K-8 proof 1

Kindergarten-Grade 8 Curriculum 2022-2023 Academic Year

Literacy Social Studies Mathematics Science Technology World Language Art Dance Music Physical Education SH A KE R H E IG H TS I RU S S E L L TOWN S H I P I est. 1 89 6

Dream. Dare. Do.

Curricular Philosophy The curriculum at Laurel School promotes learning that is enduring and transferable. Teachers and families work collaboratively to help each student find her own path, and girls enter the classroom with an open mind, ready to be a partner in their own learning.

To meet the needs of Laurel students, three kinds of learning in particular distinguish our curriculum: experiential, interdisciplinary and community-based.

Experiential learning asks girls to be active rather than passive—students learn by doing. Interdisciplinary learning takes many forms and occurs throughout the Laurel curriculum. Connections to other disciplines help girls understand that the subjects they study do not exist in a vacuum, nor are they naturally discrete entities. Community-based learning allows students to use both interdisciplinary and experiential methods to further their understanding of the role they play in the world.

Contents 02 04 06 08 10

Kindergarten Grade 1

12

Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4

16

14 20 24

Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8 Electives & DEIB

01

Primary School, Kindergarten-Second Grade at Lyman Campus

Kindergarten Curriculum At-a-Glance Kindergarteners investigate, experiment and discover. They acquire independence over the year and learn when and how to ask others for help; develop responsibility for themselves and others; gain confidence and gain social skills crucial to success. Based on findings from Laurel’s Center for Research on Girls, students use growth mindset, an element of resilience, to frame their learning and take appropriate risks and accept challenges. Girls discover that they are learners and feel a strong sense of community within their school.

Literacy: • Develop core knowledge of letter sounds through Fundations, a multi-sensory phonics/phonemic awareness program to support decoding and encoding skills

• Explore numbers and place value with tens and ones in numbers to 100

• Explore reading through guided and individual experiences

• Solve story problems using addition and subtractionDevelop skills in joining and separating sets (using + and – and =), patterns, measurement, data analysis and the identification and comparison of size

• Study selected authors

• Discover geometry with two-dimensional shapes and solid shapes

• Learn uniform letter formation and pencil grip

• Use models to explain reasoning

• Journal to process thinking and develop a voice

• Learn methods of mathematical communication through connections and representation

• Acquire skills in sight-word recognition and comprehension

Social Studies: • Explore relationships between environment, people and ecosystems through themes on the rainforest, the Hawaiian Islands, Kenya, the polar regions and the Sonoran Desert • Examine the influence of geography and climate on specific habitats and animals • Interpret and use maps to demonstrate understanding of relative size, location and shape

02

Mathematics:

Science: • Engage in scientific inquiry: posing questions, predicting, observing, collecting and analyzing data • Conduct field investigations at the Butler Campus • Explore habitats, specifically those of spiders and insects, with a particular focus on honeybees

• Explore causes, consequences and solutions to global problems

• Study the ecology of the Hawaiian Islands, the wildlife and savanna of Kenya, the rainforest, the Sonoran Desert and the polar regions

• Engage in Storypath units that promote global exploration, such as Safari in Kenya: The Land and the People

• Investigate units on agricultural engineering, botany, gardening, nutrition and fighting germs (creating healthy habits)

• Foster creativity through role-play and the integration of music, dance and art

• Participate in outdoor experiential education–Learning at Butler Days and seasonal gardening

Technology: • Foster and increase awareness of technology concepts • Develop a foundation for digital citizenship and responsible use by discussing online safety • Introduce and practice appropriate use of digital learning tools that foster collaboration, creativity, and authentic audiences, such as iPads, Beebots and Dash • Introduce coding topics and skills, such as sequencing, conditionals and events

Art: • Explore personal expression through individual choice • Engage in drawing, painting, basic printmaking, collage, clay and glaze • Examine line, shape, color and pattern • Discover female artists from other times and places and connect artwork to themes from the classroom curriculum • Engage in arts immersion experiences and performances combining visual art, drama, music and dance

Dance: • Explore time, space, energy and shape • Develop movement patterns • Take part in and create problem-solving activities • Demonstrate individual and group expression • Develop quality awareness—sustained, percussive, vibrating, spiral and swing—and rhythm awareness • Perform in classroom and on stage • Apply music to dance compositions

Music: • Internalize and express music in multiple modalities • Foster vocal exploration and utilize the head voice for in-tune singing • Differentiate between and perform steady beat and rhythmic patterns • Explore and play basic percussion instruments to accompany performances • Utilize instrument techniques to develop fine motor skills

Physical Education: • Explore elements of force, time and space while moving at different levels and in different directions • Develop motor, foot- and hand-eye coordination, manipulative and spatial skills • Practice the concept of boundaries and simple game rules • Experience and use a wide variety of equipment—balls, hoops, ropes, scooters, bats and gymnastic equipment

03

Primary School, Kindergarten-Second Grade at Lyman Campus

Grade 1 Curriculum At-a-Glance In First Grade, students begin to identify themselves as readers, writers, mathematicians and engineers. Through interdisciplinary experiences at the Butler Campus, First Graders delve into the five components of resilience: creativity, growth mindset, purpose, self-care and relationships. Girls develop their sense of self through discussions, writing, presenting to their peers and taking on classroom responsibilities. Through all of their learning experiences, First Graders consider what it means to be a member of a community and how they can contribute positively by being civically engaged.

Literacy:

Mathematics:

• Develop skills through Fundations, including skills for word attack, spelling and formation, as well as for sentence structure

• Explore counting, comparing, ordering and place value in numbers to 100

• Discover reading through small, flexible groups tailored to students’ abilities

• Investigate money by identifying and relating coin values, counting and making coin combinations

• Study genres and authors

• Develop skills in addition and subtraction using models, numbers and symbols for facts to 20

• Establish personal connections to texts • Examine forms of writing, beginning with sentence level writing in the narrative genre and report writing to developing argument and persuasive writing Focus on sentence level construction, word choice, purpose and audience

Social Studies: • Examine identity, families, school, community and the nation • Conduct a mock election for the Golden Gator Book Award • Compare and contrast their own experience to that of others • Explore the role of an individual in a community

• Acquire strategies for mental math and data analysis • Examine patterns, properties and relationships • Gain skills in identifying, classifying and creating 2D and 3D shapes • Begin an exploration of measurement and time • Expand mathematical communication through connections and representation • Solve real-world problems using concrete, pictorial and symbolic models

Science:

• Develop skills, including: questioning, research, collaboration, communication, presentation, investigation and reflection

• Continue skill development in scientific inquiry

• Foster creativity through role-play and the integration of music, dance and art

• Compare vertebrate to invertebrate animals, including their characteristics and adaptations

• Explore the five senses through experimentation

• Investigate habitats at the Butler Campus • Engage in weather and ecology studies • Examine birds and flight • Experiment with mechanical engineering and wind turbine design • Explore the plant cycle through gardening • Participate in outdoor experiential education–Learning at Butler Days and seasonal gardening

