2019-2020 Benjamin Middle School Academic Program

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MS Academic Program 2019-2020 - Google Docs

Middle School Academic Program 2019-2020 Mr. Charles Hagy Head of Middle School 472-3435

Mr. Ken Didsbury

Mr. Chuck Maddox

Assistant Head for Academics 472-3485

Middle School Academic Dean 626-3747 ext. 3302

Dr. Amy Taylor

Mr. Jeffrey Cavallo

Director of Student Services 472-3441

Middle School Dean of Students 472-3431

Ms. Danielle Benvenuto

Mrs. Susan Poncy

Student Services 626-3747 ext. 3327

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

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Mission Statement and Guiding Principles 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: ● ● ● ● ● ●

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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 twelve character traits constitute the values to which we subscribe both on- and off-campus: Respect, Courage, Morality, Kindness, Fairness, Integrity, Compassion, Acceptance, Forgiveness, Gratitude, Perseverance, 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.

Pink, Daniel, A Whole New Mind

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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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, 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 middle school experience.

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 6th graders, gently but purposefully introducing a new level of responsibility, accountability, academic rigor, and extracurricular options until 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 Keys where students learn first hand about how to honor the natural landscape of Florida. Innovations such as the Middle School-wide recycling initiative ask 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 are increasingly involved in the School’s Sustainability Committee. Finally, the Middle School is proud to have been designated as a Palm Beach County 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 from 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, musical theater, and TV and Film. Approximately 20 clubs (some meeting weekly or bi-weekly and also for 50-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. Students who wish to further develop and hone their writing voice via contexts other than English class can join Journalism and Web Media, a class in which they create, The Neersyde, the middle school newspaper and our award winning yearbook, The Azimuth.

The Middle School also features many cross curricular innovations that will only be found at our school. The 8th grade Friendship Games allow the class to sponsor a day of fun and olympic events for special education students throughout the Palm Beach County area. As students reach out and help others, they learn lessons about humanity that cannot be taught in books. The Benjamin School also partners 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 allows sixth grade students to participate in Biztown, a program sponsored by Junior Achievement, to show them how to work, live, and pay bills. Seventh graders, likewise, learn about how they can best impact their communities through outreach efforts. Finally, eighth grade students interviewed a local businessman or woman to learn more about their careers. Our Middle School Student Council is a robust program https://docs.google.com/document/d/1w24PLVsRctflGLPrLMTu0J8c0D34wXyySP7p05vB_rc/edit#

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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 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.

STEM Philosophy Since 1960, The Benjamin School has been preparing students to excel in college and for life. While we have a legacy that begins with Marshall and Nancy Benjamin’s vision of producing students who become the best versions of themselves, we are also an innovative school that moves education forward. The Benjamin School provides a unique continuity of STEM curriculum across 15 years.

At The Benjamin Middle School, STEM education is an interdisciplinary approach to learning where students apply science, technology, engineering and mathematics to solve real-world problems. This approach is supported by a strong, well-rounded curricular experience, emphasizing advanced work in the humanities, a deep study of world languages, teamwork in athletics, and creativity through the arts. This project oriented, problem-based course of study promotes fearlessness and perseverance in learning, while facilitating important connections between the school and the community. Albert Einstein once said, "It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with problems longer." The STEM program promotes “staying with problems longer,” as students ready themselves for the exciting challenges of the Upper School STEM curriculum, while developing the perseverance and the growth mindset necessary to become tomorrow’s scientists and engineers.

Without replacing any part of the well rounded experiences our students receive, the program seeks to integrate STEM opportunities into the middle school curriculum. Middle school science courses integrate science, technology and math into engineering projects. Knowing that students are working to prepare themselves for jobs that have not yet been created, the STEM program focuses on skill development in the following areas: ● Advanced application of concepts in science, technology, engineering and math; ● Computer programming and logical thinking; ● Critical thinking and problem solving; ● Creativity; ● Oral and written communication; ● Teamwork and collaboration; ● Working with diverse teams; ● Leadership and project management; ● Fostering of a growth mindset (see Carol Dweck's book Mindset: The New Psychology of Success).

