Seventh Grade
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| Course | Team 7A | Team 7B | ||
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| Language Arts | Markesa Oliver* Kim Cole |
Patti Butler* Kate Fuller* |
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| Mathematics | Michael McDowell LaTroy Fowlkes |
Kim Dufour Brendan Spilker |
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| Science | Michael McDowell LaTroy Fowlkes |
Debby Prestridge | ||
| Social Studies | Markesa Oliver Kim Cole |
Brandon Merrell | ||
| *ID Team Leader | ||||
| 7th Grade Course Offerings | |||
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| Core Courses | |||
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English/Language Arts 7 is designed to accelerate student achievement in
reading, writing, listening, and speaking. The course includes blocks of
time devoted to teacher-directed lessons on reading and writing, monitored
reading, vocabulary development, and grammar and usage. Students enrolled in
Advanced English/Language Arts extend their learning with greater depth at
an accelerated pace. |
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Criteria for Advanced English/Language Arts 7 Three of the following:
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In this course, students will explore geographic concepts through an
economic, cultural, and political lens. They will learn about Europe, the
Middle East/Northern Africa, Africa, Eurasia (Russia and the Central Asian
Republics) and the Pacific Rim. They use the skills of Social Studies by
sequencing events, analyzing cause and effect and analyzing perspective.
They will also read and analyze content specific materials: maps, charts,
tables, graphs, primary sources and political cartoons. Service Learning
requirement and career exploration activities are integrated throughout the
year. |
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use evidence to explain physical and chemical changes in matter and
demonstrate that elements share common properties but have a different
structure. Students collect evidence to develop an understanding of
conservation of energy and how energy changes form. Students do experiments
to build the idea that force and mass affect the motion of matter. Students
use computers to collect data and run science simulations (GIZMOS) to make
abstract concepts more concrete. Students apply mathematics to graph and
analyze data from experiments. Students read technical passages to extend
their understanding of scientific text and use their oral, written, and
technology skills to share learning. Project based learning allows students
to identify and tackle real world problems important to students. |
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Mathematics Seven |
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| Mathematics
7 is the second standard level course in the middle school mathematics
sequence. Students will actively engage in the seven mathematics content and
process standards and their content expectations that are outlined by the
Maryland Voluntary State Curriculum. An emphasis for students is algebraic
reasoning and the mastery of and fluency with rational numbers and integers.
Students in Mathematics 7 will proceed to Pre-Algebra 8 or Algebra I. |
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| Pre-Algebra 7 | |||
| In addition to the content objectives in the seven
mathematics content and process standards content expectations, outlined by
the Maryland Voluntary State Curriculum, this course prepares students for
the formalized study of Algebra I. Students will use the inquiry approach in
order to represent problem situations with symbolic expressions, functions
and equations. Students will be expected to solve one-variable equations
involving the set of rational numbers efficiently and accurately. They will
investigate the relationships among data, in particular linear
relationships. This course serves as an introduction to modeling and solving
contextualized problems through graphs, tables and symbolic representations.
Students will be able to identify functions as linear or nonlinear and
contrast their properties using tables, graphs and/or equations. Students in
Pre-Algebra 7 are expected to proceed to Algebra I. The graphing calculator is used throughout the course. |
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| Algebra I (Honors Level) | |||
| This course
serves as the first in a foundation for advanced mathematical coursework by
providing a complete treatment of the topics in elementary algebra.
Instructional emphasis will be placed on modeling real-life situations with
expressions, equations, inequalities and systems of equations and
inequalities. In addition, students will explore functions as they represent
real-world phenomena in the form of tables, equations and graphs through the
use of technology. At the middle school level, students must pass the AACPS
Algebra I final exam, as well as earn a passing grade in the course in order
to receive high school credit in Algebra I.* This course will appear on the
student’s high school transcript and become part of a student’s high
school GPA. Students must pass the Maryland High School Assessment for
Algebra/Data Analysis. This is a requirement for a Maryland High School
Diploma. The graphing calculator is used throughout the course. * This requirement is
mandated by COMAR 13A.03.02.03. |
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| Encore Classes | |||
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Specific reading interventions
are provided as an encore course for those students identified as
needing focused and intensive reading instruction, in addition to the
regularly scheduled language arts class. These classes are designed to
increase the student’s specific reading need—decoding skills, fluency,
and/or comprehension of text—in order to achieve higher levels of
success and include the following programs:
Students are placed in
these programs only after testing and/or evaluation by the school’s
reading personnel. |
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students in grades six, seven, and eight will be scheduled for physical
education and health education. Students will have instruction in physical
education for three marking periods and instruction in comprehensive health
education for one marking period. All students are required to wear a school
approved uniform while participating in scheduled physical education
