Middle School

The Grade 7 Language Arts curriculum strives to help students consider authorial intent and the impact of the audience in literature. Furthermore, in the seventh grade, students work to understand language as an art form and learn how it can be used to create and shape not just narrative, but also imagery, voice and tone. The overriding goal of the year is to help students achieve a comfort level with language that will allow them to consider and internalize the way an author utilizes style and technique to shape his or her work.

The literature curriculum in Grade 7 features a variety of genres to achieve these goals. Novels such as Elizabeth George Speare’s The Witch of Blackbird Pond, and Laurie Halse Anderson’s Chains and Fever 1793 complement short story and poetry texts as students solidify their critical reading skills and understanding of characterization and plot. The literature provides for excellent large group discussions and serves as a bridge to the essay-writing component of the course.

In addition to building on their vocabulary and grammar knowledge, students focus on crafting a provable thesis, engaging in all the phases of the writing process—pre-writing, drafting, and editing—and supporting their arguments with multiple forms of textual evidence. Instruction is provided on how best to create a strong conclusion paragraph and on how this fits into the larger structure of the five-paragraph essay. The overarching goal of the seventh grade writing curriculum is to teach students how to create and prove a nuanced argument in their analytical work.

In the Pre-algebra course students will expand their understanding of the properties of real numbers, solve linear equations and inequalities, and use data analysis techniques. The course includes computing basic trigonometric ratios, rational numbers in decimal and fraction form, use transformations to solve equations and inequalities and graph them, calculate area and volume, apply the Pythagorean theorem, and apply all four mathematical operations to monomials and polynomials.

Several different approaches and materials are combined to suit students’ mathematical thinking, and the topic being taught. Depending on the lesson, students are given different materials or handouts, in order to allow them to explore, visualize and understand. The classroom environment encourages student discussion, collaboration, and justification of their thinking. Emphasis is given on practicing and receiving feedback on corrections. Students are expected to understand that making mistakes is part of the learning process and therefore making corrections on homework, quizzes, and tests is an essential part of the process. They are also expected to take class notes, as well as review and study for chapter tests.

In Grade 7 Social Studies will include the discoveries of early explorers, and the colonization of present day United States, including the separation from England, the formation of the thirteen colonies, the Revolutionary War, the formation of a democratic government, and the affects that slavery had on this time period. Studies of world geography and mapping skills will also be integrated into our learning throughout the year.

Grade 7 Science explores living things, heredity, evolution, classification, ecology, ecosystems, plants, and the human body. In addition, students will investigate solutions for environmental problems impacting the Earth today. Students will continue using the scientific method during class activities, lab assignments, and while working on independent projects especially the science fair project. We will work to develop science skills developed in Grade 6, including: observing, using microscopes, designing experiments, drawing conclusions, writing lab reports, and problem solving. We will also continue to examine science current events. Students will work on independent science projects. Class time will be used to review homework, introduce and review concepts, and to work on independent and group laboratory activities.

French

In Grade 7 French, equal emphasis is placed on all skills of the language: listening comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing. Students will be exposed to the spoken language through a conversational approach, audio recordings, and videos clips. In addition to the vocabulary from their textbook, students will encounter new vocabulary in additional readings from various sources. The study of basic grammatical structures is an important component of the class and will support students’ oral and written expressions. Oral participation is crucial for progress in language learning and there will be many opportunities in class for students to practice their speaking skills. The course will also expose students to the culture of the French-speaking world. This year all cultural readings are in French.

Spanish

In Grade 7 we continue to use the textbook “Buen Viaje 1” Once again the course is based on an aural/oral approach to Spanish. The aim of the class is to improve and expand the students listening and speaking skills. Students will begin to write more complex short paragraphs in order to build their communication skills. We will also read slightly more difficult passages from the text and a reader that accompanies the text. In addition, students will learn about the countries where Spanish is spoken and about the large diverse community of Hispanic peoples living in the US.

Latin

We continue using the text “Latin for Americans”. The course is designed to help the students to further understand the grammatical structure of Latin, expand their vocabulary, and do more complicated readings in Latin.

