As middle school age students go through an intense process of physical, emotional, social, and intellectual growth, they move along a continuum from dependence to independence.
Hallmarks of a Schechter Manhattan education, such as inquiry‐based learning, activities that promote deep thinking, and student‐centered instruction, continue to be a part of the student’s school experience. Classrooms that foster inquiry and hands‐on investigation allow students of middle school age to use their natural energy and enthusiasm to drive their learning. Learning activities that develop depth of thought and analytical skills help middle‐level students stretch their emerging abstract thinking abilities. Student‐centered instruction gives students of this developmental stage the opportunity to have a voice in their classroom learning communities.
Experience Schechter Manhattan.
Middle School Grades
In the middle school, increasing academic expectations are coupled with growing student independence. Students have separate teachers for each subject: Humanities, Jewish Studies, Math, Science, and Hebrew. This represents a significant increase of responsibility on the students, as they are expected to adjust to different teachers’ expectations, keep track of their many assignments, and move from class to class on their own. Middle school teachers work with each student to develop the skills to manage these responsibilities, which is critical preparation for the challenges of high school and beyond.
Increased academic expectations are also apparent in the assessment of student progress. In the middle school formal assessments, tests and quizzes become more prominent. In addition, in each of year of the middle school, students demonstrate mastery of an area of study by presenting exhibitions in front of members of the school community. Students also take ownership of their academic progress by developing portfolios of their work, reflecting on their progress and setting goals for growth.
The social and emotional aspects of middle school students’ lives are paramount to their healthy growth. An advisory teacher, who meets with students daily for check-ins and formally twice a week, is responsible for overseeing a student’s whole educational experience and is the primary liaison between school and home on issues relating to a child’s progress. During advisory period, students have a forum in which to share their thoughts, question difficult situations, and confront ideas that will have a direct impact on their developing identity and academic, social, spiritual, and moral self. Students study human growth and development in a yearly health course and reach out to the community through year long community service projects.
Middle school students are also given an increasing voice and expanded role in their school lives. Students volunteer to participate in student committees, follow their interests and passions during activities periods, and shape the tone of our daily minyan (prayer service) by serving as student leaders and gabbaim. Middle school students also have a wider range of extracurricular opportunities, including after‐school interscholastic athletics.
The Schechter Manhattan Israel Study Tour is a beautiful and fitting capstone experience that changes the lives of our eighth graders. During their two‐week tour, soon‐to‐be graduates make connections between their Jewish studies in school, the powerful personal experiences in Israel, and their developing Jewish identities. When they return, they complete the final phases of a lengthy and intensive process of self‐reflection, culminating in the graduation exhibition presentations. They are challenged to look at their Schechter Manhattan experiences and relationships, and reflect on who they have become and what is most important in their lives. Schechter Manhattan graduates face their futures with a clear sense of their values and goals.
ADVISORY
The middle school provides a safe haven in which each student experiences and comes to terms with the physical, emotional, social, and intellectual changes that s/he is undergoing. The key means of providing this support is the advisory system. Each grade is usually divided in two groups with two teachers as advisors. Advisory groups meet regularly and foster a family feeling and a sense of community and friendship among the students in the class. As well, under the guidance of the advisor, the students as a group help to manage their own affairs, plan their own activities, and engage regularly in discussions, role‐plays, and problem‐solving activities about developmental issues, such as friendship, independence, responsibility, physical development and sexuality, and peer pressure. They also address interpersonal challenges and dilemmas when the need arises.
HUMANITIES
The middle school humanities program is an integrated sequence of studies that incorporates English language and literature and history and social studies in explorations of a single overarching theme each year. In the sixth grade, the year‐long focus is on world cultures and the big ideas they gave rise to; the seventh grade studies the American political and legal system; eighth graders spend the year examining the difference between the American dream and the American reality.
The English program is designed to extend students’ reading and writing skills, focusing increasingly on skills of close reading for meaning, interpretation, and analysis and on the clarity and power of their written expression. Students’ literary tastes are broadened and deepened through their reading of novels, including both classics and contemporary adolescent literature; short stories, plays, poetry, fairy tales and myths, and essays.
In the history and social studies program, students grapple with abstract concepts that emerge from their study of such issues as the individual and society; multiculturalism; causality in history vs. the role of the hero; and rights and responsibilities. Extended research and preparations for dramatic simulations of complex historical events root their newly acquired abstractions in reality.
HEBREW
The Hebrew program in the middle school is based on the NETA-CET curriculum. The NETA-CET program is sequential and based on a structured linguistic progression. The curriculum consists of six levels, of which our school teaches the first five (the advanced level is intended for 11th and 12th grade students in Jewish day schools). The curriculum consists of five levels (Bishvil Ha’Ivrit books 1-5) combined with an interactive website that enhances and supports learning through audio files, videos and interactive educational games. Lessons are centered on themes of interest to young people, ranging from computers and sports to friendship and freedom. Each theme is presented from three perspectives: Jewish tradition, modern Israeli culture, and general world knowledge, including art, music, literature, poetry, news articles, and Jewish texts, in layers of language ranging from biblical Hebrew to current scientific Hebrew terminology and common colloquialisms.
The curriculum adheres to a steady pace that allows students to experience tangible progress in their Hebrew proficiency. The curriculum specifies clear goals and measures of achievement and is accompanied by standard assessments.
Prior to entering the program, each student’s level is determined by a placement test. Each of the three levels level taught in the middle school includes students from each grade, so that students in every grade may study at the level best suited to their needs: mechina (preparatory program), beginners’, or intermediate beginners, intermediate or advanced.
JEWISH STUDIES
In the middle school years, Jewish Studies classes continue to deepen each student’s dramatic encounter with God and Torah, personally as well as collectively, through text study as well as experiential learning. As the students mature as learners, their facility and independence with the foundational texts of Jewish tradition markedly increase.
In Tanach (Bible), students complete their study of the epic narrative of Sh’mot (Exodus), continue on B’midbar (Numbers), with the episode of Golden Calf and the rebellion led by Korach, and continue on with the death of Moshe in the last chapter of D’varim (Deuteronomy). Students then embark on an interdisciplinary survey of two themes that encompass the entire range of biblical literature: Torah, Nevi’im (prophets), and Ketuvim (writings); narratives, legal codes, and poetry. The topics explored in these extended studies are “The Nature of Man” and “The Land of Israel.” The method of study remains fundamentally unchanged from the upper elementary years: students continue to work in chevruta (study pairs) to develop their own basic comprehension of the text, pose questions, generate interpretations, and compare their own interpretations with those of classical and modern commentators.
