APS MS ELA curriculum and differentiation?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:APS does have intensified classes in middle school now, so there is some differentiation. My 7th grader is in Intensified English. The teacher said they read materials at a higher lexile level, do more analysis and write more than in the non-intensified class. So far, in Q1, they did a short story unit and are now reading The Outsiders as a class. That's the only whole class novel of the year, but they get to pick other books from a selection. So yes they do read books and your kid can choose more challenging options, if that's their preference.

APS has emphasized writing and analysis in all intensified classes, so there should also be more writing in classes like history/civics and science, than in the non-intensified versions. In 6th grade Intensified History, for instance, my kid had to write a fictional narrative from the first person perspective of an immigrant and do research to support the details in their account.

I’m as liberal as they come and my spouse is an immigrant, but this feels like a poor use of an assignment. Do they at least say like an immigrant arriving in America in 1889 or something like that? Or is it a contemporary immigrant?

As for novel reading, reading a novel as a class allows for deeper discussions, and the analysis that students submit can be more careful scrutinized by the teacher — it’s not like they are reading 150+ random novels to critique their writing assignments?! My neighbors private told me they were assigned about 5 novels.

But obv the SOL and SAT are not having students read novels for the test, so the emphasis for APS is reading passages and responding to those.

NP for a history class it was probably an historical account.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:there is no meaningful differentiation for humanities in APS other than AP classes (and even for those classes, students can pretty much self-select as far as I can tell). My kids only read one book in 8th grade intensified English (The Giver - other classes read Animal Farm) and they do not necessarily read full books independently. This is not just an APS problem though - see this article: https://www.theatlantic.com/books/archive/2023/03/children-reading-books-english-middle-grade/673457/

It is something that makes me wish I switched my kids to private but there really are not a lot of strong non-denominational private schools close to Arlington and my kids really did not want a long commute.

Agree there are not many, but at least 3 would not have a long commute. Potomac is a bit north of Chain Bridge. SSSAS is in Alexandria, but pretty accessible from N Arlington thanks to Spout Run and GWP. SSSAS probably would have been a good academic fit for a humanities student, and it is “religion light”. Also, Congressional is a K-8 near 7 corners. All 3 have bus service to N Arlington. None would be a long bus ride.

There also are good Catholic options, including O’Connell HS, in N. Arlington. We are not Catholic, but we are considering moving to a Catholic school for our kids due to the more traditional academics and explicit instruction of grammar, spelling, cursive, and “how to write a paper”.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:APS does have intensified classes in middle school now, so there is some differentiation. My 7th grader is in Intensified English. The teacher said they read materials at a higher lexile level, do more analysis and write more than in the non-intensified class. So far, in Q1, they did a short story unit and are now reading The Outsiders as a class. That's the only whole class novel of the year, but they get to pick other books from a selection. So yes they do read books and your kid can choose more challenging options, if that's their preference.

APS has emphasized writing and analysis in all intensified classes, so there should also be more writing in classes like history/civics and science, than in the non-intensified versions. In 6th grade Intensified History, for instance, my kid had to write a fictional narrative from the first person perspective of an immigrant and do research to support the details in their account.

I’m as liberal as they come and my spouse is an immigrant, but this feels like a poor use of an assignment. Do they at least say like an immigrant arriving in America in 1889 or something like that? Or is it a contemporary immigrant?

As for novel reading, reading a novel as a class allows for deeper discussions, and the analysis that students submit can be more careful scrutinized by the teacher — it’s not like they are reading 150+ random novels to critique their writing assignments?! My neighbors private told me they were assigned about 5 novels.

But obv the SOL and SAT are not having students read novels for the test, so the emphasis for APS is reading passages and responding to those.

You're really nitpicking here.

It was history. They were studying immigration to America during a particular time period and were given a couple of options, including German/Dutch settlers, Chinese settlers who were working on the Transcontinental railroad and maybe one other. I thought it was a good assignment. The had to synthesize content, think about a perspective, and write a longer narrative piece. Totally reasonable for 6th grade.

The teachers like the book club concept because they find it easier to have discussions in a slightly smaller group and the kids are more engaged if they pick the book. I have no problem with the class being split into 2-3 groups by book. The teacher has still read all the books and they have discussions.

I also think you're being a bit overly critical of the idea that sometimes kids read different books from a list. This is how we did it when I was a kid and we wrote book reports. I think this is what they're doing for the historical fiction unit, so they'll all read WWII books and share different perspectives. That is totally in the range of normal for middle school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:APS does have intensified classes in middle school now, so there is some differentiation. My 7th grader is in Intensified English. The teacher said they read materials at a higher lexile level, do more analysis and write more than in the non-intensified class. So far, in Q1, they did a short story unit and are now reading The Outsiders as a class. That's the only whole class novel of the year, but they get to pick other books from a selection. So yes they do read books and your kid can choose more challenging options, if that's their preference.