After completing this Middle School STEM curriculum, students may be prepared for the following Upper School programs: ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

Four engineering courses; Five computer science courses; Two biotechnology courses; An Engineering Certificate Program; The Advanced Human Systems Biology course that can result in the National Health Care; Association’s Certified Medical Assistant Certification; The Benjineers’ Robotics Competitions; AP courses for the following subjects: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Computer Science, Computer Science Principles, AB Calculus, BC Calculus, and Statistics; A focus on project design and structure that enhances an aesthetic sensitivity; An emphasis on solidifying the use of the scientific method in project work; A variety of internship opportunities at Scripps Research Institute and Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience; Twice annual participation in live-streaming of major surgeries by our biology students.

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Course offerings for 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students are as follows: Grade Required Courses for All Students th 6 ● English Literature and Language Arts 6 ● US History: Colonization through the Revolution ● Science: Florida Ecology and Conservation ● Sixth Grade Math or Advanced Pre-Algebra 6 ● Spanish, French, or Mandarin ● Visual and Performing Arts Wheel ● Digital Tools & Citizenship ● Physical Education th 7 ● English Literature and Language Arts 7 ● Language Arts 7 ● US History: Constitution to the Present ● Life Science and Marine Biology ● Seventh Grade Mathematics, Advanced Pre-Algebra 7, or Algebra I Honors ● Spanish, French, or Mandarin ● Physical Education

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Courses Students Choose ● Band ● Strings

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Art Journalism and Web Media Middle School Performance Ensemble ● Strings ● Musical Theater ● Dance Technique ● Drama ● Introduction to Film and TV Production th 8 ● English Literature and Language Arts 8 ● Art ● Communication Arts ● Journalism and Web Media ● World History Part I: Early Cultures to Renaissance ● Middle School Performance ● Environmental Chemistry/Introduction to Physical Ensemble Science or Accelerated STEM ● Strings ● Eighth Grade Math, Algebra I, Algebra I Honors, or ● Musical Theater Geometry Honors ● Dance Technique ● Spanish, French, or Mandarin ● Drama ● Physical Education ● Introduction to Film and TV Production ● Introduction to TV Broadcasting Students must take six required classes, and one elective or Wheel (6th grade) per year. Registration for required and elective courses takes place in the Spring semester. The Head of the Middle School determines placement of students.

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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.

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, 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 6th graders are embarking upon their new journey in middle school, it is most appropriate that the overarching theme of 6th grade literature is the notion of the journey.

This motif is explored through a myriad of literary genres including the first third of Homer’s epic, The Odyssey.

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 eight 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 6th grade and the far more independent and rigorous implementation of these skills in 8th grade and beyond. Thus, importance is placed upon the close critical reading of works of literature, such as the continuation of Homer’s Odyssey and a comprehensive engagement with Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, 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 eight parts of speech and their application in context from 6th grade, now begin a more rigorous grammar curriculum which builds conceptually on the foundation laid in 6th grade. Students take a https://docs.google.com/document/d/1w24PLVsRctflGLPrLMTu0J8c0D34wXyySP7p05vB_rc/edit#

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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.

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 on the author's choice of motifs, symbolism and creating poetic ekphrases for prose texts. 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 6 and 7 grades. Students, well trained as critical thinkers and writers are more than ready to tackle the last third of The Odyssey, and independently analyze dramas, memoirs, Shakespeare, and novels. The study of poetry which complements the thematic messages of the novels is also a major component of the 8th grade curriculum. Frequent writing in journals which helps free the writer within helps students create unique voices. 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. th

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Building on the fundamentals taught in 6th grade and the more sophisticated concepts taught in 7th 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.

Language Arts (718)

7th Grade – 2 Days per Week Full Year

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 (820)

8th Grade – 2 Days per Week Full Year

Students in this class learn to become skillful 21st century thinkers and speakers as they explore the art of communication through a series of research-based individual and group projects. While writing, researching, and delivering informative, personal, and persuasive speeches, students discover how to formulate their own convictions and challenge those of others. To compete effectively in Lincoln-Douglas Debate, Public Forum Debate, and Student Congress, students hone competitive debating skills that are an integral part of this course. Using the technology in our modern media center and video studio helps students effectively become formidable public speakers.

Journalism & Web Media (911)

7th or 8th 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 country to be so honored. Reporters work on stories with increasing independence and the class affords them the https://docs.google.com/document/d/1w24PLVsRctflGLPrLMTu0J8c0D34wXyySP7p05vB_rc/edit#

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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 in order to ensure success of the class’ publications.

