Middle School CurriculumGuide
MISSIONANDCOREVALUES
SacramentoCountryDayinspiresintellectualdiscoveryandengagesinadiverse communitytothinkcritically,livecreatively,andactcompassionately.
IntellectualDiscovery
Wechallengestudentstopursueacademicandpersonalexcellenceastheydevelopand embracetheirpassionforlearning.Ourstudentsthriveinadynamiccollegepreparatory programthatfuelscuriosity,instillsconfidence,andbuildsresilience.
Diversity
Ourinclusivecommunitypromotesequityandunderstandingthroughmeaningful conversationthatwelcomesavarietyofvoicesandcelebratesindividuality.
CriticalThinking
Ourstudentsgrapplewithcomplexissues,engagewithconflictingpointsofview,make connections,andcollaborate.Weempowerstudentswiththeskillstothriveinan evolvingworld.
Creativity
Ourstudentsexplore,improvise,andtakerisksastheydiscoverandfullyexpress themselvesasindividuals.
Compassion
Wenurtureempathy,integrity,andresponsibilityinasafeandsupportivecommunity thatvalueskindness,respect,andcivicengagement.
SacramentoCountryDaySchooladmitsstudentswithoutregardtorace,color,gender, sexualorientation,religion,nationalorethnicorigin,andaffordsthemalltherights, privileges,programs,andactivitiesgenerallymadeavailabletostudentsattheschool. Theschooldoesnotdiscriminateagainstanystudentinanywayaslegallydefinedin stateandfederallawsforco-educationalschoolsintheadministrationofitseducational policies,admissionpolicies,financialaidprograms,orathleticandother school-administeredprograms
INTRODUCTION
TheSacramentoCountryDayMiddleSchoolprogramguidesstudentsthroughacarefully orchestratedtransitionfromthehomeroomconfigurationofLowerSchoolintothedepartmentalized formatoftheMiddleandHighSchools.Theprogramisrichandvariedwithmanyopportunitiesfor studentstoexploretheirinterestsandtalents,whileprovidingthemwithastrongfoundationfor futurestudiesintheuppergrades Therearealsomoreoptionsforparticipationoncompetitive interscholasticathleticteamsandinthevisualandperformingarts Inaddition,theMiddleSchool emphasizesthedevelopmentofchildren’scharacter,interpersonalskills,socialawareness,and personalgrowth OurstudyhallAdvisoryProgramplaysanimportantroleintheacademicand personalgrowthprocess,andourteachersareparticularlywellsuitedtoteachchildrenduringthese often-challengingyearsoftransitionfromchildhoodtoyoungadulthood
PROGRAMMODELS
Grade6 English Mathematics
PhysicalScience
AncientHistoryandCulture
FrenchorSpanish Electives
PhysicalEducation/Social-EmotionalLearning
Grade7 English
Pre-AlgebraorAlgebra1
LifeScience
WorldHistory
FrenchorSpanish Electives
PhysicalEducation/Social-EmotionalLearning
Grade8 English
Algebra1orGeometry
EarthScience
U.S.History
FrenchorSpanish Electives
PhysicalEducation/Social-EmotionalLearning
ENGLISH
TheMiddleSchoolEnglishcurriculumfocusesonliterature,writing,grammar,andvocabulary.
Grade6
Developingaloveofliteratureandstrengtheningreadingskillsareimportantpointsoffocusinsixth grade.Thecurriculumcentersonthenovel,butalsoincludespoetryandnonfictiontexts,inorderto providearichfoundationfordiscussingthemesandmakingrealworldconnections.Novelscurrently include:OutofMyMindbySharonM.Draper,TheCrossoverbyKwameAlexander,BluefishbyPat Schmatz,andTheGiverbyLoisLowry. Inaddition,studentsreadabiography/memoiroftheirchoice aspartofaProjectBasedLearningunitonleadership.Textsareselectedfortheirrelevancetothe students’growthasreaders,andtheirdevelopmentascompassionateyoungpeoplewhorespect difference.Projects,discussions,andsmallgroupactivitiesbasedonthereadingmaterialsare designedtofostercollaboration,creativity,criticalthinking,communication,andother21stcentury skillsthatarevitaltosuccessinschoolandlife.
