Harlem Academy 2021-22 Curriculum Guide

2021-22 CURRICULUM GUIDE

Table of Contents INTRODUCTION

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PRIMARY SCHOOL Overview Literacy Mathematics Science Advisory Wellness Visual and Performing Arts Homework & Personal Learning, Choice, and Mentoring Technology Sample Primary Division Schedule

3 3 4 4 5 5 5 5 5 6

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Overview Literacy Mathematics Science Advisory Wellness Visual and Performing Arts Homework & Personal Learning, Choice, and Mentoring Technology Sample Elementary Division Schedule

7 7 8 9 10 10 11 11 11 12

MIDDLE SCHOOL Overview English Mathematics Science History Growth Block (including advisory) Wellness and Electives (including arts, athletics, and study hall) Technology Secondary School Placement Program Alumni Support

13 13 14 15 16 17 18 18 19 19

Sample Middle School Schedule

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Each division gathers on a weekly basis to focus on learning to live our School Creed and pillars.

Introduction Harlem Academy inspires excellence with a rigorous curriculum wrapped in a joyful and ethical school culture. We foster confidence by setting up real challenges for all of our students, nurturing their talents, and supporting them to meet their goals. We work with focus and determination but take time to celebrate each other’s achievements and share in life’s special moments.

Harlem Academy graduates remember seeing or participating in the first-grade puppet show, where classic fables are reimagined with a modern and diverse twist, curating their own exhibit of ancient Egyptian artifacts in fifth grade, presenting original works of poetry in sixth grade, and highlighting the success of a fellow classmate at their graduation ceremony. Learning to speak publicly is part of every Harlem Academy student’s journey. We are very

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intentional about skill development, and our students get the chance to present in front of a group of people a minimum of 24 times over the course of their Harlem Academy career.

We take advantage of opportunities in our neighborhood, city, and broader world to extend classroom learning and expand students’ horizons.

We visit the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Harlem DNA Lab, New York Hall of Science, American Museum of Natural History, Bronx Zoo, and other New York City institutions. Middle school students start every year with a three-day trip to the Princeton-Blairstown Center to work on outdoor adventure challenges and team building in a wilderness environment. They also have opportunities to visit boarding schools and universities to extend their learning and think about paths for their future. In

eighth grade, students design their own day-long field trip exploring the five boroughs and cultures of New York City and take a three-day leadership trip to Washington, D.C. These eighth-grade trips always stand out among the many special moments in a student’s final year.

Skill development is the foundation of a Harlem Academy education. We believe that core academic skills (reading, writing, and critical thinking in math and science) and strong character habits (initiative, integrity, compassion, and determination) are the key ingredients students need for success at top secondary schools and as contributing members of the community. To build these skills, our approach combines depth, practice, challenge, and engagement in every curricular area.

The vision for character education at Harlem Academy is expressed in our School Creed and four community pillars. It serves as the foundation for learning, reflection, and improvement, and is a springboard for discussion in advisory and a touchpoint for lessons in every academic area.

Initiative I am bold and creative.

I take opportunities to lead.

I seek help when I need it.

Integrity I am honest and reflective.

I choose to do what is right Even when it is hard or no one is watching Compassion I listen carefully.

I speak kindly.

I care for my community.

Determination I make the most of each day.

I learn from my mistakes.

I don’t give up.

Students learn the entire School Creed in their first year, and it remains a focus of weekly community meetings throughout their time at Harlem Academy.

Each division also undertakes a deeper exploration of specific Community Pillars, with the primary school focusing on determination, the elementary school focusing on compassion, and the middle school focusing on initiative. As an ongoing strand, the three divisions all connect with the pillar of integrity. In the early grades, integrity is presented more concretely in terms of taking responsibility for following a

shared set of expectations. As students progress toward graduation, they gain an increasingly developed understanding of the concept, and they come to understand integrity as the alignment between their decisions and their personal values.

“Celebrations of Learning offer repeated opportunities for students to step out of their comfort zones, make mistakes in a safe environment, and come out having conquered their fears – accomplishing something they maybe didn’t realize they could do.”

VINCENT DOTOLI, HEAD OF SCHOOL

Community meetings are one of our most treasured traditions. Held weekly for each division, they are anchored by a message that examines an aspect of the School Creed, emphasizing the habits most critical to students’ success. Our meetings also include commendations, where teachers share stories that recognize a student’s demonstrated growth or other action that lived up to our pillars and creed. This positive recognition is something that all students look forward to and serves as a strong driver of our values and an example for other students’ growth.

Each meeting also includes a recitation of our School Thanksgiving and School Creed, as well as a guided mindfulness reflection and informal greeting time.

After the community meeting, students return to their classrooms for a short discussion of the week’s message with their teacher and time for written reflection in their advisory journals.

During the final year of middle school, eighth-grade students work with their advisor and one or two classmates to prepare a community meeting message.

This process challenges students to internalize the core habits valued at Harlem Academy. They must engage in thoughtful planning, consider a message that will challenge their peers to reflect on the school’s pillars of initiative, integrity, compassion, and determination, and practice public speaking.

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Primary School OVERVIEW The primary school (grades 1-2) uses a homeroom model. Students can arrive as early as 7:30 a.m. and may stay until 6 p.m., with required programming running from 8:05 a.m. until 3:40 p.m. Students work with a variety of adults on the team but most closely with a core team of three teachers who take lead responsibility for advancing learning, holistic growth, and family partnership.

