Students choose their own books for weekly sustained silent reading and respond about their reading in letters or book reports. Students are exposed to a variety of reading materials including but not limited to functional print, essay, poems, myths, fables, drama, short stories, and novels. Skills are reinforced in the computer lab. Eighth graders study an American heritage unit which includes tall tales, legends, speeches, poems, and short stories, by and about famous Americans. Students do a planned and researched three minute biographical speech on a famous American.
Students learn to organize thoughts and ideas through pre-writing and revising their work.
Skills and grammar are reinforced in computer lab. A multi-cultural is integrated into the curriculum. Students focus on writing in the narrative, descriptive, expository, and persuasive modes. They continue their study of the grammar and structure of the English language. Organization and ideas are stressed along with the writing process.