English 9 is a foundational year in which we will all work together to help students develop into better readers, writers, speakers, leaders and ultimately, thinkers. We will accomplish this through activities and projects focused on academic discussion, answering a variety of questions, close reading, creating visual designs, partner/group work, and lots of writing. Thematically, our readings will take us on a journey across the great state of California. We will swing from an isolated desert town to the streets of WWII Berkeley to Depression-Era Monterey to 1990s Los Angeles and finally back to a modern day Oakland. These travels across time and space will allow us to explore different genres of writing and storytelling: personal vignettes, interviews, non-fiction, poetry, novels, short stories, plays and essays. Students will develop analytical writing skills through paragraphs and essays, and they will also have some opportunities for personal/narrative and reflective writing at different points during the year. Thus, throughout this course, students will develop a sense of their own identity, in particular as Californians, an awareness of diverse viewpoints, and an understanding of the power of language to shape the destinies of a state and its people. (Grade 9)

In this course, students further develop an ability to comprehend and think critically about texts and to respond to literature verbally. Students gain exposure to a wide range of genres (novels, plays, stories, and films). To each work they apply components of literary analysis including plot, conflict, character, figurative language, and theme. Writing assignments include literary analysis, collaborative essays, personal narratives, and research. Students pursue writing as an active process by drafting and revising their essays. The research project inculcates habits of effective information gathering, note taking, outlining, and citing primary and secondary sources. Students also refine their understanding of grammar and add to their working vocabulary. Works read include short stories and poems, as well as The Anthropocene Reviewed, Born a Crime, Purple Hibiscus, and Convenience Store Woman. (Grade 10)

In this course, students further develop the ability to think and write critically about literature from many world cultures. Studying and discussing works from the 17th through the 21th centuries exposes students to a wide range of literary genres (novels, essays, plays, short stories, and poetry). Reading and writing assignments in the honors course allow students to explore genres more fully and to make increasingly complex connections between diverse texts in their cultural and historical contexts. Each student composes a substantial research paper exploring the ways in which a 20th-century “poem of witness” gives voice to an experience of history that might otherwise have been silenced. This project inculcates habits of finding reputable resources, outlining, and citing primary and secondary sources. Formal study of rhetorical and literary terms encourages students to lend greater precision and nuance to their analytical essays. Students also refine their understanding of grammar and add to their working vocabularies, always with an eye toward making their writing as sophisticated as their thinking. (Grade 10)

This course is a year-long survey of American literature in which students learn to engage critically with different literary genres as connected to major changes in American history while refining their understanding of themselves in the context of their culture. This course will also ask students to consider how society shapes texts, and vice versa. Ultimately, students will come to a strong understanding of why and how the representation of speech acts as a significant feature of American literature, and they will appreciate the many voices that make up the elusive American identity. This course is organized around three principles. First, that writing is a complex process that must be examined to be mastered. Second, that writing is best improved when revision and reflection are emphasized as critical components of the writing process. Third, that, in order to write and read critically, we must actively engage with the world around us. Through class discussions, extensive writing, revision, reading, research and discussion, we will develop our abilities to comprehend texts and ideas, to think critically about literature, and to respond to texts and the ideas of others in both formal and informal ways. (Grade 11)

In Advanced Inquiry English Language and Composition, students read a sequence of challenging texts in American literature in order to develop the skill of rhetorical analysis. It is through rhetorical analysis that students learn to identify the argument, purpose, and audience of any given text, along with the means by which it was constructed—in the interplay of structure, narrative perspective, diction, and tone, for example. To do this, students acquire a vast vocabulary in rhetoric (e.g. rhetorical strategies, modes, appeals, devices) and argumentation, and learn to identify these terms and concepts through careful reading and annotation of each of the works we read. In learning to identify and appreciate the rhetorical, argumentative, and narrative strategies at play in any given work, students arrive at more intimate, sophisticated understandings of the things they read, the workings of the human language, and, significantly, our American intellectual and cultural heritage. They also learn to apply this knowledge and skill set to their own writing in order to communicate effectively and deliberately in any context. (Grade 11)

