2017-2018 Benjamin Middle School Academic Program

Middle School Academic Program

Middle School Academic Program 2017-2018 Mr. Robert Goldberg

Mr. Charles Hagy

Head of School 472-3405

Head of the Middle School 472-3435

Mr. Ken Didsbury

Mr. Jeffrey Cavallo

Assistant Head for Academics 472-3485

Middle School Dean of Students 472-3431

Dr. Amy Taylor

Dr. Cristina James

Director of Student Services 472-3441

Middle School Dean of Academics 626-3747 extension 3302

Ms. Danielle Benvenuto

Mrs. Susan Poncy

Student Services 626-3747 extension 3327

Director of Student Services Pre-K-8 472-3434

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Middle School Academic Program

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Table of Contents Mission Statement and Non-Discriminatory Policy Middle School Course of Study About the Middle School Course Offerings English Mathematics Science Social Studies World Languages Skills for Adolescence Computer Science Visual and Performing Arts Athletics and Physical Education Summer Program

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Mission Statement The mission of The Benjamin School is to provide a challenging college preparatory education to a diverse student body in a structured, nurturing community environment. The School motivates students to master the skills of learning, communicating and evaluating choices, and encourages them to grow intellectually, socially, morally, aesthetically, and physically to their fullest individual potential. Benjamin inspires its students to develop a coherent set of values that include love of learning, personal responsibility, self-motivation, concern for others and a commitment to serve society.

The Benjamin School’s mission is supported by the following guiding principles: ● Our primary responsibility is to address our students’ academic needs while developing and supporting their interest in and passion for the arts, athletics, and community service. ● We strive for excellence in everything we do at The Benjamin School so that our students are well prepared for college and beyond. ● We acknowledge and celebrate the individual set of strengths demonstrated by each student. ● We expect all members of our community to adhere to the highest standards of personal conduct and accountability. ● We are committed to the importance of all aspects of diversity among its constituencies. ● Our ten character traits constitute the core values to which we subscribe both on​ and off​-campus: Respect, Courage, Morality, Kindness, Fairness, Integrity, Compassion, Acceptance, Forgiveness, and Responsibility. ● We depend on a respectful and collaborative partnership between school and home. ● We set high standards and advocate for each student to meet them. In so doing, we prepare our students to become independent, self-​directed, collaborative and fearless learners. ● Guided by proven research and best practices, we encourage creativity and innovation throughout the School to meet the emerging needs of the students. ● We must prepare the students for their future and not our past.​ 1 ● We take pride in our students, our faculty, and our reputation. We believe that the best schools have the best people. They are the foundation of our success.

Non-Discrimination Policy The Benjamin School strives to attract and support a diverse and talented student body, faculty and staff. Applicants for admission or employment will not be denied based on race, creed, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation or disability.

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Pink, Daniel, ​A Whole New Mind

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MIDDLE SCHOOL COURSE OF STUDY About Our Middle School A Sense of Belonging Activity starts early each morning at the Benjamin Middle School with many students opting to arrive as early as 40 minutes before classes begin. It is their time to check with advisors, seek help from teachers, attend an enrichment class, or just chat with friends. This sense of belonging and support, which this early morning contact ​time on campus fosters, sets the tone not only for each student’s day, but for his or her​ ​entire experience in middle school.

Compassion for Adolescence Middle school years are transition years, full of emotional changes. At Benjamin, we respond to these changes in various ways. Our advisory system pairs each student with a teacher/advisor who serves as a nurturing ally and advocate, and our schedule allows for advisors and advisees to both touch base briefly and also meet for longer more substantial periods of time during which they hold meaningful discussions and plan community service projects​. In addition, our faculty crafts its teaching to challenge each student intellectually and to support individual learning styles. As students enter the Middle School, our teachers work alongside quizzical 6th graders, gently but purposefully introducing a new level of responsibility, accountability, academic rigor and extracurricular options until the students depart our program as confident, maturing teens on their way to the Upper School.

Empathy for our Surroundings The Middle School has renewed its commitment to sustainability and becoming ever greener in both the curriculum it offers and its everyday practices. Science field trips throughout Middle School feature overnight stays in the Everglades and the Keys where students learn first hand about how to honor the natural landscape of Florida.

Innovations such as last year’s Middle School-wide Green Day which helped introduce green practices in an entertaining way to students have paved the way for this year’s Middle School wide break and lunchtime recycling initiative which is advisor/student run, and asks students to pitch in and work with faculty on a rotating basis to dispose of refuse responsibly. Students are involved in discovering green solutions to campus problems, and students are increasingly involved in School’s Sustainability Committee. Finally, the Middle School is proud to have been awarded for a fourth Palm Beach Green Schools Recognition Program, the most prestigious level of green/sustainability. We are officially a “Green School of Excellence.”

New Ways to Apply Knowledge Confident students are eager learners, and our middle school curriculum stands ready to oblige their enthusiasm.

We believe in an interdisciplinary focus so that children can recognize connections between the various disciplines they study and apply knowledge gleaned in one course to another; in this way we begin to foster a higher level of thinking appropriate for 6th grade and beyond. Our curriculum hones basic skills, while simultaneously stretching students in new directions. Beyond the already innovative academic classroom students enjoy drama, art, band, dance, chorus, web design,. In addition, students enjoy Reading Advocacy and Advisory Period (RAAP) for the last 20 minutes of every school day. During this time, students relax in quiet in their last period classrooms with their advisors to read books for pleasure. In this way the School reinforces for our students the importance and joy of becoming lifelong readers. Approximately 25 clubs (some meeting weekly or bi-weekly and also for 70 minute blocks monthly on alternate Friday Club Days), ranging from Green Engineering Inventions to Debate to Geography, offer students an outlet to explore their talents and develop new ones. Indeed, our Odyssey of the Mind club team formulated an innovative solution to the world wide competition’s classics problem and took first place at the district level, and 5th place at States in an incredibly large and talented field of competitors.

Students who wish to further develop and hone their writing voice via contexts other than English class can join Print Publications, a class in which they create, ​The Neersyde​, the middle school newspaper, ​The Insyde, the middle school literary magazine, and the yearbook, ​The Azimuth​.

The Middle School also features many cross curricular innovations that will only be found at our school. One

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example is the History Mystery, an interactive, cross curricular mystery which asks students to examine an original 100 page fictional primary document and participate in learning about a particular historical time period through dance, drama and literature of the time. For our first ever Green Day, we all donned green, celebrated our sustainability initiatives and learned from 18 different environmental speakers how to become even more green. For the past three years, we have held author-run diversity book clubs where students, faculty and parents read books about different cultures and share food indigenous to the region under discussion. In past years, Pulitzer Prize Winning author Sonia Nazario attended our book club and discussed writing her award winning book on immigration ​Enrique's Journey​, and Michael Hingson, blind from birth and author of ​Thunderdog, spoke to students and faculty about escaping the Twin Towers on 9/11 with his guide dog Roselle. Hingson was followed in the spring

by Emily Jenkins, a prolific YA author on the New York Times bestselling list, who led a discussion of her novel The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks which engendered a discussion about women’s equality. The 8th grade Friendship Games allow the class to sponsor a day of fun and olympic events for disabled students throughout the Palm Beach area. As students reach out and help others, they learn lessons about humanity that cannot be taught in books. This year sees The Benjamin School in partnership with the Center for Creative Education in order to both infuse all lessons with art-related activities and to integrate even more all disciplines with each other, helping students to note the interconnectedness of the various curricula they study.

