The art curriculum stresses individual growth and gives students the opportunity to explore, express and develop their creative talents in a non-competitive studio atmosphere. An array of art media, technical and evaluative skills, concepts and vocabulary are introduced. Students are encouraged to understand the visual arts in relation to history and culture, and to appreciate self-expression and non-verbal communication as an integral part of the human experience.

Grade 6 Art

• May include 2D design, drawing, painting, collage, clay, 3D media

Grade 7 Art

• May include 2D design, printmaking, 3D design, sculpture/assemblage, video, drawing

Grade 8 Art

• May include drawing, painting, mixed media, printmaking, assemblage, 3D media

Learn about the art curriculum at the Senior School.

Grades 6-8 Athletics & Activities

At the Middle School, we strongly believe that skills and lessons learned on the athletic field and dramatic stage can be just as important in life as the academic accomplishments. Our co-curricular program of athletics and activities provides each student with choices that include competitive team sports, non-competitive group sports, drama and art opportunities, as well as opportunities in math and science competitions. Every student chooses one activity in each of the three terms, and at least one of those selections must be a “movement” option.

In athletic options, students are coached by faculty members as well as outside coaches, with the goal of providing the student with the fundamental skills and strategies of that particular sport. Students are expected to be prepared for each practice and to fully take part every day, whether practice or a game.

 

Lessons learned in these afternoon activities include winning and losing with dignity, grace and character. Coaches stress the importance of sportsmanship, perseverance, teamwork and cooperation. Opportunities for leadership are available to all students within every team.

General competition guidelines:

• Sixth graders in a competitive activity could have one game per week
• Students in seventh and eighth grades will have no more than two games per week

View a list of athletics & activities

Skill-building activities:

• Demonstrate competency in the fundamental skills used in each sport/activity
• Demonstrate continued development and understanding of a particular sport/activity at each grade level
• Exhibit self-discipline, sportsmanship and teamwork, and understanding the value of each in every sport
• Understand that the values of self-discipline, sportsmanship and teamwork can be applied in daily life, not only on a playing field
• Understand the challenges of competition

 

Learn about athletics at the Senior School.

 

 

As personal devices become more integrated and widespread in society, understanding the languages and program design at their core becomes more crucial. Middle School computer science is a platform for students to become more knowledgeable about the coding and development behind their phones, apps, and games. Students focus on computational thinking, introductory robotics and writing computer programs to solve problems. In an environment that welcomes creativity, tinkering, and play, students build iteratively and with an artistic eye to reach a finished product. From writing code that powers Sphero robots around a course to learning program design in Scratch, Code.org, and TinkerCAD, students develop tools to assist, entertain and enrich.

 

Grade 6 Computer Science

After an introduction to Middle School technology, sixth-grade students venture into the world of robotics and computational thinking using Sphero robots, tape mazes, and their imaginations. After learning to solve problems using decomposition and pattern recognition, students pivot to a unit on game design using Scratch. Originally developed by the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at the MIT Media Lab, Scratch gives students early exposure to programming concepts through blocks and events. To end the year, Science and Computer Science classes collaborate on a Mars Rover Unit.  Students will get an introduction to the Lego Mindstorm robotics platform and design components for their rovers using TinkerCAD in our 3D printing lab.  

Resources include:

• Scratch programming language by MIT Media Lab
• Sphero app-enabled robotic ball
• TinkerCAD 3D design software
• FlashForge 3D printers

Grade 7 Computer Science

To begin the year, seventh-grade students will look at the nature of problem-solving and how to integrate computers into this process.  They will then pivot to a unit on computer programming and app design.  To help introduce programming elements such as conditional statements, functions, and variables, students will develop web apps in Javascript using Code.org's Applab. Then, students end the unit by developing a mobile app in Javascript that solves a real-world problem for a peer.  Mini-units in the Spring will also cover topics about digital privacy and safety in an increasingly online world. To end the year, students get a crash course in circuitry and robotics as they develop ramshackle robots using the Micro:bit and Hummingbird microcontrollers. 

Resources include:

• Sphero Robotics and Lightning Lab
• Code.org Computer Science Principles Course
• Code.org AppLab
• Micro:bit and Hummingbird microcontrollers

Grade 8 Computer Science

The Form II year takes a closer look at the process of problem-solving with a problem-based curriculum (PBL). To begin the year, students will design a robot that solves a problem in their household. They will also take a look at how algorithms and computational thinking can help throughout the design process.  We then pivot to a unit on Data Literacy where students take a look at how their public data (both intentional and otherwise) can affect their lives.  Students will then be working on design teams to create a web app for 6th-grade students to help with data awareness. To end the year, students will work to solve real-world search and rescue missions using Lego Mindstorm robotics and 3D printing technology. They will be tasked with designing and printing mobility and extraction equipment for their robots to help rescue disaster victims in a hostile environment. 

Resources include:

• Lego Mindstorms Robotics Kit
• Micro:bit and Hummingbird microcontrollers
• TinkerCAD 3D design software
• FlashForge 3D printers

Learn about the computer science curriculum at the Senior School.

The English program at the Middle School uses guiding questions to help students develop as critical thinkers while building a strong foundation in literature, writing and the mechanics of the English language. Students read a variety of authors and forms, including myths, fairy tales, poetry, short stories, memoirs, plays and novels. Through writing and revision, students learn to express ideas in formal paragraphs and essays. They also work on creative writing projects in poetry, fiction and memoir, and develop their personal literary taste through independent reading. Grammar and vocabulary are taught in all three years of the program.

Grade 6 English

In sixth grade English, students extend themselves as writers, readers and thinkers through a yearlong pursuit of the question “What is identity?” Writing assignments, literature choices and vocabulary are all matched to this essential question. Students practice writing and revision through informal writing and poetry as well as formal writing about literature. Students write multi-paragraph essays after instruction on the components of effective introductions, body paragraphs and conclusions. They learn how to extract convincing examples from a text, how to write analysis that explains their importance, and how to draw a conclusion that applies ideas to a larger context. As readers, sixth graders identify the literary elements of plot, setting, theme and characterization in multiple genres and become familiar with figurative language such as metaphor, simile, imagery, hyperbole and personification. They learn to think of books as carefully crafted artworks, discussing techniques such as foreshadowing and their effects on readers.  As part of the writing process, students explore their ideas about assigned texts by creating multimedia projects such as podcasts and iMovie trailers. Core reading outside of class allows students to explore and expand their literary tastes, and teachers match texts to individual students’ needs. Vocabulary instruction introduces new words with an emphasis on using the words with precision of meaning in appropriate contexts. Class texts have included A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park, Behind the Mountains by Edwidge Danticat, The Giver by Lois Lowry, poetry by Emily Dickinson, as well as myths and fairy tales from various cultural traditions and time periods.

Skill-building activities:

• Writing a formal essay with an introduction, body and conclusion
• Writing poetry and fiction
• Free writing to generate ideas for writing and for discussion
• Revising to improve content
• Proofreading to improve mechanics
• Discussing literature on metaphorical and literal levels, either in small groups, book clubs or within the larger class
• Identifying and using the eight parts of speech
• Working effectively with others
• Preparing for discussions, quizzes, tests, and presentations

Grade 7 English

Empathy, the ability to share and understand the feelings of others is one of humanity’s greatest strengths. Literature is inherently empathetic; it allows us to step into another person’s shoes and experience his or her life first-hand. In Form 1 English, we will delve into the importance of empathy and the conditions under which it is encouraged or diminished. 

Through our study of empathy-focused texts, students will build their close reading and literary analysis skills by unpacking texts for deeper meaning and studying the use of various literary techniques. As for writing, students will develop an understanding of themselves as writers and grow the revision skills necessary to create well-crafted and insightful submissions. Persuasive, creative and narrative writing assignments will also allow students to bring their outside interests and personal experiences into the classroom. Grammar and vocabulary instruction will be directly tied to writing, as students will be expected to regularly apply grammar skills and new vocabulary terms to their own writing.

While in class, students will frequently engage in Socratic Seminars and other structured class discussions, allowing them to take an active role in their learning by being engaged participants, empathetic listeners, and critical thinkers. Creative projects will help students build connections to other subjects and real life. Monthly selections of a core reading text will allow students to relish a favorite genre, challenge themselves, and explore new areas of interest. 

Units:

• The Seventh Most Important Thing by Shelley Pearsall
• The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
• The Pearl by John Steinbeck
• Persuasive writing
• Literature circles on the immigrant and refugee experiences
• Look Both Ways by Jason Reynolds

Skill-building activities:

• Writing formal analytical paragraphs
• Writing formal multi-paragraph analytical essays that defend a thesis statement
• Using properly cited evidence to prove a thesis
• Writing creative compositions that incorporate literary and rhetorical techniques
• Revising to improve content and mechanics
• Building vocabulary through routine word study
• Identifying various functions of parts of speech within the structure of a sentence
• Identifying and using clauses and punctuation in various sentence types
• Annotating a text to record personal responses, pose questions and analyze for deeper meaning
• Writing creative and narrative fiction that prioritize imagery, character development, dialogue and pacing
• Writing persuasive speeches that reveal a strong grasp of rhetorical strategy
• Preparing for discussions and Socratic seminars
• Studying for quizzes and tests

Grade 8 English

In eighth grade English, students practice critical thinking by examining literature and the world through the question, “What is justice?” Formal and informal writing assignments as well as the literature selections answer this essential question. Students hone their formal writing skills as they compose mature analytical essays. They acquire mastery of the five-paragraph form as well as other organizational structures for writing. Students incorporate evidence from various texts, and they continue to sharpen their analysis in their formal work, discussing symbolism, authors’ choices, and historical and biographical context. As readers, eighth-graders practice cooperative discussion regularly. Through frequent Socratic Seminars, students consider various viewpoints and learn to examine literature in a multi-dimensional way. Students all participate in projects that provide authentic audiences and require a direct engagement in society. From interviewing Holocaust survivors to reading testimonies from current global conflicts, students see the literature discourse as part of a larger social context. Each eighth-grade student completes at least nine texts independently throughout the year, and this autonomy with reading allows students to explore new cultures and genres. Vocabulary instruction introduces students to classical roots and prepares them to encounter new academic challenges. Class texts may include: It’s Trevor Noah by Trevor Noah, Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, Code Talker by Joseph Bruchac, Animal Farm by George Orwell, Night by Elie Wiesel, and Maus by Art Spiegelman.

Skill-building activities:

• Composing and editing formal analytical essays
• Creative writing through short memoir pieces or poetic forms such as sonnets
• Peer editing and teacher-conferencing with drafting
• Grammar instruction to elevate tone and style in writing
• Crafting evidence-based inferences when discussing literature
• Sentence combining through subordination and compound sentences
• Developing active-listening skills during discussion and group readings
• Increasing stamina and engagement with independent reading

Learn about the English curriculum at the Senior School.