APS has emphasized writing and analysis in all intensified classes, so there should also be more writing in classes like history/civics and science, than in the non-intensified versions. In 6th grade Intensified History, for instance, my kid had to write a fictional narrative from the first person perspective of an immigrant and do research to support the details in their account.

I’m as liberal as they come and my spouse is an immigrant, but this feels like a poor use of an assignment. Do they at least say like an immigrant arriving in America in 1889 or something like that? Or is it a contemporary immigrant?

As for novel reading, reading a novel as a class allows for deeper discussions, and the analysis that students submit can be more careful scrutinized by the teacher — it’s not like they are reading 150+ random novels to critique their writing assignments?! My neighbors private told me they were assigned about 5 novels.

But obv the SOL and SAT are not having students read novels for the test, so the emphasis for APS is reading passages and responding to those.

You're really nitpicking here.

It was history. They were studying immigration to America during a particular time period and were given a couple of options, including German/Dutch settlers, Chinese settlers who were working on the Transcontinental railroad and maybe one other. I thought it was a good assignment. The had to synthesize content, think about a perspective, and write a longer narrative piece. Totally reasonable for 6th grade.

The teachers like the book club concept because they find it easier to have discussions in a slightly smaller group and the kids are more engaged if they pick the book. I have no problem with the class being split into 2-3 groups by book. The teacher has still read all the books and they have discussions.

I also think you're being a bit overly critical of the idea that sometimes kids read different books from a list. This is how we did it when I was a kid and we wrote book reports. I think this is what they're doing for the historical fiction unit, so they'll all read WWII books and share different perspectives. That is totally in the range of normal for middle school.

Womp.

[Anonymous]

The 7th grade intensified reading isn't elective. They read, take notes as they go, and write essays. Last year at DHMS, the intensified students read The Outsiders, House Arrest, their favorite book, and a book from a list, in addition to other daily assignments. Our student chose Salt to the Sea. I read the books with him and House Arrest and Salt to the Sea are serious books with a lot in them to write about. For the 8th grade intensified class, they've already written three essays and have taken several grammar quizzes. So far, my 8th grade student has read two books that he chose himself, and both are 500+ pages long. There's a ton of data on allowing kids to have some reasonable choice on what they read.

I am not a cheerleader for APS, but we do have experience in DCPS and the difference between the two systems is vast. Be honest with yourself as to what you value and can compromise on with a move. Fairfax is a ways out there. Unless you're coming from the far NW or maybe Brookland, even McLean feels very distant if you're used to being in the city.

Not every parent or student wants a TJ/STEM experience. I don't see my student thriving in a STEM heavy environment at all.

College acceptances are loosely tracked and reported on: https://www.arlingtonmagazine.com/ivy-league-elite-college-admissions/; https://www.arlingtonmagazine.com/most-popular-colleges-arlington-va-class-of-2025/; https://www.arlingtonmagazine.com/college-applications-arlington-va-2024/....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:there is no meaningful differentiation for humanities in APS other than AP classes (and even for those classes, students can pretty much self-select as far as I can tell). My kids only read one book in 8th grade intensified English (The Giver - other classes read Animal Farm) and they do not necessarily read full books independently. This is not just an APS problem though - see this article: https://www.theatlantic.com/books/archive/2023/03/children-reading-books-english-middle-grade/673457/

It is something that makes me wish I switched my kids to private but there really are not a lot of strong non-denominational private schools close to Arlington and my kids really did not want a long commute.

Agree there are not many, but at least 3 would not have a long commute. Potomac is a bit north of Chain Bridge. SSSAS is in Alexandria, but pretty accessible from N Arlington thanks to Spout Run and GWP. SSSAS probably would have been a good academic fit for a humanities student, and it is “religion light”. Also, Congressional is a K-8 near 7 corners. All 3 have bus service to N Arlington. None would be a long bus ride.

There also are good Catholic options, including O’Connell HS, in N. Arlington. We are not Catholic, but we are considering moving to a Catholic school for our kids due to the more traditional academics and explicit instruction of grammar, spelling, cursive, and “how to write a paper”.