Prerequisites: 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. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1w24PLVsRctflGLPrLMTu0J8c0D34wXyySP7p05vB_rc/edit#

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

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.

Eighth Grade Mathematics (810)

Full Year

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 (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, https://docs.google.com/document/d/1w24PLVsRctflGLPrLMTu0J8c0D34wXyySP7p05vB_rc/edit#

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earth science, and chemistry in addition to examining the soil chemistry involved in Florida’s ecosystems.

Consequently, as students leave the 8th 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.

6th Grade Florida Ecology and Conservation (603)

Full Year

This course stresses critical thinking and problem solving as well as the scientific method and proper scientific processes, including laboratory safety and laboratory techniques. Students will also gain an understanding of Florida natural history including the geological aspects, early habitats, and human impact on these habitats. Classes will examine Florida’s unique land-based ecosystems, including the reading of A Land Remembered, which depicts the Everglades. Students will get the opportunity to explore the native flora, fauna, and ecosystems during a field study to a nature preserve. An introduction to cellular structure and plant structure is included in this course. There are several problem based STEM opportunities throughout the school year such as the community gardens, field based conservation studies, and independent assignments. In addition, sixth grade students work with middle school gardens while learning about the Plant Kingdom and tracking the growth and development of plants, various fruits, and vegetables.

In addition to Florida ecology and conservation, students will be immersed in the world of coding. The coding portion of the science curriculum is designed for all levels and is run at the pace of each individual student. We will use several different approaches and languages including block coding, Java, and Python.

7th Grade Life Science and Marine Biology (703)

Full Year

This course is a STEM based hands on class. The main focus is on the Earth as a water planet. Students will develop an understanding of the intricacies of the living world around them from microscopic cells to complex marine ecosystems. Students will use water as the thread for knowledge from molecular to animal systems on our planet.

The curriculum consists of hurricane tracking, the hydrological cycle, introduction to bacteria, viruses, fungi, protists, plants and animals. We will explore the effects of human interactions with our environment and the various ecosystems specific to the Florida Coast. This class will be engaged in high level STEM activities that are student-designed and driven. The class is set at a rigorous pace to allow the student to be an independent thinker, self motivated, and well organized. Collaboration is a necessity for success in this class. The class culminates with a trip to MarineLab in Key Largo.

In addition to the Life Science and Marine Biology, students will be immersed in the world of coding. The coding portion of the science curriculum is designed for all levels and is run at the pace of each individual student. We will use several different approaches and languages including block coding, Java, and Python.

8th Grade Environmental Chemistry/Introduction to Physical Science (804)

Full Year

In this course, students focus on renewable energy and environmental chemistry. Through various STEM projects, students will first learn about physical science concepts by gathering data, graphing, and analyzing results. Once every student has grasped the concepts taught in the physics unit, students will move to introductory chemistry.

After reviewing the states of matter, we leap into the atomic structure and study chemical bonds. Throughout this environmental chemistry course, students will learn about ocean acidification and its effect on biodiversity. By the end of the year, all students will have a concrete understanding of the periodic table and will acquire the tools necessary to converse about periodic trends.

In addition to the environmental chemistry and introduction to physics, students will be immersed in the world of coding. The coding portion of the science curriculum is designed for all levels and is run at the pace of each individual student. We will use several different approaches and languages including block coding, Java, and Python. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1w24PLVsRctflGLPrLMTu0J8c0D34wXyySP7p05vB_rc/edit#

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8th Grade Accelerated STEM (768)

10 Full Year

This fast paced course is designed to develop critical reasoning and realistic problem-solving skills. Throughout the course, students practice authentic scientific inquiry through experimentation and guided reasoning based on the results of student experiments. The course encourages communication by requiring students to take part in a cooperative learning process and by having students orally report on what they have learned.

The first part of the course will be devoted to studying the world of Biotechnology. Students will be able to understand and communicate about clones, nutritional analysis, GMOs, stem cell research, and the use of viruses for medical remediation. The second part of the course will dive into the world of engineering design and technology.

