English
Overview
The English program at Hyla's middle school offers students a stimulating and immersive experience, challenging them with a multifaceted curriculum encompassing reading, writing, and communication. The essence of literacy flourishes during middle school and is characterized by a blend of high-interest titles, experiential learning, compelling thematic exploration, and the empowerment of student choice – all defining elements of impactful pedagogy.
By exploring an extensive array of texts, students cultivate empathy for others and develop a profound appreciation for the rich tapestry of human experiences. Literature is both a mirror affirming personal identity and a window providing insights into diverse perspectives. This concept draws inspiration from the wisdom of Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop, who wrote, “When there are enough books available that can act as both mirrors and windows for all our children, they will see that we can celebrate both our differences and our similarities because together they are what make us all human.”
Students become versatile and confident writers at Hyla School, adept at navigating a spectrum of genres, from structured essays to creative expressions. Students refine their craft through a dynamic mix of workshop-style lessons, whole-group discussions, personalized one-on-one conferences, collaborative projects, and more. By crafting pieces and products for authentic audiences, students see themselves as skilled writers capable of articulating their voices with clarity and nuance.
In addition to engaging in long-term reading and writing units, students actively cultivate habits that bolster their proficiency throughout the school year. They nurture robust independent reading practices and actively participate in enriching book clubs. Language and sentence structure proficiency is mastered through tailored grammar instruction, accommodating all learning needs. Moreover, opportunities to expand beyond daily assignments and homework are readily accessible to all students.
TEACHER:
Jamie Baldwin
Student Skills
- Embrace challenges and persevere
- Engage in self-reflection
- Give and receive feedback with an open mind
- Cultivate empathy and cultural awareness
- Speak with integrity and courage
- Question assumptions and welcome curiosity
- Transfer skills across content areas
- Share ownership in collaborative projects
- Advocate for self and others
Academic Skills
- Confidently analyze texts, considering formal aspects, author intent, and context
- Write clearly and compellingly across a multitude of genres
- Recognize authorial craft in fiction, focusing on characters, settings, symbolism, and themes
- Synthesize information from a variety of sources representing a wide range of facts and perspectives
- Effectively communicate with peers of differing viewpoints
- Develop grammatical awareness
6th Grade Units of Study
Building Community Through Writing and Discussion
Students begin the school year by exploring what makes a thriving community. They build a supportive environment through heartfelt letters, collaborative hexagonal diagrams, reflective writing prompts, class discussions, and community norming.
How Do You Do?
This unit emphasizes instructional how-to guides and prompts students to consider how technical writing connects people. The culminating project involves creating a how-to guide around a topic of interest or hobby.
Dystopian Fiction: Current Fears, Projected
Students study dystopian fiction and supplemental texts in book clubs and consider how dystopian texts offer insights into present-day power structures and collective fears. Students keep detailed notes in writer’s journals, and clubs design intricate amusement parks that symbolically mirror their selected novels' themes, characters, and symbols.
Nonfiction Alive!
Students read All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys' Soccer Team by Christina Soontornvat, an informational book rich in suspense that highlights the irrepressible force of the human spirit. Through five-paragraph essays, students strengthen their research and writing skills.
Whodunit: Unraveling Suspenseful Writing
This segment of study takes students on a chase to find the vital literary elements that make mystery novels, podcasts, films, and short stories captivating. They analyze classic and new texts and then showcase what they learned by crafting suspenseful short stories.
Becoming and Belonging
Exploring identity and personal growth themes, students consider how they see others and themselves impacts their sense of belonging. They synthesize articles, poetry, songs, and short stories and participate in an extended Socratic Seminar.
Graphic Memoirs
Students discover memoirs through sequential art. In small book clubs, they read and discuss titles of interest, noting artistic characteristics in addition to the character arcs, themes, and entertaining elements found in most standard-format memoirs. Students write and design their own graphic narratives and publish them as homemade zines.
