Middle School

Language Arts (daily)
In reading both classic texts and contemporary literature, students deepen their comprehension of increasingly complex and rich texts by making inferences about character motivation and drawing broader conclusions. They read for the author’s meaning, begin to understand how certain themes provide insight into the human condition, and make connections between works of literature and personal experience. Students write literature responses, original stories, narrative descriptions, and poetry.

Mathematics (daily)

Math 6: Students build on the math concepts learned in Grade 5 using number operations and expand their practice with decimal and fraction operations, integer operations, ratios and proportional relationships, geometry, and statistics. Students also develop problem-solving strategies to solve real world problems using the above processes throughout the year.

Pre-Algebra: Students build upon their knowledge of fractions and the rational number system.  They are introduced to functional relationships, the study of linear equations, an exploration of transformations and geometric relationships, and a study of statistics and probability. Emphasis is on showing all work and describing the multiple steps to solve problems.

Social Studies (daily)
Students expand their understanding of history by studying the people and events that ushered in the dawn of major Western and non-Western ancient civilizations. Geography is of special significance in the development of the human story. Continued emphasis is placed on the everyday lives, problems, and accomplishments of people: their role in developing social, economic, and political structures as well as in establishing and spreading ideas that helped transform the world.

Music (four times each week)
Students sing in two and three parts, read notation, recognize musical styles, perform in major roles in the spring musical theater production, study periods of music history and composers, and listen to various musical compositions. A major part of the curriculum is devoted to preparation for the annual spring musical, supported by a unit on stage terminology. All students study instrumental music and continue to experience ensemble listening and playing.

Science (four times each week)
The curriculum is based on a hands-on approach that focuses on three major units of study: magnets and motors, geology, and life science and plants. Emphasis is placed on developing the scientific reasoning skills of observing, measuring, and identifying properties. Students are required to conduct an independent science fair project on a topic of their choosing. A comprehensive Geology unit prepares students for a one-week study trip to the Desert Southwest.

French or Spanish (daily)
World language continues to prepare students by building study skills that include creating flashcards, taking notes, participating in immersion-based interactions, and keeping an organized notebook. Students will explore the cultural traditions and the geography of French- and Spanish-speaking countries.

Art (twice each week)
The Grade 6 Art curriculum is designed to allow students the opportunity to explore a variety of art mediums and materials. Using art elements, design principles, and other foundational skills, students will create art that is focused on honing their drawing and painting skills. Through the lens of Art as History, from Egyptian tablets and Navajo weavings to Aboriginal paintings and Utah landscapes, students will combine the study of ancient art with their personal, present stories.

World Religion (weekly)
Students will study world religions in conjunction with their studies of ancient civilizations, recognizing their similarities and celebrating the diversities. Fostering openness, tolerance, and respect for the beliefs of others is a major goal of this class.

Executive Functioning and Study Skills (twice-weekly)
In their first year of Middle School, students have a dedicated class twice a week focusing on learning important study skills and executive functioning habits that will serve as the foundation for their growth as an independent learners.

Athletics & PE (two-four times each week)
Athletics and PE provide students with exposure to conditioning, skill-building, and sound training principles. Emphasis is on the development of sport-specific skills, tactics and strategies, teamwork, and a positive competitive attitude. Students are encouraged to be “modest in victory and gracious in defeat.”

Team Sports:

• Soccer or cross country (fall)
• Basketball (winter)
• Track and field or lacrosse (spring)
• PE Activities:
• Cross-training
• Volleyball
• Fitness
• Badminton

Other Highlights

• Team-building day trip to outdoor educational learning center
• Performances in Concert Band and the annual Poetry Slam with Grade 7
• Geology unit, culminating in the ultimate field trip: one-week in the Desert Southwest
• Grade 6 Musical
• Grade 6 Science Fair

English (daily)
The Grade 7 English curriculum is designed to improve students’ critical thinking and communication skills, as well as to deepen their appreciation for the beauty and complexity of the English language. The writing process is emphasized, and in addition to essays, stories, and poems, students complete an inquiry-based research project. Reading books as a class allows students to learn the rudiments of literary analysis while they are exploring their personal responses to the texts through class discussions and writing. Reading independently for Literature Circles encourages lifelong reading skills. To the extent possible, assigned and outside reading may be connected thematically to other disciplines.

