English

English — Grade 6

The Grade 6 English curriculum is designed to harness our students’ curiosity and creativity, inspiring them to become lifelong readers and writers. Using a wide variety of texts, often chosen by the students, classes explore how authors purposefully craft stories to convey specific messages. Reading units include: Fast and Furious Reading, Subgenre Book Clubs, A Deep Study of Character, Narrative Nonfiction (in conjunction with 6th grade History and Science), and Social Issues Book Clubs. The Middle School English department recognizes the importance of dedicating instructional time to independent reading as a key tool in developing habitual readers with conscientious reading identities. Students discuss how understanding different perspectives makes books—and life—richer and more robust. As a daily activity, writing emphasizes choice and creativity, in accordance with structure, technique, and grammar. Writing units include: Subgenre short-stories, Literary Essay, and Personal Narrative. The Hansen Library supplements informational lessons and resources for our class in choosing appropriate texts and honing in on research strategies. Self-reflection about their reading and writing growth helps students develop a clear sense of who they are and who they want to be. Students learn how to use effective communication, including speaking and writing, to make themselves heard and to affect change.

English — Grade 7

The Grade 7 English curriculum encourages students to continue to develop their identities as lifelong readers and writers. In addition to increasing the overall volume of writing crafted this year, students learn to adjust their own writing style, structure, and format based on the purpose, task, and audience of their varying writing tasks. Major writing projects include: ongoing letter essays exchanged with 7th grade students from another school; writing and publishing a mystery novel during National Novel Writing Month; literary analysis essays; as well as a wide variety of informal writing tasks. Grade 7 students develop an increased sense of competence and confidence as writers whose voices matter and whose words have the power to affect change. The Middle School English department recognizes the importance of dedicating instructional time to independent reading as a key tool in developing habitual readers with conscientious reading identities. Building on the strong foundational reading work from the previous year, Grade 7 students maintain a regular habit of independent reading with selfselected texts as well as one class novel. In our shared novel unit, students deepen their critical reading skills, focusing on text-based discussion skills and identifying strong supporting evidence to validate varied interpretations of literature.

English — Grade 8

In English, Grade 8 students deepen their creativity, curiosity, and independence by interacting with whole-class and self-selected texts. Students engage with literature and nonfiction that present multiple perspectives, allowing them to analyze complex and three-dimensional issues. Reading units include: Multi-Perspective Literature, Historical Fiction-World Conflict Literature, Social Issues (in conjunction with Civics and the Hansen Library), Poetry, and Classics. The Middle School English department recognizes the importance of dedicating instructional time to independent reading as a key tool in developing habitual readers with conscientious reading identities. Debates, books clubs, discussion groups, and one-on-one conferences with the teacher help students hone their skills. As a daily activity, writing emphasizes choice and creativity, with direct instruction on rhetorical structures, persuasive techniques, grammar, word choice, and voice. Writing units include: short answer response, analytical essay, creative story, poetry, and persuasive essay. Using their growing ability to self-reflect, students choose, monitor, and modify individual goals for progress as life-long readers, writers, and thinkers.