The goal of the fifth grade language arts curriculum is to develop lifelong readers and writers. Special attention is given to developing each student’s reading skills and personal interest in reading for enjoyment and for research. Language Arts is taught within a spiraling curriculum which incorporates and elaborates upon previously learned language skills and concepts. The Language Arts curriculum format is multilevel, providing support for children who struggle and additional challenges for high achievers.

Language is explored through speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Grammar and mechanics are reviewed with Daily Oral Language. Reading Workshop consists of teacher guided reading, student directed literature circles, DEAR (sustained silent reading of independent novel), nightly reading, literary letters and conferences. Students select, read, and listen to a variety of genres and respond in oral/written form with book reviews, advertisements, oral reports, literary letters, and through literature circles. Writing Workshop consists of mini lessons on English conventions or grammar skills, spelling and word study of high frequency words and spelling patterns, writing as a process, and conferences. A strong emphasis is placed on vocabulary development and writing. Higher Order Thinking (HOT) skills are incorporated into weekly lessons.

The sixth grade language arts program incorporates the areas of reading, writing, spelling and grammar in two forty-five minute periods each day to create a truly integrated curriculum. Students read, study and discuss many different genres of books. Lessons, assignments, activities and discussions focus on learning a variety of strategies to improve comprehension, increase vocabulary and encourage a deeper understanding and an appreciation of literature. Reading Workshop, the daily opportunity for students to read and enjoy self-selected books, is a very important part of the sixth grade reading program. Each class period includes an independent reading time. Students also write about their books (Literature Letters), recommend books to friends (Book Talks), talk with the teacher about their books (Conferencing), and read for at least fifteen minutes each evening.

Writing Workshop focuses on the process approach to writing, and we explore various types of writing. Our grammar units focus on the parts of speech. Grammar skills are reinforced during Writing Workshop. Daily Oral Language Plus sentences provide a daily review of punctuation, capitalization and usage skills. Spelling rules, word patterns and word origins are taught through activities and assignments, and spelling high frequency words correctly on every assignment is emphasized. With this integrated curriculum, many opportunities for speaking, listening, sharing and evaluating, as well as reading, writing, grammar studies and spelling practice, are regularly offered to students.

Seventh grade language arts classes meet for one forty-five minute period each day, five days a week. Three curricular threads comprise the course: reading/literature study, writing, and grammar. Students read fiction and nonfiction books over the summer and independently throughout the year. As a class, we study the novel, poetry, and short stories. Reading workshop activities such as literature circles, literary letters, and readers’ theater enrich these units.

Student writing-paragraphs and journal-is mainly expository in nature; however, they are exposed to various modes (narrative, descriptive) and methods of development (chronological, spatial, comparison/contrast, and order of importance). Daily grammar work and concentrated units of study each quarter review parts of speech, spelling rules, and mechanics, but an emphasis is placed on writing conventions such as usage and agreement issues and writing effective and varied sentences. In addition, students are afforded frequent opportunities to practice their listening/speaking and study skills.

Eighth grade language arts classes meet six times each week; each period is forty-five minutes long. Literary analysis is the main focus of summer reading, independent reading, and class study of drama, poetry, and either a novel or memoir. Reading workshop activities help students to grow as critical, independent thinkers and strengthen communication skills. In addition, vocabulary study encourages stronger reading comprehension.

Students continue to write paragraphs and journal entries and experiment with various modes and methods of development. Notable at this level, though, is an introduction to the expository essay (using the MLA style guide) and participation in Writing Workshop one period a week. Daily grammar work and units of study concentrate on the identification and use of phrases and clauses, sentence correctness and variety, and usage and agreement issues. It is our goal that these three main curricular elements, along with additional work on listening/speaking and study skills, will arm our students with the tools they need for a successful high school experience and encourage in them a lifelong appreciation for the power and beauty of words.