Teacher: Mr. Eure
Contact: meure@brewsterschools.org
Drop-In Office Hours
• Mondays — P2, English Office
• Fridays — P6, Room 210
Appointments: Google Calendar Sign-Up
• Tue–Thu P2, English Office
• Tue–Thu P6, Room 210
English 12 Overview
• English 12 Grading Guide & Categories
• English Department Submission Policies
• Bell-to-Bell Device Ban
Question: What are we doing here and why?
Answer: English 12 is a study of writing and reading in the Humanities with an emphasis on the unique perspectives of seniors. The curriculum prepares each student to meet the needs of next year, from college matriculation to military deployment, while exploring common texts and writing prompts.
The final product of this space is the student, and each student is built from a complicated and evolving blueprint. This course will help students build the best version of themselves through writing, reading, and discussion.
Each student will be expected to write a personal narrative in the fall and to complete a final project in the spring. We will read The Things They Carried and Frankenstein as our common texts.
Syllabus: Calendar Units
• English 12 2025–2026 Calendar
Unit 1: Senior Year Basics
An introduction to the last year of high school through class discussion and individual activities. Includes a guided introduction and look at possible future plans and a review of the writing process.
Unit 2: Personal Narratives
A month spent writing the college essay or personal narrative (depending on the student’s post-graduation goals). All students begin with the same prompts, a set of teacher-selected model BHS senior essays, and a series of full-class lessons and individual conferences. Essay drafts are due by October 15.
Unit 3: The Collective Good
An exploration of nonfiction and fiction on the subject of empathy, with a special focus on how literature teaches empathy by exploring lives and experiences different from our own. Includes selections by Brene Brown, Barbara Kingsolver, and Chad Fowler.
Unit 4: The Things They Carried, Part 1
The first major novel of the year will be The Things They Carried, by Tim O’Brien, which will bring us discussions on truth, morality, and what we each carry into our lives. Part 1 of our studies will cover close reading of select chapters, literary analysis, and emulation of O’Brien’s style and structure.
Unit 5: The Things They Carried, Part 2
The second part of our study of Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried will center around reader-response essay writing. Students will be asked to practice their presentation skills, too, as we build skills toward the final English 12 projects and showcases.
Unit 6: Frankenstein, Part 1
Our second major novel will be Frankenstein, which we will study as a seminal Gothic fiction text and influence on monsters in literature ever since. The student resource page used for this unit can be viewed here: Frankenstein Student Resources
Unit 7: Frankenstein, Part 2
The second part of our study of Frankenstein will again center on reader-response essay writing. Students will conduct research and present an argument built around Frankenstein and our modern definition of “monsters”.
Final Projects: April, May, & June
The end of senior year in English 12 consists of several major projects that bring together the skills and traits of a Brewster graduate in an exploration of literature and student interests. The work is completed in workshops, with copious checklists and checkpoints for each project. See below for more.