English is a key which unlocks study options travel convenience business relationships cultural understanding global perspectives
English has had a strange journey. It was once a simple tongue of the Anglo-Saxons, a small group of people in a small area of Europe now called England. It transitioned through three stages: Old English, Middle English, and Modern English. In this example of Old English from the epic poem, “Beowulf”, few people can read more than “we” and “in”:
“Hwæt wē Gār-Dena in geārdagum” (We of the Spear-Danes in the days of yore)
Much has changed. Over time, English took on features of other major languages due to conquests by Romans, French, and the Norse. This developed into Middle English. In this example from Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, we recognize most words:
“Whan that Aprille with his shoures soote, The droghte of March hath perced to the roote, And bathed every veyne in swich licóur Of which vertú engendred is the flour.”
This was not the end though; the influence of Latin (and Greek) vocabulary from the Romans, the addition of many new words and grammar structures from the French and Norse invasions, and the revisions later decided on by scholars changed English into the hybrid we know today as Modern English.
As the global language for business, trade, and study, English plays a role in the lives of people around the world. As a subject in Wahaha, English focuses on grammar, lexicon, literary analyses, history, culture, and creative writing dealing with character study, tone, main idea, and theme. It prepares students to engage English locally as well as study abroad.
The English Department is the hub for Wahaha MS Projects and contains some of our most ambitious ideas. All projects connect to English in some way whether it be as broad as full partnership or as simple as adding English text to ensure content is bilingual. Choose a grade to see what’s going on there!
Grade six is both a transition from primary school and the beginning of middle school. It is a challenging year for students as they adapt to the rigor of middle school academics and progress away from childhood towards adolescence. We have high standards in their projects and they will engage in journaling, poetry, and create a fully illustrated comic book.
Seventh grade is fully middle school and students can feel a real difference in the difficulty of lessons and the amount of practice required to master so many new skills. As a result, they will grow considerably as both individuals and pupils. Some grade seven projects include short story writing, themed posters, and a full-scale medium transformation by the end of the year.
Eighth grade offers many new challenges for students as they delve deeper into identity and develop the ability to balance responsibilities and relationships. Grade eight projects move to a new level with poetry, school proposals, smart building design, and a fully-authored blog by the end of the year. You can find our ongoing 8th-grade blog project here!
Grade 9 is the culmination of middle school and what has been an arduous journey. Students are in flux as some prepare to study abroad while others prepare for the Zhong Kao. To conclude their middle school life, they will design a sustainable farm and then participate in the Senior Experience, an immersive whole-class project to write, design, & publish short stories.