Junior High English at St. Patrick's
Mrs. Cathy Schmidt, grades 6-7
Mrs. Judy Jenkins, grade 8
Homework Policy:
Homework includes grammar and vocabulary workbook pages, practice handouts, and writing assignments.
Curriculum Highlights:
Students in 6, 7, & 8 will:
- Understand the mechanics of grammar and demonstrate this understanding in their writing.
- Recognize that strong writers revise and edit all of their work, and that the first draft is never the last draft.
- Strive to master new vocabulary in order to make their writing and speaking more interesting and engaging to readers and listeners.
Using Voyages in English series students advance through higher-level usage of nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs, and adverbs. Students focus on the writing process in grade 6, and complete multiple writing projects including problem & solution essays, personal narrative, responses to literature, poetry, and persuasive speech writing.
Students in grade 7 are taught using Prentice Hall. With growing intensity in the study of grammar, students build upon previously taught concepts and begin to fully implement them throughout the writing process. Additionally, students are taught to diagram sentences using complex grammatical structure. Writing projects include biograph writing, writing for debates, formal research papers, and summaries.
Students in grade 8 take the High School Placement Test (HSPT). This exam is recognized by most of the area Catholic high schools as an acceptance test. Throughout the fall, 8th graders receive guidance in the high school application process and support on their essays. The writing process continues to be a foundation of the eighth grade English curriculum, as students prepare themselves for the vigorous writing curriculum of high school.
Expectations of Excellence
Students will strive to:
- Come to class prepared to learn, prepared to support their peers, and to be respectful.
- Complete work on time and advocate for themselves when they need extra help.
- Master the art of proper grammar by using it in their speaking and writing in this class, in other classes, and in their daily lives.