English Language Arts

At Stella Schola, our Language Arts program challenges students to perform at rigorous academic levels and to grow their knowledge and skills to a level beyond traditional curriculum. We want all of our students to be analytical readers and writers who can decipher challenging texts. Stella students develop their own voices, become active listeners who respect and can critically evaluate a wide range of ideas.

 

In 6^th grade students work to develop their skills as close analytical readers. They will be able to identify common literary devices and how to use them appropriately and effectively. They learn to cite evidence to support their thinking. Stella 6^th graders apply their knowledge to analysis of theme, structure, and elements of literature. 6^th graders practice writing narrative, informative/explanatory, and argumentative forms.

 

Stella 7^th graders continue their exploration of literature. Over the course of this year they will read multiple novels, examine short stories and their structure, and begin learning how to speak in front of an audience. They have a rigorous examination of poetry, both studying poems of all forms and learning to write their own poetry. 7^th graders continue refining their writing skills with an increased focus on informative/explanatory and argumentative writing.

 

In 8^th grade, Stella students continue their journey as readers and writers. They read multiple novels each quarter and respond to literature while practicing their analytical and critical thinking skills. Students have numerous writing assignments over the course of the year with challenging assignments required from the two national contests 8^th graders compete in – National History Day and Future City. 8^th graders learn to conduct extended research projects spanning multiple months learning to distill multiple points of view and form arguments supported by solid evidence. Students build their skills in numerous independent and collaborative projects.