In Torah Sheb’al Peh (rabbinic oral tradition), the focus shifts from Mishnah to Talmud. Students progress through a carefully graduated program of study, beginning with simpler texts – shorter, more Hebrew and less Aramaic, on familiar topics – and proceeding to lengthier, more complex Talmudic passages. Working in chevruta, they gain an in‐depth understanding not only of the content of rabbinic discourse, but also its language, its structure, and its legal, spiritual, and conceptual implications. By the end of their middle school years, students are able to learn an unseen passage of Talmud of intermediate difficulty with the use of study aids such as an Aramaic dictionary, without their teacher’s frequent intervention or explanation.
Over the course of their middle school years, students are also exposed to thematic Jewish history units on the Shoah, medieval Jewish History and Modern Israel.
The central rite of passage during the middle school years, becoming bar or bat mitzvah, provides multiple points of entry for students to connect with their spiritual selves and to find personal meaning: the personal mitzvah project, through which students choose their own individual mitzvah to explore and experiment with; the community mitzvah project, through which they study about an interpersonal mitzvah and engage in it in an ongoing, sustained way; and the Jewish life skills program, which includes, in particular, each student’s guided independent study of his/her parashah (Torah portion) and preparation of a d’var Torah.
MATH
The Middle School math program reinforces and builds upon the students’ foundation of basic operations and understanding of simple concepts by applying these skills and insights to increasingly complex problems. The three central fields of study in the middle school are rational numbers, algebra, and geometry. In each, students explore foundational concepts by investigating relationships, solving equations and problems, and making use of these ideas and skills in meaningful real‐world applications.
The subject matter of all three fields is treated in an integrated way in each of the middle school years; in other words, algebra is studied in sixth, seventh, and eighth grade, as is geometry, as are rational numbers. In each grade, students are encouraged to proceed at their own pace and are challenged to solve extension problems and explore supplementary topics when they have mastered the content of a particular unit of study. Many middle school students complete the equivalent of Algebra I by the end of eighth grade, qualifying them to gain admission to and thrive in highly selective high school math programs.
SCIENCE
The middle school science curriculum uses hands-on, inquiry-driven exploration and experimentation to help students develop a strong understanding of the scientific method, build on their existing laboratory skills, and recognize how innovation and discovery impact society. Much of the work is done collaboratively in order to foster exchange of ideas between students and to mirror how research and experimentation are performed in the field.
In each of the middle school years, one unit of study is devoted to each of the traditional branches of science: physical science, life science, and earth and environmental studies. The middle school science program builds on earlier experiences with observing, measuring, and recording phenomena, making hypotheses, drawing conclusions, and writing up lab reports, to emphasize testing hypotheses under controlled conditions and marshaling evidence to support inferences.
Many of these science units address real-world questions and involve a variety of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) challenges, projects, and problem solving opportunities. One highlight of the program is our annual STEAMfest, for which students get to design prototype solutions for real-world problems and clients.
CODING
Middle school students learn structures of code, such as sequencing, loops, conditionals, variables, and functions and apply their understanding of these through different creative mediums (website design, digital animations, and robotics). Students learn both block-based and text-based languages. In addition, students learn to program lights, motors, and sensors for Arduino boards so that they can create interactive electronic devices that respond to real-world scenarios.
MIDDLE SCHOOL
Sixth Grade כיתה ו
ADVISORY
In sixth grade advisory, students take significant responsibility for governing their own affairs. In addition, the early part of the year is marked by many class discussions and individual check-ins concerning the student’s adjustment to middle school life and expectations. An important focus during advisory time is on organization of materials and time management. The students spend time adding dividers, returned assignments, worksheets and notes to their binders as well as regularly cleaning out their homework folders and lockers. Time is also spent discussing upcoming school events, schedules and homework time management. In addition, students are introduced to Google Classroom, which serves as a central location for teachers to post homework and assignments, and for students to submit assignments. Advisory class time is also used for students to update and refine their portfolios.
In connection with the TEVA trip in the fall, the sixth grade explores various Jewish perspectives on the environment and responsible behavior. Students expand their knowledge of healthy eating and living, learn how they can help fight hunger and poverty, and examine kashrut laws with an eye toward ethics and morality. Sixth grade students also participate in a community service project, visiting senior citizens through DOROT.
In Health classes, sixth grade students learn about human development and sexuality through the lens of the Jewish values of kevod habriot (respect for God’s creations) and b’tselem elohim (human beings are created in the image of God). In order to maintain a safe learning environment, for some health classes the students are divided by gender.
ART
The sixth grade begin their study of art by observing trees. Using photos and nearby Central Park, students draw in black and white and color. Then they focus on the artist Vasily Kandinsky. He painted in three distinct styles throughout his career: colorful semi-realistic, spiritual abstract and tight geometric. Students are asked to create three works – one in each style to learn how an artist develops different styles throughout their lifetime. In conjunction with their study of history the sixth grade goes to the Metropolitan Museum of Art to see the Greek and African collections. Students choose one element/symbol from one culture and trace it to other cultures and historical time periods through a series of artworks, noting how civilizations constantly borrow from one another. The class then designs Rosh Hashanah cards as a competitive exercise. The school chooses one design to send to share with the community in the fall. Other projects include drawings of crushed soda cans, building a gargoyle and narrative drawing.
HEBREW עברית
Hebrew is taught on different levels to Middle School students. The beginners’ curriculum – Bishvil Ha’Ivrit book 1 is designed for students with no or very little knowledge of Hebrew. In this program, students learn to speak in short dialogues about daily life; write paragraph-length personal narratives, memos, and assertions of opinion; and read stories, folk tales, and descriptive or informational non-fiction texts. The language structures that they learn to recognize and use include singular and plural forms; masculine and feminine forms; present tense, past tense, and infinitives; four of the seven verb patterns (binyanim); the basic possessive forms; prepositions; nominal clauses; and word order in sentences.
The intermediate curriculum – Bishvil Ha’Ivrit books 2-3 is a two/three-year sequence that is typically studied by students entering seventh and eighth grade in Jewish day schools. In this program, students learn to speak in longer dialogues about a wide range of subjects and in interviews; write letters; and read longer short stories, non-fiction texts, essays, and simple songs, poems, and biblical passages. The language structures that they learn to recognize and use include the basic future tense; all seven verb patterns (binyanim); declension of several prepositions; noun-adjective agreement in gender and number; nominal, verbal, and object clauses; parts of speech; and word order.
The advanced curriculum – Bishvil Ha’Ivrit books 4-5 is a two/three-year sequence that is typically studied by students entering ninth and tenth grade in Jewish day schools. In this program, students learn to speak freely in conversation on any topic; read news articles in easy Hebrew, full-length short stories partially adapted to easy Hebrew, and poetry, songs, biblical verses, and midrashim; write multi-paragraph narratives, reports, and essays; and understand TV or radio news items. The language structures that they learn to recognize and use include the future tense in four binyanim (verb patterns), declension of prepositions, gerunds, past participles, possessives, suffixes, and conditional clauses.