Developingstrongwritingandthinkingskillsiskeytopreparingsixthgradersforseventhgradeand beyond.Throughnarrativewritingandpoetry,studentsexploretheircreativevoiceandexpanduse ofdescriptiveandfigurativelanguage Forpersuasiveandexpositorywriting,informationliteracy skillsarehonedintheclassicfive-paragraphessay Studentsassesssourcesforcredibility, extrapolaterelevantinformationtosupportclaims,developnote-takingandparaphrasingskills,and learnhowtoorganizeideascoherently Writinginsixthgradeisahighchallenge,highsupport endeavor,withscaffoldsprovidedthroughouttheprocessofbrainstorming,researching,outlining, drafting,revising,etc Grammar,andthemechanicsoflanguageareintegratedintothewritingand revisionprocess,withafocusonimprovingsentencefluency Spellingandvocabularyworkisbased onwordsfromGreekandLatinroots,withaworkbookandonlineresourcestoreinforcelearning
Grade7
SeventhgradeEnglishstudentsdevelopdepth,precision,andsophisticationintheirreadingand analysisofliterature.FromshortstoriesandpoetrybysuchauthorsasKwameAlexander,Langston Hughes,GwendolynBrooks,SylviaPlath,andRayBradbury,topiecesofrealisticfictioninTheCallof theWildandTheOutsiders,thehistoricalfictionofTheBookThief,andtheversenarrativeofAin’t BurnedAlltheBright,studentsareexposedtoawidevarietyofliterarystylesandtechniques.In addition,severalofthesamethemes–thepowerofwords,alienationandreconnection,andbeing truetoone’sself–areexaminedintheirmanydimensionsthroughtheturningkaleidoscopeof literature.ThesleddogBuck,removedfromthecomfortofhisfirsthome,engagesinastruggleto surviveandultimatelygivesintohisownwildnature.The“outsider”Ponyboystepsoutofpersonal tragedytotakecontrolofhislifeintherealworldofpersonalresponsibility.Liesel,ayoung“book thief”livinginthebackdropofNaziGermany,learnstoread,andintheprocess,discoversthepower ofherownvoice ThenarratorinAin’tBurnedAlltheBrightstruggleswiththesocialandpersonal upheavalsof2020andfindscomfortwithinhisfamilyandthebeautyinhislife
Thesenovelsalsoserveasthefoundationforcontextualvocabularydevelopmentandthestudyof literaryconcepts:plot,setting,characterization,conflict,imagery,symbolism,foreshadowing, flashback,pointofview,theme,andtone.Studentswriteextensivelyabouttheliterature,exploring theirownlivesinconnectionwiththenovels,aswellascraftingandsupportingthesisstatements aboutthetexts.
Bytheendoftheseventhgrade,studentsareexpectedtohaveasolidgraspofparagraph developmentandtohavecarefullycraftedexpositoryessaysthatincludetextualevidence, thoughtfulanalysis,andappropriatetransitions.Writingisapproachedasaprocess;studentsmove frombrainstormingandoutliningtodraftingandediting,wheretheypracticeandimplement variousrevisionstrategies.Mechanics,usage,andgrammaractivitiesareintegratedwiththewriting processinordertomakethenutsandboltsofEnglishasengagingandmeaningfulaspossible
Grade8
TheGrade8Englishcourseusestextsthatrepresentavarietyofvoices Readingsbyseveralauthors complementtheUS Historycourseanddevelopthemessuchasdignity,identity,alienation,and justice/injustice
Eachacademicunitincludesworksoffiction,poetry,andnon-fictionexpressedinvariousmedia types.SomeofthemajorworksincludeJulieOtsuka’snovelWhentheEmperorWasDivine,which describesthelivingexperienceinaCaliforniaJapaneseinternmentcamp.Thistextprovidesa glimpseoftheperiod’sseeminglycontradictoryideasofindividualrightsandnationalsecurity.The coursealsoexaminesDanielKeyes’sshortstory“FlowersforAlgernon,”whichisaprofoundtexton whatitmeanstobeageniustryingtoalterthehumanrace,anditisalandmarkinmodernscience fiction.
