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Middle School Curriculum
Language Arts
The language arts program nurtures a love of reading and writing, while also giving students a comprehensive foundation in grammar, spelling, and vocabulary. Because reading and writing are essential to academic success in a range of subjects, English/ language arts classes meet for an extended period of time each week. Throughout the program, concepts explored in literature are applied to the writing process in the development of both creative and expository pieces. In addition to reading literature for their courses, our students are required to read independently throughout Middle School. Teachers also collaborate with the librarians to help students develop their research skills and research projects.
Grade 5 Language Arts
Fifth-grade language arts is studied within the context of a greater humanities course. The interdisciplinary nature of language arts and social studies provides a rich educational experience that allows students to explore, analyze, and interpret literature in a historical context.
Students further develop a passion for literature through studying various literary genres in detail. They learn to recognize different writing styles and literary techniques, to comprehend figures of speech, and to analyze character and plot development. Students also participate in literature circles and take turns leading small-group discussions. Students choose novels for independent reading from a classroom library that is categorized by interest and genre. Accelerated Reader, a Web-based program that integrates computer technology with reading enrichment, increases reading comprehension and monitors independent reading progress. Students engage in the writing process throughout the year, drafting book reviews, fantasy stories, persuasive essays, literary essays, and nonfiction pieces. Fifth-grade students learn to effectively review their own writing and collaborate in the peer editing process. Grammar is studied throughout the year and is integrated into writing instruction, as are spelling skills. Students study vocabulary in the context of the literature they are reading, as well as from a workbook series. Students learn to listen and speak effectively through presentations to the class and class discussions. The balanced curriculum encourages critical thinking and comprehension skills, collaboration, and a deep understanding and appreciation of literature and expression. Resources include Accelerated Reader, Grammar Workshop, and Vocabulary Workshop. Novels include Linda Mullaly Hunt’s Fish in a Tree, Rita Williams-Garcia’s One Crazy Summer, Linda Sue Park’s A Long Walk to Water, Karen Hesse’s Letters from Rifka, Thanhha Lai’s Inside Out and Back Again, and Pam Muñoz Ryan’s Esperanza Rising among others.
Grade 6 Language Arts
Students study a range of literary genres, including historical fiction, science fiction, and non-fiction (memoir), as well as short stories and poems. The students learn to identify literary elements and figurative language as they enhance critical-reading skills. Students learn various techniques for composing well-organized paragraphs and essays, and much of the writing is an outgrowth of the required novels and an emphasis on the GSB core values. Creative writing is further explored in narratives for interdisciplinary projects, journal writing, and poetry. As part of the coursework, students share original work and formal presentations using applications such as PowerPoint and Adobe Creative Cloud. Vocabulary is derived from literature units, a comprehensive workbook, and the study of prefix and suffix meanings. Spelling skills are reinforced through the study of commonly confused words and those most frequently misused in writing. Personal spelling lists are also differentiated for each student. Grammar lessons focus on the parts of speech, the mechanics of writing, the structural relationship between words in sentences, and direct application to student work.
Resources Include 365 Days of Wonder, R. J. Palacio, Vocabulary Workshop, Confusing Words Reference Series, Prefixes and Suffixes, Grammar for Writing, and Accelerated Reader (independent reading). Novels include Raquel J. Palacio’s Wonder, Lois Lowry’s The Giver, Laurence Yep’s Dragonwings, Jacqueline Woodson’s Brown Girl Dreaming, Paul Fleishman’s Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices, and a variety of short stories. In addition, students self-select a wide range of novels and nonfiction for independent reading.
Grade 7 English
As they learn to discuss and write about increasingly complex literature, students develop critical-thinking skills in seventhgrade English. In addition to teacher-directed analysis, students learn to take effective notes about the reading to aid in their comprehension and to facilitate discussion. Participation in class discussions is an essential component of this course as students learn to analyze ideas. Exploring novels, short stories, and poetry, students move beyond understanding plot to analyzing literary devices, including character development, symbolism, and theme. Students draw from their own experiences to inform and strengthen their understanding of the texts. They also reflect on how themes and lessons in the literature apply to themselves and the world around them.
Most writing assignments are critical analyses of the novels, emphasizing their use of textual evidence to support an argument. Students learn to organize their ideas and structure their writing effectively through single paragraphs and five-paragraph essays. Students also engage in creative and narrative writing to explore literature and topics of personal interest. Vocabulary and grammar instruction support and enhance students’ writing. Grammar topics include parts of speech, parts of a sentence, sentence structure, punctuation, principal parts of verbs, pronoun usage, and commonly confused words. This class meets extra sessions weekly to allow for collaboration and full exploration of class material and students’ ideas. Resources include Vocabulary Workshop Level B, Greek and Latin Roots, and Grammar for Writing Grade 9. Literature includes Alan Gratz’s Refugee, Paolo Bacigalupi’s Ship Breaker, Orson Scott Card’s Ender’s Game, and Neal Shusterman’s Bruiser, along with poetry selections from authors such as Langston Hughes, Robert Frost, E.E. Cummings, Nikki Giovanni, and William Wordsworth.
