SECTION I

MIDDLE SCHOOL
PROGRAM OF STUDIES

The Middle School follows the Carnegie Corporation’s Turning Points 2000: Educating Adolescents in the 21st Century philosophy regarding grade 7 & 8 education by trying to strike a balance between academics and social/emotional issues.

That philosophy is to teach a curriculum grounded in rigorous, public academic standards for what students should know and be able to do, relevant to the concerns of adolescents and based on how students learn best. The goals are:

Ø  Classrooms characterized by high expectations, challenging content, and appropriate materials.

Ø  Teachers who are well qualified to teach their subjects at the middle level and are effective in engaging early adolescent learners in those subjects.

Ø  A curriculum that is based on high standards for what all students should know and be able to do.

Ø  Teaching in ways that encourage active, inquiry-based learning, that are relevant to real-world problems, and that are adapted to students' different cultures, skills, and ways of learning.

Ø  Students getting the tailored, personal support necessary to participate and succeed in reaching high-level expectations.

Ø  Students demonstrating learning and understanding in a variety of ways.

GRADE SEVEN

ENGLISH

 Seventh grade English reviews basic grammar (parts of speech, punctuation, and capitalization) while using the literature book to examine various thematic units that include a variety of literary genres including short stories, biographies, poetry, mythology, and the novel.  Emphasis is placed on the writing process for the longer writing assignments, particularly the five paragraph essay.  A variety of learning techniques, including cooperative learning and hands-on activities, are regularly used.  Students will be expected to read at least four books outside of class and one book, The Hobbit, in class. 

MATHEMATICS

 Mathematics in the seventh grade integrates the major themes outlined in the NCTM standards: problem solving, communication, reasoning, connections and use of technology.  Seventh grade math strives to make mathematics relevant to students by helping students to recognize and appreciate the role of mathematics in the real world.  It encourages students to reason and communicate with each other about mathematical skills and ideas that will lead to computational and conceptual development.   The major topics explored in seventh grade mathematics include:

Problem Solving Strategies
Number Relationships and Fractions
Real Numbers
Ratios and Proportions
Data Analysis
Percents and Decimals
Equations/Expressions
Geometry in the Plane
Order of Operations

SOCIAL STUDIES 

Students in seventh grade social studies will spend the year studying world geography. Students will work their way around the world and experience the many cultures found on each continent. Cooperative, collaborative, and independent work will be assigned on a regular basis and strategies for all learners are incorporated into the daily lessons. Students will have opportunities to display their knowledge through projects, papers, quizzes and tests, and computer generated assignments. Emphasis is placed on both physical and political maps of each continental region and special feature maps showing natural resources, land use, climate, and population. Students will be exposed to basic social science skills including the use of charts, graphs, diagrams, and tables. Students will experience films, food, literature, music, and celebrations in order to enhance the subject matter.

LIFE SCIENCE 

Seventh grade science is an overview of Life Science.  Life Science is the study of living things and their relationship with each other.  Topics covered in this class include cells, genetics, evolution, ecology, and the human body.  The material will be covered using a variety of strategies.   Lecture, discussions, note taking, co-operative learning, and laboratory experiments will be used to develop and apply thinking skills.

READING 

This course is designed to build vocabulary, improve reading comprehension, teach listening and study skills, and encourage leisure reading.  Reading strategies and skills will be developed in order for students to be able to identify main ideas and supporting details, recognize literary devices, compare and contrast and identify cause and effect.  The course will use the SQ4R approach to enhance student comprehension (survey, question, read, record, recite and reflect).  This course is also designed to learn skills such as note taking and forms of outlining, in order to better approach learning in other content areas.

GRADE EIGHT

ENGLISH

 Eighth grade students will create persuasive, expository, observational, and cause/effect essays, as well as formal letters.  Writing will often be directed toward audiences outside the classroom.  In addition to reading The Adventures of Tom Sawyer   and Macbeth, eighth graders will also complete literary units on the short story, poetry and nonfiction.  Students are expected to read for enjoyment outside the classroom, and will evaluate these novels throughout the course of the year.  Growth in vocabulary development and spelling, grammar and public speaking skills are also goals within this reading and writing coursework.  Multiple learning styles drive the class activities, and students apply critical thinking skills daily.

MATHEMATICS

 Eighth grade math integrates the major themes outlined in the NCTM Standards:  relevancy, communication, reasoning, connection, problem solving, and the use of technology.  To help students see the larger picture of mathematics, 8^th grade math connects important concepts in Algebra and Geometry and makes links to other math topics. Eighth grade math reinforces the mastery of 7^th grade concepts. Students will also further develop their ability to think abstractly.  These topics include:

Patterns/Sequences
Real Numbers
Algebra (language)
Solving Equations
Data Analysis
Percents
Ratios and Proportions
Order of Operations

SOCIAL STUDIES

 Eighth grade Social Studies is a survey of American History. The course covers topics from the colonization of the western hemisphere, the American Revolution, development of the U.S. Constitution, through to the Civil War and Reconstruction. Eighth grade Social Studies also incorporates geography, government and economics as they relate to United States history.

