Seventh and Eighth Grade
Seventh and Eighth Grade Overview
The middle school at FRA is intentionally and purposefully divided into parallel experiences. The middle school years span a wide range of social, emotional, academic, and physical development, and we tailor the school experience to the developmentally-appropriate needs of our students. Our scheduling, class offerings, and opportunities outside of the classroom are crafted to ensure we are consistently delivering high-quality pedagogy and programming for students at each grade level. Our goal in the final two years of middle school is to build upon skills such as organization, responsibility, self-advocacy, grit, and resilience in a nurturing and supportive environment. We want to inspire and empower students to lead through service. We seek to equip our students for the present while preparing them for the future.
Embedded in our Profile of an FRA Graduate, we strive to instill the following skills and habits in our students:
• Think Critically and Creatively: The learning in each class is designed to invite students into deep thinking, actively engaged in seeking creative solutions to complex problems.
• Demonstrate Resilience and Grit: Through the opportunities, trials, triumphs, and even failures students will experience, our goal is that they know who they are and whose they are – that they are capable of bouncing back from adversity and have the ability to make a lasting difference in the lives of the people around them.
• Lead and Collaborate: The middle school offers a host of leadership opportunities with an active Student Council, Spiritual Life Team, and a robust list of co-curricular offerings where a student’s ability to actively contribute to a team or cast abounds.
• Communicate Effectively: We believe students who can articulate where they are in their learning, think critically, and ask good questions will achieve success in both their academic endeavors and life beyond. Experiences such as Student-Led Conferences provide students with the opportunity to set meaningful goals, self-advocate, and reflect on their own performance. We want our students to find their voice and use it to make a positive impact on those around them.
• Engage Globally: Research shows when adolescents feel connected to something larger than themselves, their confidence grows and they are better able to discover their own strengths and interests. Through service learning embedded at each grade level, regular and ongoing opportunities to serve our community, and mission trips, we want our students to know they are a part of a bigger story and that they can make a difference.
• Live Out Christian Principles: We begin each day as a complete school family with the pledge, a brief devotional, prayer, and announcements. Many of the devotionals are student-led, empowering students to share their faith with peers. We seek to establish a school community rooted in honesty, kindness, empathy, humility, and love for one another. Our grade level advisory curricula, daily convocation, and annual Spiritual Emphasis Week.
Sample Schedule: “A” Day Schedule Example (7th Drops)
Middle School Schedule Highlights:
• Morning Convocation: We begin each day as a Middle School “FRAmily” with a scripturally-based devotion, prayer, and student-led announcements. Each day our devotions are given by students, faculty, or the occasional guest speaker. This high-energy, fun meeting is the gets every day off to a great start!
• Breaks: Cognitive breaks occur between every couple of classes giving students time to regroup mentally.
• Advisory: Each day, students gather in small groups divided by gender and meet with a faculty member who serves as their advisor. This time is right alongside lunch and is intentionally designed for relationship building between peers as well as the students and their advisors.
• Study Hall/Jump Start: Both a rotating study hall and a Jump Start period in the middle of each day give students time to build self-advocacy skills and get started on the night’s homework. Students are encouraged to confer with teachers or our academic support faculty to receive re-teaching, clarification, or homework help wherever they may need it.
• Class Periods: Average class length is 50 minutes, maximizing instructional time and facilitating the kind of student-centered learning that we know is best for kids.
• Rotating Schedule: Classes meet at different times throughout the week so that all of our students see their teachers and the content at various times of day.
Middle School Academic Highlights:
• Tablet PCs: Middle school students have a tablet to access e-textbooks, homework, and a host of apps to enhance curriculum in each class. Embedded technology is a regular part of the classroom experience at each grade level.
• World Language: Seventh and eighth grade students choose between French, Latin, and Spanish as a part of their academic core. The goal is to move from cultural exposure and the foundations of these languages to increased fluency. World Language course offerings include French, Spanish, or Latin.
• Literature Model: This model promotes critical reading and literary analysis across the English core classes. Beginning in seventh grade, students learn modes of writing, as well as understanding specific plot points and character development. Eighth grade prepares the bridge to upper school, focusing on classic and young adult works specializing in different academic discourse areas.
• Innovation Lab: The Middle School Innovation Lab provides students with a wide range of next generation technology resources that allow them to create, explore, produce, and learn vital 21st century computer skills. Students in grades 7-8 elect to explore advanced skills in a digital design class.
Seventh Grade Course Offerings:
English
Geography
Life Science
Math Course III, Pre-Algebra, Advanced Pre-Algebra, or Advanced Algebra I
Program Highlights:
World Language
*Enrichment Block Advisory Study Hall
• 7th Grade Retreat: This day-long retreat is a team-building day to grow deeper relationships and learn how to problem solve together. This is intentionally done within the first couple of weeks of school to strengthen relationships and trust with peers and new teachers.
• Chattanooga: Students take several hikes through caves and gardens, visit museums and aquariums, and continue to expand knowledge on earth sciences. Students also engage in individual chosen educuational programming to dive deeper into our natural world.
Eighth Grade Course Offerings:
English
U.S. History
Physical Science or Chemistry of Advanced Physical Science
Pre-Algebra, Algebra I, Advanced Algebra I, or Geometry Honors
Program Highlights:
World Language
*Enrichment Block Advisory Study Hall
• Eighth Grade Overnight Retreat: During the opening weeks of school, our eighth graders retreat to wooded acres nestled in the rolling hills of Tennessee for the purpose of deepening relationships and strengthening leadership skills. This timely and purposeful experience sets the stage for a meaningful school year.
• Eighth Grade Theme Verse: Eighth graders select a Bible verse to support their leadership of the middle school. The verse is referenced as a source of encouragement throughout the year.
• Leadership: Developing leadership qualities of creativity and innovation, each eighth grade advisory generates, organizes, promotes, and implements different events and programs for the middle school. These moments are designed to enthuse and encourage students as well as enrich our school culture.
• Washington, D.C. Trip: To extend the eighth grade U.S. History curriculum beyond the classroom, eighth graders travel to our nation’s capital. During interim week, students tour the seats of power of the U.S. government, prepare for and engage in debates, explore the Smithsonian museum and visit monuments and other landmarks dedicated to telling our nation’s story.
• Eighth Grade Commissioning: Each year eighth grade advisors host a special chapel in which we will celebrate, encourage, and pray for our eighth graders as they bring closure to their middle school experience
• Enrichment Block – Seventh and eighth graders choose between: Art, Band, Bible, Choir, Digital Design, or Drama. In addition, they will have P.E. or Dance on their enrichment wheel.