In this course we work in 3 primary areas--Reading, Writing, and Inquiry (the process of finding the answers to questions). Throughout this course, we will be working though four major units--one per term. Each unit will be attempting to answer an underlying question. They include the following:
- Unit 1: What makes a good story? In this unit we will study narrative and what makes some stories better than others. We will read a short story called Flowers for Algernon and write our own personal narratives.
- Unit 2: What does it mean to be a good person? In this unit we will be talking about what it takes for people to change. We will read A Christmas Carol and write narratives about learning experiences.
- Unit 3: How can we deal with adversity? In this unit we will do an in depth story of WWII. We will read WWII novels in reading circles, watch The Diary of Anne Frank (movie) and discuss WWII and the Holocaust. Students will complete two different projects for this unit--a powerpoint and a student choice paper.
- Unit 4: What makes a perfect society? For this unit we will be reading Lois Lowry's The Giver. This story is about a future society's attempt to create a utopia. We will discuss what students like and dislike about their society, and then students will have to opportunity to create brochures advertising a utopia of their own creation.
In addition to our units, the following activities will be ongoing throughout the year: Reading LogsGrammar Practice and AssessmentVocabulary Development (Romrell only)
Journals (Stafford only)