English Department

Reading, Writing, Thinking

The WRHS English Department fosters in all students the ability to think critically by giving students a solid grounding in reading and writing, and speaking and listening. After taking the core courses of English 9 and English 10, Wachusett students may choose from a wide variety of English electives during their junior and senior years. A key component of all English courses, in both the lower and upper schools, is the literary critique. The critique is one component of the Wachusett Writing Standard that all students must complete to achieve a determination of competency in writing.

English Program

WRHS students must pass four years of English to graduate. Students receive a core curriculum in English 9 and English 10 in the Lower School, before choosing from a variety of English electives in the Upper School. The English Program Guide contains complete descriptions of English courses, policies, and prerequisites. English courses are offered at the Honors, CPA, and CP levels.

NOTICE FOR STUDENTS CHOOSING THEIR 2012-2013 CLASSES: Download and print this Course Offerings Document. Look at The English Program Guide for course descriptions. Think about what you want to take for both semesters, and choose your classes and levels with care.

Lower School
Full-Year Required Classes
English 9
English 10

Upper School
Full-Year Electives
Advanced Placement English Language and Composition
Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition
Applied Communication I (Grade 11)
Applied Communication II (Grade 12)
English 11

One-Semester Electives
First Semester
American Biography
American Literature
British Literature
Drama I
Eastern Literature*
German & Scandinavian Literature*
Humanities I
Invitation to Contemporary Poetry
Journalism I
Language & Composition
Nature Writing*
New Literature
Other Voices In American Literature*
Shakespeare
20th-Century Novel & Film

Second Semester
American Literature
Bible as Literature*
British Literature
Contemporary American Culture
Creative Writing
Filmmaking
Gothic & Detective Literature
Humanities II
Journalism I
Journalism II
Language & Composition
Stories & Storytelling*
20th-Century Literature & Film
Women’s Voices*

* courses are offered every other year.

Students must take at least one English class each semester and may not take more than three in a year. The freshmen and sophomore curriculum focuses on genre studies and on helping students master the conventions of various literary genres. The freshmen classes focus on structure and form, while sophomore classes broaden the study to include audience, purpose, a writer's style and voice. All freshmen will read The Odyssey, or substantial excerpts, at least one play by Shakespeare, and at least one novel. Sophomores will read The Glass Menagerie, at least one novel, and a at least one play by Shakespeare.

All freshmen and sophomores must write two critiques, or literary analyses, per year. One critique will usually be written first semester, the other written second semester. The English Department Critique Guide offers an explanation of the critique and of its elements. Freshmen must also complete a research project.