English
BHS English Department Mission
The English department is committed to enhancing student learning in Language Arts. One of the main goals is not only to create students who know the curriculum but who can also think for themselves. Critical thinking and analysis play a major role in every classroom. Each year, the critical thinking level builds; students are moving from recall of information to evaluating, analyzing, and synthesizing of information.
English Department Curriculum
You can find a general explanation of curriculum based on the level of the student on the Chandler Unified School District website.
Click here for Course Options: BHS English Course Options
Research
Each year, students complete a portion of the research process, over the years accumulating the skills to succeed at a graduate level. See the detailed research page for further information on this process, the steps at each grade level, and the topics.
Common Activities Utilized
- Socratic Seminars
- Discussions based on Socrates' method of student-based questioning
- Students are given questions to answer or they are given text to respond to and create their own questions. These questions are then discussed in a group setting, which allows students to learn many communication skills.
- Literature Circles
- Discussions based on common readings.
- Students who have read the same novel or other text come together to discuss it. Often times, an assignment is given to hold students accountable for reading.
- Independent Reading Projects
- Reading that is conducted independently of school.
- Each quarter, the students are assigned an IRP. The teacher chooses the genre and the student chooses a book from that genre, preferably from the approved book list, that they will read. After completing the book, students complete a project based on their reading. See resources list for list of approved books.
- Summer Reading Assignments
- Grammar
- Students learn grammar rules through the use of a progressive curriculum. English 9 begins with basic grammar such as identifying types of verbs and subject verb pairs. Each year, the rules build upon the curriculum previously learned. The purpose of teaching and learning grammar is for students to be able to utilize the knowledge when reading and writing.
Links and Resources
Basha Gives Back Project
Arizona Department of Education
The Arizona Department of Education is a comprehensive website that includes many resources. Here you can find: information from the Superintendent, Tom Horne; information about particular schools, including Basha High; standards and assessments, both state and local; and AIMS information, including sample tests.
The Citation Machine website is helpful for students when writing their yearly research paper. This site allows students to plug in bibliographical information in order to generate a bibliography or a citation for their research paper.
The Modern Language Association is responsible for inventing the format that the English department requires students to use when writing a formal essay or paper. The students know it as MLA format.
Purdue University is a top university within the United States. The Owl is a great resource because it is a writing lab. This site contains information on: MLA format, grammar, types of writing. Although it is a college-based resource, it provides great information and examples for students. Using this resource will help students be more self-sufficient with their writing as well as help students to become better writers.
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Meet our Teachers
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| Name | Room | Classes |
| Agostini, Preslie | F210 | College Prep English |
| Burge, Brigette | F214 | AMS 7th ELA, ELD, Read 180 |
| Campbell, Paige | F202 | English 10, Honor English 10, Honors English 10 with AP Seminar |
| Cicero, Angela | H110 | English 9, English 11 |
| Crawford, Mackenzie | F116 | Honors English 10 with AP Seminar, English 12, Stugo |
| Daly, Lindsay | F208 | AP Language and Composition |
| Davis, Erica | F215 | AP Literature, Honors 10 w/ AP Seminar, AMS Speech and Debate |
| Gaffney, Elizabeth (Beth) | F216 | Honors 9, English 9 |
| Hubbell, Rylee | K101 | AMS 7th ELA, English 11 |
| Larson, Brennon | H106 | English 9, English 10 |
| Morgan, Kim | F204 | English 11, English 12 |
| Och, Kathryn | K109 | English 11 |
| Proulx, Megan | F101 | AP Literature, College Prep English |
| Reed, Shannon | H116 | AMS 6th ELA |
| Reiter, Stephanie | F118 | English 9, English 10, Creative Writing |
| Russo, Amanda | F212 | English 9, AP Language |
| Sheppard, Nathan | F115 | English 10 |
| Skufca, Cassandra | F114 | AMS Academic Prep, AMS Creative Writing, English 9 |
| Slayton, JanaRae | H109 | Honors 10, English 12 |
| Stetka, Meghan | H112 | AMS 8th ELA |
| Yazwa, Stephanie | F205 | Honors 9, English 11, English 12 |