Middle School English

Sixth graders challenge themselves through their independent reading and may also elect to participate in the Seahawk-7 and Florida-15 middle school reading challenges. A habit of independent reading is necessary and complementary to school work. Texts studied by the whole class help ambitious learners to be open to the ideas of others even as they shape their own responses to text and learn how to support their ideas with evidence. Whole-class reading in sixth grade begins with a study of short fiction and poetry using the anthology Themes: An Introduction to Literature. Other literature studied throughout the year connects with units of study in history and science classes, including Greek myths and legends (excerpts from The Illiad, The Odyssey, and the anthology Tales of the Greek Heroes), The Call of the Wild by Jack London, and The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by Kamkwamba. Attention is given to all stages of the writing process: pre-writing, drafting, revision, editing, and publishing. Students write frequently, both formally and informally, in a variety of genres and modes: personal, analytical, and persuasive. Students actively and intentionally acquire new vocabulary through a yearlong study of Vocabulary from Classical Roots Book Grade 6, which is augmented with word lists taken from whole-class reading and participation in the WordMasters challenge. Word study includes emphasis on Latin and Greek roots, primary and secondary definitions, parts of speech, and analogies. Grammar, punctuation, and mechanics skills are taught using the Prentice Hall Grammar Handbook Grade 6 and applied in writing. Dropbox, discussion boards, e-mail, presentation software, word processing, and other technology applications are used as tools to expand understanding, facilitate communication, and publish student work. 

Seventh graders challenge themselves through their independent reading and may also elect to participate in the Seahawk-7 and Florida-15 middle school reading challenges. A habit of independent reading is necessary and complementary to school work. Careful reading, comprehension, time management, and critical thinking are exercised with in-class assigned readings in all core courses. Whole-class reading focuses in the first quarter on an extended study of the elements of fiction in short stories using the anthology Little Worlds. Writing emphasis in these early months of the year is on shaping and refining an effective and organized paragraph of analysis. Second-quarter novels (When You Reach Me by Stead and Beowulf: A New Telling by Nye) offer opportunities for analytical writing (compare/contrast and argument-driven essays). In third quarter, an extended unit on the hero’s quest and King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table by Green dovetails with work the seventh graders are doing in history. Fourth quarter focuses on a study of William Shakespeare, including sonnets and Romeo and Juliet. Attention is given to all stages of the writing process—pre-writing, drafting, revision, editing, and publishing. Students write frequently, both formally and informally, in a variety of genres and modes: personal, analytical, and persuasive. Students actively and intentionally acquire new vocabulary through a yearlong study of Vocabulary from Classical Roots Book A, which is augmented with word lists taken from whole-class reading and participation in the WordMasters challenge. Word study includes emphasis on Latin and Greek roots, primary and secondary definitions, parts of speech, and analogies. Grammar, punctuation, and mechanics skills are taught using the Prentice Hall Grammar Handbook Grade 7 and applied in writing. Dropbox, discussion boards, e-mail, presentation software, word processing, and other technology applications are used as tools to expand understanding, facilitate communication, and publish student work.

In preparation for the transition to Upper School, eighth graders will tackle important questions around themes of justice, society, and identity in literature while increasing the challenges of whole-class texts, independent reading and the skills of analysis, synthesis, and inference. Literature for the year begins in a seminar-style study of short fiction and poetry, examining the theme of carpe diem. Students will revisit the study of Shakespeare through the play Julius Caesar. Whole-class novels include the American classics Of Mice and Men by Steinbeck and To Kill a Mockingbird by Lee. Attention is given to all stages of the writing process—pre-writing, drafting, revision, editing, and publishing. Students write frequently, both formally and informally, in a variety of genres and modes: personal, analytical, and persuasive. Students actively and intentionally acquire new vocabulary through a yearlong study of Vocabulary from Classical Roots Book B, which is augmented with word lists taken from whole-class reading and participation in the WordMasters challenge. Word study includes emphasis on Latin and Greek roots, primary and secondary definitions, parts of speech, and analogies. Grammar, punctuation, and mechanics skills are taught using the Prentice Hall Grammar Handbook Grade 8 and applied in writing. Dropbox, discussion boards, email, presentation software, word processing, and other technology applications are used as tools to expand understanding, facilitate communication, and publish student work.