HUMANITIES
The theme of the sixth grade humanities core curriculum is “Big Ideas that Shape Civilizations.” The year begins with a study of democracy, which focuses mainly on ancient Greece. Prior to situating the study in the ancient world, students briefly explore elements of contemporary American democracy to contextualize their study in a more familiar setting; this part of the unit also connects to civic engagement around that year’s November elections. The study of ancient Greece is both literary and historical, with particular emphasis on Athens as a center of direct democracy and on Greek culture. Students also learn about other forms of government, such as oligarchy and tyranny. In a cross-curricular unit connecting with the Jewish studies Chanukah unit, they explore the question “How are a society’s norms and values made manifest in its sacred spaces?” by studying Greek temples situated in their poleis, the iterations of beit hamikdash, and the mishkan. Continuing the theme of democracy allowing for self-expression, students learn about Greek theater through the Athenian Anthesteria, a drama competition honoring the god Bacchus. They read an abridged version of Oedipus Rex, and they rehearse and perform a modified version of The Frogs, thus experiencing both tragic and comedic plays.
The second big idea which students explore is narrative, and the context within which it is examined is folklore. Students are divided into six continents (Europe, Asia, North America, South America, Africa, Oceania), and each student is assigned an indigenous people’s culture and folklore to research. Students identify three folk tales from their culture and collaborate to create a presentation on the peoples and folklore traditions of their continent. The wealth of aesthetic forms that folktales take is presented, including oral storytelling, song, written stories, and museum artifacts, and students learn to differentiate between subgenres such as myths, legends, and fables. Authentic examples of these are studied by the class as a whole, and students learn to identify the common features that all narrative forms share, as well as features unique to each of the forms. As a summative writing project, each student writes an essay analyzing the three folk tales from their culture and asserting an anthropological claim that answers the question “Why do we tell stories?” for their assigned civilization or people.
In the spring, the focus shifts to a third big idea, religion. Students undertake an in-depth study of Europe in the Middle Ages, which is one of the prime examples in human history of a society in which religion served as a central organizing principle. Reconstructing the daily life experience of different social groups in medieval Europe, they explore the role of the individual in the community. Through reading, role plays, and artistic study, students come to appreciate the pervasive role of Christianity in the feudal society of medieval Europe.
Much of the reading, writing, and vocabulary study students do is connected with the main themes. These readings and associated writing are complemented by many additional experiences with literature and language. Throughout the year, each student continues the habit of independent reading. In addition, the class as a whole reads newspaper and magazine articles and a play, and students regularly respond in writing to their reading. All of these reading experiences take place within a supportive setting in which students and the teacher talk about, share, and learn from their own and each other’s reading experiences. As well as gaining practice in formal academic writing of varying lengths, students continue to write using the writing process. The curriculum also incorporates regular, continuous, holistic instruction in grammar, spelling, and vocabulary building.
As part of a cross-curricular unit with Jewish studies, sixth grade students study the Holocaust with a focus on the rise of Nazism, the imposition of anti-Jewish laws and restrictions on the Jews of Germany, and the responses of German Jewry, culminating in Kristallnacht. Students explore the history through a close reading of essays as well as a memoir read in book clubs.
JEWISH STUDIES
The sixth grade Torah curriculum picks up the Exodus narrative with the night of the first Passover, continues through the crossing of the Red Sea and the war against Amalek, and ends with the assembly at Mount Sinai and the giving of the Ten Commandments. Students work in study pairs (chevruta) and small groups to study the text, analyze it, question it, write their own commentaries, and compare them with traditional commentaries that also address the class’s questions. They share their insights, questions, and interpretations with their classmates and progressively become more independent in their ability to comprehend and work with the biblical text as they become increasingly proficient in biblical vocabulary and grammar.
Sixth grade marks the start of students’ formal study of Talmud. Building on skills and concepts they learned in Mishnah in their upper elementary years, the passages that comprise the curriculum early in the sixth grade consist primarily of baraitot, texts that are similar to mishnayot in length, language, structure, and style of argumentation. The first several Talmud passages are written in Hebrew and incorporate only isolated words and brief phrases of Aramaic. They are selected from Tractate B’rachot, whose subject matter is already familiar to students from their general knowledge of t’filah and from their study of Mishnah; the specific content, however, is new to them. Students prepare the text in study pairs (chevruta) with the aid of worksheets, which help them to understand vocabulary and the meaning of each line and to analyze the passage into stages or steps. Pooling the insights of the class in a subsequent discussion helps bring the principles, the flow, and the thematic development of the Talmudic discussion into focus. Review activities and end-of-unit assessments help students solidify their understanding and gradually expand their text attack skills.
Sixth grade are also exposed to thematic units in Jewish History on the Shoah, Medieval Jewish life in Europe and history of the modern State of Israel through historic speeches, documents, and song.
In t’filah, the sixth graders continue to add new prayers to their daily liturgy, including additional chapters of psalms from p’sukei d’zimra. However, the main focus of the curriculum is on d’varim shebik’dushah, the parts of the service that are recited only with a minyan: kaddish, bar’chu, and k’dushah. Students’ inquiry into the meaning of new t’filot becomes more sophisticated as their text skills improve; they often trace the origins of new prayers in the Tanach (Hebrew Bible) and other sources. Sixth grade students also learn ta’amei hamikra (Torah cantillation), which they put to use by reading from the Torah scroll in the middle school minyan on Mondays and Thursdays. As their bat or bar mitzvah approaches, they begin to put on talit and t’filin daily.
In the spring of sixth grade, students begin to prepare for their Jewish Studies exhibition. They explore their attitudes about becoming bar or bat mitzvah; investigate the concept of mitzvah in the Torah as understood by Maimonides, Sefer Hachinuch, and other authorities; and research a chosen mitzvah, which they also incorporate in their personal practice and keep a journal to help them reflect on the experience. The mitzvah project culminates in an exhibition in which students write an extensive paper and make an oral presentation to members of the wider school community. They then defend their presentations by responding to questions from the learning community.
The sixth grade chagim (Jewish holidays) curriculum focuses on Talmudic sources for all major holidays. In many cases, students study the classic sugyot (passages) out of which key concepts of the holiday first arise. For example, they discover the concept of itzumo shel yom m’chaper (the power of Yom Kippur to atone, with or without repentance), the classic dispute over the number of Chanukah candles to be lit each night, and the essence of the mitzvah of sipur y’tziat Mitzrayim (telling the exodus story) on seder night.