Middle School students participate in health class for one semester every year. The program provides up-to-date information to support students in making healthy choices that affect their physical, mental/emotional and social well-being. The curriculum is age-appropriate at each grade level and helps students to learn how to make better decisions and how to effectively communicate those decisions to others. Students are encouraged to increase their health literacy in order to promote a healthy lifestyle.

Grade 6 Health

Sixth graders have health classes twice per seven-day cycle for one semester. Topics covered include:

• Introduction to health and wellness
• The Health Triangle
• Basic nutrition concepts
• Tobacco
• Peer pressure

Skill-building activities:

• Learning concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention
• Demonstrating the ability to access valid health information and health-promoting products and services
• Practicing health-enhancing behaviors to decrease health risks
• Analyzing the influence of culture, media, technology and other factors on health
• Demonstrating the ability to use communication skills, goal setting and decision making to enhance health
• Advocating for personal, family and community health

Grade 7 Health

Seventh graders have health classes three times per seven-day cycle for one semester. Topics covered include:

• Review of health concepts
• Alcohol
• Tobacco
• Illegal drugs
• Addiction and the nervous system

Skill-building activities:

• Learning concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention
• Demonstrating the ability to access valid health information and health-promoting products and services
• Practicing health-enhancing behaviors to decrease health risks
• Analyzing the influence of culture, media, technology and other factors on health
• Demonstrating the ability to use communication skills, goal setting and decision making to enhance health
• Advocating for personal, family and community health

Grade 8 Health

Eighth graders have health classes three times per seven-day cycle for one semester. Topics covered include:

• Advanced nutrition concepts related to sports performance
• Body Image and the effects of media
• Eating disorders
• Male and female anatomy
• Teen relationships
• Sexually Transmitted Infections
• HIV

Skill-building activities:

• Learning concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention
• Demonstrating the ability to access valid health information and health-promoting products and services
• Practicing health-enhancing behaviors to decrease health risks
• Analyzing the influence of culture, media, technology and other factors on health
• Demonstrating the ability to use communication skills, goal setting and decision making to enhance health
• Advocating for personal, family and community health

Learn about the health curriculum at the Senior School.

The library program in the Middle School encompasses a variety of skills and activities:

• Applying knowledge of the resources and opportunities the library offers locally and remotely to personal and educational needs.
• Locating, interpreting and using information for identified projects, reports, multimedia presentations and other works.
• Demonstrating proficiency with both print and non-print resources and emerging information technologies.
• Applying ethical standards to the gathering and use of information.
• Applying news literacy skills across all formats of information.
• Applying research skills across academic curriculum, independently and with others.
• Exhibiting an appreciation of literature personally and as part of the human and cultural experience.

Grade 6 Library

Research is an integral part of the sixth grade library program. Through the collaboration of the library and classroom, students learn to identify, locate, access, evaluate and use information specific to the academic discipline. Students use Destiny Quest, the library catalog, and other reader advisory sites to search, review and recommend books. Specific information skills such as defining research topics, using note cards, citing sources and evaluating websites are key components of research. Students gain an appreciation of literature through core reading, book talks, genre studies, borrowing, annual book fair and author visits. Students use multiple literacies and technologies to create and share projects.

Grade 7 Library

Research continues to be an integral part of the seventh grade library program. Continued collaboration of the library and classrooms enable students to build upon prior information-seeking skills. Specific information research skills such as evaluating sources of information for bias and credibility, executing database searches, using footnotes and citations, recognizing plagiarism and building bibliographies are scaffold upon previously learned skills. Students are introduced to GoodReads, a reader advisory site that promotes sharing and discussion of books. Students’ appreciation of literature is further enriched through projects, annual book fair, author visits and genre studies.

Grade 8 Library

The goal of eighth grade library is for students to be more independent in their use of the library for research and reading. Guided review of research skills and available resources, both print and non-print, prepares students for self-directed library work between the library and the classroom. Specific skills such as sophisticated search strategies, website evaluation, database searching and citing and ethical use of information supports learning in the classroom. Students are encouraged in this last year at the Middle School to stretch themselves as readers through more challenging fiction and non-fiction titles. This is executed through the use of teacher and student recommendations, GoodReads advisory website, multi-library borrowing and projects that promote and review literature.

Learn more about SSA's libraries.

The Middle School mathematics curriculum engages students with the how and why of mathematical procedures, and instructs them in several important principles:

• Using the language of mathematical discourse
• Using mathematics as a tool for modeling and solving problems
• Using mathematical skills, concepts and procedures in situations that simulate real-world applications
• Becoming proficient in the use of complementary technology

Two sequences of mathematics courses are offered. Most students take Grade 6 Math, Pre-Algebra and Algebra 1. Advanced math students may be placed into Pre-Algebra in sixth grade based on a placement test, followed by Algebra 1 and Geometry. Highly accelerated math students have the option to pursue independent study courses in math.

Grade 6 Math

In sixth grade math, students develop an understanding of how and why mathematical procedures work using the Math in Focus: Singapore Math curriculum. Students learn to master the arithmetic operations of whole numbers, decimals, fractions and percents. They learn and apply number theory including prime factorization, GCF, LCM, square roots and square numbers, and are introduced to positive and negative integers. From the beginning of the course, students use algebraic approaches to solve equations, inequalities and word problems, while also learning the basics of geometry, such as measuring segments and angles, finding perimeters and/or areas of polygons, and finding volumes of prisms and cylinders.

Skill-building activities:

• All skills are developed using the concrete-to-pictorial-to-abstract method
• Mastering arithmetic operations with whole numbers, decimals, fractions and percents
• Applying techniques of number theory
• Learning and using algebraic problem-solving approaches
• Becoming familiar with positive and negative integers and their arithmetic operations
• Learning basic geometric principles
• Learning perimeter, area and volume formulas

Resources include:

• Math in Focus - Course I, Houghton, Mifflin, Harcourt

Grades 6-7 Pre-Algebra

Pre-algebra students continue to develop their mathematical proficiency through the Math in Focus program by building and extending the skills learned in sixth grade math. Students work with more complex expressions and equations involving signed numbers. They develop the skills needed to recognize pattern and structure and to reason logically to solve word problems. Students study special angles such as vertical and alternate-interior angles, and are introduced to probability.

Skill-building activities:

• Developing an ability to simplify multi-step expressions and to solve multi-step equations
• Gaining knowledge of direct proportions
• Learning to work with geometric principles.

Resources include:

• Math in Focus - Course 2, Houghton, Mifflin, Harcourt

Grades 7-8 Algebra I

In Algebra I, students use their abilities to simplify expressions and solve equations to explore polynomials and factoring of quadratic expressions and equations. They study the concepts of graphing on a Cartesian coordinate plane, functions and systems of equations. Students also learn to apply the rules of exponents and radicals.

• Performing operations with signed numbers, including simplifying numeric and algebraic expressions
• Solving and graphing linear equations and systems of linear equations with various methods and interpreting information from their graphs
• Factoring quadratic expressions and using factoring to solve quadratic and algebraic equations
• Setting up and solving word problems algebraically
• Using technology to solve problems, experiment, interpret results and verify conclusions

Resources include:

• Algebra I: A Common Core Curriculum, by Big Ideas Learning

Grade 8 Geometry

By introducing students to the principles of logical reasoning in geometry, students develop their deductive and inductive reasoning skills. Students learn to provide informal justifications and arguments as well as two-column proofs and paragraph proofs.

Skill-building activities:

• Reasoning and proving fundamental aspects of mathematics
• Analyzing two- and three-dimensional figures, including their congruence and similarity
• Calculating areas and volumes
• Appreciating geometry as a deductive system

Resources include:

• Into Geometry, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Burger, Dixon, Kanald, Kaplinsky, M. Larson and Leinwand

Learn about the math curriculum at the Senior School.

Grades 6-8 Music

The Middle School music curriculum emphasizes individual growth and provides opportunities for all students to understand, participate in and enjoy the art of music as a lifelong experience. The study of the creative process and self-expression in music fosters self-confidence and develops an appreciation of the historical and cultural aspects of music. All students take music classes in grades 6-8 and can choose a large ensemble participation class (Concert Band, Chorus, String/Keyboards) or General Music (music appreciation for non-performers). In addition, students may choose to audition for smaller performance ensembles (Jazz Band, Core Choir, Select Strings).

Middle School Concert Band

Middle School band emphasizes instrumental performance and ensemble playing. Age-appropriate classical and contemporary music is studied, rehearsed and performed. Students are encouraged to understand music in relation to history, and to appreciate musical self-expression as an integral part of the human experience.

Students are required to have their own band instruments and possess basic note-reading skills. They are expected to practice music outside of class as their grade will reflect the level of improvement they make during each grading period and throughout the school year. Participation in school concerts and the graduation ceremony are required.

Skill-building activities:

• Gaining awareness of the function of his/her instrument group individually and in relation to the larger ensemble
• Maintaining a discipline of practice outside of school
• Warming up
• Practicing dynamic control and articulation
• Reading and interpreting musical notation
• Following musical direction as given through hand gestures or baton
• Practicing large ensemble progress, musicianship
• Building performance experience, technique and etiquette

Middle School Chorus

Middle School chorus emphasizes vocal performance and multi-part ensemble singing. A wide range of classical and contemporary music is studied, rehearsed and performed. Students are encouraged to understand music in relation to history and to appreciate musical self-expression as an integral part of the human experience.

Previous formal training is not required, but at a minimum, the student should be able to match pitches played on the piano, and sing a major scale (do, re, mi, fa, so, la, ti, do). Students are expected to practice their music outside of class, as their grade will reflect the level of improvement they make during each grading period and throughout the school year. Participation in rehearsals and concerts are required.

Skill-building activities:

• Singing on key, harmonizing and blending
• Developing an awareness of his/her individual function within a vocal group and in relation to the larger choir
• Reading and interpreting musical notation
• Executing rhythmic and tempo indications accurately
• Interpreting dynamics and paying attention to proper phrasing
• Following musical direction as given through hand gestures or baton
• Listening for interplay between and among mixed parts
• Practicing large ensemble progress, musicianship
• Building performance experience, technique and etiquette

Middle School Strings/Keyboards Ensemble

The strings/keyboards ensemble allows students experienced in violin, viola, cello or bass violin to practice and perform as a string ensemble. Students should have their own instrument and possess basic note-reading skills. Since there is rarely a full complement of string instruments to make a full ensemble, keyboard synthesizers are used to provide additional string sounds (keyboard players are also asked to play select piano parts). Students are encouraged to understand music in relation to history and to appreciate musical self-expression as an integral part of the human experience.

This ensemble performs classical and contemporary music and occasionally a jazz-for-strings composition. Students are expected to practice their music outside of class, as their grade will reflect the level of improvement they make during each grading period and throughout the school year. Full participation in rehearsals and concerts is required.

