www.horizonmiddleacademy.org

Curriculum Guide

Horizon Middle Academy will provide a challenging curriculum in which students gradually gain both academic and personal independence from grades six through eight.  Each sixth grade team will focus on the mastery of skills in reading, writing, mathematics, social studies, and science. Units will focus on an interdisciplinary approach, integrating both skills and content from each subject area. In the seventh and eighth grades, the academic program becomes more departmentalized. Teachers will be specialized, but will be part of a Team that collaboratively plans and monitors each student on the Team. Students are taught to perceive critically, classify and synthesize new data, solve problems, and form judgments in the humanities, arts, and sciences. The focus is use the academically rigorous essential learning that a student is required to master in order to successfully make the transition to high school and the align the curriculum and teaching strategies to realize that goal. All standards and goals are outlined with the SC Curriculum Frameworks and Standards as adopted by the State Board of Education. Standards from the 21^st Century Partnership Network will also be included.

Sixth Grade Program

Social Studies –

In studying ancient civilizations to 1600, students learn how early societies adapted to and learned to control their physical environment; how their religious ideas, forms of government, understanding of natural events, arts, and literature reveal their values as a people; and how each civilization developed new ideas in technology, science, architecture, and government.

Students will make maps, develop timelines, organize and use notes, summarize readings, compare and contrast, and discuss information form a variety of sources. Research and other projects will allow students the opportunity to pursue personal interests. Students will present their learning through various media. Instructional methods include discussion, film, simulations, primary sources, field trips, virtual lessons, research, tests, writing assignments, and projects.

Language Arts –

Readings will relate to social studies curriculum and will focus on relevant themes. Students will explore a selection of ancient and contemporary literature with a focus on emerging from childhood to adolescence. Readings will include historical documents, primary sources, mythology, ancient and classical texts or excerpts, plays, poems, and short stories. Students will respond to readings through discussion, journals or reading response, reports, and projects.

Writing will focus on sentence and paragraph structure as well as the personal narrative, persuasive, and expository report. Students will also write for authentic reasons to see the impact of their writing on others. The writing process will be taught in stages of gathering and organizing information, drafting and word choice, revision and editing, and publishing. Virtual and small group lessons will focus on spelling, grammar, mechanics, and usage as well as vocabulary skills. These skills will also be reinforced through writing assignments. Note-taking, reading comprehension, and organizational skills will be introduced and reinforced. At the end of each year, the student will write a Reflective essay to present to the Advisory Team.

Mathematics –

The goals of the mathematics program include building student confidence in math, developing problem-solving skills, and learning to reason and communicate mathematically. A strong emphasis will be place on real world applications and appreciation of the value of math in life.  Students will be separated by gender for math courses.  Virtual lessons will be a large component of the course as well as small group instruction. The focus is on guiding students to discover patterns, rules, and other relationships involving objects, shapes, and numbers. Students will review whole numbers and place value as well as extending these concepts to operations with fractions and decimals. The use of concrete and pictorial models, measurement, the metric system, ratio and proportion, and percents will be explored.

Science –

Through the use of hands-on, laboratory approach, students develop analytical and reasoning skills, as they make hypotheses, conduct experiments, record observations, draw conclusions, and present findings. Discussions, debates, reports, labs, field trips, and research projects facilitate the mastery of content. Environmental studies will be integrated to help students understand the role of science in dealing with social as well as technological changes facing the world.

Visual and Performing Arts –

Students will take art studio two days per week. Students will learn and express individuality through structured and open-ended projects. Understanding of materials and techniques, art concepts (composition, color, form, line, and pattern) will be demonstrated. Using resources such as books, prints, video, art history and cultural connections are explored for projects. At least one art project per semester will directly relate to another subject area.  Ideally, students will be exposed to drawing, painting, ceramics, and woodworking.

Students will participate in music class twice a week. Students discover and experiment with different aspects of music including composition, sound and acoustics, notational systems, music of different cultures, and music history. The class will include listening to music, filed trips, guest musicians, and projects with multimedia work.  Creating opportunities for instrumental ensemble work or band will be a developing goal for the school.

