{"id":4789,"date":"2021-09-26T15:07:59","date_gmt":"2021-09-26T19:07:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/materamabilis.org\/ma\/?page_id=4789"},"modified":"2025-07-08T18:25:14","modified_gmt":"2025-07-08T22:25:14","slug":"archived-high-school-english","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/materamabilis.org\/ma\/high-school-level-5-6\/archived-high-school-english\/","title":{"rendered":"Archived High School English"},"content":{"rendered":"

Level 5 & 6 English<\/span><\/b><\/h3>\n

Choose ONE one-credit course of study for each year of high school<\/b><\/p>\n

The levels and years listed here are recommendations and may be moved around to different years, though they are designed as a sequence to parallel the history sequences.

\n

Level 5 Year 1<\/span><\/b><\/h3>\n

Classical Epics, British Literature to 1500\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/h4>\n

1 credit<\/b><\/p>\n

English Lesson Plans<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

English Literature:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Poetry, Prose, and Drama, Book One<\/span><\/i><\/a>, <\/span><\/i>Memoria Press, 1x weekly N<\/span><\/p>\n

(a family might opt to use the study guide for this book for narration\/essay prompts)<\/span><\/p>\n

Plus:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n

Canterbury Tales <\/span><\/i><\/a>(Prologue and excerpts)<\/span><\/p>\n

Great Myths of the World<\/a>, <\/span><\/i>Colum (<\/span>free online here<\/span><\/a>)<\/span><\/p>\n

Classical and Old English Epic<\/strong>:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Term 1: <\/span>The Iliad<\/span><\/i><\/a> 2x weekly N (<\/span>free online version<\/span><\/a>)<\/span><\/p>\n

Term 2: <\/span>The Odyssey<\/span><\/i><\/a> 2x weekly N (<\/span>free online version<\/span><\/a>)<\/span><\/p>\n

Term 3: <\/span>The Aeneid<\/span><\/i><\/a> (<\/span>free online version<\/span><\/a>), <\/span>Beowulf <\/span><\/i><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/i>2x weekly N<\/span><\/p>\n

(again, a family might opt to use the study guides that accompany the Memoria Press books)<\/span><\/p>\n

Drama:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Shakespeare 1x weekly:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Term 1: <\/span>Twelfth Night<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Term 2:\u00a0 <\/span>Henry V<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Term 3: <\/span>Julius Caesar<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

A family may choose instead to watch a live or filmed version of these plays. Recommended adaptations: Twelfth Night <\/i>(Globe Theatre 2012 Original Practices production),\u00a0Henry V<\/i> (Kenneth Branagh), Julius Caesar <\/i>(Marlon Brando)<\/p>\n

Honors option: write a finished essay evaluating the production<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

Additional drama<\/strong> 1x weekly:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Term 1: <\/span>Antigone<\/span><\/i><\/a> (Sophocles)\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Term 2: <\/span>Everyman <\/span><\/i>(in Memoria Press <\/span>Poetry, Prose and Drama: Book One<\/span><\/i>)<\/span><\/p>\n

Term 3: (ad lib another Greek drama or medieval mystery play if time)<\/span><\/p>\n

Honors option: write a finished essay evaluating the production<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

Studied Dictation<\/strong> (optional at this stage, but recommended for Level 5):<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Spelling Wisdom Book 4<\/span><\/i><\/a>: Study a given passage for 2 days, write on the 3rd day, weekly\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Composition:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Term 1: daily written narration, 7 Sisters Introductory Guide to High School Essay Writing<\/a> (preferred; in current lesson plans) OR BraveWriter\u2019s <\/span>Help for High School<\/span><\/i><\/a>\u00a0 1x weekly<\/span><\/p>\n

Term 2: daily written narration, 7 Sisters Introductory Guide to High School Essay Writing<\/a> (preferred; in current lesson plans) OR\u00a0 BraveWriter\u2019s <\/span>Help for High School<\/span><\/i><\/a> 1x weekly<\/span><\/p>\n

Term 3:\u00a0 daily written narration, <\/span>7 Sisters\u2019 MLA Research Paper Writing Guide, 2nd edition<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

End-of-term essays and essay exams, research project on a chosen topic at the end of Term 2,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/i>longer research paper on a chosen topic at the end of Term 3<\/span><\/p>\n