Students will start by designing and creating a Truss bridge using structural engineering techniques. Students will also look at the arena of electronics with reverse engineering. Students will dissect various electronics in detail, sharing their findings with their peers. Along with coding, students will investigate robotics and artificial intelligence using Spheros, Java, and Python. Students will solve problems by designing and creating a solution with a 3D printer and Glowforge.

Prerequisite: Excellent grade average, attitude, and citizenship. Must obtain permission of the Science Department and take 8th Grade Accelerated STEM and 8th Grade Environmental Chemistry/Introduction to Physical Science 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.

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 in history. 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 luncheon to show off the art they created depicting various elements of Colonial life in America.

Sixth Grade: US History: Colonization 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 5th 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 end of the American Revolution. 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. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1w24PLVsRctflGLPrLMTu0J8c0D34wXyySP7p05vB_rc/edit#

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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 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 6th grade, 7th grade history is also committed to examining the implications of geography on history (see Historical Geography above in 6th 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 up to 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 6th grade and 7 grade history, 8th grade world history is also committed to examining the implications of geography on history (see Historical Geography above in 6th grade description) and such examinations play an integral and intentional role in each unit of the curriculum.

But 8th 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 8th 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 8th 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 self-consciously 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. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1w24PLVsRctflGLPrLMTu0J8c0D34wXyySP7p05vB_rc/edit#

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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 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.

F

C

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 some portions of the LS program but are weak in structure and vocabulary. Some topics of study include salutations and common courtesy formulas, school, family and friends, parts of the body, things around home, clothing, and animals. The primary resource for this course is the Discovering French Bleu Nouveau textbook and workbook series. 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 6th grade students but can include students of other grades who have successfully completed French A or the equivalent. 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 and after-school activities. D’Accord 1 textbook, workbook and VHS online Supersite platform serve as the primary resources for this course.

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 more 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, eating out and ordering in restaurants and cafés, food shopping and daily life around town, sports and leisure activities, celebrations and the various stages of life. D’Accord 1 textbook, workbook and VHS online Supersite platform serve as the primary resource for this course.

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 clothes and shopping for clothes, summer and winter sports, traveling and tourism, staying at a hotel, lodging and housing in francophone countries, and the rooms and furniture of the house. 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. D’Accord 1 textbook, workbook and the VHS online Supersite platform serve as the primary resource for this course. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1w24PLVsRctflGLPrLMTu0J8c0D34wXyySP7p05vB_rc/edit#

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Prerequisite: French C or its equivalent

S

C

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. Asì Se Dice level one textbook and workbook and the accompanying online platform serve as the primary resource for this course.

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 years, 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

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. In order to enroll in this course, students must demonstrate a high level of motivation and enthusiasm about learning Spanish. 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, a completed application, and teacher approval.

M

C

Mandarin Chinese A (214)

Full Year

This course is designed for middle school students with no previous background in writing Chinese from memory. It 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 with the skills most frequently needed upon meeting a Chinese person: greetings, names, age, nationality and the family.

Then, as the course unfolds, students will learn the foundational elements of conversation: where they live, how to https://docs.google.com/document/d/1w24PLVsRctflGLPrLMTu0J8c0D34wXyySP7p05vB_rc/edit#

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say the date, classroom materials they encounter every day, and the language patterns surrounding food. Listening and conversational will be emphasized first as a foundation on which to build reading and writing skills. Since the evolution of each character is such an integral part of Chinese consciousness, calligraphy study will first focus on the standard construction of each character including the correct stroke order and the identification of the radical in each character. Then they will drill and commit the characters to memory concentrating on developing the muscle memory for writing each character. Students should expect to learn to write around 200 words over the course of the year.They will also be taught Chinese word processing.As students' language abilities grow, we will use as much Chinese as we can in an exploration of Chinese culture and the use of the idioms that are part of everyday Chinese speech and the mark of the truly fluent. Students will also "visit" China by viewing Chinese art films featuring children their own age. Audio-visual and online-interactive training tools will all be used alongside live classroom instruction.

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.

Students in Chinese B will continue to expand their vocabulary and knowledge of Chinese grammatical forms and idiomatic expressions to bring a more natural fluency to their spoken and written language. The material covered will bring more variety to the subjects about which students will be able to communicate, including: the physical attributes of people and things, preferences and abilities, and leisure activities. Students should expect to learn to add about 300 words to their written vocabulary, including 14 new measure words.Concurrently, students will move to a primarily Chinese-language environment in the classroom, with ever decreasing levels of English being used.