This course hones critical thinking and composition skills for college-level proficiency. Course work focuses on the analysis of modern and postmodern literature by diverse authors of varied genres (poetry, short stories, novels, essays). In addition to understanding the assigned texts, students must become familiar with other art forms and outside resources that further define the thematic, political, social, and cultural contexts of the literature. The themes of the course center on the human struggle with identity, faith, and reason during a century defined by global warfare and chaos. Thematic discussions highlight the discovery of self in relation to changing societal “norms,” and the influence of faith and reason on an individual’s definitions of self, “truth,” and humanity. The course aims to foster critical thinking, comprehension, and writing skills through: writing formal argument/persuasion/analysis essays; writing a research paper; reviewing and learning grammar; discussing current events relevant to themes and issues of each work. (Grade 12)

The Advanced Inquiry English Literature and Composition Honors course engages students in the careful reading and critical analysis of various rhetorical traditions of literature. Students will explore the ways in which authors use the different features of these traditions to both examine how authors sit in conversation with each other and use different tactics to ruminate on the human condition. Fundamental to the course is in-depth analysis of writing, which builds on and moves past the level of depth they’ve investigated texts in their previous English courses. Students will learn to pay close attention to rich and nuanced diction and how it develops characters, themes, conflict, and an author’s style. Additionally, they will investigate other forms of text complexity; in particular, they will look at perspective shifts, non-linear plots, manipulations of narrative voice, and unusual paragraph or syntax structuring. As a part of this careful reading of difficult works of literature, students will need to write frequently, both in and out of class. Further, in their discussion of language and ideas, students will be pushed to shift from the individualistic approach of presenting their best response to a collective approach where they shrink their talk time, paraphrase constantly, and critically examine the words of their peers all in service of co-creating complex conclusions. Alongside refining students’ analytical thinking skills, this course is structured to improve technical skills, vocabulary, grammar, and writing voice. Finally, in addition to smaller projects and tasks where students will demonstrate their understandings in more creative and non-traditional ways during Tri 1 and 2, students will engage in a trimester-long project where they will engage in an inquiry on a chosen theme that will ask them to combine personal narrative, analysis of an independent study text, and interviews from their communities into a cohesive capstone piece. (Grade 12)

nquiry. Critical thinking. Sound reasoning. These terms are foundational not only to the full scope of the Campbell Hall curriculum but to the school’s very mission to nurture “decent, loving, and responsible human beings.” But what, exactly, is inquiry? Thinking? Reasoning? What do these activities entail? What do they promise, and what are their limits? And how have the concerted efforts of thinkers throughout the ages to articulate responses to these questions influenced our own intellectual habits, our very conceptions of our minds, our beings, and ourselves, let alone each other, the world, God, or how it is that we should live? Introduction to Philosophy will give students the opportunity and tools necessary for seriously engaging these fundamentally human questions so immediately relevant and beneficial to their own pursuit of good, ethical living. It will also give students the chance to explore and critically engage the origins and development of the academic tradition in which they participate. This kind of consciousness, along with the refined thinking, reading, and writing skills that the development of such a consciousness demands, will enhance students’ engagement in each of their curricular pursuits and, undoubtedly, their very lives. (Grades 11-12; one semester)

This class will introduce students to the demands, responsibilities, and excitement of writing for a newspaper. Students will examine and undertake projects and assignments related to writing hard news, entertainment criticism, op-ed pieces, and sports coverage; learn essential techniques and computer skills relating to layout and graphics; and immerse themselves in some of the debates surrounding the nature of journalism in general, and high school journalism in particular. At the end of the term, the class will create, edit, and produce an entire issue of the paper. (Grades 9-12; one semester; required for those who are planning to take Newspaper or Yearbook)

Students in this hands-on class design, edit, and publish both of Campbell Hall’s literary journals: Caliburnus and CREW magazine. Caliburnus publishes outstanding writing by Campbell Hall’s high school students, while CREW showcases creative work produced by elementary-aged students from the surrounding community during Campbell Hall's annual CREW project, through which some of our school's most passionate writers train throughout the year and then run spring workshops at local schools without creative writing programs of their own. Literary Publications students also edit, design, and publish the individual chapbooks for all of each year’s Creative Writing Fellows, and maintain the Creative Writing program's online presence. Class members have the opportunity to learn about and contribute to all aspects of publication, including layout and design; reading, selecting, and editing submissions; working with budgets and deadlines; publicity; and planning special events related to the magazines. In addition, students in this class work to integrate the creative writing program into community life at Campbell Hall, coordinating readings, sponsoring performances and events, and seeking out fresh opportunities to publicize, nurture, and honor the school's writers. (Grades 10-12)