The Middle School is a place where students begin to learn to be young adults by actually trying their hand at adult skills. Our Career Day program, in its seventh year, offers the 6​th grade a Junior Achievement sponsored course in how to work, live, and pay bills Seventh graders, likewise, spend third quarter learning to write resumes, dress professionally, and prepare for mock college interviews. Their lessons culminate in a real interview given by one of over 30 alumni from our community. 8​th graders take an advanced Junior Achievement course on finance management. Middle school children leave our program prepared for the challenge and excitement of the Benjamin Upper School, where they will further develop their academic skills and become well prepared for success in college and, even more importantly, in life.

Finally, our Middle School Student Council is a robust program which teaches children to run for election and then own the responsibility of elected office. Students build confidence as they spearhead community service projects, run Middle School assemblies, and take the lead in lobbying for their student constituents.

Middle School Academic Program Course offerings for 6​th​, 7​th​, and 8​th​ grade students are as follows: Grade Required Courses for All Students th 6​ ● English Literature and Language Arts 6 ● US History: Beginnings through the Constitution ● Science 6 ● Sixth Grade or Advanced Pre-Algebra 6 ● Spanish, French, or Mandarin ● Band or Strings ● Visual and Performing Arts Wheel ● Digital Tools & Citizenship ● Physical Education th 7​ ● English Literature and Language Arts 7 ● Language Arts 7 ● US History: 1800 to the Present ● Science 7 or 7th Grade Scientific Innovation & Discovery (SID) ● Seventh Grade Mathematics, Advanced Pre-Algebra 7 or, Algebra I Honors ● Spanish, French, or Mandarin ● Coding for the Web (705) ● Physical Education

Page 5 Courses Students Choose ● Odyssey of the Mind Enrichment Course (Sign up in the Fall)

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Art Journalism and Web Media Middle School Performance Ensemble ● Strings ● Musical Theater ● Dance Technique ● Drama ● Odyssey of the Mind Enrichment Course (Sign up in the Fall) ● Visual Art Enrichment Course (Sign up in the Fall) ● Introduction to Film and TV Production 8​th ● English Literature and Language Arts 8 ● Art ● Communication Arts ● Journalism and Web Media ● World History Part I: Early Cultures to Renaissance ● Middle School Performance ● Science or 8th Grade Scientific Exploration and Ensemble Analysis (SEA) and Eighth Grade Science ● Strings Engineering, Analysis​/Introduction to Computer ● Musical Theater Science​ (SEAT/CS) ● Dance Technique ● Foundations in Algebra, Algebra I, Algebra I Honors ● Drama or Geometry Honors ● Odyssey of the Mind ● Spanish or French Enrichment Course (Sign up in ● Introduction to Computer Programming (805) the Fall) ● Physical Education ● Visual Art Enrichment Course (Sign up in the Fall) ● Introduction to Film and TV Production Students must take six required classes, and one elective or Wheel (6​th grade) per year. Registration for required and elective courses takes place in May. The Head of the Middle School determines placement of students.

ENGLISH The teaching of English in the middle school is shaped by the belief that language is the essential way to acquire self- knowledge and to contribute meaningfully in any given community. The English Department strives to help students become lifelong readers, eloquent and persuasive speakers, and insightful writers. These goals remain constant throughout the middle school years and become more rigorous as the students progress. ​The department understands the need for literature to be not only age appropriate but also challenging so that students will be enthused and encouraged to engage it both in discussion and critique. The craft of writing is subject to similar rigor as students are required to progressively hone and reinforce their writing, syntax, vocabulary, and grammar skills.

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Our pedagogy and curriculum reflect the practice of fundamentals so that the student can obtain competence and mastery. The department believes that critical acumen is strengthened by creative reading, writing and speaking assignments which reinforce critical understanding and, to that end, incorporate problem-based learning.Students are asked to consider the honing of their writing skills in much the same way they would consider adding nuance and finesse to their performance on an athletic field. In other words, writing skills must be practiced. Thus, students are asked to do more than simply look at the corrections on a graded piece of writing; rather they are encouraged to actively analyze these errors and rewrite. English teachers are always available during free time to offer students individualized assistance in this regard.

English Literature and Language Arts​ 6 (601)

Full Year In sixth grade, the students focus on the elements of literature through reading, writing, discussing, and analyzing novels, short stories, essays, and poems. At a time when our new 6​th graders are embarking upon their new journey, it is most appropriate that the overarching theme of 6th grade literature is the notion of the journey. This motif is explored through coming to America short stories and poems, ​The Diary of Anne Frank, The Tempest, The Magician’s Nephew, ​and the first third of Homer’s epic ​The Odyssey (the text will be taught in 3 parts sequentially over the course of the middle school years).​. The motif of the journey is celebrated not only within the pages of texts but in a Coming to America unit in which students explore their own heritage, write immigrants’ journals, and celebrate the culmination of their study with a Heritage Day during which they share their projects and foods indigenous to their cultures with family and friends. Students also explore the use of symbols and other figurative devices in poetry, myths, and folktales. Writing is an integral part of the year with the continuation of the Benjamin Lower School Writing Program and the introduction of the critical essay.

The fundamentals of grammar (the 8 parts of speech) will be taught sequentially and cumulatively throughout the year. The acquisition of these skills is assured by our program’s focus on grammatical diagramming. As knowledge taught without context is meaningless, each grammar skill will be constantly and intentionally reinforced by recognizing its application in the literature we read. Contextual applications will intentionally follow each skill acquired. As students acquire an aggregate of grammar skills such contextual lessons will be more complex and rich and students will recognize that grammar not only dictates syntax but also plays a crucial role in shaping rhetorical arguments.

English Literature and Language Arts ​7 (706)

Full Year Seventh Grade English serves as a bridge between the fundamental critical skills acquired in 6​th grade and the far more independent and rigorous implementation of these skills in 8​th grade and beyond. Thus, importance is placed upon the close critical reading of works of literature, such as Harper Lee's ​To Kill A Mockingbird and Homer's ​The Odyssey, ​a practice with which students become more adept and independent as the year progresses. As students become increasingly cognizant of the way in which writers shape texts, they likewise become more aware of the choices which shape their own prose, both critical and creative. To help them on this journey of discovery, 7th grade English strives to honor the process of writing as much, if not more, than the finished product. Drafting papers and meetings with instructors for editing sessions are essential elements of each student’s development as a writer.

Seventh graders, well versed in the 8 parts of speech and their application in context from 6​th grade, now begin a more rigorous grammar curriculum which builds conceptually on the foundation laid in 6​th grade. Students take a separate language arts class two days a week which focuses solely on more sophisticated grammar concepts which are then, with intention and in the sequence they are taught, folded into context in the literature and writing exercises occurring in English class. Grammar teachers and literature teachers meet regularly to ensure that a connection between skills and their implementation is occurring. Diagramming remains of paramount importance to the acquisition of new grammar concepts.