Grade 8 English
In eighth grade, students become more independent in their reading, writing, and thinking skills. An emphasis is placed on literary analysis, including understanding and identifying themes, tone, characterization, symbolism, plot elements, and the effect of literary devices, such as irony and foreshadowing. Classroom interaction, including student-led discussions, is an integral part of the course. The study of grammar continues as students learn about phrases, clauses, different sentence structures, and verb tenses.
Writing assignments include several five-paragraph essays, frequent talking points, weekly creative writing, and a research paper. Strong arguments, supporting details, textual evidence, proper Modern Language Association (MLA) format, peer review, and knowledge of grammar and vocabulary are emphasized. Vocabulary instruction focuses on making new words a part of a student’s written and spoken vocabulary. Extended class time each week allows for in-depth discussions, group work, and writing.
Resources include Grammar for Writing 9, Vocabulary Workshop C, and More Greek and Latin Roots. Other works include Elie Wiesel’s Night, Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, Daniel Keyes’ Flowers for Algernon, S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders, and short stories from authors such as Ray Bradbury, Kurt Vonnegut, Edgar Allan Poe, and Shirley Jackson.
Throughout Middle School, an emphasis is placed on mastery of mathematical concepts so that students are fully prepared for increasingly advanced work. The math curriculum transitions seamlessly from the Singapore Math program, which culminates in sixth grade with pre-algebra. In the seventh grade, each student begins an enriched or accelerated math sequence, depending on his/her readiness. The enriched sequence offers Algebra I over two academic years, allowing time for students to solidify prealgebra skills and to apply those skills to problem-solving. The accelerated sequence offers Algebra I in seventh grade and geometry in eighth grade. Math placement is based on aptitude and readiness, ensuring a strong foundation for further mathematical study and success.
Grade 5 Mathematics
This year-long course continues the Singapore Math program from earlier grades, introducing new topics and concepts. The course is designed to help students develop a deep conceptual understanding of mathematics. Skills and concepts are taught in an integrated manner, allowing students to draw on prior knowledge, explore topics in-depth, and achieve mastery. Lessons are carefully designed to move students from a concrete to a visual and, ultimately, to an abstract understanding of each concept. The course encourages students to become confident, creative problem-solvers. They study fractions, decimals, and whole numbers from the thousandths to the billions and beyond, and they develop proficiency in adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing fractions, decimals, and multi-digit numbers. Other key topics include number theory, measurement, ratios, and percentages. Students are introduced to a variety of problem-solving strategies, including drawing unit models to aid in interpreting and solving word problems. Advanced topics, projects, and individualized assignments provide a level of challenge and support appropriate for each student.
Grade 6 Mathematics/Pre-Algebra
This year-long course continues the Singapore Math program, building pre-algebra skills, and focusing on conceptual understanding and application of skills to solve problems. Major topics include the use of variables to represent unknown quantities, percentages and proportions, measurement, and calculations of two and three-dimensional shapes, probability, and the four basic operations with negative numbers. A variety of strategies and skills are introduced for each topic. Students learn to understand different approaches to solving problems and discerning which strategies may be more appropriate for specific problems. They are challenged and supported through assignments as well as individual and group projects as they work to master course topics.
Algebra 1
Depending on their readiness, students take this course over a single year (accelerated) or over two years (enriched). The Algebra I course provides a formal development of skills and concepts necessary for students to succeed in advanced mathematics courses. This course introduces higher-order abstract reasoning strategies. The syllabus covers a variety of topics that serve to open new areas of inquiry while continually reviewing and reinforcing previously presented materials. Course topics include operations with integers, proportions, graphing on the coordinate plane, linear functions and equations, inequalities, systems of equations, exponential functions, quadratic functions and equations, and radical expressions and equations.
Grade 7 Algebra
This is the first year of the enriched course. Pre-algebra skills are reintroduced in an integrated manner, as new topics are presented. Course highlights include solving equations and inequalities, solving and graphing linear functions, and solving systems of equations. The pace of the course allows for additional exploration of topics and opportunities for group activities that stimulate creativity and critical thinking.
Grade 8 Algebra
This is the second year of the enriched course. This class reviews and reinforces linear algebraic concepts introduced in seventh grade and applies them to non-linear algebraic functions and expressions. Students have independent and collaborative opportunities to practice these skills in practical situations. An emphasis on critical thinking, error analysis, and improved accuracy contributes to students’ readiness for Upper School math classes.
Grade 8 Geometry
This is the highest-level math course offered to Middle School students and is open only to eighth-grade students who successfully completed a full year of Algebra I. The course has two broad goals: understanding the mechanics of geometry, which involves formulas and computations for two and three- dimensional shapes; and understanding the logic of geometry, which focuses on proofs. Coursework is enhanced with an engineering project and an exploration of trigonometry, which encompasses non-right triangle trigonometry, the Law of Sines and the Law of Cosines. The McDougall Littell textbook is used to teach this course, which is the same textbook used in Upper School Geometry classes at GSB. Prerequisite: The successful completion of Algebra I and the recommendation of the department.