Drama

The Middle School Performing Arts class is a unique course at Green Hedges School that allows students to explore the performing arts with a multitude of hands-on experiences and activities. The class is designed to provide students with a complete aesthetic experience that will help foster a life-long appreciation of the arts. The Performing Arts course will address and focus on music history and theory, singing technique, performance skills, aural sensitivity, music in today’s society, and musical theater. The class culminates in a musical production, allowing students to utilize the skills developed in this course. The multidimensional course truly immerses students in the world of the performing arts and invites them to experience the subject matter in a distinct, engaging, and meaningful manner.

Music

In Grade 7 Band, the lessons focus on maintaining a good embouchure, tone production and technique. In the case of percussion, the focus is on proper hand position and keyboard technique. Ensemble playing will be achieved through following the conductor’s baton. Emphasis on good posture and consistent tempo continues throughout the lessons. Throughout the year, music history and theory is woven into the daily performance. Students work towards a characteristic sound on their instrument and cohesive ensemble playing. Students perform band literature with independent parts. Musical arrangements will include multi-layered parts with contrasting rhythms, melodies, and accompaniments.

Studio Art

Grade 7 Art History covers a variety of post-Impressionist art periods such as Surrealism, Pointilism, and Expressionism and their representative artists. The overarching theme in Grade 7 art is to explore self portraits within their historical context as well as developing self portraits in different media that express personal meaning. Students have the opportunity to visit the National Gallery of Art and have a docent tour of “Portraits and Biographies”.

Students create a digital school newspaper, including movies, still images, and animation. Students are developing technical skills that will let them express their creative ideas effectively.

Students develop inquiry skills and vocabulary as they learn more about the meaning of artworks and relating it to its context.

Digital Art

Objectives:

• This class is designed to develop both technical and artistic skills using digital media as a creative tool to create a variety of projects.
• Students will learn the basic Adobe Creative Suite tools including, but not limited to Photoshop, InDesign, and Illustrator as well as imovie, iphoto, and iDVD
• Students gain a broad understanding of digital artists and their use of digital media through reading assignments and class discussions.
• Students are able to apply newly learned tools to their art projects
• Classroom projects include, but are not limited to developing the DragonNet newspaper; developing personal digital portfolio; digital story-telling.

In Grade 7 Physical Education students are given the opportunity to improve on fundamental skills for various sports and games. Some of the skills that are drilled and then used in game scenarios are throwing, kicking, catching, passing, and hitting balls. Students are becoming comfortable with using objects to manipulate other objects (e.g. baseball bat and baseball). Students are working cooperatively and performing strategic plans for games and sports. Some of the sports that are being taught in Grade 7 are but not limited to; soccer, basketball, football, softball, handball, badminton, frisbee golf and floor hockey. Lessons that will be continued from previous years are The Presidential Challenge, and Jump Rope For Heart. New lessons that will be covered are Lifetime Health and Wellness, and Nutrition. Sportsmanship is still emphasized and age appropriate skills are practiced. Strength and endurance continue to increase in difficulty level, and are used to help improve athletic abilities.

In Middle School, our goal is for the students to do one formal research paper each year, in addition to the many smaller, more informal projects they undertake. Students graduating from Green Hedges School are expected to demonstrate competency in the following areas:

• Ability to define an information problem and identify the information needed to address it;
• Ability to identify and locate potential resources; to access and evaluate the information in those resources for relevance, appropriateness, currency, authority, and bias;
• Ability to synthesize the information collected (includes note taking and formal outlining skills); and
• Ability to present findings in full narrative format with appropriate sequencing, including title page, main body, conclusion, and full MLA sourcing.

Students undertake, individually, or in small groups, numerous less formal research efforts throughout the year, in a variety of subjects, such as Math, Science, Social Studies and Language Arts. These projects allow students to employ a wider range of media (e.g., software packages, poster boards, hands on demonstrations) for the presentation of their findings. Students have the opportunity to polish their verbal presentation skills by presenting their project to the school during assembly. Students use iPads and other mobile devices to conduct research and make presentations, either individually or in a group.