04

Technology: • Foster and increase awareness of technology concepts • Develop a foundation for digital citizenship and responsible use by discussing online safety • Introduce and practice appropriate use of digital learning tools that foster collaboration, creativity, and authentic audiences, such as iPads, Beebots and Dash • Introduce coding topics and skills, such as sequencing, conditionals and events

Art: • Explore personal expression through individual choice and exposure to a variety of techniques • Experience drawing, painting, printmaking, collage, wire sculpture, clay and glaze • Examine line, shape, texture, space and pattern • Investigate color theory: the color wheel and warm and cool colors • Discover women artists and contemporary art • Integrate themes from classroom curriculum • Engage in arts immersion experiences and performances combining visual art, drama, music and dance

Dance: • Develop body awareness, flexibility and coordination through basic dance movements • Expand spatial and locomotor awareness • Take part in and create problem-solving activities • Explore movement through stories, music and poetry • Perform in classroom and on stage

Music: • Engage in musical experiences in small- and large-group activities • Expand vocal abilities and learn to sing, identify and match pitch using the head voice • Transfer rhythmic and pitch identifying labels to written music literacy Explore and play percussion instruments in two distinct parts to accompany performances • Investigate and explore famous musicians and composers from various genres and eras of music • Participate in solo, classroom, grade-level, and all-division performances

Physical Education: • Explore elements of force, time and space while moving at different levels and in different directions • Develop motor, foot- and hand-eye coordination, manipulative and spatial skills • Practice many problem-solving techniques • Develop strategies for playing simple games • Experience and use a wide variety of equipment—balls, hoops, ropes, scooters, bats and gymnastic equipment

05

Primary School, Kindergarten-Second Grade at Lyman Campus

Grade 2 Curriculum At-a-Glance Second Grade girls make big leaps in every area of the curriculum, taking their preparation from Kindergarten and First Grade to new heights. Throughout the year, girls have opportunities for longer experiential learning experiences at our Butler Campus and in the Cleveland community. In the fall, girls spend a week learning about the Eastern Woodlands at Butler, discovering how people used local natural resources to survive.

They spend several days at Lake Erie in the spring to learn about this treasure. Through these experiences, girls learn to think critically about how a community best uses and protects its resources.

Literacy:

Mathematics:

• Continue skill development in decoding, vocabulary, fluency and spelling through Fundations

• Explore place value and addition and subtraction in numbers to 1,000 in standard, word and expanded forms

• Discover a variety of genres including fiction, non-fiction, mystery, biography and legends

• Investigate fractions

• Participate in daily literature groups

• Develop skills in comparing and ordering numbers, mental math strategies, data analysis, measurement and time

• Study the elements of a story: plot, characterization, setting and theme

• Explore pre-multiplication concepts, including repeated addition and arrays

• Develop strategies to enhance comprehension

• Explore money through the decimal point

• Uncover personal connections to texts

• Solve real-world problems using concrete, pictorial and symbolic models

• Engage in writing for a variety of purposes • Examine mentor texts for inspiration in writing projects • Introduce cursive handwriting and strengthen handwriting skills

• Develop an algebraic foundation with patterns, properties, functional relationships and equations • Acquire skills in reasoning and writing proofs through geometric study

Social Studies:

• Strengthen mathematical communication through connections and representation

• Use tools to develop geographic awareness • Introduce and discuss ideas of stereotypes and representations of indigenous peoples • Compare and contrast indigenous cultures of North America • Study the exchange of cultures between tribes and European settlers • Explore the ownership and use of land • Examine conflict, consequences, reform and change • Investigate the human impact on Lake Erie and Cleveland over time

Science: • Engage in scientific inquiry: posing questions, predicting, observing, collecting and analyzing data • Conduct field investigations at the Butler Campus • Explore habitats, specifically those of spiders and insects, with a particular focus on honeybees

• Participate in service learning experiences at Lake Erie beaches

• Study the ecology of the Hawaiian Islands, the wildlife and savanna of Kenya, the rainforest, the Sonoran Desert and the polar regions

• Foster creativity through role-play and the integration of music, dance and art

• Investigate units on agricultural engineering, botany, gardening, nutrition and fighting germs (creating healthy habits) • Participate in outdoor experiential education–Learning at Butler Days and seasonal gardening

06

Technology: • Foster and increase awareness of technology concepts • Develop a foundation for digital citizenship and responsible use by discussing online safety • Introduce and practice appropriate use of digital learning tools that foster collaboration, creativity, and authentic audiences, such as iPads, Beebots and Dash • Introduce coding topics and skills, such as sequencing, conditionals and events

Art: • Explore personal expression through individual choice • Engage in drawing, painting, basic printmaking, collage, clay and glaze • Examine line, shape, color and pattern • Discover female artists from other times and places and connect artwork to themes from the classroom curriculum • Engage in arts immersion experiences and performances combining visual art, drama, music and dance

Dance: • Explore time, space, energy and shape • Develop movement patterns • Take part in and create problem-solving activities • Demonstrate individual and group expression • Develop quality awareness—sustained, percussive, vibrating, spiral and swing—and rhythm awareness • Perform in classroom and on stage • Apply music to dance compositions

Music: • Internalize and express music in multiple modalities • Foster vocal exploration and utilize the head voice for in-tune singing • Differentiate between and perform steady beat and rhythmic patterns • Explore and play basic percussion instruments to accompany performances • Utilize instrument techniques to develop fine motor skills

Physical Education: • Explore elements of force, time and space while moving at different levels and in different directions • Develop motor, foot- and hand-eye coordination, manipulative and spatial skills • Practice the concept of boundaries and simple game rules • Experience and use a wide variety of equipment—balls, hoops, ropes, scooters, bats and gymnastic equipment

07

Primary School, Grades 3-5 at Butler Campus

Grade 3 Curriculum At-a-Glance Third Grade is an exciting year as girls develop the ability to work productively for sustained periods of time independently, as well as in groups, and become better able to recognize and understand experiences and perspectives that differ from their own. Third Grade begins the year exploring the natural wonders of the Butler Campus to better understand the world around them. Through interdisciplinary study, weaving together research, literature, art, and science, girls make connections between ideas and apply their knowledge.

Reading: • Converse daily about reading with teachers and small groups of peers • Read both fiction and non-fiction books • Enjoy uninterrupted time to read • Learn to make choices about appropriate reading material • Use evidence from the text to support thinking • Identify personal connections to texts • Continue the development of higher-order critical-thinking/ comprehension skills: identifying problems and solutions, determining importance from the text and synthesizing information

Writing & Spelling:

The enVision® Mathematics program emphasizes five core mathematical practices: Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them; Reason abstractly and quantitatively; Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others; Model with mathematics; Use appropriate tools strategically; and Attend to precision.