Eachacademicunitasksstudentstowriteinvariousessaystructuresincludingliteraryanalysis, comparativeanalysis,cause/effect,andpersuasion.Grade8Englishpreparesstudentsforthe academicdemandsofhighschoolwhilebalancingtheircreativeandpersonalvoicewithpoetry andautobiographicalpieces.
Writinginstructionrequiresstudentstounderstandthedifferencesbetweenroughandfinaldraft compositionstrategies Grammarinstructionbeginswithlinguisticsandsentencestructures,butthe instructionculminateswithcontextualgrammarwhereinstudentsmanipulatelanguageformsin theirwriting
MATHEMATICS
Grade6
Thegoalofsixthgrademathistoinsureasolidfoundationinorderforstudentstosuccessfully transitiontoalgebraicmathematics.Thisisachievedbytherigorousstudyofseveraldifferentareas. Chiefamongtheseisthecontinuingexpansionofarithmeticwithanincreasedlevelofdifficultythat includesfractions,decimals,probability,integers,andtheapplicationsofpercentages.
Studentsarealsoinstructedinalgebraicconceptssuchasvariables,inequalities,ratios,data collection,andcoordinategraphing.Thestudyofgeometryinsixthgradeisalsocontinuedby workingwithplanes,angles,circles,area,volume,lines,andthePythagoreanTheorem.Asanadded aspectofcontinuallypushingthemathematicalenvelope,sixthgradersparticipateinmathprojects severaltimesperquarter.Theseprojectscanvaryinformfromlogicproblemstopractical applicationsofcurrentstudiesthroughextendedhands-onprojects.Attheculminationofsixth grade,studentswillthenbeabletomoveforwardtoincreasinglycomplexalgebraicstudies
Grades7and8
Pre-Algebra
Pre-Algebrachallengesstudentstostrengthentheirmathematicalthinkingandcommunicationby applyingcomputationalskillsandproblem-solvingstrategiestoincreasinglyabstractmathematical situations Theyworktogethertodiscussconceptsandapplyskills,andusevisualsandalgebraic notationtorepresentmathematicalrelationships Thecourseemphasizesrationalnumbersand proportionalitysothatstudentsdevelopaccuracyandconfidencewithintegers,decimals,fractions, ratios,andpercentages
Studentsworkextensivelywithconstantsofproportionality,withsignednumbers,andwith expressionsandsingleandmulti-stepequationsandinequalities.Theircoordinate-graphingskills areexpandedastheygraphproportionalrelationshipsandlinearequations.Seventhgraders explorescaledrelationships,continuetoworkwithprobability,andinvestigatecomputationwith exponentsandcoding.ThemaincurriculumisOpenUpResourcesGrade7Math.Pre-Algebra studentsarealsoassignedtwoormoreprojectsperquarter;theseprojectsemphasize problem-solvingandmakingconnectionsbetweenconcepts,anddemonstrateeachstudent’s abilitytocommunicatetheirmathematicalthinkinginaformalwrittenformat.
AlgebraI
ThefocusofAlgebraIistomastertechniquesforsolvingwithvariables.Studentspractice problem-solvingandgraphingwithincreasinglycomplexalgebraicexpressions,stressingthe relationshipbetweentheequationorinequalityanditsgraph.Theyfurtherdeveloptheirskillsin solvingwordproblemsalgebraically.Studentslearnandpracticesolvinglinearandquadratic equationsandsimplifyalgebraic,exponential,radical,andrationalexpressions.Theirknowledgeof geometryandmeasurementisexpanded.ThetextusedisPearson/SavvasenVisionAlgebra1.
