English 7 Students in the seventh grade begin the year with a comprehensive course on study skills. Topics covered include time management, test taking, research skills, and note taking. In the area of composition, students work extensively on sentence structure, paragraphing, vocabulary development and grammar. During the second trimester students are formally introduced to the study of Shakespeare when they read The Taming of the Shrew . This course is primarily a composition course, focusing on the multi-paragraph essay, as well as vocabulary and grammar.
Students write extensively and submit a finished portfolio of work at the end of the year.
Cross-curricular work with the History Department centers on New England history and includes a reading of The Crucible . Students continue their study of Shakespeare with A Midsummer Night's Dream . In the third trimester, students are introduced to academic debate. This course is an introduction to composition and literature. During the year students study and respond to different literary genres, including the short story, drama, poetry, novels and essays.