English

English

Kiski understands that upon the success of those skills built in the English classroom lies the success of most other academic disciplines. English is viewed as a triumvirate of meta-skills which include literature, composition, and vocabulary. Kiski pursues a traditional and intense path in building these skills, and we believe that a student should be prepared for the demands of college academics as well as a lifetime of mature reading.

Advanced English Language

Advanced English Language and Composition is a college level course which focuses on skills needed for literary analysis, as well as, analytical and persuasive writing. Students write weekly in-class essays and practice necessary reading comprehension skills required in college level work. Various rhetorical modes and devices are viewed in such classic speeches and essays such as Martin Luther King Jr.’s, “I Have a Dream” and George Orwell’s “Shooting an Elephant.” Students will become well versed in analyzing and crafting arguments as well as synthesizing information from multiple texts. Major works include: In Cold Blood by Truman Capote, Julius Caesar by Shakespeare, and Animal Farm by George Orwell.

Students in Advanced English continue their study of literature with a focus on American literary classics.  Themes to be studied include, war, the nature of man, and the development of national culture.  Bi-weekly writing assignments of 600-750 words stress close analytical reading and original, creative thought.  Authors most commonly read include Emerson, Thoreau, Hawthorne, Vonnegut, Wharton, and Atwood.  Students will also be expected to show competency through a variety of written and oral assessments.

Students in this class continue their study of literature with a focus on American literary classics. Themes to be studied include war, the nature of man, and the development of national culture. Bi-weekly writing assignments stress close analytical reading and original and creative thought. Authors commonly read include Atwell, Hawthorne, Vonnegut, Ellison, Bradbury, and Fitzgerald. Students will also be expected to show competency through group projects and oral presentations.

Students in Advanced English continue their study of literature with a focus on American literary classics.  Themes to be studied include war, the nature of man, and the development of national culture.  Bi-weekly writing assignments of 600-750 words stress close analytical reading and original and creative thought.  Authors most commonly read include Emerson, Thoreau, Hawthorne, Vonnegut, Hemmingway, Bradbury, Fitzgerald, and others. Students will also be expected to show competency through objective testing and oral presentations.

In this course students will study English Literature from the Anglo-Saxon period to modern times, focusing on the philosophical, political, and social forces that shaped the literature of each age. The basic text is Prentice-Hall’s The English Tradition, supplemented by such works as: Frankenstein, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, The Invisible Man, and Macbeth. The independent reading program, expanded from Foundations of Literature, affords students an opportunity to explore and discuss literary skills through weekly journal entries. Student compositions, generally drawn from reading assignments, run from 500-800 words and include a strong emphasis on creative writing. Students are expected to develop a more mature writing style and to deepen analytical skills.

Students in this course will focus on the art of composition. Through a study of the process of writing, students will learn skills that will aid in every aspect of academic writing. Specific time will be spent with the analytic essay, the college essay, and the essay for standardized exams. Individual and peer work will be completed in order to create a unique voice and style for every student. Both the content and structure of composition will be studied. Shorter literary works will also be used as a means of discussing the skills learned. The research project is another important element of the curriculum. During the fall semester, each student chooses a topic for his research paper. Upon approval of the topic, the student works within the classroom and library to complete the project. Deadlines for bibliography, note cards, rough draft, and the final paper are scheduled by the classroom teacher.

The final class in the English series is created to give students more choice and more control of their studies.  Students will choose among four to five classes per semester, with each class counting as one-half of their English IV grade.  The offered classes will change each year, although some classes may be offered more than once a year as interest demands.

English IV Class Offerings
American History through Song – This semester-long project based class will look at the history of America through the lyrics of the songs that have been passed down.  Students will use their knowledge of American history to analyze the lyrics of songs ranging from the Revolutionary War to modern day.  Students will be responsible for collecting the texts to be used in class.
 
