Freshman English is designed to engage students in reading, writing, and critical thinking. Quarterly themes include: The Individual and Society, Darkness of Man's Heart, Ambition vs. Corruption, Duty vs. Desire, and Coming of Age. Students can expect to read and write daily. Students will read novels (both whole class and independent choice), poetry, drama, short story and non-fiction. Students will write for a range of purposes including narratives, argument, and informative/explanatory texts.
Senior English is designed to be the pinnacle of your English experience at Exeter High School. Themes will include Your Place in the World, A Question of Fairness, Paradox of Progress, Risk-Taking, Global Voices, and Crossroads. A wide variety of writing assignments will include, narrative and college essays, compare and contrast, argument, cause and effect, definition, and synthesis. Reading includes contemporary and classic selections from American, British and World Literature. Participation in class discussion, pointed research, and presentation of original material are integral to student success. The year culminates in “Crossroads,” a synthesis paper and presentation in answering, “What role do you hope to play in this world?”
Sara Cross is a graduate of The University of New Hampshire journalism program who has been teaching high school English and writing since 2005. Before teaching, she spent two years reporting for the Portsmouth Herald and was a writing fellow at the Poynter Institute for Media Studies. Ms. Cross is thrilled to be a part of the Exeter High School faculty and to share her love of words.