MATH
In math, sixth graders deepen their conceptual thinking and strengthen and extend their skill mastery. To reinforce their skills, they review numerical operations and apply them to fractions and decimals with rational numbers. To support their understanding, they analyze data sets, make use of estimation, especially as a check of accuracy, and use tangible objects in geometrical calculations.
The program is responsive to student needs: students work in small groups that change frequently based on interest and ability. In addition to working in groups, students often work independently. A premium is placed on students’ ability to assess their own needs.
Key focal points for the year include: Developing an understanding of number theory and multiplication and division of fractions and decimals; Developing an understanding of two-dimensional measurement; Modeling situations with tables, graphs and equations.
The following topics are studied in sixth grade:
- Factors and multiples
- Statistics – data analysis
- Fractions, decimals, and percents with rational numbers
- Adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing fractions and decimals
- Solving percent problems
- Measurement
- Geometry – polygons (especially triangles, quadrilaterals, and circles), angles, and transversals
- Geometry – finding the areas and perimeters of two-dimensional shapes
- Algebra — modeling situations with tables, graphs and equations
- Test preparation and test-taking skills
CODING
Students in sixth grade use physical and computer-based tools to explore the world of functional coding. The coding curriculum builds upon their knowledge of the main elements and structures of code, such as sequence, conditionals, variables, and loops, and functions. Students develop and rehearse their skills through “unplugged” activities and computer-based exercises. From there, students explore practical applications for computer programming, such as website building, game design, and programming microcontrollers (MicroBits and Arduino boards). Students expand their knowledge of circuitry through breadboarding. Students learn how to connect lights, motors, and sensors to these devices and program them to create electronic projects and robots that respond to real world problems. Students use both block based and text based-programming and explore languages such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and C++.
SCIENCE
The sixth grade science curriculum is comprised of 3 in-depth units, each corresponding with a different branch of science: life, physical, and earth. In each of the 3 units, students use the scientific method to design and carry-out experiments to test their hypotheses and deepen their understanding of the topics of study. In addition, they also complete a variety of STEAM and engineering challenges to explore these topics through different lenses.
Topics in the sixth grade science curriculum include:
-Cells and Microorganisms
-Physics of Motion and Energy
-Plate Tectonics and Engineering for Disasters
Sixth grade science begins with the unit Cells and Microorganisms, during which students learn about cell structure and function, cell theory, how to use a microscope, and the characteristics and roles of microorganisms. This unit culminates with an exhibition project. For the exhibition, each student uses the scientific method to design and carry-out an experiment relating to microorganisms.
In the Physics of Motion and Energy Unit, students learn about Newton’s Laws of Motion and design and conduct a series of experiments to test these laws. Students learn about potential and kinetic energy, friction, acceleration, and gravity. The unit concludes with a roller coaster design project where students apply the principles they learned to their creations.
In the Plate Tectonics and Engineering for Disasters unit, students learn about the Theory of Plate Tectonics and the formation and effect of volcanoes and earthquakes. They learn about viscosity of lava, different types of faults, and how earthquakes are measured. Finally, they complete an engineering project where they design and construct both a shake table to test building stability and a building that can withstand the energy release from earthquakes.
Each unit encourages active learning through observation, deductive reasoning based on observation, experiment, research, hypothesis formation and testing, and scientific writing.
In addition to the content, skills, and processes addressed in these units of study, students also participate in a long-term interdisciplinary STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) project. Throughout the process, students are asked to identify real world problems, and then research, plan, build, test, and revise their solutions. Skills and values addressed through this project are empathy, the engineering design process, and designing with a client in mind.
MUSIC
The sixth grade instrumental program builds on the basics of keyboard playing that were taught in fifth grade. Students work solo or in pairs on pieces suited to their own levels.
As a class, they learn to play major scales and melodies, with emphasis on correct fingering and rhythm. The highlight of the instrumental program is the annual keyboard recital, in which students, individually and in pairs, perform their chosen pieces before the entire middle school.
In music theory, students review musical notation, including the treble clef, placement of notes, sharps and flats, and basic intervals. In addition, they work on sight singing and ear-training exercises. In music appreciation, they listen to a wide variety of musical excerpts and discuss characteristics of a variety of the different musical styles and composers, with particular emphasis on rhythm.
They continue to expand their repertoire of Israeli songs and American folk and show tunes, refining four or five of the songs for performance opportunities at the Zimriyah in December and the school concert in the spring. The focus of the singing program is on dynamics, pitch accuracy, memorizing lyrics, and song delivery.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Sixth grade PE is mostly competitive play and repetition. Students now focus on the “conditioning” aspect of sports. There is a greater emphasis placed on endurance and strength training as well as character building. Students are encouraged to use their voices as well as their bodies for the greater good of the game. Developing a mature player, who demonstrates knowledge and control of the equipment and self, is the main focus.
MIDDLE SCHOOL
Seventh Grade כיתה ז
ADVISORY
The seventh grade advisory program focus on goal-setting and reflection, on the students’ management of their own affairs, and on building community. Special programs incorporated within the advisory rubric in seventh grade include a tzedakah program produced by the American Jewish World Service entitled “Where Do You Give?”; an exploration of Jewish values as a means of assessing and enhancing the class’s functioning as a community; planning and preparation for a three-day educational trip to Washington, D.C.; and the first half of a year-long high school preparation program. The 7th grade Health curriculum focuses on human sexuality and also approaches the issues of substance abuse and peer pressure in the context of the Jewish idea of Kavod Ha’Briot (human dignity). The seventh grade community service project is volunteering at West Side Campaign Against Hunger, where students stock shelves and help out with other tasks at the food bank. Students also use part of their advisory sessions to work on developing their Portfolios and preparing for Portfolio Conferences. The advisory teacher conferences regularly with each student to help monitor his or her academic and personal progress and to address any individual concerns.
ART
Seventh grade art studies begin looking into perspective by creating a landscape moving back in space. This is followed by a still life unit: drawing shaded objects, learning about Cubism through still life and making digital still life drawings using “Sketchbook Express” on ipads. In a unit on abstraction students learn to look at and understand abstract art. They create a series of works using ipads and art supplies. In a collaboration with music, their abstract work goes to music where they pair the art to a wide range of musical styles. In the spring semester the seventh grade explores the topic of Tzedakah in both study and art. In their Advisory classes they learn about charity in many forms from source texts. They used this knowledge as the basis to create original Tzedakah boxes. The boxes are displayed for the whole school to see. In the final unit, students explore micrography, the art of using letters to create a picture. Students select a text of their choice to design and fill their designs with Hebrew and English texts and letters.
Museum trip: Jewish Museum, Whitney, Guggenheim or MET.
