Middle School
Curriculum and Course Descriptions
If you would like to view the Middle School Curriculum Guide publication, please click here to download a pdf version of the file.
Course Descriptions 2006-2007
The Bush Middle School Curriculum includes studies in several core subjects, as well as regular engagement in the arts and athletics. In all three grades, students study Math, English, Science, and History (referred to as MESH classes) on a daily basis. The curriculum is designed to foster interdisciplinary connections, as well as to promote appropriate repetition of skills and careful sequencing of new materials within a particular area of study. Students study their chosen World Language (French or Spanish) four times per week, and attend Arts (Drama, Music, or Art) and Physical Education classes three times per week. Technology and Information Literacy are fully integrated into the academic curriculum.
Mathematics
Sixth Grade
Mathematics plays an integral part in everyday life and shapes our understanding of the world at large. In the sixth grade, students explore the subject through a curriculum that focuses on the following topics: geometry, number theory, rational numbers, measurement, fractions, decimals, percents, probability, and statistics. Students are encouraged to solve complex and meaningful problems that demonstrate the connections between mathematics and other subjects, including the sciences as well as the humanities. They acquire knowledge and develop understanding through a variety of activities: the use of manipulatives, working in groups, drawing upon various technological tools, and presenting their findings through both written and oral expression. Finally, skills attained earlier in the students’ careers also will be reviewed and strengthened to ensure a solid computational skill base.
Students use the Connected Mathematics Project, which was developed at Michigan State University and is supported by the National Science Foundation. The Connected Mathematics Project II, published in 2006, supports the recommendations for improved teaching and learning of mathematics issued by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. In addition, some students will advance to study Pre-Algebra topics during the second and third trimesters.
Seventh Grade
The seventh grade mathematics curriculum is designed to provide a smooth transition from arithmetic to algebra, and from the visual world and arithmetic to geometry. The course emphasizes reading and problem-solving skills, representing or picturing mathematical concepts, applying mathematics to real-world situations, and increased retention. Seventh grade mathematics aims to help students understand mathematical principles so that they can use numbers confidently to come to decisions and use their understanding as a tool for reasoning and problem-solving in purposeful ways. Students use the Connected Mathematics Project, which was developed at Michigan State University and is supported by the National Science Foundation. The Connected Mathematics Project, published in 1996, supports the recommendations for improved teaching and learning of mathematics issued by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.
Eighth Grade
Most eighth grade students have just begun to make the transition to abstract thinking. Our course is designed to support students wherever they are in that process. The course presents all of the skills and concepts of a traditional first-year algebra course, and by year’s end, most of the class have mastered those basic skills and are ready for Geometry in the ninth grade. Some students, however, need more time to reach mastery and for them the course serves effectively as a final year of pre-algebra.
The scope and sequence of content of our text reflects a traditional approach to the teaching of algebra that builds a strong foundation of pattern recognition, problem-solving techniques, and computational skills with both real numbers and variables. It emphasizes the analysis and translation of arithmetic and verbal statements into algebraic symbols. Key topics are presented in a proven sequence that makes them accessible to a broad range of students. Lessons feature easy-to-read explanations followed by abundant worked examples. All of the field properties and many of the core algebraic concepts are introduced early in the fall and then expanded throughout the year as students mature in their ability to think abstractly. Although students are expected to demonstrate proficiency in graphing and traditional paper and pencil calculations, graphing calculators are required daily and are used extensively to analyze data and to help visualize important concepts.
Alternative Math Sequence
The Standard Math Curriculum described above is a strong one, designed to meet developmental needs and national standards, as well as to prepare students for The Bush Upper School Math program. This sequence of study prepares students to study geometry in ninth grade and to choose from a variety of options for further courses of study before graduating, including a year of calculus in the senior year. However, beginning in September 2005, an alternative math curriculum is being phased in over three years, for students who show advanced mathematical ability and academic maturity in each grade. The alternative course in sixth grade introduces pre-algebra to students who show readiness for increasingly complex work. Successful completion of this course prepares students to study algebra in seventh grade and geometry in eighth grade.
This alternative sequence of math study provides a structured learning environment for students who come to the Bush Middle School in sixth grade already having completed our current sixth grade curriculum, or who are developmentally ready for more abstract work in this area. Alternative courses have been designed specifically so that a student who is placed in an alternative course in one grade may move into either the standard or alternative course in the next. For instance, a student studying pre-algebra in sixth grade who does not progress as expected may move into the standard seventh grade Pre-Algebra course in seventh grade, and will not find him/herself repeating a course. Appropriate placement for all students, based on objective measures (such as year-end placement tests, unit tests and work completed in the previous school year), as well as clear communication among parents, students, teachers, and administration, are the most important predictors of a student’s success in math.