Recreational Arts –                                                                 Opportunities for physical recreation will be offered daily according to student needs as some students naturally tend to require more movement to be successful. Students will attend a Recreational Arts class once a week in which cooperative and traditional games are explored. Each unit begins with the learning of fundamental skills. Drills are used to develop an understanding of a game, eye-hand coordination, spatial awareness, and endurance. Health and physical fitness issues are discussed and explored. Values of sports will also be emphasized (camaraderie, discipline, self-sacrifice, and sportsmanship). Students are assessed on participation, effort, and cooperation.                                                               First Year Seminar – Imagine ME! Defining the Self

The focus of this class will be self discovery and well-being. Students will participate in a seminar once a week dedicated to working on study skills, health, life skills, test-taking skills, time-management, respect for others, gender issues, current events, non-violent communication and conflict resolution methods, and portfolio preparation. These skills and concepts will be reinforced throughout the subject areas. Students will be separated by gender for the seminar. This time will also be used so students can meet with counselors as necessary.

Technology –

In addition to using technology extensively in all subject areas, the student will practice keyboarding skills, learn how to utilize basic programs, explore research methods and plan multi-media presentations during a weekly technology workshop.

Seventh Grade Program

Social Studies –

The course continues the study of world cultures from 1600 to the present. Students will examine the history and geography of societies with a focus on the continuing growth of political and economic ideas that have shaped our world. Students will explore primary texts, articles, videos, documents, and art. Geographical concepts and map skills will be reinforced throughout the year. Students will receive instruction in both large and small groups, will participate in virtual tutorial sessions, will create multimedia portfolio pieces, will be exposed to guest speakers and to key community resources, and will have opportunities to attend field trips. The class also focuses on writing through persuasive essays, research reports, and creative pieces.

Language Arts –

Literature is integrated with social studies in terms of time period and themes. The course includes a poetry unit, a short story unit, and novels read in literature circles. Students examine literary devices such as theme, character development, point of view, symbolism, figurative language, imagery, form, and style. Vocabulary skills will be reinforced in the context of the literature. Students will practice grammar, mechanics, and proper usage through virtual tutorials and a variety of writing assignments. Students will use the writing process to construct analytical, narrative, persuasive, expository, and creative pieces.

Mathematics –

Students refine computational skills and gain a solid conceptual base for algebraic thinking. Students will focus on number theory, order of operations, and the relationship between fractions, decimals, and percent. Interpretation of data, decision-making based on statistical data, area and volume formulas, symmetry, reflection, rotation, and the impact of changes in dimension on geometric forms will also be included.  Able students additionally will cover material that prepares them for taking Algebra in eighth grade. Concepts and skills will be reinforced through virtual tutorials. Students will be separated by gender for mathematics.

Science –

Students will investigate concepts relating to biological science. Students also make evaluations and decisions based on evidence and proof. Concepts are reinforced through virtual tutorials, role-playing activities, field trips, research, guest speakers, and laboratory investigations where students demonstrate and observe structure and function and also cause and effect relationships. Students should observe, interact with materials and with people, and ask questions as they explore new concepts and expand their knowledge.

Visual and Performing Arts –

Students will build on prior studio experience and continue to learn and express their creativity through structured and open-ended projects. Materials, concepts, and techniques are reinforced. Styles of famous artists are researched and explored. Students will continue to study and create in ceramics, drawing, painting, and woodshop. Students attend art studio twice a week.

Students will also participate in a performing arts block twice a week. During the first semester seventh graders will explore dance concepts, learn elements of movement, and choreograph original work. The second portion of the block will continue the study of music, music history, and ensemble work. During the second semester the students will participate in a drama program. Within the class, students will engage in creative improvisation, develop characters, and create original pieces. Students will study the history of drama and investigate theater around the world. The second portion of the block will continue to focus on music appreciation or performance.

Recreational Arts –

Once a week, students will continue to learn and practice games as well as create their own games. Health issues and physical fitness will also be taught in this course as outlined in the SC Health and Physical Education Framework.

Seventh Grade Seminar: Imagine Us! Community Awareness

The focus of this course is discovering one’s place and obligations to a larger community.  Students will participate in service projects as well as research regional culture and interview primary sources. Students will participate in a seminar once a week dedicated to working on study skills, life skills, test-taking skills, time-management, tolerance, gender issues, current events, non-violent communication and conflict resolution methods, and portfolio preparation. These skills and concepts will be reinforced throughout the subject areas. Students will be separated by gender for the seminar. This time will also be used so students can meet with counselors as necessary. Students will have the opportunity to participate in an extended field trip to Washington D.C. as an integral part of study.