Language Arts (twice weekly)
Language Arts classes provide enhanced instruction and practice in writing mechanics and usage, grammar, and vocabulary study

Mathematics (daily)

Math 7: Students build upon Grade 6 knowledge of fractions and the rational number system. They are introduced to expressions and linear equations, applying this knowledge to geometric concepts. The year concludes with statistics and probability. Various methods of reasoning are stressed during this course of study as students move into more advanced problems to solve.

Pre-Algebra: Students build upon their knowledge of fractions and the rational number system.  They are introduced to functional relationships, the study of linear equations, an exploration of transformations and geometric relationships, and a study of statistics and probability. Emphasis is on showing all work and describing the multiple steps to solve problems.

Algebra 1: Students cover a comprehensive Algebra I curriculum including linear, exponential, and quadratic functions, as well as radical equations, systems of equations, and polynomials. Problem-solving strategies using algebraic methods are emphasized.

Geography (daily)
The goal of the course is to help students understand the physical environment and the people and the cultures of the world. It incorporates the National Geographic Society’s five themes of geography: location, place, movement, human-environment interaction, and regions. The study of physical, historical, cultural, and economic geography is employed from a global perspective. Time is included for current events and an in-depth study of Italy in preparation for the Grade 7 study trip.

Life Science (daily)
Life Science topics include the origins of life, evolution, characteristics, and classification of organisms, ecology, behavior, immunity and disease, animal body systems, heredity and genetics, and botany. These topics are reinforced with extensive laboratory work, which is evaluated with a comprehensive practical exam at the end of the year. Methods include hands-on experiential learning employing scientific laboratory skills as well as learning from discussions and textbooks, emphasizing that science is a way of understanding the world. A significant goal is preparing students for high school biology courses.

French or Spanish (daily)
The goal of the world language courses is to continue to provide each student with a solid communicative and grammatical foundation upon which to base more advanced studies. Verbal communication, relating to real-life tasks and situations, is the centerpiece of the course, and classes are conducted mainly in Spanish or French. An appreciation and awareness of the culture and geography of Spanish or French-speaking countries are also promoted through the use of videos, websites, films, map work, and related projects.

Art (twice each week)
The creative arts program is designed to enrich the creative spirit and to develop a more informed language through the visual arts, music, and drama. Visual arts will enhance and stretch perceptual and manipulative ability through drawing, painting, sculpture, and collaborative projects. Seventh-grade students will consider the works of Claude Monet and George Segal (a sculptor) as an entry to comprehending 20th Century thought and expression.

Music (twice each week)
Students choose Band or Chorus. Both Chorus and Band focus on music appreciation, theory, notation, history, and performance, including a variety of music from liturgical to baroque to contemporary.

Religion (weekly)
Students address moral and ethical decision-making, exploring how their communities, interpersonal relationships, and personal experiences shape their values and decisions. Using literature, film, and current events, students will also explore how one’s decisions and actions impact others.

Athletics & PE (two-four times each week)
Athletics and PE provide students with exposure to conditioning, skill-building, and sound training principles. Emphasis is on the development of sport-specific skills, tactics and strategies, teamwork, and a positive competitive attitude. Students are encouraged to be “modest in victory and gracious in defeat.”

Team Sports:

• Soccer or cross country (fall)
• Basketball (winter)
• Track and field or lacrosse (spring)

PE Activities:

• Cross-training
• Volleyball
• Fitness
• Badminton
• And more

Health and Wellness (weekly)
Student learn about nutrition; alcohol, tobacco, and narcotics; and sound decision-making. The class is taught by the school counselor.

