Crane Country Day School

In the Upper School English program, Mrs. Lombardi and I strive to create a continuum of learning from 6^th to 8^th grade, where students are given appropriate tools and taught skills that continually build on and enhance their prior knowledge. Skills learned in English, including critical thinking, writing, listening, and speaking, extend and crossover into other Upper School subject areas. In 6^th grade, students will spend half the year in Mrs. Lombardi's class, and half the year in my class, though they will frequently have opportunities to do projects, lessons and activities together. Mrs. Lombardi then teaches all 7^th grade English classes, and I teach all 8^th grade English classes. Below is a description of what each grade entails.

Sixth Grade

Sixth grade serves as a foundation block for the students. Exploring a variety of genres, they begin to delve into the critical analysis and structure of literary works, including novels, short stories, expository writing and poetry. Coupled with their learning of basic reading skills, students in sixth grade explore and strengthen their writing skills.

While creative writing, including poetry and short stories, is fostered, an emphasis is placed on learning formal essay skills, including proper paragraph and paper structure. Students are challenged to write for different purposes, including persuasive and response to literature essays. We also continue to build on students' understanding of spelling, sentence structure, parts of speech, punctuation, and vocabulary.

In addition, listening and speaking skills are cultivated as students complete presentations based on their own writings, and learn to give constructive criticism to assist each other in improving their oratory abilities.

Seventh Grade

See Mrs. Lombardi's page for more information on what is in store for seventh grade English students.

Eighth Grade

In eighth grade, students advance toward mastery as they prepare for their high school career, building on and gaining a deeper understanding of the skills they have learned in their previous years. Students learn to describe and connect the essential ideas, themes, and perspectives of texts by using their knowledge of literary elements, text structure, organization, and purpose.

Eighth graders garner understanding of advanced sentence structures and a deeper understanding of phrases, clauses and punctuation. These skills are applied in formal essays, short stories, and poetry. An emphasis on building vocabulary and strengthening spelling skills continues from previous years.

Finally, students work on perfecting their speaking and listening skills through continued practice and formal presentations. They learn to listen with a purpose, giving constructive feedback to their peers.