Vocabulary acquisition provides an opportunity for students to be fearless, independent, and autonomous learners as students are responsible for teaching assigned words throughout the year via self authored instructional video skits.

Students work with our film and video teacher to hone their skills with Imovie and all vocabulary films are collated alphabetically and memorialized for student study on Google Slides. These slides travel with students to 8th grade

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where yet more vocabulary films are added so that the acquisition of vocabulary is both cumulative and recursive.

Creative writing, informed by critical insight is an important aspect of English class, and to this end students have been challenged in past years with assignments such as taking short stories and transposing them into screenplays which must focus of the author's choice of motifs, symbolism and creating TEDx talks for our official TEDx event held at the Middle School, now annually and in its third year.

Novels, short stories, poems, and plays are chosen to be representative of the diversity of both the students’ experience and the modern literary canon.

English Literature and Language Arts​ ​8​ ​(801)

Full Year Eighth grade English builds sequentially on the skills acquired in 7​th and 8​th grade. Students, well trained as critical thinkers and writers are more than ready to tackle novels such as John Knowles’ ​A Separate Peace, ​Steinbeck’s ​Of Mice and Men, the final books of ​The Odyssey (the culmination of their sequential 3 year study of the epic, and Shakespeare’s ​Julius Caesar​. The study of poetry which complements the thematic messages of the novels is also a major component of the 8​th grade curriculum. Critical essay writing emphasizes the perfection of craft and grammatical expression and encourages independent and incisive analysis of the literature. But in addition to reinforcing proper grammar on essays, grammar continues to be explicitly taught to students.

Building on the fundamentals taught in 6​th grade and the more sophisticated concepts taught in 7​th grade, 8th grade English class puts aside time every week to tackle the most sophisticated grammar concepts. Such concepts are learned and acquired cumulatively and recursively throughout the year and as knowledge taught without context is meaningless, each grammar skill will be constantly and intentionally reinforced by recognizing its application in the literature we read. Contextual applications and diagramming sentences will intentionally follow each skill acquired.

As students acquire an aggregate of grammar skills such contextual lessons will be more complex and rich and students will recognize that grammar not only dictates syntax but also plays a crucial role in shaping rhetorical arguments.

Grammatical concept acquisition provides an opportunity for students to be fearless, independent, and autonomous learners as students are responsible for teaching assigned grammatical concepts throughout the year via self authored instructional video skits. Students work with our film and video teacher to hone their skills with Imovie and all grammar films are collated and memorialized for student study on Google Slides.

7​th​ Grade – 2 Days per Week Full Year

Language Arts (718)

The language arts program is designed to teach our students to become powerful communicators by teaching the fundamental principles of grammar and their valid nuances. A solid knowledge of grammar is a communicator’s most powerful tool and for this reason writing across the genres is an integral part of this three year progressive program. Students hone grammar skills, but more importantly they implement these skills in creative work.

Communication Arts: TEDx in the Classroom (820)

8​th​ Grade – 2 Days per Week Full Year

Students in this class are immersed in a curriculum which is both disruptive to their sense of staid, conventional learning and aspirational in that it inspires them to ​want ​to write, edit that writing and learn to speak with conviction.

Communication Arts class helps even the most introverted students both access the stories and ideas inside them that they most wish to convey (we call them their “soul stories”) and helps them to transfer those ideas fluently onto paper and from there onto the TEDx stage at our annual officially licensed TEDx event. At the TEDxTheBenjaminSchool event, students get the opportunity to share the stage with luminaries such as the Emmy award-winning journalist John Hockenberry (just 1 of 9 elite guest speakers from last year’s event) and share their “ideas worth spreading” on a global online platform.

Journalism & Web Media (911)

7​th​ or 8​th​ Grade – Full Year

This is a year-long course in which students contribute constantly as reporters in an “up-to-the-minute,” “breaking news” fashion to our award-winning online newspaper, ​The Neersyde​, which earned the 2017 Columbia Scholastic Press Association’s Gold Crown Award for its excellence, one of only two middle school online newspapers in the

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country to be so honored. Reporters work on stories with increasing independence and the class affords them the opportunity to travel in the nearby community to cover stories such as elections and major cultural events. Students divide their time between the newspaper and the middle school yearbook (​Azimuth​). Students learn the fundamentals of photography, layout and design, journalistic writing, interviewing, and investigative skills.

Members of the class are expected to interview students, faculty, and other individuals relevant to their articles. In addition, strict deadlines must be adhered to to ensure success of the class’ publications. Prerequisites are English teacher recommendations and an assigned writing sample to be considered by the instructors.

MATHEMATICS More so than most other disciplines, mathematics is a subject where students develop skills sequentially and need time to consolidate their understanding. Through such a learning strategy, the Mathematics Department believes students will develop a strong problem solving aptitude. While students who demonstrate substantive advanced skills, may be placed in accelerated courses, it is important that students do not take courses prematurely which attempt to advance them beyond their current level of understanding. The foundations of pre-algebra, algebra, and geometry are essential to a good math program and the rapidity with which these foundations are acquired is secondary to the fact that they are indeed solidly acquired. Finally, the Mathematics Department prides itself on reducing the anxiety often associated with the study of math. Lessons are interesting, thought provoking, and grounded in real life experience so that math becomes intriguing and not an entity to be feared.

Sixth Grade Mathematics (602)

Full Year

This course focuses on a broad number of topics including the following: algebraic formulas and inequalities, calculator skills with decimals, fractions and proportions, exponents and scientific notation, rational numbers, data collection and household mathematics, geometric formulas, graphical analysis, measurements, statistical sampling and analysis, and mathematical probabilities. Sixth Grade Mathematics reinforces previous learning from the Benjamin Lower School Mathematics Program, through the application of mathematics to problem solving and critical thinking.

Advanced Pre-Algebra 6 ​(614)

Full Year This rigorous and in-depth accelerated course focuses on a broad number of topics including the following: algebraic integers, expressions, equations, formulas and inequalities, decimals, fractions and proportions, exponents and scientific notation, rational numbers, data collection and household mathematics, geometric formulas, graphical analysis, measurements, statistical sampling and analysis, and mathematical probabilities through the application of mathematics to problem solving and critical thinking. ​Since this course explores all topics extensively with real world applications, students will need to have the ability to absorb and master large amounts of material quickly and with mastery. ​Students successfully completing Advanced Sixth Grade Mathematics advance to Algebra I Honors (7). Students needing additional reinforcement will be placed in Advanced Pre-Algebra 7.

Prerequisite: Advanced Mathematics Grade 5: A- or better in second semester with department approval​

Seventh Grade Mathematics (802)

Full Year

Beginning with the concept of variables and an introduction to algebraic expressions and formulas, this course introduces, in a well-paced and careful manner, the properties of numbers, prime numbers and related concepts.

Problem solving skills, ratios, proportions, and percents, number sets, inequalities, radicals, and polynomials are also important topics in this course.

Advanced Pre-Algebra 7 (809)

Full Year

This in-depth accelerated course focuses on a broad number of topics including algebraic expressions and integers, problem solving and inequalities, decimals, exponents, fractions, ratios, proportions, percents, spatial thinking, data analysis and probability, area and volume through the application of mathematics and critical thinking. Students successfully completing Advanced Seventh Grade Mathematics will advance to Algebra I or Algebra I Honors.