Skill-building activities:

• Developing an awareness of his/her individual function within the instrument group and in relation to the larger ensemble
• Applying proper instrument technique
• Reading and interpreting musical notation
• Executing rhythmic and tempo indications accurately
• Interpreting dynamics and paying attention to proper phrasing
• Following musical direction as given through hand gestures or baton
• Practicing ensemble-playing, musicianship
• Building performance experience, technique and etiquette

Middle School General Music

General music coursework involves the basic components of rhythm, melody, harmony and musical form. Students develop skills and vocabulary to analyze and discuss a variety of musical genres, through class participation, musical listening, ear training, in-class singing, playing instruments and cooperative learning. Students are encouraged to understand music in relation to history and to appreciate musical self-expression as an integral part of the human experience.

Skill-building activities:

• Gaining music appreciation from hands-on experience
• Identifying dynamic changes, meter signature, syncopation
• Developing critical listening skills by identifying vocal and instrumental tone color, orchestral families
• Understanding developments of musical history
• Learning the anatomy of melody: major and minor, melodic contour, phrases, monophonic, polyphonic, homophonic textures
• Understanding harmony: identifying tonal and atonal music, blues scale, harmonic textures, dorian and mixolydian modes
• Identifying repetition and contrast in dynamics, tempo and articulation
• Identifying verse-refrain (AB), theme and variations, subject and episode, arch, rondo, sonata-allegro, augmentation and improvisation

Resources include:

• Share the Music, McGraw Hill

Learn about the arts curriculum at the Senior School.

Grades 6-8 Physical Education

The Middle School physical education program strives to reach students of all ability levels and directly encourage their psycho-motor, cognitive and affective growth. The program encourages students to adopt regular physical activity as a means of maintaining physical health and an avenue toward total wellness. Students are exposed to a wide variety of developmentally appropriate curricular offerings that include individual and team sport activities, rhythm and dance activities, aerobic and strength training activities, lifetime activities, cooperative group activities and outdoor adventure activities. The objective of the physical education program closely follows national physical education standards.

All students have one semester of PE classes and one semester of health classes. Sixth graders have PE two times per seven-day cycle, while seventh and eighth graders have PE three times per cycle.

Skill-building activities:

• Gain competency in the motor skills and movement patterns needed to perform a variety of physical activities
• Gain an understanding of movement concepts, principles, strategies and tactics as applied to the learning of physical activities
• Understand the importance of participation in regular physical activity
• Achieve and maintaining a health-enhancing level of physical fitness
• Exhibit responsible personal and social behavior that respects self and others in physical activity settings
• Gain understanding of the values of physical activity for health, enjoyment, challenge, self-expression and/or social interaction

Learn about the athletics program at the Senior School.

The science program exposes students to a variety of topics in the world around them, through a mixture of classroom, laboratory and field-trip experiences.

• In Earth Science, students explore factors that influence the global environment.
• In Life Science, students gain an appreciation for the organization and interactions of living organisms in their immediate world.
• In Environmental Science, students explore the effects of natural and unnatural processes, and the interactions of the physical components of the planet, on the environment.
• Students taking Geometry in their eighth grade year may exercise an option to take the ninth grade Physics 1 course instead of the Environmental Science course. Students will have the opportunity to explore several basic physics concepts and increase their knowledge of experimental design, motion and energy.

In all three years of the program, students develop written and verbal communication skills through reading, interpretation of data, and organizational and analytical-thinking activities. Computation, equation-solving and graphing are also important mathematics applications that are incorporated into the curriculum.

Grade 6 Earth Science

The sixth grade earth science course integrates reading, writing and thinking skills with scientific inquiry. Students conduct scientific investigations through laboratory experimentation, library research and field trips. Course information is presented in a flipped-classroom format and reinforced through hands-on laboratory activities in class. Topics covered include: the nature of science, minerals, rocks, plate tectonics, earthquakes, volcanoes, fossils, geologic time, weather and pollution.

Skill-building activities:

• Reading a section of the textbook and taking notes
• Connecting classroom discussions to real world examples and problems
• Studying and preparing for tests
• Solving problems with experimentation
• Working in a lab group to conduct experiments
• Generating questions to answer through scientific investigation
• Using scientific language in written communication
• Using the Internet and library resources to conduct research

Resources include:

• Earth and Space: Science (McGraw Hill 2019)

Grade 7 Life Science

The seventh grade life science course covers a wide range of topics and skills in the field of biology. Students learn about lab equipment and safety procedures while using the scientific method to perform experiments. Also introduced are the parts of the cell, the principles of Mendelian genetics and the levels of organization of the human body. Students review a description of the human body systems and their functions, and also gain knowledge of the six kingdoms of classification and the tools that scientists use to classify living organisms.

Skill-building activities:

• Identifying and safely using lab equipment
• Learning the proper format of a lab report
• Constructing and interpreting graphs
• Writing comparison/contrast answers
• Solving probability and genetics problems
• Learning dissecting techniques for owl pellets, flowers, animals
• Creating and reading a dichotomous key
• Writing a research paper based on original work

Resources include:

• Biology, Stephen Nowicki, Holt, Reinhart and Winston 2012

Grade 8 Environmental Science

The eighth grade environmental science course introduces students to some of the basic concepts of environmental science. Students begin to reflect on how they personally impact the environment and how to lessen their ecological footprint. Topics include human interaction with the environment, tools and techniques for studying environmental science, the biosphere, the cycles of the ecosystems, pollution and energy usage. Students incorporate reading, writing and thinking skills into scientific investigations and traditional homework assignments. Course information is presented through lectures, PowerPoint presentations, projects, demonstrations and hands-on laboratory activities.

Skill-building activities:

• Identifying and safely using lab equipment
• Constructing and interpreting graphs
• Reading sections of the textbook and taking notes
• Connecting classroom discussions to real world examples and problems
• Following step-by-step lab procedures
• Working in a lab or research group with specified roles
• Analyzing experimental data to construct a reasonable conclusion
• Using the Internet and library resources to conduct research

Resources include:

• Environmental Science, Houghton Mifflin Hardcourt Publishing Co., 2013

 

Grade 8 Physics 1

The eighth grade Physics 1 course places an emphasis on designing and executing well-controlled experiments, collecting consistent data and developing skills for analyzing, interpreting and explaining the data. Students will develop and use models to explain phenomena that occur in the natural world using the fundamental physical principles from Newtonian mechanics. Topics of study include constant velocity motion, accelerated motion, Newton’s Laws and energy.

Skill Building Activities:

• Designing experiments keeping dependent and independent variables in mind
• Using Vernier sensors to record data
• Analyzing and interpreting experimental data
• Working in a collaborative laboratory setting
• Writing relevant analyses and conclusions based on experimental data
• Applying concepts of motion and energy to real world scenarios.

Resources include:

• Physics 1 Workbook

Learn about the science curriculum at the Senior School.

The Middle School social studies curriculum helps students develop historical knowledge using inquiry, critical thinking, decision making and interpersonal skills. Students cultivate an appreciation for cultural differences, historical periods, and continuity and change, while also exploring the concepts and practices of civic life. Through various activities, students build skills in reading, writing, organization and analysis.

Grade 6 Social Studies: World History

The sixth grade world history course focuses on the geography, history and cultures of Asia, Africa and Latin America. The program is further divided into units covering topics suited to each region of the world. Each unit begins with a geographic introduction emphasizing location, place, environment, movement and regions. Succeeding lessons focus on any of six thematic strands of social studies: history, geography, sociology, economics, political science and technology. In addition, students explore native cultures and religions of Asia, Africa and the Americas, and examine and analyze significant historical events that shaped modernity. The skills of reading, writing, thinking and computer literacy are practiced throughout each unit. The goals of the course are to familiarize students with non-western cultures and acquaint them with new and difference perspectives of the human experience.

Skill-building activities:

• Investigating change, continuity, and resistance to change in cultures, governments, economic systems and social processes in different eras
• Exploring the relationship between belief systems and cultures in order to make comparisons and influences
• Developing critical reading skills to identify main ideas, frame of reference, fact and opinion, and bias
• Developing writing, artistic, speaking, and research skills through essay writing, media skills and collaborative projects across disciplinary lines
• Cultivating an information base in history and social sciences to recognize relevant connections between the past and present
• Using technology for interdisciplinary research and projects

Resources include:

• Multiple sources including the Internet, videos, newspapers, magazines, novels, poems and historical fiction

Grade 7 Social Studies: U.S. History to the 20th Century

Seventh grade history is guided by several essential questions, such as why people move and how people impact their surroundings, as students explore United States history from pre-Colonial times to the late 19th century. The course investigates relationships between and among historical events and concepts, and considers the events that shape history by viewing them from the geographic, social, political and economic perspectives.

Skill-building activities:

• Using independent research and cooperative problem-solving to form connections between the past and the present
• Integrating social studies skills and content with skills developed in English, art, science and math courses
• Articulating ideas in a variety of forms including the artistic, oral and written forms
• Using technology for interdisciplinary research and projects

Resources include:

• My World Interactive: American History, Davidson, James West, Stoff, Michael B. Bertolet, Jennifer L., Pearson Education, Inc. New York, New York. 2019.
• Numerous videos, DVDs, maps, primary sources, newspapers and magazine articles, and the Internet

Grade 8 Social Studies: U.S. History: The Modern Era

This course examines big questions about American identity, culture, freedom, and justice. The primary goal of the course is to study the historical, economic, political, and technological changes that have occurred in the United States from the turn of the 20th century to modern day. Eighth grade students examine the effects of the Civil War, the consequences of imperialism, World War I, and the years between the wars. Students also analyze World War II and its aftermath, particularly the Cold War, Civil Rights movement, Korea and Vietnam Wars, and contemporary social problems. The course compares various ideological systems such as capitalism and communism, from autocratic to democratic, along with the evolution of U.S. foreign policies in dealing with the challenges of the 20th and 21st centuries. 

Skill-building activities:

• Participating in both individual and group learning activities such as seminars and simulations
• Participating in activities that offer a framework for reflection, and encourage students to think critically about their experiences through exposure to a variety of viewpoints
• Evaluating both the decisions of government and the decision makers
• Developing historical and social science knowledge using inquiry, critical thinking, decision-making and interpersonal skills
• Exploring the concepts and practices of civic virtues and citizen responsibility
• Developing reading, writing, research, organizational and analytical skills
• Writing a formal multi-paragraph argumentative research essay that defends a thesis statement
• Using properly cited evidence to prove a thesis
• Integrating interdisciplinary activities with other subjects, including English and Art
• Expressing ideas in a variety of forms including the artistic, oral and written forms. 

Resources include:

• My World Interactive: American History, Davidson, James West, Stoff, Michael B. Bertolet, Jennifer L., Pearson Education, Inc. New York, New York. 2019.
• Numerous videos, DVDs, maps, primary sources, newspapers and magazine articles, and the Internet

Learn about the history curriculum at the Senior School.

Grade 6 Study Skills

All sixth graders take a Study Skills course where academic and organizational skills are developed and reinforced. Students explore individual strengths and weaknesses, determine their learning styles and discover strategies for success in their academic and arts courses. Topics include preparing a nightly individualized study plan, specific study techniques, time management, active listening, reading textbooks, taking notes, highlighting, reviewing notes, test preparation, concentration, use of library and online sources, managing homework and self-advocacy skills.

