Middle School: Course Offerings

View 2007-2008 Cirriculum Guide

Computer and Information Science
English
Fine Arts
Health and Wellness
History and Societal Studies
Mathematics
Performing Arts
Physical Education
Science
World Languages

Computer and Information Science

Courses in Computer and Information Science help students master the technology they will use in their future studies and lives. Students are trained in information retrieval and in gathering resources for assignments and research.

Courses

Sixth Grade Word Processing

Students refine their keyboarding, E-mail, and Internet skills while adding new skills in graphic design and word processing.

Seventh Grade Spreadsheets

Students learn how to use spreadsheet programs to create charts and graphs for academic reports and make calculations that will be useful in both their academic and everyday lives.

Applied Computers

Eighth Grade students will advance their computer skills through application to various projects. Study may include basic publication, drawing, research, and data manipulation through the integration of Microsoft® Office products.

English

The English Department approaches the study of literature and writing as the exploration and celebration of the connections that link people, traditions, cultures, and generations.

A wide range of multi-cultural texts, both fiction and non-fiction, along with non-written texts such as art, film, and music are featured in all classes.

Courses

English 6

Students sharpen their critical and evaluative skills; make connections between reading and their own writing; complete a basic research project; and apply skills in punctuation, usage, and mechanics to creative, expository, and descriptive writing assignments.

English 7

A wide range of genres, voices, styles, and literary periods are presented with the aim of understanding each author's choices and purposes. Student writing springboards from the readings, and instruction in grammar and writing skills is linked to individual strengths and needs.

English 8

Students learn how writers shape emotionally and intellectually convincing narratives and use characters, history, and dialogue to convey ideas about our world. To prepare for Upper School, they write creative and argumentative pieces that are subject to critique and revision.

Study Skills

Offered in Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Grades, this course consists of sequentially developed reading and comprehension skills designed to increase and enrich a student's reading experiences. Students learn the techniques and application of effective study habits and organizational skills by integrating these skills into all subject areas.

CollegeEd!

The course, developed by The College Board, helps Eighth Grade students understand the choices that lie before them and how those choices will lead them to particular colleges and eventual careers. Topics range from course selection in Upper School to virtual and actual college tours, and career exploration and planning.

Fine Art

Middle School students take a yearly intensive art sequence intended to instill in them the skills and information needed to create a lasting appreciation for the importance of art in life.

Courses

Art 6, 7 and 8

Students learn a variety of practical skills such as drawing, the use of design principles, and color theory. Many types of media are explored including pastels, color pencil, printmaking, ceramics, fused glass, and watercolor.

2-D Design

Open to Eighth Graders who already have the basic skills in perspective drawing and value study, this course emphasizes drawing from still life. Students will explore advanced techniques in watercolor, pastels and colored pencils.

3-D Design

Eighth Grade students will work with a variety of media including foam core board, wood, and objects for assemblage. They will also learn about sculptors from the 20th century.

Health and Wellness

Health and Wellness is a part of Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Grade. Each year the curriculum builds on the previous year, offering developmentally appropriate information. Topics include: safety, nutrition, consumer health, relationship skills, personal fitness, communication skills, growth and development, substance abuse, and diseases and disorders. Role-playing, reading, writing, and discussion help students increase their understanding of the connection between their decisions and their personal health.

History and Societal Studies

The curriculum exposes students to a range of learning approaches that enable them to effectively assimilate information and critically appraise diverse ideas from the sweep of human history and experience.

Courses

History 6: World Cultures and Geography

Students study geography, current events, and world cultures from present-day and historical perspectives; investigate other cultures; and participate in independent and group research based on their own experiences and curiosities.

History 7: Pivotal Points in U.S. History

This course gives students an understanding of the causes and effects of historical events and stimulates a curious, critical perspective. Students develop important communication and critical thinking skills through writing assignments, oral presentations, debates, and creative projects.

History 8: Humankind: Possibilities and Pitfalls

Students actively explore the development of humankind from its beginning to about 1000 A.D. By analyzing critically early empires from Egypt to India, from Greece to Rome, students grapple with and understand some of the similarities and differences these "civilizations" possessed.

Eighth Grade Model United Nations

Participants gain experience in debate, current events, analysis, and geography through classroom discussion and instruction, oral presentations, writing, sharing, and debating before select audiences.

Mathematics

The Middle School mathematics program is designed to complete elementary mathematics and provide a thorough introduction to the more abstract study of algebra. Mathematically talented students may be recommended to accelerate their learning by beginning the Upper School curriculum in Seventh or Eighth Grade.

Courses

Mathematics 6

Through small group activities, large group projects, and class discussions students become comfortable with the traditional definitions and symbols they will encounter in subsequent classes.