Students needing additional reinforcement will be placed in Foundations in Algebra.

Prerequisite: 6th Grade Mathematics: A- or better in second semester with department approval

Middle School Academic Program Foundations in Algebra (810)

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With emphasis on flexible learning styles, this course begins with an in-depth review of pre-algebra basics. Focus continues with the tools of algebra, functions and their graphs, algebraic concepts and simple equations, equations and inequalities, graphing and writing linear equations, and systems of equations and inequalities. The course places considerable emphasis on applying math skills to real world problems and application.

Algebra I Honors (Seventh Grade-811) Full Year This rigorous and in-depth accelerated algebra course involves the simplification of expressions, operations with real and absolute numbers, factoring of polynomials and quadratics, linear equations and inequalities, analytic geometry, probability and statistics, and polynomials and irrational numbers. Since this course explores all topics extensively with real world applications, students will need to have the ability to absorb and master large amounts of material quickly and with mastery.

Prerequisite: ​Advanced Pre-Algebra 6: A- or better in second semester with department approval​.

Algebra I (Eighth Grade-800) Full Year This course focuses on reinforcement and expansion of real number properties, operations and simplification of expressions, solutions to linear equations and inequalities, solution and factoring of polynomials and quadratics, polynomials and irrational numbers. This course places considerable emphasis on applying math skills to real world situations with problem solving.

Prerequisite: Pre-Algebra or its equivalent with B+ or better and department approval.

Algebra I Honors (Eighth Grade-803) Full Year This rigorous and in-depth algebra course involves the simplification of expressions, operations with real and absolute numbers, factoring of polynomials and quadratics, linear equations and inequalities, analytic geometry, probability and statistics, and polynomials and irrational numbers. Since this course explores all topics extensively with real world applications, students will need to have the ability to absorb and master large amounts of material quickly and with mastery.

Prerequisite: Advanced Pre-Algebra I Honors: A- or better in second semester with department approval Geometry Honors (114) Full Year This rigorous course in geometry integrates coordinates and transformations with a traditional approach to 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional Euclidean geometry. Students will investigate logical structures involving the major postulates and theorems of Euclidean geometry while also emphasizing geometric constructions, coordinate geometry and non-Euclidean geometries. Students will apply trigonometry concepts to appropriate facets of geometry with real world applications. In addition, students will study a variety of ancient mathematicians and have the opportunity to see how their mathematical contributions are still utilized today. Since this course explores all topics extensively, students will need to have the ability to absorb and master large amounts of material quickly and with mastery. Students are required to have a TI-84 graphing calculator.

Prerequisite: Algebra I Honors: A- or better in second semester with department approval

SCIENCE Building on the confidence and curiosity fostered in the Lower Division, Middle School Science creates a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) based framework which examines the major principles of the earth, physical, and life sciences under the umbrella of Environmental Sustainability. Sixth grade offers students their first structured look at science skills in a cooperative laboratory setting, and there is particular emphasis on environmental science using Florida's marine ecosystems and environmental stresses on those ecosystems. Seventh grade examines living organisms and how they function with an emphasis on the unique ecosystems of South Florida as an ever available learning laboratory. Eighth grade students study a number of topics in physical science, earth science, and chemistry in addition to examining the soil chemistry involved in Florida’s ecosystems.

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Consequently, as students leave the 8​th grade and enter the upper division, they have a firm cognitive and experimental base, reinforced with critical thinking skills. Instruction is rigorous. Students receive exciting and varied opportunities to demonstrate their level of knowledge and understanding in each course as they work toward becoming environmentally aware high school students. In 7th and 8th grade there is the option of taking a more advanced Science class which incorporates all of the curriculum of the regular class with more investigative applications.

Sixth Grade Science (603)

Full Year

This course begins with students practicing the scientific method and proper scientific processes while stressing critical thinking and problem solving. In addition, sixth grade students plan and prepare the Middle School garden while learning about the Plant Kingdom. A part of this process involves tracking the growth and development of plants, various fruits and vegetables. The course goes on to examine Florida’s unique marine ecosystems and which phyla various marine organisms belong in. As a culmination of their studies, students will participate in a 3 day field study at MarineLab in Key Largo.

Seventh Grade Science (703)

Full Year

This course begins with a look at natural disasters, including meteorology, and is highly cooperative and kinesthetic with many hands-on, project-oriented, and technology based lessons. Students will develop an understanding of the intricacies of the living world around them from microscopic cells to complex Everglades ecosystems. As a part of their studies, students participate in a field study to the Everglades, where they apply what they have learned from the environmental curriculum. In addition, students apply what was previously learned about Florida’s marine ecosystems in new ways.

Seventh Grade Scientific Innovation and Discovery [SID] (766)

Full Year

This course which is offered as an optional more investigative version of 7th grade Science is highly analytical and hands-on with many opportunities for students to problem-seek and problem-solve both independently and within a group. Students will be involved in exploratory, experimental and open-ended learning experiences as they seek to understand the complexity of the animal kingdom, from minute cells to complex organisms. ​Prerequisite: Permission of the Department

Eighth Grade Science (804)

Full Year

The eighth grade science course focuses on the physical sciences, including introductory physics, introductory chemistry, and astronomy. The first semester is devoted to the study of the basic principles of chemistry and laboratory safety. The second semester is devoted to the study of physics and astronomy. Mathematical computations are an integral part of the physics curriculum. Students will be involved in kinesthetic experiences through the use of demonstrations and many lab experiences.

Eighth Grade Scientific Exploration and Analysis [SEA] (767)

Full Year

In this course, students will be involved in exploratory, experimental, and open-ended learning experiences in which students will be engaged in concepts in chemistry, physics, and astronomy. SEA is designed to be highly analytical and hands-on, incorporating the use of higher order mathematics, with many opportunities for students to problem-seek and problem-solve both independently and within a group. Students enrolling in this advanced class will not be eligible to take the Communication Arts/PE classes as the two courses are scheduled simultaneously.

Prerequisite: Permission of the Department

Eighth Grade Science Engineering, Analysis​/Introduction to Computer Science (768)

Full Year

This course is designed to develop critical reasoning and realistic problem-solving skills while strengthening both science and computer skills. Students will participate in a competitive real-world problem-based learning unit in which they will take part in a cooperative learning process while learning computer programming. Throughout the course, students practice authentic scientific inquiry through experimentation and guided reasoning.

The second part of the course will be devoted to experimental analysis using engineering techniques and technology.

Students will be expected to use the Engineering Design Process to analyze engineering techniques through the use

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of various engineering activities.

Prerequisite: Must obtain permission of the Department and take 8​th Grade Scientific Exploration and Analysis concurrently (Students will not take Communication Arts and Physical Education to allow for this additional science course).