English
Sixth Grade
Sixth grade English strives to build upon the language arts skills that students acquired during their lower school years, while introducing them to the language and practice of more formalized response and criticism. This is a year in which students begin to transition from simply enjoying literature to analyzing it; from writing creatively to crafting formal paragraphs and essays; from accepting guidance to setting goals for their own learning. Many of the larger projects assigned this year have been designed to integrate learning from more than one discipline.
The writing in sixth grade English strives to formalize previous experiences with the writing process. Students use the terminology of the 6-Trait Writing Model as they practice writing as a process, including brainstorming, drafting, editing, revising, and self-evaluation. Emphasis is placed on integrating each trait into completed pieces of writing. Individual assignments may include letters of request, journals, creative stories, interviews, poetry, literary response paragraphs, narrative and expository essays. Weekly instruction in specific grammar and punctuation occur and are reinforced through workshops and writing projects. Vocabulary study is both literature-based and supplemented with the textbook Vocabulary Workshop. Strategies for increasing spelling accuracy also are taught throughout the year.
Reading instruction at this level includes initial assessment of interest and skills, building competency in the reading of nonfiction and informational texts, and increasing comprehension of both nonfiction and fictional work. Selections vary from year to year and include a wide variety of essays, articles, short stories and poems chosen by both students and teacher.
Seventh Grade
Seventh grade English focuses on each student’s continued development of reading, writing, vocabulary, and grammar. A wide variety of contemporary and classical works are studied, many focused around the theme of perseverance. In addition to a variety of short stories and poems, students read the following novels: Of Beetles and Angels, Haroun and the Sea of Stories, To Kill a Mockingbird, A Separate Peace, and A Northern Light.
Students practice pre-writing organizational techniques to strengthen their writing. They learn the significance and value of the revision process through numerous editing sessions. Other writing activities give students the opportunity to experiment with a variety of literary forms, including poems, personal narratives, short stories, and literary analyses. Grammar and vocabulary lessons are an integral part of the seventh grade curriculum. Students are given bi-weekly quizzes to test their retention in these areas. In addition to using a vocabulary text, students study vocabulary from the literature we read.
Eighth Grade
Eighth grade English is designed to help students become more thoughtful and critical readers, more deliberate and skillful writers, and more involved and responsible human beings. The course is literature-based and writing-intensive and requires students to participate actively, as individuals and in groups, in discussions, projects, and as architects of their own educations.
The literature that students read revolves around a coming-of-age theme. Selections vary from year to year, but past choices include: The Giver, The Joy Luck Club, The Alchemist, The Catcher in the Rye, In Country, and Warriors Don’t Cry, as well as short stories, essays and poems. Students wrestle with the literature in a variety of ways, including role-playing, small group activities, and presentations, and most often in a student-centered forum called a Harkness Discussion.
The writing in eighth grade English builds on the literature and focuses on using the writing process to develop strategies to meet individual writing needs. Through brainstorming, organizing, drafting, revising, giving and receiving feedback, and reflecting, students not only improve as writers, but also gain a better understanding of and control over themselves as writers. Individual assignments include personal narratives, journals, creative writing, persuasive letters, interviews, and textual analysis. The year culminates with a long-term writing project in which each student contributes a ten-episode autobiography to a class collection.
Science
Sixth Grade
In sixth grade Science, students develop the use of the scientific method as a tool for inquiry-based education. For many students, this is their first exposure to the Scientific Method and making scientific measurements. We begin the year developing the necessary skills to make detailed scientific investigations. Students conduct many hands-on experiments designed to develop skills in creating hypotheses, gathering data, organizing data, analyzing data, and creating meaningful conclusions. Later in the year students revisit the Scientific Method and create their own Science Celebration Projects (similar to a “science fair” project) in which they choose their own individual topics, create hypotheses and experiments, and describe their conclusions through a display board presentation and a written report. The bulk of the year will be spent using the Scientific Method to explore Earth Science units, which focus on the Earth’s interior and geology, the Earth’s waters, and Meteorology. Each unit will have a text to guide and/or serve as a reference for scientific inquiry. By the end of the year students will have explored and explained many of the processes related to the ever-changing Earth.
