Language & Literature

110907 LANGUAGE & LITERATURE 6

Grades 6

Language and Literature 6 seeks to develop students' ability to comprehend and analyze fiction and nonfiction texts, communicate ideas in writing and speaking, and use creativity to express themselves.  Students will plan, draft, revise, and edit narratives, descriptions and explanations with attention to content, style, sentence formation, word choice, and mechanics. Instruction in vocabulary, reading strategies, and writing organization are key components in assessed coursework. Students will incorporate research and interdisciplinary studies throughout the year to enhance connections between subject groups. Opportunities for differentiation (modifications and extensions) are provided within each unit of study. Students are encouraged to take an active role in their learning through self-assessment and reflection. During the second semester, students will take the SOL Exam in reading.

This course prepares the student to choose between Lang & Lit 7 and Lang & Lit 7, Honors.

110909 LANGUAGE & LITERATURE 6 HON 

Grade 6

Language and Literature 6, Honors seeks to develop students' ability to comprehend and analyze fiction and nonfiction texts, communicate ideas in writing and speaking, and use creativity to express themselves. Students will plan, draft, revise, and edit narratives, descriptions and explanations with attention to content, style, sentence formation, word choice, and mechanics. Instruction in vocabulary, reading strategies, and writing organization are key components in assessed coursework. Students will incorporate research and interdisciplinary studies throughout the year to enhance connections between subject groups. The Honors course requires students to examine each unit of study through intentional analysis, increased text complexity (topic, reading level, and length), and perceptive expression of ideas in writing and speaking. Students are expected to take an active role in their learning through self-assessment and reflection. During the second semester, students will take the SOL Exam in reading.

This course prepares the student for Lang & Lit 7, Honors.

111007 LANGUAGE & LITERATURE 7

Grade 7

This course focuses on reading a variety of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry for appreciation, comprehension, and analysis of text. Students will refine the writing process to write in a variety of forms including expository and persuasive essays, personal narratives, and fictional pieces with attention to word choice, organization, style and grammar. Instruction in grammar, vocabulary, and oral communication skills will also be an essential part of the curriculum. Technology will be used as a tool to research, organize, and communicate information.  Differentiation will occur for students on some written assignments, presentations, and level of expectations related to these assessments. During the second semester, students will take the SOL Exam in reading.

This course prepares the student to choose between Lang & Lit 8 and Lang & Lit 8, Honors and  Humanities Lang & Lit 8 and Humanities Lang & Lit 8, Honors. 

111009 LANGUAGE & LITERATURE 7 HON 

Grade 7

This course extends the curriculum program of English 7 through acceleration and increased rigor. Students will read a variety of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, through which they are presented with more complex topics. Students are expected to take an active role in their learning with a willingness to self-assess and reflect on their learning and the learning process. Students will refine the writing process to write in a variety of forms including expository and persuasive essays, personal narratives, fictional pieces, and critical analyses with attention to word choice, organization, style and grammar. Instruction in grammar, vocabulary, and oral communication skills will also be an essential part of the curriculum. Technology will be used as a tool to research, organize, and communicate information. During the second semester, students will take the SOL Exam in reading.

This course prepares the student to choose between Lang & Lit 8, Honors and Humanities Lang & Lit 8, Honors.

112007 LANGUAGE & LITERATURE 8

Grade 8

This course emphasizes appreciation for literary genres and analysis of texts by examining themes, making inferences, interpreting cause and effect relationships, differentiating between fact and opinion, and drawing conclusions. Students will refine the writing process to write in a variety of forms including narrative, expository, persuasive, and informational essays with attention to correct grammatical conventions and paragraphing. Instruction in grammar, vocabulary, and oral communication skills will also be an essential part of the curriculum. Technology will be used as a tool to research, organize, and communicate information. Differentiation will occur for students on some written assignments, presentations, and level of expectations related to these assessments. During the second semester, students will take the SOL Exams in writing and reading.

This course prepares the student to choose between Lang & Lit 9 and Lang & Lit 9, Honors.

112009 LANGUAGE & LITERATURE 8 HON

Grade 8

This course extends the curriculum program of English 8 through acceleration and increased rigor. Students will analyze more complex topics across a wide variety of literary genres by examining themes, making inferences, interpreting cause and effect relationships, differentiating between fact and opinion, and drawing conclusions. Students are expected to take an active role in their learning with a willingness to self-assess and reflect on their learning and the learning process. Students will refine the writing process to write in a variety of forms including narrative, expository, persuasive, informational, and analytical essays with attention to correct grammatical conventions and intentional paragraphing. Technology will be used as a tool to research, organize, and communicate information. During the second semester, students will take the SOL Exams in writing and reading.

This course prepares the student for Lang & Lit 9, Honors.

112039 HUMANITIES LANG & LIT 8

221539 HUMANITIES LANG & LIT HON 8

221539 HUMANITIES WORLD HISTORY & GEOGRAPHY I 

Grade 8

This course is a double blocked course, combining Lang & Lit 8 or Lang & Lit Hon 8 and World History and Geography I. The course will trace common threads in human governments, culture and arts, that unite human societies across disparate times and places. Students will explore how literature, music, and other art forms work to express unique cultural identities at the same time that these art forms tackle themes and concerns that are common to all people.

In addition, students will explore ancient philosophies of religion and government and explore how these philosophies answer fundamental questions about the human experience, and remain relevant to understanding the world today.

Students will build analytical thinking and writing skills as they apply their historical and geographic knowledge to their reflections on and analysis of literature. Through this study, they will better understand the past and how it connects to them as they explore what it means to be human. The course will blend formal writing assignments with oral presentation and project-based learning to give students a variety of opportunities to employ new ideas and show understanding.

Readings will range from ancient primary sources to modern fiction texts, allowing students to build connections between the past and their world.

Sample texts or excerpts might include:

Stephen Vincent Benét: "By the Waters of Babylon"

Ovid: Metamorphoses

Edith Hamilton: Mythology

Thucydides: History of the Peloponnesian Wars

Plutarch: Lives

Simon Wiesenthal: The Sunflower

Ibn Battuta: A Gift to Those Who Contemplate the Wonders of Cities and the Marvels of Traveling

Marco Polo: Travels of Marco Polo

Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet

This course will prepare students for success on the VDOE SOL tests for World History and Geography I, Reading 8, and Writing 8.

The Humanities World History & Geography I is a high school credit course, and will go on the student’s high school transcript upon successful completion of the course.