SOCIAL​ ​STUDIES

The purpose of any social studies curriculum is the development of a reflective, active responsible citizenry who may contribute to and co-exist in both this democratic society and the global community. The Middle School Social Studies Department focuses on developing the knowledge, skills, and empathy necessary for our students to meet this goal through a rigorous study of United States history, world history, geography and global issues. Students learn to evaluate how individuals and societies have resolved problems, as well as how to examine the consequences of having arrived at those resolutions. While the history curriculum is focused on content, it is also focused on building the skills essential to the historian, such as taking effective notes, studying efficiently, researching and writing using primary and secondary sources, using technology, speaking and debating in public, and thinking and reading critically. Having completed the Middle School History course of study, students will find themselves more ready to face the challenges of today and make choices with a deeper understanding of the consequences of their decisions.

Seamless intersections between the literature studied in English and the history curriculum lead to fruitful joint projects between these two disciplines. In the past students have delighted in being part of The History Mystery, an interactive multi discipline mystery designed for and implemented exclusively by The Benjamin School which each year, involves the entire Middle School and immerses them in the history and culture of an historical era.

In another activity, students’ study of leadership was enhanced, not only by a Middle School-wide trip to see Steven Spielberg’s film, ​Lincoln​, but also by engaging in a Middle School-wide three-part election season debate, complete with town hall meeting, moderators from local news stations, and pressing foreign and domestic debate questions.

The History Department has also formed a partnership with the Center for Creative Education in order to both infuse History lessons with art-related activities and to integrate even more of this discipline with other subjects such as English and Art and Science, helping students to note the interconnectedness of the various curricula they study. As a result of this partnership, 8th grade History students studied the concept of the hero and the significance of monuments, and erected monuments to historical personages who were important figures during the Holocaust. The 7th grade designed, planned, and created works of art to represent an event they believed is important to remember from the history of the Holocaust. The 6th grade hosted a reception to show off the art they created depicting various elements of Colonial life in America.

Sixth Grade: US History: Beginnings through the American Revolution (600)

Full Year

This social studies course is the beginning of a two-year survey of United States history. Drawing on and briefly reviewing the 5​th grade’s study of Native American culture, the course begins by examining exploration and its cultural and economic repercussions on the New World and then continues on to the drafting of the Bill of Rights.

While basic geography and efficient utilization of maps are crucial skills that are taught comprehensively, the Benjamin School history department goes one step further in implementing Historical Geography in this curriculum.

Historical Geography is, in essence, the study of how the lay of the land determines the events and cultures which emerge from settling that land. Such examination helps students to contextualize their geographical skills and recognize their relevance to their study of history.

The teachers use ​cooperative learning activities, current events, and research projects to enhance student learning.

The course places a strong emphasis on discovering and evaluating the ideas of commonality and diversity, conflict and cooperation, continuity and change, government and the citizen, economics science and technology, and individualism and interdependence.

Seventh Grade: US History: Development of the American Republic to the Present (715) Full Year

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This social studies course is the second part of a two-year survey of United States history. It focuses on the period from 1800 to the present. The course explores the changing economic and social structure of the United States in the twentieth century. Special emphasis is placed on the evolving role of America as a global, military and economic power and the effect of this development on our domestic political agenda. Cooperative learning activities, hands on projects, and research writing enhance student learning.

In addition, students will recognize the relevance of studying America’s history when they are required to compare and contrast the global and economic trends of the past with the most pressing current events affecting our globalized world today. To this end, the course will continuously and intentionally make connections between the history curriculum and the political, economic and cultural issues of the present day. In this way, students will sharpen their critical thinking about both past and present global issues and will be both prepared and inspired to solve the problems of the world that they inherit as adults. Drawing on the geography skills imbued in 6​th grade, 7​th grade history is also committed to examining the implications of geography on history (see Historical Geography above in 6​th grade description), and such examinations play an integral and intentional role in each unit of the curriculum.

At the conclusion of this course, students gain valuable insights and understandings regarding how events have shaped and continue to influence the course of American history.

Eighth Grade: World History Part I: Early Cultures to Renaissance (805)

Full Year

This course examines the political, social, cultural and economic developments around the world from approximately 500 A.D. through the 1600’s. Students examine the history and cultures of Africa, the Middle East, Asia, the Americas, and medieval Europe through the Renaissance. This course is the first in a world history sequence that continues in ninth grade World History II. Drawing on the geography skills imbued in 6​th grade and 7 grade history, 8​th grade world history is also committed to examining the implications of geography on history (see Historical Geography above in 6​th grade description) and such examinations play an integral and intentional role in each unit of the curriculum.

But 8​th grade history goes a step further; not only are students increasingly aware of history from a worldwide perspective, but they now are old enough to begin to recognize that they may have a role in shaping the next chapter of our history. To this end, leadership—how to lead and the implications of leading—is a key component of 8​th grade history which is included intentionally and substantively in each curricular unit. Finally, the very title of the course “world history” begs the question that 8​th grade history students must during this last year of middle school develop a keen awareness of their place and role in a multicultural society. Thus, world history lessons will selfconsciously explore oppression, the homogenization of self, and the valiant efforts over time to thwart such homogenization so that students can apply these lessons to the present by examining current events.

WORLD LANGUAGES The study of a second language is no longer simply an academic curricular imperative. In the twenty-first century, it is essential that students be conversant in languages and cultures beyond their own. Communication is vital in a global society, regardless of the form it takes, and The Benjamin School recognizes the importance of introducing a new language to students at the earliest possible age. Language instruction recognizes the need for formalized skills honed in a classroom as well as the need for knowledge of a country’s vernacular, its culture, and traditions.

Generally speaking, world language courses are sequential in nature. Once students have established a language path, they follow it to the next course. The level of achievement attained in the prerequisite course and the teacher’s recommendation determines the enrollment once the student has moved on to the Upper School. The School requires that students already fluent in a language other than English study yet another in order to truly broaden their cultural worldview.

Students enter The Benjamin Middle School with varying levels of experience in world language study. It is the department’s goal to take the students from the level at which they arrive and challenge them to their highest

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possible level of proficiency. Thus, students enroll in courses in the World Language Department not on the basis of grade level, but on their proficiency in the target language.

FRENCH COURSES French A (899)

Full Year

This course is for all students who are new to Benjamin and who have never had French before, or students who have completed the LS program but are weak in structure and vocabulary. Some topics of study include family, friends, the home, clothing, and animals. The materials used encourage aural/oral comprehension and assist students in attaining a beginning level of reading and writing skills.​

French B (901)

Full Year

This course is for the language student who has completed Lower School French or its equivalent, French A. This course is comprised mainly of 6​th grade students but can include students of other grades who have successfully completed French A. Students continue building basic vocabulary related to people, places and activities that are familiar in their own lives; basic grammar and simple sentence structure. The materials used encourage aural/oral comprehension and assist students in attaining a beginning level of reading and writing skills. Topics of study include but are not limited to friends, school, families, after-school activities, the home, restaurants and cafés, and shopping. The principal cultural unit focuses upon the cultures of Francophone countries around the world.

French C (902)

Full Year

This course is a continuation of French B. A complete review of the material in French B reinforces the skills previously taught. The focus is on continuing to build a strong vocabulary through a variety of themes, additional verb tenses and their uses, and complex grammatical structures. The course concentrates on developing aural/oral comprehension, reading comprehension and skills in speaking and writing. It also assists the student in attaining an early intermediate level of proficiency. Topics of vocabulary study and use include but are not limited to, sports and summer activities, shopping, daily life, and staying in shape.