Seventh Grade
In seventh grade Science, students explore the world of life science and nature. From microscopic cultures, to comparative anatomy and food webs, students focus on natural systems, energy flow and the cyclical patterns of life. The students conduct hands-on experiments in class as they learn about and experience the diversity of life. Over the course of the year, students also maintain the class's vivariums and, through a comprehensive research project, develop an imaginary animal that is anatomically and behaviorally feasible.
Eighth Grade
How is science useful in everyday life? How can science and technology help solve some of the problems we face as a global community at the beginning of the twenty-first century? These are some of the big questions that eighth grade science students ponder and strive to answer as we study environmental science, chemistry, and the physics of motion. We focus on the application of science through exciting hands-on projects including building and launching rockets, design competitions, water testing, and analysis of the hazards in our own environment. We also examine ethical issues related to the environment such as human cloning and bioengineering of plants and animals.
As the various topics are studied, students develop the process skills that are so important in scientific problem-solving: use of laboratory equipment, scientific method, collecting and interpreting data, graphing and computational skills, to name a few. We use three textbooks from the Prentice Hall Science Explorer series, Environmental Science, Chemical Building Blocks, and Motion, Forces, and Energy as reference texts and we utilize a variety of other resources for labs and projects. Students work individually, in lab groups, and in cooperative groups.
History
Sixth Grade
Sixth grade history class is spent learning about the nature of human cultures and cultural diversity. Sixth graders explore world history from prehistory to the major events, people, and places in various early civilizations. Special emphasis is placed on identifying the changing roles that geography, technology, art, literature, science, structures of power and governance, and social institutions play in each culture studied. Students will also learn about modern archeology and the collecting of historic evidence at various sites around the globe.
The course uses a variety of non-fiction texts and articles to develop, practice, and extend student reading skills and comprehension strategies. In addition, students read historical fiction to help further their understanding of the civilizations studied. Students also learn to communicate information through a variety of writing activities, including interviews, newspaper articles, story maps, note-taking, and various research reports.
The final unit of study is an archeological dig. Student groups create their own cultures and artifacts in secret. Next they bury their artifacts, switch sites, and participate in an archeological dig where they attempt to reconstruct and analyze the excavated cultures. This unit concludes with an oral presentation and defense of the group’s theories about their excavated culture.
Seventh Grade
Seventh grade history is an interdisciplinary and experiential introduction to global studies including geography, religion, culture, art, environment, economics, and politics. While studying these topics, students develop skills in critical thinking, academic writing, public speaking, peer collaboration, appreciation for diversity, and positive citizenship in a global world.
During the first trimester, students focus on world geography and global economic, environmental, and political issues. The second trimester focuses on world religions and religion’s influence upon culture and politics. The third trimester utilizes the tools and understandings gained from the previous trimesters for an in-depth look at selected historical, cultural, and geographical processes in Seattle and the Pacific Northwest.
Seventh grade history emphasizes several areas of skill development. First, the class continually pushes for better critical thinking. Our readings, primary documents, Internet resources, and competing viewpoint articles first give students an overview of the major themes of each period. After evaluating different perspectives on these questions, students develop and express their own opinions in thought papers and discussions, providing practice in articulating and supporting their conclusions as well as sensitively considering other students’ differing conclusions.
Second, the class emphasizes experiential learning through simulations and projects, while also making interdisciplinary connections with subjects including English, Science, and Technology. Through frequent small group projects and all-class simulations, students work cooperatively in diverse groups, in diverse settings. Finally, the class strives to develop better global citizens through building an awareness of the interconnectedness of the global community, for better or worse. Students gain an appreciation of lives that are sometimes similar and often tremendously different. They learn about global problems and the interconnected causes of these (including students’ own contributions). Students form their own ideas for possible solutions to these problems and, through a series of experiential projects connected to involvement in public policy, take action for positive change.
Eighth Grade
The eighth grade history course is designed to encourage students to “do” history rather than study “about” history. Looking at selected pivotal events and issues in U.S. history, students practice using primary and secondary sources, expository writing, public speaking, and critical thinking skills as we examine our independence from England, the creation of a “new” political system, and adapting to challenges to our democracy during the past 225 years.
The major goal is to encourage students to move from the safe concrete world of historical facts to the riskier and more abstract aspects of historical interpretation. A variety of instructional approaches, materials, and evaluation methods help students to identify their learning style and academic strengths. Emphasis is placed on perfecting skills and strategies that will promote future academic success and responsible community participation.
World Languages
The purpose of the World Language Department is to provide each student with the ability to understand and interpret experience from the viewpoint of a foreign culture. The first step in achieving this purpose is to introduce and foster communication through the skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing in a second language.