The social studies/history curriculum is rooted in the fundamental skills of critical reading, writing, note-taking, classroom dialogue, and research. The fifth-grade course focuses on human movement and cultural exchange; sixth and seventh grades study ancient history. In eighth grade, students examine American history and government from its foundations to today. The introduction of Facing History and Ourselves and Pollyanna curricular frameworks helps students understand the choices and perspectives that shaped history.
Students in these courses learn how to research, analyze, and assess different sources of information; find corroborating evidence; ask good questions to advance inquiry; formulate an effective argument using evidence, and analyze primary source documents. Students also learn how to communicate an idea across many different platforms, including the use of written reports, oral presentations, and online discussion boards. Global, national, and local current events from a variety of sources are investigated to supplement inquiry of contemporary and historical issues.
Students are encouraged to expand their understanding of the relationship of geography to cultures, global issues, and themselves. Cross-curricular projects are completed throughout the year, including research papers and presentation. The history curriculum is designed to hone communication and critical thinking skills. Students learn to evaluate, synthesize, and write as historians, assessing bias in primary and secondary documents and questioning with thoughtfulness and respect. The program produces emerging scholars who are beginning to see contemporary society through multiple lenses and against the backdrop of history.
Grade 5 Social Studies
Fifth-grade social studies is studied within the context of a greater humanities course. The interdisciplinary nature of social studies and language arts provides a rich educational experience that allows students to explore, analyze, and interpret topics in a historical context.
Students examine the historical context of the demographics and culture of the United States today. They learn to use data, maps, primary sources, and textbook readings to enhance their understanding of the context through which American society has developed. Themes explored include immigration and New York City’s changing neighborhoods, including forced migration, civil rights, and contemporary movements; and colonization and the impact of the Columbian Exchange on indigenous cultures and the environment. This course develops the following historical thinking skills: chronological thinking, historical comprehension, analysis and interpretation, and research. Through inquiry and reverse-chronological study of events, students understand the connection between history and today’s world. To support greater comprehension and empathy, students use a journaling system for the management of their course materials and the creation of a personal portfolio. The online textbook is TCI History Alive! The United States Through Modern Times. Junior Scholastic is an additional resource for students.
Grade 6 Social Studies
Students investigate the ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt, and China. Students learn to use data, maps, primary sources, and short readings to enhance their understanding of the development of these civilizations. Students learn skills for note-taking, studying, oral presentation, and geographic awareness. Research skills are developed through a written paper related to ancient Egypt. In addition to traditional assessments, students have an opportunity to demonstrate understanding through projects, reenactments, and virtual reality tours. This course also fosters an ability to discuss and debate contemporary issues. By learning about the world’s earliest communities, students have a better understanding and greater appreciation for monumental achievements around the world.
Grade 7 History
Students continue to investigate early civilizations by exploring Greece, Rome, Europe during the Middle Ages, and Islamic culture. Students learn to use data, maps, primary sources, and short readings to enhance their understanding of the development of these civilizations. Students learn skills for note-taking, studying, oral presentation, and geographic awareness. Research skills are developed through a project centered on ancient Greece. In addition to traditional assessments, students have an opportunity to demonstrate understanding through reenactments and virtual reality tours. This course also fosters an ability to discuss and debate contemporary issues. By learning about the world’s earliest communities, students have a better understanding and greater appreciation for monumental achievements around the world. Junior Scholastic is an additional resource for students.
This course is based on a thematic approach to civics rooted in the history of American government. Students discuss the conditions and events that helped create the colonial foundations of American political ideals, traditions, and systems. In addition, they explore the core principles of American government and what it means to be a citizen. Students will also explore current events to understand how the past informs the present and how the present illuminates the past. All eighth graders travel to Washington D.C. to tour the nation’s political and cultural institutions. Resources include Center for Civic Education’s We The People: The Citizen & The Constitution, Facing History and Ourselves Curriculum, Scholastic’s The New York Times Upfront magazine, and various supplemental materials, including primary documents, videos, and secondary sources.
Middle School Building Bridges
Building Bridges is designed to facilitate discussion around choices in communities. Through critical reading and classroom dialogue, students explore how multicultural communities live in harmony, examine problem-solving skills, and conflict resolution, and learn how to make a positive difference in an increasingly complex society. The course is framed in the pedagogy of Facing History and Ourselves, and the foundational text Seedfolks, by Paul Fleischman. Resources: Facing History and Ourselves, select readings/activities.
The science program challenges and engages students with exploratory and lab-based learning. Science class meets every day, and topics introduced are revisited throughout Middle School with increasing complexity each year. The STREAMS program brings together work in sustainability, technology, research, engineering, agriculture, math, and service while emphasizing the skills of collaboration, problem-solving, and cross-disciplinary thinking. In STREAMS, and throughout the Middle School curriculum, teachers utilize the natural resources of our 208-acre campus—gardens, pond, streams, and a working farm—to complement classroom learning. Students also use the Makerspace, a lab-centered working classroom where they can create, design, explore, and tinker. Middle School science harnesses the natural curiosity and energy of students, teaching them how to apply scientific concepts and methods to their exploration.