Of those the school that goes through high school and has no religious affiliation is Potomac, which is great but was not a great fit for my kids. My friends in DC have a lot more options, in some ways this is great for Arlington as it keeps more people in the local schools. Religion "lite" works for some people but not for everyone - esp if you are not Christian.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:APS does have intensified classes in middle school now, so there is some differentiation. My 7th grader is in Intensified English. The teacher said they read materials at a higher lexile level, do more analysis and write more than in the non-intensified class. So far, in Q1, they did a short story unit and are now reading The Outsiders as a class. That's the only whole class novel of the year, but they get to pick other books from a selection. So yes they do read books and your kid can choose more challenging options, if that's their preference.

APS has emphasized writing and analysis in all intensified classes, so there should also be more writing in classes like history/civics and science, than in the non-intensified versions. In 6th grade Intensified History, for instance, my kid had to write a fictional narrative from the first person perspective of an immigrant and do research to support the details in their account.

Sounds similar to FCPS's AAP classes in MS, except DS read Taming of the Shrew after the SOL. They read it as a class and discussed the language and context of the play.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The 7th grade intensified reading isn't elective. They read, take notes as they go, and write essays. Last year at DHMS, the intensified students read The Outsiders, House Arrest, their favorite book, and a book from a list, in addition to other daily assignments. Our student chose Salt to the Sea. I read the books with him and House Arrest and Salt to the Sea are serious books with a lot in them to write about. For the 8th grade intensified class, they've already written three essays and have taken several grammar quizzes. So far, my 8th grade student has read two books that he chose himself, and both are 500+ pages long. There's a ton of data on allowing kids to have some reasonable choice on what they read.

I am not a cheerleader for APS, but we do have experience in DCPS and the difference between the two systems is vast. Be honest with yourself as to what you value and can compromise on with a move. Fairfax is a ways out there. Unless you're coming from the far NW or maybe Brookland, even McLean feels very distant if you're used to being in the city.

Not every parent or student wants a TJ/STEM experience. I don't see my student thriving in a STEM heavy environment at all.

College acceptances are loosely tracked and reported on: https://www.arlingtonmagazine.com/ivy-league-elite-college-admissions/; https://www.arlingtonmagazine.com/most-popular-colleges-arlington-va-class-of-2025/; https://www.arlingtonmagazine.com/college-applications-arlington-va-2024/....

7th grade winter Lexile score range
25% = 925L, 50% = 1080L, 75% = 1230

For a 7th grade intensified English class, think maybe 1230+ ??
House Arrest by K.A. Holt has a Lexile of 610L
Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys has a Lexile of 560L

3rd grade winter Lexile score range
25% = 480L, 50% = 645L, 75% = 810L

Please question every single assignment your kids are doing in these so-called intensified classes. The teacher should never have allowed these books and should probably be sued for malpractice if that were actually a thing. Or else please don't complain that AP/SAT scores in the future are lower than you thought.

[Anonymous]

Lexile isn’t everything and some of the most complex and nuanced stories are written in straightforward language. You don’t need huge words to conduct complex and analysis and critical thinking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The 7th grade intensified reading isn't elective. They read, take notes as they go, and write essays. Last year at DHMS, the intensified students read The Outsiders, House Arrest, their favorite book, and a book from a list, in addition to other daily assignments. Our student chose Salt to the Sea. I read the books with him and House Arrest and Salt to the Sea are serious books with a lot in them to write about. For the 8th grade intensified class, they've already written three essays and have taken several grammar quizzes. So far, my 8th grade student has read two books that he chose himself, and both are 500+ pages long. There's a ton of data on allowing kids to have some reasonable choice on what they read.

I am not a cheerleader for APS, but we do have experience in DCPS and the difference between the two systems is vast. Be honest with yourself as to what you value and can compromise on with a move. Fairfax is a ways out there. Unless you're coming from the far NW or maybe Brookland, even McLean feels very distant if you're used to being in the city.

Not every parent or student wants a TJ/STEM experience. I don't see my student thriving in a STEM heavy environment at all.

College acceptances are loosely tracked and reported on: https://www.arlingtonmagazine.com/ivy-league-elite-college-admissions/; https://www.arlingtonmagazine.com/most-popular-colleges-arlington-va-class-of-2025/; https://www.arlingtonmagazine.com/college-applications-arlington-va-2024/....

7th grade winter Lexile score range
25% = 925L, 50% = 1080L, 75% = 1230

For a 7th grade intensified English class, think maybe 1230+ ??
House Arrest by K.A. Holt has a Lexile of 610L
Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys has a Lexile of 560L

3rd grade winter Lexile score range
25% = 480L, 50% = 645L, 75% = 810L

Please question every single assignment your kids are doing in these so-called intensified classes. The teacher should never have allowed these books and should probably be sued for malpractice if that were actually a thing. Or else please don't complain that AP/SAT scores in the future are lower than you thought.

