In English I, students strengthen knowledge and skills in reading, writing, listening, speaking, and thinking. Students read, write, and communicate daily, engage in activities that build on existing comprehension skills through recursive exposure to multiple genres and types of writing. This course focuses on themes related to survival, change, transformation, and the future. Students read and understand a variety of complex texts across multiple genres that are topic-based and driven by the essential questions and state standards. Students will encounter authors’ perspectives as they read literature from across time periods and cultures. As students read a wide array of literature and engage in activities, they will formulate and defend their opinions as they develop their own perspectives. Varied texts allow students to encounter new perspectives, rethink ideas, and deepen their knowledge of contemporary, traditional, and classic texts. Students explore different types and styles of writing and develop their cognitive evaluation and analysis skills by making real life connections through authentic reading experiences. Through exploration of a variety of author’s voices, students start developing their own sense of voice to develop their writing skills. Students are provided opportunities to express, clarify, justify, interpret, and represent their ideas, and respond to peer/teacher feedback orally and in written form as appropriate throughout the course. Students analyze texts through the eyes of a reader and writer and complete performance-based assessments to demonstrate their critical thinking and synthesis of the unit theme and essential questions. Inquiry and research continues to play an important role as students evaluate social, cultural, and historical influences on texts. Through the use of multiple learning and instructional strategies, students acquire not only the knowledge they need but also the confidence in their own abilities to learn and to communicate effectively in real-world situations. This course will require an End of Course Exam.

English I Advanced engages students in learning all the essential knowledge and skills of English I while providing greater depth. This enhanced curriculum builds the tools necessary to succeed in AP Language and Literature classes. Independent reading is structured to support students’ interaction with a text through the application of close reading analysis with AP reading strategies, leading to an ability to independently analyze any new text. Students are confronted with increasingly challenging texts, both classic and contemporary, fiction and nonfiction. Students are challenged by complex writing tasks in persuasion, argumentation, literary analysis, and synthesis in order to build capacity to write effectively in these modes. With exposure to AP strategies, nonfiction texts, and varied writing tasks, students will exit the program equipped with the kind of higher-order thinking skills, knowledge, and behaviors necessary to be successful in AP classes and post-secondary education. This course will require an End of Course Exam.

GT Humanities I / English I Advanced and GT Humanities II / AP World History are courses that combine English I Advanced with AP World History in a two-year interdisciplinary spiral. The basic content is a historical study of the commonalities of the fine arts, including literature, the visual arts, architecture, and music. Students will learn and practice the craft of writing through various products, including AP style writing. Literature from a variety of world traditions will also be a key focus. Ninth and tenth grade students will sit in the same class while earning credit in separate courses; ninth graders will earn English I Advanced credit while tenth graders earn AP World History credit. At the conclusion of GT Humanities II, students can sit for the AP World History exam to possibly earn college # credit. GT Humanities does NOT fulfill the fine arts requirement for graduation and is not recognized as a fine arts course by TEA.

English for Speakers of Other Languages I (ESOL I) is designed for beginning to intermediate fluency level students coping with a new language and a new culture. Basic skills are introduced in a simple, easy to- understand framework helping to bridge the gap between ESOL and other academic subjects. ESOL provides opportunities for students to practice listening, speaking, reading and writing skills as they develop independence and confidence in the use of English. The course includes the study of phonics, vocabulary, grammar, reading, and writing.

In English II, students strengthen knowledge and skills in reading, writing, listening, speaking, and thinking. Students read, write, and communicate daily, engage in activities that build on existing comprehension skills through recursive exposure to multiple genres and types of writing. This course focuses on themes related to fear, isolation, forgiveness, and materialism. Students read and understand a variety of complex texts across multiple genres that are topic-based and driven by the essential questions and state standards. Students will encounter authors’ perspectives as they read literature from across time periods and cultures. As students read a wide array of literature and engage in activities, they will formulate and defend their opinions as they develop their own perspectives. Varied texts allow students to encounter new perspectives, rethink ideas, and deepen their knowledge of contemporary, traditional, and classic texts. Students explore different types and styles of writing and develop their cognitive evaluation and analysis skills by making real life connections through authentic reading experiences. Through exploration of a variety of author’s voices, students start developing their own sense of voice to develop their writing skills. Students are provided opportunities to express, clarify, justify, interpret, and represent their ideas, and respond to peer/teacher feedback orally and in written form as appropriate throughout the course. Students analyze texts through the eyes of a reader and writer and complete performance-based assessments to demonstrate their critical thinking and synthesis of the unit theme and essential questions. Inquiry and research continues to play an important role as students evaluate social, cultural, and historical influences on texts. Through the use of multiple learning and instructional strategies, students acquire not only the knowledge they need but also the confidence in their own abilities to learn and to communicate effectively in real-world situations. This course will require an End of Course Exam.

English II Advanced engages students in learning all the essential knowledge and skills of English II while providing greater depth. This enhanced curriculum builds the tools necessary to succeed in AP Language and Literature classes. Independent reading is structured to support students’ interaction with a text through the application of close reading analysis with AP reading strategies, leading to an ability to independently analyze any new text. Students are confronted with increasingly challenging texts, both classic and contemporary, fiction and nonfiction. Students are challenged by complex writing tasks in persuasion, argumentation, literary analysis, and synthesis in order to build capacity to write effectively in these modes. With exposure to AP strategies, nonfiction texts, and varied writing tasks, students will exit the program equipped with the kind of higher-order thinking skills, knowledge, and behaviors necessary to be successful in AP classes and post-secondary education. This course will require an End of Course Exam.

