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English 9
1 unit | full year | Grade 9 | English 9 Syllabus
English 9 is designed to help students improve their writing and speaking skills, increase their vocabulary and to help them develop comprehension and appreciation of various literary genres.
This course is required for graduation from high school.
English 10 Honors
1 unit | full year | Grade 9 | English 10 H Syllabus
English 10 Honors is a one-year advanced course designed to go beyond the scope of English 10. It is designed for serious English students who have been in advanced English since eighth grade. All of the requirements of English 10 are included in this course, but with higher expectations of participating students. Writing, reading and speaking are emphasized. The prerequisite for this course is the successful completion of English 9 Honors with at least an 88% average.
This course fulfills the English 10 graduation requirement.
English 10
1 unit | full year | Grade 10 | English 10 Syllabus
English 10 emphasizes continued improvement in students’ writing, speaking, reading, and listening skills. Included in the curriculum are vocabulary, various forms of writing, and public speaking. Students will read and discuss short stories, novels, plays, and poetry.
This course is required for graduation from high school.
English 11 Honors
1 unit | full year | Grade 10
This course offers students a transition from high school-level literary study in eighth and ninth grades to the processes involved with college-level study in 11th and 12th grades. Students will focus on advanced methods of understanding texts and demonstrate the ability to relate those texts to a greater understanding of the world around them. Furthermore, students will begin to develop different theoretical approaches to reading. Finally, students will work on responding to literature through different types of essay writing. Students will concentrate on advancing their writing skills to prepare them to become competent college writers. In January, these students will take the English Regents Exam, a test that covers the New York State Learning Standards in a variety of ways. Students are required to pass this exam in order to graduate from high school. The prerequisite for this class is the successful completion of English 10 Honors with at least an 88% average.
This course fulfills the English 11 graduation requirement.
English 11
1 unit | full year | Grade 11 | English 11 Syllabus
This one-year course centers on American literature. Through diverse projects and writing assignments, students will express their understanding of works of literature and relate those works to the world we live in. Vocabulary development and improved listening skills are the focus of the course. The English Regents Exam will be given during the school year. Students are required to pass this exam in order to graduate from high school.
This course is required for graduation from high school.
English 12 Honors (FMCC EN 103)
1 unit & 3 college credit hours | full year | Grade 11
The purpose of this course is twofold. Its first objective is to make students into better writers by working directly on writing skills through workbook exercises, as well as reading and essay assignments. The second objective is to make students into better thinkers by teaching them how to develop a thesis. Students will also read and discuss a selection of essays and articles on a variety of subjects. The ideas formulated in all of these discussions will prompt students to write short response essays that will culminate in a research paper that will be submitted at the conclusion of the course. This course will also expose students to a wide variety of genres, including fiction, poetry, and drama. The prerequisite for this class is the successful completion of English 11 Honors with at least an 88% average. There is a fee for this course that is determined by FMCC.
This course fulfills the English 12 graduation requirement.
English 12
1 unit | full year | Grade 12 | English 12 Syllabus
This course focuses on all types of literature as the basis for developing the reading, writing, and speaking skills necessary for college and post-high school experiences. Students will analyze all genres with an emphasis on higher-order thinking skills. A strong effort is made to relate what is studied in class to students’ lives. Proper techniques for writing a research paper and a unit on public speaking are also included.
This course is required for graduation from high school.
FMCC EN 103 & EN 104
1 unit & 6 college credit hours | full year | Grade 12
The purpose of this course is twofold. Its first objective is to make students into better writers by working directly on writing skills through workbook exercises, as well as reading and essay assignments. The second objective is to make students into better thinkers by teaching them how to develop a thesis. Students will also read and discuss a selection of essays and articles on a variety of subjects. The ideas formulated in all of these discussions will prompt students to write short response essays that will culminate in a research paper that will be submitted at the conclusion of the EN 103 course. EN 104 will also expose students to a wide variety of genres, including fiction, poetry, drama and literary criticism. The prerequisites for this class are the successful completion of English 11 with at least an 88% average, a minimum score of 85% on the English Regents Exam, and a teacher recommendation. There is a fee for this course that is determined by FMCC.
This course fulfills the English 12 graduation requirement.
AP English Literature and Composition
1 unit & 3 college credit hours | full year | Grade 12
AP English Literature and Composition is a college-level course for superior students. It involves critical study of selected major works of poetry, drama, fiction and nonfiction, tracing recurrent concerns of mankind as expressed in a variety of texts. Writing styles are also studied in-depth. The course is reading- and writing-intensive and asks students to study and apply critical theory and work with literary criticism. A high level of verbal competence and skill in writing is required, as well as the power for sustained independent inquiry. Students completing this course are prepared to take the Advanced Placement examination in English Literature and Composition. Students in this course have the option of concurrently enrolling in EN 104 for up to 3 hours of credit from Fulton-Montgomery Community College.
This course fulfills the English 12 graduation requirement.
AP English Language and Composition
1 unit & 3 college credit hours | full year | Grade 12
The AP English Language and Composition course aligns to an introductory college-level rhetoric and writing curriculum, which requires students to develop evidence-based analytic and argumentative essays that proceed through several stages or drafts. Students evaluate, synthesize, and cite research to support their arguments. Throughout the course, students develop a personal style by making appropriate grammatical choices. Additionally, students read and analyze the rhetorical elements and their effects in non-fiction texts, including graphic images as forms of text, from many disciplines and historical periods. Students completing AP English Language and Composition are prepared to take the associated Advanced Placement examination. Students in this course have the option of concurrently enrolling in EN 103 for up to 3 hours of credit from Fulton-Montgomery Community College.
