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Theme: The Quest for Social Justice?(Re)-Inventing Society
The curriculum in grade eight will guide, nurture, and develop in our students a sense of justice and equity. Informed by understandings of the past, students begin to imagine the construction of a world in which they would like to live. The curriculum design and implementation is based on the exploration of the concepts of Imagination, Resistance and Reflection.
Guiding questions within this course of study may include:
How can we use imagination to understand the world and as a catalyst for social change?
How do we know about the intangible?
How do our ideals and imagination influence and change the world?
When do we shift from bystander to active participant?
How do we decide appropriate actions?
How do contexts affect perception and how do we document what we know?
How does reflection inform our progress?
How can we put our ideals into practice?
English
Eve Becker
This course is designed to promote a love of reading, writing and the written and spoken word, and to hone students’ skills as readers and writers. Through active reading, and by doing many different kinds of writing, students strengthen their powers of observation, analysis, creative expression, communication skills, vocabulary and grammar. They learn to identify and use a wide variety of literary tools; they write essays, short stories, memoir pieces, scripts, poetry, reviews, and letters; they strengthen their editing and revision skills and their writing mechanics; and they read some wonderful literature.
In their senior year, students read and write in the many genres they have studied throughout elementary and middle school. The course begins with a fiction unit. The class reads a range of short stories that tie into the study of political systems, government and the presidential election in Social Studies, and they write short fiction pieces, an interdisciplinary persuasive essay and a formal literary essay. During this unit, students launch their year-long examination of story structure, and of the tools that writers use to make their work successful. They also begin a vigorous independent reading program, review editorial symbols, and explore effective ways to revise writing. During the drama unit, students do a dramatic reading of Reginald Rose’s play, “Twelve Angry Men,” which ties into the study of The U.S. Constitution and judicial structures in Social Studies, and they write short scripts. This is followed by work on memoirs and the Civil Rights Movement; students read Richard Wright’s Black Boy and other memoir excerpts, and write short stories and short memoir pieces. During the poetry unit, students read and write in a wide variety of poetic forms. They finish their senior year writing reflective essays, and examining the synergy of text and image in Art Spiegleman’s Maus, tying in with their study of World War II and The Holocaust.
During each unit, there is a common text or collection of works read by the whole class, that serves as a model for the deepening of reading skills. Students supplement full class readings with individual reading selections, through the independent reading program. Students use both class and independent reading to guide and inspire the writing they do in this course.
Life Skills
Mary Nealon, Sam Tuttle
The Life Skills course continues to motivate and assist students to think proactively and to improve their understanding of what it means to develop from childhood to adulthood, to prevent and reduce social and sexual health-related risk behaviors, and to demonstrate increasingly sophisticated knowledge, attitudes, skills and practice in a complex and diverse world. It builds on the issues of conflict resolution and meditation developed earlier.
Eighth Grade Life Skills is based on resiliency research, which demonstrates a direct association between greater understanding of the risks in social settings and their adverse outcomes by decreasing engagement in those high-risk behaviors. Topics include stress management; healthy relationships and signs of abusive relationships; teen substance and alcohol abuse; social smarts; pregnancy, HIV and STI prevention; preventive primary and sexual healthcare; and adolescent rights to reproductive healthcare in high school.
Mathematics
Catherine Hildebrandt, Amado Toribio
Students cover units on probability, statistics, and several units in formal algebra. With probability, the focus is on comparing empirical and theoretical data, using tree diagrams and the counting principle for finding sample space, computing for permutations and combinations, and finding the probability of successive events with or without replacement. In statistics, students cover computing for central tendency (finding mean/median/mode), using data from stem-leaf plots, constructing cumulative frequency histograms, finding quartiles and representing them in box-whisker plots, as well as finding the percentile rank of values. The project assigned might connect a self-designed and student-chosen topic with probability or statistical applications presented in report form. Some years, elections provide a special focus on interdisciplinary projects connecting math with Social Studies. Finally, students investigate and master operations with algebraic expressions, solve and graph linear equations and inequalities in one or two variables, and solve systems of equations algebraically and graphically.
After finishing the first semester with systems of linear equations and inequalities, students begin learning how to simplify polynomial terms and then move onto the relationship between graphic and algebraic solutions of quadratic equations. They spend time finding quadratic roots by graphing tables of values, and then completing the square by factoring and using the quadratic formula. Next comes solving for x with rational and radical algebraic expressions and equations. The unit on geometry leads to applications of the Pythagorean Theorem and more experience with simplifying radical expressions as the backdrop to the study of triangles. Relationships among parts of circles, quadrilaterals, and solid figures end the geometry unit, in addition to an overview of trigonometry. End-of-the-year topics, depending on how deeply students master the Algebra I course, introduce advanced studies that overlap with formal geometry, particularly coordinate geometry, as well as formal logic. Students build upon the foundations of Algebra II study by focusing extensively on functions, particularly exponential functions, with an overview of logarithms in the final quarter. The year ends with projects related to writing algebra-themed children’s stories and, more importantly, math-based social action projects, the crux of interdisciplinary and theme-based study in The School's eighth grade.
