1. Middle School Academic Academy
For Students Entering 7th Grade
When: Fridays beginning September 12, 2008 thru January 16, 2009
Where: Room 120A TEC Center
Instructors: Victoria Les and Jeff Beal
A.M. Session: Algonac and Port Huron
P.M. Session: East China, Marysville, Yale, Memphis and Capac
English Language Arts Program
Reading:
All students will be involved in the process of reading for critical literacy. Students will read, analyze and
synthesize text to enable them to create generative knowledge. They will participate in close reading of short stories
and Socratic dialogues. Readings selected will focus on the theme of making choices.
The students will leave the program knowing how to:
 Read closely
 Respond by making analogies
 Analyze the kinds of words and images the author uses
 Critically analyze texts to discover the way they position readers
 Make intertextual connections
 Generalize universal truths
 Put ideas into action
Writing:
Students will be involved in an inquiry study of two genres: personal essay and feature magazine article.
After participating in the two inquiry studies, students will be invited to select a genre in which they have a strong
interest. They will then complete a genre study individually or with a group. These inquiry studies lead to self-
management of the writing process. Students will leave the program knowing how to tackle and proficiently write in
any genre they choose or any genre assigned to them.
The students will leave the program knowing how to:
 Identify the distinguishing features of a genre;
 Find excellent examples of writing to use as mentor texts:
 Envision themselves writing similarly;
 Generate writing ideas;
 Structure text to fit the genre;
 Revise text to conform to their original vision;
 Use reading and discussing texts as a springboard for writing and revision; and
 Read like a writer
Teachers from area schools will be invited to participate in the program. They will work along with the
students through the same activities. By participating and completing the same activities as the students, the
teachers can use the information to effectively return to their classrooms and engage their students in this kind of
inquiry process. Each unit of study will be four weeks long and it would benefit the teachers to attend for the entire
unit.