French and Spanish are offered from grades six through twelve. Students are asked to select one of these languages to study for the duration of his/her time in the Middle School. New seventh and eighth grade students who have studied French or Spanish before are encouraged to continue their study of that language. In ninth grade, students continuing on to the Bush Upper School will have the opportunity to change or to add a language course. French and Spanish through Level V are offered in the Upper School, along with a variety of electives such as Latin American Literature.
Interns from France, Mexico, and Spain work side-by-side with our language teachers in the classroom and in the school community to share their home cultures and enhance students’ conversational skills.
French
Sixth Grade
The focus of this course is on communication through the acquisition of vocabulary, grammatical structures, conversation, reading, writing, and culture. The cultural focus in sixth grade is the discovery of several of the French-speaking countries around the world (other than France). Acquisition of basic language skills occurs through the use of the target language in the classroom as well as visual stimuli, songs, poems, projects, skits, videos, listening comprehension activities, magazines, and homework assignments. We utilize the text Bon Voyage, by Glencoe, along with a large variety of audio-visual materials.
Seventh Grade
In seventh grade French, students are encouraged to build a common vocabulary, drawing from what we already know and from newly-introduced themes, in order to practice communication with each other in French. Students work on spelling and grammar, primarily related to word gender, verb forms, and verb tenses, while exploring more complex and meaningful sentence structure. The cultural focus is on Paris, its history, physical layout and major monuments. Students continue to use the text Bon Voyage by Glencoe, along with a large variety of audio-visual materials.
Eighth Grade
In this course, students continue to develop their speaking, writing, reading, and listening comprehension skills. We delve into more complex grammar and stretch the borders of our memories with new vocabulary, verb forms and tenses. Among the functions acquired this year are: talking about the future (future tense) and the past (passé composé and imparfait). Students will create dialogues, read authentic French texts, and memorize and recite poetry. Research projects and oral presentations allow students to engage with specific aspects of the francophone world, while French films and music provide an opportunity to hear many French voices and experience different aspects of French culture. The cultural focus this year is on France, its history, geography and provinces.
The second part of the Bon Voyage series is used in the eighth grade. Culture is integrated throughout the text, from the basic introduction of vocabulary to the photographic contributions of the National Geographic Society. Assessments are based on weekly quizzes, tests, homework assignments and class participation. Students who successfully complete the Middle School French curriculum will be recommended for level II in Upper School.
Spanish
Sixth Grade
The goal of this course is to encourage students to become life-long learners of the Spanish language, and to develop their interest in other cultures. Students work on their oral, written, reading and listening skills through classroom conversations, tapes, skits, readings, written exercises, projects, and the study of grammatical structures.
Middle School students are at the developmental stage where they are now ready to understand grammar, memorize an incredible amount of vocabulary, and mimic the teacher, so the learning curve is very steep. From day one, students are required to speak in a safe environment, and through repetition they become very comfortable using the Spanish language.
Another important focus of the course is the study of the Spanish culture: the history, food, music, and people of Spanish-speaking countries. We accomplish this by reading literature from the different countries, conducting research in the library and on the Internet, and acquiring first-hand information from the teacher. Students use the textbook Buen Viaje: Level 1 and its corresponding workbook.
Seventh Grade
The focus of this course is to encourage students to improve their ability to communicate in the Spanish language and to develop their interest in other cultures. Students may have already had exposure to the Spanish language in the sixth grade, so we continue building on communication skills.
Students work on their oral, written, reading, and listening skills through classroom conversations, tapes, skits, readings, written exercises, projects, and the study of grammatical structures.
Another important focus of the course is the study of Spain: the history, food, music and people. We accomplish this through studying stories and poems from Spanish writers, conducting research in the library and the on Internet, and learning about the teacher’s own experiences in Spain and Central America. Students use the textbook Buen Viaje: Level 1 and its corresponding workbook.
Eighth Grade
The eighth grade Spanish course is part three of the Middle School Spanish program. The goal of this course is to encourage students to become life-long learners of the Spanish language, to develop their interest in other cultures, and to prepare students for successful entrance into high school Spanish. Students work on their oral, written, reading, and listening skills through classroom conversations, tapes, skits, readings, written exercises, projects, and the study of grammatical structures.
Students are introduced to more complex language structures through reading and listening exercises and corresponding written work. Over the course of the year, students study the past tense. We practice written and oral communication skills through recitations, interviews, creative role-plays, and preparing oral presentations. Spain is the cultural focus in the eighth grade.
