FRELINGHUYSEN MIDDLE SCHOOL
Course Proficiencies and Standards
for Sixth Grade Language Arts
Course Overview
The focus of the Language
Arts program in Grade 6 is to provide students with the instruction needed to
develop competency in writing and reading more challenging texts through a
workshop approach. Reading instruction
will build on individual and small group self-selected literature composed of
both fiction and non-fiction.
Core Literature Content
Additional literature
instruction may be based on titles such as Where
the Red Fern Grows, Kavik the Wolf Dog, The Giver,
Gathering Blue, Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy, and others.
All units are supported with
additional poetry, essays, and short stories from Prentice Hall Literature and other anthologies. In addition, students will self-select titles to read for
literature circles study and response journals throughout the year.
Read 180, a
computer based reading improvement program, will also be offered to students
whose reading skills warrant intervention.
Software will address skill building from word recognition through
reading comprehension of passages from a variety of genre. Students will also self-select books which
include the following leveled texts: The
Escape, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Destination: Everest,
Summer on Wheels,
Core Writing Content
Narrative essay,
descriptive essay, persuasive essay, compare/contrast essay, reading responses,
and a variety of other genres.
Course Proficiencies and Requirements
Readers will augment their
reading comprehension by reading a variety of fiction and non-fiction
pieces. Reading proficiency will develop
as each reader begins to demonstrate the ability to:
Writers will strengthen
their written expression by organizing their ideas into a logical, cohesive
written product. Writing competency will
develop through:
Evaluation and Assessment
Student work will be
evaluated and assessed through a variety of methods and measures:
Make-up and Extra Help Policies
All homework and class work
must be made up when a student misses a class for any reason. It is the responsibility of the student to obtain
work from the teacher upon returning to class.
A reasonable time will be established for the completion of overdue
work. Extra help can be arranged for
students on an individual basis.
FRELINGHUYSEN MIDDLE SCHOOL
Course Proficiencies and Standards
for Sixth Grade Honors Language Arts
Course Overview
The focus of the Language
Arts Grade 6 Honors program is to provide a dynamic and enriching educational
experience while meeting the intellectual, social, and emotional needs of the
highly capable student. The course
focuses on higher level critical thinking, reading, and writing skills, by
integrating novel study with literature-based vocabulary and grammar, supported
by selected readings from the Prentice
Hall Literature series and other sources and sustained through a workshop
approach.
Core Literature Content
Novel selections may include
titles such as: Freak the Mighty, Where
the Red Fern Grows, Fog Magic, The Pigman, The Giver and Gathering Blue. Short stories, essays, and poetry will be
selected from Prentice Hall Literature, and
other anthologies.
Core Writing Content
Narrative essay,
descriptive essay, persuasive essay, compare/contrast essay, reading responses,
and a variety of other genres.
Course Proficiencies and Requirements
Reading proficiency is
enhanced as each reader develops skills and strategies to increase his/her
ability to:
Writing competency will be
developed as students in the Honors Language Arts Grade 6 program become more
proficient writers by:
Evaluation and Assessment
Student work will be
evaluated and assessed through a variety of methods and measures, including:
Make-up and Extra Help Policies
All homework and class work
must be made up when a student misses a class for any reason. It is the responsibility of the student to
obtain work from the teacher upon returning to class. A reasonable time will be established for the
completion of overdue work. Extra help
can be arranged for students on an individual basis.
FRELINGHUYSEN MIDDLE SCHOOL
Course Proficiencies and Standards
for Seventh Grade Language Arts
Course Overview
The seventh grade language arts is the center piece of
the language arts continuum in which students are encouraged to move beyond the
basic skills of reading and writing to embrace an appreciation of writers and
their craft. Students will be introduced
to more complex texts with abstract concepts and symbolism. As they are led to appreciate the language
and conventions of authors they read, they will be challenged to adopt and
apply more sophisticated conventions to their own written work through a
process approach to composition. Writing
instruction is designed to encourage students to write to discover, as well as
express, their ideas, with emphasis on the process of composing, drafting, and
publishing for a variety of purposes and audiences. New vocabulary will be drawn from the
literature and emphasize use of context clues to determine meaning. The course integrates writing and reading
while continuing the thematic connections among different genre.