LITERACY Primary students spend more than two hours each day focused on literacy, including reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Our goal is to provide students with a literature-rich environment that offers many opportunities to learn and practice reading skills and strategies. Through our literacy program, we seek to build confidence, independence, and a foundation for long-term academic success.

The primary school focuses on determination and integrity, and lessons that center and extend these two values are woven throughout advisory programming and integrated throughout the curriculum, always reminding us of who we are and strive to be as individuals and a school community.

There is also a focus on civics and celebration of the children, families, and cultures that make up our beautiful, diverse Harlem community.

The primary literacy program is based on the Benchmark Advance reading program. Our accelerated program uses materials developed for the following grade level and focuses on non-fiction reading, writing, vocabulary, grammar, and phonics within integrated units. Read-alouds from the Benchmark program or the teacher’s choosing are incorporated into each day, generally with an effort to connect back to our School Creed, prompt a whole class discussion, or just bring smiles to students’ faces.

Students learn to contribute to the school community by taking responsibility for a rotating set of jobs in their classrooms. This includes maintaining their classroom library, cleaning and organizing their desks, and helping to pass out materials.

Throughout the week, students participate in a variety of activities focused on building habits for community contribution. Each day begins with a morning meeting where students practice greeting one another, public speaking, listening carefully to others, and mindfulness. At the end of each day, students complete any remaining classroom jobs, prepare to go home, and organize for the next day. The class gathers for a final circle on the rug to celebrate what they’ve learned, share commendations, and say goodbye.

Complementary components to our core literacy program include: Guided Reading Each student is placed in a small reading group that meets three or four times per week based on ability for a highly differentiated nonfiction reading block. These groups evolve throughout the year based on strengths and areas for growth. Students read books on the higher end of their ability level with their teacher’s support and practice specific reading skills and strategies they can transfer to their independent reading. A Fountas and Pinnell assessment is done four times per year with each student to gauge fluency, accuracy, and comprehension, helping teachers to differentiate instruction.

Independent Reading and Library Teachers help students to find books they will enjoy and foster a love of reading. Primary students read texts many times to practice fluency, gain comprehension, and develop an understanding of story patterns. We use Accelerated Reader to help determine a student’s reading level, to log book titles students have read, and assess reading comprehension. Students work towards consistent 90% comprehension achievement. At least one day per week, primary students go to the school’s library to browse and find additional independent reading books for their classroom.

Personal Learning Students have a daily opportunity for differentiated, technology-based literacy practice using the IXL learning platform. This work may relate to whole-class lessons, guided reading, or serve as an opportunity for extra practice or extension to above-grade-level skills, depending on the individual student’s needs.

MATHEMATICS Mathematics is taught using the Math in Focus Singapore math program. This challenging curriculum focuses on teaching fewer concepts with greater depth and more complex problem solving than typical programs in the United States. Each new concept is concretely introduced with physical manipulatives, such as linking cubes or teddy bear counters. After mastering the concrete, students move to pictorial representations such as drawing pictures or symbols.

Finally, students make the connection to abstract representations such as algorithms. Students use the online personalized learning tool, IXL, to support their learning both in the classroom and at home.

First Grade Math units covered in first grade include numbers to 100, addition and subtraction of numbers to 100, mental math strategies for addition and subtraction, multiplication and division, length and weight, shapes and patterns, picture graphs and bar graphs, time and calendar, and money.

Second Grade Second grade math begins by building on previously learned topics such as place value and addition and subtraction, extending to numbers up to 1,000 with regrouping. They also learn multiplication and division, using multiple pictorial models to represent each problem and reinforce the concept of equal groups.

Additionally, there is a strong focus on measurement with topics such as length, time, mass, and volume.

SCIENCE We use the inquiry-based FOSS curriculum to guide lessons as students develop an understanding of the world around them and hone skills in inquiry, investigation, and analysis. Each year, students study earth science (fall), physical science (winter), and life science (spring).

First Grade The fall begins with an earth science unit that introduces students to the scientific method and inquiry-based science they will encounter throughout

their time at Harlem Academy. Students start the year by exploring air and how objects such as bubbles and pinwheels interact with air in the unit Air and Water.

They monitor the sun’s movement and the phases of the moon and learn how daylight hours change over seasons. In the winter, students explore the Sound and Light unit. Students use musical instruments such as the xylophone and simple tools like a tuning fork to explore these phenomena. The year ends with a study of living things in the Plants and Animals unit. They learn how plants and animals grow and survive in their habitats.

Second Grade Second graders begin the year with their hands in the dirt! In the unit Pebbles, Sand, and Silt, they learn about rocks and soil using simple tools such as screens and handheld magnifying glasses to observe, describe, and analyze these earth materials.

In the winter unit, Solids and Liquids, students learn about these two phases of matter. Students compare properties of each state, observe the effects of heating and cooling, and even make slime! In the final unit, Insects and Plants, students spend most science classes outdoors exploring how insects and plants interact. While in class, they see the life cycle of several insects unfold right before their eyes and build on what they learned in first grade to grow their plants in their classroom.

ADVISORY The teaching team and school counselor lead activities to develop habits that support living up to our pillars and Creed during a weekly advisory block.