Resources include:

• The Middle School Student's Guide to Ruling the World, Susan Mulcaire
• SOAR Study Skills, Susan Woodcock Kruger
• Learning to Learn, Gloria Frender

The Middle School world languages program consists of courses in Latin, Spanish and Chinese. All students will develop skills to understand the grammar and syntax of each language. The curriculum helps students to build a vocabulary in each language and make connections with English word derivatives or cognates.

• In Latin, students develop the ability to read and write with accuracy.
• In Spanish and Chinese, students develop speaking, listening, reading and writing skills.

As they learn each language, students explore the geography, history and customs of Chinese and Spanish speaking countries, along with the Roman influence on Western civilization, including mythology.

Grade 6 Spanish, Latin and Chinese

In the sixth grade, all students take one trimester each of Spanish, Latin and Mandarin Chinese. In each class, students learn the fundamentals of the language, and in Spanish and Chinese speaking and listening skills as well as writing are stressed. At the end of sixth grade, students choose from one of the three languages to pursue for the next two years as seventh and eighth graders.

Skill-building activities:

• Speaking and listening
• Written communication
• Grammar and syntax

Grade 7 Latin

Seventh grade Latin continues the introduction of the language and culture of the Romans. Students gain a broad Latin vocabulary and learn many associated English derivatives. Analytical skills are rigorously developed, as Latin provides an ideal foundation in the grammatical logic of European language. Students also explore Roman culture and its influence through large project-based thematic units such as mythology and history. The study of Latin provides students with an invaluable basis for the study of other languages, including English, and a grasp of ancient historical factors that continue to define our own civilization.

Skill-building activities:

• Learning the grammar and syntax of Latin
• Becoming conversant with grammatical terminology and the skills necessary for learning a language
• Expanding English vocabulary by learning words that are derived from Latin
• Develop sense of history and cultural inheritance through projects, readings and class discussion

 

Grade 7 Spanish

In seventh grade Spanish, the intent is for students to familiarize themselves with the language and the cultures that various Spanish-speaking countries offer. Students practice vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation, which will aid them in building their Spanish speaking and listening skills. The units covered throughout the year, such as greetings, family, school, etc., are built on each other to ensure proficiency in the Spanish language for the students.

Skill-building activities:

• Learning vocabulary and grammatical structures
• Applying and recognizing various verb conjugations
• Developing writing and oral skills
• Discussing and comparing different Spanish cultures

Resources include:

• Vistas, 6th edition, 2020, Vista Higher Learning

Grade 7 Chinese

The focus of seventh grade Chinese is to introduce students to both the Mandarin Chinese language and modern Chinese culture. Students study basic, practical vocabulary, grammar, culture and pronunciation. This course helps students build basic speaking and listening skills while introducing Chinese characters. Students learn to express themselves and communicate with others on topics closely related to their own experiences and daily life. The units cover familiar topics such as introductions, home and family, classroom activity, shopping and numbers. Upon successful completion of this course, students are proficient in the pinyin phonetic alphabet, able to write approximately 60 radicals and 70 Chinese Hanzi characters from memory, and able to recognize more than 200 Chinese characters. This class also introduces students to elements of Chinese culture including food, calligraphy, poetry, music, movies, painting and crafts.

Skill-building activities:

• Introduce and discuss vocabulary and grammatical structures related to everyday activities
• Reinforce culture by incorporating interdisciplinary cooperation and collaboration, such as computer, art and library research.
• Paired conversational situations, audio activities, speaking evaluations and projects
• Writing autobiographies and composing skits
• Discuss and compare different aspects of Chinese culture

Grade 8 Latin

Students in eighth grade Latin learn advanced grammar and syntax. Complex linguistic concepts and rhetorical devices are studied in detail. By translating sections of Latin prose and creating substantial compositions in the language, students see Latin as a means of communicating narratives, thoughts and ideas. In addition, our ongoing study of Roman culture embraces themes crucial to an adequate understanding of the modern world.

Skill-building activities:

• Learning the grammar and syntax of Latin
• Becoming conversant with grammatical terminology and the skills necessary for learning a language
• Expand and enrich English vocabulary by learning words that are derived from Latin
• Develop sense of history and cultural inheritance through projects, readings and class discussion

Grade 8 Spanish

In eighth grade Spanish, students continue to familiarize themselves with the language and the cultures that various Spanish-speaking countries offer. Students practice vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation, which will aid them in building their Spanish speaking and listening skills.

Skill-building activities:

• Learning vocabulary and grammatical structures
• Applying and recognizing various verb conjugations
• Developing writing and oral skills
• Discussing and comparing different Spanish cultures
• Practicing short dialogues and engaging in conversations

Resources include:

• Vistas, 6th edition, 2020, Vista Higher Learning 

Grade 8 Chinese

In eighth grade Chinese, students continue their experience in both Mandarin Chinese language and modern Chinese culture. Students study basic, practical vocabulary, grammar, culture, and pronunciation. The course helps students build basic speaking and listening skills while introducing Chinese characters. Students learn to express themselves and communicate with others on topics closely related to their own experiences and daily life. The units cover familiar topics such as introductions, home, and family, classroom activity, shopping, and numbers. Upon successful completion of this course, students are proficient in the pinyin phonetic alphabet, able to write approximately 100 radicals and 100 Chinese Hanzi characters from memory, and able to recognize more than 400 Chinese characters. This class also exposes students to elements of Chinese culture including food, calligraphy, poetry, music, movies, painting, and crafts.

Skill-building activities:

• Introduce and discuss vocabulary and grammatical structures related to everyday activities
• Reinforce culture by incorporating interdisciplinary cooperation and collaboration, such as computer, art, and library research.
• Paired conversational situations, audio activities, speaking evaluations and projects
• Writing autobiographies and composing skits
• Discuss and compare different aspects of Chinese culture

Learn about the world languages curriculum at the Senior School.

In sixth grade, during the transition to Middle School, students receive care and guidance in the sixth grade wing, where dedicated advisors and teachers help ensure their success.

Grade 6 Art

• May include 2D design, drawing, painting, collage, clay, 3D media

Grades 6-8 Athletics & Activities

At the Middle School, we strongly believe that skills and lessons learned on the athletic field and dramatic stage can be just as important in life as the academic accomplishments. Our co-curricular program of athletics and activities provides each student with choices that include competitive team sports, non-competitive group sports, drama and art opportunities, as well as opportunities in math and science competitions. Every student chooses one activity in each of the three terms, and at least one of those selections must be a “movement” option.

In athletic options, students are coached by faculty members as well as outside coaches, with the goal of providing the student with the fundamental skills and strategies of that particular sport. Students are expected to be prepared for each practice and to fully take part every day, whether practice or a game.

 

Lessons learned in these afternoon activities include winning and losing with dignity, grace and character. Coaches stress the importance of sportsmanship, perseverance, teamwork and cooperation. Opportunities for leadership are available to all students within every team.

General competition guidelines:

• Sixth graders in a competitive activity could have one game per week
• Students in seventh and eighth grades will have no more than two games per week

View a list of athletics & activities

Skill-building activities:

• Demonstrate competency in the fundamental skills used in each sport/activity
• Demonstrate continued development and understanding of a particular sport/activity at each grade level
• Exhibit self-discipline, sportsmanship and teamwork, and understanding the value of each in every sport
• Understand that the values of self-discipline, sportsmanship and teamwork can be applied in daily life, not only on a playing field
• Understand the challenges of competition

 

Learn about athletics at the Senior School.

 

Grade 6 Computer Science

After an introduction to Middle School technology, sixth-grade students venture into the world of robotics and computational thinking using Sphero robots, tape mazes, and their imaginations. After learning to solve problems using decomposition and pattern recognition, students pivot to a unit on game design using Scratch. Originally developed by the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at the MIT Media Lab, Scratch gives students early exposure to programming concepts through blocks and events. To end the year, Science and Computer Science classes collaborate on a Mars Rover Unit.  Students will get an introduction to the Lego Mindstorm robotics platform and design components for their rovers using TinkerCAD in our 3D printing lab.  

Resources include:

• Scratch programming language by MIT Media Lab
• Sphero app-enabled robotic ball
• TinkerCAD 3D design software
• FlashForge 3D printers

Grade 6 English

In sixth grade English, students extend themselves as writers, readers and thinkers through a yearlong pursuit of the question “What is identity?” Writing assignments, literature choices and vocabulary are all matched to this essential question. Students practice writing and revision through informal writing and poetry as well as formal writing about literature. Students write multi-paragraph essays after instruction on the components of effective introductions, body paragraphs and conclusions. They learn how to extract convincing examples from a text, how to write analysis that explains their importance, and how to draw a conclusion that applies ideas to a larger context. As readers, sixth graders identify the literary elements of plot, setting, theme and characterization in multiple genres and become familiar with figurative language such as metaphor, simile, imagery, hyperbole and personification. They learn to think of books as carefully crafted artworks, discussing techniques such as foreshadowing and their effects on readers.  As part of the writing process, students explore their ideas about assigned texts by creating multimedia projects such as podcasts and iMovie trailers. Core reading outside of class allows students to explore and expand their literary tastes, and teachers match texts to individual students’ needs. Vocabulary instruction introduces new words with an emphasis on using the words with precision of meaning in appropriate contexts. Class texts have included A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park, Behind the Mountains by Edwidge Danticat, The Giver by Lois Lowry, poetry by Emily Dickinson, as well as myths and fairy tales from various cultural traditions and time periods.

Skill-building activities:

• Writing a formal essay with an introduction, body and conclusion
• Writing poetry and fiction
• Free writing to generate ideas for writing and for discussion
• Revising to improve content
• Proofreading to improve mechanics
• Discussing literature on metaphorical and literal levels, either in small groups, book clubs or within the larger class
• Identifying and using the eight parts of speech
• Working effectively with others
• Preparing for discussions, quizzes, tests, and presentations

Grade 6 Health

Sixth graders have health classes twice per seven-day cycle for one semester. Topics covered include:

• Introduction to health and wellness
• The Health Triangle
• Basic nutrition concepts
• Tobacco
• Peer pressure

Skill-building activities:

• Learning concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention
• Demonstrating the ability to access valid health information and health-promoting products and services
• Practicing health-enhancing behaviors to decrease health risks
• Analyzing the influence of culture, media, technology and other factors on health
• Demonstrating the ability to use communication skills, goal setting and decision making to enhance health
• Advocating for personal, family and community health

Grade 6 Library

Research is an integral part of the sixth grade library program. Through the collaboration of the library and classroom, students learn to identify, locate, access, evaluate and use information specific to the academic discipline. Students use Destiny Quest, the library catalog, and other reader advisory sites to search, review and recommend books. Specific information skills such as defining research topics, using note cards, citing sources and evaluating websites are key components of research. Students gain an appreciation of literature through core reading, book talks, genre studies, borrowing, annual book fair and author visits. Students use multiple literacies and technologies to create and share projects.