Grade 5 and the STREAMS Program
Students journey through the earth’s systems, investigating the biosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, cryosphere, and geosphere. Through hands-on, collaborative lab activities, this course exposes students to physical science, earth science, life science, and engineering design technology. From making earth system jars and witnessing a live water cycle, to constructing a food web from organisms found around campus, students develop an understanding of science concepts and their application in the real world. GSB’s campus provides students with a tangible exploration of the environment. As students work through the year, this course nurtures a love of science and learning. Reinforcement of study skills, review and preparation for tests and quizzes, as well as the organization of data, is presented to students in different formats. The STREAMS Program, encompassing sustainability, technology, research, engineering, agriculture, math, and service, is an extension of the fifth-grade science course. The program allows fifth-grade students to spend an extended block of time each week studying at Home Winds Farm. The curriculum is designed to foster problem-solving and design thinking, with sustainability concepts front-and-center. STREAMS is an opportunity for new Middle School students to explore, discover, and make connections in the scientific world. Research plays an integral part in this fifth-grade course. Students explore the biodiversity of flora and fauna on campus. The STREAMS program has partnered with Eco-School USA, where students spend the year working on projects that analyze and measure sustainable practices on campus.
Grade 6 and the STREAMS Program
Students become more aware and curious about science in the world around them. Becoming good citizen scientists, and learning how to be an integral part of a team, are continually modeled. Lessons are designed to encourage students to connect and work with each other. In addition, study and test-taking skills are reinforced with an emphasis on appropriate lab skills and application of science content. Sixth-grade lessons include topics from life, earth, and physical sciences. A close inspection of the Peapack Brook, which runs through the GSB campus, includes measurement of its physical dimensions, analysis of its water chemistry, and the identification of the organisms, which live in the riparian zone. Students learn about the properties of water and become aware of their own water use, how clean water impacts their health, and the fact that water is not evenly distributed on the planet. The physical and chemical properties of matter and energy are investigated through a variety of lab activities. Students take part in the “Trout in the Classroom” project, and tap maple trees on campus to make syrup. As the culminating activity to the year, students dissect a worm, a fish, and a frog. To connect science to their life while using the scientific method, students complete a long-term scientific investigation of their choice. The sixth graders determine a problem, set up variables, write a hypothesis, and then carry out the experiment by collecting and graphing their data. They draw a conclusion comparing the results to their hypothesis and write both a research paper and a scientist biography. Finally, they present their findings to the school community at the annual Science Symposium. In sixth-grade STREAMS, students apply the field scientist skills they have practiced in previous years of STREAMS to complete more comprehensive capstone projects. Most of these projects align with the sixth-grade science course. Students research and analyze watersheds and wetlands in conjunction with the AmeriCorps Watershed Ambassadors, and explore our impact on nature through studies of bird migration through campus. By the end of the sixth-grade STREAMS program, students develop an awareness and understanding of the interconnectedness of environment, culture, and society.
This hands-on course helps students develop a thorough understanding of scientific concepts. Topics include ecology and human body systems. Through weekly experiments, students develop skills in planning and conducting investigations, analyzing and interpreting data, and developing models to explain natural phenomena. Students are also required to compose several full-length lab reports throughout the year, in which lab report format, graphing, and analysis are emphasized. Students are provided with many opportunities to better understand real-life science applications on the GSB campus, including conducting research to help solve current environmental problems; examining biodiversity in the garden; developing and creating models of human body systems, and researching diseases and disorders in the body. Students also engage in a cow eye dissection, have the chance to speak with visiting ophthalmologists, and learn about how dogs are trained to assist blind individuals during a visit by “The Seeing Eye.” During the human body segment, classes led by practicing physicians allow students to ask questions about complex diseases affecting the human body, as well as inquire about the medical profession, helping them better understand how science extends outside the classroom and into the world. This course places a strong emphasis on learning how to understand scientific literature, with students carrying out informed discussions about current scientific advances or developments. Students also research and prepare several in-depth multimedia presentations that promote group collaboration, research skills, and public speaking skills. In addition, they compose a research paper on a topic of their choice and learn about the process of writing a research paper, including how to outline, find credible sources, and use proper citation format.
Grade 8 Science
Exploration of physics, chemistry, and evolution frames this course, with hands-on activities that challenge students to design and build, analyze, evaluate, and draw valid conclusions from data. Water rockets are used to apply concepts in physics as students design, test, and redesign a rocket. During the study of chemistry, students conduct a series of lab activities that help them better understand concepts, learn to balance chemical equations, and build molecules and compounds. Students develop theories to explain the science observed and learn to reach conclusions based on data. They also write formal lab reports that include computer-generated data tables and graphs. Throughout the year, each student also investigates a scientific topic of interest and creates an original movie to teach others what he/she has learned. As students mature in eighth grade, there is a greater focus on learning for understanding, on independence, and on refining study skills that are necessary for success in Upper School.