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The work emphasizes our pillars of determination and integrity, and we emphasize our individual responsibilities as students and the exploration and celebration of the diversity of cultures in our class and larger school community. At a developmentally appropriate level, this time is also used for beginning our understanding of civics and grappling with current events in our class and larger community.

WELLNESS Our physical education program (four days per week) gives students a sound understanding of the foundational skills that apply to organized sports, so they are prepared to participate in competitive athletic environments as they grow older. We value teamwork, sportsmanship, responsibility, and the opportunity for all participants to grow from their experiences.

In mindfulness (one day per week), students learn breathing and movement techniques to help focus, manage emotions, and strengthen awareness. While

always with some choice and toward an effort to build healthy eating habits. The period begins with a pause for silent reflection and ends with a brief informal meeting for daily announcements.

VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS In partnership with Harlem School of the Arts, primary students take arts classes twice per week. One period each week is dedicated to visual arts (drawing, painting, sculpture), one period each week is dedicated to performing arts (music, dance, theater).

HOMEWORK & PERSONAL LEARNING, CHOICE, AND MENTORING As an optional block at the end of each day, we provide a quiet study space for students to complete their homework. Even in the youngest grades, we encourage independent completion of homework.

However, teachers are available to answer questions, give additional practice work, guide students in choosing independent reading books, and help students organize their desks.

After the quiet hour of homework and personal learning is finished, students have choice, which is a period of self-selected, educational play. Students can choose from activities such as block building, coding, mancala, chess, and more.

During this time, some students work with a mentor (either an older student or adult volunteer) on a weekly basis. Mentors are assigned based on teacher recommendations and parent interest. They don’t focus on homework or remediation but can be terrific in offering academic extension activities and additional engagement around independent reading.

some lessons use tools or props, much of the practice is centered around students knowing they have all the tools they need and can practice mindfulness anywhere and anytime.

Free play is also an important component of the daily program. Primary students have a 40-minute recess in the school yard each day to play soccer, basketball, or four square, make up their own creative games, or just relax with friends.

After recess, the primary school gathers as a community for lunch. Our meals focus on lean proteins, whole grains, and fresh fruits and vegetables,

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TECHNOLOGY Each primary student has a laptop and an email account, with devices remaining at school. Significant time is taken to teach basic operations, web navigation, typing and word processing, and digital safety and citizenship. Technology is incorporated into each subject, giving students many opportunities to practice with these tools in a safe environment.

Students leave primary school able to create and share documents, investigate topics on the internet, and communicate via email.

SAMPLE PRIMARY SCHOOL SCHEDULE

= core

= wellness

= advisory

= optional

Elementary School OVERVIEW The elementary school (grades 3-5) uses a homeroom model. Students can arrive as early as 7:30 a.m. and may stay until 6 p.m., with required programming running from 8:05 a.m. until 3:40 p.m. Students work with a variety of adults on the team but most closely with a dedicated lead teacher.

The elementary school focuses on our community pillars of compassion and integrity. Lessons that center and extend these values are woven throughout advisory programming and integrated throughout the curriculum, always reminding us of who we are and strive to be as individuals and a school community.

There is also a focus on civics, skills for teamwork and friendship, and continued celebration of our diverse Harlem community.

“I want to equip my students with the tools to be strong, inquisitive scholars, as well as excptional, well-rounded human beings.”

TIA CLEMONS, FIFTH GRADE TEACHER

Elementary students take on two significant roles in the care for our school community. Third graders are responsible for the plants around the school, including the garden on our outdoor learning terrace.

This not only gives them a sense of ownership and responsibility for our campus but serves a wonderful experiential learning opportunity in alignment with their life science unit, Structures of Life, which focuses on the diversity of plants we observe in the world.

Fourth and fifth graders take responsibility for the school library, including re-shelving books, creating library displays, and keeping the space organized.

Throughout the week, students participate in a variety of activities focused on building habits for community contribution. Each day begins with a morning meeting

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focused on how students can contribute to discussions by the way they listen and speak with each other.

Students continue practicing mindfulness and have time set aside for informal greeting. At the end of each day, “check out” is dedicated to organizing planners, putting away materials, gathering materials for homework, and preparing for the next day of school. This time is also used for reminders, celebrating small wins, and ensuring that each student gets an individualized moment with the teacher before they leave for the day.

LITERACY Elementary school students spend more than two hours each day focused on reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Our goal is to continue fostering a love of reading and a mastery of skills, with students leaving elementary school with confidence, independence, and a foundation for long-term academic success.

The elementary literacy program serves as a bridge from the approach in primary school to a novel-driven study in middle school. Third graders use the fourth grade Benchmark Advance program, focusing on nonfiction reading and skill development. In fourth and fifth grade, students move from foundational reading skills to analysis of longer texts and more complex writing assignments. All three grades continue with integrated lessons in grammar, vocabulary, and writing.

In fourth and fifth grade, students learn strategies for monitoring comprehension, developing vocabulary, and practicing reasoning skills by making inferences and using the text to support their opinions. Speaking and listening skills are supported by literature circles, class discussions, and celebrations of learning where children recite stories, poems, and speeches.

Novel studies intertwine the continued advancement of reading skills (e.g., theme, character analysis, etc.) with topics about friendships, families, race, and social class.