Written exercises include individual writing of paragraphs and poetry as well as research projects. The primary texts are Buen Viaje: Level 2 and the accompanying Buen Viaje student workbook.
Fine Arts
The Visual and Performing Arts Department’s goal is to release, develop, and share our imaginative and creative selves, individually and collectively, by:
- Investigating elements and principles of design and performance
- Exploring linear and non-linear styles of learning, risk-taking, and expressing
- Celebrating and integrating the pursuit of viewing the world aesthetically
The arts are a very important aspect of a child’s intellectual development. Study of and direct participation in the arts help foster self-confidence, a greater awareness of one’s surroundings, and acceptance of the diversity we all have to offer that makes our communities dynamic.
Bush Middle School students study three different areas of fine arts in the course of one year. Each trimester, a student studies Art, Music, or Drama, moving to a different arts subject at the end of each trimester. Sixth graders also participate in the Middle School Chorus, which performs in concert for the school community several times each year. Through the Activity Program, students are able to participate in grade-level plays, songwriting, photography, Select Choir, and other supplementary arts offerings. Three times a year, “Open Mic” in our theatre gives students the chance to perform original compositions.
Art
Sixth Grade
In drawing, the students explore lines, lights and darks, proportions, and the use of space. In painting, students develop fundamental skills with watercolors. In sculpture, students work with clay, exploring geometric form and composition and decomposition. The elements of design are taught through printmaking, through which students develop an understanding of positive and negative spaces.
Seventh Grade
Students continue to build upon their visual art skills and vocabulary. In drawing, they learn about the object and the object in relation to another object. They use the same concepts in three-dimensional work with clay. In printmaking, students are encouraged to take risks with composition and exploration with color. Expression is encouraged through the use of varying media, including the introduction of soft pastels and charcoals.
Eighth Grade
Students continue to develop their artistic skills along with language to describe them. They undertake more complex work in drawing and use acrylics for painting. In printmaking, they learn problem-solving techniques through the use of soft linoleum and inks. In sculpture, students learn to take risks and explore their creativity as they make a chair from materials they have collected.
Music
Students enter our Middle School with a wide variety of musical experiences, and some have never been exposed to music in a classroom setting. No matter what their individual background is, however, children respond to passion and energy. The music they collect and enjoy is full of both, and this is a great starting point from which to build a good working rapport and an intellectual curiosity about how music is put together. The Middle School creates an “Open Mic” performance for the school community three times a year that is open to participation by all students. The Middle School music teacher supports both individual and small ensemble performances at the Open Mics, with many students composing and performing their own work.
Sixth Grade
The primary goal of the sixth grade music course is to make students comfortable with the subject. The music course allows students to describe and share their own musical tastes and at the same time forces them to recognize that with music, no two minds think alike! Time is spent on the vocabulary of music and on investigating the qualities of sound through several interactive assignments. Rhythmic dictation (the skill of notating what someone plays) as well as sight-reading and simple composition are introduced.
Chorus gives the entire sixth grade an opportunity to come together twice a week to sing. The rehearsals are lively and the music is age-appropriate, which makes it fun to sing. The Chorus performs in concert several times each year for the school community.
Seventh Grade
A year of development at this age makes a big difference in what students are capable of understanding in the abstract. The seventh grade music course builds on this growth and focuses on form and analysis using primarily modern genres of music. Students study the vocabulary that will aid them in their investigation of two long musical works. With this experience behind them, the remaining weeks of the trimester are spent analyzing and preparing a paper and creative project on Pink Floyd’s rock opera “The Wall.” Students work individually and in groups piecing together the story and music and discover the world of symbolism, the abstract, and the surreal.
Eighth Grade
In the eighth grade, the focus shifts from the analysis of single works to an overview of American music (symphonic, jazz, and modern genres) followed by analysis of the development of music during one decade, the 1960s. No art is created in a vacuum, and understanding the sociology behind the music makes for a more rewarding listening experience. Great musical moments from the decade, such as selections from Monterey Pop, Woodstock, footage of the Beatles and The Rolling Stones, are presented on video and discussed as context for the major project students undertake. Students devote considerable time investigating a relevant musical/cultural topic or artist, and once becoming the class “expert” on that subject, present their work in the form of a video and/or oral presentation that is the culmination of their Middle School music study.
Drama
Students who wish to pursue additional drama opportunities in addition to the classes described below may choose through the Activity program to be involved in the sixth, seventh, or eighth grade play, one of which is mounted each trimester and performed several times for the school community.
