5th GRADE ENGLISH

Literature and Reading

Representative Texts:         
My Name is Keoko- Park
Iqbal- D’Adamo
Fever 1793- Anderson
The School Story - Clements
Around the World in a Hundred Years - Fritz
Sounder - Armstrong
Across Five Aprils – Hunt
A variety of self selected titles of various genres

The reading program in Grade 5 continues to emphasize the basic reading skills mastered in the earlier grades and to build upon those skills sequentially.  Appropriate literature in a variety of genres is introduced into the reading program.Emphasis previously placed upon workbook exercises and drill sheet activities is now concentrated more directly on the content of reading and subsequent writing as encouraged in the whole language approach to learning; i.e. reading and writing across the curriculum. The reading program encourages the students to read for specific purposes, assists students in differentiating these objectives, provides the additional skills needed to realize these objectives, and aids in moving reading from an isolated subject to one that is essential to learning in all subject areas.

         
                        
Written Work

Representative Text:
Write Source 2000  - Sebranek

Writing skills are based upon the steps of the process writing philosophy, and assignments are related to the students' reading experiences. The Writing Process is introduced in the fifth grade, practiced across the curriculum and refined.  Multiple drafts and rewriting are stressed.  Special emphasis is given to the structure of the paragraph, stressing the importance of topic sentence, supporting information and the conclusion.  Opportunities for freestyle and journal writing are also available and maintained in a Writer Response Book.

Oral Work

Students are encouraged to verbally share their ideas in front of their peers.  Numerous opportunities are available for students to verbally express and discuss their opinions and ideas with their counterparts.

Grammar and Vocabulary

Representative Texts:         
Grammar and Composition - Forlini
Write Source 2000  - Sebranek
Wordly Wise 3000 – Adams/Hodkinson

In grammar, students will be introduced to the parts of speech, stressing usage and mechanics.  The Wordly Wise Vocabulary program incorporates vocabulary expansion along with writing sentences and reading comprehension. Mechanics of grammar and use of new vocabulary is stressed and practiced in student writing.

Skills Introduced

• Continued Reading Comprehension
• Writing Process
• Vocabulary Exposure
• Paragraph Structure and Development
• Organization
• Time Management
• Dictionary Usage
• Highlighting Text
• Listening
• Public Speaking

6TH GRADE ENGLISH

Literature and Reading

Representative Texts:

  The Adventures of Tom Sawyer - Twain
The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle – Avi
From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler – Konigsburg
The Red Pony – Steinbeck
A Christmas Carol - Dickens
The Diary of a Young Girl – Frank

The English program in Grade 6 builds upon the skills mastered in Grade 5. Literary selections based upon a variety of genres by classic and contemporary writers stimulate class discussion and encourage writing assignments.  Students take an in-depth look at the use of theme in a Steinbeck novel and practice highlighting skills while reading about the Holocaust. 

Written Work

Writing skills are based on the steps of the process writing philosophy, and assignments are related to the students' reading experiences.  Writing as a process continues to be practiced and refined.

Oral Work

  Students are encouraged to share their ideas verbally in front of their peers.  Numerous opportunities are available for students to express and discuss their opinions and ideas with their counterparts.
  

Grammar and Vocabulary

                 Elements of Writing, Introductory Course – Kinneavy and Warriner
Sadlier-Oxford Vocabulary Workshop Level A – Shostak

Grammatical structure as it relates to writing is the focus of sixth grade grammar.  A more in-depth understanding of the parts of speech is stressed.  Vocabulary continues to expand with emphasis on definition, word forms, spelling and pronunciation. 

Skills Introduced

• Writing as a process
• Literary Elements
• Reading Comprehension and literature exploration
• Vocabulary Exposure
• Paragraph Structure and Development
• Highlighting Text
• Listening
• Public Speaking

Literature

Texts:

The Vintage Bradbury—Bradbury

The Grass Harp —Capote

Ella Minnow Pea—Dunn

To Kill a Mockingbird —Lee

Cry the Beloved Country —Paton (tentative selection)

A selection of short stories, TBA

Critical reading and interpretation is a central focus of English at the seventh grade level. Students are encouraged to divorce themselves from traditional literary interpretations—to move beyond the initial reception of ‘book as entertainment’—and to learn to appreciate and think in terms of concepts such as authorial intent, influence and thematic structure. To do this, the academic year will begin with a course in the Elements of Fiction. This will be closely followed by similar instruction in the Elements of Drama, Poetry and Film as Literature (the latter, time permitting).

