Grades 7-8 Program

This course provides students with the skills needed to integrate computers into other courses. Proficiency in word processing, presentation, and digital media software is emphasized with additional lessons, as time permits, on web design, movie-making, Internet, and desktop publishing skills. Digital citizenship is addressed through class discussions and activities in which students contemplate real life ethical dilemmas in today’s digital world.

The seventh and eighth graders explore movement and the creative and technical levels of ballet, jazz, modern dance and dance conditioning. Videos, study of technique, written assignments and projects create the total dance experience. Both beginning and advanced students benefit from these classes.

This course familiarizes students with fundamental skills and techniques in a wide range of both fine art and applied art forms. The seventh grade program focuses on twodimensional projects (drawing, painting, collage, and printmaking) and the eighth grade program centers on threedimensional projects. The usual format for each unit includes introduction to various art forms and concepts, activities in individual techniques and processes and a final project which allows students to synthesize knowledge and skills. While the General Art program provides different learning experiences for the seventh and eighth grades, it is a continuing program that builds upon information and skills gained each year.

This course explores the unique characteristics and historical developments in musical and theatre history while encouraging theatrical introspection and expression. Engagement in self-expression is encouraged through drama warm-ups, improvisation and class projects. Interactive classes in drama and scene study invite the student to explore the performer’s tools and mind.

Photo Arts introduces students to the fundamentals of photography through hands-on darkroom and camera work, including photograms and 35mm black-and-white film development. A long-term photo flip book project integrates storyboarding, teamwork, pre-visualization, and basic camera, printing, and graphic design skills.

This course invites students to develop their acting technique through stage presence, movement, and voice. Students use their dramatic skills and talents to synthesize ideas from other content areas and innovate within their craft. They are expected to work as a team of artists, playwrights, directors, choreographers, designers, and actors to produce scenes, skits, and monologues. Through this process, the students learn the importance of teamwork, individual responsibility, and self-confidence.

This course emphasizes speaking, active listening, and writing through a focus on various genres of literature. Writing exercises are linked to reading assignments as students begin to explore literary analysis, and all work relates to the schoolwide grade 7 academic themes of identity, journey, and home. Units of study center around literature (including a historical fiction novel, selected short fiction, and poetry) and writing workshops. Grammar and vocabulary skills are emphasized on a daily basis. Texts in English 7 may include Okay for Now by Gary Schmidt, The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd, Ask Me No Questions by Marina Budhos, and Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson.

The eighth grade English program integrates writing, grammar, and vocabulary skills with dramatic and literary study. Students take a close look at themselves as adolescents as they discover the identities of the main characters in literary works which include Lyda Mullaly Hunt’s Fish in a Tree, Jacqueline Woodson’s Brown Girl Dreaming, William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, and Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird. Oral presentations and creative and expository writing assignments are an integral part of this course, as is an interdisciplinary project. Major assignments include scriptwriting, moviemaking, research, interviews as well as traditional essays.

World Geography enables students to develop an understanding of and appreciation for our planet’s lands and peoples. From a foundation of the five traditional themes of geography (location, place, human-environment interaction, movement, and region), particular emphasis is placed on how geography has shaped history, indigenous peoples, and the relationship between geography and current events.

In this class, students immerse themselves in the study of the practical aspects of government and Wall Street beginning with the U.S. Constitution and the operations of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the U.S. government. As the year progresses, the basic principles of the U.S. mixed market economic system will demonstrate the workings of business.

Pre-Algebra is designed to give students the fundamental skills necessary to succeed in the eighth grade class of Algebra I. In Pre-Algebra, students explore order of operations and properties of exponents and radicals. They also solve and graph linear equations, inequalities and systems of equations. The course emphasizes a problem-solving approach by using information given in the form of equations, graphs and charts. Mathematical concepts are taught with an emphasis on real world applications and cross-curricular interaction.

Algebra I is designed to give students the requisite skills that provide a foundation for all future mathematics courses. Topics from the seventh-grade Pre-Algebra course are reinforced and covered in more depth. Students learn how to solve equations, both linear and quadratic, and to use these equations in applications and modeling settings. Emphasized skills include factoring, laws of exponents and radicals, and operations with rational expressions. The curriculum investigates systems of equations and inequalities in various ways including graphing and modeling.