The topics covered in Third Grade include: • Explore numbers and place value within 10,000 • Develop computation skills and problem solve using all four operations: addition, subtraction, multiplication and division • Gain addition, subtraction, multiplication and division fact fluency within 100

• Assess writing through self-evaluation and peer and teacher feedback

• Discover fraction concepts, including unit fractions, relative size, equivalent fractions and the addition and subtraction of like fractions

• Enhance spelling skills through the individualized Words Their Way program

• Continue exploration of money through addition and subtraction of amounts

• Write across all disciplines

• Advance skills in mental math strategies, data analysis, measurement, time, temperature, patterns, properties and functional relationships

Social Studies: • Explore how the local community has changed over time through the usage of maps and timelines • Discover the importance and history of National Parks while emphasizing unique geographical, geological, and historical features of the United States • Investigate how risk-taking and perseverance has an impact on people’s lives by exploring invention and innovation • Demonstrate knowledge of entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and marketing through the creation of a classroom company • Examine play and purposeful design by participating in the Design Thinking process to develop inclusive and creative playground equipment • Consider and appreciate multiple perspectives • Conduct research and examine primary and secondary sources • Foster creativity through an integration of role-playing, music, dance and art

08

Mathematics:

• Focus on geometric concepts of sides, angles, perimeter, area and symmetry • Enhance mathematical communication through connections, representation and usage of mathematical vocabulary • Recognize mathematical practices of mathematicians and incorporate practices into own mathematical life • Use Hands-On Equations–concrete, visual, and kinesthetic problem solving and working with algebraic equations–as a supplemental enrichment activity for all students

Science: Students will continue to develop proficiency in the following science and engineering practices: • Observe and ask questions about the world that can be answered through scientific investigations • Design and conduct scientific investigations using appropriate safety techniques • Use appropriate mathematics, tools, and techniques to gather data and information • Develop and communicate descriptions, models, explanations and predictions • Think critically and ask questions about the observations and explanations of others • Communicate scientific procedures and explanations • Apply knowledge of science content to real-world challenges Content covered includes: Local plant and animal adaptations and their communities with special focus on crayfish, bats, birds and sugar maples, Ohio and National Park geology, playground physics and the investigation, observation and measurement of properties of matter.

Music: • Enjoy musical experiences small- and large-group activities and ensemble work • Develop note-reading skills through the study of the ukulele • Recognize that beats can be divided into different patterns and moving notes up and down the treble staff determines pitch • Identify and perform basic duple rhythms and the pitches of the C Pentatonic scale on the ukulele • Explore extending vocal range and vocal independence • Engage in solo and ensemble performances

Physical Education: • Develop a greater understanding of specific movements related to cycling, the challenge course and a broad range of sports and games • Use individual goal setting to build self-esteem while striving to achieve personal best on the 16-element Project Adventure course

World Language: A semester each of furthering the study of both French and Spanish language: • Gain skills in listening, speaking, reading and writing • Strengthen oral communication • Cultural exploration through songs, stories and celebrations • Comparing and contrasting the two languages to aid girls with their language pathway

Technology: • Foster and increase awareness of technology concepts • Develop a foundation for digital citizenship and responsible use • Learn how to recognize and stand up to cyberbullying • Practice appropriate use of digital learning tools that foster collaboration, creativity, and authentic audiences, such as iPads and Chromebooks

Art: • Further develop personal expression through self-reflection • Experience drawing from observation • Explore art materials • Continue the examination of line, space, form, pattern and texture • Explore color theory: monochromatic, expressive and complementary colors • Develop an appreciation for women artists • Engage in arts immersion experiences and performances combining visual art, drama, music and dance

09

Primary School, Grades 3-5 at Butler Campus

Grade 4 Curriculum At-a-Glance During the Fourth Grade year, girls explore leadership, perspectives and interdependence.

The place-based curriculum guides them to become independent learners who work with accuracy, are metacognitive and participate as citizen leaders in our outdoor learning environment at the Butler Campus. Civic engagement in the community through stewardship contributions and leadership opportunities prepares students for greater involvement beyond Laurel. Girls apply the components of resilience, including creativity, growth mindset, purpose, self-care and relationships throughout the year.

Reading: • Study authors and genres through book clubs • Engage in reading whole class novels such as The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate and The Curious World of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly • Discover and practice reading strategies through discussions of texts: – Monitor for meaning – Create schema – Make connections and infer – Create sensory images – Determine importance – Ask questions and synthesize

Writing & Spelling:

• Engage in class reading, discussions and writing on important works of historical fiction such as The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare and The Hope Chest by Karen Schwabach • Develop writing skills through daily assignments, regular assessment, and culminating projects including synthesis of information and demonstration of creativity and ideas as well as an understanding of concepts and skills • Continue skill development, with a focus on summarizing infomational and fictional texts, making inferences and analyzing issues from different points of view, and conducting research • Examine the qualities of leadership

• Participate in Writing Workshop–crafting, composing and reflecting

• Conduct research and examine primary sources

• Develop writing skills further using mentor texts and focusing on ideas, organization, voice, word choice, sentence fluency and conventions

• Engage in creativity through role-play, reflective writing, a balance of group and independent projects, and the integration of music, dance and art

• Respond to literature, journal in nature using The Nature Connection Book by Claire Walker Leslie, and correspond with the teacher using Gratitude and Conversation journals to enhance writing skills • Enhance spelling, grammar and writing convention skills through our Daily Oral Language program and meaningful revising/editing sessions with the teacher • Write across all disciplines

10

Social Studies: • Participate in interdisciplinary units on Interdependence in Colonial America and Susan B. Anthony, the Suffrage Movement and the Importance of Voting

Mathematics: The enVision® Mathematics program emphasizes five core mathematical practices: Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them; Reason abstractly and quantitatively; Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others; Model with mathematics; Use appropriate tools strategically; and Attend to precision.

The topics covered in Fourth Grade include: • Explore numbers and operations in numbers to 100,000

French: • Launch the in-depth study of French • Strengthen skill building with an emphasis on listening, speaking, reading and writing • Discover relevant cultural and linguistic connections • Explore grammar through a contextualized study

Spanish:

• Continue work with fractions, focusing on mixed numbers, improper fractions and equivalency

• Launch the in-depth study of Spanish

• Discover tenths and hundredths in decimals

• Strengthen skill building with an emphasis on listening, speaking, reading and writing

• Develop strategies for fluent addition and subtraction of multi-digit numbers and for multi-digit multiplication and division using multiple models and representations • Strengthen skills in mental math and rounding/estimation strategies, patterns, properties, functional relationships, measurement, data analysis, reasoning and proofs • Focus on geometric concepts of sides, parallel and perpendicular lines, angles, perimeter, area, congruency, symmetry and tessellations • Enhance mathematical communication through connections and representation • Use Hands-On Equations/Math Tiles–concrete, visual and kinesthetic problem solving and working with algebraic equations–as a supplemental enrichment activity for all students • Intentionally apply skills learned through mini-lessons to engineering/building projects and our daily work in the field

• Discover relevant cultural and linguistic connections • Explore grammar through a contextualized study

Technology: • Foster and increase awareness of technology concepts • Develop a foundation for digital citizenship and responsible use • Practice appropriate use of digital learning tools that foster collaboration, creativity, and authentic audiences, such as iPads

Art: • Further develop personal expression through self-reflection and independent study • Experience drawing from observation, painting, printmaking, collage and exploring other media

Science:

• Explore color theory: analogous colors and gradation

Students will continue to develop proficiency in the following science and engineering practices:

• Develop an appreciation for various artists and the ways women were depicted in art during the Suffragette movement

• Observe and ask questions about the world that can be answered through scientific investigations • Design and conduct scientific investigations using appropriate safety techniques • Use appropriate mathematics, tools, and techniques to gather data and information • Develop and communicate descriptions, models, explanations and predictions • Think critically and ask questions about the observations and explanations of others • Communicate scientific procedures and explanations • Apply knowledge of science content to real-world challenges Students will demonstrate an understanding of the above practices within the following content units: • Water: Students investigate water sources, water quality testing, water treatment, watershed use, best management practices, and water conservation.

