Course Description:
Students at St.-Brigid-St. Augustine school read widely and familiarize themselves with the growing collection of literature genres written for adolescents including literature that focuses on diverse cultures. They read and discuss books related to gender, difference, cultural and diversity, race and class, dystopian societies, friendship, coming of age, voice and silence, and other topics. There is great focus on literal versus figurative language, writers purpose and historical/cultural context. SBSAP School uses a literature circle model in middle school. Students share responsibility for facilitating discussion of texts. Each student rotates through different jobs focusing on specific skill areas in reading. Students will also answer questions weekly that focus on specific level appropriate analysis and comprehension. There is great focus on team-work, time management and responsibility to self and to team. Students will learn to recognize their strengths and weaknesses in reading and focus on specific goals to improve their personal weaknesses and foster self-confidence. We are pleased to offer advanced courses at every level in middle school.
Students at St.-Brigid-St. Augustine school read widely and familiarize themselves with the growing collection of literature genres written for adolescents including literature that focuses on diverse cultures. They read and discuss books related to gender, difference, cultural and diversity, race and class, dystopian societies, friendship, coming of age, voice and silence, and other topics. There is great focus on literal versus figurative language, writers purpose and historical/cultural context. SBSAP School uses a literature circle model in middle school. Students share responsibility for facilitating discussion of texts. Each student rotates through different jobs focusing on specific skill areas in reading. Students will also answer questions weekly that focus on specific level appropriate analysis and comprehension. There is great focus on team-work, time management and responsibility to self and to team. Students will learn to recognize their strengths and weaknesses in reading and focus on specific goals to improve their personal weaknesses and foster self-confidence. We are pleased to offer advanced courses at every level in middle school.
2019-2020
THIS YEAR'S UNITS
THIS YEAR'S UNITS
6TH GRADE LITERATURE
1. Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt
2. Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan
3. The Diary of Anne Frank
4. The Bridge to Terabithia By Katherine Paterson or
Advanced Literature Circle Unit-The Adventures of Tom Sawyer By Mark Twain
1. Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt
2. Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan
3. The Diary of Anne Frank
4. The Bridge to Terabithia By Katherine Paterson or
Advanced Literature Circle Unit-The Adventures of Tom Sawyer By Mark Twain
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7TH GRADE LITERATURE
(7th graders only) 1. Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko 2. Out of the Dust By Katherine Hesse 3. The Outsiders By S.E. Hinton 4. Monster By Walter Dean Meyers |
8TH GRADE LITERATURE
(7th and 8th graders) 1. Crispin: Cross of Lead By Avi 2. The Giver By Lois Lowry 3. *No Fear Shakespeare: The Taming of the Shrew by Sparknotes 4. 8th Graders-To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee 7th Graders- Before We Were Free By Julia Alvarez |
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ACCELERATED 8TH GRADE LITERATURE
(7th and 8th graders) 1. No Fear Shakespeare: The Taming of the Shrew by Sparknotes or Advanced Poetry Study 2. The Pearl By John Steinbeck 3. Before We Were Free By Julia Alvarez or Chicken Soup for the Soul: Create Your Best Future 8th grade curriculum 4. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott 5. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe |
AP LITERATURE
(8th graders only) 1. Gulliver’s Travels By Jonathan Swift 2. Lord of the Flies By William Golding 3. Animal Farm By George Orwell 4. The Crucible by Arthur Miller 5. No Fear: A Tale of Two Cities By Charles Dickens and Sparknotes |
Independent Reading Projects:
In addition to the group reading, students will be required to complete independent reading assignments to work on specific skills learned in class.
The books chosen for each student are grade level and reading level specific and the assignments focus on specific skills that need to be practiced. Students on advanced teams are also required to read the books listed below for their independent projects to meet grade level requirements. When students are in advanced groups they may miss the opportunity to read our grade level book requirements with their group.
note: New students may need an IRP reading schedule to meet the requirements if they are placed on advanced teams.
In addition to the group reading, students will be required to complete independent reading assignments to work on specific skills learned in class.
The books chosen for each student are grade level and reading level specific and the assignments focus on specific skills that need to be practiced. Students on advanced teams are also required to read the books listed below for their independent projects to meet grade level requirements. When students are in advanced groups they may miss the opportunity to read our grade level book requirements with their group.
note: New students may need an IRP reading schedule to meet the requirements if they are placed on advanced teams.