Novels are intentionally selected to include authors and protagonists of color. Fourth grade texts include: “Esperanza Rising” by Pam Muñoz Ryan, “Rules” by Cynthia Lord, and “Clayton Byrd Goes Underground,” Rita Williams-Garcia. Fifth grade texts include: “Wonder”

by R.J. Palacio, “The Parker Inheritance” by Varian Johnson, and “Harbor Me” by Jacqueline Woodson.

We encourage students to find books that interest them and leverage that passion to develop habits of lifelong readers.

Teachers continue to make time for read-alouds, selecting texts to model habits and strategies of good readers, foster a love of reading, and amplify an inclusive tapestry of voices, with a particular elevation of Black, Latinx, and other authors and characters of color.

Complementary components to our core literacy program include: Guided Reading Third and fourth graders are placed in small reading groups based on ability for a differentiated nonfiction reading block. These groups evolve throughout the year based on specific strengths and areas for growth.

Students follow a five-day cycle that includes two opportunities to read a text, instruction around a reading skill, practice of the reading skill, summary paragraph writing, and an enrichment opportunity.

Students leave the fourth grade with the ability to read and comprehend text at level Z (the reading level generally expected at the end of sixth grade).

Fifth grade introduces a nonfiction reading block to explore current events and prepares students for the introduction of a history course in sixth grade. Each week, students read articles from Scholastic News or Junior Scholastics related to current events. Students discuss and write about the article to continue their development of nonfiction reading and writing skills.

Independent Reading/Library Our independent reading program is driven by Accelerated Reader, which helps students select appropriate texts. After completing an assessment at the beginning of the year, students are assigned a reading level. Students take computerized quizzes to demonstrate their comprehension of books they have independently chosen and read, working toward consistent 90% achievement before advancing to the next level. At least one day per week, elementary students go to the school’s library to browse and find additional independent reading books for their classroom.

Independent Practice Students have a daily opportunity for differentiated, technology-based literacy practice using the IXL online learning platform. This work may relate to whole class lessons, guided reading, or serve as an opportunity for extra practice or extension to above-grade-level skills, depending on the individual student’s needs.

MATHEMATICS In math, students develop a broad understanding of mathematical concepts and an in-depth knowledge of mathematical operations and procedures. Concepts are taught using the Math in Focus Singapore math program. This challenging curriculum focuses on

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teaching fewer concepts with greater depth and more complex problem solving than typical U.S. programs.

By beginning with concrete examples, moving to pictorial demonstrations, and then connecting to abstract concepts, students acquire skills to tackle increasingly difficult problems. In the elementary school, small group work in pullout math labs helps meet individual needs for enrichment. Students also use the online personalized learning tool, IXL, to support their learning in the classroom and at home.

Third Grade Third-grade math begins by building on topics such as place value and addition and subtraction, with students learning to solve real-world addition and subtraction problems with numbers through 10,000.

Students also learn how to make and interpret data from various graphs and identify fractions. Lastly, students explore measurement, including length, mass, volume, time, and temperature.

Fourth Grade The fourth-grade curriculum continues the pattern of building on previously learned topics with place value and addition and subtraction being extended

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to 100,000. Students focus on strengthening their long division skills and practicing multiplication facts to ensure fluency. Students are introduced to decimals and practice converting fractions to decimals and adding and subtracting decimals. The year ends with geometry, including measuring angles, calculating perimeter, and tessellations.

Fifth Grade Students explore number notation and place values, multiplication and division, approximation and estimation, and the order of operations. They learn to convert fractions and decimals and to add, subtract, multiply, and divide them in real-world situations.

Geometry begins with an exploration of angles and the properties of different geometric shapes. Students also work on foundational concepts for ratios, rates, percentages, and algebraic expressions.

SCIENCE Our goal is to engage students in the process of scientific investigation and inquiry, preparing them to succeed in middle school science and beyond. In the elementary school, we focus on the development of

scientific and engineering skills, non-fiction reading and writing skills, and content knowledge. We use the inquiry-based FOSS curriculum to guide our lessons as students develop an understanding of the world.

Third Grade Third grade begins with a life science unit, Structures of Life, that explores plants and animals, with a focus on observing and comparing life cycles and how they adapt to their environments. In this unit, students expand their care for plants beyond their classroom and they take responsibility for caring for plants around the school. This includes seeding, planting, and watering the school’s greenspaces. The winter unit, Motion and Matter, is a physical science unit focused on how things move and how we measure mass. Students investigate gravity and magnetism to explain what causes objects to move. The final unit, Water and Climate, is an earth science unit dedicated to explaining the water cycle, water’s impact on climate, and conservation and protection of water.

Fourth Grade Fourth grade science begins with the Soils, Rocks and Landforms unit, exploring how natural occurrences impact the surface of Earth’s landscapes over thousands of years. The winter unit, Energy, explores the phenomena of energy and how it is transferred between systems. The Environment unit focuses on the interaction between plants and animals and their environments. Each unit consists of experiments, reading sessions, and math extensions.

Fifth Grade Fifth graders begin the year with an introduction to chemistry with the unit Mixtures and Solutions. Students build on their knowledge of matter and explore what happens when samples of matter interact in mixtures, solutions, and chemical reactions. During the Earth science unit Earth and Sun, students learn how the different spheres of the Earth interact to provide an environment that sustains life. The unit explores the Earth’s position in the solar system and its interaction with the sun and the moon. In the final unit, Living Systems, students learn more about the interaction between organisms and their ecosystems and how the Earth’s biosphere interacts with other parts of the Earth.

