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The Ninth Grade English curriculum spurs students to consider journeys, homecomings, and homegoings through the lens of literature; in so doing, they apprehend the human condition and consider what it means to belong to a place, and likewise for a place to belong to us. This curriculum attempts to engender empathy and awareness while imparting a global perspective by considering what it means to seek refuge, to journey, to discover roots, and how home, or the idea of it, drives people. Using the course texts—The Odyssey, by Homer and translated by Emily Wilson; Exit West, by Mohsin Hamid; and Song of Solomon, by Toni Morrison—the goal of the course is to help produce compassionate, informed, articulate, and effective exponents of critical thought and positive change, skills which supplement and parallel the Ninth Grade capstone Poquonook Solutions Project.

The Eighth Grade English curriculum places a greater emphasis on critical reading, writing, and clear communication through the study of literature, vocabulary, and various forms of creative, analytical, and artistic expression. Persuasive writing skills and literary analysis are integrated throughout the various units, alongside creative and visual projects, as well as opportunities for public speaking. Year-long themes of social and individual identities are explored through the course’s core texts: When the Emperor Was Divine, by Julie Otsuka; Maus I & II, by Art Spiegelman; The House on Mango Street, by Sandra Cisneros; and The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger. Units may be supplemented with poems, short stories, video clips, and other forms of media. The goal of the course is to develop and nurture critical thinking and writing skills through student-centered discussions and analytical and personal writing.

Language Analysis and Development (LAD) is designed to strengthen students understanding of language, and to reinforce their skills in the areas of reading fluency, reading comprehension, word attack skills, vocabulary recognition and usage, grammatical concepts, and other rudiments of language. Throughout the year, students will study short stories, articles, short essays, and other literature to deepen their understanding of the material and be able to analyze, interpret, and converse constructively about what they have read. Vocabulary words will mostly derive from the context of assigned reading, and punctuation and grammar will complement reading-based coursework. Assessments will include a variety of informal writing assignments, creative projects and quizzes.

Sixth Grade English offers a comprehensive exploration of writing and literature that deepens and extends the Fifth Grade focus on thoughtful and reflective engagement with a range of literature through guided discussion and written expression. The fall begins with a unit on personal narrative writing where students study mentor texts from Breakfast on Mars and 37 Other Delectable Essays. They develop active reading, discussion, and writing skills through a structured process of drafting, revising, and feedback, while also working on spelling fluency with Spelling Connections. In the winter, students dive into Nowhere Boy, analyzing themes of belonging and friendship, further expanding their vocabulary, and honing their analytical writing by crafting well-organized paragraphs. The spring term shifts focus to the human experience through the teleplay “Monsters Are Due on Maple Street” and the novel Inside Out and Back Again. Students reflect on themes of resilience, compassion, and community, culminating in five-paragraph essays that showcase their critical thinking and literary analysis skills.

The Fifth Grade English curriculum provides students with opportunities to become more critical readers and writers. They engage different genres of literature that focus on a range of themes, including but not limited to identity, social inequalities, and the power of relationships. Through small group and whole-class discussions, students practice constructive dialogue with their peers while also developing their ability to annotate as they learn how to thoughtfully articulate insights and observations about a literary text. They become more confident in various modes of expressive, analytical, and imaginative writing assignments that emphasize prewriting, drafting, and revision. The spelling curriculum deepens and expands a word-specific knowledge base that is fundamental to meaningful communication. The course texts are Wonder, The Birchbark House, Esperanza Rising, and The Pants Project.

The Seventh Grade English curriculum blends vocabulary development, analysis, grammar, and creative writing. Students write several essays over the course of the year, both expository and creative in nature, in which content and syntax are critically analyzed. Another element of the curriculum is the accrual of sound study habits and self-discipline. Our study of grammar begins with a review of parts of speech and the elements of a sentence and continues to extend the study of punctuation, including commas and semicolons. Students grapple with the theme of identity: coming to terms with who they are, the community they live in, and the identities of those around them. The literature studied and texts utilized are Animal Farm, Of Mice and Men, The Poet X, and Ghost Boys.

Language Acquisition and Development (LAD) is designed to strengthen studentsí understanding of language, and to reinforce their skills in the areas of reading fluency, reading comprehension, word attack skills, vocabulary recognition and usage, grammatical concepts, and other rudiments of language. Throughout the year, students will study short stories, articles, short essays, and other literature to deepen their understanding of the material and be able to analyze, interpret, and converse constructively about what they have read. Vocabulary words will mostly derive from the context of assigned reading, and punctuation and grammar will complement reading-based coursework. Assessments will include a variety of informal writing assignments, creative projects and quizzes.