Other Highlights

• Team-building trip to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation in November, aligned with their Life Sciences curriculum
• Study trip to Italy in May
• Comprehensive high school outplacement process, which begins at the end of Grade 7

English (daily)
The curriculum is designed to improve students’ critical thinking and communication skills, as well as to deepen their appreciation for the beauty and complexity of the English language. The writing process is emphasized and, in addition to essays, stories, and poems, students complete a research paper. Students also write impromptu essays as well as in-class responses to literature, with particular emphasis on the “classic” paragraph and essay. Students read and discuss books as a class. Vocabulary is drawn from the literature. Students are exposed to a variety of literary genres, including poetry and drama. A highlight of the Grade 8 year is the student performance of Shakespeare’s  A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Language Arts (twice weekly)
Language Arts classes provide enhanced instruction and practice in writing mechanics and usage, grammar, and vocabulary study

Mathematics (daily)

Math 8: Students build upon Grade 7 knowledge of expressions and equations, followed by an introduction of functional relationships, solving systems of equations, with an application of expressions and equations through geometry, and building upon the students’ understanding of statistics and probability.  Independent problem solving and self-check methods are stressed during this course of study as students move into complex problems to solve.

Algebra 1: Students cover a comprehensive Algebra I curriculum including linear, exponential, and quadratic functions, as well as radical equations, systems of equations, and polynomials. Problem-solving strategies using algebraic methods is emphasized.

Geometry: Geometry students focus on the discovery, understanding, and proof of plane and space relationships, based on the logical use of definitions and deductive reasoning. Topics include logic and methods of reasoning, angle relationships, parallel and perpendicular lines, polygons, congruence, similarity, circles, right triangle trigonometry, volume, and area.

United States History & Government (daily)
This class instills an appreciation for the enduring strength and resilience of the U.S. Constitution and helps students understand their rights and responsibilities as citizens. Further, the class hopes to encourage students’ interest in and understanding of key events in 20th Century U.S. history, from the Progressive Era to the Civil Rights Era.

Physical Science (daily)
This is an introduction to the study of physics and chemistry. Topics covered include laws of motion, forms and uses of energy (heat, mechanical, nuclear, electrical, etc.), wave motion (sound and light), classification of matter (elements, compounds, mixtures), atomic structure and the periodic table, chemical bonding and reactions, and solutions of acids, bases, and salts. Laboratory work forms an integral part of Physical Science, as chemistry and especially physics are well suited to an inductive approach to learning. Emphasis is placed on quantitative analysis of data, especially graphing.

French or Spanish (daily)
The world language courses continue to provide each student with a solid communicative and grammatical foundation upon which to base more advanced studies. Verbal communication, relating to real-life tasks and situations, is the centerpiece of the course, and classes are conducted mainly in Spanish or French. An appreciation and awareness of the culture and geography of Spanish- or French-speaking countries are also promoted through the use of videos, websites, films, map work, and related projects. The culmination of the world language program is a ten-day trip to Spain or France.

Art (twice each week)
Visual arts class enhances the students’ perceptual and manipulative ability through drawing, painting, sculpture, and collaborative projects. Students will consider the works of modern and contemporary artists (including Picasso and Kandinsky) as they immerse themselves in the comprehension of modern expression, themes, and ideals.

Music (twice each week)
Students choose Band or Chorus. Both Chorus and Band focus on music appreciation, theory, notation, history, and performance, including a variety of music from liturgical to baroque to contemporary.

Religion (weekly)
Students continue their exploration of ethical leadership, completing a capstone project that demonstrates thoughtful leadership within the school community. Some examples of past capstone projects include: delivering a chapel homily, coordinating a donation drive to benefit the greater community, teaching a lesson in kindness or friendship to younger students.

Athletics & PE (two-four times each week)
Athletics and PE provide students with exposure to conditioning, skill-building, and sound training principles. Emphasis is on the development of sport-specific skills, tactics and strategies, teamwork, and a positive competitive attitude. Students are encouraged to be “modest in victory and gracious in defeat.”

Team Sports:

• Soccer or cross country (fall)
• Basketball (winter)
• Track and field or lacrosse (spring)
• PE Activities:
• Cross-training
• Volleyball
• Fitness
• Badminton
• And more

Other Highlights

• Other Highlights

• Team-building trip to the Shenandoah Mountains in the fall

• Mainstage presentation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream
• France and Spain trips in the spring
• Comprehensive high school outplacement process