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    Welcome to the ELA Department at Hendricks!

    As an English Language Arts Department for Grades 6-8, we strive to create a successful learning path for all students. We plan to support this vision and goal through our English Language Arts Curriculum. Each grade level follows a strong, cohesive curriculum with individualized units that build upon the students’ knowledge and understanding of the standards. Through reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language instruction, we inspire our students to expand their knowledge and understanding as we dive into each unit and curriculum. The 6th- 8th grade ELA Curriculums contain a vertical alignment between each grade level, so that each year the standards and material build upon each other and deepen the students’ understanding. This also helps students learn to read independently and think critically. Our goal is to also prepare our students for the future by teaching them the communication skills necessary to engage and become collaborative learners.

     

     Each unit contains a writing focus as well as an integration of vocabulary and grammar concepts. The different types of writing (informative/explanatory, narrative, argumentative) are consistently reinforced throughout the year and embedded within the curriculum. The emphasis in writing is to provide evidence from a reading passage to support analysis, reflection, and research. When students are engaged within the writing process, all ELA classes focus on students’ ability to analyze and reflect on either a non-fiction or fictional text. As a result, students read a variety of literature, including short stories, poems, novels, dramas, and essays. Students will use technology throughout the year in a variety of ways to showcase their learning and to demonstrate their understanding of the material.

     

    "Literacy is the act of writing. Reading is breathing in and writing is breathing out" (Price).