The seventh and eighth grade physical education program follows the national standards set forth by the Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE). This program off ers a wide variety of experiences which support the development of motor skills, lifetime health fi tness, critical thinking, and responsible social behavior. Providing opportunities for enjoyment, challenge, self-expression, and social interaction, the activities rotate each year and may include soccer, volleyball, team handball, ultimate Frisbee, fi tness assessment, basketball, and wiffl e ball. Individual and dual experiences may include tennis, badminton, paddle ball, project adventure activities, track and orienteering. All students utilize a fi tness log to track their physical activity and fi tness goals.

The seventh and eighth grade health curriculum centers on the young adolescent woman and concepts of wellness and mindfulness. Students begin with the Path to Wellness which integrates physical, emotional, spiritual, intellectual, environmental, communal, social justice and social wellness. Topics include mindful eating and sustainability, mindful behaviors, mindful relationships, and mindful living. Content examines substance abuse, nutrition and eating disorders, teen sex issues, stress, decision-making, and health fi tness. Students reinforce their critical thinking skills as they learn to interpret health data and information, evaluate the impact of health behaviors and choices, and examine teen fads.

Religion 7 begins with an introduction to Cornelia Connelly’s life and the impact she has had on the world through the Society of the Holy Child Jesus and Holy Child education. Students are then introduced to the four Gospels and their unique theological perspectives. Students begin this unit by comparing Jesus’ birth narratives, followed by examining and discussing Jesus’ many teachings. It is through this lens that students then use their understanding of empathy and justice to examine key figures throughout history who have worked to bring Jesus’ message of love to the world.

Students begin the course by exploring the history of the Catholic Church, with focus on the origin of the Church, the Holy Spirit’s role in the Church, and the mission of the apostles. The course continues with a study of the Marks of the Church. In the second half of the course, the students learn about Catholic Social Teaching. Students discuss the Seven Themes of Catholic Social Teaching and are challenged to consider the practical application of these principles.

This course will explore a wide range of topics in earth science, including meteorology, plate tectonics, volcanism, glaciers, and natural resources. These topics will provide a springboard to examine physical science concepts important to each process. The application of scientific tools to real life examples will enforce the understanding of both components of the course. When possible, local and global examples will be studied as well. An emphasis will be placed on data gathering and analysis, including graphing, map reading, and other forms of data visualization, while honing skills that will be valuable in future science courses.

This is a survey course of the biological and environmental sciences. In this course, students gain a complex understanding of the interactions between living organisms and the non-living environment, with a special focus on the role of humans in environmental challenges and solutions. Coursework begins with the exploration of the six kingdoms of organisms, including structure and function of viruses, bacteria, fungi, plants, and animals. Further units of study explore cellular structure and function. The course culminates with a detailed study of environmental science including ecology, natural resources, weather and climate, and conservation biology. Mathematics involved in each unit include data collection, analysis, and graphing, which are central to inquiry-based laboratory experiments. Other coursework includes creative projects, activities, and microscopy, which, collectively, prepare students for subsequent biology courses.

In grade seven, students choose either French 7, Latin 7, or Spanish 7. Students are expected and highly encouraged to continue with this language in grade eight; however, on the rare occasion when a language change is necessary, permission from the World Language department chair is required. These courses introduce or build upon linguistic knowledge and provide a sound basis for continued study in the eighth grade and beyond. Dynamic and student-centered, our French and Spanish classes stress speaking, listening, reading and writing and encourage direct communication. The culture of the French and Spanish speaking world is integral to these language courses.

The skills that students have acquired in grade 7 in French, Latin or Spanish serve as a solid foundation for a deeper study of these languages in grade 8. Students continue to build communicative skills through the daily, practical use of the language. A variety of real-world activities ensures growth in reading, writing, speaking and listening. In Latin, students read adapted myths from Ovid. Projects on varied topics such as Roman architecture, Roman names and mottos, gods and goddesses, Roman food and dress help the students appreciate the rich variety and power of ancient Roman culture and its connections to their own.