 Students will continue to develop research skills through a variety of formats. Timelines, research papers, and oral presentations will help students develop independent learning skills, as well as, explore a variety of topics.

EARTH SCIENCE

 Eighth grade science is an overview of Earth Science.  Earth Science is the study of the earth and its history.  It is also the study of changes, both anthropogenic and natural, on Earth and its place in the universe.  Knowledge of Earth Science is important because most human activities are related to interaction with the planet.  The approach of this course emphasizes the standards-based, differentiated instructional model in order to introduce the four main branches of Earth Science: Geology, Meteorology, Astronomy, and Oceanography.  Throughout, the schools’ academic expectations to be addressed will include practicing listening skills, reading actively, communicating clearly in writing, and developing effective research skills and problem solving strategies.  As students progress through the course, they will have the opportunity to practice the Scientific Method and develop critical thinking skills.  This course also gives students an appreciation of scientific activity through analyzing and evaluating data, constructing models, researching, reading and writing about science, and problem solving activities.

WORLD LANGUAGE

 Students will have the opportunity to be exposed to both French and Spanish, each being studied for half of a year.  Students will be introduced to vocabulary, common expressions, and culture.  Students will begin to converse in each language using phrases and vocabulary used in the culture on a daily basis.

GRADES 7 AND 8

Classroom Projects

 Projects are an important part of the junior high school students’ instruction.  As students progress through the junior high, parents and students will find that a variety of projects will be assigned.  There are a number of reasons for this – one being that students are more capable of performing independent work.

 Projects enable students to become producers of their learning as opposed to merely consumers.  Most students find this hands-on approach enjoyable.  It fosters the integration of subject area curriculum and enables students to work on “real problems.”  It taps into higher level learning skills.  Students will need to explain, answer, question, and evaluate their work with teachers, parents, and classmates.

 Many times projects are done with more than one student.  This enables students to work in cooperative groups, to develop social skills, and to plan and work together.  It encourages the development of study skills, time management in planning long-term projects and following a process using important skills that the students need to be effective learners.  Projects also provide for parental involvement.  Students will frequently do parts of the project work at home.  This can foster positive family interaction centering on student learning.  Care is taken to structure projects for students whose parents may not be able or may not want to assist students.  Projects can also address the various learning styles that students bring to their work.  Through teacher assignments, young adolescents can utilize their strengths.

 In the junior high we are concerned with moving students from dependence through interdependence to independence.  Projects can enhance this process and can be a tremendous source of pride for students, parents, and teachers. 

EXPLORATORY COURSES

 Seventh and eighth grade students will participate in an exploratory course rotation throughout the school year.

Art

Students in Art Exploration will experiment with paint, colored pencil, pastels, collage, clay, and other media over the course of two years. They will develop their artistic creativity in different projects that will be given each year. An emphasis will be placed on experimentation and technique.

Engineering Technology

Students at this level will be exploring a variety of topics in the area of technology education.  These will include construction, communication, flight technology, and transportation.  Students will learn some of the basic principles of math and science as they relate to these fundamental technologies.  This course will employ both hands-on activities, as well as classroom lessons.  Emphasis will be placed on concepts covered in the Science and Technology framework in order to prepare students for statewide testing.

Computers

In both seventh and eighth grade, this course combines keyboarding instruction (touch typing) and word processing using Microsoft Word.  Accuracy is stressed.  Both exploratories also include text work in Technology Applications.  Chapters covered incorporate a wide area of subject matter including, but not limited to, Computer Basics, Application Basics, and Internet Basics.

Physical Education

The Physical Education program for the seventh and eighth grade classes offer a range of team sports and cooperative games and challenges.  A large emphasis at this level is placed on sportsmanship, respect for people and property, team work, safety, and decisions and consequences.  Also, students are introduced to basic fitness concepts that will be expanded upon in high school.

Middle School Health 

The goals of the health education program are predicated upon the belief that the foundation of life-long attitudes and behaviors are established during childhood and early adolescence.  Students who experience a sense of well-being are better able to achieve their full academic potential and make positive contributions to their home and school environment.  The following major topics will be presented:  Developing Health Habits, Social Skills, Emotional Well-Being, Substance Use, Misuse and Abuse, Growth and Development and Personal Safety.

OPTIONS

 The Middle School has a prescribed course of study with the only options being Concert Band (with approval from the Band Director) and Grade 8 Algebra  (meeting the following criteria).

