Introduction

With the looming knowledge that college is right around the corner, I’ve noted that as a future English major there are some courses I wish I knew about as a 9th, 10th, and 11th grader that don’t quite get talked about as often as some of the math and science courses available.

Though English is just as important, I believe, allowing students to prosper in knowledge with the history of literacy. As expressed by researchers, professors, and teachers, it is vital to your education and required for all four years of high school. Whether you are interested in the English world, looking for opportunities to express yourself through words, or developing a strong transcript for future jobs and colleges, all of it counts towards being aware of the options you have. And without further discussion, here are the available classes at Dakota High School that can point you towards an educated future.  

Creative Writing I and II  

If you are interested in the creative side of writing, classes such as Creative Writing I and II may suit your interests.  

While in Creative Writing I, you begin with non-fiction, dabbling with autobiographies that act as a get-to-know-me for the beginning of the year. As time goes on, elements such as diction and syntax are introduced as well as learning how to create a fictional story with genres of gothic, mystery, and horror. The curriculum then shifts to where students can write a 20,000-word story and various forms of poetry. Those skills begin to fester into song and screenwriting as students investigate different forms of writing structure. Then, at the end of the semester, students are to conduct a reflection essay on the past semester for their exam.  

Creative Writing II begins as the first semester comes to a close, entering you into an entirely different world of writing. You begin with a short introduction questionnaire about yourself, while you and a chosen partner write stories with those same questions. The course then builds on the ability to write fiction in small amounts with the formatting of flash fiction stories and using the website “BookCreator.com.” Students also get the opportunity to learn about genres and the ability to further research it with a partner. Since April is International Poetry Month, that month gets dedicated to writing poetry such as Tankas and Haikus as students learn the formatting and processes of each. At the end of this semester, students conduct a final writing piece for themselves that integrates what they learned for that semester, turning in their work as a final exam. 

Writing For Publication 

On the Journalism side of things, this class offers the ability to learn the publication process of news, interviews, broadcasting, and being able to write articles for the school newspaper. Since the class is a year-long two-semester commitment, the curriculum goes from week to week. On Monday, students complete a Media Study where you can choose what article to read, analyze, and summarize, all while figuring out a pitch idea for the article you write that week. From Tuesday on, you have in-class time to construct and peer-edit your article, using the website “TheDakotaPlanet.com” to publish at the end of the week. From editing and conducting interview videos to social media ambassador opportunities, there are a plethora of options available that students can publicize their work on. The Newspaper is a great opportunity for those who want to develop a portfolio or are looking to figure out what their strong suits in writing are.  

Media Literacy

To be a writer, you have to draw inspiration from somewhere; Media Literacy could be the perfect tool in doing that. With completion in 9th grade English, students can enter the world of media and how it can influence both people and cultures. The class centers around skills in identifying emotional appeals, reactions, motives, and opinions, as well as creating media projects. In this class, all media is covered where students get familiar with communication in reading, writing, speaking and listening and using that same information in their own print, audio, and video projects.
 

College Writing I and II

For students who are hoping to take a step further in their writing, college writing I and II can improve writing skills for both college and future careers. With all that being said, these two classes do come with the requirement of fulfilling the successful completion of two years of English credit with a C+ or better. Students in this year-long class will practice writing in expressive, informative, and persuasive ways, constructing a series of essays with topics both self-chosen and assigned. In terms of skills, students will learn how to organize, develop, research, and present their ideas.  

 What Now?

When it comes to English, there are many different routes you can take in terms of producing literary works, all just as important as the next. For those who are still struggling on deciding your next classes, it never hurts to take a second to look over your options. Who knows? Maybe the world of English is in your future!