• Focus on landscapes and simple perspective • Engage in arts immersion experiences and performances combining visual art, drama, music and dance

Music: • Enjoy musical experiences small- and large-group activities and ensemble work • Refine note-reading skills through composition and learning to play a variety of melodies on the ukulele • Identify and perform a variety of dotted rhythms and the pitches of the C and F Major scales on the ukulele • Practice singing while playing accompanimental chords on the ukulele • Explore extending vocal range and vocal independence • Engage in solo and ensemble performances

Physical Education:

• Energy: Students identify forms of energy, energy transfers, or transformations and track energy flow through systems and find examples of energy in their everyday lives.

• Focus on goal setting, teamwork and cooperation in competitive situations.

• Experimental Design: Through hands-on projects related to bicycles and self-selected topics, students will plan and design fair tests and implement the steps of the scientific process.

• Use individual goal setting to build self-esteem while striving to achieve personal best on the 16-element Project Adventure course

• Botany: Students investigate plant structure, function, and life cycles through gardening, nature walks, dissections, scientific drawings and native plant identification.

• Increase understanding of specific sports and gameplay

• Work on flexibility, cardiovascular strength and muscular endurance as it pertains to physical fitness

11

Primary School, Grades 3-5 at Butler Campus

Grade 5 Curriculum At-a-Glance The Fifth Grade curriculum is both place-based and inquiry-based. Girls build an understanding of the world around them through authentic learning experiences focusing on researching natural ecosystems, exploring perspectives and restoring natural systems.

During Fifth Grade, girls complete student-led research and restoration projects. The units integrate proposal writing, academic research, scientific inquiry and applied math skills.

As the girls learn about different cultures through a global-minded lens, they connect their own experience at Butler to the world around them.

English: • Learn how to integrate knowledge into formal and spontaneous writing; employ concrete strategies to broaden vocabulary; practice implementing grammar skills and correct spelling in writing and speech; recognize and use correct parts of speech; employ appropriate sentence, paragraph, and essay structures; utilize numerous prewriting strategies to strengthen finished pieces

The enVision® Mathematics program emphasizes five core mathematical practices: Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them; Reason abstractly and quantitatively; Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others; Model with mathematics; Use appropriate tools strategically; and Attend to precision.

The topics covered in Fifth Grade include:

• Uncover the tools used to create engaging and grammatically correct writing

• Write and interpret numerical expressions

• Produce and edit written articles for publication in a student-led newsletter

• Understand the place value system

• Construct written works including personal narratives, reflections, a scientific report, historical fiction and opinion pieces • Connect with characters and settings from a variety of international contexts; discuss literature and develop comprehension through class texts such as Front Desk, Esperanza Rising, The Birchbark House, The Game of Silence, and The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind; explore a variety of genres, including memoir and folklore study • Think about how individuals connect with one another across time and space by employing the Facing History and Ourselves concepts of identity and group membership

Social Studies: • Explore reasons for human migration and determine ways to support migrant communities • Contemplate how geography affects the way people live, how humans create, share and adapt to culture, and how human and physical geography interact • Discover the impact of humans on where they live and the impact of geography on how they live; recognize that the world is a diverse place shaped by its physical geography • Explore perspectives and cultures through integrated literature and social studies lessons.

• Engage in a variety of authentic learning experiences to make meaningful connections

12

Mathematics:

• Analyze patterns and relationships • Perform operations with multi-digit whole numbers and with decimals to hundredths • Use equivalent fractions as a strategy to add and subtract fraction • Apply and extend previous understandings of multiplication and division to multiply and divide fractions • Convert like measurement units within a given measurement system • Represent and interpret data • Geometric measurement: understand concepts of volume and relate volume to multiplication and to addition • Graph points on the coordinate plane to solve real-world and mathematical problems • Classify two-dimensional figures into categories based on their properties

Science: Students will continue to develop proficiency in the following science and engineering practices: • Observe and ask questions about the world that can be answered through scientific investigations • Design and conduct scientific investigations using appropriate safety techniques • Use appropriate mathematics, tools, and techniques to gather data and information • Develop and communicate descriptions, models, explanations and predictions

Spanish: • Discover that Spanish uses an inflected system for verbs and nouns and accent marks to emphasize syllables • Learn approximately 250 words; practice words and phrases on everyday topics; and use regular and irregular inflections in the present tense • Converse, give and ask for contact information; conduct introductions; and exchange information about family, school and activities

Technology:

• Think critically and ask questions about the observations and explanations of others

• Discover how to use a Chromebook responsibly

• Communicate scientific procedures and explanations

• Understand the impact of creating a digital footprint

• Practice cyber safety

• Apply knowledge of science content to real-world challenges Students will demonstrate an understanding of the above practices within the following content units: • Renewable Energy: Investigate renewable resources, such as wind and solar, study energy transformation, and evaluate the environmental and economic impacts of converting to renewable energy.

Collaborate to solve a real-world energy challenge using the engineering design process.

• Interactions within Ecosystems: Model how energy and matter flow through an ecosystem. Identify interdependent relationships within terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Examine interactions between the biosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and geosphere.

• Garden Science: Explore introductory botany and horticulture topics including plant adaptations, growing requirements, planting zones, and the human relationship to plants.

• Human Impact: Research the effects of environmental change (e.g., deforestation, climate change, pollution, fire, drought, flooding, decreased oxygen levels, invasive species) on organisms in an ecosystem and design a plan to restore the area to a more balanced state. Explore human dependence on limited resources and examine the ecological consequences of everyday decisions.

• Research: Formulate a comparative question for and conduct an observational study on the Butler Campus. Perform background research and design a hypothesis and methods. Work collaboratively to produce data to serve as the basis for evidence using fair tests in which controlled variables, sources of error, and the number of trials are considered.

