In English Language Arts (ELA) teachers are using a variety of texts to help students become successful writers and readers. As a teacher it brings me joy when what I am teaching “clicks” for a student. One of my favorite times in teaching is when I help a student discover a book they really enjoy.
During 8th grade year students are busy preparing for their transition to high school. We review the literary elements of Plot, Setting, Characters, Point of View, Theme, Mood, and Tone. We dive deeper into each, and students are expected to use textual evidence to support their answers when writing. The class recently finished Roll of Thunder Hear my Cry by Mildred Taylor. In this book we focused on themes and characters’ development. Next week we will begin reading the play format of The Diary of Anne Frank written by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett. Students will take turns play a variety of rolls. At the end of the school year students will complete a novel study with a literary analysis, focusing on one aspect of the novel we will be reading.
7th grade is new for the students because they are no longer using the elementary reader, but have started to use the literature anthology. The class recently finished their Folk Literature Unit, in which they read epics, legends, myths, tall tales, and fables from around the World. 7th grade currently finishing up their creative writing stories. The students had to give their story a fantasy twist.
How-To writing is one of the best writing topics I complete with 6th grade. The students choose what they want to teach their peers, write a report, then create a presentation to teach their class how-to do something. This year we have students showing us how to make pancakes, put a harness on a dog, how to use Capcut©, and many more activities. In reading 6th grade is being introduced to the literary terms of Plot, Setting, Characters, Point of View and Theme. We use the reader and novel studies to dive deeper into each.
Vocabulary and grammar are just as important as reading and writing, so each class completes weekly vocabulary lessons. The classes also have grammar text books and use Simple Solutions Grammar as a supplement. ELA encompasses all areas of reading and writing that students need to become proficient readers and writers.