DuPage Montessori School Upper Elementary 7th/8th grade Curriculum Overview I. Language Arts Curriculum
A. Grammar 1. Logical Analysis 2. Sentence Diagramming 3. Sentence to Symbol 4. Proofreading 5. Parts of Speech 6. Punctuation 7. Transitions 8. Types of Clauses
*for all these works, we add different kinds of clauses, gerunds, participial phrases, and inIinitive phrases. We also do grammar work in Latin. Overall, we get far more speciIic about the function of parts of speech and different kinds of sentence structures. The students learn to write more complex sentences, especially because I focus heavily on how to use transition words properly and effectively in research writing (e.g.: although, nevertheless, therefore, however, in addition, moreover). Students learn how to use colons, semicolons, hyphens, and other more advanced punctuation marks, especially in their writing.
B. Writing 1. Creative Writing a. I focus on teaching the students how to use sensory imagery drawn from all Iive senses in creative writing that may be prose, poetry, or dialogues (plays). b. foreshadowing c. Ilashback d. practicing other points of view e. Similes and metaphors f. Word Choice (what best expresses the idea?) g. Plot Structure 2. Research Writing a. Five-‐paragraph essay i. Introduction (with thesis, a.k.a. “claim”) ii. Three body paragraphs (with examples to support thesis as well as reasoned arguments) iii. Conclusion (restates thesis and “wraps it up”)
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easily how
iv. Transitions and Word Choice (use of transition words for effective arguments; see grammar section above) *while research writing rarely looks like this in practice, almost all research writing is based on this structure. I have extensive experience teaching research writing on the college level, and I have found that 7th and 8th graders can grasp these concepts. This is when the students learn what constitutes a true rough draft and a good Iinal copy. Once students master the basics, I extend the length of their writing assignments. I have assigned research papers of 7-‐10 pages in the past, and I look forward to doing even longer research projects in the future. b. Citations i. students learn how to write bibliographies and how to cite in two ways (parenthetical and footnotes; UChicago style). I teach students about the concept of plagiarism. 3. Persuasive Writing AND Speaking a. I teach the students how to debate, and thus my work overlaps with that of Mr. Matt in Logic. b. 7th and 8th grade students work with social issues and learn about conIlicting viewpoints as well as controversies that are not resolved as simple issues of “black or white.” Students learn reasoned arguments can be made for both sides of an issue.
C. History 1. Ancient History (Ancient Near East through Roman Empire) 2. Medieval and Early Modern History 3. U.S. History a. U.S. history is the primary focus, as it ties in to the Civics and U.S. Geography projects that students do. I plan to spend at least 10 weeks on U.S. history from the colonial period to the present. i. The goal is to give the students a comprehensive account of U.S. history so that they can enter high school prepared to talk intelligently about our history and appreciate the historical contexts of the following eras: Colonial, Antebellum Period, Civil War, Reconstruction, Industrial Revolution and Gilded Age, Great War, Roaring Twenties, Great Depression, World War II, Cold War, Civil Rights Era, Vietnam, the 1970s and 1980s, and The Computer Age. 4. I focus more heavily on primary sources and writings that are closer to or are “adult” versions. For example, one year we read portions of the Iliad and the Aeneid. We also read the Gettysburg Address and did a history project based on letter writing during the Civil War.
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5. Students are both assigned projects and encouraged to develop their own on the basis of the history curriculum.
D. Literature 1. The Literature curriculum relates back to the History curriculum, but again, the pieces are for older students/young adults. Here are some examples of select stories and or passages that I have read with 7th and 8th graders in the past: a. select stories from Edgar Allen Poe b. poetry from Robert Frost, Emily Dickinson, and Walt Whitman i. more than ever before, we examine how poetry communicates its message differently than prose. c. passages from Melville’s Moby Dick d. Shakespeare and Cervantes e. modern Iiction such as Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy. 2. Students examine different kinds of writing and determine how writing expresses human experience(s). 3. Students are encouraged to read more outside of class in their areas of interest. E. Spelling / Vocabulary and Reading Comprehension 1. We continue Wordly Wise, but the emphasis turns increasingly to vocabulary, as most students this age know how to spell. At this point, I am looking for how the students’ speech and writing reIlect their vocabulary. 2. For most students at this age, Reading Comprehension is adequately developed, but older students must still practice this skill. In the past, I have assigned reading passages and questions from old high school ACT exams in addition to passages from our usual arsenal of reading comprehension materials. Older students are encouraged to fashion their own reading comprehension materials and test each other. F. Geography 1. Heavy focus on advanced skills involving latitude and longitude, landforms, historical and modern maps, and topography. I concentrate on teaching the students why geography matters both as a social scientiIic discipline and as an important factor within the study of history. 2. Regional U.S. History is an important element of the Geography curriculum. Students will research the geography of different U.S. regions and explore how geography and immigration have shaped the people, the architecture, and the institutions in speciIic urban and rural subcultures.