French: • Discover that French uses an inflected system for verbs and nouns and diacritic marks to change the sounds of letters • Learn approximately 250 words; practice words and phrases from everyday topics; and use regular and irregular inflections in the present tense • Converse, give and ask for contact information; conduct introductions; and exchange information about family, school and activities

Art: • Generate ideas through observation • Learn how artists generate ideas and problem-solve • Explore many art forms including drawing, painting, collage, sculpture, printmaking, digital media, jewelry design, and fiber arts • Develop an appreciation for artists from a variety of cultures, countries, and backgrounds • Engage in arts immersion experiences and performances combining visual art, drama, music and dance

Drama: • Develop listening skills • Use space on the stage for entering, exiting and performing • Prepare texts by enunciating and projecting

Music: • Enjoy musical experiences small- and large-group activities and ensemble work • Recognize that beats can be divided into different patterns creating complex rhythms and syncopations • Identify and perform syncopated rhythms and the pitches of the C, F, and G Major scales on the ukulele • Practice singing while playing accompanimental chords on the ukulele • Explore extending vocal range and vocal independence • Engage in solo and ensemble performances

Physical Education: • Reflect on and discuss the ways in which physical fitness enhances daily life and how it improves the quality of games • Engage in sports and creative games to develop sports-based and game-play strategies • Use individual goal setting to build self-esteem while striving to achieve personal best on the 16-element Project Adventure course • Help facilitate peers’ Project Adventure experience by belaying and guiding classmates

13

Middle School, Grades 6-8 at Lyman Campus

Grade 6 Curriculum At-a-Glance Through interdisciplinary work, Sixth Graders study Classics and Classical Studies. The year focuses on Ancient Greece, Rome, and worldwide sustainability. During science class, girls dive into units in physical, chemical, biological and earth sciences. Throughout the year, students put their course work into action and participate in multiple immersion experiences such as the Greek Olympics, competing as different City States, and Space Week which focuses on engineering and tracing the History of NASA, including emerging female scientists. The year culminates with the entire Sixth Grade studying and performing Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream in the original text.

English 6: • Through historical fiction, practice basic literary analysis, considering the rights and responsibilities of rulers and their subjects and the themes of activism and social change • Through a variety of short stories, dystopian and utopian speculative fiction, explore resource use and scarcity, especially in the context of climate change • Read Shakespearean comedy and, in collaboration with the Dance and Drama class stage an end of year production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream • Write creatively and analytically to review and practice conventions of formal paragraph writing throughout the year with short essays and research papers

• Employ number lines to show rational numbers and interpret inequality; factor numbers; evaluate numerical expressions with exponents; understand positive and negative numbers and the absolute value of a number; use ratios to convert units and use ratio and rates to solve real-world problems; evaluate algebraic expressions; use variables to solve problems; write equations to express one quantity in terms of another; locate positions on a coordinate plane; make tables and plot pairs of values; use measures of central tendency to analyze data sets.

Math 7

• Master vocabulary through class texts and grammar through texts, writing, and explicit exercises

• Ponder how mathematical evidence supports problem-solving

• Texts include A Wizard of Earthsea, The Hunger Games, Warriors, An Ember in the Ashes, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Shakespeare’s Secret, and The English Grammar Workbook

• Discover that mathematics can be proven

Social Studies 6: • Study ancient Greece and Rome and explore the rights and responsibilities of rulers and their relationships with the people • Examine various forms of government that existed in ancient Greece and Rome and their corresponding social structures • Trace how political and social change arises focusing on climate change and its impact on human geography • Simulate real-world stage negotiations, conducting a Model UN simulation • Inspect Shakespeare as an historical figure and approach his writing in the context of history

Mathematics: Math 6 • Ponder how to use mathematical evidence to support problemsolving strategies • Examine mathematics as a series of logical steps applied to theoretical and real-world problems

14

Mathematics: (continued) • Discover how to prove solutions using mathematical thinking and evidence.

strategies and answers • Analyze proportional relationships and use them to solve theoretical and real-world problems; apply and extend operations with fractions to add, subtract, multiply, and divide rational numbers; construct and describe geometric figures and the relationships between them; reason abstractly and quantitatively; construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others; model with mathematics

Algebra • Consider how mathematical evidence supports problem-solving strategies and answers • Discover the meaning of mathematical symbols and diagrams • Determine the similarities and differences between functions that are linear, quadratic, or exponential and the meaning of a solution to an equation, inequality, or system of equations or inequalities • Manipulate and simplify arithmetic and algebraic expressions including exponential and polynomial expressions; identify patterns to understand equations; solve linear and quadratic equations; graph linear, quadratic and exponential functions; use function notation correctly and interpret transformations of functions; describe the connection between a function and an equation; communicate mathematical thinking effectively verbally and in writing

Science: • Think through how to use scientific methods to answer questions and solve problems, why it is important to support conclusions with evidence and reasoning • Run controlled experiments using lab equipment such as beakers, graduated cylinders, balance scale, scoopulas, and pipettes • Communicate like a scientist with precise measurements, supporting evidence, and scientific reasoning • Create and interpret graphs, including misleading graphs • Measure and describe physical and chemical properties of matter; describe the relationship between mass, volume and density; find the density of a material; identify phase changes; articulate the composition of substances; understand and describe different chemical reactions.

• Apply Newton’s Laws of Motion to everyday situations • Identify the components and origins of the universe; use solar system models to explain and predict eclipses, lunar phases and seasons

World Languages: Complete the second half of Level I Reflect on the use of the target language to negotiate meaning; that language mirrors our cultural products, practices and perspectives; and that connections can be made between the target language and other disciplines

Chinese • Discover that everyday products and practices can reflect cultural differences and shared experiences and combining and elaborating on learned patterns improves one’s communication skills • Learn approximately 300 characters, practice vocabulary from every day topics, and use basic sentence structure • Describe habits and choices; express basic intent; conduct a simple transaction; exchange information about the school day, activities and clothes; produce simple statements

French • Discover that everyday products and practices can reflect cultural differences and shared experiences and combining and elaborating on learned patterns improves communication skills.

Seminars: Health • Continue to practice growth mindset, stress management and mindfulness; learn about puberty, hygiene, anatomy and reproduction

Technology • Practice programming; act responsibly by preserving academic integrity and avoiding cyberbullying.

Visual Arts: • Independently brainstorm and experiment with ideas • Identify technical skills that impact artmaking • Care for the studio and safely use tools, materials, and digital technology to create art that is personally meaningful • Compare and contrast visual forms of expression found throughout local regions and in different cultures of the world • Use observations, life experiences and imagination for personal and creative expression

Performing Arts: Drama/Dance Integrated Process • Wonder about what it means to be an artist; appreciate how an artist uses technique to communicate; explore personal connection to storytelling • Discover the importance of warming up the body and voice, the role of time and patience in creating high-quality work, the value of the arts as a viable tool for communication of one’s thoughts and ideas, the importance of improvisation in the creation process and the need to receive feedback for improvement • Practicing formative dance technique; create new work based on a familiar model in solo, duet, trio or group configurations; invent original stories; applying feedback and correction; perform a work of Shakespeare

Music • Consider how western music has changed from the ancient Greeks to modern times, how solfege helps to build memory and improve performance and how the guitar works

• Learn approximately 500 words and a range of products and practices and use vocabulary for everyday topics and themes.

• Discover the specific sounds and feelings of each era of music; interpret pitch through solfege syllables and Curwen hand signs; fluently play single-note melodies on the guitar

• Describe habits and choices, conduct a simple transaction, and exchange information about housing, food, activities, and clothes; produce simple statements.

