American Literature & Composition
2025-2026
Justice and Liberty. These ideas are an integral part of America’s founding. Our forefathers and those leaders in their footsteps wrestled with these concepts. What is the balance of justice and mercy? How do we weigh liberty with duty and responsibility? What better way to examine these ideas than through the literature created within the forging fires of this young country?
In this class, students will begin the year reading selections from British writers who greatly influenced early American fiction. From there, we will launch into the late 18th century and continue into the 19th century of American Literature, the golden century for Poetry and story-telling. We will end the year by exploring some of the literary movements of the 20th century. Students will discuss the literature in class and through writing assignments and hone their creative and persuasive writing skills through two large writing projects. In the fall, the students will write a short story of their creation. In the Spring semester, the students will write a research paper. Other writing exercises and smaller essays will support these projects throughout the year.
> High school Literature and Composition will be offered again in 2026-2027
HOMEWORK
- An hour or more per day
PARENT RESPONSIBILITY
- Make sure your child is keeping up with assignments
COURSE FEE: $425 pay-in-full / $468 payment plan
SUPPLY FEE: $7
GRADE LEVEL: 9th - 10th
PREREQUISITES: A middle school-level writing course
CREDIT HOURS: 1 credit
MIN/MAX: 5 minimum, 15 maximum
TEXTS*:
*This list is incomplete
The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare
The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
We will also read several short stories and poems which can be found online for free and will not be required purchases.
Additional supplies*:
MLA The Easy Way! (9th Edition)
3-subject notebook with pockets or 3-ring binder
pocket folder or binder folder to hold handouts
pen
colored pencils
highlighters
*Please do not purchase any texts or supplies until you receive the officially, updated book & supply list after registration.