Honors option: at least six extra short essays (300-500 words) or pieces of creative writing per term. These essays may touch on readings in English or any other subject, including current events, and may count as honors credit in any subjects touched in these essays.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

Archived Lesson Plans<\/b><\/a> using Help for High School <\/span><\/p><\/div>

\n

Level 5 Year 2<\/span><\/b><\/h3>\n

Dante, British poetry to 1900<\/span><\/b><\/h4>\n

1 credit\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

English Lesson Plans<\/a><\/strong> (scroll down for Y2)<\/b><\/p>\n

Literature:<\/strong><\/p>\n

The British Tradition II<\/span><\/i><\/a>,<\/span> 1x weekly N<\/span><\/p>\n

Great Myths of the World<\/a>, <\/span><\/i>Colum (<\/span>free online here<\/span><\/a>) 1x weekly N<\/span><\/p>\n

Epic: <\/span>The Divine Comedy<\/span><\/i><\/a> 2x weekly (1 Canto per reading, typically)<\/span><\/p>\n

Term 1: Inferno<\/span><\/p>\n

Term 2: Purgatorio<\/span><\/p>\n

Term 3: Paradiso<\/span><\/p>\n

Study guides are available for all these Memoria Press resources<\/span><\/p>\n

A helpful online Dante study guide<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Drama:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Shakespeare 1x weekly:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Term 1: <\/span>As You Like It<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Term 2: <\/span>Richard III<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Term 3: <\/span>Macbeth\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

A family may choose instead to watch a live or filmed version of these plays. Recommended adaptations: As You Like It <\/span><\/i>(Globe Theatre), Richard III<\/i> (2012 Globe Theatre Original Practices production), Macbeth <\/i>(Ian McKellen\/Judi Dench)<\/span><\/p>\n

Honors option: read then watch the play and write a finished essay about the production<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

Studied Dictation (optional at this stage, but recommended for Level 5):\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Spelling Wisdom Book 5<\/span><\/i><\/a>: Study a given passage for 2 days, write on the 3rd day, weekly<\/span><\/p>\n

Composition:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

All Terms: written narration, end-of-term essays, <\/span>Traditional English Sentence Style<\/span><\/i><\/a>, <\/span><\/i>Einarsson. The lesson plans will also continue to make reference to <\/span>Help for High School.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Honors option: at least six extra short essays (300-500 words) or pieces of creative writing per term. These essays may touch on readings in English or any other subject, including current events, and may count as honors credit in any subjects touched in these essays.\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/p><\/div>

\n

Level 6 Year 1<\/span><\/b><\/h3>\n

Novels, English Poetry, American Literature\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/h4>\n

1 credit<\/b><\/p>\n

English Lesson Plans<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Literature<\/strong>:<\/span><\/p>\n

The British Tradition II<\/span><\/i><\/a> (continued from Level 5 Year 2 into Level 6 Year 1, Term 1)<\/span>, <\/span>AND<\/span> Poetry Book\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n

Three: The Romantic to the Victorian Age<\/span><\/i><\/a> 1x every other week (alternating with American lit) N<\/span><\/p>\n

Poetry and Short Stories: American Literature<\/span><\/i> 1x every other week (alternating with British poetry) N<\/span><\/p>\n

The new edition of this book is Poetry and Short Stories for the Logic Stage Anthology<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Readings in American Prose<\/span><\/i>, as scheduled in the lesson plans N – free PDF compiled for Mater Amabilis<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Great Myths of the World, <\/span><\/i><\/a>Colum (<\/span>free online here<\/span><\/a>) (Term 1 only)<\/span><\/p>\n

Novels 2x weekly N<\/span>:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Term 1: <\/span>Pride and Prejudice<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Term 2: <\/span>David Copperfield<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Term 3: <\/span>Huckleberry Finn<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Drama:<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Shakespeare 1x weekly:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Term 1: <\/span>Much Ado About Nothing\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Term 2: <\/span>Hamlet <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Term 3: <\/span>The Tempest <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

A family may choose instead to watch a live or filmed version of these plays. Recommended adaptations: Much Ado About Nothing <\/span><\/i>(Branagh or David Tennant), Hamlet <\/i>(Mel Gibson or David Tennant), The Tempest <\/i>(Globe Theatre w\/Roger Allam)<\/span><\/p>\n

