English Language Arts

Elementary English Language Arts

The Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks for English Language Arts are crafted around guiding principles that underlie the standards and resources used in Hopkinton’s classrooms grades K-5. Units of study at each grade level in Hopkinton’s elementary schools are built on these eleven basic principles.

ELA

The Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks for English Language Arts are crafted around guiding principles that underlie the standards and resources used in Hopkinton. The same basic principles, which are designed to prepare students for college, careers, and lives as productive citizens, form the basis of instruction at all grade levels in Hopkinton, right through our students’ high school experience. While some of the principles (listed below) may be more thoroughly addressed at the elementary or secondary level, the essential tenets of developing literate students are embedded in these principles, on which our English Language Arts Frameworks have been developed.

English Language Arts

The Hopkinton Middle School English Language Arts curriculum, with its variety of activities to enhance differentiated learning, is rich with interests and challenges for all students. Our goal is to instill in our students a  love of literature and writing, as well as critical thinking skills. The "arts" in the title "language arts" refers to four areas: reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Students will further develop their skills in each of these arts as follows:

Reading: Students explore increasingly sophisticated literary genres including short stories, novels, plays, and poetry, both classic and contemporary. Additionally, students read non-fiction texts and articles that enrich their understanding of unit concepts. Active reading strategies are taught so that students can bring their full attention to an author's words.

Writing: As students continually sharpen their writing skills, they progress through directed writing exercises and self-chosen creative writing topics, as well as activities related to the literature.  Students continue writing and reading activities emphasizing how to locate and cite supporting textual evidence. Vocabulary is taught through the context of reading selections, with emphasis on using context clues, common roots, prefixes, and suffixes.

Speaking and Listening: Continued practice of reading aloud and conducting Socratic seminars fosters students' understanding and appreciation of good literature and strengthens their discussion and listening skills. Students exercise public speaking skills through presentations incorporating technology, collaboration, and synthesis of information.