Performing Arts: Music
David Gordon, Rachel Klem, Sheila O’Shea, Maria Sassoni
The year begins with three Social Justice mini-courses. “Music of Change,” “Global Music: Making a Difference Through Exploration, Action and Justice,” and “Hip Hop and Social Justice.” Each student attends five sessions on each topic focusing on rhythm, melody, form, and expressive qualities through instrumental playing, singing, listening and composing.
During the second half of the year, students focus on three main units: “Music from the Civil Rights Era,” “Music of the Holocaust,” and the annual eighth grade musical which is performed at the National Black Theatre of Harlem. Each unit consists of a variety of repertoire songs, sight singing exercises, reading rhythmic patterns, musical and movement improvisation exercises, and public speaking/audition skills.
Science
Greg Benedis-Grab, Molly Petzholt, Lisbeth Uribe
The science curriculum capitalizes on the groundwork that has been laid in the previous years and provides students with the opportunity to do more sophisticated student-initiated inquiry. Students begin the year exploring the properties of matter, changes of state and chemical changes. During this time they are fine-tuning their scientific inquiry skills to become independent researchers. Through the exploration of materials, the students develop experiments to answer their questions and deepen their understanding. Throughout the year the students speak with scientists to gain a better understanding of the field and of science as a way of knowing about the world. For instance, the students have videoconferences with a scientist working on CERN’s Large Hadron Collider. This experience is part of a larger study of matter and allows students to delve into the concept more deeply, providing an alternative view of the field outside of a typical laboratory.
Students have the opportunity to create their own research projects during the second trimester when they study environmental chemistry. They use their understandings of matter to explore environmental issues such as acid rain, ground contamination and global warming. This project allows them to create their own investigative questions, collect and analyze data, draw conclusions, and communicate their findings to an audience. The students make connections between their investigations and the world around them and critically think about social justice and how it relates to science through readings, discussions and experiments about environmental and health issues.
During the third trimester, the students apply their understandings of chemical reactions and environmental impact from the first two units to an in-depth investigation of plant growth and development. They specifically focus on the important role plants play on our planet. Issues of social justice are also woven into this unit by looking at the role of plants on our health and our environment and the role of trees in our cities. Students undertake an investigation of the quality of our air and make recommendations to legislatures in Washington D.C. to improve the air quality here in New York City. Scientific literacy is emphasized throughout the year as the students further develop their writing and information gathering skills in science. Students develop more advanced skills in writing lab reports, using evidence to form conclusions, using their research skills to extract the important information from text, and using their understandings of scientific concepts to take action in their communities or make changes in their everyday life.
Social and Emotional Learning
Sam Tuttle
The Social and Emotional Learning curriculum for the eight-grade was developed with the intention of encouraging students to gain insight into their strengths and weaknesses in order to become more skilled at problem solving and regulating their emotions. Culminating a three-year middle division curriculum, which includes Life Skills and advisement, students continue to work towards gaining greater insight into self-awareness, relationships, decision-making and responsibilities. Some of the specific outcomes include helping students to recognize barriers and supports that affect potential accomplishments, reducing stress by reframing or reassessing a situation, changing perspective in order to motivate self to positively approach challenging situations, and identifying situations or aspects that cannot be changed so that energy can be focused on areas where change can occur.
Social Studies
Amy Kissel
The Social Studies curriculum is designed to balance attention to skills, basic concepts, and the acquisition of a body of knowledge, thus preparing students for future intellectual pursuits. Early in the year students briefly look at the intensification of the independence movement in America and the steps that the new nation took in creating a formal government. An examination of elections compels students to examine issues and concerns that are central to their future, while learning about and participating in the political process in the United States. The students investigate political systems, concepts of government, history of the United States Constitution, and present governmental and judicial structures. Concluding this study, students examine a current application of the Constitution culminating in a mock Supreme Court case at Historic Federal Hall in lower Manhattan.
In the second trimester they continue to explore the social, political and economic foundations of the United States by studying the Civil War through the lenses associated with the turmoil of the Civil Rights Movement. Students are compelled to consider the concept of resistance as they study this period of American history. An examination of events, ideas and institutions through current events discourse guides students in developing and honing skills toward understanding the importance and relevance of history in contemporary life.
