Language Arts and History

List of 5 items.

• Middle School History and Global Studies

  In Middle School History, students begin with Native American cultures and early European colonization of the New World. Students learn history not only through research, project work, presentations, and field learning, but also through the historical fiction they read in their Language Arts class. The Middle School History program covers colonial American history through 20th Century events such as the Civil Rights Movement and the Cold War. Students analyze major events of American history through the lens of government structure and responsibility, basic principles of economics, broadcast media, military conflict, and cultural influences and interactions.

  
  

  During their Middle School career, students also study global geography. They engage with secondary resources, news footage, interviews, and trips to the Gettysburg Military Park and the Holocaust Museum, students learn the modern history that shapes who we are as a nation. Peer-to-peer activities, project work, and guided note-taking sessions facilitate engaging classroom discussion in which all student voices are heard and valued.

• Fifth Grade

  In 5th Grade, students focus on vocabulary, exercises in sentence and paragraph structure, grammar, an introduction to figurative language, and practice responding to questions using textual evidence. Students read novels, poetry, short stories and non-fiction selections centered on the theme of Nature’s Voice. As an alternative to tests, mastery will be assessed through student-centered projects. This will allow students to engage in a more concrete, authentic manner. This approach aligns with our Fifth and Sixth Grade Math Program.

• Sixth Grade

  In 6th Grade, students focus on vocabulary, exercises in sentence, paragraph and essay structure, grammar, figurative language, and practice responding to questions using textual evidence. Students read novels, poetry, short stories and non-fiction selections centered on the theme of Does a Hero Always Wear a Cape? As an alternative to tests, mastery will be assessed through student-centered projects. This will allow students to engage in a more concrete, authentic manner. This approach aligns with our Fifth and Sixth Grade Math Program.

• Seventh Grade

  In 7th Grade, students read novels, plays, short stories, and poetry ranging from modern texts to classics. Students continue to build on the analysis and writing skills developed in 5th and 6th Grades through learning how to make annotations and responding to reading-comprehension questions utilizing textual evidence. The 7th Grade creates projects and writes essays based on their analysis of the literature. Students are taught to experiment with different writing styles such as; narrative writing, creative writing, and poetry. 

  
  
  
  

• Eighth Grade

  In 8th Grade, students read novels, plays, short stories, and poetry ranging from modern texts to classics. Students continue to analyze literature and communicate their interpretations through writing. In 8th Grade, students primarily focus on traditional MLA citation style essay format, but are given opportunities to be creative through storytelling, slam poetry, and creative writing. At the end of each year, all students write a culminating Graduation Speech focusing on their experiences at Kent School.