This course fulfills the English 12 graduation requirement.
SUPA WRT 105: Practices of Academic Writing
1 unit & 3 college credit hours | full year | Grade 12 | Wrt 105 Syllabus
In this course, students will study and practice the writing process, covering topics that include critical reading, collaboration, revision, editing, and the use of technology. Along with writing, students will be expected to critically analyze complex texts from a variety of genres including, but not limited to, fiction, nonfiction, drama, and poetry. Skills, such as analysis and argumentation, will be focused on throughout the year to prepare students for college and post-high school experiences. Essays, debates, discussions, outside reading, and a research paper will be required of students throughout the full-year course. There is a fee for this course that is determined by Syracuse University.
Journalism
2 units | full year | Grades 10-12
This course is designed to teach students the basics of reporting and news writing; how to gather and organize information; how to ask effective questions; the best ways to develop story ideas; research skills; how to write different types of leads; and how to produce articles on deadline.
Adirondack Humanities
1 unit | full year | Grades 11-12
From the late 1700s to contemporary times, the Adirondack Mountains region has played a pivotal role in the development of the United States. Throughout this course, students will investigate the Adirondacks through anthropology, art, economics, geography, history, jurisprudence, literature, musicology, political science, psychology and sociology. Students will explore specific attributes of the Adirondacks through various lenses to gain a greater appreciation for the region’s position in the advancement of New York state and the nation. Furthermore, students will develop fundamental skills and gain a greater awareness of the Adirondack Mountains region.
Fundamentals of Acting
½ unit | half year | Grades 10-12
This course is designed to teach students to develop internal and external personal resources, such as using the body and voice expressively, expressing character through movement and voice, developing sensory awareness, and developing personal creativity; develop interpersonal skills and awareness, such as cooperating in teams to solve problems or by placing oneself in other contexts (walking in others’ shoes) and observing and criticizing one another’s work; develop aesthetic sensitivity and understanding, including an appreciation of the theatre, by attending live theatre presentations and understanding the elements of drama; and create theatre through artistic collaboration, including creating and writing scripts, acting or role-playing, and directing classroom theatre.
Creative Writing
½ unit | half year | Grades 11-12 | Creative Writing Syllabus
Through this class, students will improve their writing skills in such areas as the narrative essay, short story, and poetry. Students will be encouraged to share their writing with the class and to offer constructive criticism of each others’ writing. Emphasis will be placed on the creation of a writing portfolio.
FMCC EDU 171: Introduction to Early Childhood Education
½ unit | half year | Grades 11-12 | Intro to Early Childhood Education Syllabus
This course presents information and theory regarding developmentally appropriate practice for teaching and caring for children from birth to eight years. It emphasizes the student developing an understanding of the importance of creating an effective learning environment, advancing physical and intellectual competence, supporting social and emotional development, establishing relationships with families, and maintaining a commitment to professionalism. Attention is given to skills needed in a variety of program settings, including Head Start, child care, pre‑kindergarten, nursery schools and first through third grades. There is a fee for this course that is determined by FMCC.
Children’s Literature
1 unit | full year | Grades 10-12 | Children’s Literature Syllabus
During the first half of this year-long course, students will explore classic fairytales and children’s stories through a new perspective by reading, researching and deconstructing the original grotesque and dark writings of the Grimm Brothers and Hans Christian Anderson. Students will investigate how various folktales and gender stereotypes developed and became classical models for children and adults through the eyes of such people as Walt Disney, and how these classic models reflect the views of society today. Through students’ new-found knowledge and understanding of the evolution of children’s literature, students will write a present-day children’s literature book for a student at The Learning Community. The second half of the year will be dedicated to reading “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” and “Through the Looking Glass,” through which students will study surrealism and Freud’s theories on dreams and reality. Finally, students will end the course with a taste of young adult literature by reading “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” drawing on connections they’ve made throughout the entire year regarding literature written for the child and the young adult.
College Admissions Preparation
½ unit | half year | Grades 11-12 | SAT Prep Syllabus
This course focuses on preparing students to take the reading, writing and language sections of the SAT and ACT examinations. Students will work on understanding the tests, test-taking strategies, analogies, reading comprehension, writing fundamentals, and grammar and usage skills.
Short Stories
½ unit | half year | Grades 11-12
This course focuses on reading and analyzing selected short stories of renowned writers. Students participate in class discussions and write papers to demonstrate close reading skills, express individual interpretations, and demonstrate their understanding of the common themes and unique literary characteristics of the genre.
Public Speaking
½ unit & 3 college credits | half year | Grades 11-12 | Public Speaking Syllabus
The course aims to enrich the student’s ability to communicate. It introduces students to the forms of public speaking and affords them the opportunity to practice both the formal and informal deliveries of speech while maintaining individual expression and creativity.
Yearbook
1 unit | full year | Grade 12
Since the end product of this course is the high school yearbook, all aspects of yearbook creation will be addressed, including design, copy, layout, and sales. The course will also address and assess the ELA standards of reading, writing, listening, speaking, and language. The majority of homework will involve attending events for the purpose of taking photos and conducting interviews, but more traditional homework will also be required.