In the final trimester students examine World War II and the Holocaust. Students analyze and study the events that led to the Holocaust, and are guided through a thoughtful examination of universal themes inherent in that history. The core goal of this course of study compels students to become civically literate. Benjamin R. Barber, a political science professor at the University of Maryland, describes civic literacy as the “fundamental literacy by which we live in a civil society. It encompasses the competence to participate in democratic communities, the ability to think critically and act with deliberation in a pluralistic world, and the empathy to identify sufficiently with others to live with them despite conflicts of interest and differences in character.” It is hoped that this course of study will have long-lasting effects on our students as they move beyond their experiences at The School at Columbia.
Spanish Language
Talia Gonzalez
The Spanish Language curriculum connects students to our study of Social Justice through an exploration of Latino immigration to the United States. Students answer questions such as “To where do Latinos immigrate and why?”, “What is the American Dream and does it really exist?”, and “What are some of the challenges Latino immigrants might face in this country?” Students study regular and irregular verbs, possessive adjectives, and expressions with tener among others. Also learned are family and food vocabulary through activities requiring listening, reading and speaking.
During the second part of the year students continue to connect to the yearlong Social Justice theme by determining how the Latino experience is different for various members of the community living in various locations, while simultaneously studying the important elements of Latino culture in New York and the challenges the community members face in this country. Students study reflexive and stem-changing verbs, commands, direct object pronouns, the past preterite, demonstrative adjectives, comparatives, superlatives and the present progressive. They also learn vocabulary related to health and daily routines including vocabulary of city life utilizing and expanding upon their listening, reading and speaking skills. Finally, students read a short chapter book on the life of César Chávez. Spanish activities range from mathematical or verbal to kinesthetic or musical, appealing to many different learners.
Technology
Karen Blumberg
Recognizing the impact of technology on society today and considering the far-reaching effect it will continue to have on our future endeavors, students in eighth grade work with a range of applications to write, collect, analyze and synthesize information and data in all media forms. They continued to have access to a variety of computer peripherals (scanners, digital cameras, camcorders). Programs used to increase their understanding, and sample projects demonstrating student facility have included Garagband to remix the works of early American composers, Probeware with Logger Lite for studying kinematics, Keynote for presenting research on Atomic Theory, iMovie to document family trees, Flash for animated chemical reactions, and the Social Network using Elgg to learn how to be responsible and respectful citizens.
Visual Arts
Kim Lane
The eighth graders begin their year with an examination of questions related to our essential understandings such as: What is art? What is the role of art in society? How does our conception of art changed over time? Students begin their studio work in three dimensions with a sculptural transformation of mundane materials inspired by artists such as Tara Donovan. In clay, students learn to throw pots on the pottery wheel and have the opportunity to hone their throwing skills with a visiting ceramics artist. Following clay, students shift gears to consider bookmaking as a vehicle of expression and practice a variety of techniques to create their own book.
In the second half of the year the students return to two-dimensional thinking with an acrylic paint exploration and contour drawing. Students next dive into a set design unit in conjunction with the annual eighth grade musical. They examine and discuss images from a variety of realistic and conceptual set designs before finalizing their own production concept and beginning the musical’s set design and construction. The eighth graders exercise their technical skills in painting, paper maché, drawing and three-dimensional construction in this ambitious designing project. Much ongoing problem solving and collaboration is required to successfully complete a remarkable set and related props. At the end of the year students can incorporate visual art into their Social Action Projects, which parallels an integrated study of the graphic novel and the practice of combining image and text.
Wellness
Frank Colantuano, Dely Francisco, Nicol Hare, Sophie Hy
Our goal is to allow students to be creative and innovative learners by introducing them to new or unique activities as well as to become lifelong physically active individuals. Beginning in September, students are exposed to activities that are created from previously learned games and sports. After analyzing the content, they are expected to create their own activity supported by rules, guidelines and structure. Creating original games is a way for students to apply material from previous years in order to form their own concept of what physical activities should ideally be. Students next move into a unique games unit where they are shown games and activities played in cultures from around the world. Participating in these games gives students a view of cultures different from their own, and exposes them to new activities that they might use to maintain their own physically active lifestyle.
During the second half of the year students transition to a more concentrated focus on skills and leadership through play. They look at skills in games that complement their quest for social justice. The best known of these activities is a unit on softball/baseball. As a class, students are able to learn the skills and strategies of a game that helped reinvent the society of which they are now a part. The other goal for students is to learn the games and activities that are to be the focus of the annual field day experience in June; activities which they lead. Simultaneously, students are assessed on their skills and cognitive knowledge throughout the year as they look to achieve a lifetime of fitness.
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