ELA Department

Welcome to the Sandpoint Middle School ELA Department!

In 7th Grade, the curriculum comprises of five separate units: Environments, Perseverance, Survival, Medieval Times and Greek Mythology. Each unit revolves around one whole class novel and a free choice novel (student’s choice). All units involve standard driven, individual writing opportunities and group projects. While all five units are extremely rigorous, we (as a faculty) also place a heavy emphasis on student engagement. 

In 8th Grade, students will develop critical reading, writing, and communication skills in a variety of literary genres, including: fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and drama. Writing assignments and end-of-unit projects will include: narrative, persuasive, and literary analysis. Students will analyze both fiction and nonfiction texts, draw inferences and conclusions, and examine conflicting source documents. They will practice persuasive writing, support their arguments with clear evidence, and solve complex problems with no obvious answers. Through this work, they will be well prepared for high school–level ELA expectations.