The mission of the English Department is to offer students a comprehensive program that incorporates reading, writing, listening, speaking with 21st Century literacy skills to help them develop for college and career readiness. The goal in the middle school is to foster a love of the written word and the craft of writing. The Language Arts and English course of study offers students extended writing opportunities in a writing workshop format. These courses are built upon a variety of themes in conjunction with the New Jersey Student Learning Standards for English/Language Arts (NJSLS) to allow for students to make connections between texts and through interdisciplinary connections. Each unit is designed around text sets that allow students to gather evidence on overarching questions allowing students to complete performance tasks guided by what has been read. Using both digital and print texts, the students will explore various types of texts from short story, essay and poetry to video, audio and paintings to develop the critical literacies for success and use as models to their own writing.
Language Arts 6/Writers Workshop: This course uses the Writing Workshop model to allow students to continue growing as writers. It is aligned thematically with the Reading 6 class as well as with the standards to allow for students to make connections between texts and through interdisciplinary connections and then apply this to their writing. Each unit uses both informational and/or literary texts to model various writing styles and methods so students can then apply to their own writing. Students follow the writing process using digital tools to write narrative, informational, research and argument pieces as well as letters and poems to mimic real world writing. In addition, students learn new vocabulary words through a word study program as well as practicing proper grammar. All students will begin a writing portfolio to follow them through the middle school.
English 7/Writers Workshop: Building upon the skills in Language Arts 6, students in English 7 continue to use the Writing Workshop format to explore a variety of texts from a writer’s perspective, then craft writing in various modes including narrative, analysis, argument and research synthesis. In Grade 7, there is a greater emphasis on literary analysis and research skills for writing in addition to narrative and expository writing. Students will build upon proper grammar, mechanics, note taking, research techniques and organizational writing as they continue to add to the portfolio created in Grade 6.
English 7 Honors/Writers Workshop: The honors level Grade 7 English course uses the Writing Workshop approach to explore a variety of texts from a writer’s perspective to craft writing various modes including narrative, analysis, argument and research synthesis. At the honors level students are given more complex and longer pieces of reading mentor texts which includes additional class novels to explore the world around them and make connections to it through advanced writing. In Grade 7, there is a greater emphasis on literary analysis and research skills for writing, in addition to narrative and expository writing. Students will build upon proper grammar, mechanics, note taking, research techniques and organizational writing as they continue to add to the portfolio created in Grade 6.
English 8/Writers Workshop: In English 8, students use writing to demonstrate an analysis of literature, use of narrative technique, build arguments, and synthesize ideas built through various written and multimedia texts. Students strive for precision as they build stronger writing pieces. Model texts from literature, informational history/science texts and speeches, essays and documentaries are examined and used to help influence student writing. Using the Writing Workshop format, students continue to build portfolios that began in Grade 6 to showcase the variety of writing that is done and demonstrate an understanding of organizational strategies and editing that takes place within various writing tasks. At the end of the year, students reflect back on the writing they’ve done over the course of middle school and reflect on their growth as writers.
English 8 Honors/Writers Workshop: While following the curriculum of English 8, the English 8 Honors course delves deeper into the themes with additional readings at advanced levels to help students grow. Built to incorporate strategies from Pre-Advanced Placement, students are given further opportunities to hone their reading and writing skills to write with precision and sophistication. Students analyze great literary works paired with shorter works to produce more complex writing. Using the Writing Workshop format, students continue to build portfolios that began in Grade 6 to showcase the variety of writing that is done and demonstrate an understanding of organizational strategies and editing that takes place within various writing tasks. At the end of the year, students reflect back on the writing they’ve done over the course of middle school and reflect on their growth as writers.
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