Concert Band
Year Course
Grades 7-8

Prerequisite:  Previous successful participation in band or with instructor’s approval.

 Instrumental Music is an elective arts curriculum directed towards the attainment of:  musical styles and quality literature; proper individual playing habits; proper ensemble habits; basic elements of music; and responsibilities as they relate to individuals and to the group.  The course implements a Dual Curriculum of two equally important elements, which constitute the Performance and Teaching curriculum:  (1) the large ensemble musicianship skills and (2) the individual student musicianship skills.  Through warm-ups, scale and technical drills, and performance repertoire, attention is given to:  tone production; technique; rhythmic and tonal reading; auditory perception; expression; ensemble; and theory-history.

As a mastery/competency approach is used in determining an individual’s progress through the student musicianship curriculum, students who have been studying a musical instrument for similar periods of time may be in very different points within the individual curriculum.  The large ensemble musicianship skills will be the same for the entire class.  It is required that each band student have the recommended individual method and/or solo collection book for their instrument.  All band members must also own a band shirt.

 Grade 8 Algebra

 Granby Jr./Sr. High School offers a course of Algebra I in grade 8 to eligible students.  The following criteria have been established for eligibility to study Algebra I in eighth grade

Ø  The student must receive a final average of 90 or better in Grade 7 Mathematics.

Ø  The student must score a 90 or better on the Orleans-Hanna Algebra Prognosis Test

Ø  The student must maintain a homework grade of 90 or better in Grade 7 Mathematics

Ø  The course selection must be approved by the parent or guardian.

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SECTION II

NEW ENGLAND ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES (NEASC) 

The New England Association of Schools and Colleges accredits schools and colleges in the six New England states.  Membership in one of the six regional accrediting associations in the United States indicates that the school or college has been carefully evaluated and found to meet standards agreed upon by qualified educators.  Colleges support the efforts of public school and community officials to have their secondary school meet the standards of membership.

Granby High School is an accredited member of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.  Granby Jr./Sr. High School was re-evaluated in September, 2005.  Continued accreditation was awarded without conditions. 

HIGH SCHOOL
PROGRAM OF STUDIES

The information contained in this booklet has been prepared to guide you in the selection of courses best suited to meet your needs and abilities.   Each student’s program is an individual matter to be developed by the home, the school and the student. You should be able to make appropriate decisions after reading the course descriptions and seeking the advice and recommendations from teachers, counselors, and parents.  Few other tasks have more significance for your future.

Please select your courses very carefully and take as challenging a program as you can. You are urged to think seriously about your special interests and abilities and to consider your possible future educational and career plans.  Experience has shown that most people make career choices after high school; therefore, one should avoid over specialization. Since the choice of subjects should never be made without the most deliberate discussion, the Guidance Department will schedule interviews for the purpose of post high school planning. 

GENERAL GUIDELINES 

1. Granby High School courses are scheduled on a quarter or semester basis.   Students will receive credits and final grades at the successful completion of the course. 

2. Beginning with the Class of 2009, students will be considered members in good standing at each class level in September of the current year if they have accumulated the following credits:

                        To grade 12:                 100 credits for promotion
            To grade 11:                   70 credits for promotion
            To grade 10:                   35 credits for promotion 

            Students who have not accumulated the necessary credits will not be promoted to the next grade.  Each June, the records of students who have not attained the minimum credits are reviewed by the counselors, and the students are notified of academic deficiencies.  If the academic deficiencies are made up prior to the first day of school in August/September, the students will be promoted to the next grade.  Students may also be promoted in January if sufficient credits have been attained.  

3.         Students are required to carry the equivalent of four courses each semester - or eight courses for the year.  A student’s schedule each term must consist of at least 50% academic classroom courses (2 of 4). 

4.         Students who attend Granby High School must carry a full program.  Exceptions to this policy may be made only under the following conditions:

a)         Adults who are working for a diploma on a part-time basis.  This applies to those students 18 years of age or over whose high school class has graduated.

b)         Students who are recovering from a serious illness or accident.

c)         Seniors who are able to substitute an acceptable apprenticeship program from outside the Granby Schools.

5.         Prerequisites listed throughout this booklet are provided as indicators for projecting success in that subject.   

6.         In order to continue to the next level of a sequential course, a student is expected to have a minimum final average of 70 (or as listed in the course description). 

7.         The school reserves the right to cancel courses for which there is insufficient enrollment as determined by the administration. 

8.         Progress Reports are given to all students midway in each term to inform parents and students of their current progress.  In addition, special reports may be sent to parents throughout the year whenever they are warranted. 

9.         Payment for materials:  Students may be required to pay for materials used in class if usage is above and beyond normal consumption.  In certain specified courses, all materials must be purchased by the student. 

10.       Any variation of stated policy is subject to administrative discretion.