Curriculum
6th Grade
Sixth grade focuses on understanding the primary elements of fiction such as characters, setting, conflict, and plot. Additionally, 6th grade explores a variety of genres and their defining characteristics including fables, dystopian, nonfiction, mystery, and fantasy. Throughout this process, they begin to understand extratextual influences on stories, identifying purpose and perspective and connecting these to overarching literary themes.
7th Grade
Seventh grade delves deeper into each of the elements of fiction and looks at how they work together to create an intriguing story while reading texts of greater difficulty. This grade begins the process of written analysis, through which they extend conversations and explanations of theme into full-length essays, citing textual evidence to support their analyses. Moreover, 7th grade focuses intently on the elements of nonfiction; they begin to identify the bias and appeals of authors as well as how arguments are tailored to match an intended audience.
8th Grade
Eighth grade focuses on thinking deeply about literature and how each literary element plays a role in the text’s larger significance. This includes explorations of theme, symbolism, allegory, intertextual connections, and historiological commentary. In addition, the course tasks students with applying these skills to advanced forms of literature such as poetry and Shakespearian plays. 8th grade collaborates with Social Studies on a World War II/Holocaust unit toward the end of the year, focusing on both nonfiction readings and historical fiction regarding events of the Holocaust.