activities (cost approx. $20.) The physical education program is based on the Maryland Physical Education Content Standards and the Maryland Voluntary State Curriculum that includes exercise physiology, biomechanical principles, social psychological principles, motor learning, physical activities and skillfulness. The program components embedded throughout all instruction are fitness and conditioning, coordination, throwing and catching, striking, speed, timing and accuracy, leisure and recreational games and dance education. Students will be introduced to an array of components, themes, and activities which address each of the content standards. Students will be assessed in physical fitness twice a year though the administration of FitnessGram, a battery of tests used to determine levels of fitness. Reports of these assessments are sent home twice a year. As students return to the 7th and 8th grades, respectively, they progress and refine skills toward content mastery. Activities and units assigned by the teacher are designed to meet the criteria for each component in the approved curriculum guide. Dance Education in each grade consists of improvisation (6), Dance for Athletes (7), and Jazz (8). Health Education Unit The Health Education Program is based on the National Standards and the Maryland State Department of Education guidelines, reflecting the “Voluntary State Curriculum” for Comprehensive School Health. The specific outcomes and activities are designed to be developmentally appropriate at each grade level. The content/concepts and performance indicators clearly define what knowledge and skills all students must know and be able to do. Grade 6 The students will receive instruction in the areas of tobacco prevention, safety and injury prevention, family life and human sexuality, and disease prevention and control.* Grade 7 The students will receive instruction in the areas of alcohol education, nutrition and fitness, family life and human sexuality, and disease prevention and control.* Grade 8 The students will receive instruction in drug education, safety and injury prevention, and family life and human sexuality.* *The family life and human sexuality unit, and HIV/AIDS prevention education were developed in accordance with the standards and procedures established in Maryland State Regulation 13A.14.01.02. Students may be excused from these units of the program upon a written request from their parent or guardian. Appropriate alternate instruction will be provided. |
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| Semester Course -
In this course, students will look at ways artists work from observation,
memory, and experience to create artworks that depict characters and action,
point of view, and sequencing. Additionally, student artwork inspired by
different cultures and artists will explore similar subjects and themes. |
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| Semester Course - Being a Responsible Family Member
provides students an opportunity to participate in performance-based
learning (“hands-on” experiences). In the Caregiver unit, students will
study the growth and development of the young child, learn to care for a
young child and learn babysitting techniques. In the sewing unit, students
will study the importance of textiles in their lives and select and
construct a sewing project. Students will purchase project materials. |
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Semester Course - This is a middle school project based course established
on the Standards of Technological Literacy: Content for the Study of
Technology (Standards). In this course, students will learn all about
invention and innovation. They will have opportunities to study the history
of inventions and innovations, including their impacts on society. They will
learn about the core concepts of technology, and about the various
approaches to solving problems, including engineering design and
experimentation. Students will also be given the opportunity to invent and
innovate, and learn about how inventions and innovations impact their lives.
In this course, students will participate in engineering design activities
to understand how criteria, constraints, and processes affect designs.
Students will be able to develop technical documents and/or media production
material from various activities |
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| This course is designed to give students maximum
exposure to the target language and serves as a preparation for the Level I
course offered in the eighth grade. The content and skills are taught
through thematic units that provide opportunities for students to express
themselves, do investigations of the target language and culture, describe
themselves and others and make decisions for their futures—all in the
context of the target language. Essential content and skills include:
greetings, weather expressions, clothing vocabulary, descriptive adjectives,
days, months, seasons, colors, numbers, etc. The emphasis of student
learning is on the skills of listening and speaking the language. This
non-credit course is highly recommended for all students who plan on taking
the the Level I course for credit in the eighth grade. This course is taught
on an A/B/C day schedule for two semesters. Classes are taught primarily in
Spanish. |
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| Semester
Course - The basic concepts and techniques involve mental, muscular, visual,
and aural skills and are a relevant contemporary extension of concepts and
skills learned in elementary school general music. The general music
classroom offers a challenging, adaptive, and nurturing musical environment
in which students can expand their musical horizons and enrich their musical
knowledge. General Music serves as a gateway into active involvement in
school and community participation. |
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| Year-long Course - This course emphasizes individual
concepts of vocal production, as well as choral techniques appropriate for a
large ensemble. Students will develop an understanding of musical accuracy
in performance skills and musical sound through movement. Students will
perform, create, and listen to choral music with understanding.
Comprehensive musicianship is taught through the study of a varied choral
repertoire. Public musical performances are expected. Students are expected
to advance to the next appropriate level of ability. |
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| Year-long Course - This course emphasizes good
tone production, musical accuracy in performance skills, balance, and
interpretation of music within a small group. Comprehensive musicianship is
taught through the study of varied instrumental repertoire. Public musical
performances are expected. Instruction is offered on the following
instruments: oboe, clarinet, flute, bassoon, saxophone, trumpet, French
horn, baritone horn, trombone, tuba, and percussion. Students are expected
to advance to the next appropriate level of ability. |
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| Year-long Course - This course emphasizes good tone
production, musical accuracy in performance skills, balance, and
interpretation of music within a small group. Comprehensive musicianship is
taught through the study of varied instrumental repertoire. Public musical
performances are expected. Instruction is offered on the following
instruments: violin, viola, cello, and string bass. Students are expected to
advance to the next appropriate level of ability. |
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Year-long Course - Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) is an
accelerated academic program that prepares students for a rigorous course of
study that will enable them to meet requirements for 4-year university
enrollment. AVID is an encore course offered to students in grades 6–12. In
order to take the AVID elective course, students must apply, interview, and
be accepted into the AVID Program. Students who are accepted into the AVID
program commit to one to two hours of homework per night (for all classes),
a schedule change to include advanced courses, excellent behavior, and
attendance. The AVID elective provides a strong, relevant writing and
reading curriculum, study skills, assistance with organization, and time
management, and tutoring. |
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