StudentsinAlgebraIarealsoassignedatleastoneprojectperquarter.Manyprojectsinclude graphing,coding,andproblem-solving Allprojectsincludeawrittenportionthatemphasizescritical thinkingandformalreportwriting AlthoughAlgebraIisthestandardcourseforeighthgraders,a limitednumberofseventhgradersadvancedirectlytoAlgebraIfromsixthgradeMathematics
Geometry
GeometryisaHighSchoollevelcourse Plane,solid,andcomputationalgeometryispresentedfrom severalperspectivesthatincludeinductivereasoning(searchingforpatterns),deductivereasoning (provingordisprovingpatterns),computation,construction,andgeometricexploration Aheavy emphasisisalsoplaceduponreinforcingAlgebraIskillsinthesolutionofgeometricproblemsand upontheoremprovingasanintegratedactivity Topicscoveredduringthefirstpartofthecourse includefoundationsofgeometry,parallelandperpendicularlines,transformations,andtriangles. Latertopicsincludequadrilateralsandotherpolygons,similarity,trigonometry,coordinategeometry, circles,andtwo-andthree-dimensionalmodels.ThetextusedisPearson/SavvasenVision Geometry.
SCIENCE
Grade6
PhysicalScience
Sixthgradescienceisanintroductorysurveycourseinphysicalsciencefocusedontopicsrelatingto scienceasadisciplineofstudy,matterandenergy,andhowmatterinteractschemically The curriculumisdesignedtogivestudentstheopportunitytofostertheircuriosityaboutthenatural worldwhileworkingthroughthescientificprocess Studentswillparticipateinhands-onactivities, projects,andlabinvestigationstohelpilluminatethecoursecontentanddevelopcriticalthinking, inquiry,andlaboratoryskills.Studentswillalsoengageinresearchthroughaninterdisciplinary project,aswellasdevelopreasoning,modeling,andcommunicationskillsthroughallaspectsof class.Attitudesandimportantfundamentalsincludingsafety,conservation,andstewardshipare stressedthroughouttheschoolyear.Studentswillcreateinteractivesciencenotebooks,aswellas utilizethetechnologyoftheChromebookinplaceoftextbooks.
Grade7
LifeScience
Seventhgradescienceisanexplorationoftherichbiodiversityandinterdependenceoforganisms andtheenvironment Thebeginningcharacteristicsoflifeandecologystudiesaregreatlyenhanced bylessonsandexperiencesfromtheOutdoorEducationtriptotheSierraNevadaMountainsinthe fall Thescientificmethodisemployedthroughouttheyearasawayofnavigatingallaspectsoflife Usageofsciencetoolsandequipment,note-taking,conductinglabsandwritingreports,anddoing outsideresearcharesomeoftheskillsacquired Studentsinvestigatethekingdomsoflifethrough workwithmicroscopes,growingplantsintheschoolgarden,observinglivingorganisms,and dissections Muchofthematerialinthesecondhalfoftheyearisbasedonthehumanbody The structureandfunctionofthevarioussystemsarecovered,withanemphasisonwellnessand makinghealthychoices StudentsutilizethetechnologyoftheChromebookcomputerandvarious sciencesimulations,likeGizmos.
Grade8
EarthScience
EighthgradestudentsstudytheEarthSciences–thebodyofknowledgedescribingtheforcesthat shapeourplanet.Studentsconductexperiments,makeobservations,collectdata,andsynthesize materialfrompreviousscienceandmathcoursesinordertoformanunderstandingofEarth'smany behaviors.Eighthgradershavetheopportunitytosampleadiversearrayofdisciplines—theEarth Sciencescompriseeverythingfrommeteorologyandatmosphericsciencestoastrophysicsand geology.Throughouttheyear,emphasisisplacedonanalysisofphysicalsystems,thescientific method,andkindlingasenseofwonderandcuriosityforthenaturalworld.Thiscourseisaligned withtheNextGenerationScienceStandards(NGSS),andusesinquiry-basedlearningtoexplorethe mysteriesofourmiraculousspacepebble.