Prerequisite​: French B or its equivalent

French D (906)

Full Year

This course is a continuation of French C with the emphasis on application of the concepts and grammar learned in previous levels. The primary goals are to strengthen the skills already learned and to provide the student with a better ability to use those skills in listening, speaking, reading and writing. Much emphasis is given to forming and using the past tenses. The class members speak primarily in French, as aural/oral comprehension is an integral part of world language learning. Topics of study include but are not limited to summer and winter sports, health, leisure activities, tourism, and finance. The curriculum includes an extensive study of Paris in order to make students aware of the historical sites in France and enhance their cultural understanding of the French capital, while providing insight into French traditions and history.

Prerequisite​: French C or its equivalent

SPANISH COURSES Spanish A (916)

Full Year

This course is for all incoming students who are new to Benjamin and who have never had Spanish before or students who have completed the LS program but are weak in structure and vocabulary. Students successfully finishing this course are placed into Spanish B for the next academic year. The materials used encourage aural/oral comprehension and assist students in attaining a beginning level of reading and writing skills.​

Spanish B (917)

Full Year

This course emphasizes vocabulary building through a variety of themes and teaches basic grammar concepts.

Students review and build on material presented in the previous year's, enhancing speaking, reading, writing, and listening skills through a variety of methods. In addition to the ​Descubre Level 1 ​primary resources, the course uses supplementary materials to present cultural topics.

Spanish C (920)

Full Year

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This course is for the Middle School Spanish student who has satisfied the requirements of Spanish B. The course also introduces more complex grammar concepts. Students enhance speaking, reading, writing, and listening skills through a variety of methods. The ​Descubre 1 text and workbook serve as primary resources. Supplementary materials present cultural topics.

Prerequisite: Spanish B or its equivalent

Spanish D (922)

Full Year

This course is a continuation of Spanish C. Students review and build on material learned in Spanish C. The primary goals are to strengthen the skills already learned and to provide the student with a better ability to use those skills while balancing the four major proficiencies of world language acquisition: listening, speaking, reading and writing.

This course covers a myriad of practical topics that prepare the student for high school Spanish and “real life” situations. ​Descubre 1 ​textbook and workbook serve as the primary resources.

Prerequisite: Spanish C or its equivalent

Advanced Spanish D (923)

Full Year

This course is a continuation of Spanish C for students who excelled at an advanced level. Students review and build on material learned in Spanish C. The primary goals are to strengthen the skills already learned and to provide the student with a better ability to use those skills while balancing the four major proficiencies of world language acquisition: listening, speaking, reading and writing. An in-depth focus of speaking in the target language is emphasized in this course. Students are expected to communicate in Spanish as much as possible through speaking and writing. This course covers a myriad of practical topics that prepare the student for high school Spanish and “real life” situations. Students who successfully complete this course will be placed in Spanish 3 Honors in the Upper School. The ​Descubre ​textbook, workbook, and VHL supersite serve as the primary resources.

Prerequisite: Spanish C or its equivalent

MANDARIN COURSES Mandarin Chinese A (214)

Full Year

This course, designed for entering MS students with no previous background in Chinese, will introduce the language, people, history and culture of China; the oldest, continuous civilization on earth, and the fastest growing international economic power on the planet.

Students will learn to speak, read and write the national language of China, Mandarin Chinese, beginning by learning the special sounds and tones of the Chinese language, and the fundamental building blocks of the characters that make up its unique written form. Students will learn the ​Pinyin Romanization system to help them build early confidence in accurately pronouncing words, adding Chinese characters as they progress forward. As the latter are an art form unto themselves, and the subject of international curiosity, a special unit will be devoted to exploring the art of Chinese Character Calligraphy. Song, poetry, art and folk-tales will all be explored. Audio-visual and online-interactive training tools will all be used alongside live classroom instruction. As vocabulary and grammatical skills develop, not only will students be able to converse or write briefly on simple, everyday topics, but more of the culture and history hidden within the language will be unveiled.

Mandarin Chinese B (211)

Full Year

This course is designed for MS students who have completed Mandarin Chinese A or its equivalent, or who have a working knowledge of elementary Chinese and receive teacher approval and will continue the study track begun in Mandarin Chinese A. Students will continue to expand their vocabulary and knowledge of Chinese grammatical forms and idiomatic expressions. Producing speech and written work in correct grammatical form will be a key focus as students build a strong foundation for their continued studies at the upper school level. Students will learn to rely less and less on the Pinyin Romanization system and be expected to read and write in Chinese characters as their primary form of written communication. Concurrently, students will move to a primarily Chinese-language environment in the classroom, with ever decreasing levels of English used. Students will continue to delve ever deeper into Chinese culture through art, literature, music, movies, and the like. As in Mandarin Chinese A, audio-visual and

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online-interactive training tools will all be used alongside live classroom instruction, and opportunities to dialogue with native speakers will be integrated.

Mandarin Chinese C (212)

Full Year

This course, designed for MS students who have completed Mandarin Chinese B or equivalent training and skills (subject to teacher approval), will continue the study track begun in Mandarin Chinese B. Students will really start to exert their language abilities as this class not only continues to build their vocabulary and grammar knowledge, but also advances their ability to express and comprehend spontaneous thought in conversation. Using Chinese to communicate real-time information will be the key focus as correct pronunciation and tone are fine-tuned. Chinese characters will be used exclusively for all written communication, and electronic word processing with Chinese characters will be taught. Students will be expected to communicate in Chinese in the classroom, with English used only as a back-up. Though the curriculum will be underpinned with a textbook and associated workbooks (both physical and interactive/electronic), students will also explore and draw from a wide range of resources including Chinese folktales and modern short stories, poetry, and contemporary media including television and movie productions. Further studies in Chinese culture, including visual, musical and culinary arts will be explored. Ever-expanding opportunities to dialogue with native speakers will be facilitated through guest visits and field trips.

Mandarin Chinese D (215)

Full Year

This course, designed for MS students who have completed Mandarin Chinese C or equivalent training and skills (subject to teacher approval), will continue the study track begun in Mandarin Chinese C. Students in this class develop the ability to hold extensive conversations on a variety of topics. Students will be exposed to numerous variant forms to communicate the same basic meaning in order to broaden the flexibility of their communication skills and prepare them for live conversations where more than one form of expression may appear. Students will be drilled for pace so that they learn to think in the target language, rather than translate all thoughts. Correct pronunciation and tone will continue to be emphasized and fine-tuned. Chinese characters will continue to be used exclusively for all written communication, and electronic communication with Chinese characters through a variety of popular tools for both computers and handheld devices will be introduced and practiced. Class will continue to be taught primarily in Chinese, and students will continue to be expected to use Chinese to communicate, with English used only as a back-up. As with Chinese C, the curriculum will be anchored by the curriculum of ​Zhen Bang 2​, including textbook and associated workbooks (both physical and interactive/electronic), but will be broadly supplemented with other, multi-media instructional and authentic materials. Studies in Chinese culture will continue to be integrated into all curriculum, and popular Chinese idioms in particular will be explored.