Mathematics 7: Pre-Algebra

This course offers a rigorous introduction to algebra that emphasizes problem solving and equations. Elementary probability and statistics are integrated into the class, as are number theory, integers, and rational numbers.

Mathematics 8

Mathematics 8 presents a full range of topics needed for the successful study of more abstract algebra. Ideas in geometry, algebra, statistics, and numerical operations are explored in the context of real world situations such as navigating airplanes, constructing cabins, and measuring dinosaurs.

Mathematics I and II

These courses are offered to accelerated Seventh and Eighth Graders with exceptional achievement and aptitude. In Course I students pursue traditional topics of algebra, with an emphasis on the relationship between algebra, geometry and logic. Course II introduces students to formal mathematical proof: informal, inductive, and two-column proofs for plane geometry, and algebraic proofs that are used in analytic geometry and the coordinate plane.

Performing Arts

MPH recognizes the importance of developing well-rounded and culturally literate students. Therefore, the enjoyment and appreciation of music, drama, and dance is made an integral part of the curriculum. Middle School students select either vocal or instrumental music, and may study both. Dance may also be chosen as a Physical Education elective.

Courses

Chamber Music Groups

Chorus

Dance

Jazz Ensemble

Treblemakers (choral ensemble)

Wind and String Ensembles

Physical Education

The Middle School program provides a transition from the "movement" emphasis of Lower School to a sports skills emphasis. The concentration is on team sports, with basic movement skills applied sequentially to individual and team sport participation. Activities include soccer, football, basketball, aerobic dance, wrestling, volleyball, floor hockey, softball, and track. Interscholastic sports start in Seventh Grade with modified teams, and highly skilled athletes may have the opportunity to participate on an Upper School athletic team.

Science

The goal of the science program is to teach science as an open-ended process leading to an understanding of theories and laws about the natural world. Students develop a sense of curiosity by making critical observations through first-hand, multisensory experiences that provide challenges and successes at each developmental stage of learning. Students work to solve problems, to develop skills to test questions using the scientific process, and to communicate their ideas. All Middle School students complete science fair projects of their own design.

Courses

Science 6: Science Methods

Scientific inquiry is made less mysterious by allowing students to understand the world through supervised experimentation. Activity-oriented, students are involved with ecosystem comparisons, microscopic investigations, bioremediation, and basic experiments in physics.

Science 7: Life Science

Students begin with the study of ecology and then progress to focus on several human body systems. Laboratory work is designed to give students hands-on experience, reinforce course content, and develop an understanding of the scientific method. Upon completion of the Middle School Science curriculum, students will have been exposed to the fundamentals of the life and physical sciences.

Science 8: Environmental Geoscience

Eight topics will be explored throughout the year including hazardous materials, solid waste management, water conservation, habitats and biodiversity, energy uses and conservation, food supply and consumption, the earth's surface including rocks and soils, and earth history. The course will emphasize personal responsibility and positive action while empowering students with the necessary skills and knowledge to help them make meaningful changes that can lead to a more sustainable life.

World Languages

The World Language program at Manlius Pebble Hill offers the study of both classical and modern languages beginning in Pre-Kindergarten. Through the study of world languages, students develop an understanding of the structure of language and a wider perspective of the world. In classical studies, students focus on the reading and writing aspects of language in order to gain an understanding of the linguistic and cultural heritages derived from both Latin and Greek. In the study of modern languages, students develop skills in speaking, listening, reading and writing, as well as a knowledge and appreciation of another culture. The goal of the modern language program at MPH is to empower students to communicate successfully in today’s multilingual world.

The World Language department offers small classes which are conducted in the target language and provide an ideal environment for language acquisition. Students experience an immersion into another culture through food, music, art, literature, publications, film, and other media. Students learn about the close link between language and culture, and gain a better understanding of their own language. Additionally, the department offers regular opportunities for travel and cultural immersion.

The study of a world language is a progressive acquisition of linguistic skills. In Sixth Grade, students begin a sequence in a world language that may continue through the AP level and beyond. Students must complete three World Language credits between grades 9-12, and are required to complete through Level III of one language. Proficient students are encouraged to advance to levels IV, V, or Advanced Placement; other students may fulfill their third Upper School credit with another Upper School class offered below.

Courses

French, Latin, or Spanish 6

The Sixth Grade world language classes serve as a transition from the Lower School program and provide a cultural and linguistic preparation for the Middle and Upper School world language sequences.

French, Latin, or Spanish 7/8

In French and Spanish, a communication-oriented approach is used, while Latin emphasizes the fundamental grammatical concepts of language and an awareness of ancient culture.