HISTORY
Grade6
AncientHistoryandCulture
Thesixthgradesocialstudiesprogramisdesignedtoexplorequestionsabouttheexistenceof humanbeingsthatyoungadolescentsbegintoask–whoweare,howwegothere,andwherewe aregoing StudentsstudytheancientculturesofMesoamerica,Egypt,GreeceandRome Theylearn howphysicalgeographyrelatestotheformationofsocieties Theyresearchancientpeoplesand participateinexperientialprojectsbasedonaspectsofthecivilizationsbeingstudied Animportant strandintheprogramistheon-goingstudyofcurrentevents,designedtoprovideaframeworkfor understandingthepresentday,linkingpasttopresent.Studentsexaminehistoricalpatternsasthe ideasofdemocracy,artisticexpression,andjusticeemergeincultures.Socialstudiesisnotonly historyinsixthgrade;itisanexperiencethatisdesignedtohelpstudentsunderstandthe uniquenessandcommonalitiesbetweenselectedculturesinhistory,andhopefully,planttheseeds ofrespectfulandinformedchoicesforthefuture.Studentslearnnote-takingandtest-takingskills andanalyticalwritingwithaheavyemphasisoncriticalthinking
Grade7
WorldHistory
Theseventh-gradehistoryprogramimmersesstudentsintoavarietyofculturesandencouragesthemto buildtheirskillsofbeingahistorian.Thiscoursetakesathematicandchronologicalapproachtoexplore thelargerpatternsofhumanhistory.Itstartswithexaminingtheoriginsofhumansandtheriseof civilizationandbuildstoanexplorationofthemajorshiftsinhistoryleadingtothecreationofthemodern world.Theclassmixesatraditionalapproachtoteachinghistorywithamoreexperiential“hands-on” approach.Studentsmasterskillsessentialtothestudyofhistoryincludingcriticalthinking,analytical readingandwriting,note-taking,mapusage,andresearch Theyalsoparticipateinsimulationsand projectsaimedatbringinghistoryalivethroughexperientialexplorationsofhistory,religion,literature, customs,art,food,andtechnology Centraltotheseventh-gradecourseisaresearchprojectwhich encouragesstudentstopracticebeingahistorianthroughthedevelopmentofresearchandcritical thinkingskills Thiscurriculumutilizesstudents’devices,theweb,andavarietyoftextualandaudio-visual resources
Grade8
U.S.History
TheeighthgradeUnitedStateshistorycoursetakesathematicapproachtothestudyofthisnation fromitsearlycolonialrootsthroughthetwentiethcentury Studentsexplorethevaluesandideals thatshapedthebirthofthisnationandcontinuetouniteitspeoplewhilealsograpplingwithissues suchasrace,class,andsectionalismthathaveconsistentlychallengedthatunity,causinggreat divisionandconflictthroughoutthehistoryoftheUnitedStates Theclassutilizesavarietyof resources,including,theweb,films,andseveralothertextualandaudio-visualsources Students learnthroughamixofdirectinstruction,discussion,cooperativeproblem-solving,debate,and student-ledinstruction Theclassalsoemphasizesthecontinueddevelopmentofacademicskills includingcriticalthinking,closereading,andanalyticwriting.Additionally,studentshonetheir researchskillsbycompletingacapstoneresearchproject.
WORLDLANGUAGESANDCULTURES
TheMiddleSchoolLanguageProgramisdesignedasanimmersive,skills-basedexperiencethatwill teachstudentstothinkcriticallyabouttheirownuseandunderstandingoflanguage AttheconclusionofeverycourseinbothFrenchandSpanish,studentswillachievethelevel accordingtotheACTFL(AmericanCouncilontheTeachingofForeignLanguages) PROFICIENCY GUIDELINES
FRENCH
Throughthematicunitsthatincorporatehistory,literature,film,andcurrentevents,studentswill understandtheimportanceofstudyingallaspectsofFrench-speakingcommunitiesaroundthe world Thegoalistofostercuriosity,promoteinitiative,deepencommunication,andstrengthen connectionamongandbetweenstudents.Attheendoftheirstudies,theywillbeabletolistenfor understanding,readforcontext,speakauthentically,andwriteexpressivelyintheFrenchlanguage.