• Identify composers and works from eras of western music; sing in two-part harmony; play in a guitar ensemble; compose a Greek ode

Spanish • Discover that everyday products and practices can reflect cultural differences and shared experiences and combining and elaborating on learned patterns improves communication skills • Learn approximately 500 words and a range of products and practices and use vocabulary from everyday topics and compose basic compound sentences • Describe habits and choices; conduct a simple transaction; exchange basic information about housing, activities, and clothes; produce simple statements

Physical Education: • Demonstrate movement skills and patterns in a variety of individual performance activities and lifetime physical activities while using critical elements of specialized manipulative skills in a variety of settings • Apply tactical concepts and performance principles in game-like settings • Perform specialized skills using critical biomechanical principles properly • Exhibit responsible personal and social behavior that respects self and others with the ability to apply rules and procedures to class activities • Communicate effectively with others in a way that promotes respect and conflict resolution • Understand the impact physical activity has one one’s physical, emotional, and intellectual health • Utilize a growth mindset approach to learning and embrace a willingness to stretch one’s comfort zone

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Middle School, Grades 6-8 at Lyman Campus

Grade 7 Curriculum At-a-Glance Seventh Grade at Laurel has a focus on innovation—girls study World Wars I and II, World Religions, and the History of Human innovation; and in science they explore archaeology, plate tectonics, rocks and minerals, cell structure and function, earth science, genetics and evolution. The Seventh Grade extends their interdisciplinary look at Innovation in the 20th century with a trip to Chicago, including an architectural tour. Guided by Laurel’s Center for Research on Girls, Seventh Graders immerse themselves in Tinkering Week, which provides girls with opportunities to redesign animatronics, tinker with language to change meaning, and even experiment with ingredients to create new recipes.

English:

Mathematics:

• Consider how individuals innovate to improve human experience, as well as how to support ideas using evidence and what makes writing effective

• Ponder how mathematical evidence supports problem-solving

• Discover how humans adapt based on their circumstances, that statements—oral and written—must be backed with evidence

• Discover that mathematics can be proven

• Acquire effective punctuation and grammar skills; practice the writing process; develop a broad vocabulary; conduct research • Interpret poetry, fiction, memoir, and Shakespearean texts; develop an effective argument in an analytical essay; conduct research using primary sources • Read Akata Witch, Poetry Speaks: Who I Am, Rebecca, Romeo and Juliet, The Outsiders, and use The English Grammar Workbook

Social Studies: • Contemplate how individuals and communities innovate to improve human life, how world religions shape culture, and how power is acquired, used and justified • Understand that people develop systems to manage conflict and create order; and recognize that conflict resolution can involve aggression, compromise, cooperation and change • Discover how to read, interpret and synthesize primary and secondary sources; conduct research and cite sources properly using library databases; present findings to an audience from memory; explore the rise and fall of fascist and communist governments and their impact on the people they controlled • Read Red Scarf Girl, Animal Farm, Fair Weather, The Religions Book, Boxers & Saints and Maus

Math 7 strategies and answers • Analyze proportional relationships and use them to solve theoretical and real-world problems; apply and extend operations with fractions to add, subtract, multiply, and divide rational numbers; construct and describe geometric figures and the relationships between them; reason abstractly and quantitatively; construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others; model with mathematics

Math 8 • Ponder how mathematical evidence supports problem-solving strategies • Discover and apply the Pythagorean Theorem geometrically and algebraically • Identify numbers that are not rational and approximate their value using rational numbers • Investigate chance processes and develop and evaluate probability models; use random sampling to draw inferences; employ the slopeintercept form to analyze and solve linear equations; evaluate and compare functions; employ functions to model relationships; work with radicals; reason abstractly and quantitatively; construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others

Algebra • Consider how mathematical evidence supports problem-solving strategies and answers • Discover the meaning of mathematical symbols and diagrams • Determine the similarities and differences between functions that are linear, quadratic, or exponential and the meaning of a solution to an equation, inequality, or system of equations or inequalities • Manipulate and simplify arithmetic and algebraic expressions including exponential and polynomial expressions; identify patterns to understand equations; solve linear and quadratic equations; graph linear, quadratic and exponential functions; use function notation correctly and interpret transformations of functions; describe the connection between a function and an equation; communicate mathematical thinking effectively verbally and in writing

16

Mathematics: (continued) Geometry • Consider how evidence and logical reasoning are used to draw conclusions and solve problems • Discover and use the basic vocabulary of geometry and the meaning of mathematical symbols and diagrams related to geometry • Determine the logical steps in a proof; write a mathematical proof using sound logic; use theorems productively to write proofs; apply knowledge from multiple areas and many techniques to solve complex problems; identify the properties of congruence and similarity; employ properties of common geometric shapes, including polygons and circles; use trigonometric relationships and the Pythagorean Theorem to solve problems

Science: • A focus on collecting, analyzing and displaying data through realworld experimentation and application • Explore life science from the cellular level, and gain understanding into human heredity and genetics • Examine the history of the formation of the earth to understand its structure and systems; recognize that organisms adapt to their environments and evolve over time; and learn that adaptation and evolution cause changes in the structures of organisms • The earth is a complex and ever changing system. Identify and explain the purpose of the parts of the atmosphere and the interior parts of the earth; use measurement and scale to accurately display these systems in drawings; differentiate between rocks, minerals and organic material and identify the process causing rocks to transform from one type to another; apply the concepts of genetic inheritance to real-life situations Select sources: CPO Life Sciences, Newsela

Computer Science • Learn computational thinking skills that are transferable to other disciplines; reflect upon ethics and the dynamic relationship between society and technology; develop problem-solving skills, resilience and perseverance through coding; discuss broader issues surrounding computer technology

World Languages: (continued) French • Discover that cultural perspectives can vary across age groups, regions and social groups; learn how language modalities allow us to express subjective attitudes or persuade others; understand that people from target cultures wrestle with global challenges that are similar to ours • Learn approximately 1000 words and a broad range of products and practices from the target cultures; practice vocabulary on abstract topics and themes; use structures necessary for basic communication • Compare and contrast perspectives, support personal opinions, make suggestions, give advice and produce more elaborate statements

Spanish • Discover that cultural perspectives can vary across age groups, regions and social groups; learn how language modalities allow us to express subjective attitudes or persuade others; understand that people from target cultures wrestle with global challenges that are similar to ours • Learn approximately 1000 words and a broad range of products and practices from the target cultures; practice vocabulary on abstract topics and themes; use structures necessary for basic communication • Compare and contrast perspectives, support personal opinions, make suggestions and produce more elaborate statements

Latin • Consider what different cultures can teach us about our own way of living and what the impact of learning one language has on accessibility to other languages • Explore the relationship of Latin to French, Italian and Spanish; examine the foundational role Latin plays in English and its vocabulary; and increase understanding of English grammar through the study of Latin grammar • Discover mythology and the ancient Roman world *Students entering Laurel Middle School in Grade 7 may begin Spanish Level I or Latin, or both.