Core Literature Content
Reading instruction may be
based on titles such as “Flowers for Algernon,” The Acorn People, Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key, Freak the Mighty, The Miracle Worker, A Christmas Carol,
“Monsters Are Due On Maple Street,” Animal
Farm, The Girl Who Owned the City, The Wave, The Outsiders, Call of the Wild,
Among the Hidden, White Fang, “To Build a Fire” and “The Letter A”. In
addition, students self-select titles to read independently, for literature
circle study and discussions, and for written reader responses. Students will
also read selected poems, essays, and short stories from Prentice Hall Literature and Prentice Hall Writing and Grammar.
Read 180, a
computer based reading improvement program, will also be offered to students
whose reading skills warrant intervention.
Software will address skill building from word recognition through
reading comprehension of passages from a variety of genre. Students will also self-select books which
include the following titles: The Escape,
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Destination: Everest, Summer on
Wheels,
Course Proficiencies and Requirements
To successfully complete the
reading elements of this course, students will demonstrate the ability to:
To successfully complete the
writing elements of this course, students will demonstrate the ability to:
Evaluation and Assessment
Student work will be
evaluated and assessed through a variety of methods and measures:
Make up Extra Help Policies
All homework, class work,
tests, and notes must be made up when a student is absent. A reasonable time will be established with
the student. Individual arrangements may
be made during homeroom.
FRELINGHUYSEN MIDDLE SCHOOL
Course Proficiencies and Standard
for Seventh Grade Honors Language Arts
Course Overview
The focus of the seventh
grade Honors Language Arts program serves as a continuum of the standards and
proficiencies of the previous school year, but moves beyond an appreciation of
writers and their craft to focus on real world issues. The social injustice, meeting challenges,
drama and the classics, and poetry units continue to foster these highly
capable students in delving into content areas that focus on higher level
critical thinking, writing and reading skills.
The ultimate goal of the
course is to develop higher order thinking skills in students while they
investigate classic literature, develop their own reading taste, and discover
their unique style and voice in writing.
Writing instruction is designed to encourage students to write to
discover, as well as express, their ideas with an appreciation of vocabulary
and the conventions of composition using the writing process.
Honors Language Arts students
will also participate in a national word analogy contest called The Word Masters Challenge. Students develop vocabulary and higher level
thinking by being challenged to recognize and reason analogies.
Core Literature Content
Reading instruction may be
based on titles such as Animal Farm by
George Orwell, The Wave by Todd Strasser, The
Outsiders and That Was Then, This is
Now by S.E. Hinton, The Adventures of
Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain, Nothing But
The Truth by Avi, Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse, No Promises in the Wind by Irene Hunt, Call of the Wild, White Fang, and To Build a
Fire by Jack London, and The Story of
My Life by Helen Keller. “The
Miracle Worker” play based on the Keller autobiography is also included ” as
well as student self-select titles to read independently, for literature circle
study and discussions, and for written reader responses. Students will also
read selected poems, essays, and short stories from Prentice Hall Literature and Prentice Hall Writing and Grammar.
Core Writing Content
Persuasive,
compare/contrast, cause/effect, and narrative essays; a response journal; and a
variety of other genres.
Course Proficiencies and Requirements
To successfully complete the
reading elements of this course, students will demonstrate the ability to:
To successfully complete the
writing elements of this course, students will demonstrate the ability to:
Evaluation and Assessment
Make up Extra Help Policies
All homework, class work,
tests, and notes must be made up when a student is absent. A reasonable time will be established with
the student. Individual arrangements may
be made during homeroom.
FRELINGHUYSEN MIDDLE SCHOOL
Course Proficiencies and Standards
for Eighth Grade Language Arts
Course Overview
The eighth grade language arts course employs an
integrated approach to writing and reading with an emphasis on literature. There is a wide sampling of literary genre,
with an emphasis on the novel. While reading
strategies are reviewed and reading skills are exercised, the emphasis is on
appreciating each work as an extension of the author’s philosophy and culture
as they relate to students today.
The ultimate goal of the course is to develop higher
order thinking skills in students while they investigate good literature,
develop their own reading tastes, and discover their unique style and voice in
writing. Writing is inextricably linked
to reading and various written responses to reading will be a major requirement
of this course. Students will also be
expected to generate their own writing topics to connect their reading
experiences to their everyday lives.
Writing instruction is designed to encourage students to write to
discover as well as express their ideas with an appreciation of vocabulary,
conventions of composition, the art of expression, and the process of
composing, drafting, and publishing for a variety of purposes and
audiences. New vocabulary will be drawn
from the literature. Overall, this
course is designed to encourage students to read and write with greater insight
and appreciation, and to view these activities as life-long activities
promoting personal growth and enjoyment.