American Memoir – This semester course explores the concept expressed by writer Graham Swift once identified man as a “story-telling animal,” and nowhere is this more apparent than in the realm of memoir.  Writers tell stories to make sense of our lives, and memoirs, a specific type of autobiography, give readers a glimpse into the mind of the author as well as into the secrets of a culture.  Students will read a variety of memoirs as well as begin writing their own.
 
American Romanticism and Realism – In this semester course, students will analyze and discuss the characteristics, literature, and authors of these diametrically opposed schools of writing and the transition between them.  Authors will include Edgar Allen Poe, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Stephen Crane, and Ambrose Bierce.
 
Basic Creative Writing: The Short Story – This semester course will use published short works of fiction, criticism, and writing exercises to discuss the elements of crafting fiction, from the basic (sentence structure, building paragraphs) to more complex skills (crafting settings, building character, finding an ear for dialog); the course will lead up to each student being able to craft his own short story for the course final.
 
College Writing – This semester course will study the elements of good writing and reasoning.  Students will learn how to dissect and evaluate a writing prompt, how to plan and organize a composition, how to spot problems in content and mechanics, how to apply the ideas of revision and editing to a composition, and how to present compositions for a larger audience.  Special consideration will be taken in discussing the standardized test and college application essays.
 
Contemporary Literature – In this semester long course, the study of the literature from the mid 60’s to the present will discuss characterization, themes, plot and plot structure of the following titles: Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption, The Kite Runner, and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.
 
Critical Thinking and Argumentation – This semester course will study some of the concepts of deductive logic and reasoning.  Discussion will focus on the difference between truth and validity, the symbolic system of logic, and the methods of creating and evaluating arguments.  Students will learn how to think critically, identify the construction of an argument, recognize logical fallacies, learn to clearly define terms, and write strong arguments of their own. 
 
The Literature/Film Connection – Since the beginning of the industry, film has looked to literature for story ideas. This semester course will examine the books that several famous films are based on, and analyze not only the literature, but the choices that were involved in putting the stories on screen, and how they reflect on the message of the piece, and the moods of the culture.
 
Literature of the Vietnam War – The study of the literature of the war in Vietnam includes poetry, short stories, essays, lyrics, and two novels –The Things They Carried and Dispatches. The semester long class will review and discuss two full length films about the war.  The possible titles are Platoon, Apocalypse Now, and Coming Home.
 
Mythology and American Literature – Mythology appeals to the young adult for many reasons. This semester long course explores the structure that most myths adhere to the qualities that make good plot structure. Most myths begin with exposition, follow with rising action and a conflict, continue with the climax and conclude with falling action and resolution. Myths provide information. They may explain elements of ancient cultures, such as the ancients’ explanation of phenomena in the natural world. Because mythology focuses much of the time on the tragedies and hardships that befall an ancient figure’s life, students may grow in appreciating and understanding their own lives and the world around them.   Reading selections may include the following: The Odyssey by Homer, American Gods by Neil Gaiman, and The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell.
 
Transcendentalism: What’s so Great about the Wilderness This semester long course will explore the dominance of logic and science in the 1800’s that eventually led to a philosophical rebellion in America.  Writers like Emerson and Thoreau urged people to look to nature in order to recognize their own potential and connect with the divine. This philosophy has become deeply engrained in the American psyche, appearing in novels, essays, and even Hollywood movies; contemporary authors continue this tradition in books that place man in balance with the world.  Authors will include Emerson, Thoreau, Twain, Bryson, and Krakauer.
 
Voices of the Holocaust –This semester long course focuses on one of the greatest tragedies of the twentieth century – and possibly in world history: the Holocaust.  Millions of people were killed, but some voices rose above the clamor to speak for the dead.  This course will help to develop a deeper understanding of the Holocaust and racism.  Through literature, students will explore Anti-Semitic oppression and resistance before and during the Holocaust.  Discussion will include the effects of racism today and ponder the question, “Could a holocaust happen today?”  Reading selections may include the following: Maus I & II by Art Speigelman, Night by Elie Weisel, Ghetto Diary by Janusz Korczak, and This Way for the Gas, Ladies and Gentlemen by Tadeusz Borowski.
 