World Languages: Complete the second half of Level II Reflect on the use of the target language to negotiate meaning; that language mirrors our cultural products, practices and perspectives; and that connections can be made between the target language and other disciplines

Chinese • Discover that cultural products and practices are shaped in part by features of the environment, Chinese uses different markers of tense and aspect and successful communication can involve abstract cultural perspectives • Learn approximately 500-600 characters and a range of products and practices for the target culture as well as cultural perspectives underpinning major celebrations; practice vocabulary related to common topics and themes; develop a wider variety of sentence structures • Negotiate multi-step practical information or instructions; describe the environment; exchange information about past events; and produce more elaborate statements

17 11

Middle School, Grades 6-8 at Lyman Campus

Grade 7 Curriculum At-a-Glance Seminars: Health • Continue practicing growth mindset, healthy eating, stress management and mindfulness; investigate the muscular and skeletal systems, puberty, menstruation and reproduction; recognize healthy relationships; understand human sexuality

Technology • Explore the power of MacBooks; delve into computer science; practice responsible use of technology.

Visual Arts: • Explore influences on style and choice of subject matter • Demonstrate persistence and artisanship during the artmaking process • Care for the studio and safely use tools, materials, and digital technology to create art that is personally meaningful • Design self-assessment techniques to inform goals within the artmaking process • Explore how personal experiences influence style and choice of subject matter

(continued)

Performing Arts: Drama/Dance Integrated Process • Wonder about what it means to be an artist; appreciate how an artist uses technique to communicate; explore personal connection to storytelling • Practice the discipline of body and voice warm up; explore the optimal balance for support of structure and the freedom of blank canvas in creation of new work; develop the self-awareness to create a new work from within; explore voice and movement as a tool for cultivating tone and environment in performance • Rehearse pieces to improve; direct the audience through precise focus; collaborate with peers to create original choreography and text

Music • Consider how music in the Blues and Jazz traditions shaped music in the USA; how to sing in different American styles such as Gospel and Jazz; learn now to construct a song in any key using 12-bar blues • Identify the distinct styles of Blues and Jazz musicians in the 20th Century; use chords and plucking to enhance the musical effect of the guitar; identify how chords relate to each other by creating chord progressions • Sing in two-part harmony in various American styles; strengthen vocal techniques; play guitar ensemble repertoire; compose instrumental and lyrical pieces

Physical Education: • Demonstrate movement skills and patterns in a variety of individual performance activities and lifetime physical activities while using critical elements of specialized manipulative skills in a variety of settings • Apply tactical concepts and performance principles in game-like settings • Perform specialized skills using critical biomechanical principles properly • Exhibit responsible personal and social behavior that respects self and others with the ability to apply rules and procedures to class activities • Communicate effectively with others in a way that promotes respect and conflict resolution • Understand the impact physical activity has one one’s physical, emotional, and intellectual health • Utilize a growth mindset approach to learning and embrace a willingness to stretch one’s comfort zone

18

19 11

Middle School, Grades 6-8 at Lyman Campus

Grade 8 Curriculum At-a-Glance Eighth Graders at Laurel study US history and culture with deep dives into the Constitution, Civil Rights, environmental policy, and immigration. The entire grade participates in Nation Creation—an immersion experience which simulates the founding of the colonies in North America. Groups design a government, write a Bill of Rights, create an economy, negotiate for resources and operate as nation groups in a simulated United Nations. The hallmark of Eighth Grade at Laurel is the I-Project, where girls design a semester-long project based on individual research, interviews with experts, and along-the-way reflections on how they are inspired to better the world with the skills they have as teenagers.

English: • Consider what responsibilities come along with membership in a community, who decides what it means to be an American and what the historical record reveals, as well as how literature helps us figure out who we are and who we want to be • Understand that membership in a democracy requires active participation to protect personal freedoms, American identity is complex and changing, its definition depends on existing power structures, and studying literature and art empowers self-reflection • Analyze American literature; employ the writing process to produce polished essays; and develop a personal writing voice • Study vocabulary in context in order to expand students’ lexicons as well as to recognize the function of word choice and sentence structure in the context of the course texts • Refine writing skills to produce analytical, creative, personal and reflective pieces; read actively using annotation to predict, infer and analyze; choose precise vocabulary and effective grammatical structures to convey meaning accurately and with a unique voice • Study grammatical structure both in context and using a supplemental text (The Perfect English Grammar Workbook) to show how grammar shapes not only the meaning of what is written but also its impact • Read Refugee, The Illustrated Man, The House on Mango Street, The Book of Unknown Americans, To Kill A Mockingbird, Persepolis, and Warriors Don’t Cry

20

Social Studies: • Contemplate how real the American Dream is and the role law has played in the history of the United States • Discover that studying history makes it possible to understand the human story from the past and to interpret modern events; the development of civic competence requires understanding the foundations of political thought, historical development of power structures, and the fragility of democracy; personal identity is shaped by cultural, social and institutional influences • Explore key episodes of United States history: the Revolutionary War, slavery and the Civil War, Reconstruction, and the Civil Rights movements; relate current events to the past; analyze primary source documents (e.g. the Mayflower Compact, the Declaration of Independence, The U.S. Constitution, landmark U.S. Supreme Court decisions), maps and charts to extract and analyze • Write effectively as critical historians, recognizing multiple points of view; build an argument with relevant evidence; trace cause and effect relationships; draw upon varied sources • Select sources include: Two Miserable Presidents, Freedom: A History of US, Newsela, 1619 project, and other primary and secondary sources

Mathematics: Math 8 • Ponder how mathematical evidence supports problem-solving strategies • Discover and apply the Pythagorean Theorem geometrically and algebraically • Identify numbers that are not rational and approximate their value using rational numbers • Investigate chance processes and develop and evaluate probability models; use random sampling to draw inferences; employ the slopeintercept form to analyze and solve linear equations; evaluate and compare functions; employ functions to model relationships; work with radicals; reason abstractly and quantitatively; construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others

Algebra • Consider how mathematical evidence supports problem-solving strategies and answers • Discover the meaning of mathematical symbols and diagrams • Determine the similarities and differences between functions that are linear, quadratic, or exponential and the meaning of a solution to an equation, inequality, or system of equations or inequalities • Manipulate and simplify arithmetic and algebraic expressions including exponential and polynomial expressions; identify patterns to understand equations; solve linear and quadratic equations; graph linear, quadratic and exponential functions; use function notation correctly and interpret transformations of functions; describe the connection between a function and an equation; communicate mathematical thinking effectively verbally and in writing

Geometry • Consider how evidence and logical reasoning are used to draw conclusions and solve problems • Discover and use the basic vocabulary of geometry and the meaning of mathematical symbols and diagrams related to geometry • Determine the logical steps in a proof; write a mathematical proof using sound logic; use theorems productively to write proofs; apply knowledge from multiple areas and many techniques to solve complex problems; identify the properties of congruence and similarity; employ properties of common geometric shapes, including polygons and circles; use trigonometric relationships and the Pythagorean Theorem to solve problems

Algebra II • Consider how to use mathematical evidence to support problemsolving strategies and how to apply what we know about functions and relations to analyze challenges facing our world • Determine the symbols and diagrams to express mathematical concepts and equations; model real-world phenomena with equations • Identify the similarities and differences between functions which are polynomials, exponential, logarithmic, rational, root powers and trigonometric; express the meaning and significance of a solution to an equation, inequality, or system of equations or inequalities

