Our Curriculum

Because our units of study are aligned with the social studies curriculum,  most of the literature that we read, discuss, and analyze is based on the Civil War, Reconstruction, and Harlem Renaissance eras.  Of course, some modern pieces of literature are included.  Students also learn how to answer TDAs, text-dependent analysis questions,  so that they are prepared for the PSSA.  These responses are in essay format, and students are evaluated in many areas, including grammar.  Click below for the text-dependent anaylsis rubric that the Pennsylvania State Department of Education provides for us.

Text-dependent Analysis Rubric:  Text-Dependent Scoring Guide-1.pdf


Essential questions that we answer as we complete our units of study are

• How do readers figure out a word they do not know?
• How does fluency affect comprehension?            
• How do readers construct meaning from text?
• What do readers do when they do not understand everything in a text?
• Why do readers need to pay attention to a writer’s choice of words?
• How do good writers express themselves?
• What are the characteristics of an essay?
• What elements are necessary to achieve a score of 4 on an essay?            
• How does process shape the writer’s product?            
• Why does a writer choose a particular form of writing?           
• How do writers develop a well-written product?
• How can literature and history be applied to everyday life and used as lessons?           
• How can we learn from the past and from other cultures?