Seventh Grade

Most seventh graders have now fully entered the first large crisis of a human life: puberty. Helping children to move through the puberty crisis is one of the most important tasks at this time. Without a healthy puberty crisis, students find more difficulties as they move into adulthood. As they go through this “gestation period” before giving birth to their authentic self independent of their upbringing, education, and social context, we adults need to clear the space completely. We ensure the space and atmosphere at school is safe where they are free to explore their own capacities for feeling, thinking, and making decisions based on criteria they have learned to gather through their school and home lives. The students explore observational thinkers like Galileo Galiei and the Age of Exploration, the Renaissance and Reformation, Creative Writing and Poetry, Physics, Chemistry, Marine Conservation, Anatomy and Physiology, and Health & Nutrition.

Humanities:

• Observational Thinkers Block
• Age of Exploration Block
• Renaissance and Reformation Block
• Health and Sexuality

Language Arts:

• Creative Writing and Poetry (the theme of love)
• Techniques for composition
• Class readers and reports (biographies and history fiction)
• Research, report writing, and presentations
• Shakespearean Class Play

Mathematics:

• Introduction to Ratios and Proportions
• Introduction to compound interest
• Continued practice of Algebra and Geometry
• Business Math and fundraiser for 7th grade trip to Europe where each student self finances $2,500

Science:

• Physics: Mechanics, Acoustics, Optics, Thermodynamics, Electricity.
• Astronomy with emphasis on the Copernican system
• Chemistry: combustion, acids and bases, the carbon cycle
• Anatomy and Physiology: system of the body, nutrition and health
• Climate Studies and Marine Conservation

Spanish & World Language:

• Independent reading and writing
• Comprehension through written responses
• Mastery of regular and irregular verb conjugation

Handwork:

• Create a variety of handwork crafts to sell at the Winter Faire to help finance the 7th grade trip. Then they learn how to sew with leather. Project: leather moccasins

Woodwork:

• Projects: box, discus, stool

Travel:

• 7th Grade: three-week self-financed trip to Europe typically Spain, Italy, and Greece.