Sixth Grade
In this class students begin to explore the fundamentals of acting. Through improvisation exercises, students learn to work in an ensemble, to expand their physical and vocal abilities, to make interesting acting choices, to analyze scenes, to create believable characters, and to trust their instincts. This class sets the stage for Middle School students' drama experience, both in the classroom and in school productions.
Seventh Grade
In this class students learn about and then portray stock Commedia characters such as the "good-natured fool,” “miserly master,” “sassy servant,” “cowardly military officer,” and those perennial favorites, “headstrong lovers.” Students study various historical periods to make correlations between the comedy of the past and the comedy of today.
Eighth Grade
In this class students are exposed to a variety of adult and children’s plays. Students take on the roles of director, set designer, costume designer, and light designer, culminating in a presentation of their vision to the class. Students also work on a technical aspect of either the sixth, seventh or eighth grade play, whether it be set, costume, or light design. Students also create a lobby display reflecting an aspect of the play in production.
Physical Education
The objectives of the Middle School physical education program are:
- To introduce students to a broad range of traditional and nontraditional sport and physical activities
- To develop sportsmanship and group cooperative skills
- To improve individual sport and physical skills
- To increase awareness and knowledge of sports, physiology, and movement
- To maintain and improve fitness
Sixth Grade
In the sixth grade, the focus is on developing individual skills. We begin to develop team play and introduce game strategies. Classes include instruction on the challenges of keeping fit, eating habits as related to exercise, awareness of body changes, and appreciation of the variety of body types, sizes, and skill that is apparent in Middle School-age students.
Seventh Grade
In the seventh grade, the focus is on refining individual skills and expanding the students’ understanding and use of game strategies. Classes include instruction on the challenges of keeping fit, eating habits as related to exercise, awareness of body changes, and appreciation of the variety of body types, sizes, and skill that is apparent in Middle School-age students.
Eighth Grade
In the eighth grade, the focus is on the development of more complicated strategies and team play. Classes include instruction on the challenges of keeping fit, eating habits as related to exercise, awareness of body changes, and appreciation of the variety of body types, sizes, and skill that is apparent in Middle School-age students.
Human Relations
Seventh graders pursue a year-long Human Relations curriculum that challenges students to explore their emerging sense of self and to examine what it means to be a member of any community. As they go through this process, the main objective of this curriculum is to provide students with information. The curriculum includes four main units:
1. Discovering Values
2. Decision-making
3. Relationships
4. Personal Safety
Within each of these units are the following sub-units: virtues and values, peer pressure, assumptions, stereotypes and tolerance, nutrition, drug awareness, and human sexuality. Each unit takes students further through a process of evaluating their decisions and actions, understanding the power and importance of relationships in their lives, and recognizing possible obstacles that will challenge them as they enter their teenage years. An important goal is to support students in taking ownership of creating for themselves a safe and healthy environment.
Information Technology
Middle School students use technology applications in all their classes and, in addition, have scheduled time in the Middle School Computer Lab twice a week. For the first two months of sixth grade, the focus is on keyboarding, to ensure that students entering the Middle School from outside of Bush gain keyboarding skills on a par with their classmates who have had three years of computer instruction in the Bush Lower School.
Students use Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Visio, Internet Explorer and FireFox,as well as various Adobe and Macromedia programs, and students’ skills with all of these are enhanced through various projects that are integrated with their academic classes throughout the year. The Middle School Technology teacher collaborates with all Middle School classroom teachers to create these integrated projects. Selected examples from the three Middle School grades follow:
- Science: Animated PowerPoint presentations on volcanoes, geothermal energy, and other earth phenomena
- Science: PowerPoint presentations exploring specific environmental issues and culminating in the Sixth Grade Environmental Film Festival
- Science: gathering scientific data and producing charts and graphs in Excel
- Math: Online research culminating in the creation of a Famous Mathematicians Wax Museum
- Math: Creating floor plans for each student’s “dream house” using Visio (an architectural drawing program)
- Math: Rolling “pigs” (pink, small, plastic) and tracking the resulting data in Excel spreadsheets
- History: Creating individual web pages using FrontPage and/or Dreamweaver
- History: Internet research to support discussion of the ethical use of information
- English: Enhancing students’ use of Word as they write stories, papers, and poems
- French: Internet research for creation of reports on famous French sites
- Spanish: PowerPoint slides to enhance oral presentations on research on Latin American countries
In addition to the classroom-driven units, a variety of Technology Activities are offered throughout the year to Middle School Students. Examples include Building Computers, VideoWorld, and the online Middle School magazine, “Blazine.” These units take place in the Computer Classroom – seventeen networked personal computers with full Internet access and a rich offering of typing programs, graphics programs, and the latest Microsoft Office Suite programs.
