Humanities 7 course content varies year to year according to the interests and needs of the students. All units integrate English/Language Arts and Social Studies, with required areas of study to include aesthetics, history, psychology, theatre, poetry, and world cultures. Students read “Romeo and Juliet” in the theatre unit and a wide variety of poems for the poetry unit. The remaining units each include a novel chosen to fit the theme. Required genres of writing include informational brochure, research paper, compare/contrast essay, literary analysis essay, persuasive speech, script and poetry. Students also complete regular independent writing, independent reading and vocabulary-building assignments. Students work to develop specific skills in the following areas: reading, writing, research, speaking, and academic skills.
Science 7 focuses on the study of life science. Learning and utilizing laboratory skills on a regular basis, students investigate cellular structure, genetics, biological classification, and plant life. Concepts from Pre-Algebra are integrated into the course.
Pre-Algebra students analyze and manipulate mathematical variables, geometric figures, probabilities, rational numbers and their applications to scientific inquiry and other disciplines. This course prepares students for the Algebra 1 course.
In Grade 7 Art and Culture, students study the art of various countries and time periods to learn about their cultures. This class will investigate how a group’s beliefs and values are reflected in its art forms. We will look for universal themes that are expressed in the artwork of many cultures. Sample projects include cave art, fish prints, and Chinese brush painting. Different media are introduced as well as the basic elements and principles of art.
Theatre 7 students, supported by their Humanities and Theatre teachers, create, rehearse and perform original scenes. In the process they study scene analysis, character development, character interactions, and blocking. Students learn to use the rehearsal process to refine and revise work in advance of a final performance.