In the process of creating monthly editions of the high school newspaper, The Piper, students engage in multiple forms of high-level learning: identifying contemporary issues to be explored in the context of the high school; analyzing the way words and pictures support each other to tell a story; defining ethical guidelines to maintain journalistic integrity; deciding realistic deadlines that allow for adequate research, proper investigation, proficient writing and editing, and balanced reporting. (Grades 10-12; prerequisites: application and department approval)

This course, which runs at the same time as Newspaper, is designed for the editorial board of The Piper newspaper. Students in this class have demonstrated the highest standards in newspaper production, from research and writing to editing and page design, and have committed to year-long editorial staff positions on The Piper. Extending the work of the Newspaper course, Newspaper Advanced prepares editors to manage the newspaper’s production process and staff while developing content that goes beyond the surface, telling stories that matter to the Campbell Hall community. Editors utilize their knowledge of journalistic principles to create a publication that exceeds the standards set the previous year. Editors go above and beyond the work done in Newspaper by taking on increased responsibility, developing the strongest research and writing skills, and staying up-to-date with new trends in page design and photography. Students are expected to meet with staff and work in the newspaper room during their free periods and to attend after-school work sessions. (Grades 11-12; prerequisites: Journalism and one-year enrollment in Newspaper or two-year enrollment in Newspaper, and instructor approval)

This course, which serves as a prerequisite for joining the Campbell Hall Speech & Debate team, provides an introductory overview of the many different competitive speech and debate events offered through the California High School Speech Association. Students will develop the knowledge and skills necessary to participate in both debate and competitive speech events through the study of event rules, basic argumentation strategies, speech construction, performance techniques, and audience analysis. Students will be required to participate in a minimum number of competitive tournament rounds in both debate and speech events in order to receive credit for this course. These tournaments are held primarily on weekends throughout the semester. (Grades 9-12; one semester)

This course will focus on developing foundational strategic, performative, and research skills necessary for success at the varsity level in debate and limited preparation speaking events, including Public Forum Debate, Extemporaneous Speaking, Student Congress, and Parliamentary Debate. Students enrolled in this class are expected to designate both a primary and secondary event upon which to concentrate their efforts during the year, and will be required to participate in a minimum number of competitive tournament rounds in both speech and debate events in order to receive credit for this course. These tournaments are held primarily on weekends throughout the year. Enrollment in either Intermediate or Advanced Competitive Speech & Debate serves as a prerequisite for entry in debate and/or limited prep events at many of the regional or national travel tournaments in which the Campbell Hall Speech & Debate team participates. (Grades 9-12; prerequisites: Introduction to Competitive Speech and Debate or department approval)

This course will focus on intensive preparation for tournament success at national-level competitions in debate and limited preparation speaking events, including Public Forum Debate, Extemporaneous Speaking, Student Congress, and Parliamentary Debate. The course will focus on topic research; case, block, and/or speech writing; advanced argumentation techniques and theory; and advanced performative skill development. Students enrolled in this class will designate a primary event upon which to concentrate their efforts during the year, and will be required to participate in a minimum number of competitive tournament rounds in order to receive credit for this course. These tournaments are held on weekends throughout the year, and will occasionally involve regional or national travel. Enrollment in either Intro to or Advanced Competitive Speech & Debate serves as a prerequisite for entry in debate and/or limited prep events at many of the regional or national travel tournaments in which the Campbell Hall Speech & Debate team participates. (Grades 10-12; prerequisites: Intermediate Competitive Speech and Debate or department approval)

