The Avant Gardist

August,11 2010



Elizabeth Gianfrancisco - Teacher
Myron B. Thompson Academy

I’m very excited to be a part of the 8th grade redesign team. I’ve been working with a team of teachers since last year to build a strong, engaging, and meaningful curriculum for 2010-2011. The 7th grade redesign was a huge success last year, so I am eager to work with the 8th grade Language Arts class in conjunction with Mr. Perih’s Social Studies class.

Mr. Perih and I have developed an interdisciplinary curriculum for history and English. The historical material students learn will be enhanced by novels, narratives, and short stories while historical documents, a study of US government, and a foundational understanding our country’s principles will bolster the literary content. We have found some incredible resources so far and we can’t wait to share them with the students.

One of our new books, The United States Constitution: A Graphic Novel, will allow students to learn about the Constitution using illustrations to explore the creation of this living document. Students will study how the Constitution came to be, the people who were instrumental in its creation, and how the document continues to transform and grow with the changing needs of our country. We will also take examine some of the heroes of early America, from the well-known presidents to the ordinary men and women who came to do extraordinary things.

This dynamic curriculum will challenge students to think about what it means to be an American citizen, how the individuals of America have the power to actively shape our government, and consider the ramifications of our actions in society. These studies will tie into our oral communication course later in the year.

I look forward to a fantastic year!