Honors option: write a finished essay evaluating the production<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

Composition:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

On Writing Well<\/span><\/i><\/a>, <\/span><\/i>Zinsser 1x weekly<\/span><\/p>\n

Term 1: Parts I-II<\/span><\/p>\n

Term 2: Part III<\/span><\/p>\n

Term 3: Part IV<\/span><\/p>\n

Composition will also continue to include daily written narration across all readings in all subjects, plus one finished essay per term and end-of-term essay exams.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The lesson plans will continue to make reference to <\/span>Help for High School.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Honors option: at least six extra short essays (300-500 words) or pieces of creative writing per term. These essays may touch on readings in English or any other subject, including current events, and may count as honors credit in any subjects touched in these essays.\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/p><\/div>

\n

Level 6 Year 2:\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/h3>\n

Novels, Literary Genre Study: 1 credit<\/span><\/b><\/h4>\n

English Lesson Plans<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Literary Genre Study:<\/span><\/p>\n

Perrine\u2019s Literature: Structure, Sound, and Sense<\/span><\/i><\/a>, <\/span><\/i>Arp and Johnson<\/span><\/p>\n

OR (better) <\/span>Structure, Sound, and Sense<\/span><\/i><\/a>, <\/span><\/i>Perrine\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Note: I have the 1970 edition of <\/span>Structure, Sound, and Sense<\/span><\/i>. It\u2019s worth searching for inexpensive early editions with Perrine as sole author. I actually own three copies of the 1970 edition, two of which I bought for under ten dollars at the same time via either ThriftBooks or AbeBooks, but any edition you can find will work. I will schedule from the edition I have, trying to avoid page numbers, because those might not be consistent. I often give my children some choice of short story or poem to focus on after reading a chapter, which gives you leeway if you have a different edition with different choices.\u00a0 \u2013 Sally<\/span><\/p>\n

Term 1: Fiction 3x weekly N, but study questions and exercises are helpful\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Term 2: Poetry 4x weekly N,\u00a0 but ditto<\/span><\/p>\n

Term 3: Poetry and Drama 3x weekly N, but ditto<\/span><\/p>\n

Novels (ad lib\/free reading):\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Term 1: <\/span>My Antonia, <\/span><\/i>Cather<\/span><\/p>\n

Term 2: <\/span>The Great Gatsby, <\/span><\/i>Fitzgerald; <\/span>Gaudy Night, <\/span><\/i>Sayers<\/span><\/p>\n

Term 3: <\/span>Their Eyes Were Watching God, <\/span><\/i>Hurston; A Raisin in the Sun<\/em>, Hansberry<\/span><\/p>\n

Note: Parents may wish to pre-read\u00a0Their Eyes Were Watching God.<\/em><\/p>\n

Drama:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Shakespeare:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Term 1: <\/span>The Winter\u2019s Tale<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Term 2: <\/span>King Lear\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Term 3: <\/span>A Midsummer Night\u2019s Dream<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

A family may choose instead to watch a live or filmed version of these plays. Please note: productions of\u00a0King Lear<\/em> should be previewed and will probably not be appropriate for younger siblings.<\/p>\n

Honors option: write a finished essay evaluating the production<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

Honors option: read and\/or watch Will Arbery\u2019s <\/b>Heroes of the Fourth\u00a0<\/i><\/b>Turning <\/i><\/b>and write an essay about this contemporary play by a Catholic <\/b>playwright.<\/b><\/p>\n

Composition:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Office of Assertion: An Art of Rhetoric for the Academic Essay<\/span><\/i><\/a>, <\/span><\/i>Crider (Term 1 only)<\/span><\/p>\n

Written narration daily, plus one finished essay per term.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Honors option: at least six extra short essays (300-500 words) or pieces of creative writing per term. These essays may touch on readings in English or any other subject, including current events, and may count as honors credit in any subjects touched in these essays.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

*** High Honors option: a year-long Senior Thesis on a topic of the student\u2019s choice, researched, written, and (optionally) delivered as a presentation at the end of the year. <\/b>\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/p><\/div>

\n

Further options for studied dictation passages include:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n