HEBREW עברית
Hebrew is taught on different levels in Middle School. The beginners’ curriculum – Bishvil Ha’Ivrit book 1 is designed for students with no or very little knowledge of Hebrew. In this program, students learn to speak in short dialogues about daily life; write paragraph-length personal narratives, memos, and assertions of opinion; and read stories, folk tales, and descriptive or informational non-fiction texts. The language structures that they learn to recognize and use include singular and plural forms; masculine and feminine forms; present tense and infinitives; four of the seven verb patterns (binyanim); the basic possessive forms; prepositions; nominal clauses; and word order in sentences.
The intermediate curriculum – Bishvil Ha’Ivrit books 2-3 is a two/three-year sequence that is typically studied by students entering seventh and eighth grade in Jewish day schools. In this program, students learn to speak in longer dialogues about a wide range of subjects and in interviews; write letters; and read longer short stories, non-fiction texts, essays, and simple songs, poems, and biblical passages. The language structures that they learn to recognize and use include the basic future tense; all seven verb patterns (binyanim); declension of several prepositions; noun-adjective agreement in gender and number; nominal, verbal, and object clauses; parts of speech; and word order.
The advanced curriculum – Bishvil Ha’Ivrit books 4-5 is a two/three-year sequence that is typically studied by students entering ninth and tenth grade in Jewish day schools. In this program, students learn to speak freely in conversation on any topic; read news articles in easy Hebrew, full-length short stories partially adapted to easy Hebrew, and poetry, songs, biblical verses, and midrashim; write multi-paragraph narratives, reports, and essays; and understand TV or radio news items. The language structures that they learn to recognize and use include the future tense in four binyanim (verb patterns), declension of prepositions, gerunds, past participles, possessives, suffixes, and conditional clauses.
HUMANITIES
“A Living Democracy: The American System of Politics and Law” is the theme of the humanities core curriculum in seventh grade. Beginning with today’s events, students look at how democratic values and structures are reflected in the upcoming November elections. The various branches of government are studied with an emphasis on the current elections. The students conclude the first unit on Election Day participating in a series of public debates on issues relevant to the election year and to their lives.
The focus of study next shifts to the eighteenth century. Students read the Articles of Confederation, selected Federalist and Anti-Federalist Papers, and the Constitution. In connection with their study of these documents, they practice writing persuasive essays of their own.
Next, students examine the way political expression is embedded in literature. They read Ayn Rand’s Anthem as a class, analyzing the text for the ways in which Rand portrays the systems and structures of government and society. Then they select an independent novel and examine the ways in which the author portrays society, specifically in the context of when the novel was written. They discuss their analysis and conclusions about their chosen issue in an extended research paper, with a creative component, and present their thesis in an exhibition before members of the wider school community.
The enduring legacy of the Constitution and Bill of Rights to American politics and law form the basis of the following unit of study. After reading “Inherit the Wind,” students complete a constitutional project, in which students are given the facts of a First Amendment case and information about relevant Supreme Court precedent. In a culminating role play, students address the constitutional question they have researched by simulating oral arguments before the Supreme Court, taking on the roles of Supreme Court justices and attorneys.
As part of a cross-curricular unit with Jewish studies, seventh grade students study the Holocaust with a focus on life in the ghettos during the Holocaust, and the events of Kristallnacht. Students explore the history through a close reading of essays as well as a memoir read in book clubs.
The curriculum incorporates other experiences with literature, as well: independent reading, a unit on short stories, newspaper and magazine articles, and additional essays. The students’ writing experiences, both in connection with the theme and independent of it, take the form of a writing workshop, in which students write using the writing process, complete multiple drafts of each assignment, and share their writing through a . Grammar, spelling, and varied word choice are taught directly and reinforced continuously.
JEWISH STUDIES
The seventh grade Torah curriculum covers selected chapters of Sh’mot (Exodus) and B’midbar (Numbers), commencing with the Golden Calf incident and concluding with the rebellion led by Korach. In addition to the skills learned in previous years, seventh graders learn to work their way through the Hebrew text with limited vocabulary support, put themselves in the shoes of the biblical characters, and ask larger philosophical questions about the text.
In the second year of Talmud study, seventh graders explore some classic sugyot from N’zikin (the Order of Civil and Criminal Law) and Mo’ed (Jewish holidays). These passages range in topic from whether the mitzvah of being in the sukkah applies during the day as well as the night or just the day, to the death penalty, to the mitzvah of honoring and respecting one’s parents. Students become increasingly familiar with Aramaic vocabulary and language patterns during the year, and the amount of Aramaic in each passage reflects this growth. Additionally, some students learn how to use a Steinsaltz Talmud with a complete Hebrew and Aramaic text, and some go on to use a traditional Vilna Shas text, which has no punctuation or vowels. The structure of the sugyah also grows in complexity, and the logical connections between parts of the text later in the year often need to be inferred; the flow and style of argumentation between the rabbis becomes increasingly implicit and complex, as well. Students become less reliant on vocabulary lists for common terms, learn to map out the flow of the argument by filling in and constructing charts and diagrams, grow in their ability to analyze and explain the various lines of argument, and develop question-posing skills.
Students explore the history of the modern State of Israel through historic speeches, documents, and song. Through these cultural elements, students gain perspective on each of the periods since 1948.
The second half of the B’nei Mitzvah program is taught in seventh grade. Students learn the art and craft of preparing a d’var Torah, comparing medieval and modern commentaries on the parashah and making personal connections to the text. They also undertake a second mitzvah project, this time relating to an interpersonal mitzvah (bein adam la’chaveiro). They again research a mitzvah of their choice and practice it over an extended period, keeping a reflective journal. The mitzvah project culminates in an extensive research paper that they share with their classmates.
The t’filah program continues to expand and diversify in seventh grade. Students learn two entirely new prayer services this year: Shacharit (the morning prayer) and minchah (the afternoon prayer) for Shabbat. In addition, several new prayers are added for the conclusion of the daily morning service following the Amidah. Students who become bar or bat mitzvah this year, or during the preceding summer, have their first experiences of assuming full responsibility for the leadership of a minyan as chazanim. Students continue to read Torah in middle school minyan, and some students also serve as gabbaim.
In seventh grade, the focus of study prior to the chagim (Jewish holidays) shifts to Maimonides’ Code of Jewish Law. In many cases, his novel insights and approaches to understanding familiar practices and concepts provoke surprise, heated debate, and unexpected pleasure. For example, students encounter two different and apparently incompatible descriptions of the process of repentance, an account of the history of Chanukah and the nature of the miracle that differs from everything else students have learned in the past, and a surprising choice of how best to express the joyousness of the holiday on Purim and other chagim. Students develop their understanding of the halakhic process.
MATH
In math, the seventh grade program focuses on proportional reasoning and its applications and includes an introduction to linear algebra. Students apply ratios to compare geometric figures, prices, rates, slopes and probabilities. Symbolic solutions to proportions lead into formal algebra.
