Grammar & Language Arts
Tutor – Deb Lembach
This class is a complete language arts course consisting of instruction in composition, grammar and mechanics, reading comprehension, and literature. The aim of the course is to help students grow as clear and effective communicators and to help them learn to appreciate various types of literature.
The heart of the course is Evan-Moor’s Daily 6-Trait Writing Level 6+. This book gives students practice in the six characteristics of good writing – ideas, organization, word choice, sentence fluency, voice, and conventions.
The grammar lessons from Bob Jones Writing and Grammar Grade 8 complement the lessons in Daily 6-Trait Writing. These lessons are intended to help students better understand how language works as well as to help them develop respect for proper written and oral expression in their own and others’ work.
The lessons in 100+ Series Reading Comprehension Grades 7 and 8 give students practice in paying attention to what they are reading and in reading for details. These lessons also complement the composition part of the course and provide students with practice in answering a variety of different types of questions.
During the fall semester, the students read and study the novel The Giver. The study of the novel allows students to learn about such aspects of fiction as character, plot, setting, conflict, etc. In the spring, students study a number of different poems. Students learn about rhyme scheme, figurative language, and types of poems in their study.