Information Literacy
Information literacy curriculum is not taught in isolation but through a collaborative, project-driven effort between the Middle School Librarian, Rebecca Wynkoop, and the Middle School teachers. Six essential questions are used to help guide students through the ever-increasing complexity of an information-dependent world:
1. Why read?
2. Why do I need information?
3. What is the difference between information and knowledge?
4. What are my rights and responsibilities as a consumer and producer of information?
5. How does the world I live in affect the skills I need?
6. Why and how do I use the library?
The primary mode of production and assessment for information literacy is the use of a Research Notebook that each student uses throughout grades six, seven, and eight. Research Notebooks are maintained in either print or electronic form; eighth grade students create their own Research Blogs.
Each entry in the Research Notebook or Research Blog, made when a student visits the library or conducts online research, contains five essential elements:
1. the date
2. preconceptions
3. the bibliographic citation
4. page/paragraph numbers
5. notes
6. a reflective paragraph
Students use three primary note-taking strategies – taking out the trash, paraphrasing, and using direct quotes, along with their reflective paragraph, to build an understanding of and appreciation for intellectual property. The requirement that students create a reflective paragraph for all the research sources they utilize is a powerful deterrent to the “copy and paste” approach that leads many students to the edge of plagiarism. Through the use of the Research Notebook, Bush Middle School students experience the deepest rewards of their own primary research as they are conducting it. Students are asked to think about the information they have obtained – to turn information into knowledge.
Interscholastic Sports
The Bush Middle School supports the full participation of any student who wishes to join a sports team. Skill level does not affect placement, and all students are given an equal and full experience in games, as well as in practices. Practices take place during the Activity periods on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoons; all regularly scheduled games take place during this time or after school. As much as possible, we attempt to schedule all interscholastic games on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays; however, games may occur on Tuesdays or Thursdays as well.
- Fall: Soccer, Cross-Country Running, Girls Volleyball
- Winter: Basketball, Cross-Country Skiing
- Spring: Track and Field, Girls Lacrosse, Golf, Tennis, Girls Volleyball, Ultimate Frisbee
Further information about athletics at Bush may be found at www.bush.edu, by clicking on “Teaching and Learning” and then clicking on “Athletics.”
Community Values and Expectations
The Bush School statement of Community Expectations provides general guidelines for appropriate behavior for all students, parents and faculty. In the Middle School, the basis for a healthy, productive community is the willingness on the part of each member to respect and care for the physical environment, each other, and oneself. We seek to create an environment where people feel safe to take risks, where individuality and differences are valued, and where pride in and responsibility for one’s actions are taken as a matter of course.
However, as middle school students learn to make choices for themselves and to interact with each other, mistakes in judgment and breaches of expectations do occur. Responses to inappropriate behavior focus on understanding, as well as consequences, and are made in such a way as to encourage reflection upon actions, acknowledgement of error, and reconciliation between parties. Every attempt is made to provide a consequence that suits the infraction.
The responsibility for maintaining discipline and providing structure lies with the teachers, staff and Middle School Director. Teachers will respond to specific misbehavior in their classroom. Disruption of activity or learning, disrespect of a teacher, classmates, and/or property, as well as a refusal to do one’s best work are considered to be unacceptable behavior. Students are required to honor the school’s expectation in specific areas such as academic honesty, drugs and alcohol, acceptable usage of technology, and dress guidelines, which are outlined in this handbook. Consequences may include a loss of privileges, after-school detention, work in service to the school, and/or a meeting with the Middle School Director.
During the first few weeks of school, and intermittently through the school year, advisors are asked to review and discuss with their advisees the behavioral and academic expectations stated here. During these discussions, faculty seek to connect abstract principles such as kindness, respect, and honesty to specific and pertinent situations. As well, teachers emphasize a positive approach to behavioral choices and underline conduct that is unacceptable in the Middle School.
We encourage students to look for ways
- to show courtesy and respect to classmates, teachers, staff members, parents, coaches, and visitors to our school in all aspects of school life: classrooms, hallways /stairs/ lounge, locker rooms, the Commons, courtyards, playing fields, buses, the After School Program, field trips, and athletic competitions.