Students will continue to dive ever deeper into Chinese culture through film and readings. As in Mandarin Chinese A, audio-visual and 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 https://docs.google.com/document/d/1w24PLVsRctflGLPrLMTu0J8c0D34wXyySP7p05vB_rc/edit#

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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 Discovering Chinese textbook series and associated workbooks (both physical and interactive/electronic), but will be broadly supplemented with other, multimedia 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) 6th, 7th, and 8th Grades The School offers a Skills for Adolescence course sequentially in sixth, seventh, and eighth grades. The curriculum, which has been taught at The Benjamin School for over thirty years with regular revisions, provides social and emotional learning opportunities and 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 Digital Tools & Citizenship (605) 6th Grade, One Semester During this 18-week course, students are provided the proper tools to help them create a positive digital footprint and will also learn best practices for staying safe online, communicating electronically, and learning best practices for Internet searches. 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 shortcut keys for both Windows and Mac operating systems to make them more efficient students across all disciplines.

VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS The Fine Arts Department consists of the following disciplines: Dance, Drama, Instrumental Music, Musical Theatre, TV Film Production I and II, 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.

6th-Grade Arts Wheel (Drama 710, Visual Art 711, Dance 712, Music 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) All four disciplines weave their quarter long study into an hour https://docs.google.com/document/d/1w24PLVsRctflGLPrLMTu0J8c0D34wXyySP7p05vB_rc/edit#

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long performance. The collaboration throughout each quarter sets the students up for success as true artistic team players on the stage.

The 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 designed as an introduction to creative drama and performance theater. Students learn about techniques such as breathing exercises, voice and diction, theater games, pantomime, 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 Vocal and Instrumental 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 both vocally and instrumentally.

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)

7th and 8th 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.

th

Middle School Strings 6 Grade- (941)

7th & 8th Grade- (942) Full Year 6th Grade-2 Days a Week

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) https://docs.google.com/document/d/1w24PLVsRctflGLPrLMTu0J8c0D34wXyySP7p05vB_rc/edit#

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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, Veterans Day ceremony, the Benjamin Hall All-School Holiday Concert in the winter and spring, Lower School Olympics, Variety Show, and the Musical Theatre production in the spring.

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

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

7th and 8th 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 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)

7th and 8th 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, tap, and modern dance. Students 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 our Spring Dance concert.

Middle School Drama (907)

7th and 8th 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)

7th and 8th Grades-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.

Introduction to Television Broadcasting (815)

8th Grade - Full Year

This course is designed as an immersive experience in producing a TV news program and focuses on empowering https://docs.google.com/document/d/1w24PLVsRctflGLPrLMTu0J8c0D34wXyySP7p05vB_rc/edit#

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students to be effective communicators in a world dominated by news media. Building upon the fundamentals the students received in Intro. to Film/TV, this course will allow students to deepen their understanding and knowledge of TV news by producing a weekly or bi-weekly 15-minute news broadcast. Students will continue to generate and assemble news packages while also learning the basics of creating a news broadcast, including producing and editing together multi-camera shoots and carrying out the roles of anchor, reporter, camera operator, and floor director. The news program will be broadcast to the TBS community via the world wide web, and the students will work with the Journalism and Web Media students to generate story ideas and maximize coverage of school and community events.

Prerequisite: Introduction to Film/Television Production (814) and application materials filled out with the instructor of record.

ATHLETICS

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. ● 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 6th Grade-(761); 7th Grade-(763); 8th 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 https://docs.google.com/document/d/1w24PLVsRctflGLPrLMTu0J8c0D34wXyySP7p05vB_rc/edit#

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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 include 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) ● Sports and Cheerleading Camps for various grade levels; ● Musical Theatre and Performing Arts Camps for various grade levels; ● Dance Intensive camps for various grade levels ● TV & Film Production Camp for grades 5-9 ● The Counselor In Training Program for grades 7-10 to develop effective leadership skills and communication skills The entire summer program catalogue and application are available at the following web address: https://www.thebenjaminschool.org/summer-programs

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1w24PLVsRctflGLPrLMTu0J8c0D34wXyySP7p05vB_rc/edit#

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