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G. Languages 1. Spanish 2. Greek 3. Latin
* The use of Greek and Latin to reinforce what students learn in the Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science is a unique aspect of the Upper Elementary Curriculum. 7th and 8th graders continue their study of these languages in order to gain familiarity with linguistic terms (ibid., ad hominem, etc.) as well as mathematical functions and scientiIic names. For students who are ready, we start high school Latin. That means cases and conjugations and composition (all the good stuff!). H. Civics 1. U.S. Government a. The three branches i. all the important aspects: term limits, numbers, separation of powers, strategies (Iilibustering and gerrymandering). ii. Elections and representation b. The Declaration of Independence c. The Constitution d. Concepts: i. Justice ii. The Party System iii. Unity and Diversity (e pluribus unum) iv. Individual Rights v. The Common Good vi. Equality vii. Citizenship and Voting viii. Patriotism ix. Separation of Powers 2. Economics in America a. History i. Adam Smith and laissez-faire capitalism ii. John Maynard Keynes and the New Deal b. The basics of supply and demand c. Concerns in the U.S. economy today
Topics NOT covered here include the following, but I am very willing to discuss these with you, because they are important aspects of the Upper Elementary Curriculum for 7th and 8th graders: Gym, Health, Art, Music.
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II. Math and Science Curriculum
Math 7th Grade Advanced Algebra: Cylindrical and Spherical Coordinates Three Dimensional Graphing Conics-‐ Circles, Ellipses, Hyperbolas Multivariable Problem Solving Logarithms and Exponential Functions Matrix Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication Statistics: Counting-‐ Permutations and Combinations with order or no order Binomial Distribution Applied Statistics-‐ They will create binomial distributions from coins and other objects Trigonometry:
Vectors-‐ The basics of graphing and adding vectors Trigonometric Identities-‐ They will use and derive the basic trigonometric identities Applied Trigonometry-‐ Trigonometry applied to forces, light paths, and sound
Calculus: Derivatives-‐ We will introduce the basic concept of a derivative using concrete examples. 8th Grade Advanced Algebra:
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Lots of Applied Math-‐ We will continue to reinforce and integrate their mathematical knowledge through applications in physics, chemistry, and computer science.
Complex Numbers-‐ They will learn about and real and imaginary functions and how imaginary numbers are relevant to real problems.
Matrix Transformations-‐ They will apply matrix transformations to manipulate images using computer code.
Statistics:
The Binomial/Normal Distribution-‐ They will learn how to predict the likelihood of events using statistical data that matches known distributions.
Margin of Error-‐ They will learn how to calculate the accuracy of their data from their sample size.
Trigonometry:
Vector Addition, Multiplication, Cross Products-‐ They will learn the vector math they need to understand Newtonian physics.
Calculus:
We will cover the basics of derivation and integration and use this knowledge to solve and derive physics equations.
Science 7th Grade Physics:
Vector Physics-‐ The students will solve problems where they will have to Iind the net force or velocity of an object using vector algebra.
Electromagnetism-‐ The students will learn basics of electromagnetism. They will
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learn the basic equations involving charges, electric current, and the energy of light.
Circuits: They will build simple circuits and use a voltmeter to test the predictions of their equations.
Chemistry:
Molecules-‐They will model and describe ever more complex molecules.
Biochemistry-‐ They will study the molecules used to store and transfer energy, structural molecules, and molecules used to detect and store information.
Ideal Gas Law-‐ They will do basic problems based on the relationship between pressure, temperature, and volume.
Biology:
Genetics-‐ They will use math to calculate the probability of a phenotype being expressed. We have a material where students can create proteins from making their own genetic codes. The students will write their own code and assemble their own proteins.
Evolution-‐ Students will do a project tracing the genealogy of an animal to see how it evolved.
Body Systems-‐ They will cover as much as possible the materials we have regarding the systems of the body. These materials allow the students to recreate the steps of a biological function by moving around visual representations of the elements involved in that process. They will at least cover the digestive, immune, and respiratory systems.
Doctor Project-‐ The students will research illnesses and their symptoms, and they will then take turns either pretending to be ill or having to diagnose a sick person.
8th Grade Physics:
We will try to do physics will calculus. We will review the basic mechanics
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equation with calculus and continue with electromagnetism by way of Maxwell’s Equations. Chemistry:
Chemical Equations-‐ We will heavily reinforce balancing chemical reactions and using their equations to calculate the relevant mass, equilibrium concentration, and volume of each chemical involved.
Thermodynamics-‐ We will cover phase transitions and entropy and solve the relevant equations involving heat.
Biochemistry-‐ We will further reinforce biology by way of chemistry by studying the most relevant biological molecules and their uses.
Biology:
The Body Systems-‐ Each student will have to demonstrate that they have mastered our materials on the systems of the body.
Cellular Biology Project-‐ The students will create their own model of cell with its organelles and recreate the steps of mitosis.
Gene Research-‐ The students will research known genes and their function. They will do a presentation on how these genes affect our body.
Computer Science (7th & 8th)
They will be working on some projects involving programming. Possible projects: making their own video game, making simulations of physical or biological systems, or making a control system for a robot.
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