Department Mission Statement
The MHS English Department prepares students to read with understanding, to write with focus, cohension, and clarity, and to transfer those skills to lifelong applications. Through the study of literature, students expand their vocabularies, respond to theme, symbolism, and metaphore, and gain insight into the nature of human experience.
Final Course Mark Components
Grading Scale
100- 90=A
89 - 80=B
79 - 70=C
69 - 60=D
59 -0 =F
| Area of Evaluation | Description of Area | Percentage of Final Course Mark |
| Daily Work ·Class work, including informal writing assignments ·Quizzes and reading checks ·Group projects ·Informal presentations ·Participation | The purpose of class work and homework is to reinforce concepts presented in class and to allow students time to read required materials. Quizzes and reading checks monitor student comprehension and help to inform instruction. Presentations and projects allow students to process and integrate course materials and to engage in classroom activities in individually relevant ways. Participation-individual, pair, group, and whole class-encourages student engagement and aids student comprehension. | English I, IA: 45 – 50% English II, IIA: 40 – 45% English III: 35 – 40% Honors English III: 25% English IV: 30 – 35% |
| Formal Assessments ·Unit exams ·Formal writing assignments, including business letters and autobiographical and interpretive essays ·Individual projects ·Formal performance projects | Unit exams, including objective, short answer, and quotation explication, allow students to demonstrate skills in the areas of word analysis and vocabulary development; reading comprehension; literary response and analysis; and writing strategies. Formal writing assignments demonstrate students’ abilities to reason critically and communicate effectively. Students are expected to follow MLA guidelines for written conventions of grammar and punctuation. Formal performance assignments allow student s to demonstrate command of text, artistic staging, and use of rehearsal strategies. | English I, IA: 50 – 55% English II, IIA: 55 – 60% English III: 60 – 65% Honors English III: 75% English IV: 65 – 70% |
Courses & Teachers
English
#1011 {UC} (CSU)
Grade level: 9
Length: 1 year
Prerequisites: None
Description: English I is a core English course for 9th grade students who are performing at grade level. Students will read, discuss, and write analyses of various types of literature (novel, short story, drama, poetry, and essay). Composition, vocabulary, grammar, usage, and oral expression are emphasized.
#1001 {UC} (CSU)
Grade level: 9
Length: 1 year
Prerequisites: Teacher recommendation and student application
Description: English IA is an accelerated college preparatory course for above-grade-level students who are highly motivated and self-directed learners. Students are expected to read and comprehend independently. Students will read, discuss, and write analyses of various types of literature (novel, short story, drama, poetry, and essay). Composition, vocabulary, grammar, usage, and oral expression are also emphasized.
#1041 {UC} (CSU)
Grade level: 10
Length: 1 year
Prerequisites: None
Description: English II is the core English course for 10th grade students who are performing at grade level. Students will develop their writing skills through journals, essays, and other writing modes. Students will read, discuss, and write analyses of various types of world literature (novel, drama, nonfiction, short story, and poetry). Vocabulary, grammar, usage, and oral expression are important elements of the curriculum.
#1031 {UC} (CSU)
Grade level: 10
Length: 1 year
Prerequisites: Teacher recommendation and student application
Description: English IIA is the second course in the sequence for above-grade-level, college-bound students who are highly motivated and self-directed learners. This course will prepare students in the writing, reading, and analytical skills necessary for success in college. Students are expected to read and comprehend independently. Students will develop their writing skills through journals, essays, and other writing modes. Students will read, discuss, and write analyses of various types of literature (novel, drama, nonfiction, short story, and poetry). Composition, vocabulary, grammar, usage, and oral expression are important elements of the curriculum.
#1221 {UC} (CSU)
Grade level: 11
Length: 1 year
Prerequisites: None
Description: This core English course for 11th grade students examines literature from early Native Americans to the present. Students will read, discuss, and write analyses of American literature while exploring themes and American philosophy. Review of writing skills, including usage and grammar, and a continuing vocabulary study are part of the curriculum. Students will write an historical investigation report with a formal Works Cited page.
#1331 {UC} (CSU)
Grade level: 11
Length: 1 year
Prerequisites: Approved Honors application
Description: Honors English III is a rigorous class for college-bound juniors. Students will study the literary, historical, and philosophic traditions of America. The class involves discussion, critical thinking, and written analyses of poetry, drama, short stories, the novel, and the essay. Students will write an historical investigation report with a formal Works Cited page. There is a mandatory summer reading assignment.
English IV
#411101 {UC} (CSU)
Grade level: 12
Length: 1 year
Prerequisites: None
Description: In this core English class for 12th graders, students will read and respond to historically and culturally significant works of British literature from the Anglo-Saxon period to the present. Students will expand critical reading skills through the analysis of works representing a variety of literary genres, including poetry, drama, short stories, novels, and essays. Students will develop their writing skills through the drafting, editing, and rewriting of narrative, interpretive, and reflective essays.