The World Language Department strives to inspire a love for language in our students, helping them become confident speakers in the target language. Classes encourage students to explore the culture and history of the regions associated with their language. In addition, the program provides natural avenues for conversations about diversity and multiculturalism. In Middle School, the program offers study in French, Latin, and Spanish. In addition to language instruction, each course introduces students to the corresponding culture through music, film, printed media, and literature. A student entering the Middle School in fifth grade is required to study French, Spanish, and Latin for one trimester. During each fifth-grade trimester, students learn the fundamentals of the language—functional communication, vocabulary, and grammar. In grades six, seven, and eight, students embark on a three-year course that is the equivalent of a Level I high-school course. This pacing allows students to master the material and begin Upper School at the intermediate level. Outside the classroom, students participate in activities that emphasize the cultural elements of the language they are studying.
Grade 5 Spanish
The goal of this class is to expose and foster topical and functional communication and to raise cultural awareness of traditions and daily life in countries where Spanish is spoken. From the first day of class, students actively participate in short dialogues, question-answer exercises, and role-playing. Elements of the curriculum include geography, history, and art, along with the study of basic grammar and vocabulary. Printed visual and audio materials, presenting an authentic view of the language and culture are used.
Grade 5 French
This class is designed to introduce and expose all students in the grade to the sounds, structure, and basic use of the French language. The class focuses on functional communication, which includes listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills, with an emphasis on the listening and speaking components. Cultural awareness of the traditions and daily life of Francophone countries is emphasized through language and classroom activities.
Grade 5 Latin
This introductory course develops and strengthens good vocabulary and grammar skills while teaching students the fundamentals of a classical language. Since many English words are derived from Latin, the class serves as an excellent tool for students to develop their vocabulary skills in English, as well as in Latin. Emphasis is placed on derivatives, prefixes, and suffixes so that students can begin to recognize connections between Latin and English. All grammar instruction is aligned with the language arts curriculum to reinforce the concepts taught in both courses. Students study the geography of Italy and the contributions of ancient Romans, as well as the clothing, schools, and architecture of the Roman Empire and its many contributions to history.
Grade 6 Spanish
This is the first of three consecutive years in the Middle School language program corresponding to the Upper School Level I Spanish course. The study of the language progresses with the communicative approach in a program oriented to provide opportunities to develop conversational and listening comprehension skills. Concurrently, writing skills and grammar are emphasized. The students continue to develop an appreciation for the culture of the Spanish-speaking countries around the world. They develop their skills through creative activities such as writing short dialogues, performing celebrity interviews with their classmates, and writing a book report on a well-known Spanish or Latin American author or artist.
Grade 6 French
This is the first of three consecutive years in the Middle School language program, corresponding to the Upper School Level I French course. The course is an introduction to the language and cultures of the French-speaking world. Students learn basic vocabulary to carry a simple conversation. This course fosters functional communication as a fundamental building block in reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills for students to move toward language proficiency. The development of cultural understanding is an integral part of daily class activities.
This is the first of three consecutive years in the Middle School language program, corresponding to the Upper School Level I Latin course. This class develops and strengthens sound vocabulary and grammar skills while teaching students the fundamentals of a classical language. Students are introduced to Latin and Greek mythology, which culminates in a Roman shield project. Students research the shape of various Roman shields and design them, using the symbols and the stories of gods.
Grade 7 Spanish
This is the second of three consecutive years in the Middle School language program, corresponding to the Upper School Level I Spanish course. The study of the language progresses with the communicative approach to provide opportunities to develop conversational and listening comprehension skills. Concurrently, writing skills and grammar are emphasized. The students continue to develop an appreciation for the culture of the Spanish-speaking countries around the world. Building a core vocabulary and a strong foundation in grammar is a fundamental building block for students to move toward language proficiency. They learn to ask and answer simple questions, to speak in Spanish, and to write in the present tense about activities and people that relate to daily life.
Grade 7 French
This is the second of two consecutive years in the Middle School language program, corresponding to the Upper School Level I French course. The course continues the introduction of the language and cultures of the French-speaking world. Students learn to ask and answer simple questions, to speak in French, and write in the present tense about activities and people that relate to daily life. Building a core vocabulary and a strong foundation in grammar is a fundamental building block for students to move toward language proficiency. The development of cultural understanding is an integral part of daily class activities.
Grade 7 Latin
This is the second of two consecutive years in the Middle School language program, corresponding to the Upper School Level I Latin course. The class is designed for students to pursue the study of Latin, to reinforce their English grammar, and to build a strong vocabulary. Students use the Cambridge Latin Course (Cambridge University Press), a reading program designed to help them acquire Latin vocabulary and to read Latin easily. Students build on the grammar structures that are taught in seventh-grade English, enabling them to make connections between English and the root language, as well as to increase their vocabulary and grammar skills in both languages. The Cambridge Latin Course text provides insight into Roman culture and history through stories centered around the destruction of Pompeii and its effects on a Roman family. The text also includes Greek and Roman mythology. A variety of activities, projects, and a Roman festival of the gods enrich the student’s experience in the course. Students may take this class with no prior training in Latin.