GT Humanities I / English I Advanced and GT Humanities II / AP World History are courses that combine English I Advanced with AP World History in a two-year interdisciplinary spiral. The basic content is a historical study of the commonalities of the fine arts, including literature, the visual arts, architecture, and music. Students will learn and practice the craft of writing through various products, including AP style writing. Literature from a variety of world traditions will also be a key focus. Ninth and tenth grade students will sit in the same class while earning credit in separate courses; ninth graders will earn English I Advanced credit while tenth graders earn AP World History credit. At the conclusion of GT Humanities II, students can sit for the AP World History exam to possibly earn college credit. GT Humanities does NOT fulfill the fine arts requirement for graduation and is not recognized as a fine arts course by TEA.

English for Speakers of Other Languages II (ESOL II) is designed for intermediate to advanced fluency level students transitioning between basic skills instruction in ESOL I and grade level Sheltered English. Curriculum for ESOL II incorporates intensive academic vocabulary instruction while also linking literary concepts from ENG II to adapted ESOL texts. The course expectations are in alignment with those of ENG II, while instruction will also integrate literary concepts from ENG I and introduce literary terms from ENG III.

In English III, students strengthen knowledge and skills in reading, writing, listening, speaking, and thinking. Students read, write, and communicate daily, engage in activities that build on existing comprehension skills through recursive exposure to multiple genres and types of writing. This course focuses on themes related to what makes a nation, the power of words, influencing change, and moral dilemma. Students read and understand a variety of complex texts across multiple genres that are topic-based and driven by the essential questions and state standards. Students will encounter author’s perspectives as they read literature from across time periods and cultures. As students read a wide array of literature and engage in activities, they will formulate and defend their opinions as they develop their own perspectives. Varied texts allow students to encounter new perspectives, rethink ideas, and deepen their knowledge of contemporary, traditional, and classic texts. Students explore different types and styles of writing and develop their own cognitive evaluation and analysis skills by making real life connections through authentic reading experiences. Through exploration of a variety of author’s voices, students start developint their own sense of voice to develop their writing skills. Students are provided opportunities to express, clarify justify, interpret, and represent their ideas, and respond to peer/teacher feedback orally and in written form as appropriate throughout the course. Students analyze texts through the eyes of a reader and writer and complete performancebased assessments to demonstrate their critical thinking and synthesis of the unit theme and essential questions. Inquiry and research continues to play an important role as studnets evaluate social, cultural, and historical influences on texts. Through the use of multiple learning and instructional strategies, students acquire not only the knowledge they need but also the confidence in their own abilities to learn and to communicate effectively in real-world situations.

AP English Language and Composition is an introductory college-level composition course. Students cultivate their understanding of writing and rhetorical arguments through reading, analyzing, and writing texts as they explore topics like rhetorical situation, claims and evidence, reasoning and organization, and style. This course focuses on the development and revision of evidence-based analytic and argumentative writing, the rhetorical analysis of nonfiction texts, and the decisions writers make as they compose and revise. Students evaluate, synthesize, and cite research to support their arguments. Additionally, they read and analyze rhetorical elements and their effects in nonfiction texts—including images as forms of text— from a range of disciplines and historical periods. This course prepares students for the Advanced Placement Exam which may earn the student college credit.

GT American Studies combines AP Language and Composition with AP U.S. History through an interdisciplinary integration of curriculum which allows for deeper connections between the two AP courses. The course is a study of the development of the United States through the integration of history, composition, literature, writing, art, architecture, philosophy, music, and theater. The course focuses on the philosophical foundation of American thought while exploring themes of progression, reconstruction, conflict, human rights, migration, perspective, and change. GT American Studies integrates two Advanced Placement courses; therefore, the class is double blocked over the A day/B day time block. Students will take the End of Course Exam for U.S. History. Students are also strongly encouraged to take the Advanced Placement exams for Language and Composition and U.S. History

In English IV, students strengthen knowledge and skills in reading, writing, listening, speaking, and thinking. Students read, write, and communicate daily, engage in activities that build on existing comprehension skills through recursive exposure to multiple genres and types of writing. This course focuses on themes related to heroism, societal influence, societal change, and self discovery. Students read and understand a variety of complex texts across multiple genres that are topic-based and driven by the essential questions and state standards. Students will encounter authors’ perspectives as they read literature from across time periods and cultures. As students read a wide array of literature and engage in activities, they will formulate and defend their opinions as they develop their own perspectives. Varied texts allow students to encounter new perspectives, rethink ideas, and deepen their knowledge of contemporary, traditional, and classic texts. Students explore different types and styles of writing and develop their cognitive evaluation and analysis skills by making real life connections through authentic reading experiences. Through exploration of a variety of author’s voices, students start developing their own sense of voice to develop their writing skills. Students are provided opportunities to express, clarify, justify, interpret, and represent their ideas, and respond to peer/teacher feedback orally and in written form as appropriate throughout the course. Students analyze texts through the eyes of a reader and writer and complete performance-based assessments to demonstrate their critical thinking and synthesis of the unit theme and essential questions. Inquiry and research continues to play an important role as students evaluate social, cultural, and historical influences on texts. Through the use of multiple learning and instructional strategies, students acquire not only the knowledge they need but also the confidence in their own abilities to learn and to communicate effectively in real-world situations.