HARFORD FRIENDS SCHOOL
CURRICULUM GRADE SEVEN

Independence and Interdependence. Unique Entities Intertwined: A Study of Global Cultures and Ecosystems

Humanities – 7: Global Perspectives: Students explore global perspectives and the significance of communication, literature and the social sciences in understanding the human condition.

Social Science – 7 
250 minutes per week, Pickard

Topics: Central and South America, Africa, the Middle East, China, Modern World Issues

Process: Seventh grade social science students explore cultures and societies around the globe, focusing on contemporary conflicts and the reasons and efforts to resolve those conflicts. Each unit utilizes five social science disciplines to guide examination – history, geography, economics, political science, and a combined anthro-sociology.  Student knowledge and skill development is reinforced through coordinated and interdisciplinary lessons and projects in both social science and English/language arts courses (see below).  Student experience includes negotiation role-play, team teaching of peers, debate, and service-learning activities.

Texts: World Cultures: A Global Mosaic, Ahmad & others; Global Geography, Finkelstein, Flanagan and Lunger; Atlas of World Geography, Rand McNally.

English/language arts – 7
250 minutes per week, Pickard

Topics: English-7 follows the topics of social science-7 (see above) and includes readings such as Habibi, Silent Spring, and 1984.

Process: English-7 explores various world cultures and regions through a variety of texts and readings to enhance understanding and inter-cultural issues.  Emphasis is placed on building writing and analyzing skills, the three-paragraph essay, short stories, novels, mysteries, poetry, literature of world cultures, folklore, legends, and drama.

Texts: Vocabulary from Classical Roots; Habibi, Nye; Silent Spring, Carson; 1984, Wells; The Ear, the Eye and the Arm, Farmer; Girl Named Disaster, Farmer; Shabanu – Daughter of the Wind, Staples; Rebecca, du Maurier; Writing and Grammar, Prentice Hall; A Pocket Style Manual, Hacker.

Technology – 7: Local and Global Environmental Stewardship

Students explore science within the context of local ecosystems and natural resources.

Science – 7                                                            
250 minutes per week, Derr

Topics:  Wetlands, forests, meadows, riparian areas: landforms, soils, hydrology, flora, fauna, chemical reactions, biochemistry, cells, genetics, evolution, diversity, cycles, ecosystems, motion and energy, waves.

Process:  Students use observation, research skills, statistical analysis and field study of wetlands, forests, meadows, and riparian areas.  Study focuses on grasping the parts, processes and systems and developing an understanding of how they function.  Student experience may include analyzing soil samples, sampling water, assessing water quality, identifying native plant and animal species, calculating river channel capacity and calculating CO₂ uptake for a specific area of forest, and participation in an environmental action project at Eden Mill Nature Center.

Texts: AgriScience, 3^rd Edition, AgriScience & Technology Series, Interstate Publishers, Inc., 2003; Earth Science, Prentice Hall, 2003; Life Science, Prentice Hall, 2003; Physical Science, Prentice Hall, 2003.

Mathematics – 7  
250 minutes per week, Derengowski

Topics: algebra, basic transformations, proportional reasoning, integers, linear relationships, three-dimensional geometry and measurement, probability of two stage events, scientific number notation

Process: Mathematics-7 includes the critical application of the mathematical concepts and computations (listed above) to essential factors affecting meadows and wetlands. Problem-solving occurs through algebraic functions, geometric properties, statistical analysis, precise measurements, reasoned estimates and general computation.

Texts; Connected Mathematics Project II – Eight Unit Booklets (Variables and Patterns; Stretching and Shrinking; Accentuate the Negative; Comparing and Scaling; Moving Straight Ahead; Filling and Wrapping; What Do You Expect?; Data Distributions)

Explorations – 7

Visual Arts – 7 (half-year course) 
90 minutes per week, Blue Dog Creative Arts (Hicks)

Topics: In seventh grade visual arts, Harford Friends School students will study global art and artistic traditions from a variety of cultures and lands including South and Central America, China, India, Africa, and the Middle East.

Process: The arts serve as the primary mode through which a culture carries its individual and collective images and ideas from one generation to another. Students will acquire the skills necessary to render objects in a realistic manner with an emphasis on proportion, perspective, shading, and shadowing. They will have attained an appreciation for fine arts and explored projects that support and enhance their academic courses.

Computer Technology – 7 
90 minutes per week, IXI, Inc. (Parr)

Topics: intermediate keyboarding, advanced internet navigation and research, Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Power Point), using the computer as an interdisciplinary tool, introduction to html

Process: Students in seventh grade computer technology will refine and advance their existing keyboarding skills through the UltraKey 5.0 program. Students will learn and apply Microsoft applications (Word, Excel, and Power Point) to a variety of class and interdisciplinary projects. Students will also learn about web design and html.

Music – 7 (half-year course)               90 minutes per week, Maryland Conservatory of Music (Farmer)

Topics: Focus will be on music history.  Students will study musical forms, styles, composers and great works, spanning the Medieval Ages, the Renaissance, the Baroque, the Classical Era, the Romantic Era, 20^th Century Music to present day.    

Process: Implementing the theory skills learned during their 6^th grade year, students will analyze music scores of the greatest works from each era.  They will write written reports and give oral presentations about specific composers from each era.  Students will have periodic written quizzes.  They will also have listening quizzes, in which they will learn to identify major works from notable composers.

Texts:  Students will develop a portfolio of compositions and musical styles that are studied and applied.  A music history textbook may be announced.

Choir – 6 (required), 7 (half-year required, half-year elective), 8 (half-year required, half-year elective)
45 minutes per week, Maryland Conservatory of Music (Farmer)

Topics: Students will learn unison and two-part choral pieces.

Process: The Harford Friends School choir will perform annually at the holidays and in the spring at the Night of the Arts.

Spanish – 7/8 (A year ’06-07)      
90 minutes per week per week, Fun with Foreign Language (Peyton)

Topics: This program will extend the students’ knowledge of the Spanish language by immersing them in the Spanish language and culture.  The curriculum will expose students to four aspects of the Spanish language:  phonetics, vocabulary, grammar, and Spanish culture.

Process: Classes, taught predominantly in Spanish, will include:  lessons on forming words, phrases, and conjugating verbs, vocabulary building exercises, student/teacher dialogues in Spanish, and discussions on Spanish culture.  Students will also begin to focus on not only oral communication skills, but also written skills.

Texts: Students will have the opportunity to listen to level-appropriate stories in Spanish.  In addition, Spanish videos will be utilized to aid in exposing the students to the Hispanic culture.

Physical Education – 6/7/8 (B year)  
90 minutes per week, Huxtable

Topics: athletic motion as demonstrated and explained through Newton’s Laws of Motion; effort as a means to self-confidence; team problem-solving; setting goals and monitoring progress; assessment and analysis of individual 1.) aerobic capacity/cardio respiratory fitness, 2.) muscular strength and endurance, 3.) flexibility, and functional movement applied to daily motion and athletic motion.

Process: Students in the “B” year of physical fitness will develop a fitness plan designed to improve and maintain specific health related fitness components. As part of the plan, students will record baseline measurements of aerobic capacity, cardio respiratory fitness, muscular strength and endurance, flexibility, and functional movement. Specific individual training techniques and team oriented activities such as soccer, flag football, Frisbee, track and field events will be used to build and measure capacities, endurance, flexibility and movement.