MIDDLE SCHOOL ENGLISH
COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
HEED English classes are taught at an advanced level. For example English 8 can be
considered an honors grade 8 or a regular grade 9 high school credit.
HONORS ENGLISH 6
Mrs. Shannon Sonsky
Course Fee $20
Course Description:
English 6 is the transition year from elementary to a more rigorous upper middle school class. This course is designed to learn the traditions of a language arts program through teacher-guided, interactive lessons. The class covers these four elements:
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Writing Fundamentals
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Reading Comprehension/Literary Devices through novels
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Grammar Instruction
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Vocabulary, Greek and Latin Roots, Prefixes, and Suffixes
In BJU English 6 Writing and Grammar, the subjects continuously loop from grammar to writing each chapter. Therefore, the students will do grammar in one chapter and a writing project in the next. The writing curriculum uses the five steps of the writing process. The writing projects include a personal narrative, a newspaper editorial, instructions, a research report, a historical fiction, a compare-contrast essay, and a limerick and free verse. Additionally, I will implement some IEW (Institute for Excellence in Writing) techniques in my writing assignments. Along with the BJU writing program, the students will periodically complete a free writing activity when we have a lighter writing week. I will collect their free writing throughout the year to see how their writing is progressing and to look for writing patterns that need to be addressed in class.
Our literature studies will include the titles listed below. Students will read an assigned passage from the novel at home and then answer questions and/or complete an activity relating to the passage. These assignments enhance the students’ reading comprehension, critical thinking, and appreciation for literature. A Single Shard and the biography will result in a final project presented in class. These projects allow students to demonstrate their understanding of the text and their ability to present their ideas effectively. Students will also complete periodic lessons from Evan Moor's Reading Comprehension Fundamentals. These pages will be provided in class.
Using our vocabulary book, Greek and Latin Roots, the students will make study cards of the vocabulary words for one week and study the words for the second week. This book is beneficial for expanding the students' vocabulary of word roots, prefixes, and suffixes and how these elements work together to create meaning. Each two-week period will conclude with a quiz on Toolbox to show mastery of the vocabulary words. We will play games in class with the roots, prefixes, and suffixes to aid with their retention.
Our class will include as many group activities as possible and two public speaking opportunities. Learning should be engaging; I plan to provide that in this English 6 class!
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Curriculum:
BJU English 6 Writing and Grammar, Second Edition; ISBN 978-1-60682-230-2
BJU English 6 Teacher Edition, Second Edition, Writing and Grammar; ISBN: 9781591663997 (This book provides the answer keys and helps teach the material.)
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The Learning Works: Greek and Latin Roots; Written by Trisha Callella; ISBN 978-0-88160-381-1 (You can purchase this at Rainbow Resources for $15.25.)
The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare
A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein
A Biography, Free Choice, Grade appropriate (Must be teacher-approved)
A Newbery or Newbery Honor book choice to be read in the summer. The students will complete a simple book project to share their novels with their classmates.
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HONORS ENGLISH 7
Course Fee $20
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Course Description: This course is the foundation which prepares students for the rigors of a strong high school language arts program. The course covers grammar, writing, literature, and vocabulary. The grammar portion of the course focuses on the newly formatted Analytical Grammar, which provides a systematic approach to learning sentence structure (through diagramming), parts of speech and their functions, usage, and punctuation. The writing portion of the class integrates the highly successful Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW) curriculum along with the resources gathered over the instructor’s years of teaching middle school writing. The IEW writing program focuses on two key aspects of writing: structure and style. Students begin learning structural models (note taking, utilizing key word outlines to launch writing, writing paragraphs, writing from pictures, research reports, creative writing, and essays). The literature portion of the course is designed to help spark and foster a love of reading through student-selected, award-winning novels and enjoying books selected from several in the IEW curriculum. Vocabulary is integrated with the IEW writing curriculum.
Curriculum Information:
(1)Analytical Grammar Level 3 Set- (Student Workbook & Teacher Book), Demme Learning or Christian Books.
(2)IEW U.S. History-Based Writing Lessons by Lori Verstegen, (Student Book and Teacher Book) ISBN: 978-1-62341-325-5
(3)Novels: Give me Liberty by L.M. Elliott; Behind Rebel Lines, by Seymour Reit; Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson, and others TBD.
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Prerequisites:
Students should have completed a grammar curriculum and understand grammar terminology, know how to identify parts of speech or word jobs within sentences, know the 51 most common prepositions and the 23 helping verbs.
HONORS ENGLISH 8
Course Fee $20
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Course Description:
This course continues building the foundation which prepares students for the rigors of a strong high school language arts program. The course covers grammar, writing, literature, and vocabulary. The grammar portion of the course focuses on the newly formatted Analytical Grammar, which provides a systematic approach to learning sentence structure (through diagramming), parts of speech and their functions, usage, and punctuation, building from the 7th grade course content. The writing portion of the class integrates the highly successful Essentials in Writing (EIW) Level 8 curriculum along with the resources gathered over the instructor’s years of teaching middle school writing. The Essentials program focuses on the writing process for various types of writing: expository, persuasive, narrative, descriptive, research and more. Step-by-step lessons begin with constructing well-written paragraphs and continue to multi-paragraph essays. Essentials also incorporates grammar concepts that translate to strong writing. In addition, the writing enhancement styles from IEW will be blended into the writing process to create exceptional “word” art. The literature portion of the course is designed to continue the joy of reading through student-selected, award-winning novels; class led classics with varied reading response activities; and short articles and current events through Read Works. Vocabulary intertwines with the class led novel collateral materials.
Curriculum information:
(1)Analytical Grammar Level 4 Set (Student Workbook & Teacher Book), Demme Learning or Christian Books.
(2)Analytical Grammar Level 3 Set ONLY NEW FAMILIES-see prerequisite (Student Workbook & Teacher Book), Demme Learning or Christian Books.
(3)Punctuation Curriculum supplied by instructor
(4)Essentials in Writing Level 8 - 2nd Edition / Student workbook is required:
PRINT & DIGITAL (optional version)- student textbook, teaching videos, teacher’s manual
(5) 3 novels: Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry by Mildred D. Taylor; The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle; A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens / 5 stave format
Prerequisites:
Successful completion of HEED Middle School English 7 or proficiency as demonstrated on placement test. Students entering English 8 who were NOT enrolled in English 7 will need to be proficient in the content of Analytical Grammar Level 3 content prior to beginning HEED classes.
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