1 term
Credits: 0.5
The primary purpose of this course is the production of the Mundelein High School student newspaper - The Mustang. Students will write on a daily basis and will contribute news stories, sports, features, editorials and other forms of journalistic writing. In addition, students will also study other aspects of journalism including libel, ethics, responsibilities of journalists and current events. Students must adhere to strict deadlines. Students may be required to obtain two texts. Students may enroll in this course up to four times during one school year. Most newspaper work is done in class. However, students may have to attend outside events to take pictures or conduct interviews.
*This course may not be used to fulfill English requirements for graduation.
JOURNALISM - YEARBOOK
Prerequisite: Intro. to Journalism or instructor consent
Open To: Grades 10-12
Length: 1 term
Credits: 0.5
Students in this course plan, design, and produce the Mundelein High School yearbook. It involves writing news and sports, designing page layouts and meeting deadlines. Students also learn about other forms of print and broadcast journalism. Good grades in English and developed computer skills are a plus for potential yearbook staff members. Students may be required to obtain two texts Students may enroll in this course up to four times during one school year. Most yearbook work is done in class. However, students must often attend outside events to take pictures or conduct interviews.
*This course may not be used to fulfill English requirements for graduation.
 
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