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CURRICULUM
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"No other age level (the middle school years) is of more importance to the future of individuals, and, literally to that of society, because these are the years when youngsters crystallize their beliefs about themselves and firm up their self-concepts, their philosophies of life and their values - the things that are the ultimate determinants of their behavior." HARFORD FRIENDS SCHOOL Standing Up, Making a Difference: Learning from Our Past to Plan for Our Future Humanities - 8: Conflict & Change: Recognizing Conflict as a Catalyst for Growth Students engage themes of conflict and change in United States history. Social Science - 8 250 minutes per week, TBD Topics: Social science-8 is a chronological study from early settlement to the beginning of the Industrial Revolution including studies of presidents, rebels, slaves, abolitionists, revolutionaries, suffragists, immigrants, and others who shaped the nation. Process: Students incorporate social science disciplines into skills, including writing a formal research paper, multi-media presentations, policy development, and comprehending a “more perfect union.” Student experience includes an integrated study of the history, art, science, industry, and development of the Deer Creek and Chesapeake Bay Watersheds and its influence on Harford County, the Chesapeake Bay, and the Nation. Texts: TBD; Atlas of World Geography, Rand McNally. English/language arts - 8 Topics: English-8 follows the social science topics (see above). Using themes of conflict and change students develop oral and written expression skills through historical fiction and journal writing. Process: Students develop skills in the five-paragraph thesis, persuasive writing, lyric poetry, and oral histories. Texts: Vocabulary from Classical Roots, Characters in Conflict; Wolf by the Ears, Rinaldi; Sing Down the Moon, O’Dell; Shades of Gray, Reeder; The Light in the Forest, Richter; The Narrative of Frederick Douglas, Douglas; George Washington Carver, Holbrook; Huck Finn, Twain; Tancy, Hurmence; Our Town, Wilder; Writing and Grammar, Prentice Hall; A Pocket Style Manual, Hacker. Technology - 8: Deer Creek and the Chesapeake Bay Watersheds Students examine the science behind identifying a complex environmental problem and developing effective solutions. Science – 8 Topics: Pollution: chemistry, law of conservation of matter, atoms, molecules, compounds, mixtures, Periodic table, conduction, convection, radiation, physiology. Infrastructure (power generation transportation systems, impervious surface and development): motion, forces, mass, weight, energy, gravitational force, speed and velocity. Process: Students will become familiar with the parts, processes and systems of the Chesapeake Bay in general and will learn how it has become a threatened resource. Students will then turn to Deer Creek watershed to examine land use and Chesapeake Bay Best Management Practices. Student experience may include trips on a skipjack, Chesapeake Bay Foundation programs, visits to hydro-electric dams, local mills, Peach Bottom nuclear power plant, Calvert Cliffs, wastewater treatment facility, and participation in an environmental action project at Eden Mill Nature Center. Texts: AgriScience, 3rd Edition, AgriScience & Technology Series, Interstate Publishers, Inc., 2003; Earth Science, Prentice Hall, 2003; Life Science, Prentice Hall, 2003; Physical Science, Prentice Hall, 2003. Mathematics - 8 250 minutes per week, TBD Topics: linear equations and inequalities (algebra), Pythagorean theorem, exponential relationships, quadratic relationships, symmetry and transformational geometry, combinatorics Process: Students apply calculations, concepts, and relationships to real-world problem-solving involving Deer Creek, Susquehanna River, and the Chesapeake Bay. Student experience includes assessing hydroelectric capacities of rivers and dams, rates of erosion and the effectiveness of varying strategies to combat erosion, calculating the impact of various pollutants on the health of local bodies of water. Texts; Connected Mathematics Project II – Eight Unit Booklets (Thinking with Mathematical Models; Looking for Pythagoras; Growing, Growing, Growing; Frogs, Fleas and Painted Cubes; Say it with Symbols; Kaleidoscopes, Hubcaps, and Mirrors; Samples and Populations; The Shapes of Algebra) Explorations – 8 Visual Arts – 8 Topics: In eighth grade visual arts, Harford Friends School students will study American art and American art history as a thread in their interdisciplinary study of American history, 1600 – 1880’s. Art applications in the commercial world as well as art evaluation and criticism will serve as points of emphasis. 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. They will have attained an appreciation for fine arts and explored projects that support and enhance their academic courses. Computer Technology – 8 Topics: TBD Process: TBD Music – 8 (half-year course) 90 minutes per week, Maryland Conservatory of Music (Farmer) Topics: Focus will be on applying knowledge of music theory and history to students’ own compositions. Students will compose three to four pieces that demonstrate an understanding of musical notation, compositional style and form. Process: Students will handwrite at least two of the compositions in their notebooks, demonstrating a mastery of music notation. They will then utilize the school’s laptop technology to compose and record their work. Texts: Students will develop a portfolio of compositions and musical styles that are studied and applied. Choir – 6 (required), 7 (half-year required, half-year elective), 8 (half-year required, half-year elective) 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 (B year, ’07-‘08) 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 focus on strengthening both oral and written communication 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 (C Year) Topics: nutrition, cultural and media perceptions of and influence on fitness; athletic physiology – understanding the skeletal and muscular structure as it relates to fitness and athletics; setting goals and monitoring progress; team sports; group and neighborhood games – the role of third-party officials in games and contests Process: Students in “C” Year physical education classes will work to enhance their physical fitness (strength, endurance, flexibility, and functional movement) through a variety of means. In small teams, students will design, test, and teach a “neighborhood” game. Team sports will be employed to teach teamwork and sport-specific athletic movements. Students will examine the role culture and the media plays in perceptions of fitness and body image. Nutrition will be considered throughout the year in an effort to alert students to healthy and unhealthy eating habits. Students will develop goals for their own physical fitness and monitor their progress through the year.
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