GRADE 6
The language arts program is designed to expand each student’s ability to communicate effectively through reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Students get practice in speaking and listening through regular classroom discussion and the oral presentation of projects. They develop their reading skills through a varied program of independent reading of books of choice, guided reading of class novels related to a theme, and literature circles, in which students play a major role in planning and discussing topics. Writing experiences include free journal writing, descriptive writing, personal narrative, short-answer essays, and five-paragraph essays. In addition, they read and respond to a wide variety of poetry and write original poems with various purposes, forms, and poetic devices. An end-of-year research project requires students to consolidate both reading and writing skills as they read for information and then share their knowledge and understandings in writing.
Texts and Materials:
| The Clay Marble, Minfong Ho | The Black Pearl, Scott O’dell |
| The View from Saturday, E. L. Konigsburg | Things not seen, Andrew Clements |
| Joyful Noise, Paul Fleischman | Petey, Ben Mikaelsen |
| The Slave Dancer, Paula Fox | A Long way from Chicago, Richard Peck |
| The Invisible Thread, Yos hiko Uchida | The Library Card, Jerry Spinelli |
| Going Solo, Roald Dahl | The Janitor’s Boy, Andrew Clements |
| The Acorn People, Ron Jones | Literature and Integrated Studies, ScottForesman, 1997 |
| Skellig, David Almond | A variety of other supplementary materials. |
| A Wrinkle in Time, Madeleine L’Engle |
GRADE 7
The grade seven English course follows a language arts curriculum which further develops the students' communication skills through reading, writing, speaking and listening. The continued development of the writing process is a central focus throughout the year, with an emphasis on sentence construction and paragraph development. Literature is taught through novel study, short story and poetry units in order to develop effective reading and comprehension strategies. The value of reading as a lifetime skill is reinforced as well as the analysis of literary elements such as plot, characterization, setting and theme. Additionally, grammar and vocabulary skills are an essential part of the grade seven English program.
Texts and Materials:
| The Giver, Lois Lowry | Shakespeare Stealer, Gary Blackwood |
| The Chocolate War, Robert Cormier | Literature and Integrated Studies-Grade Seven Scott Foresman, 1997 |
| The Pearl, John Steinbeck | A variety of other supplementary materials |
| When Zachary Beaver Came to Town, Kimberly Willis Holt |
GRADE 8
Students in eighth grade English follow an integrated language arts program that includes the study of short stories, drama, poetry, fiction and non-fiction. Students continue work with the writing process, a variety of tools for literary analysis and the basics of productive discussions. Since these skills are essential to work being done in subsequent grades, the course should be seen as a foundation for skills and practices further developed in high school.
Texts and Materials:
| Literature and Integrated Studies, Scott Foresman, 1997 | To Kill a Mocking Bird, Harper Lee |
| The Pigman and Me, Paul Zindel | Midsummer Night's Dream, William Shakespeare |
| Witness, Karen Hesse | |
| Animal Farm, George Orwell |