Beginning from an in-depth review of numerical operations and proceeding to properties of operations (commutative, associative, and distributive), variables, signed numbers, and linear geometry, students are prepared with all of the content components they will need to proceed to a fully elaborated Algebra I program in eighth grade. During the year, students prepare an exhibition on ratios and proportions. Student select real-life problems whose solution requires the use of ratios and proportions and present their applications in oral exhibitions to members of the wider school community. They then defend their presentations by responding to “warm” and “cool” questions from the learning community.
With continuing frequent “math workouts,” students gain speed, efficiency, and accuracy in performing calculations and solving rote problems. Working alone and in groups on problem sets and projects, students are responsible for learning skills and assessing their own needs.
Key focal points for the year include: Connecting rate and ratio to multiplication and division and performing operations on all rational numbers; Developing an understanding of and applying proportionality, including similarity; Modeling situations with linear equations and applying them to answer questions.
The following topics are studied in seventh grade:
- Numerical operations
- Variables
- Similar figures; scaling geometric figures
- Ratio, proportion, and percent
- Using the identity property
- Using the commutative, associative, and distributive properties
- Operations using positive and negative integers; graphing in four quadrants
- Plotting on coordinate graphs
- Linear relationships – graphing and equations
- Three-dimensional geometry – surface area and volume
- Probability, data analysis, and game theory
CODING
Students in seventh grade use physical and computer-based tools to explore the world of functional coding. The coding curriculum builds upon their knowledge of the main elements and structures of code, such as sequence, conditionals, variables, and loops, and functions. Students develop and rehearse their skills through “unplugged” activities and computer-based exercises. From there, students explore practical applications for computer programming, such as website building, game design, and programming microcontrollers (MicroBits and Arduino boards). Students expand their knowledge of circuitry through breadboarding. Students learn how to connect lights, motors, and sensors to these devices and program them to create electronic projects and robots that respond to real world problems. Students use both block based and text based-programming and explore languages such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and C++.
SCIENCE
The seventh grade science curriculum offers students the opportunity to explore the overarching theme of the year: Systems. Students study this theme through different branches of science (life and physical) to determine the role of systems in helping to maintain homeostasis.
The majority of these explorations are conducted through hands-on experimentation and activities. Students continue to use the scientific method to design and carry-out experiments to test their hypotheses and deepen their understanding of the topics of study. In addition, students also complete a variety of STEAM and engineering challenges to explore these topics through different lenses.
Topics in the seventh grade science curriculum include:
The Human Body
Chemistry: Atoms and Molecules
DNA and Heredity
In the Human Body unit, students study the digestive and cardiovascular systems, focusing on the structures, functions of parts, and the roles of organs and organ systems in maintaining homeostasis. Students explore how a heart pumps blood, how food is broken down in the body, and how muscles and chemical reactions work to control the body. Students use their findings as “jumping off points” to create STEAM design challenges (such as devices that mimic functions of body systems).
In a project-based Chemistry unit, content is structured around the question: How can we use our understanding of chemical properties and reactions to create special effects for short films?. During the unit, students study the organization of Periodic Table of Elements and learn about the structure of atoms and molecules. Students learn to classify and describe matter based on chemical and physical properties and look for evidence of chemical reactions. Observation and measurement skills are emphasized. As a culminating project, students write and produce short films that use chemical properties and reactions to create special effects.
In the DNA, Heredity, and Genetics unit, students learn about the structure of DNA, how it copies, and its role in the development and function of living things. They create models and participate in experiments, such as extracting DNA from fruit, to deepen their understanding of this topic. The section on genetics and heredity addresses how traits are inherited. Students learn about dominant and recessive traits, the probability of inheritance, and mutations.
Each unit encourages active learning through observation, deductive reasoning based on observation, experiment, research, hypothesis formation and testing, and scientific writing.
In addition to the content, skills, and processes addressed in these units of study, students also participate in a long-term interdisciplinary STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) project. Throughout the process, students are asked to identify real world problems, and then research, plan, build, test, and revise their solutions. Skills and values addressed through this project are empathy, the engineering design process, and designing with a client in mind.
MUSIC
The seventh grade music program introduces a new instrument, the ukulele. This string instrument provides a great entry point to learning guitar, since its body is smaller and strings are soft. The students learn basic left and right hand technique, as well as tuning and strumming rhythms. As they progress, the students develop a repertoire of chords and learn to apply them to songs. In theory, they continue to work on musical notation and are introduced to group composition, arrangement, and lyric writing. Music appreciation focuses on characteristics of different genres and styles, including classical, jazz, and pop, with a focus on melody. In addition to learning new Hebrew and English songs, the students work on dynamics and singing two-part harmonies.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Seventh grade PE is a highly competitive, yet friendly, environment. At this point, the students have a strong skill set and understanding of sport; thus, students are encouraged to take on a more leadership role in PE. Thet learn how to set up the games, ref the games, keep score or the games, and even create new games!
MIDDLE SCHOOL
Eighth Grade כיתה ח
ADVISORY
In the eighth grade, much of the year’s advisory curriculum is devoted to three topics: preparing for high school, preparing for the Israel study tour, and preparing for graduation.
The high school preparation program picks up where it left off at the end of seventh grade. Students are helped, in class and in individual sessions with their parents, to finalize their choices of which schools to apply to and then guided in completing applications and the other steps of the application process. In particular, students are coached in their interviewing skills and familiarized with the entrance exams they will be taking. As a group, they also go on school visits. Later in the year, they receive support in coping with waiting to hear, with rejection, and in deciding among schools to which they have been admitted.
Preparation for the Israel trip is a yearlong process that includes orientation to the trip for the students, and for the students and their parents, and a program of study topics on the history and geography of modern Israel.
Preparing for graduation takes the form of a structured reflection on experiences students have had over their school years and beliefs and values they have developed as a result. Working closely with an individual advisor, they produce a reflective paper and a creative project examining who they were, who they are, and who they expect to be in high school and beyond. They then make an oral presentation to members of the wider school community and defend it in response to “warm” and “cool” questions from teachers, peers, parents, and others.
As in previous years, advisory time is devoted to the functioning of the class community, social and academic challenges for individual students and for the class as a whole, current events, community service (volunteering at a local elementary public school), working on one’s portfolio, and values education. Other emphases during the year include participation in sessions on self-understanding, self-reflection, and coming of age in connection with the graduation exhibition. The eighth grade health education unit focuses on making good choices as teenagers grow and change.
ART
The eighth grade art curriculum starts with a lesson in two point perspective, focusing on buildings. The students then embark on a series based on an artist of their choice, creating three pieces inspired by their artist and writing an informational paragraph about their artist’s life and work.
