BIBLE
In Bible class, we study the Old Testament story of God’s people from the time of Solomon to before the birth of Jesus. Highlights of the year include building Solomon’s temple, following the Divided Kingdoms’ kings and prophets, celebrating a Jewish feast and discovering the time between the testaments. Throughout each unit, God’s faithfulness to His people, plus His love and redemptive work, are emphasized and connected to Jesus’ ministry and our present lives. Students regularly choose from selected Bible passages for memory and reflection.
- Spiritual Portfolio – A final writing piece in seventh grade is a reflection essay of the year highlighting stewardship activities and spiritual growth. This is placed in the students’ spiritual portfolio.
- Capstone Project – Our capstone project is a two-week stewardship unit featuring the care and keeping of the earth, our responsibility as God’s caretakers and ways to be good stewards of the environment. Special events of this unit include field trips to the Covanta Waste-to-Energy Treatment Plant, the Resource Recovery Center, John Ball Zoo and the Wastewater Treatment Plant, an air quality debate and paper making. The students make a personal expression combining visual and written of what they have learned.
LANGUAGE ARTS
In seventh grade Language Arts, we realize that our written and spoken words should honor God and encourage others. We work to develop our abilities to read, write, speak and listen through the following curriculum: independent, whole class and book club reading of realistic fiction, poetry, non-fiction, classic and science fiction; writing of arguments, research papers, poetry and memoirs and class presentations. Our final writing piece is a reflection essay connecting the year to our grade-level Stewardship theme and our spiritual growth.
MATH
In seventh grade, Big Ideas Math is continued from sixth grade. The goal of Big Ideas is that students spend their time on the major topics in each grade to further develop foundational skills through use of problem-solving strategies and real-life applications. Students build foundational mathematical knowledge, understanding and skills in number use, algebra and statistics. Another goal is to develop an awareness and appreciation of the rich connections among and between mathematics and other disciplines.
Students will be challenged to meet their learning potential and to produce quality work. Mathematics will be seen as a way to understand God’s world more clearly and to praise Him more thoughtfully. Each student will be encouraged to take responsibility to recognize his or her talents, to develop them, to share them and to serve God through their use.
Our Curriculum includes:
- The Number System (operations with rational numbers)
- Positive and Negative Numbers
- Proportional Relationships
- Ratio, Proportion and Percent
- Expressions and Equations
ART
Adding to the foundation laid in the 6th grade curriculum, students will sharpen observational skills and will complete a face study and look at various elements of design. Color-mixing techniques will build off of the previous year. Gaining proficiency in sculpting techniques for making subtractive clay shoes. Students will explore the new possibilities with linoleum block carving and printmaking. All assignments are artist centered with a focus in the elements of art, graded with rubrics, and involve written artist statements and critiques, based on student assessed learning goals.
BAND/ORCHESTRA
Seventh and eighth graders will meet together three days a week to form the 7/8 band and 7/8 orchestra. Participation requires a one year commitment – students will not be allowed to drop either band or orchestra once the year has started. Members may have small group practice, individual practice, try-outs, or challenges held before or after school.
CHOIR
Choir students will learn to use their vocal instrument to create a correct and pleasing singing sound. In addition to learning proper vocal production and technique, students will also learn music reading skills, sight-singing skills, and performance skills. Choir also offers opportunities for students to develop team building and leadership skills. This is a performance-based class. Participation in concert performances outside of regular class hours is required.
DECISIONS
Decisions is a full-year class which meets twice a week. Through this supplementary language arts and interdisciplinary course, students learn about major parts of the short story in detail but always with a mind to the unique challenges and decisions of middle school life. Opportunities to integrate faith and positive decision-making are woven throughout the curriculum through questions, discussions, writing, listening and role-playing.
MUSIC
Music is a gift from God and is an important way we have of praising God. In general music, students will create an understanding, appreciation and life-long love for music. Our curriculum includes rhythm, the Classical and Romantic periods in music history, sight-reading, musicals, rock music, protest music and Christian discernment of popular music.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
All students have P.E. classes two times a week for the entire school year. The program stresses participation, fitness, skills, knowledge, and proper attitudes. These are developed in the framework of taking care of the body and developing God-given abilities.
SCIENCE
The seventh grade science curriculum focuses on exploring various aspects of God’s world and seeing Him through His creation. The year begins with Earth Science where students will learn about rocks and the earth’s changing surface. We also learn about water through an investigation into groundwater contamination. This is followed up by exploring engineering and the design process through Project Lead the Way. In this unit, we use our brains to develop solutions to problems. The year ends with an interdisciplinary unit about stewardship and our role as Christians to take care of God’s world.
SOCIAL STUDIES
Our studies focus on the Latin American countries, Canada, Asia and the Pacific Islands. We will look at the geography, history, culture, climate, social issues and other topics to begin to understand these areas of the world. We also cover economics and the Core Democratic Values of American democracy.
SPANISH
In middle school Spanish classes students will acquire proper communication in real-life situations through the development of the four language areas: reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Middle school Spanish is designed to be exposure to the language and culture as taught in a high school Spanish level one class. Vocabulary and grammar from Realidades 1 is taught through hands-on, in-class experiences. Upon completion of the 3 years of Middle School Spanish at HCMS, students who are academically successful in Spanish will have the opportunity to test out of High School Spanish 1.