MS Honors English 8 - Semesters 1 & 2

2 Semesters (Semester 1 is offered in the fall and semester 2 is offered in the spring)

Through reading, writing, and rhetoric, students in the MS English 8 course examine how authors fine-tune and utilize their craft to create texts with purpose. Students continue to develop the reading, writing, language, and speaking/listening skills necessary for success in high school, college, career, and beyond. Students evaluate and analyze voice, purpose, diction, syntax, and rhetoric in historical speeches, informational texts, and classic and contemporary literature through guided readings, interactive practice, and formal assessments. They also refine their narrative, informational, and argumentative writing skills through the repeated practice of planning, drafting, revising, and editing their written work. 

Topics for the Honors course include:

• Analyzing sound devices and symbolism in poetry

• Researching and writing about an American folktale

• Paraphrasing rigorous literary texts

• Connecting historical context and setting to literary texts

• Creating a persuasive presentation using rhetorical appeals and devices

• Composing a narrative poem using poetic devices

• Delivering a student-written speech based on a fictional character's perspective