ADVISORY The teaching team and school counselor lead weekly activities to develop habits that support living up to our pillars and Creed. The work emphasizes our pillars of compassion and integrity and how each person contributes to a joyful community of learning where all voices are heard.

WELLNESS In complement to advisory, our elementary wellness program includes mindfulness, general fitness, sportspecific training, and fun games. Held twice weekly, our physical education program gives students a sound understanding of the foundational skills that apply to organized sports, so they are prepared to participate in competitive athletic environments as they grow older. We value teamwork, sportsmanship, responsibility, and the opportunity for all participants to grow from their experiences.

In a weekly mindfulness class, students learn breathing and movement techniques to help focus, manage emotions, and strengthen awareness. While some lessons use tools or props, much of the practice is centered around students knowing they have all the tools they need and can practice mindfulness anywhere and anytime.

Free play is an important component of the daily program. Elementary students have a 40-minute recess in the school yard each day to play soccer, basketball, or four square, make up their own creative games, or just relax with friends.

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After recess, the elementary school gathers as a community for lunch. Our meals focus on lean proteins, whole grains, and fresh fruits and vegetables, always with some choice and toward an effort to build healthy eating habits. The period begins with a pause for silent reflection and ends with a brief informal meeting to catch up on any announcements for the day.

VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS In partnership with Harlem School of the Arts, primary students take arts classes twice per week. One period each week is dedicated to visual arts (drawing, painting, sculpture), one period each week is dedicated to performing arts (music, dance, theater).

HOMEWORK & PERSONAL LEARNING, CHOICE, AND MENTORING This optional, two-hour block at the end of each day includes a quiet hour during which students focus on completing their homework. As the volume and complexity of homework begins to increase in elementary school, we encourage independence and the development of strong organization and time management skills. However, teachers are available to answer questions and help as needed.

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After the quiet hour for homework, the day usually finishes with an optional choice time where students select from a variety of enrichment activities such as chess, coding, and crafts.

During this time, some students work with a mentor (either an older student or adult volunteer) on a weekly basis. Mentors are assigned based on teacher recommendations and parent interest. They don’t focus on homework or remediation but can be terrific in offering academic extension activities and additional engagement around independent reading.

TECHNOLOGY Each elementary student has a laptop and an email account, and significant time is taken to teach basic problem solving, web navigation, typing and word processing, and digital safety and citizenship.

Technology is incorporated into each subject, giving students many opportunities to practice with these tools in a safe environment. Students leave the elementary school demonstrating responsible technology use and the ability to use technology for research, communication, collaboration, and creativity.

SAMPLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SCHEDULE

= core

= wellness

= advisory

= optional

Middle School OVERVIEW The middle school (grades 6-8) is designed around subject-based specialists, challenging students to navigate a schedule, multiple environments, and different class structures. Students can arrive as early as 7:30 a.m. and may stay until 6 p.m., with required programming starting at 8:30 a.m. and generally ending at 4:30 p.m.

As our students move into classes by subject, we aim to continue strengthening the sense of community.

We gather each day for advisory, which builds on the pillar of integrity that has been woven throughout the school’s character education program. In addition, the program launches an exploration of the pillar of initiative as students have more agency in their academic and social development.

are encouraged to reflect on who they are, what they value, and how their identity is shaped by ethnicity, gender, race, class, ability, and other identifiers. They share their personal stories through discussion and writing poetry, personal narratives, short stories, personal statements, and more.

Each grade level has at least one unit focused on poetry and another studying the works of Shakespeare. Through a six-week collaboration with the Poetry Society of America, poets work oneon-one and in small groups with students, leading them through the creative process of writing, revising, critiquing, and performing original works.

The program culminates with the students and professional poets presenting their poems side-byside in front of the school community.

To support students in middle school to the transition to high school, students are assigned a faculty advisor.

Advisors are the first line of communication between the school and families, holding fall and winter conferences, sharing commendations, and helping to plan and execute any support plans.

As emerging leaders in our school, our middle schoolers take increasing ownership of the ways they contribute to our community. The sixth grade maintains the school’s digital poetry display, making weekly selections from schoolmates and outside authors to be displayed in our entrance commons. In seventh and eighth grade, students have more choice in designing how they want to contribute, often taking on roles as mentors to younger students or assisting with admissions or school events.

Students end the day restoring their homeroom space, checking their planners, and gathering all their materials for homework and afternoon electives. The day ends with a handshake between the students and their advisors.

ENGLISH The middle school English curriculum builds on character analysis work that students practiced in both primary and elementary school. With each text, students focus on character motivation, the impact of actions on self and others, and analyzing their personal beliefs in the context of the story. Students

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Our Shakespeare program uses a performance-driven curriculum that challenges students to read closely, decode the meaning of unfamiliar words, and grasp the underlying relationships between characters.

The program opens with a workshop developed in partnership with the Classic Stage Company and the graduate Theatre Arts Program at Columbia University’s School of the Arts. Actors work with students for one week to explore a play’s themes and the use of language to express character and plot. As a final project, students prepare and perform scenes for an audience of parents and peers.

