Seventh Grade

The seventh grade curriculum reinforces the study habits introduced in the sixth grade and teaches students the basic ¨habits of thought¨ associated with the different disciplines they will encounter in their upper school college-preparatory program in a developmentally appropriate context.

English

The goal of this course is to prepare the students for Eighth Grade English. In preparing students for this, the course will explore a wide variety of themes and skills. The areas of academic emphasis include: written communication, oral participation and expression, reading, vocabulary development, and grammar. Above and beyond these areas of focus, this class will explore themes of responsibility, self-reliance, decision-making, and the process of maturing to a higher level of behavior, performance, and academics.

Students will be participating in various learning activities, such as essay writing, problem-solving experiences, research assignments, cooperative groups, group and individual presentations, and class discussions. The skills of critical thinking, reading, writing, outlining, note-taking, public speaking, and research will be emphasized. Respect for one's self and others, honesty, and a high level of effort in all endeavors are concepts that will be significant parts of the class.

Seventh grade examines the nexus of identity, knowledge, and compassion in “Flowers for Algernon,” Farewell to Manzanar, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, and The Giver. Students also read short stories and poems by Edgar Allan Poe, Langston Hughes, Maya Angelou, Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost, Tim O’Brien, Lewis Carroll, Eugenia Collier, and others. The goal of this course is to prepare students for Eighth Grade English by practicing written communication, oral participation and expression, reading, vocabulary development, and grammar. Above and beyond these areas of focus, this class will explore themes of responsibility, self-reliance, and decision-making.

History

This yearlong course provides an introduction to the history and cultures of Oceania. We begin with the concept of identity and weave in the complexities of culture. We then explore the ideas of human movement across the globe and ages, laying a foundation for a look of the Polynesian diaspora. Students explore the geography of the Pacific islands, including various topography and regions. We then examine the Pacific islands’ roles over the last four centuries, including the impact of exploration and colonization. The spring semester focuses specifically and deeply on the history of the Hawaiian islands. Beginning with its geological and mythological origins, students will learn about the culture of pre-contact Hawaii and examine Hawaii’s relationships with the earliest explorers, missionaries, western business and the eventual overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom. Throughout the year, we return to the question of perspective and whose story is being told through which lens. Students take part in historical inquiries utilizing both primary and secondary sources. Skills honed include note-taking, research, making inquiries and presenting knowledge through a variety of methods. A variety of projects and hands-on activities are interspersed across the curriculum.

Pre-Algebra

Pre-Algebra links the arithmetic of sixth grade to the Algebra of eighth. Topics of study include: operations and properties of rational numbers (positive and negative numbers), number theory, ratio and proportion, percent, personal finance, statistics, plane and solid geometry, formulas involving area, perimeter, surface area, and volume, the Pythagorean Theorem, similar shapes, solving multistep equations and inequalities, combining life terms, and the use of a scientific calculator to solve application problems. Application problems will be discussed throughout each unit of study. Many of the concepts will use computer enhanced instruction and manipulatives to enforce concepts and skills. Throughout the year emphasis will be on taking notes as well as a more extended approach to checking homework, which includes evaluating mistakes for clarity of understanding and showing the steps to working problems on paper.

7th Grade Science

This course is the first part of a two-year physical science program that spans into the eighth grade. Students learn the foundations of chemistry by learning about atomic structure, the periodic table, and molecules. The physics portion teaches students about motion, forces, and energy with heavy emphasis on hands on experimentation. Throughout the year, students continue to grow in their critical thinking and problem solving skills. The seventh grade science class is a paperless classroom and all curriculums is done online to allow for in-depth investigation using virtual tools to help visualize concepts. This course is part of a spiral curriculum that begins in the sixth grade and comes to completion in the eighth grade.

Spanish

The Middle School Spanish program is designed to ignite the students´ excitement for learning a foreign language. In a highly interactive, immersion environment with a large variety of speaking, listening, reading and writing activities, the students gradually build their communication skills. In addition to establishing a solid foundation in the workings of the language, focus is placed at this level on helping the students to attain a more global perspective, including an awareness of the interconnectedness among cultures and a respect for diverse world views and practices. By fostering an attitude of understanding and respect, the students will develop the knowledge, skills and disposition needed to evolve into responsible world citizens who are eager to create a sustainable and peaceful world.

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