Grade 8 Spanish
This is the third of three consecutive years in the Middle School language program, corresponding to the Upper School Level I Spanish course. The study of the language progresses with the communicative approach in a program oriented to provide opportunities to develop conversational and listening comprehension skills. Concurrently, writing skills and grammar are emphasized. The students continue to develop an appreciation for the culture of the Spanish-speaking countries around the world. Building a core vocabulary and a strong foundation in grammar is a fundamental building block for students to move toward language proficiency. They learn to ask and answer simple questions, to speak in Spanish, and to write in the present and preterite tenses about activities and people that relate to daily life. Along with World Language classes, eighth-grade students participate in Language Lab, which is an opportunity for additional work and enrichment exercises.
Grade 8 French
This is the third of three consecutive years in the Middle School language program, corresponding to the Upper School Level I French course. Building a core vocabulary and a strong foundation in grammar is critical as students develop language proficiency. Students learn to ask and answer simple questions, to speak, and write about activities and people that relate to daily life. Opportunities for creative expression are provided through the integration of listening, speaking, writing, and reading activities in French. The development of deeper cultural awareness is an integral part of daily class activities as well. Along with regular World Language classes, eighth-grade students participate in Language Lab, which is an opportunity for additional work and enrichment exercises.
This is the third of three consecutive years in the Middle School language program, corresponding to the Upper School Level I Latin course. This class enables students to pursue the study of Latin, to reinforce their English grammar, and to build a strong vocabulary. Students use the Cambridge Latin Course (Cambridge University Press), a reading program designed to help them build Latin vocabulary and to read Latin easily. Students study the grammar structures that are being taught in their English classes, enabling them to make connections between English and the root language, as well as to increase their vocabulary and grammar skills in both languages. The Cambridge Latin Course text provides insight into Roman culture and history through stories centered around the destruction of Pompeii and its effects on a Roman family. The text also includes Greek and Roman mythology. Students compete in the Certamen at Princeton University, and they take the National Latin Exam in March. Along with regular World Language classes, eighth-grade students participate in Language Lab, which is an opportunity for additional work and enrichment exercises.
Fine Arts
Fine arts courses are exploratory and introductory, designed to ignite interest and creativity and engage students in a variety of topics. In fifth and sixth grade, all students take Studio Art and Woodworking for one semester, each with weekly class meetings. In seventh and eighth grade, students can choose two electives per year in the fine arts, including Studio Art, Sculpture and Ceramics, Woodworking, and CAD (computer-aided design).
Grades 5-6 Studio Art
Fundamental skills, techniques, knowledge, and attitudes necessary to produce and understand visual art are covered in this course. A variety of artistic media explored in fifth and sixth grade include plaster, acrylic, tempera and watercolor paints and ink, across a range of subjects and styles. Assignments may include drawing from observation, color value paintings, sculpture with recycled materials and plaster, assemblage, surrealistic self-portraits, perspective, block prints, and a collaborative project.
Grades 5-6 Woodworking
Beginning with formal instruction of proper safety procedures and with basic drawing and design to elicit creativity and to build confidence, students discover how to use a variety of materials in different ways. They learn about the history of the craft and the role of mathematics in successful woodworking. Projects consider the developing nature of each student’s skills, and they demonstrate the acquisition of these skills through the completion of a project. Fifth-grade students are introduced to handsaws, Dremels, tape measures, and many other tools. They learn to measure and shape wood with a band saw carefully. Through making clocks, they create unique carvings and designs. Sixth-grade students accurately measure, cut, carve, and shape wood into birdhouses, carvings, and toolboxes.
Grades 7-8 Computer-Aided Design (CAD)
CAD introduces students to the world of drawing three-dimensional objects using computers. It is a semester elective for seventh- and eighth-grade students. Students learn the TinkerCad program to create scale models and objects of their own design–both practical and artistic. Class is held in our iMac technology lab, where students learn how to format and slice their drawings for the 3-D printers. With the goal of promoting creativity and exploration, the class is an artful combination of math, design, and technology.
Grades 7-8 Studio Art
We cover fundamental skills, techniques, knowledge, and the attitude necessary to produce and understand visual art. Art history plays a vital role in the course as students explore a variety of artistic media. Seventh-grade projects may include drawing from a still-life, self-portraits in the style of an artist’s painting, linocut printmaking, collage, sculpture with recycled materials, landscape, and perspective studies. Additional projects at the eighth-grade level include charcoal still-life drawing, monochromatic acrylic painting, analogous painting, relief prints, and linear perspective studies.
Grades 7-8 Woodworking
Woodworking projects consider the developing nature of each student’s skills. In the seventh grade, students carefully measure, cut, carve, shape, and laminate wood to make projects such as custom chess boards and hand-carved paddles. In the eighth grade, students cut, carve, shape, and laminate wood to make projects such as custom lamps and hand-made boxes. At both grade levels, students may participate in the completion of group projects such as Adirondack chairs and tables. Students begin each semester by producing scaled drawings, calling on the design skills and creative ideas from the prior year. Over the term, they are introduced to more involved techniques with a variety of wood materials and tools. The history of the craft and the mathematics inherent in the woodworking process are included in the curriculum. At the end of the semester, each student takes home a project that demonstrates some of the more advanced skills acquired.