Grade 6 Math

In sixth grade math, students develop an understanding of how and why mathematical procedures work using the Math in Focus: Singapore Math curriculum. Students learn to master the arithmetic operations of whole numbers, decimals, fractions and percents. They learn and apply number theory including prime factorization, GCF, LCM, square roots and square numbers, and are introduced to positive and negative integers. From the beginning of the course, students use algebraic approaches to solve equations, inequalities and word problems, while also learning the basics of geometry, such as measuring segments and angles, finding perimeters and/or areas of polygons, and finding volumes of prisms and cylinders.

Skill-building activities:

• All skills are developed using the concrete-to-pictorial-to-abstract method
• Mastering arithmetic operations with whole numbers, decimals, fractions and percents
• Applying techniques of number theory
• Learning and using algebraic problem-solving approaches
• Becoming familiar with positive and negative integers and their arithmetic operations
• Learning basic geometric principles
• Learning perimeter, area and volume formulas

Resources include:

• Math in Focus - Course I, Houghton, Mifflin, Harcourt

Grades 6-8 Music

The Middle School music curriculum emphasizes individual growth and provides opportunities for all students to understand, participate in and enjoy the art of music as a lifelong experience. The study of the creative process and self-expression in music fosters self-confidence and develops an appreciation of the historical and cultural aspects of music. All students take music classes in grades 6-8 and can choose a large ensemble participation class (Concert Band, Chorus, String/Keyboards) or General Music (music appreciation for non-performers). In addition, students may choose to audition for smaller performance ensembles (Jazz Band, Core Choir, Select Strings).

Middle School Concert Band

Middle School band emphasizes instrumental performance and ensemble playing. Age-appropriate classical and contemporary music is studied, rehearsed and performed. Students are encouraged to understand music in relation to history, and to appreciate musical self-expression as an integral part of the human experience.

Students are required to have their own band instruments and possess basic note-reading skills. They are expected to practice music outside of class as their grade will reflect the level of improvement they make during each grading period and throughout the school year. Participation in school concerts and the graduation ceremony are required.

Skill-building activities:

• Gaining awareness of the function of his/her instrument group individually and in relation to the larger ensemble
• Maintaining a discipline of practice outside of school
• Warming up
• Practicing dynamic control and articulation
• Reading and interpreting musical notation
• Following musical direction as given through hand gestures or baton
• Practicing large ensemble progress, musicianship
• Building performance experience, technique and etiquette

Middle School Chorus

Middle School chorus emphasizes vocal performance and multi-part ensemble singing. A wide range of classical and contemporary music is studied, rehearsed and performed. Students are encouraged to understand music in relation to history and to appreciate musical self-expression as an integral part of the human experience.

Previous formal training is not required, but at a minimum, the student should be able to match pitches played on the piano, and sing a major scale (do, re, mi, fa, so, la, ti, do). Students are expected to practice their music outside of class, as their grade will reflect the level of improvement they make during each grading period and throughout the school year. Participation in rehearsals and concerts are required.

Skill-building activities:

• Singing on key, harmonizing and blending
• Developing an awareness of his/her individual function within a vocal group and in relation to the larger choir
• Reading and interpreting musical notation
• Executing rhythmic and tempo indications accurately
• Interpreting dynamics and paying attention to proper phrasing
• Following musical direction as given through hand gestures or baton
• Listening for interplay between and among mixed parts
• Practicing large ensemble progress, musicianship
• Building performance experience, technique and etiquette

Middle School Strings/Keyboards Ensemble

The strings/keyboards ensemble allows students experienced in violin, viola, cello or bass violin to practice and perform as a string ensemble. Students should have their own instrument and possess basic note-reading skills. Since there is rarely a full complement of string instruments to make a full ensemble, keyboard synthesizers are used to provide additional string sounds (keyboard players are also asked to play select piano parts). Students are encouraged to understand music in relation to history and to appreciate musical self-expression as an integral part of the human experience.

This ensemble performs classical and contemporary music and occasionally a jazz-for-strings composition. Students are expected to practice their music outside of class, as their grade will reflect the level of improvement they make during each grading period and throughout the school year. Full participation in rehearsals and concerts is required.

Skill-building activities:

• Developing an awareness of his/her individual function within the instrument group and in relation to the larger ensemble
• Applying proper instrument technique
• Reading and interpreting musical notation
• Executing rhythmic and tempo indications accurately
• Interpreting dynamics and paying attention to proper phrasing
• Following musical direction as given through hand gestures or baton
• Practicing ensemble-playing, musicianship
• Building performance experience, technique and etiquette

Middle School General Music

General music coursework involves the basic components of rhythm, melody, harmony and musical form. Students develop skills and vocabulary to analyze and discuss a variety of musical genres, through class participation, musical listening, ear training, in-class singing, playing instruments and cooperative learning. Students are encouraged to understand music in relation to history and to appreciate musical self-expression as an integral part of the human experience.

Skill-building activities:

• Gaining music appreciation from hands-on experience
• Identifying dynamic changes, meter signature, syncopation
• Developing critical listening skills by identifying vocal and instrumental tone color, orchestral families
• Understanding developments of musical history
• Learning the anatomy of melody: major and minor, melodic contour, phrases, monophonic, polyphonic, homophonic textures
• Understanding harmony: identifying tonal and atonal music, blues scale, harmonic textures, dorian and mixolydian modes
• Identifying repetition and contrast in dynamics, tempo and articulation
• Identifying verse-refrain (AB), theme and variations, subject and episode, arch, rondo, sonata-allegro, augmentation and improvisation

Resources include:

• Share the Music, McGraw Hill

Grades 6-8 Physical Education

The Middle School physical education program strives to reach students of all ability levels and directly encourage their psycho-motor, cognitive and affective growth. The program encourages students to adopt regular physical activity as a means of maintaining physical health and an avenue toward total wellness. Students are exposed to a wide variety of developmentally appropriate curricular offerings that include individual and team sport activities, rhythm and dance activities, aerobic and strength training activities, lifetime activities, cooperative group activities and outdoor adventure activities. The objective of the physical education program closely follows national physical education standards.

All students have one semester of PE classes and one semester of health classes. Sixth graders have PE two times per seven-day cycle, while seventh and eighth graders have PE three times per cycle.

Skill-building activities:

• Gain competency in the motor skills and movement patterns needed to perform a variety of physical activities
• Gain an understanding of movement concepts, principles, strategies and tactics as applied to the learning of physical activities
• Understand the importance of participation in regular physical activity
• Achieve and maintaining a health-enhancing level of physical fitness
• Exhibit responsible personal and social behavior that respects self and others in physical activity settings
• Gain understanding of the values of physical activity for health, enjoyment, challenge, self-expression and/or social interaction

Grade 6 Earth Science

The sixth grade earth science course integrates reading, writing and thinking skills with scientific inquiry. Students conduct scientific investigations through laboratory experimentation, library research and field trips. Course information is presented in a flipped-classroom format and reinforced through hands-on laboratory activities in class. Topics covered include: the nature of science, minerals, rocks, plate tectonics, earthquakes, volcanoes, fossils, geologic time, weather and pollution.

Skill-building activities:

• Reading a section of the textbook and taking notes
• Connecting classroom discussions to real world examples and problems
• Studying and preparing for tests
• Solving problems with experimentation
• Working in a lab group to conduct experiments
• Generating questions to answer through scientific investigation
• Using scientific language in written communication
• Using the Internet and library resources to conduct research

Resources include:

• Earth and Space: Science (McGraw Hill 2019)

Grade 6 Study Skills

All sixth graders take a Study Skills course where academic and organizational skills are developed and reinforced. Students explore individual strengths and weaknesses, determine their learning styles and discover strategies for success in their academic and arts courses. Topics include preparing a nightly individualized study plan, specific study techniques, time management, active listening, reading textbooks, taking notes, highlighting, reviewing notes, test preparation, concentration, use of library and online sources, managing homework and self-advocacy skills.

Resources include:

• The Middle School Student's Guide to Ruling the World, Susan Mulcaire
• SOAR Study Skills, Susan Woodcock Kruger
• Learning to Learn, Gloria Frender

Grade 6 Social Studies: World History

The sixth grade world history course focuses on the geography, history and cultures of Asia, Africa and Latin America. The program is further divided into units covering topics suited to each region of the world. Each unit begins with a geographic introduction emphasizing location, place, environment, movement and regions. Succeeding lessons focus on any of six thematic strands of social studies: history, geography, sociology, economics, political science and technology. In addition, students explore native cultures and religions of Asia, Africa and the Americas, and examine and analyze significant historical events that shaped modernity. The skills of reading, writing, thinking and computer literacy are practiced throughout each unit. The goals of the course are to familiarize students with non-western cultures and acquaint them with new and difference perspectives of the human experience.

Skill-building activities:

• Investigating change, continuity, and resistance to change in cultures, governments, economic systems and social processes in different eras
• Exploring the relationship between belief systems and cultures in order to make comparisons and influences
• Developing critical reading skills to identify main ideas, frame of reference, fact and opinion, and bias
• Developing writing, artistic, speaking, and research skills through essay writing, media skills and collaborative projects across disciplinary lines
• Cultivating an information base in history and social sciences to recognize relevant connections between the past and present
• Using technology for interdisciplinary research and projects

Resources include:

• Multiple sources including the Internet, videos, newspapers, magazines, novels, poems and historical fiction

Grade 6 Spanish, Latin and Chinese

In the sixth grade, all students take one trimester each of Spanish, Latin and Mandarin Chinese. In each class, students learn the fundamentals of the language, and in Spanish and Chinese speaking and listening skills as well as writing are stressed. At the end of sixth grade, students choose from one of the three languages to pursue for the next two years as seventh and eighth graders.

Skill-building activities:

• Speaking and listening
• Written communication
• Grammar and syntax

In seventh grade, students face new academic challenges and responsibilities while meeting daily with advisors who help them emerge successfully from the transitional time of sixth grade.

Grade 7 Art

• May include 2D design, printmaking, 3D design, sculpture/assemblage, video, drawing

Grades 6-8 Athletics & Activities

At the Middle School, we strongly believe that skills and lessons learned on the athletic field and dramatic stage can be just as important in life as the academic accomplishments. Our co-curricular program of athletics and activities provides each student with choices that include competitive team sports, non-competitive group sports, drama and art opportunities, as well as opportunities in math and science competitions. Every student chooses one activity in each of the three terms, and at least one of those selections must be a “movement” option.

In athletic options, students are coached by faculty members as well as outside coaches, with the goal of providing the student with the fundamental skills and strategies of that particular sport. Students are expected to be prepared for each practice and to fully take part every day, whether practice or a game.

 

Lessons learned in these afternoon activities include winning and losing with dignity, grace and character. Coaches stress the importance of sportsmanship, perseverance, teamwork and cooperation. Opportunities for leadership are available to all students within every team.