#1341 $86 for Test {UC} (CSU)
Grade level: 12
Length: 1 year
Prerequisites: AP application, essay, and teacher recommendation
Description: AP English is a RIGOROUS COLLEGE LEVEL COURSE designed to prepare students for the Advanced Placement Test given every spring. Students passing this nationally-administered test can start college with as many as 10 credit units in English. The class involves close reading and analysis of poetry, drama, fiction, and the essay on the advanced level. There is a special emphasis on the refinement of critical thinking and writing skills.
#1171 Elective Credit Only {UC} (CSU)
Grade level: 11-12
Length: 1 year
Prerequisites: Teacher recommendation
Description: This class produces the Milpitas High School student newspaper, The Union. The staff has complete control of and responsibility for writing and producing the paper. At the core of this practical experience will be an in-depth study of some famous writers and their journalistic writings. Students will not only become journalists themselves, they will study journalism's historical evolution, its great practitioners, and its major movements. During production weeks, students are required to remain after school for a set number of hours. Obviously, participation accounts for the success or failure of the paper, and so, class participation also accounts for a large part of the final grade. (Class receives UC-approved elective credit only).
This course meets the Fine Arts Requirement for the MHS diploma.
English 9/Reading 180
#417681/#4176791
Grade level: 9
Length: 1 year
Prerequisites: Placement based on Student Reading Inventory, CST English-Language Arts score, and teacher recommendation
Description: This course, which is taught in a two-period block, is designed to help students reading below grade level. The course features whole and small group instruction, utilization of READ 180 software in a computer lab setting, and guided and independent reading. Active reading modeling and practice, vocabulary building, and composition/essay-writing strategies are important parts of the curriculum. Assessment of student progress is on-going.
Oral Composition
#411181 Elective Credit {UC} (CSU)
Grade level: 9-12
Length: 1 semester
Prerequisites: none
Description: Oral Composition is a course which teaches introduction to speech, public speaking, and debate. It is a UC-approved elective. The class offers students the opportunity to develop self-confidence, poise, and the ability to stand up and speak on their feet. This course has the potential to make a very real difference in your life.
Program for English Learners
The Program for English Learners serves students from varied language backgrounds and cultural experiences. English Learners are placed in appropriate classes based on both language ability and academic ability. They are able to access the core curriculum through SDAIE course offerings in English, Social Studies, Math, and Science. They may also be placed in mainstream classes with certified teachers using SDAIE strategies and differentiated instruction. EL students may also participate in special programs, such as an Academies, AVID, and JROTC. EL students are able to simultaneously complete graduation requirements and A-G requirements while participating in the Program for English Learners.
#417601, #411041
Grade level: 9-12
Length: 1 semester
Description: This course is designed for students who score below 446 on the California ELD Test. The block of two periods focuses on whole language development with an emphasis on listening, comprehension, beginning oral production, English decoding, vocabulary, and reading comprehension. This course may be repeated for elective credit. Does not receive English credit.
10 Elective Credits
#417611, #411051
Grade level: 9-12
Length: 1 semester
Description: This course is designed for students who score in between 447-487 on the California ELD Test or have passed ELD A. The block of two periods focuses on whole language development with an emphasis on listening, comprehension, oral production, English decoding, vocabulary, and reading comprehension. This course may be repeated for credit.
5 English Credits and 5 Elective Credits
ELD C – Early Intermediate Speakers
#417621, #411061
Grade level: 9-12
Length: 1 semester
Description: This course is designed for students who score in between 488-500 on the California ELD Test or have passed ELD B. . The block of two periods focus on whole language development with an emphasis on accelerating the development of basic English skills in reading, writing, vocabulary, and reading comprehension. This course may be repeated for credit.
5 English Credits and 5 Elective Credits
#417631, #411071
Grade level: 9-12
Length: 1 semester
Description: This course is designed for students who score in between 501-528 on the California ELD Test or have passed ELD C. The block of two periods focuses on whole language development with an emphasis on Language Arts. Students will study novels, short stories, and poetry. Students will write polished paragraphs. This course may be repeated for credit.
5 English Credits and 5 Elective Credits
ELD E – Early Advanced Speakers
#417641, #411081
Grade level: 9-12
Length: 1 semester
Description: This course is designed for students who score in between 529-545 on the California ELD Test or have passed ELD D. The block of two periods focuses on whole language development with an emphasis on Language Arts. Students will study novels, short stories, and poetry. They will learn the writing process and write focused polished essays. This course may be repeated for credit.
5 English Credits and 5 Elective Credits
Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English (SDAIE) Course Offerings. (Please see course descriptions in each department respectively)
English
English I Connections
English II Connections
English III Connections
English IV Connections
English 9 Read 180
Social Studies
Cultural History
World History
U.S. History
American Government
Economics
Science
Life Science
Biology
Math
Intro to Math
Algebra I
Geometry