In the spring, eighth grade students work on several simultaneous projects: designing a shirt for their Israel trip and a class project to present to the school in honor of their graduation. Previous projects have included an Omer counter, an ark, parochet and Torah cover. When they return from their Israel trip, they choose two of their photos from the trip to draw and paint. The last project is an independent assignment, where students plan and create artwork of their own choosing. The last day of class – they receive the shoe portfolios, drawing from Gan – 8th grade.
HEBREW עברית
Hebrew is taught on different levels in the Middle School. The beginners’ curriculum – Bishvil Ha’Ivrit book 1 is designed for students with no or very little knowledge of Hebrew. In this program, students learn to speak in short dialogues about daily life; write paragraph-length personal narratives, memos, and assertions of opinion; and read stories, folk tales, and descriptive or informational non-fiction texts. The language structures that they learn to recognize and use include singular and plural forms; masculine and feminine forms; present tense and infinitives; four of the seven verb patterns (binyanim); the basic possessive forms; prepositions; nominal clauses; and word order in sentences.
The intermediate curriculum – Bishvil Ha’Ivrit books 2-3 is a two/three-year sequence that is typically studied by students entering seventh and eighth grade in Jewish day schools. In this program, students learn to speak in longer dialogues about a wide range of subjects and in interviews; write letters; and read longer short stories, non-fiction texts, essays, and simple songs, poems, and biblical passages. The language structures that they learn to recognize and use include the basic future tense; all seven verb patterns (binyanim); declension of several prepositions; noun-adjective agreement in gender and number; nominal, verbal, and object clauses; parts of speech; and word order.
The advanced curriculum – Bishvil Ha’Ivrit books 4-5 is a two/three-year sequence that is typically studied by students entering ninth and tenth grade in Jewish day schools. In this program, students learn to speak freely in conversation on any topic; read news articles in easy Hebrew, full-length short stories partially adapted to easy Hebrew, and poetry, songs, biblical verses, and midrashim; write multi-paragraph narratives, reports, and essays; and understand TV or radio news items. The language structures that they learn to recognize and use include the future tense in four binyanim (verb patterns), declension of prepositions, gerunds, past participles, possessives, suffixes, and conditional clauses.
HUMANITIES
In the eighth grade, the humanities theme is “The American Experience.” At the outset, students review the foundational documents that they studied in depth the previous year: the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. These documents are analyzed from a new perspective, with an eye to deriving from them the ideals they set forth. Throughout the year, these ideals are revisited as criteria by which one may assess the social realities of American history and contemporary life: to what extent are the ideals realized? Where are there gaps between the ideals and the realities? What might be needed to achieve a closer fit between realities and ideals?
The focus shifts next to Native and African American history, with an emphasis on highlighting differences in the American experience. By reading and responding to primary documents, historical fiction, and investigative journalism, students reconstruct the events that have shaped the experiences of African Americans, Native Americans, and others, with special emphasis on slavery, emancipation, discrimination, and the Civil Rights Movement. In connection with their study, they write poetry and research papers.
In a culminating exhibition, students interview an individual in the community to examine how their experience compares and contrasts with the American ideals that emerged from their studies. Students produce a written paper, a creative product, an oral presentation, and respond to “warm” and “cool” questions; these reflect their growing ability to relate the realities of American society to the ideals enshrined in America’s foundational documents and popular culture.
The eighth grade Holocaust unit focuses on the extermination of the Jews in concentration camps and death camps as well as the resistance; this unit of study incorporates non-fiction reading, including survivor accounts such as excerpts from Night by Elie Wiesel and Maus I and II by Art Spiegelman , historical literature, and analytical written responses.
As the students approach graduation, they work in committees to produce a school yearbook, with tasks including fundraising, writing copy, design and computer layout, organization, and printing of a full-color publication that reflects their years at Schechter Manhattan.
As the final unit of the year, students study the concept of utopia, read dystopian literature, and choose their own social issues for which to propose solutions. Students write proposals and create three-dimensional models to present their ideas of a utopian society.
Other experiences with literature complement the thematic organization of the curriculum: poetry, Shakespeare, nonfiction, an American novel: To Kill a Mockingbird, biography, and autobiography, each student’s own independent reading, newspaper and magazine articles.. The students’ writing experiences, both in connection with the theme and independent of it, take the form of a writing workshop, in which students approach writing as a recursive process, completing multiple drafts of each assignment, sharing through a formalized published anthology.. Grammar, spelling, conciseness, transitions, and active verb and varied word choice are taught directly and reinforced continuously in the writing workshop. Among the research skills that students refine throughout the year are note taking, paraphrasing, and MLA citation.
JEWISH STUDIES
In eighth grade, the Tanach program completes the narrative sequence of the Torah that students began studying in second grade, concluding with the death of Moshe in the final chapter of D’varim (Deuteronomy). The students then embark on an interdisciplinary survey of two themes that encompass the entire range of biblical literature: Torah, Nevi’im (prophets), and Ketuvim (writings); narratives, legal codes, and poetry. The topics explored in these extended studies are “The Nature of Man” and “The Land of Israel.” In addition to the skills learned in previous years, eighth graders learn to analyze characteristics of biblical poetry, to situate biblical law within the scope of the Jewish (rabbinic) legal tradition, to use and interpret biblical maps and a biblical atlas, and to follow the threads of biblical thought through a variety of texts, genres, and styles.
In the third year of Talmud study, eighth graders explore some classic sugyot in N’zikin (the Order of Civil and Criminal Law). The passages range up to a full side of a page; students continue to develop their familiarity with Aramaic vocabulary and language patterns, their ability to follow increasingly complex logical arguments and sugyah structures, and their skill in thinking along with the text, posing relevant questions, and suggesting novel solutions.
Beginning in January, students study Zionist thought and history intensively in preparation for their Israel study tour after Pesach. This extended study incorporates three emphases: rabbinic perspectives on the land of Israel; nineteenth century Zionist thinkers; and a first-person documentary history of the Yishuv from 1882 through 1948.
The eighth grade t’filah program represents a culmination of nine years of study and practice. The survey of prayer services throughout the calendar concludes with the study of the shacharit prayer for shalosh r’galim (the festivals), and shirat hayam is added to the weekday prayer service. Two additional features become more prominent this year than in the past. First, students are active in leadership roles in the service, not only as chazanim and ba’alei k’riah (Torah readers), but also as gabaim. In these capacities, they ensure not only the smooth running of the services and the fair distribution of responsibilities and honors, but also work to enhance the spiritual dimension of the group prayer experience. Second, in an attempt to help students enrich their own approach and style as pray-ers, much of the time and emphasis on iyun t’filah (prayer inquiry) focuses on the prayer experience in its totality, exploring a variety of ways to enrich one’s personal spiritual experience and empowering students to give voice to their theological dilemmas and to work through them in a supportive setting.