Science: • Think through how to approach a problem scientifically and how to use findings to draw conclusions and make predictions • Design and run controlled experiments using lab equipment such as beakers, graduated cylinders, balance scale, scoopulas and pipettes • Learn modern models of matter; properties of three states of matter; periodic table of elements, bonding, compound formulas • Explore properties such as surface tension and solubility of polar vs. nonpolar liquids • Recognize and discuss land use, wildlife, atmospheric and water issues with the application of chemistry • Analyze human consumption and sustainability in the local and global environments

Computer Science • Learn computational thinking skills that are transferable to other disciplines; reflect upon ethics and the dynamic relationship between society and technology; develop problem-solving skills, resilience and perseverance through coding; discuss broader issues surrounding computer technology

World Languages: Complete the second half of Level II Reflect on the use of the target language to negotiate meaning; that language mirrors our cultural products, practices and perspectives; and that connections can be made between the target language and other disciplines

Chinese • Discover that cultural perspectives can vary across age groups, regions, and social groups; language modalities allow us to express subjective attitudes or persuade others; and people from target cultures wrestle with global challenges that are similar to ours • Learn approximately 800 characters and a broad range of products and practices from the target culture, samples of influential works of art and literature; and practice vocabulary on abstract topics • Compare and contrast perspectives; describe aspirations for life, relationships and work; support personal opinions; and produce elaborate statements

French • Discover that cultural perspectives can vary across age groups, regions and social groups; learn how language modalities allow us to express subjective attitudes or persuade others; understand that people from target cultures wrestle with global challenges that are similar to ours • Learn approximately 1000 words and a broad range of products and practices from the target cultures; practice vocabulary on abstract topics and themes; use structures necessary for basic communication • Compare and contrast perspectives, support personal opinions, make suggestions, give advice and produce more elaborate statements

• Manipulate and simplify arithmetic, algebraic, exponential and polynomial expressions; solve and graph equations; interpret transformations of functions; and use technology to explore functions and to verify solutions

21 11

Middle School, Grades 6-8 at Lyman Campus

Grade 8 Curriculum At-a-Glance World Languages: (continued) Spanish • Discover that cultural perspectives can vary across age groups, regions and social groups; learn how language modalities allow us to express subjective attitudes or persuade others; understand that people from target cultures wrestle with global challenges that are similar to ours • Learn approximately 1000 words and a broad range of products and practices from the target cultures; practice vocabulary on abstract topics and themes; use structures necessary for basic communication • Compare and contrast perspectives, support personal opinions, make suggestions and produce more elaborate statements

Latin

Performing Arts: Drama/Dance Integrated Process • Wonder about what it means to be an artist; appreciate how an artist uses technique to communicate; explore personal connection to storytelling • Practice the discipline of in-the-moment communication; exercise the muscles of active listening; gather and analyze community personal experience and perspective to inform the creative process • Create original work that is meaningful; lead warm-ups and rehearsals; seek resources to actualize ideas; develop work as an ensemble utilizing structure and freedom to create entertaining but clear personal narrative

Music

• Consider what different cultures can teach us about our own way of living and what the impact of learning one language has on accessibility to other languages

• Consider the development of American popular music over time, the effect of two- and three-part harmony and the impact of the arrangement of music

• Strengthen understanding of English grammar through the study of Latin grammar; develop a sophisticated vocabulary; investigate the cultural history of the Latin-speaking world

• Identify the purpose and sound of rock and hip-hop; acquire new strumming patterns for mood; adjust vocal tone for the maturing body

Seminars: Health • Continue practicing growth mindset, healthy eating, stress management and mindfulness; explore the nervous and endocrine systems; identify the qualities of healthy relationships; understand human sexuality; understand pregnancy and childbirth, sexually transmitted diseases and birth control, sexual harassment, assault and rape

Technology • Explore computer science; practice file backup and storage; develop healthy limits on screen time; recognize the use of social media in marketing

Visual Arts: • Demonstrate visual literacy through application of the elements of art and principles of design to communicate an idea.

22

(continued)

• Use intermediate chords to play the guitar; sing in two- and threepart harmony; rehearse and perform with their own band using critical listening, teamwork and rehearsal skills; compose lyrical and instrumental songs

Physical Education: • Demonstrate movement skills and patterns in a variety of individual performance activities and lifetime physical activities while using critical elements of specialized manipulative skills in a variety of settings • Apply tactical concepts and performance principles in game-like settings • Perform specialized skills using critical biomechanical principles properly • Exhibit responsible personal and social behavior that respects self and others with the ability to apply rules and procedures to class activities

• Independently select materials and techniques to create works of art

• Communicate effectively with others in a way that promotes respect and conflict resolution

• Care for the studio and safely use tools, materials, and digital technology to create art that is personally meaningful

• Understand the impact physical activity has one one’s physical, emotional, and intellectual health

• Understand how cultural factors affect what contemporary artists create • Interpret how community context, beliefs and resources influence works of art

• Utilize a growth mindset approach to learning and embrace a willingness to stretch one’s comfort zone

23 11

Middle School, Grades 6-8 at Lyman Campus

Middle School Electives Electives are one of the ways girls at Laurel create unique learning paths in Middle School. Sixth, Seventh and Eighth Graders are eligible to enroll in one elective per trimester. These ungraded courses are designed to inspire passions and build skills as well as, in some cases, to provide time for academic teams to prepare for competitions. Electives may include: Robotics, Jr. Model UN, Science Fair, Speech and Debate, Creative Writing, Yoga and Mindfulness, Adventure Seekers using our Project Adventure ropes course, Code Breakers, Gaming, and Studio Art. Laurel also has a Middle School Ensemble for instrumentalists, which runs during Office Hours so girls can play in an instrumental ensemble and do another elective.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) Throughout Middle School The Grades 6-8 DEIB curriculum presents human rights, social justice, social identity and the identifiers to the students in a developmentally appropriate way. Topics discussed using activities, books and videos, are then woven into the academic curricula. Students learn that our differences are what make us who we are, and that if differences are marginalized, we must speak up against injustice.

The courses and content listed here are representative of a typical in-person school year not impacted by a global pandemic. Programming content can evolve when we must pivot to Laurel School@Home, our distance learning framework.

All courses and programming are subject to change.

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Photography: DOWNIE PHOTO Copyright © 2022 Laurel School

Laurel School by the numbers Studentteacher ratio:

8:1

4,700+ Alumnae around the world

46

$4.4M

1:1

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Financial assistance awarded

School mascot:

28

40

Studentcomputer ratio:

Gator

Athletic teams & club sports

Student-led clubs and organizations

T H E L AU R E L M I S S I O N :

To inspire each girl to fulfill her promise and to better the world.

LYMAN CAMPUS One Lyman Circle, Shaker Heights, Ohio 44122

Dream. Dare. Do.

BUTLER CAMPUS 7420 Fairmount Road, Russell Township, Ohio 44072

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Admissions @ LaurelSchool.org 216.464.0946

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Varsity sports:

11

College-bound students:

100%