Our interdisciplinary curriculum is designed to be engaging for middle school students. Each year we design and develop a number of thematic units that tie together language arts, social studies, and science. Some examples of these include the following: Immigration, Sustainable Energy, Food Systems, Economics and Entrepreneurship, and Local History. As students dive into these topics, they read literature and articles; write responses, essays, and stories; and complete hands-on projects like creating performance art, building a website, or inventing recipes. Students have even designed and built a bike-powered smoothie machine for our sustainable energy unit! In addition to our thematic units, students learn math and Spanish at their own levels. Our math curriculum is based on Carnegie Learning’s Middle School Math.
While we design, develop, and integrate our own curricula, we use the Common Core as a guide to help ensure that all students are learning the skills they need to be at grade level. Most students have some subject areas they are stronger in than others. Our curriculum and instruction allow them to be challenged and move at a faster pace in the subjects they excel in and also allow them to get support in the subjects they struggle with. No student is pigeonholed in a level since all students are complex and ever changing.
A unique part of our academic program is that our students have the advantage of focusing for long, uninterrupted work periods. Making choices during these periods encourages time-management, develops responsibility, and inspires students to take ownership of their work. Students are given responsibility for ensuring their work is completed.
Small Group Instruction
We conduct many of our lessons in small groups with similar academic needs. These groups range from two students to six students.
Hands On
Students have many opportunities to build, create, engineer and design.
Challenging
Students find the joy in challenging themselves to solve complex problems. We have a culture of celebrating challenges and the joy that comes from learning by persevering through set-backs.
Independent Work
After each lesson with a teacher, students are assigned independent work to practice the skills they just learned. Students work on these assignments individually.
Outdoors
Learning happens in the great outdoors - studying biology by observing wildlife, learning physics on the playground, enjoying reading in the fresh air and more!
One on One lessons
Students receive one on one support and lessons. Students get individual feedback on areas of challenge and growth, and they collaborate with teachers in order to set tangible and achievable goals.
Community
Students use our local community’s resources to learn. We invite local experts to come and share, and we visit businesses and community organizations.
Student Voice
Our students are encouraged to follow their passions and find their voice.