The Grade 8 Language Arts curriculum focuses on helping students take ownership of their reading and writing skills. Building on the grammar and vocabulary foundations established in previous years, students will increase their functional grammatical knowledge while acquiring a broader base of vocabulary words gleaned from the texts and other sources. The literature curriculum emphasizes twentieth century texts, such as Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, George Orwell’s Animal Farm, Sandra Cisneros’ The House on Mango Street, and Laurence Yep’s Dragon’s Gate while also including a unit on Golding’s Lord of the Flies. Public Speaking also holds a formal place in the curriculum, as students study famous speeches and the rhetorical devices that make such speeches successful.

The writing component of the curriculum aims to give students the confidence to break away from the structure and strictures of the 5-paragraph essay. Students engage in a wide variety of writing tasks, ranging from informal journaling to passage analysis work to formal essay writing, all with the goal of providing practice in utilizing the entire writing process. Great emphasis is placed on students working independently to create outlines that allow them to analyze literary questions in an individual style. In-class and take-home assignments vary throughout the year in an effort to prepare students for the assortment of tasks they will face in high school English classes.

This course covers a full first year algebra curriculum. It includes simplifying algebraic expressions using like terms, solving equations with one and two variables, inequalities, quadratic equations and functions, factoring polynomial expressions by using GCF, trinomial patterns, and difference of square pattern. We also work with simplify algebraic fractions, simplifying radicals, graphing functions, the geometry of slope, parallelism and perpendicularity of lines, exponents and radicals, proportion and rational equations, translation between words and symbols, and irrational numbers.

Several different approaches and materials are combined to suit students’ mathematical thinking, and the topic being taught. Depending on the lesson, students are given different materials or handouts, in order to allow them to explore, visualize, and understand. The classroom environment encourages students’ discussion, collaboration, and justification of their thinking. Emphasis in given on practicing and receiving feedback on corrections. Students are expected to understand that making mistakes is part of the learning process and therefore making corrections on homework, quizzes, and tests is an essential part of the process. They are also expected to take class notes, as well as review and study for chapter tests.

Students will develop an understanding of the United States’ role in 20th & 21st Century History. They will begin with the Industrial Revolution and its aftermath. Students will learn about different types of government, economic, and legal systems. They will evaluate the successes of the U.S. economy at the beginning of the 20th Century. Grade 8 students will also focus on how U.S. involvement in World War I, World War II, the Vietnam War, and the Cold War shaped the nation. Special projects will focus on the evolution of American cities and the historical events that created today’s global hotspots, plus an interdisciplinary project focuses on a famous artist of the 20th Century. Skill building includes the writing of critical essays, the use of primary sources, the analysis of historical patterns, and the development of solid independent research skills.

Grade 8 Science explores topics such as properties of matter, physical and chemical changes, elements, compounds, atomic theory, chemical reactions, forces, motion, work, and energy. Students will continue developing science concepts using the scientific method during class activities, lab assignments, and independent projects especially, the science fair project. We will continue to improve on the science skills developed in Grade 7, including observing, interpreting data, designing experiments, writing lab reports, problem solving and scientific writing. In addition, we will examine current events in science. Students will work on independent projects. We will also concentrate on effective science note taking and taking skills test in preparation for high school. Class time will be used to review homework, introduce and review concepts, and to work on independent and group laboratory activities.

French

In Grade 8 French, equal emphasis is placed on all skills of the language: listening comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing. Students will be exposed to the spoken language through a conversational approach, audio recordings, and videos clips. In addition to the vocabulary from their textbook, students will encounter new vocabulary in additional readings from various sources. The study of basic grammatical structures is an important component of the class and will support students’ oral and written expressions. Oral participation is crucial for progress in language learning and there will be many opportunities in class for students to practice their speaking skills. The course will also expose students to the culture of the French-speaking world through many cultural readings in French.

Spanish

In Grade 8 we begin “Buen Viaje 2”. Students will continue to explore the Spanish speaking world through a further development of their speaking and listening skills. The students will also begin to express their thoughts and ideas by writing short paragraphs and using Spanish in the classroom.