- to promote cleanliness and care of physical environment. We expect students to pick up after themselves and each other at lunch and break, to refrain from eating or drinking in hallways or classrooms (unless permitted by a teacher), as well as to recycle thoughtfully.
- to be open to and respectful of differences in appearance, ability, and perspective.
- to encourage and to support each other, whether or not a classmate is deemed to be “a friend”.
- to promote safety and good will by speaking with an advisor or teacher if another person is making an inappropriate choice or breaking a community rule.
Homework
Each class and grade varies, but it is safe to say that students will have homework in most academic subjects on a daily basis. Work done outside of class time fulfills a number of functions: students practice or review skills and knowledge independently; students prepare for the next day’s classroom activities; students learn to manage their time and identify the various stages in completing a long term project.
We anticipate that sixth grade students will have approximately 1 ½ hours of homework a day, seventh grade approximately 2 hours, and eighth grade approximately 2 ½ hours. Students should anticipate some work assigned for weekends, and budget time to work on long-term projects and to prepare for tests. Generally, homework is not assigned over long breaks, though reading, review work or work on long-term projects may be assigned.
Teachers assign tests, essays and projects well in advance of the due date and take into account the overall workload of students when assigning homework and projects. Organizational and time management skills are a key aspect of academic success, and teachers work with students to help them manage and structure their independent work.
Parents and students access homework assignments from the main Bush website at www.bush.edu, by selecting the appropriate grade from the menu options at the bottom of the page.
Advisory Program
Each student is assigned a faculty advisor, who is also one of his/her teachers during the year. A student’s advisor provides guidance and monitors the academic and social/emotional development of students. Time is allotted during the week for students to meet with their advisor to engage in community service projects and to discuss topics concerning the health and wellness of students as individuals and a community, as well as time management and study skills.
Advisors are a vital link between parents and their child’s teachers and will help to coordinate group conferences or to answer questions. Advisors are also available to meet with students on an individual basis and may serve as a liaison to the Middle School Counselor or Learning Coordinator. Parents feel free to contact any of their child’s teachers directly, but if they are unsure of the appropriate person to contact or have a more general concern, their child’s advisor is the best first contact.
Evaluation of Students: Trimester Reports and Parent-Teacher Conferences
Open communication is an essential part of maintaining a healthy educational environment. We encourage parents to contact teachers directly through email or voicemail. All school email addresses are firstname.lastname@ bush.edu. Teachers will respond within 24 hours to a message or email.
Twice per year, parents are asked to attend a 25-minute scheduled conference with all their child’s teachers. Fall conferences are held in late October, and spring conferences are held in February.
Formal student evaluations are mailed home three times during the year, at the end of each trimester in early December, mid-March and mid-June. Letter grades or overall percentage grades are not used in Middle School reports, though reference may be made to percentage scores on specific tests and assignments. Trimester grades are given at The Bush School beginning in the ninth grade.
Each teacher provides a detailed narrative evaluation of the skill development, academic achievement, and overall progress made by a student each trimester. As well, a checklist of skills, academic behaviors and knowledge is provided for each subject area. Student progress is assessed using a 1-5 number scale, 1 identifying an area where a student “is not meeting expectations” and 5 identifying an area where a student “exceeds expectations.”
Four times a year, Middle School parents are invited to meet with the Middle School Director, Dr. Christine Churchill, to discuss topics that are pertinent to the experiences and issues of the middle school years, both adolescent (student) and adult (teacher and parent). Topics considered include: successful homework strategies, behavioral expectations, safe Internet usage, and supporting children through emotional crises and social conflict.
Student Support in the Middle School
In addition to the Middle School Director and her Assistant, the Middle School is fortunate to have both a Learning Coordinator and a Counselor to support teachers and students.
The Middle School Learning Coordinator is available to work with students and to consult with teachers and parents. She works closely with students who have identified learning issues or who may need additional resource help and support to be academically successful in the Middle School.
The Middle School Counselor focuses on the developmental needs and concerns of students, as they learn to make responsible decisions, organize their time, and work through challenges. The counselor is available to meet with students individually or in informal groups; she also consults with teachers and is available for parent conferences.
If your student has been assessed by a professional (such as an educational psychologist or neuropsychologist) and has identified learning or emotional issues that will impact his/her learning or interactions at school, we encourage you to update this assessment if it was conducted more than three years ago. You are not required to submit this documentation as part of your student’s application materials, but it can be very helpful to the Middle School Admissions Committee in obtaining a complete understanding of your child.
If you would like to view the entntire Middle School Curriculum, please click here to download a pdf version of the file.