French1A
ThisintroductoryFrenchcourseprovidesanopportunitytostartlearningthisrichlanguageinan immersiveenvironment.ThisisthefirsthalfofaHighSchoolLevel1classtypicallybeguninthesixth gradeandconcludedintheseventhgradeandisappropriateforthosejuststartingthelanguage, aswellasthosewithexperienceintheLowerSchool.Thethematicunitsexploreanswerstothe followingguidingquestions:
1 Inwhatwaysislearninganotherlanguagebeneficial?
2 Whatdoactivitiesandpastimesrevealaboutaculture?
3 Howdoeseducationshapeindividualsandsocieties?
4 Whatactivitiesdofriendsinothercountriesdotogether?
5 AndWhatisthenatureofrelationshipsinothercultures? Throughinitialreadingandlisteningactivities,studentswilltraintheireyesandearstoavarietyof voicesfromtheFrench-speakingworld Oncethoseskillsarehonedatthebeginningofeachunit, studentswillbeaskedtoexpresstheirownoriginalthoughtsthroughwritingandspeaking
French1B
ThisisacontinuingcourseforMiddleSchoolstudentswhohavecompletedthecurriculum requirementsforFrench1AorforthosewithpriorexperienceinFrenchwhoareinterestedin deepeningtheirlanguagelearning.ItisequivalenttoaHighSchoolLevel1classandexpectsalevel ofrigorfromstudents.Thethematicunitsexploreanswerstothefollowingguidingquestions:
1. Howisshoppingdifferentinothercountries?
2. Whatmakesahousea“home”?
3. Howdomajorworldcitiestelltheirstories?
4. Howdopeoplestayhealthyandmaintainahealthyenvironment?
5. Howdotravelexperiencesshapeourworldview?
French2
ThisisanexcitingcoursethatbroadenstheworldofFrenchlanguagelearning EquivalenttoaHigh SchoolLevel2class,studentswillbeexpectedtodeepentheirstudyandexpressioninreading, listening,writingandspeaking Thethematicunitsexploreanswerstothefollowingguiding questions:
1 Whatdoyoungpeopledointhesummerinothercultures?
2 HowarestoriestoldbytheartandarchitectureofParis?
3. Howdotheroutinesofpeopleinotherculturesdifferfrommine?
4. Howdoesthepastshapeus?
5. Whatdoyouneedtoknowtotravelsuccessfully?
SPANISH
TheSpanishlanguageprogramemploysawiderangeoflearningstrategiestoenablestudentsto developcompetencyinallfourlanguageskills:listening,speaking,readingandwriting.Wefocuson innovativeandup-to-datetopicstodevelopstudents’linguisticcompetencies,ontheircapacityto communicatewithclarityandconfidence,andontheimplementationofpoliciesandpracticesthat embraceandcelebratediversecultures.Classroomactivitiesaredesignedtoprovidestudentswith extensivepracticeininterpreting,expressingandnegotiatingmeaningincommunicativetasksthat arerelevanttotheirlives.Studentsalsoworkwithreadings(from2to4shortnovelsperyear),and authenticartfromtheSpanish-speakingworld.Assessmentofacquiredcompetencyisbasedon dailyparticipation,homework,quizzesandtests,andculturalprojects.TheMSprogramisdividedin fourlevels:1A,1B,2,and3,allowingstudentstoprogressaccordingtotheirknowledgeand proficiencyofthelanguage
Spanish1A
ThisisthebasiclevelforstudentscomingfromnoneorlittleknowledgeofSpanish Itisan introductoryclassforstudentswhoneedtimewiththespokenlanguage,aswellasreading,writing andlistening Grammartopicsincludegreetings,definiteandindefinitearticles,nounsand adjectives,subjectpronouns,genderandnumberagreement,thepresenttense(regularverbs), numbers(upto1000),theconceptofhay(forthereisandthereare),servs estar(tobe),question words,tenerverb(tohave),weather,climateandtime Studentswillexpandtheirvocabularyasthey practicecommunicatingbasicneedsandrespondingtoquestionsoneverydaytopicsinSpanish. Hispanic,LatinoandSpanishculturaltopicsarediscussed.