SKILLS FOR ADOLESCENCE Skills for Adolescence (654)

6​th, ​ 7th and 8th Grades

The Lions-Quest Skills for Adolescence program is a nationally recognized, 3-year, comprehensive program. The School offers it sequentially in sixth, seventh, and eighth grades. The curriculum, which has been taught at The Benjamin School for over twenty five years with regular revisions, gives students skills to deal with the many challenges and changes of adolescence. The goals of the program include: ● helping young people develop healthy, positive behaviors; ● helping them develop positive commitments to their families, school, peers, and community; ● helping them resist negative pressures and impressing upon them the importance of growing up drug free; ● involving our families and school in supporting the healthy development and success of our children.

COMPUTER SCIENCE

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Digital Tools & Citizenship (605) 6th Grade, One Quarter During this nine-week course, students will be provided the proper tools to help them create a positive digital footprint and will also learn best practices for staying safe online. In addition, the sixth graders will learn how to use the various Google Apps at their disposal, including, but not limited to, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Gmail, and Calendar. This instruction will set them up for organizational success in their various disciplines. The sixth graders will also be apprised of the basic parts and functions of a computer. They will learn the difference between bits and bytes, downloads and uploads, local storage and cloud-based storage, as well as several short-cut keys for both Windows and Mac operating systems to make them more efficient students across all disciplines.

Coding for the Web (705) 7th Grade, One Quarter This nine-week course will introduce students to basic HTML coding. Using ​w3schools.com as a guide, students will learn the differences between and functions of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. They will work with HTML5 and learn proper terminology and formatting, including the addition of headings, titles, paragraphs, images, colors, links, attributes, etc. Students will leave the course with an ability to create a web page using HTML5 coding.

Introduction to Computer Programming (805) 8th Grade, One Quarter This nine-week course will begin with a six-week introduction to LEGO Mindstorms EV3. Students will use Lego Mindstorm’s EV3 to build, program, and command their own Lego robots that drive, slither, walk, and spin. To introduce programming, students will use the EV3 Programming App to bring their program to life and will then advance to using downloadable programming software for more features. The final three weeks will focus on computer programming using Scratch, an interactive drag-and-drop programming language that will introduce students to sprites and computer animation. In addition, Scratch will also allow students to interface with LEGO Mindstorms EV3 so students can actually program their LEGO creations using the Scratch 2.0 Extension Protocol.

VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS The Fine Arts Department consists of the following disciplines: Chorus, Dance, Drama, Instrumental Music and Visual Arts. Each arts discipline is committed to educating the individual student to develop his/her abilities fully through a sequential program which provides personal interaction with subject matter drawn from a broad scope of historical and cultural perspectives. The department’s primary concern is to give students tools for creating, analyzing, reflecting and communicating on verbal and nonverbal levels and for making informed, confident and critical choices.

Students acquire specific artistic, conceptual and analytical skills through an exploration of content using techniques and tools associated with the elements of each discipline. Through these experiences, students achieve a myriad of artistic, creative, analytical and personal goals. Ultimately, our students develop transferable skills that are not only applicable across these disciplines but become an integral part of their daily lives.

Exploratory Arts Wheel (Drama 710, Visual Art 711, Dance 712, Chorus 713)

Full Year

The wheel is so named, because 6th grade students, over the course of a year, study and experience the four aspects of Fine Arts (dance, drama, visual arts, and music) on a rotating turning wheel basis, and wheel performances feature all four aspects of this study.

During the 9-week dance wheel, students will develop an appreciation for the world of dance through the study of various styles, vocabulary, cultures, dance history, and artists within the ever changing dance world. Students will explore dance by participating in outlets such as technique classes, class discussions, performance critiques, journal writing, and a final performance in which they will have the opportunity to showcase their work.

The Drama Wheel is a one-quarter long course designed as an introduction to creative drama and performance theater. Students learn about techniques such as breathing exercises, voice & diction, theater games, pantomime,

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improvisation, and stage movement. As a class activity, the students and instructors write a themed play together, complete with costumes, lighting, sets, and props, culminating in a final production performed by the entire class, before a live audience on stage in the Barker Center.

The Visual Art wheel is designed to introduce art students to the meaning of art as the visual expression of an idea.

Through a sequential series of both individual and group projects, students will utilize the Elements of Art (line, shape, color, texture, form, value and composition), to create two-and three-dimensional works. The primary focus is to deepen students’ observational and expressive skills through drawing from observation, analyzing and interpreting artwork in a variety of contexts, and extending their knowledge of both new and familiar media.

The sixth grade music wheel is about experiencing the art of vocal music. Musical pieces are selected to fit the individual theme of each quarter. Music reading, vocal skills and technique are emphasized. At the end of each quarter the students showcase their musical mastery in a performance.

Sixth Grade Band (658)

Two Days a Week; Full Year

In 6th grade, band meets two days a week for a semester. Here, the class explores more advanced skills. Students study major scales and arpeggios, as well as more complex rhythmic notation. The semester culminates with a concert for the school and a concert for the parents. The 6th grade band class picks up where the students left off in 5th grade. Students, who are new to Benjamin and have not been studying an instrument, meet separately to select appropriate instruments and to receive information on where to rent or purchase the instrument.

Middle School Performance Ensemble (910)

7​th​ and 8​th​ Grade-Full Year

This is an advanced band. The ​Performance Ensemble ​consists of students with two or more years of playing experience who have achieved an above-average playing level on their instruments. ​Performance Ensemble membership carries increased responsibilities and expectations. The course places emphasis on the continued development of fundamentals, technique, musicality, and ensemble skills. In addition to preparing for performances, band students also engage in the study of a variety of music topics: scale and chord construction, harmony, arranging, conducting, composition, and music history. Band students continue to further their playing skills by working on their technique, knowing all the scales, ear training, and playing challenging repertoire. Students in the Performance Ensemble ​will participate in the Solo & Ensemble Festival and All-District Band auditions.

Middle School Strings 6​th​ Grade-(941); 7​th​&8​th​ Grade-(942) Grade-Full Year

6​th​ Grade-2 Days a week, 7th-8​th

This course is open to all middle school students who currently play violin, viola, cello, string bass, or harp. The course is also open to beginners. This class provides the opportunity for students to advance their playing abilities through ensemble experience, individual, and small group lessons, and allows the opportunity for students to pursue additional performing experiences outside the classroom setting. Students have the opportunity to study a variety of musical styles ranging from classical to popular. The class will emphasize the development of technical/playing skills. Basic music history and theory is included. Strings class offers students the time and instruction to develop effective technique on their chosen instrument and to deepen their musical knowledge​.

Musical Theater (910)

7​th​ and 8​th​ Grade-Full Year

Musical Theater is a course which combines theater training techniques and chorus. Students learn theater skills such as breath control, voice and diction, pantomime, blocking and memorization, stage combat and simple choreography which culminate in a full-length musical. The students also sing as a chorus, learning technique, range, and score reading. The students gain valuable performing experience presenting their musical production and singing as a vocal ensemble at events such as the Lower School Halloween parade, the Benjamin Hall All-School Holiday Concert, and the year-end concert in the Barker Performing Arts Center.

Placement in Musical Theater and Drama will be determined by the Fine Arts faculty.

