UCOP A-G Approved: Section B – English – Grades 10 (5.0 GPA Weighted Scale)

Multicultural Literature Honors is a rigorous course designed for students interested in studying various Multicultural writers and the relationship of the selected readings to each writer’s cultural background. This honors course will utilize classic and contemporary literary works representing a variety of cultures and races, encourage students to see their own culture from another culture’s point of view, and foster critical and deep discussions for rigorous written responses (essays) that cultivate deep critical thinking. Multicultural Literature Honors will explore four different racial ethnicities in the United States (African American, Asian-Americans, Native-Indigenous, and Chicana/os Latina/os), paying particular attention to how the literature explores racism, discrimination, and rises above oppression. In this literature course, students will closely examine the critical relationships of the authors who challenged the discourse of American socio-political policy and commentary to move towards a more socially just and caring world for everyone. As students read, they will analyze how racism and discrimination has shaped the identity of the writer and their culture. By participating in class discussions to connect the essential question to the literature, students will learn see how racism and discrimination are still present today and how this affects them. Each semester will cover two different racial ethnicities: African American and Asian American in the fall and Native Indigenous and Chicana/os Latina/os in the spring. By reading different genres of literature, including poems, articles, essays and short stories, students will examine the experiences and conditions of each racial ethnicity covered in the courses and their push towards equality while maintaining their identity. Students will also partake in creative and reflective writing, discussions, and projects, which will allow them to think about their own cultural identity as well as other’s. Each unit will cover a variety of themes that will allow students to engage in critical scholarship, in order to embrace their culture and the culture of others. As an honors course, Multicultural Literature Honors will provide students with a rigorous and critical education that partakes in deep literary interpretation followed by a critical approach to writing that enables deep analysis of the readings, in or order to prepare students to successfully navigate Advance Placement courses in English.

This advanced college preparatory 10th grade English course focuses on broadening students’ individual and collective perspective by studying literature and non-fiction pieces from different racial/ethnicities and cultures. Students will initially focus on their own perceptions and goals through college and career planning. Students will also analyze multiple texts, conduct research, and write expository essays. The course emphasizes speaking, listening, and collaborating to prepare students for academic and professional discourse. Additionally, synthesizing multiple sources, including visual texts, prepares students to navigate the world as an adult reader. Multicultural Literature Honors is designed to launch students into an intensive and comprehensive study of cultural diversity through literature in relation to the English Department's goals and the alignment with the Common Core State Standards for English/Language Arts. The course is intended to provide a strong foundation for critical thinking, reading, writing, speaking and listening and the exercise of critical education.