Subject Area:
Language Art
PSD offers many different Language Arts paths for our students.
All classes below list the grade in which the class can be taken, the term of the class and the prerequisite, if applicable.
The
[pathways]
will help you determine which path is right for your child.
For questions, please speak with your school counselor.
Course offerings are subject to change due to lack of enrollment or at the discretion of the school.
5070
This one-semester course is designed to introduce and/or improve basic acting skills. Techniques to develop and practice creative imagination and self-discipline will be employed through such classroom activities as character creation and interpretation, improvisation, pantomime, and oral interpretation. Students have the opportunity to perform for others. (See 5241 - Theater Workshop for special circumstances of ninth grade students with outside experiences.)
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5010
The seventh-grade English program is designed to help students express themselves more easily and effectively through writing and speaking. The course includes study of the fundamentals of grammar, correct usage, literature (short stories and the novel), and the process of writing (narration, description, and exposition). Students focus on writing a unified, coherent paragraph which logically supports a topic sentence by using specific details. Students also have opportunities to write creatively.
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5010X
English 7 Ext (Extended) is a companion course to English 7 to accomodate double period scheduling.
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5020
The eighth-grade English course is devoted to developing communication and thinking skills through the integrated study of language, literature, and writing. Language study emphasizes sentence patterns, punctuation, spelling, vocabulary, and usage. The study of the writing process includes further development of skills and working with multi-paragraph writings in narrative, descriptive, and expository writing. The study of literature includes the genre or thematic approach, stressing an understanding of literary terminology and author's purpose.
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5020X
English 8 Ext (Extended) is a companion course to English 8 to accomodate double period scheduling.
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5021
This two-period, year long block encompasses the study of American history, literature, art, and music from 1200 A.D. through 1890. Students are expected to perform at high levels of verbal and writing skills and to be self motivated, high achievers.
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5021X
Humanities English 8 Ext (Extended) is a companion course to Humanities English 8 to accomodate double period scheduling.
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5072Q
This class provides an introductory experience to creative dramatics.
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5110
This semester elective is designed to introduce students to the basic skills involved in the publication of a newspaper. Topics include journalistic style, editing, interviewing, layout and design, and the responsibility of the press. Emphasis is placed on news writing and on meeting deadlines. Students should be interested and capable writers.
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5001
The sixth-grade language arts course is devoted to developing communication and thinking skills through the integrated study of reading, speaking and writing strategies as well as further refining active listening and critical viewing practices. In addition to adapting usage, conventions, form and/or genre to a variety of audiences and purposes, students continue their practice with the writing process as they gain experience mastering single and multi-paragraph texts in all four major modes -- narrative, descriptive, persuasive, and expository. Students actively apply these aforementioned techniques in order to summarize, compare, contrast, activate and synthesize literary and informational texts across content areas.
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5001X
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5009
This course is designed for students with minimal English language proficiency. The focus will be the development of a student's listening and basic speaking skills, with a strong emphasis on conversational skills and survival vocabulary. The curriculum for this class will be placed on content vocabulary, English language grammar, structure, and usage.
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5009X
This course is the extended companion course to 5009 Newcomer Language Arts.
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5018
Pre-AP English 7 is based upon the same curriculum and standards as English 7, but is designed to emphasize the skills and habits of mind that will be needed to take Advanced Placement English courses and the Advanced Placement exam. Students will be challenged to do more with literary comparison, composition, and the higher order thinking skills of analysis, synthesis and evaluation. Seventh grade English course content is covered in greater depth and with more insight.
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5018X
Pre AP English 7 Ext (Extended) is a companion course to Pre AP English 7 to accomodate double period scheduling.
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5023
Pre-AP English 8 is based upon the same curriculum and standards as English 8, but is designed to emphasize the skills and habits of mind that will be needed to take Advanced Placement English courses and the Advanced Placement exam. Students will be challenged to do more with literary comparison, composition, and the higher order thinking skills of analysis, synthesis and evaluation. Eighth grade English course content is covered in greater depth and with more insight.
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5023X
English 8 Ext (Extended) is a companion course to English 8 to accomodate double period scheduling.
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