Middle School Core Course Description

HUMANITIES
Our Middle School humanities courses explore particular historic eras, civilizations, and issues through a combination of social science, literature, the arts, and religion to “build an understanding of the many dimensions (e.g., philosophical, ethical, aesthetic) of human experience.”

Students read, analyze, and discuss ideas from classic works of the period under study, using passages from early translations or from modern versions aimed at young people. Students also read historical fiction, contemporary young adult novels, and a variety of non-fiction materials as they work through themes, concepts, and patterns encountered in their study. Strategies for comprehending and responding to a variety of texts are practiced throughout the year, and thinking, analytic, and writing skills are developed in numerous assignments. Discussion skills are further practiced through weekly Touchstones Discussion Project seminars. Training in declamation (memorization and presentation of famous speeches) gives students skills and practice in oral presentation. Appreciation of the aesthetic as well as greater understanding of expressions of human experience is developed through exposure to the fine arts in historical context. Museum visits and programs on loan from museums are integral to each major unit.

Materials and texts for the history course come from History Alive! (Teachers’ Curriculum Institute), Mapping the World by Heart, Nystrom geography programs, and simulations and primary source materials from various publishers. 

Explorations in literature include short stories, novels, poetry, drama, speeches, and essays. Whether students are reading one work together as a whole class or working in small groups according to interest and reading level, teachers strive to help students build strong skills and develop an appreciation of reading for academic purposes and for pleasure.

LANGUAGE ARTS AND WRITING WORKSHOP
Our language arts program emphasizes writing, grammar, vocabulary development and critical reading skills. Students in grades six through eight participate in a Writing Workshop twice a week, with the goal of helping students become effective writers and critical evaluators of their own work. Students are expected to select and write about topics in a variety of genres including memoir, poetry, short story, and essay. The Middle School literary magazine is produced in this class each spring. 

MATH
Our math program in the Middle School follows the University of Chicago School Mathematics Project (UCSMP) curriculum. We offer fifth and sixth grade Everyday Mathematics, Transition Math (pre-algebra), Algebra and Geometry. In a spiraling curriculum covering six content strands, students investigate mathematical ideas in greater depth each year. Students are placed according to developmental readiness and ability

SCIENCE
The goal of the science program is to relate scientific concepts and theories to the students’ real-world experiences and to current issues that face society. This is done through the implementation of an issue-oriented program based on guided inquiry. Most of our curricular materials have been developed by SEPUP, the Science Education for Public Understanding Program.

The fifth grade year focuses on general science and includes units from Chemistry, Health, the Environment and Me (CHEM-2) and modules such as There is No Away, Properties of Matter, and Solar Energy.

 Sixth grade students study earth science with the SEPUP course Issues and Earth Science as the starting point. They then study how the activities of people within the Chesapeake Bay watershed directly affect the quality of water and the quality of the aquatic life. We use the local environment as the tool to teach students geography, geology, math, and science as they learn about watershed issues, helping them understand that stewardship for the environment begins in their own backyard.

The seventh grade course, Science and Life Issues, provides a hands-on approach that engages students in a rigorous study of genetics, the human body, microbiology, ecology, and evolution.

The eighth grade studies physical science concepts by looking at the science behind various real-life issues, using the SEPUP course Issues and Physical Science.

 While not all students will pursue careers in science, our science program prepares every student for further study and a lifetime of scientific appreciation and awareness.