Archive

In Design and Coding class students explore the rudiments of the computer language, Swift, via the Playgrounds app on their iPads. This is a language developed by Apple for the creation of apps for their devices. The more overarching aim of this course was for students to engage in the Design Thinking process, which includes ideation, selection, sketching, and prototyping. Students engage in the various aspects of this process as they develope ideas for a product that uses recycled materials. Within this framework, students discuss affordances and signifiers as principles of design. They become critics of good and bad design. In the ideation process, they learn how to cross-ideas and use associations to innovate. Some students also explore the possibilities of the Reality Composer app for prototyping in augmented reality. At the culmination of the course, students present pitches in three minute videos for the object they would like to produce before an audience of teachers and peers. They prepare multiple sketches of the object and provide a detailed explanation of how it would work, what ages and genders they are targeting, and what problem or issue the product would address in the lives of their target group.

Fifth grade Life Skills is an enrichment course that meets twice a week during the spring term. Throughout the term, students explore a variety of topics including: the changes of puberty, body image, building self esteem, nutrition, and the importance of exercise. Classes consist of participatory activities, group discussions, and selected readings. Through the class, students improve their understanding of how their bodies are growing and changing and develop skills for making healthy decisions about their bodies and health.

Sixth grade Life Skills is an enrichment course that meets twice a week during the spring term. Throughout the term, students explore a variety of topics including: decision making skills, drug and alcohol education, peer pressure, bullying, and stereotypes. The format of the class encourages group discussion. Through the class, students improve their ability communicate effectively with one another and to make positive choices about relationships and their health.

The seventh grade winter course is entitled, Emotions and Relationships. Students explore communications skills, conflict management, tolerance, relationships with friends and family, and gender roles.

Eighth grade Life Skills is an enrichment course entitled “Human Relationships and Sexuality.” Classes meet twice a week during the fall term for a total of twenty classes. Throughout the course, students will explore a variety of topics including personal values, decision-making within relationships, male/female anatomy, reproduction, abstinence, contraception, sexually transmitted infections (including HIV/AIDS), sexual orientation, and sexuality in the media. Classes will consist of discussions, participatory activities, group work, multimedia presentations, and selected readings. Altogether, this course is full of vital information that we hope students will carry with them for years to come.

Substance Use and Abuse is the title and focus in the ninth grade winter term. In addition to information about brain functioning, stress, addictive substances, treatment, and legal issues, discussion centers on making decisions regarding substance use.

The sixth-grade humanities curriculum covers ancient cultures spanning the Fertile Crescent to the Roman Republic, and explores themes of systems of control and governance, inventions and discoveries, and varying examples of human expression. As a course that spans both History and English, 6th grade humanities also provides a foundation for academic writing, with a focus on grammar and sentence structure, as well as expanding vocabulary. Creative and analytical writing assignments help to connect the history and English curricula. By the end of the year, 6th graders will develop a thesis and defend it with textual evidence. The literature studied and texts utilized: Holes, Hatchet, God-King, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, I am Malala, Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief, Julius Caesar, and Spelling Connections.

Mandarin II is an intermediate course for students who have completed Mandarin IA and IB or have equivalent experience. The course focuses on topics such as travel, shopping, health, and Chinese songs, poems, and customs. Students will learn approximately 180 new characters, aiming to master around 500 characters and recognize up to 1200 words by the end of the course. They will practice using sentences and engage in conversations, presentations, and short social interactions on familiar topics. Cultural knowledge will include famous Chinese sayings, color symbolism, Chinese Zodiac signs, and discussions about Chinese culture in Mandarin.

Introduction to Latin is a presentation of the language with two primary goals. First, is to prepare the student for the study of Latin at the secondary school level. In this regard, the student is exposed to basic concepts of acquiring a second language such as vocabulary acquisition, word declentions, verb conjugation and a working knowledge of inflection. Intro to Latin stresses basic grammar, syntax and translation skills. The second goal of the course is to support students in general language acquisition, drawing the important connections between English and its Latin roots. Instruction is geared towards students with a variety of learning styles. Topics on Roman society are discussed, especially the impact of the language, as well as the history of Roman culture upon our society. By the end of this ninth grade class, students should be prepared to begin the study of Latin in high school.