English 8

The eighth grade curriculum is designed to prepare students for the rigor and complexity needed for higher level classes. Students grow and gain confidence with their reading, writing and critical thinking skills through a cross-curricular model with eighth grade history as well as English-specific texts and tasks. Using fiction and non-fiction as well as classic and modern literature, students work on higher-order reading comprehension and analytical skills. Students discuss and write about their insights to hone expressive language abilities, both creatively and analytically. As students explore the relationship between societal expectations and personal responsibility, each student is encouraged to express her individual voice. Vocabulary words are derived from class readings, which helps to increase comprehension. Grammar instruction is an integral part of the year with a focus on sentence structure so that students can write correct and varied sentences.