Sellwood School
Language Arts/Social Studies
Language Arts
The main focus of Language Arts in sixth through eighth grade is reading and writing.
The goal of middle school Social Studies is to provide all students with a strong foundation in the following areas:
The main focus of Language Arts in sixth through eighth grade is reading and writing.
- Reading. Students are exposed to a wide variety of literature including short stories, fiction, historical fiction, non-fiction, poetry, myths and plays. As students read, they study the elements of literature, analyze the development of themes and develop critical reading, writing and thinking skills.
- Writing. Students are required to use a multiple step writing process which includes identifying audience and purpose, generating ideas, writing drafts, conferring, editing, revising, evaluating and publishing. Literature and Social Studies are integrated into writing by providing some of the writing themes.
The goal of middle school Social Studies is to provide all students with a strong foundation in the following areas:
- Culture. Students learn multiple cultural perspectives by comparing cultural contributions of ancient civilizations, studying how societies develop different cultural lenses and understanding cultural diversity within our own country.
- Historical Perspective. Students develop an historical perspective by examining the roots of the present in the past - and how key events, individuals, movements and groups have shaped history.
- Geographical Influence. Students use data and geographical vocabulary and skills to communicate about physical and cultural environments.
- Identity. Students learn how personal identity is shaped by culture, historical perspective and geographical influences - and how institutions are formed and influenced.
- Government. Students develop an understanding of the historical creation of structures of power, authority and governance and their evolving functions globally.
- Economics. Students explore how distribution of limited resources affects and is influenced by geography, culture and history.
- Technology. Students learn how science and technology have driven change over time.
- Global Connections. Students explore and understand the realities of global interdependence and evaluate the complex positive and negative effects of individual and collective states.