Core Literature Content Level A
Reading instruction may be based
on titles such as Antigone, Twelve Angry
Men, Of Mice and Men, The Pearl, Night, And Then There Were None, as well
as selected poems, essays, and short stories from Prentice Hall Literature. Student will self-select titles to read
independently, for literature circle study and discussions, and for written
reader responses. Students will also read selected poems, essays, and short
stories from Prentice Hall Literature and
Prentice Hall Writing and Grammar.
Core Literature Content Level B
Reading instruction may be
based on titles such as Of Mice and Men,
The Pearl, Night, “The Adventure of the Speckled Band,” and Twelve Angry Men, as
well as selected poems, essays, and short stories from Prentice Hall Literature. Student will self-select titles to read
independently, for literature circle study and discussions, and for written
reader responses.
Supplementary Literature Content
The Good Earth, Johnny Tremain,
Summer of My German Soldier, The Upstairs Room, Friedrich, The Education of
Little Tree, The Old Man and the Sea, The Day Book, as well as lessons from Prentice Hall Writing and Grammar, and the Write Source series.
Course Proficiencies and Requirements:
To successfully complete the
reading elements of this course, students will demonstrate the ability to
To successfully complete the
writing elements of this course, students will demonstrate the ability to:
Evaluation and Assessment
Student work will be
evaluated as assessed through a variety of methods and measures:
Make up and Extra Help Policies
All assignments, tests,
class work, and notes should be made up whenever a student is absent from
school. School policy allows two days to
make up work missed for each day’s excused absence without penalty. The student and teacher may schedule make-up
and extra help sessions. When illness
causes an absence of three or more days, students are encouraged to get
assignments before they return to school by contacting the Guidance Department.
FRELINGHUYSEN MIDDLE SCHOOL
Course Proficiencies and Standards
for Eighth Grade Honors Language Arts
Course Overview
The eighth grade Honors level Language Arts course
focuses on literature with challenging readability levels. There is a wide sampling of literary genres
and themes, with an emphasis on the novel and play. While reading strategies are reviewed, the
emphasis is on appreciating each work as an extension of the author’s
philosophy and culture as they relate to students today. Each unit of study will include independent
research and/or group project work designed to tap student strengths, multiple
intelligences, and interests.
The ultimate goal of the course is to develop higher
order thinking skills in students while they investigate classic literature,
develop their own reading tastes, and discover their unique style and voice in
writing. Analytical writing in response
to reading will be a major requirement of this course. However, students will also be expected to
generate their own writing topics to connect their reading experiences to their
everyday lives, as well as develop creative pieces reflective of genres and
authors studied. Writing instruction is
designed to encourage students to write to discover, as well as express, their
ideas with an appreciation of vocabulary, conventions of composition, the art
of expression, and the process of composing, drafting, and publishing for a
variety of purposes and audiences. New
vocabulary will be drawn from the literature in addition to a formal study of
vocabulary through etymology.
Overall, this course is designed to encourage students to
read and write with greater insight, independence, and appreciation, and to
view these activities as life-long practices promoting personal growth and
enjoyment.
Core Literature Content
Reading instruction may be
based on titles such as Antigone, The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Of
Mice and Men, The Pearl, Time Machine, R.U.R., Fahrenheit 451, Lord of the
Flies, Old Man and the Sea, To Kill A Mockingbird, Night, Les Miserables and
Point of Departure, as well as selected poems, essays, and short
stories.
Supplementary Literature Content
The Good Earth, Twelve Angry Men, essays
related to themes in The Tragedy of
Julius Caesar, essays of readings related to Antigone, The Education of Little Tree, “A Clean Well Lighted Place”
and lessons from Prentice Hall Writing and Grammar.
Core Writing Content
Persuasive,
compare/contrast, cause/effect, and narrative essays; a reader’s response
journal; and a variety of other genres.
Course Proficiencies and Requirements
To successfully complete the
reading elements of this course, students will demonstrate a level of
excellence in the ability to:
To successfully complete the
writing elements of this course, students will demonstrate a level of
excellence in the ability to:
Evaluation and Assessment
Student work will be
evaluated and assessed through a variety of methods and measures:
Make-up and Extra Help Policies
All assignments, tests,
class work, and notes should be made up whenever a student is absent from
school. School policy allows two days to
make up work missed for each day’s excused absence without penalty. The student and teacher may schedule make-up
and extra help sessions. When illness causes
an absence of three or more days, students are encouraged to get assignments before
they return to school by contacting the Guidance Department.