In eighth grade, the focus of study prior to the chagim (Jewish holidays) shifts to the Shulchan Aruch, Rabbi Joseph Karo’s classic Code of Jewish Law, and the Mishnah B’rurah commentary on it. In some cases, the focus of the inquiry is primarily to resolve a practical dilemma, such as the characteristics of the candles to be used on Chanukah to prevent their being extinguished; and the laws of reading the m’gilah at night and during the day. Other selections reveal theoretical or philosophical implications of certain practices, such as the reasons for sounding the shofar 100 times; the laws of s’chach (the covering of the sukkah); and different aspects of guarding the matzah from fermentation.
MATH
Two math courses are taught in the eighth grade, Algebra and Honors Algebra. Students are placed into either course based on a number of assessments: a cumulative test at the end of seventh grade, based on our math curriculum and designed to assess proficiency with the math concepts and skills from grades 6 and 7; performance on the math sections of the CTP4 standardized test given in the spring of 7th grade; and teacher recommendation.
ALGEBRA
The eighth grade math course hones pre-algebra skills and introduces concepts in algebra to prepare students for high school math. Students work within four main components of mathematics that address focal points set forth by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. First, students practice operations on all rational numbers and solve linear equations. They simplify expressions using order of operations, place rational and irrational numbers on a number line and justify the placement of the numbers, and use the arithmetic of rational numbers as they formulate and solve linear equations with one variable.
Second, students explore the Pythagorean Theorem and its practical applications. Irrational numbers and square roots are also introduced in this connection, moving the students into the realm of theoretical math.
Third, students investigate exponential growth and apply growth factors to solve classic puzzles. They then delve into quadratic expressions and equations. Identifying and solving quadratic equations in word problems helps to add some real-world experience.
ADVANCED ALGEBRA
The Advanced Algebra I course moves at the fast pace required to master the material required for placement into higher level high school math classes. Algebra builds upon the fundamentals of linear algebraic relationships that were studied in seventh grade. Exponential relationships are introduced and the differences between them and linear relationships are explored. Students learn to write, graph, and solve inverse, exponential, quadratic and rational equations. They apply their understanding of nonlinear relationships to patterns of exponential growth and decay in a variety of scientific contexts, representing them in equations, in graphs, and in tables, and solving problems. They also develop their symbolic reasoning by finding equivalent forms of many kinds of equations, including factoring simple quadratic equations; solving equations for variables and using the solution to find specific values of functions; and solving systems of equations by graphing, substitution, and combining equations. The geometry strand of the algebra program equips students to understand and apply the Pythagorean Theorem; and represent geometric relationships algebraically, and vice versa.
Key focal points for the year include: Analyzing and representing linear functions and solving linear equations and systems of linear equations; Analyzing two- and three-dimensional space and figures and performing operations with radicals; Writing, interpreting, and using mathematical expressions and equations.
The following topics are studied in Honors Algebra:
- Exponential and quadratic relationships
- Properties of exponents
- Writing and graphing linear, inverse, exponential, and quadratic equations
- Equivalent expressions
- Multiple equivalencies and systems of equations
- Discovery and application of the Pythagorean Theorem
- Representing geometric relationships algebraically
- Systems of inequalities
- Solving quadratic equations by factoring, completing the square, and the quadratic formula
- Rational equations
CODING
Students in eighth grade use physical and computer-based tools to explore the world of functional coding. The coding curriculum teaches students how to access and use the main elements and structures of code, such as sequence, conditionals, variables, and loops, and functions. Students develop and rehearse their skills through “unplugged” activities and computer-based exercises. From there, students explore practical applications for computer programming, such as website building, game design, and programming microcontrollers (MicroBits and Arduino boards). Students learn how to connect lights, motors, and sensors to these devices and program them to create electronic projects and robots that respond to real world problems. Students use both block based and text based-programming and explore languages such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and C++.
SCIENCE
The eighth grade science curriculum consists of several units that focus around the question: What forces shape our environment? In each of the 3 units, students use the scientific method to design and carry-out experiments to test their hypotheses and deepen their understanding of the topics of study. In addition, they also complete a variety of STEAM and engineering challenges to explore these topics through different lenses.
In the life science unit, students explore evolutionary change. They are introduced to organism adaptations, speciation, and natural selection. Students look at timelines of organisms on Earth alongside data about the climate and environments, and try to determine the factors that led to extinction or survival. Students also learn about technologies that scientists use to analyze fossil findings. As a culminating activity, students learn about how biomimicry (the imitation of natural biological designs or processes in engineering or invention) is used in designing sustainable communities and then create plans for a sustainable desert community.
The environmental science unit, students learn about the different factors that influence climate and weather. Through reading, research, and hands-on experimentation, students study how different surfaces (land v. water) impact heat absorption and capacity, the greenhouse effect, and how different natural and human-made processes impact climate. Following this, students learn about energy conservation and the competing interests that influence our society’s energy choices. Students distinguish between renewable and nonrenewable energy sources and look at the implications, benefits, and challenges that come with each.
In the physical science unit, students explore different types of energy, starting with a with a hands-on investigation of the six simple machines. This section of the unit culminates with a Rube Goldberg project, in which students design and build their own wacky machine and explain the physical properties that the machine utilizes. Following this, students learn about how mechanical or kinetic energy can be used to generate electricity. Circling back to the previous unit on climate change, students design an interest-based demonstration, experiment, or project relating to wind, solar, or hydropower energy.
Each unit encourages active learning through observation, deductive reasoning based on observation, experiment, research, hypothesis formation and testing, and scientific writing.
In addition to the content, skills, and processes addressed in these units of study, students also participate in a long-term interdisciplinary STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) project. Throughout the process, students are asked to identify real world problems, and then research, plan, build, test, and revise their solutions. Skills and values addressed through this project are empathy, the engineering design process, and designing with a client in mind.
MUSIC
In the eighth grade, the balanced emphases of the music program continue, with units on ukulele, music theory, music appreciation, and singing. Highlights of the year include composition exercises, singing and accompanying on the ukulele, preparing for an instrumental arrangement with the ukulele, the study of chords and the role of harmony in music theory. Finally, eighth graders have a number of performance opportunities: in addition to the Zimriyah and the school concert, they sing at their own graduation ceremony.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
There is a great difference between middle school and high school athletics; therefore, the eighth grade curriculum focuses on preparing them for high school team sports. We explore the difference in rules and set up as well as the level of play and expectations. There is also a greater emphasis on fitness level and developing “healthy habits.” Students will leave Schechter Manhattan with a greater affinity for sport and have the skills to participate in leisure sports for a lifetime.