Grade 7-8

• Year 1 Essential Question: What is truth?

• Year 2: What is identity? What is the relationship between identity and power?

• 40 minutes of outdoor recess each day

In their final stretch, students hone their leadership skills through the Quaker practices of meeting for business, developing shared belief, creating space for caring and creativity, and serving others.  These students are our school leaders, closing Meeting for Worship, mentoring our youngest students, and often planning and leading whole-school activities.

Students stretch their growing abstract thinking abilities in the study of Algebra, analytical reading and writing, independent projects, and intensive study of Spanish. These students engage extensively with the world, its history, and their place in it. Throughout the curriculum, students ask and discuss questions around justice, fairness, peace and conflict, identity, and equity.

Seventh and eighth graders experience having different teachers for different subjects and managing different courses: math, language arts, social studies, science, human ecology, Spanish, and specials classes.  Note-taking, study skills, and time-management are emphasized. Though we continue to use technology sparingly, we do introduce technology that students will encounter in high school, such as GoogleDocs, Google Classroom, presentation applications, and research.

Seventh and eighth graders break into small groups for math, Spanish, and art studio to allow for more individualized and intensive work in these areas.  

The music experience in fifth-eighth grade weaves the study of theory, music history, and ethnomusicology opportunities for composition, ensemble work, and performance.  

In physical education, students hone their skills around leadership, negotiation, and fair play.

The fifth-eighth grade Body, Mind, Spirit program emphasizes leadership, stewardship, and community building, and it protects time for important group conversations around interpersonal, health, and other issues and questions that arise for young adolescents.