Students in this course improve their skills in reporting, desktop publishing, and photography. They experience the discipline of working on deadline while considering such deeper issues as how to balance information and entertainment. Resolving ethical questions—from whether it’s okay to alter pictures digitally to how article placement can reveal unintended bias—leads yearbook staffers to become journalists of integrity. Students collaborate intensely to produce the school’s K-12 yearbook: they envision an overall concept and look for the book, produce layouts that reflect this concept, and double- and triple-check their work. The emphasis throughout is on creativity through constraints. Students learn the technical rules of journalism and design while inventing new and different ways to cover the school year after year. Creating a theme for the year takes unbounded imagination, but, once the concept is settled and the templates are designed, students must follow the rules they’ve made for themselves. Although most of the work is done on computers, the practical details of deadlines and color reproduction lead to a deeper understanding of the physical process of printing. (Grades 10-12; prerequisites: application and department approval)

In this course, students gain mastery of the fundamental techniques of fiction and poetry. Assigned writing projects, in-class exercises, workshops, and discussion of literary works help students generate and refine their own material. Over the course of the semester, each student works toward achieving the originality of vision and maturity of expression that lie at the heart of powerful literature. The class's workshop format--in which each writer submits work for group discussion and critique--encourages students to develop their own aesthetic responses and to hone their critical thinking skills. All students will have the opportunity to present their work at various public events throughout the year, and to submit their writing for possible publication in Campbell Hall's literary journal, Caliburnus. (Grades 10-12; one semester)

In this class for advanced writers, students build on concepts and techniques mastered in the Introductory Creative Writing course while pursuing their own writing projects. Class time consists primarily of detailed discussions of writing techniques, in-depth workshops of student writing, in-class writing time, collaborative projects, readings, and exercises and activities designed to help each student explore new creative territory and hone his or her craft. At the end of the semester, each student completes a final portfolio consisting of twenty pages of revised, polished writing. In addition to an intensive focus on their own writing, students read and discuss a diverse range of published work, with an emphasis on contemporary authors. All students will have the opportunity to present their pieces in publications such as the school's literary journal, Caliburnus, and also at public events and performances. Participation in this class also earns students opportunities to participate in extracurricular activities such as the school's ongoing project with I Have A Dream Foundation, through which Campbell Hall's most committed creative writers teach the basics of this program to area 5th graders. (Grades 10-12; one semester; prerequisite: Creative Writing and/or department approval)

In this semester-long course, students gain mastery of the fundamental techniques of screenwriting. They will learn the traditional concepts of narrative film structure, while also exploring various ways to subvert those structures. Pitching their own projects, in-class exercises, critical feedback, as well as reading published screenplays and viewing scenes from the produced films will help students generate and refine their own work, whether for films or television. Students will be encouraged to see film as a collaborative medium, viewing the screenplay as the blueprint for that future creation, as well as an invitation for others to join in the grand expedition that is movie making. At the same time their screenplay should stand on its own as a powerful expression of their artistic vision. Over the course of the semester, each student will work towards achieving the originality of vision and maturity of expression that lie at the heart of powerful writing, while learning what makes screenwriting unique. The class' workshop format, in which each writer submits work for group discussion and critique, encourages students to develop their own aesthetic responses and to hone their critical thinking skills, and to discover ways to best collaborate with others.

As part of a thriving, multi-tiered program, Campbell Hall’s most advanced creative writers have the option of earning a Creative Writing Fellow designation on their transcript by completing a rigorous sequence of workshops, public performances, directed independent study devoted to literary techniques, editing, and service to the community, culminating in the production of a chapbook of original work and a thesis defense. Graduates of the program have gone on to the Iowa Writing Workshops and many other top programs, won major university fiction and poetry prizes, and published in a wide variety of genres and publications. To earn the Fellow designation, students must complete:

• 4 semesters of Creative Writing/Advanced Creative Writing/Creative Nonfiction Writing
  • (1 year of Literary Publications OR 1 year of CREW may be counted toward this requirement)
• 1 semester of Literary Landscape Independent Study
• 1 semester of Literary Apprenticeship Independent Study
• Completed thesis project

In the final semester of their senior year, students who have completed all other requirements for the Creative Writing Fellow designation (including four semesters of course work and the Literary Landscape and Literary Apprenticeship independent study classes) have the opportunity to assemble a chapbook— a thematically linked collection, usually of 20-30 pages in length— showcasing final versions of the best writing they have produced during their time in the program. Those collections will be polished, perfected, professionally copyedited, and then bound and saved in the Campbell Hall Creative Writing Collection, currently housed in the library and at several other locations around campus.