Sixth Grade Sixth graders begin the year practicing habits and strategies of good readers. Using samples from The New York Times, students develop strong book reviews which become the basis for all writing pieces that follow. Students are introduced to a specific literary analysis response we call LASA, or literary analysis short answer, that they will use as the foundation for essays for the remainder of middle school. Sixth-grade texts include: • “Refugee” by Alan Gratz • “My Family Divided” by Diane Guerrero • “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” by William Shakespeare.

Seventh Grade Students continue to develop their personal voice and share their stories. The year begins with literary analysis of summer reading books giving students additional practice with the school’s LASA format.

Then, they explore historical fiction through traditional novels and graphic novels. This is followed by two poetry units, one examining cultural expression through the works of Harlem Renaissance poets and various hip-hop artists and the other exploring the concept of home through free verse poems. Seventhgrade texts include: • “Bronx Masquerade,” Nikki Grimes • “We Are Not Yet Equal,” Carol Anderson • “Show and Prove,” Sofia Quintero • “Marcus, or the Secret of Sweet,” Terrell Alvin McCraney Eighth Grade Eighth-grade English is the culmination of all the skills and strategies students have practiced during their time at Harlem Academy. They draw on small moments to craft autobiographical personal statements and biographical small moments narratives based on extensive interviews from a family member. They return to analysis to examine classic texts through new and varied lenses. They build on conversations and readings about resistance, politics, and social identifiers to craft original works of poetry.

Students end the year with a culminating writing piece that both tells a personal story and demonstrates the writing craft they have developed, including a cover letter that details the inspiration for their writing and rationale for the incorporated craft. Eighth-grade texts include: • “To Kill a Mockingbird,” Harper Lee • “Claudette Colvin: Twice Towards Justice,” Phillip Hoose • “Romeo and Juliet,” William Shakespeare • “The Poet X,” Elizabeth Acevedo

MATHEMATICS Students develop a thorough understanding of mathematical concepts and advanced problemsolving skills. Content is presented using the Math in Focus Singapore math program, a rigorous and challenging curriculum that teaches fewer topics in greater depth compared with typical math programs.

Courses help students develop confidence, master techniques, and employ reasoning skills to solve realworld mathematical problems.

To differentiate instruction, students who demonstrate strong mathematical foundations cover advanced topics in pullout math lab sessions and will complete a full algebra 1 curriculum.

Sixth Grade Students begin by exploring positive and negative integers on the number line, including prime numbers and introductory number theory. Students develop nuanced skills to work with challenging word problems, connecting fractions, ratio, rates, and percents. Students learn to simplify algebraic expressions, solve one-step algebraic equations through balancing, and graph linear equations on the coordinate plane. Students continue their study of geometry with a deeper exploration of twodimensional shapes and three-dimensional solids, including the area and circumference of a circle as well as composite geometric figures. The geometry curriculum uses one-step equations to reinforce the algebraic foundation built earlier. Students end the year with a comprehensive statistics unit, covering methods of data collection and the measures of central tendency.

Seventh Grade Students begin with a thorough study of all real numbers, classifying rational and irrational numbers before an in-depth exploration of operations with positive and negative rational numbers. Algebraic expressions and multi-step equations are explored in depth, including distance and coin word problems and algebraic inequalities. The ratio-based reasoning built in previous years is connected to direct and inverse proportions and the corresponding graphs. Students work on an advanced statistics and probability unit, including mean absolute deviation, interpreting quartiles, and developing probability models before ending the year with angle properties and geometric construction. In addition, a 12-week financial education unit taught by a former actuary introduces students to the foundations of personal finance.

Eighth Grade Students learn all exponent operation properties and how to calculate with scientific notation. Students then delve into a deep study of linear equations, finding the number of solutions of an equation, graphing on the coordinate plane, and solving systems of linear equations. Students learn to identify linear and nonlinear functions, introducing the quadratic function, quadratic formula, and graphing the parabola. Students learn to factor quadratic equations and find real and imaginary solutions to quadratic equations. Students end the year by examining the Pythagorean Theorem and connecting all the concepts from the year in an intensive word problem review.

SCIENCE Harlem Academy’s middle school science program was designed to (1) build the skills students need as they progress in the sciences, (2) offer rigorous and engaging academic content for adolescents, and (3) make connections between scientific concepts and future career paths.

“Harlem Academy helped me gain confidence and pushed me to challenge myself in ways that have made me who I am today.”

JADE MORTON-ALEXANDER, CLASS OF 2016

Students hone the skills of scientists through scientific inquiry, analysis, and validation of experimental information and data. Each year, students focus on eight core scientific practices aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards developed by the National Academy of Science. Practices, for example, include “planning and carrying out investigations,” “constructing explanations and designing solutions,” and “engaging in argument from evidence.” Teachers place particular emphasis on three practices per grade level, intentionally incorporating them into lessons 8-10 times per year using tools and rubrics provided with the curriculum.

In addition to science-specific skills, the curriculum strongly emphasizes non-fiction reading and writing.

Students receive explicit instruction on reading challenging scientific texts, and they practice strategies for identifying important terms and summarizing shorter sections. Rubrics are used to evaluate paragraph writing as well as lab reports, ensuring students understand expectations and receive consistent feedback. The curriculum aligns with the Common Core State Standards for literacy in science. By introducing these skills explicitly, in a logical sequence, and with ample opportunity for practice, the program prepares students not just for high school science, but also to read, write, and think like a scientist.

