The Middle School English curriculum at Bishop Noland Episcopal Day School begins in the seventh grade and builds so that by the end of the eighth grade the student has been exposed to a multitude of linguistic and literary experiences. Our school uses the myPerspectives curriculum as a means of achieving these goals.
myPerspectives is a powerful English language arts curriculum for grades 6–12 that values the perspective of the learner, collectively and individually, and provides next-gen learning experiences that promote higher achievement and develop the competencies needed for college and career readiness. Interactive learning blends print and technology in a student-centered, teacher-inspired classroom. This dynamic Savvas program creates an interactive, engaging, and relevant learning environment through readings, meaningful activities, and purposeful performance tasks. myPerspectives encourages social collaboration as well as student ownership of learning through goal setting, choice, and reflection.
Each unit of study, which is centered around an essential question, includes a novel as well as a variety of shorter texts–a diverse mix of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and multimedia selections. Literacy skills covered in the curriculum include reading comprehension, analyzing craft and structure, and close reading. In addition, students practice research skills and review concept vocabulary, as well as Greek and Latin roots and affixes. Grammar skills are also taught in the context of the literature, including essentials such as punctuation and sentence structure.
All activities, instruction, and assessments contribute to students demonstrating their learning in response to an achievable performance-based assessment. At the end of each unit, students integrate the knowledge they acquired, apply critical thinking skills, cite evidence, and use effective expression to respond to a complex multi-step writing and/or speaking and listening task. Students learn to write in a variety of genres, including fictional narratives, nonfiction narratives, explanatory essays, and argument essays.