Visual Art 7​th ​Grade-(938), 8​th​ Grade-(939)

7​th​ and 8​th​ Grades -Full Year

Students acquire specific artistic, conceptual and analytical skills through an exploration of content using techniques and tools associated with the elements and principles of design. Varied ideas and materials in two and three

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dimensional art provide students with opportunities for creativity, self-expression and individuality through independent learning, problem solving and risk taking. Through these experiences, students achieve specific artistic and personal goals. Ultimately, the students develop transferable skills that become an integral part of their daily lives.

Dance Technique (900)

7​th​ and 8​th​ Grades -Full Year

To learn dance, one must dance. Participation is the key to a student’s successful progress in dance technique. This course is for the middle school student who would like to study the many different styles of dance. Students learn the history, vocabulary, and technique of dance forms as diverse as ballet, jazz and tap They have opportunities to view and critique dance works seen during field trips or in class video presentations. Students understand that dance is a way to create meaning by learning basic composition skills for choreography. Students demonstrate movement elements by performing in class, at school assemblies, and at outside concerts.

Middle School Drama (907)

7​th​ and 8​th​ Grades-Full Year

Middle School Drama is a wonderful opportunity for students to explore both the creative and the performance sides of the theater with the fundamental techniques of drama, such as breathing exercises, voice and diction, pantomime, improvisation, theater games, reader’s theater, monologues and dialogues. Middle school drama students take part in play readings, auditions, and rehearsals that include blocking and memorization, character study, play research, lighting, sound, costumes, props, sets and stage crew, in order to produce and perform a full-length two-act classic play.

Placement in Musical Theater and Drama will be determined by the Fine Arts faculty.

Introduction to Film/Television Production (814)

8​th​ Grade-Full Year

This course will be divided into two areas: film production and television production. The first semester will focus on the discipline of filmmaking. The class will discuss film theory through the study of various films and film clips and talk about America’s film industry. Students will then learn the basic fundamentals of writing for the screen, the general techniques of film production (camera operation, lighting, etc.), post-production (Adobe Premiere Pro 2014 professional non-linear digital editing software), and the rudimentary artistic principles of the filmmaking process.

The objective of the first half of the course is to produce an original short film using state-of-the-art tools, facilities, and expertise.

The focus will shift to television production during the second semester. Students will watch clips of news broadcasts and reporter pieces that will serve as examples of professional journalism. They will learn proper interviewing skills, write news pieces, and practice editing together news packages. Equipped with these techniques, the students will record footage of school events, deliver morning announcements, and create news packages for distribution to The Benjamin School community.

Prerequisite:​ Application materials for this course must be filled out with the instructor of record.

ATHLETICS AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION The Benjamin Middle School requires its students to participate in at least one school-sponsored sport each year.

With this in mind, the Middle School athletic philosophy encourages and allows for participation by all students.

With a few exceptions, the Middle School has a no-cut policy. The emphasis at this level is on skill development, teamwork, fair play, and sportsmanship. Participation is a key component for Middle School teams. As such, we make every effort to provide appropriate playing time based on the athlete's attitude and effort during practices and games. We hope to teach many values to our Middle School students while they are engaged in the rigors of athletic competition in a healthy team environment. Participation, competition, and support from teammates provide the opportunity for students to develop and exhibit skills to the best of their abilities and learn the importance of contributing to a team. When there are large numbers of students participating in a sport, there may be multiple teams based on ability level.

Goals of the Athletic Program : • To promote development in self-discipline, pride, leadership, and character.

• To promote sportsmanship and fairness.

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• To provide motivation for academic excellence.

• To promote team collegiality, respect, and loyalty.

• To understand the importance of team over self.

• To create a love for athletics in lifetime and leisure activities.

• To build self-esteem.

• To provide opportunity for personal and social growth.

• To encourage all students to participate.

• To develop self-motivation.

• To develop skills.

Objectives of the Athletic Program: • Participation in athletics shall be available to students who work hard and display a positive attitude.

• The values of good sportsmanship and the dynamics of teamwork shall be stressed constantly. Teammates will be helpful and supportive of one another.

• The importance of teaching young athletes how to display good sportsmanship shall be incorporated into practices and games.

• The interaction of special friendships and the impact of adult role models shall always be a conscious element in the awareness of those working with young athletes.

• As student-athletes, students shall be challenged to strive for the highest level of excellence in academics and athletics.

• Based on their level of expertise, students shall work to demonstrate improvement in the skills particular to each sport.

Physical Education-6​th​ Grade-(761); 7​th​ Grade-(763); 8​th​ Grade-(765) Two Days per Week-Full Year The Physical Education program is designed to meet the physical and emotional needs of the adolescent child. The program helps each child to develop a positive attitude about leading a healthy and physically active lifestyle. The course includes units of study such as lifetime leisure sports, personal fitness and health/nutrition, and Presidential Fitness testing.

SUMMER PROGRAMS With the School’s mission in mind, The Benjamin School Summer Program provides students from Benjamin and the surrounding community with the opportunity to have rewarding curricular and co-curricular experiences during the summer. While the summer program offers courses for high school credit, the main focus of the summer program is the enrichment experience students receive. Enrichment courses and camps are fun, stimulate discussion and curiosity, and help students develop a lifelong love of learning.

As a whole, the Summer Program consists of the following: ● Academic programs consisting of courses for students entering grades 9–12. Courses for high school credit included Introduction to Computer Science, Human Systems Biology, Introduction to Government, Personal Wellness, and Physics; ● A wide variety of academic enrichment programs including Reading for Understanding, Writing by Design, SAT Prep, Spanish Prep & Review, and Math enrichment for students grades 6-12; ● Driver's Education class ● Fun and Games Camp for grades 2-6; ● Home Economics / Life Skills Camp for students entering grades 3-7 ● Lego Robotics Camp for students entering grades 3-6 ● Makers Camp for Girls (Engineering) ● Summer Enrichment Camp for students entering PK (Discovery Camp) ● Summer Enrichment Camp for Grades Kindergarten to 6; (Adventure Camp & Explorer Camp)

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Sports and Cheerleading Camps for various grade levels; Musical Theatre & Performing Arts Camps for various grade levels; Dance Intensive camps for various grade levels TV & Film Production Camp for grades 5-9 The Benjamin Summer Institute is a tuition-free, academically challenging, and culturally diverse summer program that is a part of our community outreach efforts. The program is for rising 6​th ​graders who do not currently matriculate at The Benjamin School. Ideal candidates are students who are underserved in their present academic situation and who show academic promise and a wish to achieve.

Participants take daily classes in math, writing, science, and study skills, taught by talented and committed teachers from The Benjamin School. The Summer Institute emphasizes study and critical thinking skills across the curriculum, academic rigor, hands-on experiential learning, and academic excellence. We also have a leadership program that gives students the skills to understand their own leadership styles, how teams work and an understanding of how a group can perform more effectively. ● The Counselor In Training Program for grades 7-10 to develop effective leadership skills and communication skills ● Summer of Academic Readiness (SOAR AHEAD): Lower School students entering grades PK-5 can enroll in this unique opportunity for children to receive small group academic assistance in math and reading during a seven week period.

The entire summer program catalogue and application are available at the following web address: http://www.thebenjaminschool.org/​summer