Latin

We continue using the text “Latin for Americans”. The course is designed to help the students to understand both the grammatical structure, expand vocabulary, and do more complicated readings in Latin.

Drama

The Middle School Performing Arts class is a unique course at Green Hedges School that allows students to explore the performing arts with a multitude of hands-on experiences and activities. The class is designed to provide students with a complete aesthetic experience that will help foster a life-long appreciation of the arts. The Performing Arts course will address and focus on music history and theory, singing technique, performance skills, aural sensitivity, music in today’s society, and musical theater. The class culminates in a musical production, allowing students to utilize the skills developed in this course. The multidimensional course truly immerses students in the world of the performing arts and invites them to experience the subject matter in a distinct, engaging, and meaningful manner.

Music

In Grade 8 Band, the lessons focus on maintaining a good embouchure, tone production and technique. In the case of percussion, the focus is on proper hand position and keyboard technique. Ensemble playing will be achieved through following the conductor’s baton. Emphasis on good posture and consistent tempo continues throughout the lessons. Throughout the year, music history and theory is woven into the daily performance. Students work towards a characteristic sound on their instrument and cohesive ensemble playing. Students perform band literature with independent parts. Musical arrangements will include multi-layered parts with contrasting rhythms, melodies, and accompaniments.

Studio Art

The main art history periods covered in Grade 8 span from Impressionism through Modern Art. Students examine how artists have been influenced by their environment and how they can use new tools to express themselves. Grade 8 art focuses mainly on Modern art and its contributions to the culture we live in today. Students have the opportunity to go the National Gallery of Art and have a docent tour on “Modern Art, Breaking the Rules.” Students learn how artists were influenced by other art styles and social change. Students will work on a cross-curricula project choosing a modern artist, writing a research paper about that artist, and creating a personal artwork in the style of their artist.

Art history works hand-in-hand with social studies as it helps us examine historical events through the eyes of an artist. Students will also read art philosophical writings from art magazines, the newspaper, or digital media. Students learn about oil painting by studying the old masters and complete a painting on canvas. Students develop, design, and create their Grade 8 mural project as part of their final group project.

Digital Art

Objectives:

• This class is designed to develop both technical and artistic skills using digital media as a creative tool to create a variety of projects.
• Students will learn the basic Adobe Creative Suite tools including, but not limited to Photoshop, InDesign, and Illustrator as well as iMovie, iPhoto, and iDVD
• Students gain a broad understanding of digital artists and their use of digital media through reading assignments and class discussions.
• Students are able to apply newly learned tools to their art projects include, but are not limited to developing the DragonNet;

In Grade 8 Physical Education students are showing in depth knowledge of all sports covered in previous years. Most lessons being taught at this grade level are repetitive sports and games. These should include but are not limited to; soccer, football, floor hockey, basketball, volleyball, frisbee golf, softball, team handball, and badminton. Lessons that will also be used include; Jump Rope For Heart, Presidential Challenge, Lifetime Health and Wellness, and Nutrition. Good sportsmanship, strategies of games, age appropriate skill development, strength and endurance, leadership, cooperative playing, and the understanding of a healthy lifestyle are the emphasis of the overall class lessons.

In Middle School, our goal is for the students to do one formal research paper each year, in addition to the many smaller, more informal projects they undertake. Students graduating from Green Hedges School are expected to demonstrate competency in the following areas:

• Ability to define an information problem and identify the information needed to address it;
• Ability to identify and locate potential resources; to access and evaluate the information in those resources for relevance, appropriateness, currency, authority, and bias;
• Ability to synthesize the information collected (includes note taking and formal outlining skills); and
• Ability to present findings in full narrative format with appropriate sequencing, including title page, main body, conclusion, and full MLA sourcing.

Students undertake, individually, or in small groups, numerous less formal research efforts throughout the year, in a variety of subjects, such as Math, Science, Social Studies and Language Arts. These projects allow students to employ a wider range of media (e.g., software packages, poster boards, hands on demonstrations) for the presentation of their findings. Students have the opportunity to polish their verbal presentation skills by presenting their project to the school during assembly. Students use iPads and other mobile devices to conduct research and make presentations, either individually or in a group.