Seventh-grade ceramics teaches the basic skills of working with clay while focusing on sculptural projects and hand-building techniques. Students will learn how to make coils, build with clay slabs, and employ slipping and scoring while exploring texture, pattern making, and the connection to our natural world within the medium of clay.
Grades 8 Ceramics
Eighth-grade ceramics explores how we interact and utilize clay and pottery within our daily routine by utilizing foundational ceramic techniques to create functional pottery pieces. While learning how to make clay slabs, employ coils, and incorporate molds, students will create tableware and storage pieces through the lens of a unique art style.
Beyond the pure joy of taking part in a production, students who engage in the performing arts become more self-confident and better able to present their ideas to others. They learn firsthand how to collaborate and push beyond their comfort zone to discover and develop talents they may not have known they possessed. In concerts, jazz band, singing groups, plays, and musicals, Middle School students have ample opportunity to explore the performing arts. Every fifth- and sixth-grade student has music classes each week. In seventh and eighth grade, students choose among electives in drama, music, and the fine arts. Previous Middle School productions include Honk! JR., Once on This Island Jr., High School Musical Jr., Eureka!, The Wizard of Oz. Jr., Hoodie, & How to Survive the Zombie Apocalypse.
Grades 5-6 Studio Music
This yearlong, required class gives students a deeper understanding of music, while engaging them in a choral setting. Throughout each semester, music history and theory are taught alongside sight-singing, rhythm development, proper vocal and breathing techniques, and harmonization skills. The choir works together as a team to prepare a diverse repertoire for a concert at the end of each semester.
Grades 7-8 Music
This one-semester elective class is designed to give students a deeper understanding of music, while continuing to engage them in a choral setting. The course delves further into music history and theory. Sight-singing, rhythm development, proper vocal and breathing techniques, and harmonization skills continue to be refined as the choir works together as a team to prepare a diverse repertoire for a concert at the end of the semester.
Grades 7-8 Drama
Drama class meets weekly and offers students the opportunity to study all facets of theater, from theater games and acting, to history and stagecraft. The class meets in the Performing Arts and Community Center (PACC), where students are given a firsthand look at the actual production of the Upper School play and musical. Each spring during the Middle School Spring Unit, the seventh- and eighth-grade students mount a production. Interested students may participate on stage or behind-the-scenes.
In the Middle School, technology skills are learned in coordination with informational literacy and Internet safety so that students can effectively and safely navigate an increasingly digital world. Technology is integrated throughout the curriculum and in collaboration with core subject teachers. Weekly technology classes allow students to research, code, create, and program.
Grade 5 Technology
Students learn a range of computing skills, including keyboarding, word processing, working with spreadsheets, and creating presentations. Students are also introduced to coding and programming. Internet research skills are taught in coordination with projects assigned for other academic classes. Assignments are designed through collaboration with core subject teachers. Lessons are developed around integrating software packages, such as Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Google Apps for Education, and Apple apps (iMovie/iPhoto). Responsibility, organizational skills, and digital citizenship are also covered.
Grade 6 Technology
Much of the focus of computer instruction at this level is on the Google Apps for Education, with additional projects requiring the use of Apple apps, such as iMovie and iPhoto. The projects in this class, designed in collaboration with core subject teachers, overlap and connect with academic courses. Basic architecture skills, graphing, data presentation, and the creation of visual presentations are taught in relation to core subjects. Fundamentals of coding and programming are woven in throughout the year. Digital citizenship is covered extensively and is framed as a matter of respect, responsibility, and appropriate use of technology.
Grade 7 Technology
Projects in this class connect with academic subjects and are designed in collaboration with core subject teachers. Throughout the year, students undertake research projects with increasing independence. They prepare research proposals, take effective notes, track and organize information, and properly source and analyze data. Students create visual classroom presentations highlighting their work. In addition to the research component, students work on advancing their Google Apps for Education and other educational programs. Students are encouraged to use the programs creatively once they have demonstrated a mastery of basic techniques. Students also learn coding and programming skills in conjunction with Arduino devices and robotics. Finally, digital citizenship is emphasized and is framed as a matter of respect, responsibility, and appropriate use of technology.
Computer-Aided Design (CAD)
This class introduces students to the world of drawing three-dimensional objects using computers. It is a semester elective for seventh and eighth-grade students. Students learn to use the TinkerCad program to create scale models and objects of their own design–both practical and artistic. Class is held in our technology lab, where students learn how to format and slice their drawings for the 3-D printers. With the goal of promoting creativity and exploration, the class is an artful combination of math, design, and technology.
The Makerspace experience is dedicated to hands-on exploration, innovation, engineering, and learning. Our Makerspace is stocked with art supplies, building materials, electronics, and other tools and technology resources. Classes are project-based— for example designing earthquake-resistant structures, rollercoasters, or coding robots—and have enriching interdisciplinary connections.
Grade 5 Makerspace
This class focuses on introducing design thinking and engineering, allowing students to tinker, collaborate, craft, and build. Basic tools and techniques are introduced using a variety of materials such as recycled cardboard, wood, plastics, cloth, paper, and more. Projects completed include constructing ping-pong roller coasters, mini survival shelters connected to core subject coursework, earthquake-resistant towers, and simple robotics.
