British Literature & Composition is a survey literature and writing course. Students will examine the major works of British literature from each literary period and develop the composition skills necessary to write effectively at the high school level, preparing them for future literature and composition courses, as well as the college preparatory course Writing for College. During this year, students will grow as readers, writers, and learners. Students will learn to read actively, make careful observations of textual details, establish connections among these observations, and draw interpretive conclusions about the meaning and value of the works studied in class. They will learn to think critically, analyze, synthesize, evaluate, and compare through lectures, discussion, reading, writing, and presentation. All literature will be analyzed through the lens of Scripture, and students will learn through repeated practice in class discussions and compositions to always question how and in what way what they read aligns with Truth and how these analyses impact them on a personal level. In this way, students will come to take ownership of their growth as lifetime learners and Christ followers. Expectations and requirements will be at the 11th- and 12th-grade high school level, so it is imperative that students are committed to diligence and excellence in all reading, discussing, and writing. Students should expect to be in each class session, as each is vital to understanding the material and instruction. Additionally, students should expect to spend approximately three to five hours a week on homework assignments (sometimes more in advance of a formal essay or substantial reading assignment, and sometimes less during poetry units).
The following textbooks and supplies are to be purchased by parents.
Under Class Details, see Class Attachment for a picture of the textbooks.
Textbooks:
Prentice Hall Literature: The British Tradition
Penguin Edition
ISBN 13: 9780131317208
Novels:
Beowulf, translated by Seamus Heaney
Novels (please purchase Dover Thrift or Penguin Classic Editions)
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
The Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
Novels cont. (any edition)
Animal Farm by George Orwell
The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
Supplies:
2-inch, 3-ring binder
Binder tabs
Highlighters
Loose-leaf college-ruled paper
Consistent access to printer, ink, and printer paper
Successful completion of KEYS HS English I and/or II, and preferably American Literature and Composition, with permission of the instructor. If students are NOT CURRENTLY ENROLLED in a KEYS Math or English class, we require Placement Evaluations to be sure they are placed at the best level to help them be successful in the coming year. Please contact the office to schedule an evaluation prior to class selection.
Parents are responsible for purchasing all textbooks and supplies before the first day of class.
KEYS will invoice supply fees at the time of registration and class selection. This fee covers materials, lab supplies, and other expenses incurred by the teacher. It is a one-time fee, transferable until August, but non-refundable.
Please note the grade level for this class. Students younger than the recommended grade levels need special permission before signing up for the class. Please contact the office for more information.
What happens if a class is full? You may email administration@keysofva.org to be waitlisted.