General competition guidelines:

• Sixth graders in a competitive activity could have one game per week
• Students in seventh and eighth grades will have no more than two games per week

View a list of athletics & activities

Skill-building activities:

• Demonstrate competency in the fundamental skills used in each sport/activity
• Demonstrate continued development and understanding of a particular sport/activity at each grade level
• Exhibit self-discipline, sportsmanship and teamwork, and understanding the value of each in every sport
• Understand that the values of self-discipline, sportsmanship and teamwork can be applied in daily life, not only on a playing field
• Understand the challenges of competition

 

Learn about athletics at the Senior School.

 

Grade 7 Computer Science

To begin the year, seventh-grade students will look at the nature of problem-solving and how to integrate computers into this process.  They will then pivot to a unit on computer programming and app design.  To help introduce programming elements such as conditional statements, functions, and variables, students will develop web apps in Javascript using Code.org's Applab. Then, students end the unit by developing a mobile app in Javascript that solves a real-world problem for a peer.  Mini-units in the Spring will also cover topics about digital privacy and safety in an increasingly online world. To end the year, students get a crash course in circuitry and robotics as they develop ramshackle robots using the Micro:bit and Hummingbird microcontrollers. 

Resources include:

• Sphero Robotics and Lightning Lab
• Code.org Computer Science Principles Course
• Code.org AppLab
• Micro:bit and Hummingbird microcontrollers

Grade 7 English

Empathy, the ability to share and understand the feelings of others is one of humanity’s greatest strengths. Literature is inherently empathetic; it allows us to step into another person’s shoes and experience his or her life first-hand. In Form 1 English, we will delve into the importance of empathy and the conditions under which it is encouraged or diminished. 

Through our study of empathy-focused texts, students will build their close reading and literary analysis skills by unpacking texts for deeper meaning and studying the use of various literary techniques. As for writing, students will develop an understanding of themselves as writers and grow the revision skills necessary to create well-crafted and insightful submissions. Persuasive, creative and narrative writing assignments will also allow students to bring their outside interests and personal experiences into the classroom. Grammar and vocabulary instruction will be directly tied to writing, as students will be expected to regularly apply grammar skills and new vocabulary terms to their own writing.

While in class, students will frequently engage in Socratic Seminars and other structured class discussions, allowing them to take an active role in their learning by being engaged participants, empathetic listeners, and critical thinkers. Creative projects will help students build connections to other subjects and real life. Monthly selections of a core reading text will allow students to relish a favorite genre, challenge themselves, and explore new areas of interest. 

Units:

• The Seventh Most Important Thing by Shelley Pearsall
• The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
• The Pearl by John Steinbeck
• Persuasive writing
• Literature circles on the immigrant and refugee experiences
• Look Both Ways by Jason Reynolds

Skill-building activities:

• Writing formal analytical paragraphs
• Writing formal multi-paragraph analytical essays that defend a thesis statement
• Using properly cited evidence to prove a thesis
• Writing creative compositions that incorporate literary and rhetorical techniques
• Revising to improve content and mechanics
• Building vocabulary through routine word study
• Identifying various functions of parts of speech within the structure of a sentence
• Identifying and using clauses and punctuation in various sentence types
• Annotating a text to record personal responses, pose questions and analyze for deeper meaning
• Writing creative and narrative fiction that prioritize imagery, character development, dialogue and pacing
• Writing persuasive speeches that reveal a strong grasp of rhetorical strategy
• Preparing for discussions and Socratic seminars
• Studying for quizzes and tests

Grade 7 Health

Seventh graders have health classes three times per seven-day cycle for one semester. Topics covered include:

• Review of health concepts
• Alcohol
• Tobacco
• Illegal drugs
• Addiction and the nervous system

Skill-building activities:

• Learning concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention
• Demonstrating the ability to access valid health information and health-promoting products and services
• Practicing health-enhancing behaviors to decrease health risks
• Analyzing the influence of culture, media, technology and other factors on health
• Demonstrating the ability to use communication skills, goal setting and decision making to enhance health
• Advocating for personal, family and community health

Grade 7 Library

Research continues to be an integral part of the seventh grade library program. Continued collaboration of the library and classrooms enable students to build upon prior information-seeking skills. Specific information research skills such as evaluating sources of information for bias and credibility, executing database searches, using footnotes and citations, recognizing plagiarism and building bibliographies are scaffold upon previously learned skills. Students are introduced to GoodReads, a reader advisory site that promotes sharing and discussion of books. Students’ appreciation of literature is further enriched through projects, annual book fair, author visits and genre studies.

Grades 6-7 Pre-Algebra

Pre-algebra students continue to develop their mathematical proficiency through the Math in Focus program by building and extending the skills learned in sixth grade math. Students work with more complex expressions and equations involving signed numbers. They develop the skills needed to recognize pattern and structure and to reason logically to solve word problems. Students study special angles such as vertical and alternate-interior angles, and are introduced to probability.

Skill-building activities:

• Developing an ability to simplify multi-step expressions and to solve multi-step equations
• Gaining knowledge of direct proportions
• Learning to work with geometric principles.

Resources include:

• Math in Focus - Course 2, Houghton, Mifflin, Harcourt

Grades 7-8 Algebra I

In Algebra I, students use their abilities to simplify expressions and solve equations to explore polynomials and factoring of quadratic expressions and equations. They study the concepts of graphing on a Cartesian coordinate plane, functions and systems of equations. Students also learn to apply the rules of exponents and radicals.

• Performing operations with signed numbers, including simplifying numeric and algebraic expressions
• Solving and graphing linear equations and systems of linear equations with various methods and interpreting information from their graphs
• Factoring quadratic expressions and using factoring to solve quadratic and algebraic equations
• Setting up and solving word problems algebraically
• Using technology to solve problems, experiment, interpret results and verify conclusions

Resources include:

• Algebra I: A Common Core Curriculum, by Big Ideas Learning

Grades 6-8 Music

The Middle School music curriculum emphasizes individual growth and provides opportunities for all students to understand, participate in and enjoy the art of music as a lifelong experience. The study of the creative process and self-expression in music fosters self-confidence and develops an appreciation of the historical and cultural aspects of music. All students take music classes in grades 6-8 and can choose a large ensemble participation class (Concert Band, Chorus, String/Keyboards) or General Music (music appreciation for non-performers). In addition, students may choose to audition for smaller performance ensembles (Jazz Band, Core Choir, Select Strings).

Middle School Concert Band

Middle School band emphasizes instrumental performance and ensemble playing. Age-appropriate classical and contemporary music is studied, rehearsed and performed. Students are encouraged to understand music in relation to history, and to appreciate musical self-expression as an integral part of the human experience.

Students are required to have their own band instruments and possess basic note-reading skills. They are expected to practice music outside of class as their grade will reflect the level of improvement they make during each grading period and throughout the school year. Participation in school concerts and the graduation ceremony are required.

Skill-building activities:

• Gaining awareness of the function of his/her instrument group individually and in relation to the larger ensemble
• Maintaining a discipline of practice outside of school
• Warming up
• Practicing dynamic control and articulation
• Reading and interpreting musical notation
• Following musical direction as given through hand gestures or baton
• Practicing large ensemble progress, musicianship
• Building performance experience, technique and etiquette

Middle School Chorus

Middle School chorus emphasizes vocal performance and multi-part ensemble singing. A wide range of classical and contemporary music is studied, rehearsed and performed. Students are encouraged to understand music in relation to history and to appreciate musical self-expression as an integral part of the human experience.

Previous formal training is not required, but at a minimum, the student should be able to match pitches played on the piano, and sing a major scale (do, re, mi, fa, so, la, ti, do). Students are expected to practice their music outside of class, as their grade will reflect the level of improvement they make during each grading period and throughout the school year. Participation in rehearsals and concerts are required.

Skill-building activities:

• Singing on key, harmonizing and blending
• Developing an awareness of his/her individual function within a vocal group and in relation to the larger choir
• Reading and interpreting musical notation
• Executing rhythmic and tempo indications accurately
• Interpreting dynamics and paying attention to proper phrasing
• Following musical direction as given through hand gestures or baton
• Listening for interplay between and among mixed parts
• Practicing large ensemble progress, musicianship
• Building performance experience, technique and etiquette

Middle School Strings/Keyboards Ensemble

The strings/keyboards ensemble allows students experienced in violin, viola, cello or bass violin to practice and perform as a string ensemble. Students should have their own instrument and possess basic note-reading skills. Since there is rarely a full complement of string instruments to make a full ensemble, keyboard synthesizers are used to provide additional string sounds (keyboard players are also asked to play select piano parts). Students are encouraged to understand music in relation to history and to appreciate musical self-expression as an integral part of the human experience.

This ensemble performs classical and contemporary music and occasionally a jazz-for-strings composition. Students are expected to practice their music outside of class, as their grade will reflect the level of improvement they make during each grading period and throughout the school year. Full participation in rehearsals and concerts is required.

Skill-building activities:

• Developing an awareness of his/her individual function within the instrument group and in relation to the larger ensemble
• Applying proper instrument technique
• Reading and interpreting musical notation
• Executing rhythmic and tempo indications accurately
• Interpreting dynamics and paying attention to proper phrasing
• Following musical direction as given through hand gestures or baton
• Practicing ensemble-playing, musicianship
• Building performance experience, technique and etiquette

Middle School General Music

General music coursework involves the basic components of rhythm, melody, harmony and musical form. Students develop skills and vocabulary to analyze and discuss a variety of musical genres, through class participation, musical listening, ear training, in-class singing, playing instruments and cooperative learning. Students are encouraged to understand music in relation to history and to appreciate musical self-expression as an integral part of the human experience.

Skill-building activities:

• Gaining music appreciation from hands-on experience
• Identifying dynamic changes, meter signature, syncopation
• Developing critical listening skills by identifying vocal and instrumental tone color, orchestral families
• Understanding developments of musical history
• Learning the anatomy of melody: major and minor, melodic contour, phrases, monophonic, polyphonic, homophonic textures
• Understanding harmony: identifying tonal and atonal music, blues scale, harmonic textures, dorian and mixolydian modes
• Identifying repetition and contrast in dynamics, tempo and articulation
• Identifying verse-refrain (AB), theme and variations, subject and episode, arch, rondo, sonata-allegro, augmentation and improvisation

Resources include:

• Share the Music, McGraw Hill

Grades 6-8 Physical Education

The Middle School physical education program strives to reach students of all ability levels and directly encourage their psycho-motor, cognitive and affective growth. The program encourages students to adopt regular physical activity as a means of maintaining physical health and an avenue toward total wellness. Students are exposed to a wide variety of developmentally appropriate curricular offerings that include individual and team sport activities, rhythm and dance activities, aerobic and strength training activities, lifetime activities, cooperative group activities and outdoor adventure activities. The objective of the physical education program closely follows national physical education standards.

All students have one semester of PE classes and one semester of health classes. Sixth graders have PE two times per seven-day cycle, while seventh and eighth graders have PE three times per cycle.

