Music & Performing Arts
Students will learn to read and write music, sing a variety of songs that support learning experiences in other subject areas, play percussion to the classics, and complete a focus study on listening to music. To help develop songwriting skills, students use the GarageBand program on their laptops. Additionally, dancing, choreography, and drama improvisation are an active part of class. Students are invited to demonstrate skills learned throughout the year at the annual music concert.
Visual Arts
Students will engage in hands-on activities with a variety of art media. Lessons facilitate an exploration of the visual arts through experiences integrated with the social studies curriculum. Students will learn about traditional arts and crafts across the world and create their own authentic works of art. Students practice the language and understanding of the elements of art while developing confidence in the areas of drawing, painting, and sculpting.
GRADE 7 ACADEMICS
English Language Arts( ELA)
The seventh grade ELA curriculum will focus on reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Students will become more effective thinkers and active learners through communication, reflection, and understanding. Students will have many opportunities to work with various types of writing, including narrative, descriptive, expository, and persuasive writing. Becoming familiar with literary terms, learning to read for detail, using details to support interpretation of characters, and becoming aware of the beauty and power of the written word are key curriculum outcomes.
Mathematics
The seventh grade mathematics curriculum includes decimals, algebra and statistics, linear equations and functions, fractions, proportional reasoning, geometry, and measurement. Acceleration, extension, and enrichment opportunities are offered within the classroom.
Life Science
Seventh grade students will learn about a number of different life science topics. These include: defining life, relationships in nature, food webs, scientific method, photosynthesis, cells, organ systems, genetics, and evolution. Students will be asked to use a variety of methods; in particular, STEM-related activities will explore key concepts of each unit.
Social Studies
Maine culture is the focus of seventh grade social studies. Students will examine questions such as: What is social studies? What makes a place a place? What happens when cultures interact with one another? What is required to create a community? How does a place change over time? Students will explore many facets of social studies, including history, geography, economics, government, anthropology, and sociology.
Languages
The languages program provides students with a foundation for future language study and promotes awareness of cultures related to languages. Spanish and French are taught in a two-year loop so that students are able to achieve maximum exposure to the structures of a language. The course is organized around thematic units that integrate vocabulary, grammatical structures, culture, and communication.
Seventh grade students will focus on learning the basic language skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing— all taught through themes such as the classroom, school, family, home, and holidays. Popular culture, food, art, music, and other content areas are regularly connected to lessons. Skills in participation, tolerance, and cooperation are also strongly emphasized.
Health / Wellness
Instruction is divided between physical activity and health classroom lessons. Physical activities are often integrated with core curriculum concepts in science. Health units of study include: mental, emotional, family, and social health; community and environmental health; anatomy; and current events related to health.
Visual Arts
Students will expand their knowledge of the elements and principles of art through an investigation of current uses of art and design. Visual arts activities are regularly designed to extend and complement academic areas of study; this integrated approach will help students develop an appreciation for art in daily life.
Music & Performing Arts
Seventh graders focus on African percussion, using authentic instruments from Ghana. An introduction of complex rhythms through ensemble and individual activities help students develop teamwork and cultivate a greater understanding of the music of other cultures. Students use GarageBand, software available on their laptops, to create original works. They also complete a unit focusing on American music in history( Ellis Island). African dance, drama activities, and studying the annual high school musical are also highlights in class. Students are invited to demonstrate skills learned throughout the year at the annual music concert.
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