Seventh Grade

List of 11 items.

• Reading & Literature

  • Read and explore novels, short stories, poems, and plays whose protagonists represent a variety of backgrounds and challenges
  • Identify literary elements: metaphor, symbolism, foreshadowing, theme, and historical and cultural references
  • Independent and in-class reading and literature criticism
  • Analyze and identify literary themes: friendship, identity, tolerance, diversity, and beliefs
  • Connect literature to history, author, personal experience, and the modern world through discussion, journal entries, and group work

• Writing & Language Arts

  • Practice critical paragraph and essay writing
  • Write a five paragraph essay
  • Practice Courageous Conversations
  • Focus on writing process: prewriting, writing, editing, and rewriting
  • Develop research skills: internet and library
  • Maintain a notebook and practice note-taking and organizational skills
  • Strengthen vocabulary and grammar skills
  • Make oral and visual presentations
  • Analyze and write poetry, short stories, and fiction

• Social Studies

  • Medieval Europe, the Arabian Peninsula, West Africa, Japan, and the Americas
  • Contributions, legacies, societies, and belief systems of peoples studied
  • Geographical, political, and historical maps
  • Note-taking skills: history journal
  • Cause, effect, and impact of historical events
  • Comparison of present-day case studies and literature to historical studies
  • Social curriculum: Inclusiveness, Kindness, Empathy (IKE)

• Mathematics

  • Consolidating basic operations and expanding to include all rational numbers
  • Problem-solving strategies
  • Writing and solving linear equations
  • Algebraic concepts and notation
  • Data analysis, probability, and graphing techniques
  • 2D and 3D geometry
  • Base 2 and Base 5
  • Ratio and proportion
  • Special projects including math story and cooperative logic

• Science

  • Work as a scientist: observe, research, and develop controlled experiments
  • Classification—information gained/information lost
  • Evolution
  • Life processes: strategies and solutions from cells to plants to human beings
  • Genetics and heredity
  • Sex and drug education: accurate information leads to informed decisions
  • Develop research skills, apply scientific method, write scientific arguments
  • Buddy science projects with Lower School students

• Spanish

  • Project-based learning that focuses on authentic, meaningful situations. Verbal communication is highly emphasized
  • Use Realidades textbook, workbook, and interactive website
  • Active learning through Total Physical Response games, art, music, and dance 
  • Celebration of Latino culture through study of music, stories, dance, traditional holidays, and geography
  • In-depth individual PowerPoint presentations on Mexico 
  • Interrogatives, the imperative, the preterit tense, formulas tener que + infinitivo and ir + a + infinitivo

• STEAM

  • Digital citizenship: online stereotypes
  • Digital presentations: Prezi and Google Slides
  • GarageBand: compose commercial soundtrack
  • Coding with Code.org
  • Simple and parallel circuits
  • 3D Design and printing using Tinkercad application and Makerbot printers
  • Trebuchet design and construction
  • Video production and editing: iMovie
  • LEGO Mindstorm programming (elective)

• Fine Arts

  • Drawing: contour lines, shading, grid enlarging, layout, lettering
  • Guided self-portraits: Chuck Close
  • Day of the Dead papier-mache masks
  • Print making: linoleum blocks
  • Oaxacan animal sculptures
  • Arts of Asia: India, China, and Japan
  • Public art opportunities

• Music

  • Advanced drum ensemble workshop
  • Year one drum ensemble
  • 5-part 6/8 pattern
  • Dividing beat into three and four parts
  • Mayi, Ibo, Samba
  • Featured performance at African American Cultural Celebration
  • Exploration of the cultural role music plays in a community
  • Performance band for instrumentalists

• Physical Education

  • Analyzing an opponent’s strengths and weaknesses and using this analysis in a game situation
  • Demonstrating appropriate sportsmanship in game situations
  • Working cooperatively with all peers regardless of skill level

• Community Engaged Learning

  • Service to Alzheimer’s patients, toddlers at day care, and others off-site