Skill-building activities:

• Gain competency in the motor skills and movement patterns needed to perform a variety of physical activities
• Gain an understanding of movement concepts, principles, strategies and tactics as applied to the learning of physical activities
• Understand the importance of participation in regular physical activity
• Achieve and maintaining a health-enhancing level of physical fitness
• Exhibit responsible personal and social behavior that respects self and others in physical activity settings
• Gain understanding of the values of physical activity for health, enjoyment, challenge, self-expression and/or social interaction

Grade 7 Life Science

The seventh grade life science course covers a wide range of topics and skills in the field of biology. Students learn about lab equipment and safety procedures while using the scientific method to perform experiments. Also introduced are the parts of the cell, the principles of Mendelian genetics and the levels of organization of the human body. Students review a description of the human body systems and their functions, and also gain knowledge of the six kingdoms of classification and the tools that scientists use to classify living organisms.

Skill-building activities:

• Identifying and safely using lab equipment
• Learning the proper format of a lab report
• Constructing and interpreting graphs
• Writing comparison/contrast answers
• Solving probability and genetics problems
• Learning dissecting techniques for owl pellets, flowers, animals
• Creating and reading a dichotomous key
• Writing a research paper based on original work

Resources include:

• Biology, Stephen Nowicki, Holt, Reinhart and Winston 2012

Grade 7 Social Studies: U.S. History to the 20th Century

Seventh grade history is guided by several essential questions, such as why people move and how people impact their surroundings, as students explore United States history from pre-Colonial times to the late 19th century. The course investigates relationships between and among historical events and concepts, and considers the events that shape history by viewing them from the geographic, social, political and economic perspectives.

Skill-building activities:

• Using independent research and cooperative problem-solving to form connections between the past and the present
• Integrating social studies skills and content with skills developed in English, art, science and math courses
• Articulating ideas in a variety of forms including the artistic, oral and written forms
• Using technology for interdisciplinary research and projects

Resources include:

• My World Interactive: American History, Davidson, James West, Stoff, Michael B. Bertolet, Jennifer L., Pearson Education, Inc. New York, New York. 2019.
• Numerous videos, DVDs, maps, primary sources, newspapers and magazine articles, and the Internet

Grade 7 Latin

Seventh grade Latin continues the introduction of the language and culture of the Romans. Students gain a broad Latin vocabulary and learn many associated English derivatives. Analytical skills are rigorously developed, as Latin provides an ideal foundation in the grammatical logic of European language. Students also explore Roman culture and its influence through large project-based thematic units such as mythology and history. The study of Latin provides students with an invaluable basis for the study of other languages, including English, and a grasp of ancient historical factors that continue to define our own civilization.

Skill-building activities:

• Learning the grammar and syntax of Latin
• Becoming conversant with grammatical terminology and the skills necessary for learning a language
• Expanding English vocabulary by learning words that are derived from Latin
• Develop sense of history and cultural inheritance through projects, readings and class discussion

 

Grade 7 Spanish

In seventh grade Spanish, the intent is for students to familiarize themselves with the language and the cultures that various Spanish-speaking countries offer. Students practice vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation, which will aid them in building their Spanish speaking and listening skills. The units covered throughout the year, such as greetings, family, school, etc., are built on each other to ensure proficiency in the Spanish language for the students.

Skill-building activities:

• Learning vocabulary and grammatical structures
• Applying and recognizing various verb conjugations
• Developing writing and oral skills
• Discussing and comparing different Spanish cultures

Resources include:

• Vistas, 6th edition, 2020, Vista Higher Learning

Grade 7 Chinese

The focus of seventh grade Chinese is to introduce students to both the Mandarin Chinese language and modern Chinese culture. Students study basic, practical vocabulary, grammar, culture and pronunciation. This course helps students build basic speaking and listening skills while introducing Chinese characters. Students learn to express themselves and communicate with others on topics closely related to their own experiences and daily life. The units cover familiar topics such as introductions, home and family, classroom activity, shopping and numbers. Upon successful completion of this course, students are proficient in the pinyin phonetic alphabet, able to write approximately 60 radicals and 70 Chinese Hanzi characters from memory, and able to recognize more than 200 Chinese characters. This class also introduces students to elements of Chinese culture including food, calligraphy, poetry, music, movies, painting and crafts.

Skill-building activities:

• Introduce and discuss vocabulary and grammatical structures related to everyday activities
• Reinforce culture by incorporating interdisciplinary cooperation and collaboration, such as computer, art and library research.
• Paired conversational situations, audio activities, speaking evaluations and projects
• Writing autobiographies and composing skits
• Discuss and compare different aspects of Chinese culture

In eighth grade, students begin to prepare for their move to the Senior School. They meet with advisors and teachers regularly and develop increasing maturity and focus.

Grade 8 Art

• May include drawing, painting, mixed media, printmaking, assemblage, 3D media

Grades 6-8 Athletics & Activities

At the Middle School, we strongly believe that skills and lessons learned on the athletic field and dramatic stage can be just as important in life as the academic accomplishments. Our co-curricular program of athletics and activities provides each student with choices that include competitive team sports, non-competitive group sports, drama and art opportunities, as well as opportunities in math and science competitions. Every student chooses one activity in each of the three terms, and at least one of those selections must be a “movement” option.

In athletic options, students are coached by faculty members as well as outside coaches, with the goal of providing the student with the fundamental skills and strategies of that particular sport. Students are expected to be prepared for each practice and to fully take part every day, whether practice or a game.

 

Lessons learned in these afternoon activities include winning and losing with dignity, grace and character. Coaches stress the importance of sportsmanship, perseverance, teamwork and cooperation. Opportunities for leadership are available to all students within every team.

General competition guidelines:

• Sixth graders in a competitive activity could have one game per week
• Students in seventh and eighth grades will have no more than two games per week

View a list of athletics & activities

Skill-building activities:

• Demonstrate competency in the fundamental skills used in each sport/activity
• Demonstrate continued development and understanding of a particular sport/activity at each grade level
• Exhibit self-discipline, sportsmanship and teamwork, and understanding the value of each in every sport
• Understand that the values of self-discipline, sportsmanship and teamwork can be applied in daily life, not only on a playing field
• Understand the challenges of competition

 

Learn about athletics at the Senior School.

 

Grade 8 Computer Science

The Form II year takes a closer look at the process of problem-solving with a problem-based curriculum (PBL). To begin the year, students will design a robot that solves a problem in their household. They will also take a look at how algorithms and computational thinking can help throughout the design process.  We then pivot to a unit on Data Literacy where students take a look at how their public data (both intentional and otherwise) can affect their lives.  Students will then be working on design teams to create a web app for 6th-grade students to help with data awareness. To end the year, students will work to solve real-world search and rescue missions using Lego Mindstorm robotics and 3D printing technology. They will be tasked with designing and printing mobility and extraction equipment for their robots to help rescue disaster victims in a hostile environment. 

Resources include:

• Lego Mindstorms Robotics Kit
• Micro:bit and Hummingbird microcontrollers
• TinkerCAD 3D design software
• FlashForge 3D printers

Grade 8 English

In eighth grade English, students practice critical thinking by examining literature and the world through the question, “What is justice?” Formal and informal writing assignments as well as the literature selections answer this essential question. Students hone their formal writing skills as they compose mature analytical essays. They acquire mastery of the five-paragraph form as well as other organizational structures for writing. Students incorporate evidence from various texts, and they continue to sharpen their analysis in their formal work, discussing symbolism, authors’ choices, and historical and biographical context. As readers, eighth-graders practice cooperative discussion regularly. Through frequent Socratic Seminars, students consider various viewpoints and learn to examine literature in a multi-dimensional way. Students all participate in projects that provide authentic audiences and require a direct engagement in society. From interviewing Holocaust survivors to reading testimonies from current global conflicts, students see the literature discourse as part of a larger social context. Each eighth-grade student completes at least nine texts independently throughout the year, and this autonomy with reading allows students to explore new cultures and genres. Vocabulary instruction introduces students to classical roots and prepares them to encounter new academic challenges. Class texts may include: It’s Trevor Noah by Trevor Noah, Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, Code Talker by Joseph Bruchac, Animal Farm by George Orwell, Night by Elie Wiesel, and Maus by Art Spiegelman.

Skill-building activities:

• Composing and editing formal analytical essays
• Creative writing through short memoir pieces or poetic forms such as sonnets
• Peer editing and teacher-conferencing with drafting
• Grammar instruction to elevate tone and style in writing
• Crafting evidence-based inferences when discussing literature
• Sentence combining through subordination and compound sentences
• Developing active-listening skills during discussion and group readings
• Increasing stamina and engagement with independent reading

Grade 8 Health

Eighth graders have health classes three times per seven-day cycle for one semester. Topics covered include:

• Advanced nutrition concepts related to sports performance
• Body Image and the effects of media
• Eating disorders
• Male and female anatomy
• Teen relationships
• Sexually Transmitted Infections
• HIV

Skill-building activities:

• Learning concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention
• Demonstrating the ability to access valid health information and health-promoting products and services
• Practicing health-enhancing behaviors to decrease health risks
• Analyzing the influence of culture, media, technology and other factors on health
• Demonstrating the ability to use communication skills, goal setting and decision making to enhance health
• Advocating for personal, family and community health

Grade 8 Library

The goal of eighth grade library is for students to be more independent in their use of the library for research and reading. Guided review of research skills and available resources, both print and non-print, prepares students for self-directed library work between the library and the classroom. Specific skills such as sophisticated search strategies, website evaluation, database searching and citing and ethical use of information supports learning in the classroom. Students are encouraged in this last year at the Middle School to stretch themselves as readers through more challenging fiction and non-fiction titles. This is executed through the use of teacher and student recommendations, GoodReads advisory website, multi-library borrowing and projects that promote and review literature.

Grades 7-8 Algebra I

In Algebra I, students use their abilities to simplify expressions and solve equations to explore polynomials and factoring of quadratic expressions and equations. They study the concepts of graphing on a Cartesian coordinate plane, functions and systems of equations. Students also learn to apply the rules of exponents and radicals.

• Performing operations with signed numbers, including simplifying numeric and algebraic expressions
• Solving and graphing linear equations and systems of linear equations with various methods and interpreting information from their graphs
• Factoring quadratic expressions and using factoring to solve quadratic and algebraic equations
• Setting up and solving word problems algebraically
• Using technology to solve problems, experiment, interpret results and verify conclusions

Resources include:

• Algebra I: A Common Core Curriculum, by Big Ideas Learning

Grade 8 Geometry

By introducing students to the principles of logical reasoning in geometry, students develop their deductive and inductive reasoning skills. Students learn to provide informal justifications and arguments as well as two-column proofs and paragraph proofs.

Skill-building activities:

• Reasoning and proving fundamental aspects of mathematics
• Analyzing two- and three-dimensional figures, including their congruence and similarity
• Calculating areas and volumes
• Appreciating geometry as a deductive system

Resources include:

• Into Geometry, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Burger, Dixon, Kanald, Kaplinsky, M. Larson and Leinwand

Grades 6-8 Music

The Middle School music curriculum emphasizes individual growth and provides opportunities for all students to understand, participate in and enjoy the art of music as a lifelong experience. The study of the creative process and self-expression in music fosters self-confidence and develops an appreciation of the historical and cultural aspects of music. All students take music classes in grades 6-8 and can choose a large ensemble participation class (Concert Band, Chorus, String/Keyboards) or General Music (music appreciation for non-performers). In addition, students may choose to audition for smaller performance ensembles (Jazz Band, Core Choir, Select Strings).