Technology –

In addition to continued practice of keyboarding and application of essential programs, students will learn the basic techniques of manipulating different forms of media. Exploring digital photography, music software, and animation software, students will learn applications in iPhoto, Photoshop, iMovie, iStopmotion, and Garageband. 21st Century Partnership Technology Literacy skills will be incorporated.

8^th Grade Program

Social Studies –

The focus for social studies in grade eight is the history of South Carolina and the role that the state and its people have played in the development of the United States as a nation. Students will also participate in an in-depth study of the issues of immigrants - focusing on but not limited to African-Americans, Jewish-Americans, Japanese-Americans, and Hispanic-Americans. This social historical approach recognizes the connection between world events and individual experiences. Students will write persuasive essays, historical research papers, and creative pieces. Students will also create multi-media presentations, attend field trips, discuss topics with guest speakers, and participate in a service project which films stories from throughout the community. Geographical concepts and map skills are reinforced contextually throughout the year.

Language Arts –

Literature will be integrated with the history curriculum focusing on local and regional writers as well as the multicultural fabric of the United States. Students will explore social and cultural issues of the past and present including issues of power, class, ethnicity, race, and gender. Vocabulary and literary devices will be studied in context of the literature. Students continue strengthening grammar and writing skills through frequent in-class writings and the production of more advanced creative and analytical pieces.

Mathematics –

The regular curriculum covers the drawing of conclusions from data, patterns in geometry, integers and variable expressions, algebraic equations and inequalities, graphing in the coordinate plane, functions and rational numbers. Students attempting to pursue credit for high school Algebra I will study data and relationships, functions, systems of equations and inequalities, and right triangle trigonometry. Students will practice solving and analyzing linear functions and inequalities in graphs. Students in Algebra I will take the Algebra I End-of-Course test (which counts as 20% of the overall grade) as part of credit requirements. Students will be separated by gender for math courses.

Algebra I –

In Algebra I, hand-held graphing calculators are required as part of instruction and assessment. Students should use a variety of representations, tools, and technologies to model mathematical situations to solve meaningful problems.

Science –

Eighth graders study earth science, focusing on astronomy, environmental science and geology. In the lab component students will work with metrics, computer modules, compasses, star charts, stream tables, acid rain simulations, and porosity columns. Students will observe, interact with materials and with people, take field trips, and ask questions as they explore new concepts.

Visual and Performing Arts –

Students in grade eight will choose a specialized area in art, music, or performance to attend twice each week. Previous concepts and skills will be reinforced, while students become more independent and creative with their craft.

Recreational Arts –

Team and individual sports and games will be explored. The course will also focus on health, nutrition, and fitness issues. A research project related to a sport and an individual health plan will be required for the course. Partnerships will be made to offer opportunities for specialized sports such as Karate. An attempt will be made to include students in league sports whether it is a Recreational League or allowance for a student to play on a local CCSD established middle school team. Although other public schools are not required to accept students from a charter school on sports teams, it is our hope to encourage those schools to consider our students with athletic talents.

Spanish I –

The course will be virtual with supervision until a part-time instructor can be hired.  Workbooks will be used for practice. This course develops students’ oral, listening, speaking, and reading skills. Grammatical concepts include regular and irregular verbs in the past, present, and future tenses; reflexive verbs; direct and indirect object pronouns; comparative and superlative adjectives; and negatives. Students will be expected to read basic selections, express ideas through writing, and create multi-media projects. Students seeking high school credit in Spanish I will be subject to all standards, seat-time requirements, and tests mandated by the State Department of Education. Horizon Middle School will work with high school teachers in the area (St. John’s and James Island Charter High School) to develop an assessment to determine readiness for Spanish II.

Technology –

Students will continue practice and application of a variety of computer concepts and programs each day.  Students will be enrolled in Keyboarding for nine weeks. They will take the End-of-Course test to determine proficiency and high school credit. Students will fulfill all standards and seat-time requirements for the high school level course. The second nine-weeks will be devoted to Business Applications. Students will meet all standards and requirements for the high level course. They will take the End-of-Course test in this area to determine proficiency. During the second semester, students will use their knowledge and skills to create a multi-media final portfolio project that they must defend to the  peer review and teacher teams. 21^st Century technology literacy standards and skills will also be included.