Educational Programs at Orchard House
English
Fifth Grade:
In an atmosphere of self-discovery and enlightenment, fifth grade students refine their instincts as readers and find their unique voices as writers. Students learn to differentiate between genres, and use newly acquired literary language and concepts to make informed decisions about books. They keep a running dialogue of analytical responses to reading through letters to teachers and fellow students. There is also a regular in-class reading/writing workshop time. In addition students study and practice various poetic forms as well as engage in in-depth studies of literary elements. Finally, spelling, vocabulary, grammar, and mechanics are developed on a daily basis.
Sixth Grade:
For grammar, students work on parts of speech and parts of sentences ending in basic sentence structure. There is also a concentration on sentence punctuation. Different formats for writing are emphasized including analytical paragraphs and essays, poetry, memoirs, and creative writing. Students also read mythology from different cultures, do analysis of the fairy tale genre, and read novels. They analyze these stories to understand implied themes, sequence, and character development. To learn how to conduct research, the class is introduced to note-taking skills and the MLA citation format. Using graphic organizers and maps, the girls convert research into written prose. Students also develop oral presentation skills by presenting book reviews, their own writing, and individual and group projects. Finally, a reading-writing workshop takes place on a weekly basis.
Seventh Grade:
Students review and build on their understanding of parts of speech and parts of sentences. They learn about dependent clauses and their functions, sentence punctuation, refining the use of commas, apostrophes, and quotations marks. Students also try their hand at different formats of writing such as analytical essays, persuasive speeches, poetry-including sonnet form, and creative writing- including vignettes and short stories. To analyze this literature, students study character development, narrative technique, setting, symbolism and allegory. They develop basic research skills, including note taking and the use of graphic organizers for oral presentations and debates. Oral presentations involve formal debates, the presentation of student writing, and individual and group projects. Finally, a reading-writing workshop takes place on a weekly basis.
Eighth Grade:
There are several components to the course. In grammar, students review and reinforce their understanding of parts of speech and parts of sentences. They are also introduced to gerunds, participles, and infinitives and their functions in sentences. Students try their hands at different kinds of writing including analytical essays, personal essays, and persuasive essays. Students are also introduced to literary criticism through archetypal criticism and new historicism. They continue to develop their research skills, working on MLA documentation and the use of quotations. Students learn how to present their papers effectively in class, recording their works so that they can listen and critique their oral presentations and style. Personal writing and book reviews are also presented to the class. Finally a reading-writing workshop takes place on a weekly basis.