Middle School Concert Band

Middle School band emphasizes instrumental performance and ensemble playing. Age-appropriate classical and contemporary music is studied, rehearsed and performed. Students are encouraged to understand music in relation to history, and to appreciate musical self-expression as an integral part of the human experience.

Students are required to have their own band instruments and possess basic note-reading skills. They are expected to practice music outside of class as their grade will reflect the level of improvement they make during each grading period and throughout the school year. Participation in school concerts and the graduation ceremony are required.

Skill-building activities:

• Gaining awareness of the function of his/her instrument group individually and in relation to the larger ensemble
• Maintaining a discipline of practice outside of school
• Warming up
• Practicing dynamic control and articulation
• Reading and interpreting musical notation
• Following musical direction as given through hand gestures or baton
• Practicing large ensemble progress, musicianship
• Building performance experience, technique and etiquette

Middle School Chorus

Middle School chorus emphasizes vocal performance and multi-part ensemble singing. A wide range of classical and contemporary music is studied, rehearsed and performed. Students are encouraged to understand music in relation to history and to appreciate musical self-expression as an integral part of the human experience.

Previous formal training is not required, but at a minimum, the student should be able to match pitches played on the piano, and sing a major scale (do, re, mi, fa, so, la, ti, do). Students are expected to practice their music outside of class, as their grade will reflect the level of improvement they make during each grading period and throughout the school year. Participation in rehearsals and concerts are required.

Skill-building activities:

• Singing on key, harmonizing and blending
• Developing an awareness of his/her individual function within a vocal group and in relation to the larger choir
• Reading and interpreting musical notation
• Executing rhythmic and tempo indications accurately
• Interpreting dynamics and paying attention to proper phrasing
• Following musical direction as given through hand gestures or baton
• Listening for interplay between and among mixed parts
• Practicing large ensemble progress, musicianship
• Building performance experience, technique and etiquette

Middle School Strings/Keyboards Ensemble

The strings/keyboards ensemble allows students experienced in violin, viola, cello or bass violin to practice and perform as a string ensemble. Students should have their own instrument and possess basic note-reading skills. Since there is rarely a full complement of string instruments to make a full ensemble, keyboard synthesizers are used to provide additional string sounds (keyboard players are also asked to play select piano parts). Students are encouraged to understand music in relation to history and to appreciate musical self-expression as an integral part of the human experience.

This ensemble performs classical and contemporary music and occasionally a jazz-for-strings composition. Students are expected to practice their music outside of class, as their grade will reflect the level of improvement they make during each grading period and throughout the school year. Full participation in rehearsals and concerts is required.

Skill-building activities:

• Developing an awareness of his/her individual function within the instrument group and in relation to the larger ensemble
• Applying proper instrument technique
• Reading and interpreting musical notation
• Executing rhythmic and tempo indications accurately
• Interpreting dynamics and paying attention to proper phrasing
• Following musical direction as given through hand gestures or baton
• Practicing ensemble-playing, musicianship
• Building performance experience, technique and etiquette

Middle School General Music

General music coursework involves the basic components of rhythm, melody, harmony and musical form. Students develop skills and vocabulary to analyze and discuss a variety of musical genres, through class participation, musical listening, ear training, in-class singing, playing instruments and cooperative learning. Students are encouraged to understand music in relation to history and to appreciate musical self-expression as an integral part of the human experience.

Skill-building activities:

• Gaining music appreciation from hands-on experience
• Identifying dynamic changes, meter signature, syncopation
• Developing critical listening skills by identifying vocal and instrumental tone color, orchestral families
• Understanding developments of musical history
• Learning the anatomy of melody: major and minor, melodic contour, phrases, monophonic, polyphonic, homophonic textures
• Understanding harmony: identifying tonal and atonal music, blues scale, harmonic textures, dorian and mixolydian modes
• Identifying repetition and contrast in dynamics, tempo and articulation
• Identifying verse-refrain (AB), theme and variations, subject and episode, arch, rondo, sonata-allegro, augmentation and improvisation

Resources include:

• Share the Music, McGraw Hill

Grades 6-8 Physical Education

The Middle School physical education program strives to reach students of all ability levels and directly encourage their psycho-motor, cognitive and affective growth. The program encourages students to adopt regular physical activity as a means of maintaining physical health and an avenue toward total wellness. Students are exposed to a wide variety of developmentally appropriate curricular offerings that include individual and team sport activities, rhythm and dance activities, aerobic and strength training activities, lifetime activities, cooperative group activities and outdoor adventure activities. The objective of the physical education program closely follows national physical education standards.

All students have one semester of PE classes and one semester of health classes. Sixth graders have PE two times per seven-day cycle, while seventh and eighth graders have PE three times per cycle.

Skill-building activities:

• Gain competency in the motor skills and movement patterns needed to perform a variety of physical activities
• Gain an understanding of movement concepts, principles, strategies and tactics as applied to the learning of physical activities
• Understand the importance of participation in regular physical activity
• Achieve and maintaining a health-enhancing level of physical fitness
• Exhibit responsible personal and social behavior that respects self and others in physical activity settings
• Gain understanding of the values of physical activity for health, enjoyment, challenge, self-expression and/or social interaction

Grade 8 Environmental Science

The eighth grade environmental science course introduces students to some of the basic concepts of environmental science. Students begin to reflect on how they personally impact the environment and how to lessen their ecological footprint. Topics include human interaction with the environment, tools and techniques for studying environmental science, the biosphere, the cycles of the ecosystems, pollution and energy usage. Students incorporate reading, writing and thinking skills into scientific investigations and traditional homework assignments. Course information is presented through lectures, PowerPoint presentations, projects, demonstrations and hands-on laboratory activities.

Skill-building activities:

• Identifying and safely using lab equipment
• Constructing and interpreting graphs
• Reading sections of the textbook and taking notes
• Connecting classroom discussions to real world examples and problems
• Following step-by-step lab procedures
• Working in a lab or research group with specified roles
• Analyzing experimental data to construct a reasonable conclusion
• Using the Internet and library resources to conduct research

Resources include:

• Environmental Science, Houghton Mifflin Hardcourt Publishing Co., 2013

 

Grade 8 Physics 1

The eighth grade Physics 1 course places an emphasis on designing and executing well-controlled experiments, collecting consistent data and developing skills for analyzing, interpreting and explaining the data. Students will develop and use models to explain phenomena that occur in the natural world using the fundamental physical principles from Newtonian mechanics. Topics of study include constant velocity motion, accelerated motion, Newton’s Laws and energy.

Skill Building Activities:

• Designing experiments keeping dependent and independent variables in mind
• Using Vernier sensors to record data
• Analyzing and interpreting experimental data
• Working in a collaborative laboratory setting
• Writing relevant analyses and conclusions based on experimental data
• Applying concepts of motion and energy to real world scenarios.

Resources include:

• Physics 1 Workbook

Grade 8 Social Studies: U.S. History: The Modern Era

This course examines big questions about American identity, culture, freedom, and justice. The primary goal of the course is to study the historical, economic, political, and technological changes that have occurred in the United States from the turn of the 20th century to modern day. Eighth grade students examine the effects of the Civil War, the consequences of imperialism, World War I, and the years between the wars. Students also analyze World War II and its aftermath, particularly the Cold War, Civil Rights movement, Korea and Vietnam Wars, and contemporary social problems. The course compares various ideological systems such as capitalism and communism, from autocratic to democratic, along with the evolution of U.S. foreign policies in dealing with the challenges of the 20th and 21st centuries. 

Skill-building activities:

• Participating in both individual and group learning activities such as seminars and simulations
• Participating in activities that offer a framework for reflection, and encourage students to think critically about their experiences through exposure to a variety of viewpoints
• Evaluating both the decisions of government and the decision makers
• Developing historical and social science knowledge using inquiry, critical thinking, decision-making and interpersonal skills
• Exploring the concepts and practices of civic virtues and citizen responsibility
• Developing reading, writing, research, organizational and analytical skills
• Writing a formal multi-paragraph argumentative research essay that defends a thesis statement
• Using properly cited evidence to prove a thesis
• Integrating interdisciplinary activities with other subjects, including English and Art
• Expressing ideas in a variety of forms including the artistic, oral and written forms. 

Resources include:

• My World Interactive: American History, Davidson, James West, Stoff, Michael B. Bertolet, Jennifer L., Pearson Education, Inc. New York, New York. 2019.
• Numerous videos, DVDs, maps, primary sources, newspapers and magazine articles, and the Internet

Grade 8 Latin

Students in eighth grade Latin learn advanced grammar and syntax. Complex linguistic concepts and rhetorical devices are studied in detail. By translating sections of Latin prose and creating substantial compositions in the language, students see Latin as a means of communicating narratives, thoughts and ideas. In addition, our ongoing study of Roman culture embraces themes crucial to an adequate understanding of the modern world.

Skill-building activities:

• Learning the grammar and syntax of Latin
• Becoming conversant with grammatical terminology and the skills necessary for learning a language
• Expand and enrich English vocabulary by learning words that are derived from Latin
• Develop sense of history and cultural inheritance through projects, readings and class discussion

Grade 8 Spanish

In eighth grade Spanish, students continue to familiarize themselves with the language and the cultures that various Spanish-speaking countries offer. Students practice vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation, which will aid them in building their Spanish speaking and listening skills.

Skill-building activities:

• Learning vocabulary and grammatical structures
• Applying and recognizing various verb conjugations
• Developing writing and oral skills
• Discussing and comparing different Spanish cultures
• Practicing short dialogues and engaging in conversations

Resources include:

• Vistas, 6th edition, 2020, Vista Higher Learning 

Grade 8 Chinese

In eighth grade Chinese, students continue their experience in both Mandarin Chinese language and modern Chinese culture. Students study basic, practical vocabulary, grammar, culture, and pronunciation. The course helps students build basic speaking and listening skills while introducing Chinese characters. Students learn to express themselves and communicate with others on topics closely related to their own experiences and daily life. The units cover familiar topics such as introductions, home, and family, classroom activity, shopping, and numbers. Upon successful completion of this course, students are proficient in the pinyin phonetic alphabet, able to write approximately 100 radicals and 100 Chinese Hanzi characters from memory, and able to recognize more than 400 Chinese characters. This class also exposes students to elements of Chinese culture including food, calligraphy, poetry, music, movies, painting, and crafts.

Skill-building activities:

• Introduce and discuss vocabulary and grammatical structures related to everyday activities
• Reinforce culture by incorporating interdisciplinary cooperation and collaboration, such as computer, art, and library research.
• Paired conversational situations, audio activities, speaking evaluations and projects
• Writing autobiographies and composing skits
• Discuss and compare different aspects of Chinese culture