Harlem Academy uses two curricula during middle school science to anchor student learning related to sexuality, healthy living, and peer relationships: • The Botvin LifeSkills Training Middle School Program is a research-based substance abuse and violence prevention program that includes drug and alcohol education that supports positive youth development. It focuses on self-management skills, such as problem-solving and stress reduction; social skills, such as communicating clearly and avoiding violence; and drug and alcohol education.

• The Planned Parenthood “Get Real: Comprehensive Sex Education that Works” curriculum emphasizes social skills as a key component of healthy relationships and responsible decision-making.

Topics discussed include relationships; puberty, anatomy, and reproductive health; abstinence, sexually transmitted infections, and protection methods; and sexuality and gender identity.

Trips to museums, other educational institutions, and outdoor spaces are integral to our work. Each spring students participate in a school-wide science fair, designing and conducting independent investigations to address a scientific question.

An eighth grade student learns how to respond to a medical emergency during one of her science labs.

Sixth Grade Sixth grade science revolves around the studies of Earth and space sciences. The first unit, Geology, focuses on the connection between Earth’s structure and the forces that shape Earth’s surfaces. The second unit, Weather and Water, encompasses meteorology and contains an in-depth exploration of Earth’s atmosphere and the special role water vapor plays in creating Earth’s unique climate. The third unit, Astronomy, begins by investigating the scientific revolution and evolution of the universe and concludes with study of the Earth within the context of our solar system. In particular, students explore the Earth and moon’s potential origins and how the current celestial orientation evolved.

Seventh Grade Seventh grade science is divided into two sections: cells and human body systems. In the Cells unit, students explore genetics, from DNA to proteins.

Throughout the unit, students learn about cuttingedge applications of biotechnology, such as genetic engineering, stem cell research, and genetically modified foods and organisms. During the second unit, Human Body Systems, students study many of the organ systems and how they work together to help the human body function. Students gain an understanding of how the body works through wet lab dissections and online virtual labs. There are also guest lectures with neuroscientists and cancer

biologists from research universities in the New York City area including Columbia University and New York University.

Eighth Grade The year starts with Emergency Medicine, a unit that connects knowledge of the body’s systems learned in seventh grade to the appropriate response to emergency situations. Students analyze a patient to determine the injury, and study wound management, shock, fractures, and heat-induced ailments. In the second unit, Scientific Research, students develop a thesis statement, conduct research, and write a research paper, honing critical skills in non-fiction reading and writing. In the third unit, Architecture, students work with professional architects for five weeks to design a concept for a building, create perspective drawings, and build a 3-D model. As a culmination of this work, students present their design to a panel of architects.

HISTORY The curriculum is provided by Savvas, a textbook and online platform featuring standards-aligned content. To prepare for daily work and larger projects, all lessons in the history curriculum emphasize the following skills: (1) Using evidence to construct and evaluate historical arguments; (2) Using primary and secondary sources to analyze point of view and

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context, and to understand and interpret information; (3) Assessing continuity and change over time and over different cultures and geographic regions; and (4) Understanding diversity of interpretations through analysis of context, point of view, and frame of reference.

Sixth Grade – World History The history curriculum instills an understanding of the complex factors that shape the rise and fall of civilizations. Each civilization is analyzed through a structural framework of six components: government, geography, economics, religion, social groups, and history. Students study ancient Greece and Rome in the fall, northern, eastern, and western civilizations of Africa including Egypt and Ghana in the winter, and ancient Chinese and Indian civilizations in the spring.

Seventh Grade- American History (Prehistory-1865) Seventh grade begins with the exploration of early American civilizations such as the Aztecs and Incas.

They learn about indigenous people, the cultural and physical characteristics of early North America, and how indigenous people live today. They move on to European exploration and the settlement of the colonies, the Revolutionary War, and the establishment of the American government. They end the year with the Civil War and its impact. Units are

Our entire middle school heads to western New Jersey for three days of outdoor education each fall.

framed around essential questions such as, “How much does geography affect people’s lives?” and “How much power should the government have?”

Eighth Grade – American History (1865-present) Eighth grade begins with the Reconstruction era and the impacts of the Civil War on economic, industrial, and population growth. They move on to study the activism and political reform of the Progressive Era through primary sources such as Paul Lawrence Dunbar’s poem, “We Wear the Mask,” and then examine the role of the United States in the world through discussions of causes and effects of both World Wars and American interference in Latin America. They go on to explore the Civil Rights Movement, The Vietnam and Gulf Wars, and 9/11.

GROWTH BLOCK (INCLUDING ADVISORY) Growth block is a special, flexible time that has been built into the middle school schedule. Students have guidance and support but also increasing agency to take initiative in a variety of ways that support excellence in learning, wellness, and contribution to community.

• Time is taken to set and monitor their individual goals through self-reflection and in collaboration with advisors during weekly individual check-in meetings.

• While some students are meeting with their advisors, others have self-directed time to collaborate with a peer, check in with a teacher, engage in technology-based independent learning, or get work done.

• Class meetings are called whenever events within or beyond our school walls present a need or whenever the class has a goal they want to work on as a group. As part of this work, we use restorative circles and other proactive problem-solving techniques and discuss current events.