Grade 6 Makerspace
Sixth-grade Makerspace class focuses on teamwork and advancing individual design skills and techniques. Many projects are connected to core subject lessons. STEM challenges are woven into the curriculum to allow students to understand how to use materials wisely, effectively manage their time, and successfully execute the task at hand. Projects completed include water bottle filters for science, learning how to code and program with Ozobot devices, paper circuits, and assembling kites.
Grade 7 Makerspace
Seventh-grade students continue their engineering and design skills and build on their previous experiences in the Makerspace. Projects are both teacher-led and student-initiated. Students experience one-class design challenges, as well as projects that require several weeks of tinkering. Projects include automata design and engineering, cardboard games construction, Little-bits challenges, and homemade musical instruments incorporating science lessons.
Grade 8 Makerspace with Tech Ed
Projects in this class are hands-on learning opportunities that incorporate circuitry, robotics, and electronics, as well as using a variety of materials and devices to design, build, collaborate, and tinker. Eighth-grade students learn to program projects using Hummingbird Arduino kits, as well as build robots with Lego Mindstorms EV3. Teamwork is essential and a fun way to work with peers in the design-thinking process of Makerspace learning. Our digital citizenship curriculum is covered during this class time and is emphasized and framed as a matter of respect, responsibility, and appropriate technology use.
Health and wellness, physical education, and athletic programs promote healthy lifestyle choices for adolescents. All students take health and wellness classes; topics include emotional and social well-being, drug and alcohol education, human anatomy, and character development. Research indicates that there is a clear link between physical activity and superior cognitive performance, especially for adolescents. All students participate in physical education classes during school hours and may choose to join an athletic team. Student engagement in a range of physical activities, promotes fitness and positive character building, as well as fostering teamwork and sportsmanship in our young student-athletes.
Grade 5 Health & Wellness
Students attend weekly health and wellness classes throughout the school year. Topics such as self-advocacy, evolving friendships, becoming a healthy community member, and expressing emotions help support students during their transition into Middle School. Additional topics include making healthy nutritional choices, building personal character traits, an introduction to body systems, human development, and puberty.
Grade 6 Health & Wellness
Students attend weekly health and wellness classes throughout the school year. Lessons support students as they continue to develop independence, social relationships, and personal identity. The objective is for students to understand how their behaviors, attitudes, relationships, and decisions play an integral part in their own wellness. Topics include assessing and building personal relationships through healthy communication skills, understanding how peers influence one another, practicing conflict resolution strategies, respecting differences, bullying, stress management, and human development and puberty.
Grade 7 Health & Wellness
Students attend weekly health and wellness classes throughout the school year. Students begin the year learning how to set personal goals, as well as exploring careers that match their current interests. Additional topics this year include the study of sleep hygiene and an introduction to drug use, misuse, and abuse (specifically: caffeine, including energy drinks, and nicotine, electronic cigarettes, and vaping). Also covered are an introduction to common mental illnesses, human reproduction, pregnancy, and childbirth.
Grade 8 Health & Wellness
Students attend weekly health and wellness classes throughout the school year. One focus of the course is understanding how leadership affects personal and community wellness. Lessons include how to be a positive role model and how to stand up for and help others. Additional topics include drug addiction and the brain, the opioid epidemic, the effects of alcohol on wellness, teen relationships with friends and significant others, how to identify and navigate unhealthy relationships such as abuse, and the risks of sexual activity, including teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections.
Grades 5-8 Physical Education and Athletics
A variety of physical activities and sports are introduced in physical education classes that emphasize fitness, skill development, teamwork, sportsmanship, and cooperation, in addition to strength and conditioning. Cooperative games and team-building activities provide opportunities to practice and hone skills necessary for group and sports participation, as well as lifelong fitness. Students are introduced to sports offerings and learn the skills associated with that sport to prepare them for participation in athletics in Upper School. As students move through the Middle School, instruction and opportunities to continue skill development in physical fitness and athletics are provided. Interscholastic competition is offered with multiple sports to choose from during each of the three athletic seasons. Team practices and games are held in the afternoon and extend after school. Some athletic teams, such as swimming, are scheduled at off-campus facilities and may meet at times nonconcurrent with athletic offerings scheduled during the regular school day. Additional fees may apply for off-campus programs. Athletic offerings may be adjusted to accommodate enrollment, facilities, and staffing.
Fall Sports
Grades 7–8 Boys’ Soccer Grades 7–8 Girls’ Soccer Grades 7–8 Girls’ Tennis Grades 5–8 Coed Cross Country
Winter Sports
Grades 7–8 Boys’ Basketball Grades 7–8 Girls’ Basketball Grades 5–8 Coed Fencing Grades 7–8 Volleyball
Spring Sports
Grades 7–8 Boys’ Baseball Grades 7–8 Boys’ Lacrosse Grades 7–8 Girls’ Lacrosse Grades 7–8 Girls’ Softball Grades 7–8 Boys’ Tennis Grades 5–8 Coed Track & Field