I dont think those Lexile ranges work the way you're asserting. The Outsiders is a totally classic 7th grade novel and it has a Lexile of 750L. It would be 100% inappropriate for 3rd graders.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lexile isn’t everything and some of the most complex and nuanced stories are written in straightforward language. You don’t need huge words to conduct complex and analysis and critical thinking.

Agreed. You cannot read House Arrest or Salt to Sea and actually think either are inappropriate for 7th graders or appropriate for 3rd graders. I dare anyone to read either and not be moved by them to think critically and want to discuss them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lexile isn’t everything and some of the most complex and nuanced stories are written in straightforward language. You don’t need huge words to conduct complex and analysis and critical thinking.

Agreed. You cannot read House Arrest or Salt to Sea and actually think either are inappropriate for 7th graders or appropriate for 3rd graders. I dare anyone to read either and not be moved by them to think critically and want to discuss them.

Lemony Snicket has a Lexile of 1370L.
Lord of the Flies is a 770L.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lexile isn’t everything and some of the most complex and nuanced stories are written in straightforward language. You don’t need huge words to conduct complex and analysis and critical thinking.

+1. Kind of weird to be that obsessed with Lexile. Did you know many picture books have a higher lexile than many chapter books?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The 7th grade intensified reading isn't elective. They read, take notes as they go, and write essays. Last year at DHMS, the intensified students read The Outsiders, House Arrest, their favorite book, and a book from a list, in addition to other daily assignments. Our student chose Salt to the Sea. I read the books with him and House Arrest and Salt to the Sea are serious books with a lot in them to write about. For the 8th grade intensified class, they've already written three essays and have taken several grammar quizzes. So far, my 8th grade student has read two books that he chose himself, and both are 500+ pages long. There's a ton of data on allowing kids to have some reasonable choice on what they read.

I am not a cheerleader for APS, but we do have experience in DCPS and the difference between the two systems is vast. Be honest with yourself as to what you value and can compromise on with a move. Fairfax is a ways out there. Unless you're coming from the far NW or maybe Brookland, even McLean feels very distant if you're used to being in the city.

Not every parent or student wants a TJ/STEM experience. I don't see my student thriving in a STEM heavy environment at all.

College acceptances are loosely tracked and reported on: https://www.arlingtonmagazine.com/ivy-league-elite-college-admissions/; https://www.arlingtonmagazine.com/most-popular-colleges-arlington-va-class-of-2025/; https://www.arlingtonmagazine.com/college-applications-arlington-va-2024/....

7th grade winter Lexile score range
25% = 925L, 50% = 1080L, 75% = 1230

For a 7th grade intensified English class, think maybe 1230+ ??
House Arrest by K.A. Holt has a Lexile of 610L
Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys has a Lexile of 560L

3rd grade winter Lexile score range
25% = 480L, 50% = 645L, 75% = 810L

Please question every single assignment your kids are doing in these so-called intensified classes. The teacher should never have allowed these books and should probably be sued for malpractice if that were actually a thing. Or else please don't complain that AP/SAT scores in the future are lower than you thought.

I dont think those Lexile ranges work the way you're asserting. The Outsiders is a totally classic 7th grade novel and it has a Lexile of 750L. It would be 100% inappropriate for 3rd graders.

Content is not the same thing as reading level. Of course age-appropriateness should be considered. However, if you don't care about the complexity of a book then why not just watch a movie with complex themes, with subtitles, and discuss as a class? The purpose of English class should be to improve language level and fluency while also developing critical reasoning skills. It should be hard, especially if it's an honors/intensified class.

[Anonymous]

I'm the previous poster re: DHMS, and was wondering how old Hemingway would survive if judged against Lexile levels. Anyhow... did a google and this article discusses the pros and cons of using Lexile levels to choose texts and mirrors what posters are discussing. https://readingrev.com/blog/jgon5w7jjk5analqa9bcmjm9h4hxwv

2. Diverse Texts: Some texts, especially literature, may have lower Lexile measures but still present challenges due to abstract themes, nuanced language, or cultural references. Teachers should be aware of these complexities and not rely solely on Lexile levels.Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck has a Lexile level of only 630L. While this novel has a relatively low Lexile level, it deals with deep, mature themes like friendship, loneliness, and moral dilemmas. The vocabulary and sentence structures are straightforward, but the themes are complex, making it emotionally and thematically challenging for readers. Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney has a Lexile level of 950L!

When the first few google results were Scholastic sponsored, I used my low Lexile level vocabularly to put Lexile in a box of tools for judging texts, but not the whole box, ya' know?