7th Grade

English

Teacher: Kim Troup

The class will incorporate language arts and literature. The students will have a formal study of vocabulary based on roots and affixes. The language arts program develops writing skills, grammar, vocabulary, spelling, analogies, listening, and speaking. The students read a variety of literature for exposure, appreciation, and critical reading development. Literature read includes poetry, plays, short stories, essays, novels, and mythology,

• Reads, interprets, and analyzes a variety of literature

• Applies knowledge of grammar, usuage, and other writing conventions to ensure reader’s understanding

• Develops writing style using a variety of writing techniques

• Applies strategies to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes

• Uses listening and viewing strategies in a variety of situations to gain information and understanding

• Communicates with different audiences for a variety of purposes

Math: Pre-Algebra - Standard Group

Teacher: Steve Bernardini

• Points, lines, planes, angle relationships and parallel lines, polygons, congruence, circles, symmetry

• Parallelograms, triangles, trapezoids, circles

• Expressions and integers – variables and expressions, order of operations, evaluating expressions, integers and absolute value, computing with integers, inductive reasoning, introduction to the coordinate plane

• Properties of numbers, simplifying variable expressions, variables and equations, solving equations by adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing, solving equations and inequalities, graphing solutions and inequalities

• Rounding and estimating, estimating decimal products and quotients, mean, median, and mode, using formulas, solving equations involving decimals

• Divisibility and factors, exponents, prime factorization and the greatest common factor, simplifying fractions, rational numbers, exponents and multiplication / division, scientific notation.

• Comparing and ordering fractions, fractions and decimals, operations with fractions, solving equations with fractions, powers of products, and quotients

Math: Accelerated Group

• Language of algebra and basic postulates
• Solving equations with one variable
• Solving inequalities in one variable
• Absolute value equations
• Graphing linear equations
• Systems of sentences
• Rules of exponents
• Operations with polynomials and factoring
• Rational number operations
• Operations with radicals
• Quadratic functions and equations

Social Studies

• Ancient India
• Ancient China

Science

• Earth and living things
• Cells and living things
• Cell processes
• Diversity of living things
• Classification of living things
• Viruses and Monerans
• Protists and Fungi
• Organisms and their environment
• Interactions among organisms

Foreign Language

Students in 6th, 7th, and 8th grades study one foreign language, either French or Spanish.

• Functions – tell what people are able to do and want to do; discuss color, size, price of clothing; pay compliments, make decision; compare people and things; flight and airport procedures; travel expressions; weather; describe past actions and events
• Grammar – conjugation of verbs, agreement and position of irregular adjectives; negative words; the comparatif; adjectives quell and tout; question words, the imperative; forms and usage of passé compose; specific expressions of time
• Culture and Civilization – Paris, Quebec, French holidays, contemporary French films and books, educational software
• Cultural Projects – le defile de mode; Paris monuments; regions of Quebec; book reports; pen-pal letters with partner French school; the Grand Concours; national French contest sponsored by American Association of French teachers

• Vocabulary – places in city, weather, in the park, seasons of the year, adverbs of frequency, negative words, family, months of year, numbers 31-100, professions, emotions
• Grammar – expressing preferences, indirect object pronouns, regular present tense, talking about the weather, expressing the date, possessive adjectives, personal a, irregular verbs, present progressive tense
• Culture – songs, Mexico city and city park, names, everyday life, special days and holidays, songs, films and books

Health

• Mental and social health
• Growth and development, anatomy and physiology
• Eating disorders

Developmental Workshop

Religion

• Ancient and Traditional Religion
• Introduction to the history and beliefs of Hinduism
• Introduction to the history and beliefs of Buddhism

Art

• Composition of design, abstract art, creative and personalized interpretation of art
• Expression and understanding of the language of art

Shop

• Tools- uses and misuses, maintenance
• Pre- project information – selection, planning, blue prints
• Project information
• Designing concepts
• Sawing with accurate measurements
• Planing and sanding
• Joining materials
• Drilling
• Construction
• Post-project information - assessments
• Assess construction
• Staining or other types of finish and its application
• Grading

Music

• Chorus
• Hand chimes
• Theme and variation form
• Composers Franz Schubert, Ludwig Van Beethoven, Charles Ives

Physical Education

• Interscholastic Sports
• Team games and game strategies
• Basketball, volleyball, softball
• Cooperative games
• Track and field –standing broad jump long jump, triple jump, Frisbee throw, softball throw, 50 yard dash, cross country, base running, lacrosse skills,

Library

• Enjoyment and appreciation of literature
• Reading Olympics
• Internet Search Skills
• Author study
• Research skills

Technology

• All 6-8 graders use personal Apple PowerBook laptop computers in a state-of-the-art wireless school environment. Computers are carried to and used in all academic classes as an educational tool.

Electives

• Offerings vary for two terms. These include: photography, art, drama, outdoor education, JEM, science, writing

Class Trips

• Wallops Island - four days
• Overnight camping trips
• Overnight ski trips
• Museums (varies)
• Opportunities for two-week home-stay JEM international travel to partner schools in Russia, India, China, Australia, France, Spain, Hawaii and Amazon rainforest in Ecuador

School Wide Activities

• Assembly – once a week
• Meeting for Worship – once a week
• Recess – twice a day
• Track and Field Day
• Gardening Days