7th Grade Language Arts
Unit 1: Historical Fiction
Students will learn how to read and analyze the genre of historical fiction while engaging in discussion and writing about reading.
As a culminating activity, students will research and write a their own narratives based upon a conflict in history.
Unit 2: Nonfiction Reading and Argument Writing
Students will learn how to approach multimedia nonfiction texts in order to determine the author's purpose and bias.
Students get to choose a topic of interest, research both sides of the issue, and present their findings to their peers while keeping within the argument structure.
Unit 3: Dystopian Reading and Literary Analysis
Students will learn how to read and analyze the genre of dystopian literature while engaging in discussion and writing about reading.
Using a class text and their own personal choice reading, students will compare and contrast the two dystopian novels by writing a compare/contrast literary analysis essay.
Unit 4: Poetry Reading and Writing
At the beginning of this unit, students will review some of the skills they have learned through the school year in preparation for state testing.
Students will learn how to read and analyze poetry while identifying the poets use of figurative language, sound devices and structure.
Students will write a variety of poems to convey a deeper message, and they will present their original poetry to classmates while incorporating poetic devices.
In each unit, students will also learn grammar and vocabulary.
8th Grade Language Arts
UNIT 1: The Art of Narrative
In this unit, there are three main strands that tie together in a culminating task. The strands are: 1) an inquiry into the art of story writing; 2) reading as a writer and writing as a reader; 3) whole-class, small-group, and independent novel reading to support strands 1 and 2. Students will apply what they have learned by accurately comprehending & perceptively analyzing literature and by producing an original narrative in a genre of choice (e.g., narrative poetry, flash fiction, feature story).
UNIT 2: Literary Analysis
Students will elevate their analytical reading and writing skills in three primary ways: 1) a genre analysis of ‘literary analysis writing’; 2) a deep reading of classic literature, including Steinbeck’s The Pearl; 3) writing short and long analytical responses to literary questions. Ultimately, students will apply what they have learned by writing a formal literary analysis essay on a work of short fiction.
Unit 3: Comparative Analysis and Argumentation
After learning how to analyze a single text, students will expand the breadth and increase the depth of their ability to find meaning through comparing two or more texts. Since opinion, or persuasion, involves gathering information from multiple sources to formulate a position, argument naturally follows the comparative analysis work. Like comparing, arguing is a ubiquitous strategy used in academia and in life so that we can advance what we believe anf learn different perspectives.
Unit 4: Genre Analysis and Multigenre Writing
The fourth marking period is devoted to the Research-Based Multi-Genre Writing Project, a culmination of the previous three units' study. Here, students select a topic/theme of personal interest in order to deliver a message that carries personal importance. Students examine and compare professional writers' work in various genres, developing a deeper understanding of how to independently create their own. Ultimately, they produce a project that delivers a cohesive, engaging, highly compelling message that resonates deeply with who they are.
Each unit incorporates Personal Choice Reading (PCR), a program that requires students to choose from a wide selection of texts, sometimes with a partner or small group, and reading them independently. PCR is designed to both foster a love of reading and its accompanying assignments are designed to strengthen applicability skills. In addition, students continue to receive specific instruction in grammar and vocabulary.