British Literature & Composition is a survey literature and writing course. Students will examine the major works of British literature from each of the literary periods and will develop the composition skills necessary to write effectively at the high school level and to prepare them for future literature and composition courses at the college level. During this year, students will grow as readers, writers, and learners. Students will learn to read actively, make careful observations of textual detail, establish connections among observations, and make interpretive conclusions about 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 discussion and composition to always question how and in what way what they read is in alignment 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 11-12th 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.
These three must be specific editions:
Prentice Hall Literature:
The British Tradition
Penguin Edition
ISBN 13: 9780131317208
Beowulf
Translated by Seamus Heaney
ISBN-10 : 9780393320978
ISBN-13 : 978-0393320978
A Tale of Two Cities
By Charles Dickens
Penguin Classics
ISBN-10 : 0141439602
ISBN-13 : 978-0141439600
These three may be either Dover Thrift or Penguin Classic Editions:
Frankenstein
By Mary Shelley
Pride and Prejudice
By Jane Austen
The Heart of Darkness
By Joseph Conrad
These two may be in ANY edition:
Animal Farm
By George Orwell
The Screwtape Letters
By C.S. Lewis
Supplies:
2-inch, 3-ring binder
Highlighters
Loose-leaf college-ruled paper
Consistent access to a 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.