Wealth and Success – This semester long class is a look at the literature and the thematic issues involving wealth, greed, and power and how it affects the characters of that literature. The class will read and discuss the following titles: The Great Gatsby, God Bless You Mr. Rosewater, and Glengarry Glen Ross.
 
Weird Science-Sci/Fi Short Fiction – Through this semester long course we will investigate the role of science fiction in literary history. From classics such as Verne to the modern masters such as Clarke and Asimov, students will explore the value and meaning of science fiction and its impact on society.

In this course, students are introduced to the major literary genres and the critical language used to study them. Literary elements are introduced and explored through reading short stories and novels in class and literature circles. The independent reading program affords students an opportunity to explore and discuss these literary skills through weekly journal entries. Poetry is integrated within the context of literature study, culminating in a recitation competition through Poetry Out Loud. Drama is presented through Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Grammar and composition are studied both in conjunction with the literature and in specific lessons as needed. Reading selections may include: To Kill a Mockingbird, Ender’s Game, and All Quiet on the Western Front.

The British Traditions Honors course is designed for students to build upon the skills developed in Foundations of Literature with a focus on a British literature survey to develop critical reading, analyzing, and writing skills in preparation for Advanced English Language and Composition. Major reading selections which supplement the anthology may include Macbeth, Frankenstein, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, The Invisible Man, And Then There Were None, 1984, Brave New World, and V for Vendetta. Special attention is paid to the comparison of dystopian novels of the 20th century. Students will study the historical and philosophical influences on literature and the literary influences on British history. Grammar and composition are studied both in conjunction with the literature and in specific lessons as needed.

Since the beginning of the industry, film has looked to literature for story ideas. This course will examine the texts that several famous films are based on, and analyze not only the literature, but also the choices that were involved in putting the stories on screen, and how they reflect on the message of the piece, and the moods of the culture.

In this course students will improve mastery in literature, grammar, and vocabulary. Literature focuses on concepts of leadership and the call to help others through comparative study of folklore and traditions from cultures around the world, including the writings of leaders like Nelson Mandela, Chief Joseph, and Elie Wiesel. Our capstone pieces are Beowulf and Macbeth. The independent reading program, expanded from Foundations of Literature, affords students an opportunity to explore and discuss literary skills through weekly journal entries. Student compositions, generally drawn from reading assignments, run from 500- 800 words and include a strong emphasis on creative writing. Students are expected to develop a more mature writing style and to deepen analytical skills. Grammar topics include a firm grasp of parts of speech and parts of sentences and how they work together to form strong sentences and paragraphs.   Vocabulary will be studied and tested in regular intervals, using words that have appeared on standardized tests, such as the SAT. 

In this course students will build upon the skills developed in Foundations of Literature to develop critical reading, analysis, and writing skills in preparation for Advanced English Language and Composition. Literature focuses on concepts of leadership and the call to help others through comparative study of folklore and traditions from cultures around the world, including the writings of notable voices like Nelson Mandela, Chief Joseph, and Elie Wiesel. Major reading selections may include Beowulf, Macbeth, And Then There Were None, Maus, and V for Vendetta. Grammar and composition are studied both in conjunction with the literature and in specific lessons as needed. Student compositions, generally drawn from reading assignments, run from 500- 800 words and include a strong emphasis on creative writing. Students are expected to develop a more mature writing style and to deepen analytical skills.

Chantel Kapustik

  • Director of Theater Arts, English Faculty
  • Academics, English, Fine & Performing Arts
  • [email protected]

Eric Kinderman

Sarah Kinderman

Brad Kwiatek

Amanda Mock

Christopher Spahn

A LIFE-CHANGING BOARDING SCHOOL.

(877) 547-5448
1888 BRETT LANE, SALTSBURG, PA 15681