Middle School | 5-8

In fifth through eighth grade, our program changes to a combined English and History class titled Humanities in order to best prepare our students for success in high school and beyond. The emphasis in Humanities is on advanced levels of reading, writing, oral presentation, discussion, and critical thinking. Students read for pleasure as well as for information, including self-selected readings, short stories, poetry, novels, and drama. They are encouraged to think independently, solve problems, interpret and analyze literature, expand oral and written communication skills, and increase their vocabulary. Students write formally and informally on a variety of subjects, utilizing the writing process to hone the skills required for description, narration, and persuasion. Technology is used as a tool for learning, for researching information, and for composing and editing written work. Media literacy lessons are integrated into the curriculum to teach appropriate research techniques, internet safety, and etiquette. By the end of eighth grade students are proficient in computer use, internet research, Google applications, a variety of presentation formats, podcasting, and digital movie editing.

Fifth graders create critical connections to American history and world cultures through literature, discussion, and writing. Students are active in groups and do independent work to reflect deeply on an author’s craft and intent. Through writer’s workshop, students further develop their voice, organize their writing, and share work for peer and teacher feedback. Students explore the development of the United States, from the first colonists at Jamestown through the Declaration of Independence. Through project based learning, fifth graders have the opportunity to demonstrate their learning via film, slideshows, photo essays and performance art.

Sixth grade humanities centers around the myriad layers of what forms civilization, culture, and personal identity. Students immerse themselves in the creation stories, mythologies, and history of the early humans, Egyptians, and Greeks, and they come to understand how the Hero’s Journey connects most of our storytelling from Homer to J.K. Rowling. Students keep daily writing journals and continue to deepen their writing skills by composing personal narratives, literary response essays, short stories, poetry, and an original play.

Seventh grade humanities focuses on being a global citizen by interlacing ancient world history with current events. Students are challenged to think critically about current world issues and relate them to their historical, geographical, political, economic, and cultural contexts. By examining a variety of texts including folktales, poetry and short stories, students are able to identify with the larger world and other cultures. Students write daily in both academic and creative ways to develop their voice and perspective. Research projects and collaborative work promote student-directed inquiry and interests.

Eighth grade humanities is rooted in the American experience. Students explore themes of identity and social justice through examining literature, American history, and themselves. Students read fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and primary documents and write analytical essays, creative nonfiction, poetry, persuasive letters, and flash fiction. Eighth graders engage in a number of research based, large-scale, creative projects that integrate humanities, art, and technology. Eighth grade students also take on the responsibility of hosting an all-school assembly, which includes a formal presentation that offers both a lesson for our community and a demonstration of their presentation skills. In their final graduation speeches, each eighth grader delivers a message about who they are and what they hope to contribute to their community and world in the future. 

In fifth through eighth grade, students refine their math skills in more specific subject areas. The focus moves from concrete to abstract reasoning abilities, emphasizing critical thinking, problem-solving, reasoning and proof, communication, connections, and representation with regard to algebraic thinking. Mastery learning is emphasized through the use of the revision process where students find and correct their mistakes on assignments in order to fully master the concepts. For every mathematical process they learn, students acquire a deep understanding of why it works. They learn that mathematics is both a tool and a way of thinking that can be used to address problems in the world.

Sixth graders are assessed according to their readiness levels and begin the year in one of two classes: Math 6 or Math 7. This determines their path through eighth grade:

 

Math 6 topics	Math 7 topics	Math 8 topics
Area and Surface Area	Scale Drawings	Rigid Transformations and Congruence
Ratios	Proportional Relationships	Dilations, Similarity and Introducing Slope
Rates and Percentages	Measuring Circles	Linear Relationships
Dividing Fractions	Proportional Relationships and Percentages	Linear Equations and Linear Systems
Decimal operations	Rational Number Operations	Functions and Volume
Expressions and Equations	Expressions Equations and Inequalities	Associations in Data
Rational Numbers (Negative numbers)	Angles, Triangles and Prisms	Exponents and Scientific Notation
Data sets and Distributions	Probability and Sampling	Pythagorean Theorem and Irrational Numbers

 

The fifth through eighth grade science curriculum is based on current research in the fields of earth, space, physical, and life sciences. Students develop their science laboratory skills and refine their understanding of the scientific method. They learn how to ask questions, observe accurately, record and interpret data, and design experiments. Labs are a great place for students to test their ability to think critically and creatively while working cooperatively with their peers. They learn how to effectively use computers for data collection and analysis and to research and study using the Internet as a resource. Practical applications of these skills are stressed to help students appreciate the relevance of scientific principles in everyday life.

Fifth grade science is a study of human anatomy and the myriad ways in which day-to-day choices affect human health. Students study the various systems of the body, analyze the organs for structure and function, and explore how toxins and pollutants in the environment impact human health.

Sixth grade science is an investigation of the history of the earth and the biosphere. Students explore the formation and mechanics of our sun and solar system, investigate the dynamic forces that drive plate tectonics, study the rise of single-celled life to the megafauna of the last ice age, and analyze the modern synthesis of Mendelian heredity with Darwin's mechanism for evolution, Natural Selection. Computer coding and robotics are also a part of the sixth grade curriculum.

Seventh grade science explores matter and structure. Units include robotics, coding, physical science, the classification of matter and taxonomy, and chemistry. Students also learn how to design experiments, test variables, and present and analyze data through rocketry.

Fifth grade extends their science education in the field with a day long excursion with the Marine Science Institute, which puts students in physical contact with the San Francisco bay and coast environments to help cultivate their natural sense of curiosity, enrich their understanding of science, and foster a responsibility to protect the environment. In a similar vein, fifth grade also spends three days and two nights at the Marin Headlands Institute, participating in team building activities, ocean and tidepool exploration, and learning more about the Leave No Trace concept of respecting and protecting the outdoors.

The sixth grade participates in the Four Winds ropes course, which is in the coastal hills above Bodega Bay. The goal of this one-day experience is to develop individual skills and to build teamwork among students and teachers. This experience, in the fall of each year, offers students a gentle transition into middle school and an opportunity for new and returning students to get to know one another and their teachers. In the spring, sixth grade spends three days and two nights camping at Salt Point State Park. Students do day hikes and learn the “leave no trace” philosophy, participate in teambuilding activities, and explore the Sonoma Coast ecosystem through paddle boarding, kayaking, and tide-pooling.

In the fall, seventh graders trek through Point Reyes National Seashore for three days and two nights. This trip introduces students to the rewards and challenges of backpacking, which seventh grade students practice again in the spring during an overnight trip to Annadel and Spring Lake State Parks. The trip also includes a service component, as students spend a day doing trail restoration and ridding the park of invasive plant species.

The eighth grade class builds on its prior year’s experience with a four day and three night backpacking trek into Emigrant Wilderness, located near Yosemite in the Stanislaus National Forest. The seventh and eighth grade backpacking experiences are led by trained guides from Go Adventures/Lifeschool, accompanied by SCDS teachers. Go Adventures/Lifeschool is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering teens from all backgrounds with life skills, healthy values, and environmental ethics through wilderness travel. The core values and activities that Lifeschool uses to educate and inspire the youth fall into the categories of risk management, skill building, environmental stewardship, adventure, and nutrition. These align well with the educational philosophy and goals at SCDS.