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6th Grade-
Trimester 1- Crash by Jerry Spinelli Trimester 2- The Phantom Tollbooth By Susan Nanus based on the book by Norton Juster Trimester 3- Grade Level-Hallway Heroes 6th grade curriculum Chicken Soup for the Soul: Create Your Best Future Advanced Team-The Bridge to Terabithia By Katherine Paterson (Classroom Copies available) |
7th Grade-
Trimester 1- Where The Red Fern Grows By Wilson Rawls ISBN-13: 9780440412670 (Classroom Copies available) Trimester 2- Hallway Heroes 7th grade curriculum Chicken Soup for the Soul: Create Your Best Future Trimester 3- Grade Level- The Adventures of Tom Sawyer By Mark Twain Advanced Teams-The Outsiders By S.E. Hinton |
8th Grade-
Trimester 1-Grade Level and Accelerated Teams-Edgar Allan Poe Short Story Study AP Team- The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros Trimester 2-Grade Level and Accelerated Teams The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros AP Team To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee Trimester 3-Grade Level-Before We Were Free By Julia Alvarez Accelerated Team- To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee AP Team- Advanced Poetry Study |
Grading Policy/Class Information
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Grading Breakdown
Tests/Projects: 40% Each unit includes a cumulative project and/or test, which will be graded in this category. most books also have a mid-way project that will be graded in this category Quizzes: 30% Quizzes or Review questions (if there is not a quiz that week), smaller projects Homework/Classwork: 20% Posts /Post-its, Journals, other assignments not included in the other categories. Weekly book club assignments (Teacher Grade and student/peer average). Organization/ Time Management/Participation: 10% Weekly review questions (when they are not counted in the quiz category), discussion grades, binder/drive checks, can include preparation for quizzes/tests and other assignments. Rubrics Rubrics are used in the Literature class. Students will be given a rubric in advance of the due date of the assignment. If a rubric is not given the assignment will be graded on the following check system. ✓+= 100 Student went above and beyond what was asked for the assignment and did it to the best of their ability. ✓=95 Student completed the assignment as directed and to the best of their ability. (85 students may receive an 85 if they completed the project as directed but not to the best of their ability or they completed the assignment to the best of their ability but did not follow the directions) ✓-= 70 Student did complete the project but not as directed and not to the best of their ability. 50= Student did not complete or hand in the assignment. Additional points may be taken off for incomplete work. Schedules and Calendars/Homework Students will be given a calendar and scheduling breakdown for each book. Students are responsible for staying on schedule. -Most books will have a weekly schedule for each set of chapters including a day to read, a day to complete their independent book club assignment, a day for quiz prep, a day for a literature circle and a day for a quiz, unless the school calendar does not allow. -Nothing normally gets "pushed" or moved. If we miss a day of school the schedule continues and students are responsible for any work missed. Quizzes do not have to be made up, literature circles do not have to be made up. If multiple days are missed, the teacher will adjust the schedule to accommodate. -There is no regular homework, but finishing assignments and preparing for quizzes and tests is essential to comprehension and team work. Students should expect at least 10 minutes of reading and about 10-20 minutes of additional work that needs to be done at home for their group reading book per week. (Students should also work on their IRPs at home) -Students on the AP literature team and Accelerated 8th grade literature team should expect work that is commensurate with the advanced level of the course and will have more work to do at home than the above estimation. |
Pre-reading and Post-reading activities
Students will be given pre and post-reading activities for books. Assignments will be due on Friday of the week they are assigned and will be worth multiple grades in some of the categories. students will also be given a date on the calendar, by which these assignments must be turned in or they will not be accepted. Midterm/Final Exams The Midterm would include information from the books at the beginning of the year and A final would include information from all books after the midterm. Students will need to keep all assignments organized on their google drive and/or in their binder The midterm and final are TIMED open binder/Drive tests. The midterm and final would count as 2 Test/project grades. Independent reading assignment Students will have 3 independent reading projects(IRP) throughout the year. Each one will have multiple grades with at least one quiz and one test grade. All IRPs will have a single grade in the Organization/Time Management category. This assignment must be handed in, no exceptions. If it is not handed in on time, parents will be contacted and an INC will be given on the report card, until the assignment has been handed in. If the assignment is handed in late the student will receive a 50 for the Time Management/Organization grade. LATE WORK:
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A "LESS PAPER" /TECHNOLOGY BASED COURSE: The middle school Literature courses at St. Brigid-St. Augustine utilize Google Classroom. All worksheets and assignments are completed online. We also understand the importance of handwriting. All quiz essays and journal reflections are hand written each week. This course does also feature tech-free units for some books.
Tech Free units:
Most of the IRPS
Out of the Dust
Tuck Everlasting
Chicken Soup Lessons
Tech Free units:
Most of the IRPS
Out of the Dust
Tuck Everlasting
Chicken Soup Lessons