Spanish1B
Atthislevel,studentsarechallengedtoproducelanguagewithincreasingfluencywhilereviewing definiteandindefinitearticles,genderandnumber,andintensivepracticewiththeverbsser(tobe), estar(tobe)andir(togo).Studentsbeginamoreformalstudyofhighfrequencygrammartopics, suchasirregularverbs(stemchanging),demonstrativeandpossessivepronouns,futurewithirverb +a(to)preposition+place/infinitiveverb,usingponerseplusadjectivetoexpressemotions,tener que(tohave)andhayque(tohave)toexpressobligationsandduties,theverbgustar(tolike), telephoneconversations,givingandgettingdirections,contigo/conmigo(withme/withyou),the differencebetweensaber(toknow)andconocer(toknow).Uponcompletionofthecourse,students areabletocarryonbasicconversationsaboutthemselvesandtheirsurroundings Theyarecapable ofwritingshortcompositionsusingthepresentverbformaswellasmanyidiomaticexpressionsto communicatepreferences,obligationsandopinions Studentswillimprovetheirfluencybyspeaking andrespondingtoquestionsaboutavarietyoftopics Hispanic,LatinoandSpanishculturaltopics arediscussed
Spanish2
Studentsmayprogressdirectlytogrammartopicsthatfocusonthereflexive,directandindirect objectpronouns,imperativeverbforms(commands),makingcomparisons,usingnegative expressions,demonstrativeadjectives,inadditiontotheintroductionofthepasttense:preteritand imperfect(regularandirregularverbs).Studentswillgainproficiencyinexpandedconversational exchangesininteractiveexercisesanddialogues.Thereisagreateremphasisonreadingand writingaboutHispanic,Latinoandculturaltopics.
Spanish3
ThisisthemostadvancedlevelinMiddleSchool.Studentswilllearnthefuture,conditional,and subjunctivetenses,togetherwiththeperfectformsofpresentandpasttenses.Thisleveldeepsin morediverse,complicated,andproficientvocabularythatwillallowstudentstointeractandexpress themselvesinavarietyoftopicswhilecontinuingexploringcultural,historical,andpoliticalaspects oftheSpanishspeakingworld
PHYSICALEDUCATION
BecausePhysicalEducationisanintegralpartoftheMiddleSchoolprogram,studentstakeP.E.four daysarotation.Inadditiontopromotingfitnessandhealth,theprogramexposesthestudentsto andbuildscompetenceinawidevarietyofdifferentsportsincludingbutnotlimitedtovolleyball, soccer,flagfootball,badminton,basketball,floorhockey,anddiscgames.Theprogramemphasizes skillbuilding,participation,teamwork,andengenderingalife-longcommitmenttofitness.In addition,social-emotionallearning(SEL)classesareheldonceperrotationaspartoftheP.E. curriculum
SOCIALEMOTIONALLEARNING
IntheMiddleSchool,Social-EmotionalLearning(SEL)istaughtwithintheP.E.schedule. The curriculumandlessonsforeachgradelevelaredevelopmentallyappropriateandeachyear’s subjectmatterbuildsonthecontentofthepreviousyear.Takingpartinclassdiscussions,studying videoclipsandmovies,engaginginself-reflectionactivities,exploringcurrentevents,anddesigning andresolvingrole-playsituationsaresamplesoflessonstrategies.Practicingself-compassion, mindfulhabits,andself-reflectionareembeddedinalllevelsofSEL.SacramentoCountryDayfollows thestructureandcontentoftheSecondStepProgram.Additionalcurriculumisprovidedby instructors.
ELECTIVES
TheMiddleSchoolelectiveprogramoffersourstudentsabroadco-curricularprogram.Students taketwoelectiveseachquarter.Mostcoursesarequarterclasses;however,fineartselectivesare eithersemesterorfull-yearcommitments.Theobjectiveoftheprogramistobuildcompetenceina widevarietyofdisciplines,sostudentsfeelasenseofprideandmotivationastheyprogressthrough thenewandvarieddisciplines.Equallyimportanttotheprogramisthedevelopmentofimagination andcriticalthinkingskills.MiddleSchoolisagoodtimetoexploredifferentactivitiesinorderto determinelatercommitmenttoparticularinterests.
Coursesinthefineartsincludeart,instrumentalmusic,choir,anddrama.Inaddition,theelective programallowsstudentstoexploresubjectsnotgenerallyfoundinthecorecurriculum.Subjects offeredonarotatingbasiscouldinclude:FarmtoFork,chess,robotics,podcasting,videomaking, cooking,programming,MakerLab,mathgames,creativewriting,newspaper,andstrengthtraining.