• We also use these blocks to prepare for special events in the calendar, including our three-day outdoor adventure trip and a special day where each advisory group plans their own field trip to explore our City!

In eighth grade, the transition to secondary school is supported by several innovative initiatives. High School Week offers an introduction to life in high school, including a changed schedule, increased workload, new privileges, and higher expectations. It offers a chance for students to learn where they may struggle and develop strategies to overcome those challenges. Harlem Academy alumni and secondary school leaders work with our eighth graders to understand and prepare for the challenges and opportunities related to the transition to ninth grade.

WELLNESS AND ELECTIVES (INCLUDING ARTS, ATHLETICS, AND STUDY HALL) Free play is an important component of the daily program, even in middle school, so students continue to have a 40-minute daily recess block to play games or just relax with friends in the school yard. Some students will also use this period for informal clubs or to work in small groups with our school counselor or mindfulness teacher.

After recess, the middle school gathers as a community for lunch. Our meals focus on lean proteins, whole grains, and fresh fruits and vegetables, always with some choice and toward an effort to continue building healthy eating habits. The period begins with a pause for silent reflection and ends with a brief informal meeting to catch up on any announcements for the day.

The middle school schedule also includes three elective periods each day. We incorporate this choice and flexibility into the schedule so middle schoolers can take initiative and pursue their individualized interests and goals, with advisors supporting them in making choices that support growth, excellence, and

wellness. Electives include arts (e.g., pottery, drawing and painting, photography, Shakespeare, musical theater), athletics (e.g., soccer, basketball, running, general fitness), clubs (e.g., logic games, newspaper, literary magazine, service), and a study hall block (for students who need extra support or just prefer to get their independent work done at school).

“I’m so thankful that Harlem Academy had High School Week because it taught me time management. That’s the number one thing you need at boarding school, and Harlem Academy definitely helped prepare me for the challenge; I was ready.”

KYLE CUFFE, CLASS OF 2017

The morning elective block runs from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m., and in the afternoon, the elective block runs from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. and study hall runs from 4:40 to 5:40 p.m. Participation in the elective block is generally required, as is at least one trimester of arts and one trimester of athletics each year.

During these times, some students work with a mentor, generally an adult or recent alumnus working as a volunteer, on a weekly basis. Mentors are assigned based on teacher recommendations and parent interest. They don’t focus on homework or remediation but can be terrific in offering academic extension activities and additional engagement around writing or independent reading.

TECHNOLOGY In middle school, each student has a laptop for which they take responsibility. Students often use their laptops as a primary tool for writing, homework, and research, and they regularly incorporate slideshows, spreadsheets, and other applications into their work. Students also have opportunities to explore technology-related interests during elective periods.

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SECONDARY SCHOOL PLACEMENT PROGRAM Our goal is to ensure that every student is positioned for continued growth with a placement at a secondary school that will challenge and support them toward the full realization of their potential. The right school will push students with high expectations, provide new opportunities for explanation and learning, and open a door to college.

Harlem Academy’s secondary school placement process begins with the premise that admission to and success at a top secondary school is a shared responsibility among students, parents, and the school. Our program begins in sixth grade and includes the following key components: Family partnership information and training sessions Our secondary school placement coordinator holds grade-wide information sessions, one-on-one meetings, and drop-in sessions every Saturday from September through mid-November. The coordinator supports eighth-grade students and their families by helping them navigate the financial aid and application process.

School visits All students visit a boarding school in sixth grade. In eighth grade, our team provides transportation and accompanies eighth graders to boarding school tours and interviews.

SSAT and ISEE preparation In seventh grade, all students take a benchmark SSAT to help determine academic skills that may need extra work and develop an initial list of target schools. During their eighth-grade year, standardized entrance exam preparation is provided on Saturdays in the fall. All students receive access to an online testing program and curriculum that provides them and their teachers with real-time feedback and resources.

Interview preparation In seventh and eighth grade, students develop interview skills in class and work with trained volunteers who conduct practice sessions and provide constructive feedback using a detailed rubric.

Essay support Eighth graders work with their English teacher throughout the fall to hone their personal statements.

Additional support for supplementary essays is also provided.

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ALUMNI SUPPORT Harlem Academy’s alumni support program leverages strong relationships and consistent communication to guide students toward the fullest realization of their potential. This includes: Ongoing advising We share relevant email updates and regularly check in with all graduates to hear how they are doing and to collaborate on problem-solving as needed.

College and career access We provide support throughout the college application process, including identifying a strong target list of schools and standardized test preparation. We continue to support students as they begin their careers, including in finding summer jobs and internship opportunities.

Annual events We host meaningful events each year for students to stay connected to peers and teachers.

Volunteering Our volunteer program provides regular opportunities for alumni to continue to contribute at Harlem Academy.

Sample Middle School Schedule

= core

= wellness

= advisory

= optional

School Creed I am bold and creative.

I take opportunities to lead.

I seek help when I need it.

I am honest and reflective.

I choose to do what is right Even when it is hard or no one is watching.

I listen carefully.

I speak kindly.

I care for my community.

I make the most of each day.

I learn from my mistakes.

I don’t give up.

info@harlemacademy.org For more information, please visit www.harlemacademy.org.