Grammar and Vocabulary

Texts:

Elements of Writing: First Course —Kinneavy and Warriner

Sadlier-Oxford Vocabulary Workshop: Level B —Shostak

Though reading will broaden a student’s vocabulary, regular exposure to a set list provides an even stronger base on which to build. Units are assigned weekly, with weekly spelling tests and vocabulary tests as supplements to independent study.

Written Work

At the seventh grade level, students will build upon the foundations learnt in the sixth grade, with specific focus on structuring, drafting and revising an argument. A mix of expository and creative writing is key to establishing good writing practices, and the students will have ample opportunities in both of these. Additionally, the students are responsible for maintaining a Reader Response Journal. They received a template at the beginning of the year which they are encouraged to apply to their independent reading, and which is required for their assigned reading. The goal of the RRJ is to record impressions and factual information relevant to the text; it also helps students to focus their attention to details which they might ordinarily skip. At the culmination of each of the Elements units mentioned above, students will work independently on a related composition which will incorporate the subunits and skills developed within them. There will also be a small research project on one of the selected texts (TBA).

Oral Work

Class participation is as important as actual attendance. For this reason, students are encouraged to come to class prepared to ask at least one question or contribute at least one statement to the class discussion every day. They will also be presenting a book talk this year.

Peer Review

Occasionally, students will participate in a ‘Peer Review’ before the final draft of an assignment is handed in for a grade.

For take home assignments: students will be given notice that a rough draft version of the assignment is due on a specified date. They are to bring the rough draft to class on that date, when they will split into small groups. Their ‘peers’—the members of their group—will offer constructive criticism of the work. They will then be given the opportunity to make amendments to their writing as needed.

For in-class assignments: after the allotted amount of time, students will split into small groups where their writing will be similarly critiqued. The difference here is that the in-class assignment is the end result: the critique will be more informational than anything. They will not take home the in-class writing for revision and resubmission

Literature

Texts:

Winesburg, Ohio —Anderson

Hunger —Hamsun

Into the Wild —Krakauer

Six Characters in Search of an Author —Pirandello

The Book of Light —Potok

A selection of short stories, TBA

Students at the eighth grade level are walked through ‘English 101’, where they learn to critique a text using the techniques of ‘close reading’ and symbolic/thematic interpretation. These are integral parts of New Criticism, which is the dominant form of literary criticism taught at the university level. This is to prepare them for English at the Upper School, where critical thinking and reasoning are applied to the analysis of a set text. Students are asked to identify and discuss traditional elements of fiction, but also to examine how they function within a text.

Grammar and Vocabulary

Texts:

Elements of Writing: First Course —Kinneavy and Warriner

Sadlier-Oxford Vocabulary Workshop: Level B —Shostak

Though reading will broaden a student’s vocabulary, regular exposure to a set list provides an even stronger base on which to build. Units are assigned weekly, with weekly spelling tests and vocabulary tests as supplements to independent study.

Written Work

Composition is a key area of focus in the eighth grade. Clear and concise sentences, meaningful and well-structured paragraphs and the application and integration of an overall framework are components of study which will culminate in the development, research and writing of a multi-paragraph critical literary essay. Additionally, the students are responsible for maintaining a Reader Response Journal. They received a template at the beginning of the year which they are encouraged to apply to their independent reading, and which is required for their assigned reading. The goal of the RRJ is to record impressions and factual information relevant to the text; it also helps students to focus their attention to details which they might ordinarily skip.

Oral Work

Class participation is as important as actual attendance. For this reason, students are encouraged to come to class prepared to ask at least one question or contribute at least one statement to the class discussion every day. They will also be presenting a book talk this year. All students in the eighth grade are required to prepare, write and deliver an original speech.

Peer Review

Occasionally, students will participate in a ‘Peer Review’ before the final draft of an assignment is handed in for a grade.

For take home assignments: students will be given notice that a rough draft version of the assignment is due on a specified date. They are to bring the rough draft to class on that date, when they will split into small groups. Their ‘peers’—the members of their group—will offer constructive criticism of the work. They will then be given the opportunity to make amendments to their writing as needed.

For in-class assignments: after the allotted amount of time, students will split into small groups where their writing will be similarly critiqued. The difference here is that the in-class assignment is the end result: the critique will be more informational than anything. They will not take home the in-class writing for revision and resubmission